MJ2Day in Review
I am sitting at the airport waiting for my flight back to Toronto and I just feel the urge to getaway from my notes and recently made to-do-list. I would love to share the experience I had here in Charlotte, NC with Melissa Jill. Where do I even start about Melissa and her workshop, MJ2Day?
At the end of 2012, I know I need to start attending workshops for my business. Kevin and I went to WPPI for the first time that year and learned A LOT. I finished half of a journal writing down valuable notes on business and technical skills. Kevin and I know that we need to attend individual workshops for 2013 (ie. skip the WPPI for the year). I had 3 photographers in mind and wrote this goal in January. Melissa kindly left a comment on the post and I started thinking about her upcoming workshops.
I learned about Melissa and her successful photography business from Jamie Delaine. Do you see the connection we have as photographers here? 🙂 These two have inspired me on my business journey to build a business that you love and systematize the work you have at hands. If you are an aspired photographer, I encourage you to visit Melissa’s posts directed to building your business and improving your technical skills (her posts on off camera lighting have changed our work immensely!)
On top of reading her blogposts night and day (yes, it was my Bible in 2011 and I have read every single post she’s written), I am connected to her work and personality. I learned so much from her posts to photographers and inspired to do better on every session and wedding through her work. One day, I sent her an email asking a few questions and to my surprise, she replied thoroughly! I am even more connected to her and her business since then! In 2012, I have mentioned to Kevin a few times that I’d love to book a Skype Coaching session with Melissa. Although we mentioned it to her and received a positive feedback, we didn’t make it happen due to the move.
Fast forward to January 2013, Melissa and I started communicating again about attending her workshop this year. I didn’t have the finances to attend the one in Charlotte (April) But I knew should I attended this one instead of the one in Phoenix (October), my wedding clients this summer will be greatly benefited from this workshop. So Kevin challenged me to pray for 10 days. For finances to come within those appointed 10 days and cover my whole trip expense. We did. And we did get bookings that covered the exact amount of this trip’s expense! I have learned since then to know what I pray and ask for because it’ll be given!
Now about the workshop… I knew I had to come with a brand new journal so I can encapsulate the whole experience and the journey following this workshop in one book. I am thankful that I did. There are so much to do. There are so much to focus on. I need to organize my thoughts and plan to execute the changes and improvements to the business. But I am thankful that Melissa gave a direction of what needed to be done first. Here are a few that needs to be implemented in the next couple weeks:
1. I am systematizing my workflow: from emails, communication with clients before and after the wedding, editing to album design.
2. I am purchasing and implementing the whole OCF thing starting in June! Oh Kevin is going to be thrilled! He loves geeky things like this 🙂
3. Our website. This whole blogsite thing has to end and we are excited to share what we have been working on!
4. Blogging consistently. Yes, I have been blogging on an average 2-3x a week and you can see the fruit HERE. 🙂 But I need the push to continue doing this until the end of the year and then increase the frequency. Yes, I did say that, blog more. I am not that thrilled with that idea at the moment but I know the future me will thank me later 😉
5. I need to read Love is the Killer App soon. Shamefully I admit that I have been delaying this for a full year! On the bright side of it, the business book club I mentioned here is going to have our first meeting soon! A super sweet email came from a husband and wife photographer who are 110% into this earlier this week and we are just thrilled! Took 7 months until the first response but hey, it’s here!
6. Design and order a couple album and coffee table book samples on our upcoming sessions and weddings.
I would love to end this post with a photo of Melissa and I. Melissa, I am so thankful to have found you. And so very honoured to have you as a mentor and now, to call you a friend. I can just pray that as the time goes by you will be a greater blessing to all around you. I hope that you will continually inspire others with your love, kindness and determination. Thank you for raising the bar in this industry and generously sharing your knowledge to all of us.
I hope to share the group photo we took next week but in the meantime, please enjoy these:Jenn
PS: now I have to resign from the blogging world for the next four days and entertain these two who are coming all the way from California and arriving at YYZ at the same time with me tonight. I promise to share more photos from MJ2 Days next week!
I really feel the need to start participating in workshops. I’ve never been to WPPI either, and am already saving up for next year!! Thanks for the links to Melissa Jill’s posts for building your business – I’ll be checking those out as well! So excited for you and the changes you are making in your business!
Jete, MJ’s workshop is perfect whether you are just starting a business or you have an already established business. I was actually surprised to see how the whole thing flows nicely even though the participants are in different levels in their business (starting out, looking for improving the business after the 2nd year and even an established photographer who is on the stage of hiring her associates). Excited that you are saving up for WPPI 2014! We are too! 🙂
Love is the Killer App is on my list too! Maybe we should start a book club to motivate us 🙂
Hannah, I have been thinking about Skype as some photographers are about 2.5 hours outside of Toronto 🙂 Maybe you can be our skype guest while we are doing it right here in Toronto to test how it goes! Will keep you posted!
Go get ’em Jenn! Setting goals and working toward them is always the best way forward and your success will only continue to grow.
I’m certainly glad you were there roomie 😉
Hey Jen! Great write up and takeaways from the workshop. I’m still trying to wrap my head around all MJ shared. It was such a pleasure chatting with you. Wishing you and your husband the best. Hope to see you in 2014. Monique
Thanks for sharing! Great post.
Jenn, your future is bright!! Isn’t it great to find a wonderful role model who is willing to help so much?
I love Melissa Jill too!! Glad you had such a great experience. She has the best tutorials and advice on her blog!
Thank you for this! – finding a role model and a friend is always beneficial no matter what the profession…good luck with all the changes and goals…I am sure 2013 will be great!
Thanks for the info on this workshop. I get overwhelmed at times with doing something other than creativeLIVE. I want to go to WPPI next year but it would take some planning. Great post.
Thanks for sharing; I’m totally in the same boat! I too have been working on my workflow, OCF and blogging. Good luck, I’m excited to see your improvements!!
Love this, Jen!!! Yay!! So so so excited to have met you and to see where these journeys of ours take us. You, my friend, are off to huge things! Xo! (P.S. I’ll come visit you anytime!) 😉
Yay!! This was so much fun to read! How amazing that God provided just what you needed in order to attend now! I loved hearing about that! You were such a joy to have at the workshop Jenn! I loved getting to know you! And your goals look amazing! Can’t wait to see where this next year takes you!!
[…] are interested in getting to know what MJ2Day is all about, I wrote in a greater detail last week here. I have been recommending Melissa and her workshop to everyone I know because it has changed my […]
So inspiring!!! Thanks Jen for your testimony of God’s faithfulness and great new friends/mentors
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