Claim OwnershipLEVEL UP: A Wedding Photography + Videography Podcast
Subscribed: 45Played: 722
Subscribe
© 2025 LEVEL UP YOUR BUSINESS LLC
Description
Ready to take your wedding photography or filmmaking business from mainstream to luxury? We are on a mission to equip YOU with the information and resources you need to scale your business into the premiere and luxury markets, where you can successfully 2-3x your prices.
Every Tuesday we invite you to tune in on conversations with Kelley and Taylor, luxury wedding cinematographers and business coaches, as we teach you what we have learned over 22+ years of combined experience in the wedding industry.
Learn the ins and outs of the luxury market, how to align your brand within it, and become fully prepared to take your business from mainstream to luxury.
In a nutshell: this is the wedding filmmaking + photography podcast for creatives striving for MORE in their businesses.
The wedding industry can be a challenging place to build a career, and we are here to help.
https://thelevelupco.com/
237 Episodes
Reverse
This week on the podcast, Taylor and Kelley walk through two weddings we filmed just weeks apart at the same venue, Santa Lucia Preserve. If you have ever worked a massive property with no cell service, winding roads, and multiple locations that all demand precision and calm, you will feel this one. We break down the experience of navigating first looks in the Redwoods, dealing with rain delays, swatting off bugs, trusting our team when we cannot communicate, and staying composed when timeli...
In this week’s debrief, the conversation turns toward one of the most personal chapters shared on the podcast. Instead of highlighting a luxury wedding or a creative challenge behind the scenes, this episode opens the door to real life and the quiet moments that unfold beyond the work. While preparing for a September wedding, the week was shaped by the final days of a beloved grandmother’s life. Balancing deep grief with the responsibility of showing up for a wedding day required a level of ...
We’re continuing our Debrief Series, where we pull back the curtain on our biggest weddings of the season and share what really happens behind the scenes. In this episode, Kelley walks through the story of a legacy client family that has trusted 618 Studios for over a decade, four daughters, four weddings, and countless lessons about what it means to serve with excellence, build connection, and create work that stands the test of time. From building lifelong client relationships to evolving...
We’re continuing our Debrief Series where we pull back the curtain on our biggest weddings of the season and share the real stories, lessons, and creative decisions that shaped them. In this episode, Taylor takes you behind the scenes of a two-day Napa Valley celebration, one of her most colorful, high-energy, and portfolio-worthy weddings yet. From navigating vendor boundaries with confidence to protecting your brand presence online, she shares the exact mindset and strategy that allowed he...
We’re continuing our new Debrief Series, where we pull back the curtain on real weddings and share what it looks like to lead, create, and grow behind the scenes. In today’s episode, we’re talking about the incredible destination wedding Kelley filmed in Maui. A multi-day celebration that pushed creative limits, tested logistics, and reminded us why preparation and mindset matter more than anything else when you’re working in the luxury space. From travel planning and team dynamics to handli...
We’re kicking off something new and exciting, our Debrief Series. In this series, we’re taking you behind the scenes of real weddings to break down what went right, what challenged us, and the lessons that can help you grow as a creative and business owner. In today’s episode, we’re diving into a 3-day luxury wedding weekend that Taylor filmed in Lake Tahoe. From the welcome party to the field day to the wedding itself, this event pushed every part of the process, planning, communication, te...
The truth is, pricing in the wedding industry isn’t just about numbers. It’s about how you position yourself, how you present your work, and how confidently you communicate your value. In this episode, we’re breaking down the concept of perceived value through the lens of the diamond industry and what it can teach you about pricing your own services. Just like diamonds are graded by their cut, clarity, color, and carat, your brand has its own version of the “Four Cs” that determine how clien...
Every photographer and filmmaker hits that moment when they realize something has to change. The work is there, the passion is there, but the business side feels heavy. The pricing conversations, the boundaries, the burnout, the self-doubt. You start to wonder if you are really capable of building the kind of brand that commands respect, trust, and luxury-level bookings. In this episode, we sat down with Taylor, a talented creative who made the bold decision to reinvent her business from the...
For too long we believed that success meant playing it safe. Keep your prices low. Wait until you “deserve” to raise your rates. Build a huge following before anyone will take you seriously. Those lies kept us small, and they might be holding you back too. The truth is, growth happens when you decide to stop waiting and start owning the value of your work. Your dream clients are not booking you because of how many Instagram followers you have or whether you bought the latest camera. They are...
Every year you have the choice to either stay where you are or step into the next level of your business. Too often, we hold back out of fear, fear of raising prices, fear of not being “ready,” or fear that the luxury market is only for someone else. The truth is, those fears are what keep you stuck. In this episode, we sit down with Jaila, a wedding filmmaker who decided to stop letting fear call the shots. She shares how rebranding, shifting her mindset, and stepping into the Luxury Master...
Building a wedding business isn’t a straight line. There are seasons of excitement, seasons of burnout, and moments where you wonder if starting over means you’ve failed. The truth is, every step, even the hard ones, can set you up for growth if you choose to keep going. In this episode, we sit down with Mark Keysor to talk about what it really looks like to rebuild from the ground up. From undercharging and losing confidence to rebranding, raising prices, and finally booking clients with ea...
For years, we told ourselves lies about our businesses. Lies that kept us playing small, holding us back, and making us think success looked one certain way. We thought we had to shoot destination weddings to “arrive.” We thought buying the newest gear would finally level us up. We thought charging higher prices would mean more difficult clients. None of that was true. The truth is, you don’t need to chase every shiny object to succeed. You don’t need to go viral on Instagram or say yes to ev...
You can have all the talent in the world, but if your business strategy doesn’t match the level of clients you want to attract, you’ll stay stuck exactly where you are. The luxury market plays by a different set of rules, and once you learn to recognize them and align your brand, pricing, and portfolio accordingly, everything changes. In this episode we’re pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to grow a profitable, sustainable business in today’s wedding industry. We’re talking ab...
Discipline turns average into unstoppable. Distraction turns talent into wasted potential. Too many photographers and filmmakers are chasing every shiny object, trying to be everything to everyone, and spreading themselves too thin. The truth is, you don’t need to do it all. You need focus. When you stop diluting your energy and start showing up with clarity, consistency, and discipline, everything changes. The creatives who win aren’t always the most talented, they’re the ones who stay comm...
So many of us are playing it safe in our businesses. We set small goals we know we can hit because the thought of failing feels terrifying. But the truth is, that fear is keeping you stuck and holding you back from everything you’re capable of. The moment you give yourself permission to dream bigger, go after something greater, and get obsessed with reaching your full potential, everything changes. In this episode, we’re talking about what it really means to become obsessed with your busines...
You're invited to class next week! Register for Referrals on Repeat through the link below. https://thelevelupco.com/referrals-on-repeat Most wedding photographers and filmmakers are told to do it all: post constantly on Instagram, invest in expensive ads, keep up with SEO, and pray the inquiries roll in. But here’s the truth: the most powerful (and profitable) marketing strategy in the wedding industry has been sitting right under your nose the entire time. NEXT WEEK, UNLOCK THE #1 MARKET...
In this episode, we’re diving into what it really looks like to step into a new era of your business. Not just a new logo or fresh colors, but a true refresh that reflects who you are now, not who you were when you started. Because the reality is, you’ve grown. Your work is stronger, your vision is clearer, and it might be time for your brand to catch up. We talk about the signs it’s time for a change, the mindset shifts that come with letting go of what used to work, and how an intentional ...
Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, all it takes is one intentional sprint to boost your visibility, reignite momentum, and get in front of the people you actually want to work with. In this episode, we’re breaking down what a marketing sprint really is, how to use it when things feel slow or stagnant, and the specific mindset that makes this strategy work without burning out or spiraling into algorithm anxiety. If you’ve ever felt like you're posting just to post or crossin...
We all have that one moment that shifts everything. The opportunity that changes how we see ourselves, our business, and what’s really possible. In this episode, we’re talking about the wedding that changed everything for us—how we got in the room, what led to that booking, and what it unlocked on the other side. If you’ve been feeling like you’re just one connection, one planner, or one portfolio piece away from stepping into a new level, this episode is going to speak straight to you. Beca...
What if the only thing standing between you and the next level of your business is the fear of getting it wrong? In this episode, Kelley's reflecting on 15 years of creative work and what she wishes she had known earlier. She's talking about the shifts that actually moved the needle, the old habits she's ready to leave behind, and the creative pivots that helped us build a wedding business that felt aligned, elevated, and sustainable. If you’ve ever looked back at your older work and cringe...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States