202: From Stuck to Unstoppable with Tara Cory

Sabrina: Welcome to Shoot It Straight, the podcast for women building businesses and lives they actually want. I’m Sabrina Gebhardt, and around here, we believe in clarity over hustle, alignment over burnout, and giving yourself permission to want more, more ease, more beauty, more income, more space to live. So if you’re ready to grow without losing yourself in the process, you’re in the right place.

Welcome back to the Shoot It Straight podcast, my friends. Today, we have… We’re bringing back, we’re bringing back a series that I haven’t done in a minute. And if you’ve been listening for a while, you remember from last year we had the series Real Women, Real Stories. And I’m not fully bringing back the whole series, but I do have a chat today, and we’re kind of going down that same avenue.

This is one of my favorite types of discussions to have, because they are honest and vulnerable and real, and it’s not just a highlight reel, but it’s real women who have done the work and changed their business. And I love to tell these stories because my hope is that you will feel less alone in what you’re doing in these stories.

Because every single woman I’ve talked to started at a different place, had different goals, worked through different things, and I think it’s important that we see real women doing real work, right? Instead of just the highlight reel of, you know, the quote, unquote “big names” out there. That is what we are doing today.

Today I have with me one of my Root to Rise students. I cannot wait for you to hear where she was and where she is now. Tara, my dear, will you introduce yourself to the audience?

Tara: Yeah. Well, thanks for having me. Um, I’m Tara Corey. I own Tara Lee Photography in the St. Louis Metro East area. You know, my niche is newborns and family and branding.

Um, I’m also a full-time sales leader at Worldwide Technology, along with a mom of three boys and a wife. So life is chaotic, but I’m happy to be here, and I love anything Sabrina, so

Sabrina: You’re so sweet. I, I’m excited to talk about your story today, ’cause it’s pretty cool, and you’ve got… You’ve had so much growth and so many shifts, and some of them have been small and some of them have been big, and it all kind of stacks, right?

And, uh, I just was like, “I have to have you on the podcast to share your story,” so here we are. So let’s go back to the very beginning. Before you joined Root to Rise, what was going on in your world, in your business, in your day-to-day? Kind of give us the lay of the land. Where were you then?

Tara: Yeah. So my story starts out even as early as 2011.

Um, I started my business. It wasn’t on my own. It was with a business partner. I was shooting, um, not only photographing, but also, um, being a videographer for 33 weddings a year, um, with a business partner. And I was early in my 20s, and that was just not feasible. And we kind of got burnt out pretty quickly, as you can imagine.

Um, and we parted ways because life, right? Like, you’re in your early 20s. You still are figuring out who you are. So along that journey, I was still doing photography, you know, on my own. Um, it became a real hustle, um, because I was a single mom. So doing photography full-time with two other part-time jobs all on my own- I was saying yes to anything.

You want pictures of your dog on the street? Okay, got you. Um, so it really burnt me out, and then came 2019. I met my now husband, and you know, I had that support, and something that I wasn’t used to. So I decided, you know, this wasn’t fueling me anymore, so I kind of took a step back. Um, still photographing every now and again, um but I really, really took a step back and even took all of my socials down, everything.

So you couldn’t even find Tara Leigh Photography at the time. Then 2020 hit, and my mom passed, and she was the driving force of why I started photography and who I did it with. We would do newborns together, weddings together, family shoots together. It was just me and her constantly. And when she passed, it felt like, “Why am I doing this?

I don’t love this anymore.” Fast-forward through growing my family, 2025 hit, and I don’t know what it was, but a light- like, a lightning bolt or something hit me in January, and I was like, “I need to, I need to do this again.” And call it divine intervention, whatever, I just wanted to rebuild this, but I really wanted to do it differently than 2011 Tara did.

2011 Tara, zero systems, zero idea on how to handle even the money part of it or anything. I didn’t know, like, if I should niche down or anything. Scrolling Instagram, stumbled upon your Instagram. And you know, there’s so many, so many other people, business coaches, how- whatever, that, you know, offer all the free things, and I did all that.

You also don’t know who you’re gonna get from Instagram, right? So that just led me to, “Okay, if I’m gonna do this, I wanna do it with intention. I wanna do it right. I don’t wanna be just doing it on my own.” And then me and you, we had our first one-on-one call, and I was kind of like, “Hey, let’s… I wanna give this a try.”

So once, once we had our chat, I was hooked, line, and sinker. I was just ready, ready to go.

Sabrina: Yeah. Isn’t it amazing how you had to get to that point of, number one, I’m tired of, I’m not gonna do this the way that I was doing it, because for all intents and purposes, it worked. You made money. You had clients.

People were knocking on your door. You were, quote-unquote, doing the job of being a photographer. But it didn’t feel good to you. It didn’t work with your life, your season. I think that’s so important to note, because that’s the thing. You have to get to that point, right? If you join any program, I don’t care whose program it is, whether it’s a course, a mastermind, hire a coach or whatever.

If you are not all in on making the change and willing to undo some of the things that need to be done, what are we doing? Right? Because it will never, you will never go all in on the thing. You’ll fall back into old habits. You’ll question what you’re learning, what you’re hearing, what your coach is saying.

And you have to get to, I hate to use the word breaking point, but that’s kind of it. You have to get to that point where I am moving forward, and I am willing to do whatever it takes. I’m not doing it the old way anymore. And I kind of, uh, like I, I hate that you got to that burnout point where you just, like, shut it all down, but also how refreshing that you did get to start with a clean slate.

Tara: Yes. It was a little discouraging at moments, um, or at times because I got, you know, just kind of frustrated with myself. Like, why didn’t I… Like, I had such a good following just on Facebook, right? Because in 2011, Instagram wasn’t really hot right then and there. But just starting over was really discouraging.

What was great– And I had no idea on how to market myself. No idea. I posted pretty pictures. I posted sneak peeks. That’s all I knew. Then meeting with you and then doing marketing that attracts, it just was, like, just this little slow build-up that just helped me consistently improve, improve, improve. And I did not have a very big goal, as you know, for 2025 Now I look back and it’s not big.

In the beginning it was big for me.

Sabrina: Yeah, it felt big for you at the time. Yeah. 2011 photography business is very different than now 2026 photography business. You know, I started my business back in 2010, and dare I say it wasn’t hard back then. It just… It r- there was not this oversaturation that we have now.

There was not the intense amount of competition that there is now. It was still a relatively novel thing to be able to, like, start a, quote-unquote, “photography business.” Editing was becoming more and more accessible and to learn. It just… It wasn’t that hard, like, to just throw your name in the hat. Social media actually did what it was supposed to, or it felt like it was so much easier, and it really wasn’t challenging.

It is so much harder for people that are starting businesses or trying to pivot or something now than it was then because the competition is just so much more vast. The volume is turned way up on everybody, and, uh, it’s harder to get seen and heard and, and trusted and all of that, which, which you know.

So what made you… So like you said, you… We got on a call. What, what kind of call was that? You, you bought an hour with me or-

Tara: Yeah …

Sabrina: something like that? Yeah. It

Tara: was just a, a, a… What did we call it? Like a… It was like a one-hour sprint or something- Yeah.

Sabrina: Okay …

Tara: or I can’t remember.

Sabrina: Yeah. And we got on that, and…

‘Cause you, you knew that you wanted some, like… I wanted to… You wanted to ask your questions and get specific feedback. And, and like you said, from there you kind of danced through various things of mine. But, uh, when it came time for you to say, “You know what? I’m gonna make, I’m gonna make the big commitment.

I’m gonna join Root to Rise,” what do you think got you to that point? Was there a specific moment? Was it just a slow build and you were like, “Now I’m all in”? Like, what, what got you there?

Tara: Definitely a slow build. I think after doing Marketing That Attracts… And it’s funny that doing the Marketing That Attracts, that, that sprint, was in a really difficult time in my life with my brother-in-law being on hospice.

I was like, “How am I gonna do this?” I made the time and the commitment, and learning those little pieces, it was almost like I got a little taste of what your, like, one on… not one-on-one, but group coaching is like. And once I saw the results from that, it was like, “Okay, Tara, let’s do Root to Rise. But maybe let’s do it next year.”

I remember going back and forth with you on Instagram like, “Maybe I do it next year.” And then finally I was like, “Why do I need to be ready for this? This is supposed to help me be ready. The ready is at the end. The ready is the outcome.” And yes, of course, the hesitation came from because it is a big investment.

And looking back, at 2011 Tara, I never did any… I never did really any, like, real education. I went to a conference here and there and things like that. But to have a coach wasn’t really a thing back then. And so putting that investment and that money down to- Basically bet on myself was huge because I also know myself.

I know my ADHD brain. I know how I can be focused, and then like, “Ooh, what’s over here?” Something pretty. So it was a little nerve-wracking, but one of the best decisions, and I will preach that till I’m done.

Sabrina: Yeah. Yeah. I… There… The two hesitations I get the most are it’s a big investment, because it is, of both time and money.

It- so it’s always… People are always questioning, number one, can I afford it? Is it worth it? Should I spend my money in that way? And then the other one is, is this the right s- time for me? Is this the right season for me? Am I gonna be able to commit to all the calls, and show up to all the things, and do the work and stuff?

And I get that, and, and those are two genuine concerns. Like, I will never… I am never gonna be the person that, like, really slyly tries to talk you into, “Well, why wait?” And now is… You know, I’m just not like that. Like, I get it. People have budgets, and they have, you know, profit margins, and they have seasons of life where they don’t have the time to show up to calls and stuff like that.

When those aren’t real reasons, which is, quite frankly, the truth for most people. They’re, they make up those reasons, but they’re not really the reasons. It’s really just fear. It’s fear of, like you said, “Can I bet on myself? Am, can I trust myself to get all the way through this? Can I trust myself to take the feedback and do the thing and be frustrated at times, and to keep going?”

Because it’s a long time. It’s months and months and months together.

Tara: Right. Right. But I was really excited, too, to have it be a group to lean on each other. ‘Cause again, going, not trying to, you know, keep referring back to 2011, 2011 was competition. You did not have photography friends. You know? It was eat or be eaten kind of thing, you know?

It’s, it’s really crazy how it’s changed, and now rebuilding, I was like, “Okay, this is what people are doing, and this is how maybe in the future I could maybe educate others on what I’ve done and seen and fallen and gotten back up and, and things like that.” So yeah.

Sabrina: The group component really, really is magic and getting connected with people.

I’m curious, what s- what has surprised you the most about being inside the mastermind? Like, is there something that you really were not expecting?

Tara: Hmm. What was I not expecting? I think I wasn’t expecting the fact that I could actually put things th- into place. Like, I was afraid that I would be listening to all of, you know, be on the calls, having the homework so to speak, and like really trying to put it into place, but I wouldn’t.

I, I would feel resistance, um, for myself. Not like anybody else is telling me not to. But I was curious, like, how does Sabrina know my market? How does, how does anybody else know what I’m seeing out in my town? How would that translate? And it was really just about putting everything into play. Trying it.

We, you know, you try it and see what sticks. And sadly, that’s what you have to do sometimes, and it works. So I actually was making sure that I was putting the systems into place. I was doing my, my money with Profit First, and I, that is one thing that has stuck 100%. But then another piece was all of the individuals that you bring to us are one of a kind.

The fact that I could… Literally, they’ve never met me, they’ve s- maybe seen me on a call, and I can message them, and they, like just for a quick question, and they give you the full answer. It’s not like they’re even trying to pitch to you something. So I think that that was really eye-opening, that all of the people that you also bring feel the same way you do and how the group is ran.

Sabrina: Yeah. At, at this point, we’ve had about 80 women go through the program. And- It, they really are all magic. I mean, it’s crazy. I, I actually had dinner a couple weeks ago with some girls that were in town, um, and it was different… It was women from different runs of the program that have become friends through the community that we have.

They ca- they came in from all over the country to have, like, a working weekend together, and it just happened to be in North Texas, and so they invited me to dinner. And it was the coolest experience, number one, to just get, get to see them again. But to go through and be like, “Okay, which run were you in?

And which run were you in?” And how they met and just got into the world. And one of them, Kate, shout out Kate, she calls it the Sabrina sphere. And I always am like… I’m like, “I love that so much,” um, because it’s true. Like, once you’re in the gang, you’re in the gang you know? The community is everything. I wanna circle back to when you were saying you weren’t sure if you were gonna be able to, like, do the things, implement the things, and that you spent time doing the systems and the money stuff.

Uh, let it be clear that a lot of the things we work on in the mastermind aren’t sexy. Like, it’s not sexy stuff. But to get to the sexy results, you have to be willing to dig in the dirt. You have to be willing to do the stuff that’s a slog that you don’t wanna do, go through your client experience emails, get your systems up and running, fine-tune your, your offers.

Like, we do all of these nitty-gritty foundational things, but if you want the sexy house, you have to, like, lay the bricks, you know what I mean? I, I always just wanna be really clear with that because a lot of women come into the program, and they come in because they hear about all these huge, sexy results.

And I’m like, those come at the end, and often months after we’re done because the foundational stuff keeps building, right? Like, I’m not promising you that those fireworks are going off in month one, in month two, in… or even month three or four, but I promise you that they are coming because of all the foundational stuff that we do, right?

Tara: And I’m a super impatient person. My husband, like, jokes with me, “Put your patient pants on.” I fully, like, took it all in. I slept, ate, b- like, breathed my business, and that was new for me, too. And something I was going to say is Yes, that stuff isn’t sexy. Um, you know, going through your marketing and your content and trying to figure out, like, what do I post, and how do I post it, and what’s my messaging?

And having, having Brianne come on and tell me what my human design was, and now I’m, like, preaching to everyone, “Hey, have you checked out your human design? Have you checked out your human design?” Like, I’m like, “Oh, talk to my… Talk to Brianne.” You know, like, all these other businesses, like, they don’t know about this stuff, and it’s very eye-opening.

And, and going just a little bit back to your Sabrina Sphere, I am now super close with women I’ve never met before, not once in my life. So when I also signed up for Root to Rise, it was a little bit of the FOMO where I was standing back and seeing all of your retreats and seeing all of, like, the conferences and, and, and adding, you know, following these people on Instagram where I was like, “These are like my people.

Like, these seem like girls that I need to, like, run around with.” And Kelly, Llewellyn, like, or Rochelle, however you like, um, you know, we Voxer, we text, and Christine and I are gonna have coffee chats virtually. You know, like, all of these pieces where they weren’t even in my mastermind group. So it’s just funny how it all just comes together, and yeah, it’s Sabrina Sphere 100%.

Sabrina: Yeah, yeah. It’s, it’s really awesome and, and I, I love that she named it that. And it, it’s fun because somehow even though there i- there’s not technically an opportunity where all the cohorts are together in a room or in a space, but- Like you said, everybody just, they’re like, “Oh, once you’re in the gang, you’re like brought into the gang.”

You know? And, and they want to connect with you and cheer you on and answer your questions and be an open book, and you can trust that people that have gone through this mastermind are those kinds of women because that’s what they are. You could reach out to any of them from any run that we’ve ever had, and it’s so fun.

I’m curious, do you remember a moment or a discussion or anything inside the program that really kind of cracked something open for you? Um, maybe it was like a really big mindset shift or shift in the way you look at things.

Tara: I laugh and I think that you probably know where this is going. Definitely mindset and boundaries.

I still am in shock on how my April last month went, almost hitting a five-figure month. Um, very, very, very shortly shy of it. And looking back at last year, last March 2025, I opened my studio. I have never had a studio outside of my home, and that was actually when we had our first call in March, I think.

And it just … Seeing April’s numbers, seeing how I felt in April, my mindset. I said no to people because I didn’t need … I didn’t, quote-unquote, “need the money” to book those sessions, right? That was huge, and because of my three boys and my husband and, you know, we built a new pool and like wanting those family lives and moments, I am able to feel so confident and say, “You know what?

I don’t have to work this Saturday.” Because I do have a full-time job as well. I just, I don’t have to keep- Like booking the sessions just to keep booking sessions and being relevant. So that’s been huge is my boundaries and my mind shift and, like, giving myself permission to also take a nap and relax and and just have that white space.

Sabrina: It’s so important to know what your version of success is so that you know when you can take the, your foot off the gas, you know? And yes, I will always tell everybody that I coach there are seasons of hustle and seasons of ease, but the hustle is addictive, and your s- foot can get stuck on the gas, and it, it’s really important to stop and be able to realize, “Wait a minute, I’ve, like, surpassed my goal for this month, this quarter, this season, whatever.

I can slow down. I can reap the rewards of my success by letting myself take a weekend off or, or whatever it is.” We don’t recognize that until we, like, create that definition for ourselves because everyone’s different, right? Everyone has different schedules. We’ve got women with full-time jobs, women that are full-time in photography, women who are, uh, pregnant and having babies, having their first baby.

It’s like we’re all over the board with what season we’re in. We have to know what is relevant for our success in that season so that we know when we’ve reached it, and we can stop the hustle, so to speak, right? Otherwise, you’re just in that perpetual, which is what you were in 2011, right? When you were just say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes, ’cause that’s what

Right? That’s what we did. There was nobody coaching us otherwise. So I, I love how your April turned out, and talking through those, like, we were messaging arou- about how it was going, and, “Do I say no to this? Could I actually?” And I’m like, “Yes. Right now. Say no to that.” And then hearing you on the other side of the freedom of, “Oh my gosh,” like, “I can,” and I still made more money that month.

And you got, like, a surprise print order or something. And just things kept working out for you, and you were able to sit back a little bit and think, “Wow, I’ve had this much success, and also I’ve had some freedoms,” which is incredible.

Tara: Yeah. It just was really validating, and I know that I messaged you, I think, earlier this week.

And I was like, “What’s next for Tara Lee Photography? Like, what do I need to do next?” Like, I, I, like it’s, it’s calm right now. Everything’s working. Everything … You know, inquiries are coming in. People are booking. I’m booked out a month, month and a half. Like, but I feel like I am addicted to that hustle and that chaos because that was 2011 Tara.

And I don’t have to do that anymore. And it’s really refreshing. You still might get those Voxers every once in a while, but you might have to calm me down.

Sabrina: Well, a- and that’s the thing is it’s breaking those habits that are over a decade old at this point, right? Of wait a minute, I don’t have to feel that way, and there doesn’t have to be something that’s next.

It can just be like reaping the rewards of all of your hard work and letting it be easy. You’ve got clients rolling in. You’ve got people saying yes. You’ve got your studio. Book until you’re at your capacity, and then push people to the next month or turn people down. Like, it can be easy. It doesn’t have to feel chaotic and hard all the time.

It is a little jarring feeling for women who are hard workers and hustlers by nature, right? I’m, I’m that way. It took me a really long time to, like, settle down, you know, and not feel like I had to go a million miles an hour all the time. I’m curious, uh, what was harder than you expected? What’s something you had to, like, grow through that maybe you weren’t prepared for, um, that felt a little bit more challenging?

Tara: I would say that one of the things that I had to work through on, on this was a little bit of an inner confidence with my actual photography. I mean, you … Uh, being at the retreat, we went over and did a portfolio review. I was even then just in my head of, “Oh my God, these other women are so much better than me.

Like, I am, like, the most premature one here,” you know? Even though I have years of experience, you know, photography has changed, and, um, my look has changed, and I just felt like, is it good enough? And so that was, um, something that I had to kind of overcome a little bit, and now I can confidently sit here.

Of course, you know, we all take pictures and we’re like … You know, you get home, and you’re like, “That was not a good shoot.” And then you get back, and you put it on your computer, and you’re like, “Wow, those are really good.” You know, you have those little bit of mind shifts, but I can confidently say, like, I am one of the best in the business over here, and I, I really feel that, and it’s, it’s, it’s coming true just by all of the feedback I’ve been given.

Sabrina: Yeah, you were so nervous to do the portfolio review.

Tara: And I was last.

Sabrina: You were so nervous, and I was like, “No one needs to be nervous. This is, like, a safe circle of trust.” Every- It’s common for women to be nervous about the portfolio review because it’s in person, and your image is, like, I actually have the images printed out, and so we’re, like, looking at them on a table together.

But it’s really impactful to hear from other people and to get that feedback all together. Um, I’ve had multiple people over the years tell me that the portfolio review was transformational for them because of the confidence that it gave them on the other side, that they didn’t even realize they were lacking, which is really, really cool.

Tara: Yeah. And, and it changed … I remember right after that, I went to work, and I, I changed a lot of my offerings because of that conversation. I was one of s- I’m one of the only that is a studio photographer in our group, which was also maybe something that was a little, made me a little hesitant at times. But I know what I’m good at, and you all gave me, you know, the, the best feedback on that, you know.

My babies are … My newborn photography is my niche and what I’m good at, and I need to lean into that with this new, beautiful studio that I have. That’s been really, like, comforting, and at first I was hesitant, and I was kind of resistant, and I think now, going forward, I have the vision.

Sabrina: Yeah. You d- you definitely do.

And the proof is in how people are responding to the changes you’ve made. I mean, your audience is responding so well, and that’s just proof that, like, things are in alignment. You know? Like, you made the changes. They’re responding. Like, w- everything is green lights, which is incredible. Tara, how did being in a room full of women, which could be literally at the retreat or digitally, virtually on our calls, how did being in a room full of women that had big dreams and hopes for theirselves and their businesses impact your energy or your clarity that maybe feels like you wouldn’t have been able to do things on your own without that?

Tara: Oh, yeah, no, I would not be able to do this on my own at all. You know, um, not only just our calls, I felt connected to certain women, um, because then after we would speak up, we had similar ideas, or I wanted to help them on something, or they wanted to help me on something, so we would Voxer back and forth.

These women are all… we’re all in it together. We all are, like, striving for the same thing. And you’re right, some women do have full-time jobs still, and then some are a full-time mom while doing it, and homeschooling, and all of that. So I can’t even imagine what they’re going through. But I like that we have each other to commiserate with sometimes when it comes to business and family and life and kids and not being able to have enough time, but also, like, the marketing thing or just content in general.

Me and Heidi are kind of going back and forth with our… She’s lifestyle photographer in their home. I’m studio, so we’re kind of, like, going back and forth and kind of doing opposite things, which are kind of funny. Um, and we Voxer about that, too. But the fact that we’re not competitive over each other, whether we’re in the same area or not, it’s just so positive and just really uplifting.

I’ve never left a call and been like, “Well, that was a waste of my time.” Never.

Sabrina: Yeah, and what you said about location, I’ve had runs before where there have been multiple women in the same metropolitan area It still doesn’t matter. Like, it, it doesn’t make them share less or be less open about their struggles, their needs, their desires, or whatever, because there’s room for everybody.

And, um, the cool thing is that when that does happen, they actually end up making friends and, like, getting to hang out in real life, which is so cool. But that’s happened in multiple runs where there have been at least two, maybe three women from the same area. Uh, so if you’re listening and you’re like, “Well, I’m nervous about maybe being with another local,” I promise you it’s not a thing.

Like, it’s just, it’s not a thing at all, and, uh, you end up getting to make, like, in real life friends, which is even better for you.

Tara: Yeah, and being at the retreat with these women, if anybody is on the fence of, like, “I’ll just do it, but I won’t do the retreat,” the retreat was, like, number one for me because I just loved sitting, you know, just having that FOMO, and I was like, “No, I’m gonna do this.”

But the connections we all made and the funny jokes and the, you know, giggles and laughs, but also it just felt real, real and raw that, I mean, we actually sat down and put all of that practice into play.

Sabrina: Yeah. Yeah. Do you have a favorite retreat memory, like something that stands out the most?

Tara: I mean, of course, the TikTok we made.

We don’t need to go down that… We don’t need to go down that road. Everyone can go watch

Sabrina: it.

Tara: If you wanna look at it. Yes. Go watch it. Go watch my embarrassment.

Sabrina: I don’t think we’ve ever… I mean, my, like, abs hurt so bad from laughing during all of that, the hilarity that ensued. That was so fun. It’s amazing the things that come up in conversation at a retreat.

I, I always try and remind people, yeah, it’s a business retreat. Like, we’re there to, like, do the business-y things, and we’re gonna do portfolio reviews, and we’re gonna solve problems, and we’re gonna photograph a session, and yada, yada, all those things. But it is so much more than that because when you pull women away from their families and away from their responsibilities day to day and put them together with other women, like, we’re able to connect so much deeper.

Being an entrepreneur is so much more than just your, quote-unquote, job. Like, y- we wear all the hats. They are all one hat, like, you know? So getting to talk about how we’re balancing motherhood and our marriages and, you know, what our home lives are like and what we’re doing for self-care and how, what kind of exercises we’re into.

I mean, just whatever. Like, all of those things, they fill you up in a way that you’re not getting in your day-to-day life, you know?

Tara: Well, this, this job can be really isolating and lonely, you know? And especially for me, I work from home, and I’m at my home and, you know, by myself, that I’m not getting a lot of interaction.

So the fact that I could fully unplug, I knew my kids were taken care of, everything was all good, and work wasn’t a thing, and I got to 100% focus on my business, and that’s what I love. And feeling that, I don’t know, positivity about it. Like, and the confidence and the permission of, let’s just do this.

Sabrina: The retreat is always, like, such a fun experience.

And every retreat is a little bit different based on the women that are there, you know. But the vibe is always just women getting to pour into each other, and it’s, it’s so fun. It’s, like you said, it’s the best. It’s the absolute best. I’m curious, is there something that you have achieved in your business this year that you felt would have been impossible or, like, a gin- gin- enormous stretch before Root to Rise?

Tara: I mean, the new studio I have, being number one. I know that we started Root to Rise in January, but just everything that happened last year just teed me up to even a better. I’m really excited to see… I’m not trying to wish this year around away, but I’m really excited to see my, my financials at the end and how I feel.

Um. Me too.

Sabrina: Yeah.

Tara: But just having a studio, having, like, more of a roadmap. Because I think some people might think, “Oh, getting a business coach specifically for photography will just help me with my pricing.” And it’s not that. It is so not that. Because the pricing is honestly something that kind of evolves.

You kind of figure it out along the way, and everybody’s so different. Um, and I think back even to 2011 when the only thing that I think I was worried about was do I go IPS or do I go digital? There were so many conflicted per- like, uh, opinions about that. So that was something, um, that I was, uh, worried about.

But the Root to Rise program has helped me narrow down on what are my offerings are. And I got a f- I actually got a nice little feedback, um, note today by an inquiry saying, “Hey, your pricing and packaging is clear, and it’s straightforward, and I know exactly what I’m gonna get.” And that was all thanks to you, ’cause we sat there on that last day and I said to you, “Does this look okay?”

You know, and You poked holes in it, you helped me, and what would somebody ask for this? What if somebody asked for this? Would you do this? What’s your, what’s your leaving the house number? And I never thought of that.

Sabrina: I love that. I love that you said it, you feel like you have a roadmap. And I, I think that’s one of those things that a lot of people don’t even realize they want.

You know what I mean? Like, there’s a lot of women, uh, surprisingly, a lot of women, who when Root to Rise opens, I start getting lots of DMs and emails, right? Which naturally so, and I love, love having these conversations with women, not because I’m trying to sell them, but because I get to talk to women and I love that.

But they’re telling me things like, “I’m, I’m interested in the program, but I don’t really know what I want, or like why I’m interested.” You know? And it’s always so interesting because those women oftentimes end up being the ones with like the sexiest results, because it’s like they come in kind of with their arms open, being like, “Take me and change me.”

You know what I mean? And they don’t have necessarily a specific need or struggle, but what they were missing that whole time was that roadmap, because they had just been winging it and gotten to a point where subconsciously it didn’t feel good to be winging it anymore, even though they couldn’t voice what it was that they actually wanted.

So I love that you said that.

Tara: And seeing everybody else’s results, like, not results, but seeing the way that they’re doing it, like us talking to Sally about, “Sally, go this way. This is your, like, this is your vibe.” Like, we were all just like geeked about like what she was going to do, you know? Um, so it’s really exciting and, you know, all of us being on Instagram, we’re all cheering each other on.

Sabrina: Yeah, yeah. It’s so fun. Okay, so somebody is thinking about Root to Rise, maybe they’ve been on the fence for a few years and they’re just not sure. They’re hemming and hawing over the time, the price, is it, am I ready, am I not ready? What are you gonna tell her?

Tara: Don’t worry about the price. It always comes back to you.

You, it, you’re investing in yourself and- As moms, we’re always investing in other people. We’re always spending on other people. I will go to Target and put down, you know, whatever I want and get whatever my kids want, right? So this time, it’s time to be a little selfish, um, and focus on yourself. Um, so that just needs to not even be a worry, um, because what you’re getting out of it, it comes in tenfold.

So along with the perfect timing, just like when you have kids, there is no perfect timing. And everything that I’ve gone through with my life and, and the ones that I’ve lost, just do it. It’s just jump in and, and just, just, just do it. What, what are you losing, right? There is no perfect timing, and sometimes that ready is at the end, and you’re ready.

Sabrina: Yeah, you’re right. I love that. That’s such a good point, and I love how you said it’s time to be a little bit selfish because that’s so true. We are so quick, won’t even blink an eye, to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on our kids or other people or our pets or whatever, and it’s like, but this money will actually make you money.

This money will actually make you happier and healthier and, dare I say, your relationships healthier. I mean, it really is impactful in so many ways. Um, so I love that you said that So let’s talk about the woman who is ready versus, let’s be honest, somebody who’s not ready yet, or maybe not the right fit for this program.

How can you help decipher the right woman versus the wrong woman?

Tara: Um, I think it’s, it’s, it’s for somebody who is tired of consuming everything that social media is throwing at them, and like I was, where it was just chaotic, overwhelming. You don’t know where to go. You’re seeing, do I go light and airy? Do I go moody?

Do I go studio? Do I not? Do I lifestyle, in home? All of the things. This mastermind will narrow your focus. It will give you the confidence to narrow your focus, and will also give you all of the systems that you need, um, or ideas. So those that are stretched thin, who are doing sessions on Sunday, please stop doing sessions on Sunday.

That is family day or whatever, me day. Um, so yeah, I think it’s those that need to just take a little self-reflection, build their confidence, and this will do that for you.

Sabrina: Yeah. Yeah. What about somebody who is not ready?

Tara: Not ready. Hmm.

Sabrina: Or maybe not the right fit.

Tara: Oh, not the right fit. So I would say that this is definitely, this is not an IPS program.

This is not, this … You are not gonna learn how to sell an 8 x 10 print or a canvas. It’s not about that. It’s beyond. Um, it’s also not for somebody who isn’t open-minded. Like, you have to put yourself out there. If you’re a follower of Sabrina’s, you know this, like, the face has to be part of the brand. And I know that that’s scary at times, but if you’re trying to build your business and it has even your name on it, or it doesn’t, but it’s you as the owner, like, and you’re scared of that, I think Maybe it’s not the right fit because this is an all-in program, and you just, you gotta do it.

I think you just gotta take the, the rails off and just go.

Sabrina: Yeah, definitely needs to be somebody that’s willing to try stuff, even if it makes them uncomfortable. You can be scared of something, but if you’re willing to do it scared, then great, let’s go. But if you’re going to push back or f- stay small and not willing to take risks and stuff, then you can do the program, but you’re not gonna get

You’re not going to have the experience that, that we want you to have. Because it’s about doing things differently, not continuing to do things the way you’ve always done it, and that means trying things that you haven’t tried, and thinking different ways, and taking constructive criticism, and making changes.

And so somebody that is willing to do all that, which is hard. Which is hard, for sure.

Tara: Yeah, and if you’re also somebody … I mean, your podcast Shoot It Straight, like, that’s what I needed, is somebody to just tell it like it is. Is, is this right, or is this … Not that it’s right or wrong, but am I on the right path?

And you’re just like, “Tara, w- why did you just say yes to an outdoor senior session? You hate doing seniors, and you’re not doing outdoor anymore.” Like, I need that tough love in a way. Um, if that’s not how you take feedback, maybe, maybe Sabrina’s not right for you, and I think that you would be totally okay with that.

Sabrina: Yeah, for sure. I definitely give, I definitely give women feedback in different tones based on their personality, ’cause I do get to know them. So the way I give you feedback is maybe a little bit different than somebody else. But by the end of our time together, once I do know everybody and have a relationship, I, I start off nicer and then I get more firm towards the end.

You know? Because I’m like, “I love you, but I know that I’m calling you out. I’m, I’m really being a little more firm with you,” but in the most loving, big sister way always, always.

Tara: Yeah. Yeah. It’s all about the trust, though, f- with you. Like, I… Like, you need to trust and just trust the process. That sounds so silly and corny, but it’s true.

Sabrina: It’s true. It’s true. It’s absolutely true. Like I said, at this point about 80 women have gone through it, and the vast majority of them have trusted the process, and it’s been so fun to watch. I still get messages from women, uh, last fall particularly. Like, last October, November, I got so many messages from women who had done the program two and three years before just kind of giving me an update on like, “Hey, this is where my business is now, and it’s really thanks to Root to Rise that I did three years ago.”

You know? And it just… It’s like, it’s like being a teacher that get, has the kids come back after graduation, you know, and you’re like, “Oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you.” You know? So, uh, it’s fun, but it is trust the process. And s- some women are gonna have those big, sexy results within our time together, and some of them it’s going to compound and they’re gonna come later, but it’s trusting that you’re doing, you’re doing that work that matters, so.

Tara: Yeah. Well, I’ll also say this, you’re just super authentic. Like, there’s no fluff, but in the best way. But, like, you practice what you preach, so I think that’s super helpful. It’s not you saying like, “Go do this, but I’m gonna do this.” So,

Sabrina: um, I appreciate you saying that. Thank you so much. Um, my friend, this was such a fun chat.

I will say, uh, before I close this out, I’m gonna let you brag on yourself a little bit. Do you want to share some of the exciting wins that you’ve had during our time together over the last six months?

Tara: Yeah. I mean, um, not only just closing the year out. Y- y’all, my goal last year was 20K. I wanted to have 20K in revenue and I thought that that was gonna be great.

And I- Way surpassed that. All with a full-time job and being a mom. And then the way that this year is coming along is going to be even better. I used… My husband agreed basically for me to continue to on this photography path because we wanted to build a pool. So he’s like, “Hey, you know, whatever you bring in, your profit, um, we’ll put towards this pool.”

I now am going to be swimming in my pool this s- this weekend. So that is a big, um, accomplishment of mine. I went, um, for the last year, this is now my third studio, not on really my own terms, but there were some sales of another space and everything else. And this space is double the rent that I started with, um, last year, and I am doing that comfortably.

It is double the space as well, so not only double the rent, but double the space and I’m really, really, really proud of it. Um, and as a newborn photographer, you also have a lot of props, so the fact that I can, you know, invest in the good props and not have to buy off Amazon and everything else, um, is huge.

And really just, I mean, the fact that I feel like I’ve found my clientele, I found my positioning in this community, and I have so much more that I can’t wait to touch sometime soon, like building a community of women, um, that’s slowly starting, um, in my area. So yeah, more to come. I can’t wait to keep you in the loop.

Sabrina: I know. And you s- like you said, you started profit first, so now you’re paying- Oh, yeah … yourself regularly, which is- Yep … amazing. Yeah, it’s been really fun to watch, um, all of your successes, and some are big and some are small, but they all compound, and it’s just really cool to think how far you’ve come in the 18 months that I’ve known you.

You know? Which is, which is amazing. So I’m so proud, so proud of all the hard work you’ve put in. Uh, my friend, this was such a great chat today. I knew it was going to be. Thank you for your time and your willingness to be honest. Uh, this is exactly obviously what Shoot Straight is about, and we’re just keeping it real.

Um, if anything that Tara shared with you resonated with you today, uh, the wait list for Root to Rise is gonna be opening very, very soon, so make sure you’re on it. Um, I would love to have you in that room for the next run. There’s a lot of really exciting changes coming that I am so jazzed about for this next run and the women that are gonna get to experience that.

So I’ll have the link in the show notes, but it’s also sabrinagebhart.com/mastermind-waitlist. So that’s it for today. Thank you for your time, and we’ll see you next week.

Tara: Thank you.

Sabrina: Thanks so much for listening to the Shoot It Straight podcast. You can find all the full show notes and details from today’s episode at sabrinagebhart.com/podcast.

Come find me and connect over on the Gram at xo sabrina gebhart. And if you’re loving the podcast, I’d be honored if you’d hit that subscribe button and leave me a review. Until next time, my friends.