Guerrilla Workshops
New April Guerrilla Management Workshop Posted
January/26/2009
Last week I posted a second 2009 Guerrilla Management Workshop for April 24-27 at my lake house and studio in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. If you are interested, then you'd better register NOW. We already have 11 studio slots filled, and the limit is 15 studios. For complete information, click here.
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A Very Special 10th Anniversary
September/09/2008
It's hard to
believe that it's been 10 years since Judy Grann and
I hosted our first hand's-on workshop designed to
help photographers improve the financial performance
of their businesses. Back in 1997, only a year before
the first workshop, I was fairly certain that I had
taught my last Business of Photography class because
it was so hard to attract business students to
affiliate schools, where students were far more
interested in studying posing and lighting. What's
more, teaching the information using paper forms,
pencils, erasers, and adding machines was painful for
everyone involved.
What emboldened Judy and me to attempt our first two Guerrilla Management Workshops in the fall of 1998 was the possibility of using as a teaching tool the Planning and Pricing modules of SuccessWare, the new fully integrated studio management software developed by Judy's company. Our expectation was that we could allow students to use the software to quickly analyze the financial position of their businesses, then we could help them with strategies that would zero in on where and how to earn more profit. Well it worked! And the clarity that the software brought to the financial side of studio management was beyond my wildest expectation. What it had taken me two weeks to teach could now be absorbed in four days.
Since those first two 1998 classes, nearly 700 studio owners have attended our Guerrilla Management Workshops, and Judy and I continue to marvel at their accomplishments. Many have made huge improvements in their business, and some are now among the most successful studios in the country. We are so pleased that many graduates keep us up to date on their activities, and what is especially satisfying to me is how many have taken what they learned about financial management and are now teaching others. It's also nice to know that our workshops helped to inspire Scott Kurkian, PPA's CFO, to ask the PPA Board to launch the Association's Studio Management Services, which now is in its 6th year of educating and advising photography businesses.
We couldn't have hand-picked a better group for our 10th anniversary workshop! They are shown below on the deck of my Deep Creek Lake, MD home, where we hold our spring and fall workshops.
I am absolutely certain that this group will make the most of what they learned, and I fully expect to hear some extra-special success stories from them. I wouldn't be surprised if an instructor or two emerged from this group as well.
So thanks to everyone who has supported our workshops over the past decade. As I celebrate this special anniversary, I am mindful of what a privilege it is to teach because of how much the teachers learn from their students, both in the classroom and in the years to come. Judy and I look forward to many more great workshops and to making many more long-lasting friendships.
Cheers!
What emboldened Judy and me to attempt our first two Guerrilla Management Workshops in the fall of 1998 was the possibility of using as a teaching tool the Planning and Pricing modules of SuccessWare, the new fully integrated studio management software developed by Judy's company. Our expectation was that we could allow students to use the software to quickly analyze the financial position of their businesses, then we could help them with strategies that would zero in on where and how to earn more profit. Well it worked! And the clarity that the software brought to the financial side of studio management was beyond my wildest expectation. What it had taken me two weeks to teach could now be absorbed in four days.
Since those first two 1998 classes, nearly 700 studio owners have attended our Guerrilla Management Workshops, and Judy and I continue to marvel at their accomplishments. Many have made huge improvements in their business, and some are now among the most successful studios in the country. We are so pleased that many graduates keep us up to date on their activities, and what is especially satisfying to me is how many have taken what they learned about financial management and are now teaching others. It's also nice to know that our workshops helped to inspire Scott Kurkian, PPA's CFO, to ask the PPA Board to launch the Association's Studio Management Services, which now is in its 6th year of educating and advising photography businesses.
We couldn't have hand-picked a better group for our 10th anniversary workshop! They are shown below on the deck of my Deep Creek Lake, MD home, where we hold our spring and fall workshops.
I am absolutely certain that this group will make the most of what they learned, and I fully expect to hear some extra-special success stories from them. I wouldn't be surprised if an instructor or two emerged from this group as well.
So thanks to everyone who has supported our workshops over the past decade. As I celebrate this special anniversary, I am mindful of what a privilege it is to teach because of how much the teachers learn from their students, both in the classroom and in the years to come. Judy and I look forward to many more great workshops and to making many more long-lasting friendships.
Cheers!
Guerrilla Management Means Spring is Here!
May/30/2008
I was so glad to get to Deep Creek for the May Guerrilla Management Class. I've had an unusually heavy travel schedule, so I hadn't been to the lake since last Christmas. That's a record for me, and one that I don't enjoy achieving. Spring was trying to make an appearance, but heavy rains were not helping. Fortunately we did have one really nice day before the class left. I'm so glad, because we had such a great great group there. Very hard workers, with great personalities, and an interesting mix of newer studios and veterans. Really enjoyed our time together, and I look forward to hearing about the great progress I know these photographers will make.
Feb. Workshop: Wonderful Folks — Awsome Talent!
February/14/2008
I tell every
Guerrilla Management Workshop I teach that each class
is memorable for a distinct reason, and the February
workshop was no exception: This was one of the most
talented groups of photographers I've had the
pleasure of working with. I usually have time to grab
some candids of what's going on. But these 15 studios
kept Judy and me so busy, that there was no time for
anything but hard work. So I decided to ask each
studio to send me a single image to showcase their
talents. Some have already come in, and I'll keep
adding to the collection.
Enjoy!
James & Jenny Tarpley, Visio Photography, Marion, NC
visiophotography.com
Pauline Fredericks, Pauline Fredericks, Photography, Sierra Vista, AZ
web.mac.com/paulinesphotography
Margaret and Frank Kukuc, Margaret Kukuc Photography, Burr Ridge, IL
kukucphotography.com
Patty Fox, Patty Fox Photography, Woodland, TX
pattyfoxphotography.com
Sally Merritt Swart, Cantin Photography, Tiverton, RI
Marie Papp, Marie Papp Photography, Hoboken, NJ
http://www.mariepapp.com
Mary Ann Halpin & Joe Croyle, Mary Ann Halpin Photography, Los Angeles, CA
http://maryannhalpin.com
Frank & Fiorella Cunha, Here's My Baby! Fine Portraits, Kleinburg, Ontario
heremybaby.ca
Veronica Enns, Artistic Images, Yorkton, Saskatchewan
artisticimages.ca
Kathleen Dylan, Dylan Studios, Los Altos, CA
dylanstudios.com
Kathleen wrote the following about the image above: "The older woman is in her final days, at the end of a long battle with throat cancer...she has a tracheotomy, missing teeth, and shows the effects of months of chemo...but her daughter wanted an image of her and her grandchildren where she looked like her spirit was alive, and showed her love for her family, as well as making her look healthy...anyway, something of a fun challenge for me, and the client was pleased as well." A wonderful job and a great reminder of the wonder privilege we have in documenting the lives of our subjects.
JUST ONE MORE . . .
Like me, Sally Swart is a Corgi parent: She has two Corgis — Maxwell and Ruby. I can't resist posting this darling image that Sally took of the kids dressed for Halloween in 2007. I'm not sure that my Mitzi would be quite so accommodating.
Enjoy!
James & Jenny Tarpley, Visio Photography, Marion, NC
visiophotography.com
Pauline Fredericks, Pauline Fredericks, Photography, Sierra Vista, AZ
web.mac.com/paulinesphotography
Margaret and Frank Kukuc, Margaret Kukuc Photography, Burr Ridge, IL
kukucphotography.com
Patty Fox, Patty Fox Photography, Woodland, TX
pattyfoxphotography.com
Sally Merritt Swart, Cantin Photography, Tiverton, RI
Marie Papp, Marie Papp Photography, Hoboken, NJ
http://www.mariepapp.com
Mary Ann Halpin & Joe Croyle, Mary Ann Halpin Photography, Los Angeles, CA
http://maryannhalpin.com
Frank & Fiorella Cunha, Here's My Baby! Fine Portraits, Kleinburg, Ontario
heremybaby.ca
Veronica Enns, Artistic Images, Yorkton, Saskatchewan
artisticimages.ca
Kathleen Dylan, Dylan Studios, Los Altos, CA
dylanstudios.com
Kathleen wrote the following about the image above: "The older woman is in her final days, at the end of a long battle with throat cancer...she has a tracheotomy, missing teeth, and shows the effects of months of chemo...but her daughter wanted an image of her and her grandchildren where she looked like her spirit was alive, and showed her love for her family, as well as making her look healthy...anyway, something of a fun challenge for me, and the client was pleased as well." A wonderful job and a great reminder of the wonder privilege we have in documenting the lives of our subjects.
JUST ONE MORE . . .
Like me, Sally Swart is a Corgi parent: She has two Corgis — Maxwell and Ruby. I can't resist posting this darling image that Sally took of the kids dressed for Halloween in 2007. I'm not sure that my Mitzi would be quite so accommodating.
New 2008 Guerrilla Management Workshop Added
December/05/2007
I've just posted a second 2008 Guerrilla Management Workshop for May 16-19 at my lake house and studio in Deep Creek Maryland. If you are interested, then you'd better register NOW. We already have 4 studio slots filled from the waiting list of the February workshop, which closed in record time when it was announced. I'll be announcing the May workshop via an email newsletter that will go out late Sunday, December 16. For complete information, click here.
February Guerrilla Management Class Ready to Fill
November/16/2007
If you are a regular blog reader who wishes to attend the February 8-11, 2008 Guerrilla Management Workshop in Fredericksburg, VA, then you'd better to call register NOW. We'll be sending an email blast today . . . the first time we've advertised this workshop. We've already filled 7 of the 15 studio slots by word of mouth and the website listing, so we expect the workshop to be filled immediately. We have a wonderful group so far, so you'll be in good company if you decide to attend.
Teaching and Learning at Deep Creek
September/20/2007
Beautiful
Indian summer days set the stage for four days of
intense study and sharing at my Deep Creek Lake home
for the annual fall Guerrilla Management Workshop
that I teach with SuccessWare's Judy Grann. Class
assistants were Doug Mattice of McLean, VA, (shown
below with Judy during a class session) and Frank
Donnino of Boynton Beach, FL (shown riding a local
bear). Frank is widely known as the originator of a
baby plan that is used successfully by hundreds of
photographers around the country. In fact, most of
the students at this workshop were active users of
Frank's plan, and they can attest to how effective it
has been for their businesses. Approximately half of
the class were repeat students, and it was great to
see them again and to review their business progress.
This group was as hard working as any workshop of photographers I have taught, and I'm certain they will make good use of the knowledge they gained in class. Each left with a financial plan for 2008 and lots of ideas on how to implement the marketing and sales necessary to support the plan.
They also clearly enjoyed each other's company, both in class and out. For the record, our second coloring contest was won by Karen Bernard of E. Greenwich, RI. Thanks to everyone for making this class so enjoyable!
This group was as hard working as any workshop of photographers I have taught, and I'm certain they will make good use of the knowledge they gained in class. Each left with a financial plan for 2008 and lots of ideas on how to implement the marketing and sales necessary to support the plan.
They also clearly enjoyed each other's company, both in class and out. For the record, our second coloring contest was won by Karen Bernard of E. Greenwich, RI. Thanks to everyone for making this class so enjoyable!
What a Great Workshop!
May/16/2007
Every
Guerrilla Management Workshop takes on its own
personality, and each one is memorable. I'll always
remember the May 2007 Workshop at my lake house in
Deep Creek, MD because the participants were
especially smart, committed and personable . . . just
the qualities needed to be successful in business.
They also were a lot of fun!
I'll also remember them for suggesting that when workshops take place at Deep Creek, I should take the opportunity to host a creative coloring contest on the last night of class, when we gather at one of my favorite local restaurants, the Santa Fe Grill. I plan to take their advice, as the contest was a lot of fun.
For the record, the first contest winner was Renee Truett of Carrie Viohl Photography, Moultrie, GA.
Congratulations Renee!
I'll also remember them for suggesting that when workshops take place at Deep Creek, I should take the opportunity to host a creative coloring contest on the last night of class, when we gather at one of my favorite local restaurants, the Santa Fe Grill. I plan to take their advice, as the contest was a lot of fun.
For the record, the first contest winner was Renee Truett of Carrie Viohl Photography, Moultrie, GA.
Congratulations Renee!