Here is a recent interview I did for MadeClose on turning your passions into profits. This is by far one of my favorite interviews and Kendall just did an awesome job summing up my crazy self (and all the things I do on the daily!) If you want to check out the original interview, visit: MadeClose!
Jenna Kutcher is one of those lucky unicorns who makes a living doing what she loves. She has successfully turned her passion project into a thriving business by sheer determination, prudent decision-making, a little dumb luck and a lot of heart. She’s a wedding photographer, a watercolor artist, a blogger, a business coach and an Instagram personality. And Monday is her favorite day of the week. Yes, Monday.
Like so many creative entrepreneurs, Jenna started out in the corporate world. Her introduction to professional photography was more by chance than anything else. After her brother-in-law asked her to shoot his wedding, she began pursuing photography, started a blog and effectively began branding her biz. Jenna jumped in headfirst. She offered to shoot weddings for free to develop a portfolio. She started advertising on TheKnot.com. And within the first year of pursuing her dream, she booked 25 weddings and was able to quit her day job at Target.
In the last year and a half, Jenna’s Instagram following grew from about 2,000 to over 30,000. Why? Because the girl does not blend in. One of the most compelling things Jenna mentioned in our conversation is that as a blogger and creative professional, you have to become comfortable with the idea of repelling. “You can’t please everyone. And when you try to please everyone, you’re really not pleasing anyone.” There’s an important distinction between being cautious and being thoughtful. Be thoughtful and authentic about what you post, but go all in and be you. As Jenna says, “Look at the people who are really rocking it, they’re really real and candid.”
Jenna is a go-getter who wasn’t afraid to fake it until she made it. However, she is also always prudent and practical. She says “think like a business 24/7.” When she decided to pursue wedding photography, she knew that she wanted to make money doing it. And she knew that if she were going to quit her job at Target, she would need to match her salary. Other photographers said it would take her three years to build her business to that level. It took her one year. Not only did she match her corporate salary, she has since tripled it.
A year ago, she started a watercolor print shop that has sold over 1,300 pieces. This spring she launched the Jenna Kutcher Course. The six-week online course offers weekly topics broken up into easily digestible 10-20 minute modules in the form of podcasts. She starts with goal setting and moves on to cover things like branding, growing your online presence, pricing for profit and finding a work-life balance. She also throws in three hour-long mentoring calls, because Jenna is all about intimate, personal connections.
Her model is based upon the concept of active learning. After frustration with the ineffectiveness of one-day mentorships and weekend-long workshops, Jenna’s course challenges her participants to be active and to take what they learn and implement it. Each module includes questions and actionable items…homework, if you will. Her goal is to empower her clients to find their own voice while giving them actual, actionable strategies for their business based upon what makes their brand unique.
The other big goal of Jenna’s is balance. As creative entrepreneurs, we never stop. We’re entrepreneurs because we’re driven. And we’re never going to arrive at that place where we’re fully content. Jenna wants to help her clients simplify and focus their efforts on where they’re most profitable and what matters the most to them, so that they can actively live their lives. One of the things we always say at MadeClose is that you can do what you love and make a difference while considering the bottom line. That’s what Jenna’s new online course is all about – turning your dream, your skills and your unique voice into a financially successful business. She wants you to be able to finally quit that day job!
I’ll leave you with a few words of wisdom from Jenna herself. And if you’re looking to grow your creative business or make your passion project a full-time endeavor, check out the Jenna Kutcher Course. The next series begins May 15th, so get moving!
- Find your own voice. We can’t all have success doing the same things.
- I totally believe in chasing your dreams and following your heart, but I also believe in setting yourself up for success.
- Don’t be afraid to fake it until you make it.
- If you’re going to learn, you have to apply and digest. You have to be willing to take steps backward in order to move forwards.
- You can’t be successful if you’re just creating. You have to sell it. You have to make it an experience.
- Work is work. Life is more than just work.
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