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Spread the Love Tour
I knew it! I knew that after I attended Justin & Mary Marantz' Spread the Love Tour on Friday evening, I would walk away changed, ruined for the ordinary and begin to live my life by being UN-ordinary. This workshop was not the type where we went out to shoot beautiful models, or learn how do brand ourselves. This was a workshop about LIFE! Life as we know it and how my photography business intersects with my life. I learned so much, and for those who know me pretty well, you wouldn't be surprised if I told you that I took 19 pages of notes!
The biggest thing I took away from this workshop is to write down my specific goals, stick to them and celebrate the accomplishment. Did you know that only 4% of Americans write down their goals? And the people who do write down their goals make 9 times more money than those who don't write down their goals at all. On Saturday morning while I was enjoying my coffee, I was able to go through all of the notes and I honestly believe that this workshop was the icing on the cake for me to charge into 2010 with so much MOMENTUM that you may not be able to catch me!
Here are some of the goals I took away from this LIFE workshop. And of course, I am still working on that 101 things to accomplish in 1001 days, so these will certainly be on there.
1. Finish reading the Purple Cow by Seth Godin.
2. Read Lovemarks; The Future Beyond Brands by Kevin Roberts
3. Read E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
4. Read the The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer.
5. Start blog comment contests for ALL of my portrait sessions.
6. Create an unforgettable client experience from beginning to end! Start with a good product and make it a GREAT experience!
7. "Make myself the label" by improving all of my packaging, continually updating my website, and make a new video!
8. Create my ideal client profile.
9. Continue to improve the a la carte menu of products for 2010.
10. Develop vendor relationships with vendors that will benefit the portrait photography industry and will in turn help both parties.
*of course there are tons of other things that will end up on the list, just need to spend some more time working through them.
I was in tears by the time we finished the workshop! Yes, I can cry at the drop of a hat, but this was one of the most powerful workshops I had ever been to for the photography industry. You still have a chance to attend their Spread the Love workshop. CLICK HERE to see where else they are going!
One of the greatest quotes they ended with was this, "You have to be the CAN in your life, because there will always be an abundance of people that tell you they CAN'T"
**Thank you Justin & Mary for rocking my world! It was a true delight to finally meet you in person! Thank you for wearing your hearts on your sleeves, being human and so vulnerable in front of strangers! I am excited to continue to share with you my growth in the business and my life! Hugs, Tira J. |
Client Referral & Appreciation Cards; So Cal Portrait Photographer
Have you seen these around town yet? Or, did you get yours?
A few weeks ago, I sent these fabulous custom client referral & appreciation cards out to a lot of our clients and I am excited to see the program come to fruition! I have never done something like this, but from what I have learned, your current clients are your greatest source of referrals. Last year, 90% of my business happened because of referrals and I am eternally grateful to everyone for giving me the opportunity to photograph them and their families.
Trust me, there are great rewards for both the future Tira J client who receives one of these cards and turns them in, as well as for the past client of Tira J Photography. There's a little something in it for everyone! |
More details will be in our upcoming newsletter, so be sure to sign up here!
p.s.. this is my 200th post on the blog, which means that since it launched almost a year ago, I posted something every 1.745 days if you want to do the math. Thanks for taking the time to follow my work and read my blog.
*If you did not receive your client referral & appreciation cards, please send me an email at info [at] tirajphotography.com |
Whip It Up Wednesday: Zesty Lemonade
The first time we came to look at the home we are living in now, we had no idea there were several fruit trees, that would eventually give us an abundance of deliciousness. One of those trees is the lemon tree that just keeps on giving. Many years ago, before anyone thought of building homes out in the Inland Empire, there were lemon and orange groves for miles and miles. One of those lemon groves was where our home is now and the lemon tree we have is the piece of history we will have forever. I am not really sure what is in the soil out here, but our lemon tree gives us the greatest lemons 365 days a year.
So, what better entry for this weeks Whip It Up Wednesday than Zesty Lemonade. When David first made it, he completely surprised me, as I am super picky about lemonade. I don't like it too sweet, and it still needs that tart kick to it. I loved it because it was perfect! Not too sweet and not too tart! There are so many lemonade recipies out there and even the store bought ones where you don't really taste the lemons. This one, you can! |
Ingredients
5-6 lemons (enough to make 8 ounces of juice)
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
1 cup of sugar (or equivalent amount of non-caloric sweetener)
Filtered water enough to make 2 quarts
Ice Cubes
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| Grate lemon skin to create 1 teaspoon of zest and place into pitcher. Cut, squeeze, and strain the lemons to make 8-ounces of filtered juice. Place the lemon juice in a pitcher and add 1-cup of sugar or equivalent sweetener. Add water up to the 2-quart mark and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over ice and enjoy. Garnish with a lemon slice as desired. |
Living Simply
This past week, I was exposed to an entirely new community of women. Women who blog for a living! Of course, I have this blog and I try my best to blog different random happenings of my life between shoots, but it is sometimes difficult to do that when I am still working full time. Anyways, I found about 10 new blogs to start reading during my early morning blog "stalking" ritual before I go off to work. One of these blogs just happens to belong to a woman by the name of Tsh Oxenreider. Nope, I didn't forget the "i" in her name. She pronounces it Tish. Her website/blog is called The Simple Mom.
This is straight from her site:
"Simple Mom is a productivity blog for home managers. It’s like Zen Habits wearing an apron. If we want to get things done and be fully present for all the things that are most important to us, we have to keep things simple.
When Mom is doing well, the whole family thrives.
This blog is a catalog of the resources, tips, and lessons to make that happen. When we find solutions for cutting everyday life clutter, we’re taking care of our family, our home, and ourselves. I believe that when Mom (Dad, too) is doing well, the whole family thrives."
After I read some of her most recent posts, specifically the post from Friday, I thought to myself, some of these suggestions aren't just for people who already have children. They are for people who simply want to simplify their lives. Can't wait to see what she has coming up next week. |
| And because all blog posts are better with images, the image above is one of my favorite trees on campus. I will need to ask Randy what the name of it is and get back to you. I just LOVE when it blooms every year. And after I finished shooting some images of the tree, I ran into my friends Rebecca and Phil. They can never resist being in front of my camera! "Oh, Tira has her camera, can you stop and take a new picture of us"! Love you guys! |
Whip It Up Wednesday: Japanese Miso Soup
| I am sure many of you have had Japanese food. We had our very first date at our now favorite Sushi restaurant, Kabuki Japanese Restaurant. Almost thirteen years later, we are still having date nights at Kabuki's. We almost always have a cup of miso soup before we enjoy our sashimi and rolls. Typically, when you eat at a Japanese restaurant, it can be a little expensive. But, when you make it at home, it can be surprisingly inexpensive. David found a great place to purchase the much needed Japanese supplies located in San Francisco, the Asian Food Grocer. Their prices are reasonable, fast delivery, and fresh products. |
Dashi (kelp and fish broth)
Ingredients
2 (4-inch) square pieces kombu
2 1/2 quarts water
1/2-ounce bonito flakes, about 2 cups
Directions
Put the kombu in a 4-quart saucepan, cover with the water and soak for 30 minutes.
Set the saucepan over medium heat until the water reaches 150 to 160 degrees F and small bubbles appear around the sides of the pan, 9 to 10 minutes.
Remove the kombu from the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the bonito flakes. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with muslin or several layers of cheesecloth.
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Miso Soup
Ingredients
12-ounce block firm tofu
2 quarts dashi (as prepared above)
6 tablespoons dark or red miso
2 tablespoons light or white miso
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions
Cut the tofu into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes.
Heat the dashi in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When the dashi reaches 100 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, ladle 1 cup into a small bowl. Add the miso, and whisk until smooth.
Bring the remaining dashi to a bare simmer, approximately 10 minutes. Add the miso mixture and whisk to combine. Return to a slight simmer, being careful not to boil the mixture. Add the tofu and scallions and cook for another minute or until heated through. Remove from the heat, ladle into soup bowls and serve immediately.
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