Your customer starts a photo order on their phone, asks a question in store, pays at the counter, and expects everything to “just work.” Most retailers cannot deliver that simple experience because their POS, e-commerce site, kiosk, and lab workflow are stitched together from different systems, each with its own SKUs, pricing, and payment records. Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Pat Hugron, Vice President of Operations and R&D at Dakis, to unpack how unified commerce for photo retailers is meant to fix the daily grind of reconciliation, duplicate inventory, and channel confusion.

We trace Dakis’s long path from early product recommendation tech to building tools for camera stores, photo labs, and specialty retailers who need a single platform. Hugron shares what has changed in production over the years, why outsourcing the long tail of photo gifts can be healthier than trying to make everything in-house, and why “seamless” matters as much to the lab as it does to the customer. We also dig into the return of film, why the resurgence surprised so many stores, and how better film processing workflow and delivery can keep customers engaged long enough to actually order prints.

Then we get practical about what “unified” means: one product catalog across online and in-store, a save-and-send quote that lets staff build a cart and email a payment link, and unified data that can support smarter follow-up and add-on sales. Hugron also previews what is still coming, including purchase orders, receiving, and serial number tracking, plus how retailers can get hands-on training at the IPIC boot camp.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

Spreadsheets, whiteboards, and “the one person who knows everything” can keep a volume photography studio running, right up until the moment they stop scaling. Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society is joined by Seenu Yellapu (ScheduLink) and Michael Rak (Artona Group) to talk about the overlooked side of school and volume photography: the operational admin work that surrounds every shoot, from scheduling and staffing to task handoffs, notes, and repeatable processes you can actually trust. 

We get specific about what breaks with Excel: no true data ownership, multiple versions of truth, and tribal knowledge that disappears when staff turns over. Then we unpack how ScheduleLink approaches studio workflow automation by building your SOPs into the platform with templates, default values, task assignments, and visibility across each step. We also talk about onboarding reality, why implementation can feel daunting, and how importing data and iterating while you use the system can make adoption faster for real working studios. 

Privacy and student data security come up as a serious differentiator. We discuss role-based access, limiting what contract photographers can see, and secure ways to collect school data without leaving it scattered across inboxes and laptops. Finally, we look ahead to profitability and decision making: combining operational data with revenue inputs so studios can understand which schools are truly profitable, not just busy. If you care about volume photography operations, studio management software, and running a tighter production season, subscribe, share this with a studio owner, and leave a review.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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You can put a famous face next to a brand and still end up with marketing that goes nowhere. What actually moves people is trust, specificity, and a story that feels human, especially in the photo imaging industry where the product is memory, emotion, and identity.

Gary Pageau sits down with Katherine Tuominen from Catalyst Brand Strategy to unpack ethical marketing in a practical way: serving the customer’s needs, avoiding misleading edits or “Franken-grabbing,” and building a message you can repeat without sounding robotic. We get concrete about brand storytelling, from finding the turning point that sparked the business to adding the gritty details that make someone say, “I’ve been there.” Tuominen shares how to keep your core narrative consistent while refreshing it with timely lenses like AI, anniversaries, and local moments.

We also talk photography business marketing beyond discounts, including how to sell the value of photo printing, photo books, wall art, and prints by leaning into tactile, analog appeal. If you’re thinking about in person events, we break down “event activations,” strategic partnerships, sponsors, and how to track ROI with QR codes, UTMs, email nurture campaigns, and clear objectives. Wrap it all with a hard truth for small business owners: growth often requires saying no and focusing on what actually moves the needle.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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The Dead Pixels Society Podcast host Gary Pageau interviews Julia Bocchese of Julia Renee Consulting, an SEO, AI search, and Pinterest consultant in Philadelphia, about how she shifted from corporate publishing and a travel photography site (plus a Viking Age history master’s) into nine years of SEO and Pinterest work. She explains Pinterest is closer to Google than social media because it’s a visual search and discovery engine designed to drive users off-platform to websites, supporting long-term traffic and conversions rather than follower-based engagement. They discuss Pinterest’s focus on user-requested features like hiding AI-generated content, improving on-platform shopping, and an ad model aligned with search intent where ads can be saved and keep driving traffic after spend stops. Bokeyze recommends testing multiple content types over 3–6 months, linking pins directly to relevant website pages, using captions for muted video, and optimizing site speed, UX, and calls-to-action. She highlights Pinterest Trends, seasonal posting 3–6 months ahead, demographics (about 70% women, strong 30–50), and limitations for analytics with third-party sites like Etsy.

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The Dead Pixels Society host Gary Pageau interviews sports photographer Kirby Lee of USA Today Sports about his path from an electrical engineering student to covering major events including the NFL, Olympics, and upcoming FIFA World Cup matches in Los Angeles. Lee explains how a beginning photography class and constant shooting of high school sports led to newspaper work at the LA Times as a writer, then a shift toward photography, with his writing background improving his ability to anticipate storylines and caption images. He discusses transitioning from film to digital around 2003, joining WireImage, and the demanding preparation, gear, remotes, and selective shooting required for pro sports. Lee recounts an accidental iconic NFC Championship photo and describes Olympic pressure, including a 2008 100m final where his camera buffered due to memory card speed, emphasizing equipment reliability.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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A four-lens 3D camera lab. A crash course in corporate chaos. A front-row seat to the switch from film and chemicals to digital video and modern production. Gary Pageau interviews Bryan Wetzel about his path from photography school into Nishika Corp.’s R&D lab, experimenting with lenticular 3D imaging, large-format printing, and early efforts toward computer-based 3D, plus shooting Nishika projects including an instructional video with Alan Thicke and a commercial with Little Richard. 

Wetzel takes us inside his time at Nishika, where lenticular 3D photography meant optical processes, experimental rigs, and constant problem-solving. From there, we dig into the realities of shooting and editing, why “fix it in post” can become an excuse for sloppy work, and how being early to digital created real opportunity when clients suddenly wanted faster workflows and better quality.

Then the conversation widens to the business of media and entrepreneurship: why Georgia’s transferable film tax incentives helped studios and crews actually take root, how Wetzel helped build a teacher-led educational video platform before online learning was polished, and what happened when he accidentally became a gym owner and later took over a restaurant right before lockdown. Along the way, Wetzel shares the most useful small business advice he learned from a no-nonsense mentor: say no without explaining yourself, don’t fall in love with your business, and write the business plan before your heart lies to your head.

Wetzel explains transitioning from still photography to video because corporate clients wouldn’t fund film, adopting early digital editing and cameras in Georgia ahead of the 1996 Olympics, and building a corporate client base. He discusses Georgia’s transferable film tax credits, then describes launching an educational-video company around 2008 that produced about 1,500–1,900 teacher-led videos and assessments for schools before being sold. He later acquired a gym (2017), briefly ran a restaurant through COVID-era challenges, sold it, and now writes books, sharing key business lessons on saying no, not overcommitting emotionally to a business, and writing realistic business plans.

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Gary Pageau interviews Montauk-based photographer James Katsipis about his shift from self-taught surf photography—shooting New York winters and campaigns—to selling fine art through galleries and his own Montauk space. Katsipis describes learning to present work effectively, favoring large anti-glare acrylic prints for big installations and collaborating with interior designers and installers. He explains early print sales models, then the operational problems of manual order handling, shipping damage, and customer-service fallout. Katsipis details adopting WhiteWall’s Shopify app integration: syncing high-res files, one-tap order acceptance, drop-shipping, improved packaging, fewer damages, and reduced weekly stress, plus easier global sales due to European production and faster shipping. He notes a wishlist item for multiple crop ratios and credits streamlined checkout (including Apple Pay) for reducing abandoned carts.

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Most businesses do not have a marketing problem. They have a clarity problem. If you cannot explain why customers choose you, what lever actually drives profit, and what you deliver that competitors cannot, no amount of digital marketing will save you for long. That is why The Dead PIxels Society sat down with Joel Miller, a business coach and marketing expert at The Sky Floor, to get practical about what makes growth repeatable.

We talk about why Miller resists “niching down” in the usual way, and how curiosity and learning across industries can become a real advantage. From legacy businesses that assume online marketing should be cheap, to brands that chase change for change’s sake, we unpack the moment when a company loses the plot and starts confusing tactics with strategy. Miller shares concrete ways to define positioning, build a competitive advantage, and sell value instead of competing only on price, with specific examples that translate well to photo printing, local services, and creative businesses.

You will also hear hard-earned lessons from the wedding photography world on pricing ladders, audience fit, and social proof, plus a sharp take on the “fail fast” culture: learn from setbacks, do not celebrate them. We finish with the human side of business, including humor as a trust builder, why marketing cannot cover for broken operations, and how to use AI for repetitive work without trapping customers in automated loops.

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The Dead Pixel Society host Gary Pageau interviews Andy Edwards, CEO and founder of GeoSnapshot, about the company’s origins and the overlooked privacy and governance risks in school photo workflows. Edwards explains GeoSnapshot began 12 years ago to centralize fragmented equestrian event photos and has since expanded to sports and education, now operating in 161 countries with 51 million photos and videos and about 1,000 events per month. He describes how schools often store images in scattered “shadow” systems (Google Drive, Dropbox, SharePoint, email, closed social groups), creating consent, security, retention, and reputational risks amplified by deepfakes and AI. GeoSnapshot for Education addresses the full media lifecycle with centralized storage, direct capture without saving to teachers’ devices, identity-aware multi-level consent integrated with student information systems, inappropriate-content filtering, and end-to-end auditing. 

Edwards explains how centralized media management, identity-aware permissions connected to student information systems, and end-to-end audit trails create a clear chain of custody when a parent asks, “How did that photo get there?”

The conversation also get into the pressure cooker schools face right now: AI-driven misuse, deepfake concerns, and fast-changing regulations like retention and deletion requirements. Finally, we explore what video governance can look like, including optional facial recognition, finding a student inside long recordings, and generating short highlight snippets or show reels for events like graduations and performances.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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Host Gary Pageau interviews Patrick Collet, founder of Lumica, a direct-to-print photography app designed to mimic film by requiring users to buy a 24- or 36-shot “roll,” with no editing, cropping, or reviewing after a photo is taken. Once a roll is finished, users choose borders, matte or glossy, and prints are delivered in 5–10 days with shipping included; originals are deleted within 60 days, with a planned 60-day window for ordering doubles. Collet explains Lumica’s goal of turning phones from “graveyards for memories” into tangible keepsakes and encourages sharing physical prints and photo albums rather than social media. He discusses accessibility versus shooting real film, environmental considerations, where Lumica is available (Canada, Europe, UK, expanding to more regions), the influencer-led marketing plan, and upcoming V2 UI changes like opening directly to the camera and allowing film profiles per shot.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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Host Gary Pageau interviews Damon Flowers, CEO and founder of Modern Operators, about how “modern operators” differ from old-school business approaches in a fast-changing world shaped by AI. Flowers shares his background as a contrarian problem-solver who left corporate life to build businesses, and explains how passion becomes a viable business only when customers will pay (product-market fit). He argues most companies aren’t ready to scale because they lack foundational systems, documentation, feedback rhythms, and alignment, and he distinguishes lifestyle businesses from owner-led growth businesses. Flowers outlines the mindset shift needed to delegate, accept imperfect handoffs, and build transferable processes buyers want: predictable marketing, sales, and fulfillment engines plus dashboards. He describes moving from disconnected tools to an integrated operating layer where AI agents can synthesize reports, support documentation, and maintain brand voice. He directs listeners to modernoperators.com for discovery calls, audits, or operations partnering.

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Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society interviews Jonathan Schuessler, a Heidelberg-based marketing expert, photographer, and filmmaker, about building a hybrid wedding photo/video business and a separate B2B marketing offering. Schuessler traces his start from building a DIY photo booth for his father’s weddings to shooting weddings in London and Germany, then pivoting hard after COVID to learn videography and agency marketing. He explains choosing hybrid coverage to future-proof his work, focusing on storytelling and audio, and describes technical challenges of solo shooting—especially redundant speech recording, timecode syncing, and using a Sony XLR hot-shoe setup for four-channel audio. His marketing strategy centers on filming short venue feature videos, repurposing them across YouTube, TikTok, and SEO blogs, building newsletters and programmatic local landing pages, and automating inquiry-to-brochure funnels, supported by AI-assisted culling/editing and select video AI tools.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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Anthony Spark of Spark a Change Coaching, Long Island, NY,  talks about business growth through mentorship and leadership development. Spark describes an entrepreneurial childhood in a dysfunctional family, working full-time at 15, and choosing direct sales at 18 after meeting successful mentors, which helped him develop skills in finance, relationships, communication, sales, organization, and time management, and leave a full-time job at 25. He emphasizes that success came more from coaching, personal development, and low-risk entry than from products, and warns about the time and opportunity cost of equipping people and treating mentors transactionally. They discuss matching roles to personalities, managing outputs over preferences, paying for A players versus training younger staff, and building culture.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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AI is moving fast, but the real advantage isn’t sounding smart, it’s getting work done faster without breaking your team. Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Elias Jo, CEO of Entourage Yearbooks, to talk about what’s actually changing inside the yearbook and volume photography workflow and what studios of every size can do right now to keep up.

Joe digs into how Entourage built a technology layer around yearbook production, from a Canva-like yearbook builder to online sales and a redundant print network designed for today’s supply chain reality. Then he discusses practical uses for artificial intelligence in business: Why “AI as search” is a dead end, where the 20% to 30% efficiency gains are coming from, and how mid-size photography companies can push their SaaS tools, CRM systems, and automation platforms to work together instead of creating more spreadsheet pain.

One of the most actionable moments is Jo’s simple model for “AI talking to AI” using ChatGPT plus app builders like Lovable to prototype a tool that cleans messy school data and turns it into a repeatable process. We also talk about AI for content creation and podcast production, why human review still matters, and what an AI-first world could look like when prompts start replacing traditional applications.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

Parents can erase a watermark for five bucks, AI keeps getting better, and “just screenshot it” has become a reflex. So what do you do if you make your living in volume sports photography? Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Bob Kenward of Fluvanna Photography and Sheryl Bashore of Sheryl Z Photography, two of the most respected voices in youth sports and cheer, dance, and gymnastics photography, to get honest about what’s happening right now and what actually moves the needle.

Kenward shares what he learned after turning on SnapShield style screenshot deterrence and activity tracking inside his GotPhoto workflow, including the surprising volume of mobile screenshot attempts and why friction can push some families to finally place an order. Kenward brings the counterpoint from the premium side of the market: when the imagery is truly stunning and the commitment level is high, the buy rate and average order value can stay strong without obsessing over every stolen proof. Together we unpack the real issue behind the copyright anxiety: customer psychology, perceived value, and how much parents have already invested in the sport.

We also get practical on pricing strategy, prepay versus post-proofing, handling sibling gallery requests without blowing up your margins, and why volume is “systems first” work. If you’re trying to scale with better workflow, faster turnaround, and smarter account selection using revenue per athlete, this conversation is packed with field-tested ideas.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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If your business disappeared for two weeks, would it keep running, or would everything grind to a halt because the “manual” is in your head? The Dead Pixels Society sits down with David Hori, principal at Topline Operators, to get practical about small business acquisition and what actually makes a company transferable, financeable, and worth buying. Hori brings a rare mix of experience: scaling VC-backed teams through acquisition exits, then shifting into buying and advising local businesses where succession planning is often missing. 

He unpacks the starting point for any exit plan: Understanding the owner’s role and spotting where the owner has become the bottleneck. From there, we talk process documentation that works in the real world, including the camcorder method for recording repeatable workflows and capturing not just what you do, but why you do it. For listeners in the photo imaging industry, camera stores, photo labs, and studios, the message is especially relevant: systems and trained people protect your customer experience and your valuation when equipment, seasonality, and production complexity are in play. 

Hori also breaks down deal dynamics buyers and sellers wrestle with, including earnouts, seller financing, and why many sellers want cash at closing even when it keeps deals from happening. We get into valuation and the numbers behind it, from EBITDA and seller discretionary earnings to how buyer types change price, whether it’s a cash flow buyer, a strategic trade buyer, or private equity. If you’re thinking about selling in the next one to three years, this is a roadmap for building leverage before you hit burnout. 

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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A photo lab is a lot more than chemistry, scanners, and printers. It’s a discipline. In this episode of the Dead Pixels Society podcast, we are joined by Dale Farkas of Dale Laboratories in Hollywood, Florida. He lays out the principle that quietly separates labs that last from labs that fade: the difference between quality and quality control. Great prints are not an accident, and consistency is not a “nice to have” when your customers are trusting you with once-in-a-lifetime images.

Farkas traces his path from RIT and motion-picture lab work to a true garage-style start, then into rapid growth when he spots a market vacuum and commits to serving it. Along the way, he explains how labs shifted from optical printing to digital printing, why technician judgment still matters for color correction, and what it takes to run a modern workflow that stays predictable under load. If you care about film processing, mail-in film developing, professional photo prints, and the real-world mechanics behind lab reliability, this conversation is packed with practical insight.

The discussion also addresses industry pressure points: silver halide photo paper supply, Fuji paper choices, inkjet durability, and why customers respond to a print’s “wow factor” even when they can’t name the technical reason. Farkas closes with an open invitation to buyers interested in a turnkey photo lab operation and what the next chapter looks like for him.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

Ever wish your edits moved fast? We sat down with Jay Peterson of Evoto to unpack how AI can make portrait workflows radically quicker without removing the realism that clients recognize and trust. Peterson explains Evoto’s slider-first, standalone desktop editor and how its proprietary algorithms target the work that slows pros down—frequency separation, dodging and burning, glasses glare, and flyaway hair—while keeping processing local for privacy and consistency.

We also discuss Evoto’s short-lived AI headshot generator function. Peterson shares what happened, why the positioning landed poorly with working photographers, and the decision to kill it. The takeaway is bigger than one feature—if you serve pros, you build for pros, and your messaging must respect the craft. Authenticity isn’t a buzzword here; it’s the backbone of trust, referrals, and long-term client relationships. That means edits that look like people, not plastic, and tools that make deadlines easier without erasing intent.

From there, we dive into the issues everyone’s arguing about: training data, school photo privacy, and the anxiety that “AI will replace me.” Peterson details Evoto’s no-touch stance—local processing, no cloud file access, and opt-in, paid datasets—plus why plain-English communication beats policy-speak when parents and clients ask tough questions.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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In the preview of his Photo Imaging CONNECT keynote, Stuart MacDonald — magician, filmmaker, entrepreneur — explores how LEAN principles, continuous improvement, and ruthless clarity transformed a faceplant into standing ovations, a win on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and a top-10 finish at the world championships.

MacDonald takes us through the nerve-wracking world of competitive magic, where originality is mandatory, time limits are tight, and the smallest defect can collapse the illusion. He breaks down how continuous feedback revealed hidden waste on stage, why a candelabra beat a single candle for instant story logic, and how standardized, travel-ready props removed friction from his global tour. We dig into 5S for creatives—everything in its place, every time—and the unglamorous decisions that protect attention when the lights hit.

MacDonald’s 100-runs-in-30-days practice loop shows how tiny upgrades compound into confidence and clean execution, even when things go sideways. If you’ve ever felt torn between art and process, this conversation proves structure is rocket fuel for creativity.

Register today for the Photo Imaging CONNECT conference at www.photoimagingconnect.com

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

If you think great industry breakthroughs happen on a show floor, think again. We sat down with Dscoop’s Peter Van Teeseling and Chris Hyde to unpack how a trust-first, member-led community is helping HP print businesses grow faster through intentional connections, candid playbook sharing, and events designed for action, not spectacle.

We trace Dscoop’s 20-year arc from a “crazy idea” to a global network of 23,000+ users across 100+ countries, then dive into what makes Dscoop Edge Rockies different from a typical trade show. Instead of hard sales, the Solution Showcase pairs running presses and software with consultative partners who focus on solving real production and marketing problems. The education slate is driven by member demand and what’s coming next: AI-driven workflows, automation, data-powered personalization, smarter pricing, and team culture. You’ll hear why hallways matter—and how DScoop now engineers that serendipity with the Explorer Circle, small-group “fire starter” sessions led by seasoned operators who guide first-timers and veterans toward the right people, faster.

We also look ahead to Edge Rockies and the return to Europe with Edge Slovenia in Ljubljana. Expect the same high-density networking, equipment on the floor, and region-aware sessions—plus a compact, walkable city that keeps the community in constant conversation. Along the way, we take on the tired “print is dead” narrative and explain why dumb print is fading while smart print surges. Think variable data with premium finishing, on-demand manufacturing, e-commerce integration, and sustainability as strategy. New owners without legacy constraints are entering the space, and veterans who shed old habits are leading the market.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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What if the best product designer is the one you barely notice? We sit down with Mediaclip CEO Marion Duchesne to explore how photo and product personalization is moving from heavy, time-consuming builders to fast, elegant flows that deliver a finished result in a single action. From early DVD slideshows to Flash and now a cloud-native, API-first platform, her team’s throughline is simple: clean UX, strong templates, and conversion-first design that helps people actually buy what they create.

Duchesne explains why Mediaclip refused to build a shopping cart and instead integrated deeply with Shopify and WooCommerce. That focus unlocked speed for retailers and micro-merchants as social and email now drop shoppers straight into the builder. We dig into AI without the hype: Connectors that let brands choose where intelligence adds real value—autofill that reduces friction, layout suggestions that feel human, and cross-sell that shows your design on apparel, wall art, or gifts without extra effort. The conversation also tackles a surprising growth driver: insecurity fueling nostalgia. When life gets uncertain, people reach for physical keepsakes, and that emotional pull is driving double-digit growth across long-tail catalogs.

Duchesne discusses generative AI’s place in print. Younger buyers may embrace stylized or aspirational images, while keepsake buyers still value authenticity. Home decor emerges as a clear use case—custom art tuned to your space and palette. Under the hood, compliance and trust are nonnegotiable, with GDPR, WCAG, the European Accessibility Act, and ISO 27001 shaping global readiness. On the production side, advances in apparel and local fulfillment point to more sustainable personalization with faster delivery and less waste.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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What does it take for a family photo lab to thrive across three generations and multiple technology upheavals? We sit down with David Buchbinder of Alkit to trace an unvarnished journey from New York City retail counters to a lean, volume-first lab that ships in three days. Buchbinder walks us through the hard calls: expanding into Kodak-branded stores, then cutting overhead and rebuilding around photo printing workflow

Prints are steady, but specialty items—buttons, magnets, acrylic blocks, framed and mounted prints, canvas wraps—drive bigger carts when studios use modern platforms to reach parents by text and email. Buchbinder explains why Alkit refused to build proprietary software and instead partnered with GotPhoto, PhotoDay, and Captura, keeping focus on color, quality, and fulfillment while ensuring one-stop support. That choice unlocked direct-to-home ordering, faster cycles, and less friction for photographers juggling schools, sports, dance, cheer, and preschool.

Buchbinder also shares a pragmatic take on technology. The lab remains a silver-halide shop on Noritsu lines for quality and throughput, yet stands ready to pivot when the time is right. Meanwhile, the promise stays the same: everything produced in-house in Long Island and shipped within three days, even in peak season.

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A 1938 basement lab that processed black-and-white alongside amateur rolls now runs a high-speed digital operation that can ship school orders in about two days. The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Richmond Professional Lab’s Ted Bullard and Josh Lewis to map the decisions that made digital not just viable, but superior, for volume photographers who demand both quality and speed.

Bullard recounts how Kodak’s consent decree opened the processing market and how Richmond leaned into professional work, long-roll film, and eventually early digital printers. Then Lewis pulls back the curtain on the operational engine: why fewer, faster machines beat a fleet of minis, how custom software gangs tens of thousands of orders, and why posting live turnaround times builds trust during peak seasons. They share into the Canon DreamLabo journey, HP ink and laminate advances, and the color fidelity and longevity that finally matched—then surpassed—silver halide expectations.

The volume landscape is shifting fast, with independents stepping in where a major player receded. That opens space for smarter products and sharper margins: yard signs, big head cutouts, layered graphics, and ship-to-home convenience that schools and parents now prefer. We talk data as a service—analyzing order content, sheet counts, and trends to raise average order value and cut waste—and why keeping photographers profitable is the lab’s north star. The path to growth through 2026 isn’t more schools; it’s deeper youth engagement across sports, dance, clubs, and anything families celebrate.

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If your studio juggles spreadsheets, calendars, and three different apps just to run picture day, this conversation will feel like oxygen. The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Scott Rodgers and Peter Koop from Airstudio to unpack how a platform built by school photographers solves the messy middle of volume photography—linking CRM, senior bookings, staff scheduling, payroll, equipment, workflows, and e‑commerce integrations into one place.

We start with the pain: Homegrown tools and generic CRMs can’t handle the unique layers of school photography—schools as clients, parents as buyers, students as subjects—each with different needs and deadlines. Rodgers and Koop share how Airstudio centralizes everything from first contact and session reminders to school deliverables like PSPA exports and ID specs. With open APIs and data exchanges, it plays well with platforms such as GotPhoto, Captura, and Timestone, so you keep the storefronts you like while unifying the back office. The result is faster coordination, fewer errors, and a clear view of every job.

Using a gross contribution model, studios can see what each school truly costs after direct expenses, staffing, and workflow time—often revealing accounts that quietly drain resources. You’ll hear candid stories of running P&Ls on every account, cutting unprofitable schools, and seeing margins and morale rise. We also cover flexible senior booking paths for districts that won’t share contact data.

From cameras and laptops to backgrounds and batteries, Airstudio treats gear like real money—tracking assignments, repairs, condition photos, and even virtual “bags” nested inside vehicles to verify crews leave with everything they need. Add SOC 2‑focused security, encrypted school portals, and strict role permissions, and you’ve got a system that respects privacy while creating accountability across sales and production.

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A milestone worth pressing pause for: The Dead Pixels Society is marking our 250th episode with the most popular episodes of the year, from AI that actually helps you create less chaos to sales that feel like service instead of pressure. 

Ever found yourself frantically scrolling through thousands of photos trying to find that one perfect shot you know exists somewhere? This frustration sparked the creation of MediaViz AI when founder Troy DeBraal's business partner slammed his phone down in a restaurant after failing to locate a crucial photo of his son. "Why can't you build something that can keep track of all my good photos and get rid of all this junk?" he demanded – and a revolutionary AI photo curation platform was born.

What if everything you've been taught about sales is actually holding you back from extraordinary success? Marc Von Musser, sales expert and founder of Soar and Roar, challenges conventional wisdom with a refreshing perspective that could transform your approach to business.
 
Growing up as the son of a renowned photographer who captured 150 national magazine covers in a single year, Von Musser learned early that success comes not from transactions but from capturing essence and creating value.

Ever wonder how a school photo lab with 600,000 students a year keeps quality high when half the photographers are new each season? We sat down with Robert Ste-Marie, CEO of 36Pix, to explore Eva. This data-driven evaluation platform scores every image so managers can catch problems fast, coach with clarity, and tie rewards to real outcomes. No fluff—just the metrics that move sales: smiles, closed eyes, blur, glasses glare, face shine, and exposure repairability, according to the company.

What does it really take to build a creative career that lasts—from film backs and FedExed portfolios to AI search and virtual production walls? The Dead Pixels Society sits down with commercial photographer and stock photo library owner Stewart Cohen to trace a candid arc across decades of change, revealing what fades, what scales, and what never stops mattering.

And, finally, The Dead Pixels Society sits down with SPAC’s leadership, Coree Cooper and Calvin Harrell Jr., to unpack how a volunteer-driven nonprofit became the world’s largest gathering for school, sports, and volume studios—and why its focus on workflows, profitability, and community sets it apart.
 
Harrell describes how SPAC evolved from film-era hotel meetups into a global hub with attendees from Europe, South Africa, and beyond. 

Cooper also dives into SPAC’s culture of access: scholarships for first-timers, 15-minute coaching sessions that often turn into year-long mentorships, and the live-voted King/Queen of the Hill session where peers pitch ideas that save or make real money

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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Ever wonder how a “boring” photo of a metal part could move a seven-figure sale? Gary Pageau of the Dead Pixels Society sits down with veteran photographer Kirk Voclain to unpack four decades of pivots, from a cereal‑box Instamatic to seniors that paid the bills, then into commercial, industrial, and real estate work that sells outcomes, not megapixels. Voclain’s story is part grit, part curiosity, and entirely practical: market directly when gatekeepers want kickbacks, promise ROI to businesses who must buy, and turn every shoot into downstream print revenue with albums, cards, and smart lab integrations.

He also digs into the moments that changed his trajectory: a teenage wedding that proved passion can pay, a decision to bypass school-volume politics, and a 2016 read of the curve when senior orders softened. Voclain lays out how he reframed photography as a business asset—product images that drive revenue, corporate visuals that recruit, listings that convert—and how he kept margins healthy by bundling design, using pro labs for direct fulfillment, and charging real money for files. His guide for the next generation is refreshingly blunt: avoid debt, make gear pay for itself, and price for the value you actually deliver.

You’ll also hear how he bridged film and digital by testing, showing clients one perfected digital image per session, and letting demand justify the switch. And because creativity doesn’t stop at the studio door, Voclain shares the spark behind "Double Exposure," his new spy thriller where a photographer’s access becomes the ultimate cover. It’s a reminder that the camera isn’t just a tool—it’s a passport to places, stories, and careers built on seeing what others miss.

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Ever wonder how a school photo lab with 600,000 students a year keeps quality high when half the photographers are new each season? We sat down with Robert Ste-Marie, CEO of 36Pix, to explore Eva. This data-driven evaluation platform scores every image so managers can catch problems fast, coach with clarity, and tie rewards to real outcomes. No fluff—just the metrics that move sales: smiles, closed eyes, blur, glasses glare, face shine, and exposure repairability, according to the company.

Ste-Marie walks us through why manual folder dives fail at scale and how Eva creates a near-real-time feedback loop without slowing down shoots. Robert explains how studios can weigh different criteria by job type, link images to individual photographers via camera IDs or filename rules, and compare each shooter against company benchmarks across the season. The result is a clear, fair picture of performance that turns training into revenue: raise smile rates, cut reshoots, and reduce contract risk.

Ste-Marie shares surprising insights from live data—like how much expression variance exists between photographers on similar jobs—and how those findings shape better onboarding and coaching.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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Taxes drain more profit than most owners realize, and that single fact changes how we build, run, and sell a creative business. The Dead Pixels Society sits down with accounting expert Tanya Lawrence to map out the moves that protect cash today and increase valuation tomorrow—without drowning in jargon or guesswork.

She starts with the foundation: Choosing the right tax treatment as your company evolves. Lawrence explains why an LLC is a legal shell, not a tax status, and how to time a shift from sole proprietor to S corporation as profits grow. From there, we dive into bonus depreciation and asset strategy for studios, labs, and print shops—how to expense gear in the year you buy it, when to spread deductions, and why leasing isn’t a shortcut to bigger write-offs. She also walks through a crucial point for anyone planning an exit: buyers and banks focus on the last three years, so a business needs clean books that show profit while still using assets and intangibles to optimize taxes.

The conversation gets practical fast on compliance and audits. Bank statements aren’t enough; receipts prove purpose. We share simple systems for digital receipts, the 75-dollar rule, and the pitfalls of vehicle deductions when personal use overlaps. We also reframe your website and SEO as intangible assets to amortize, not just marketing spend—especially relevant for photo retailers and labs whose storefronts now live online. On cash flow, Lawrence breaks the P&L myth and shows how principal payments and owner draws drain cash, even when profits look strong. For seasonal operators, we outline a multi-account setup that moves peak revenue out of sight and keeps the lights on in the slow months.

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What if the problem isn’t your logo, but the foundation under it? We sit down with brand strategist Jessica Adanich to explore how real positioning, consistent visuals, and honest storytelling turn a business from forgettable to first choice. Adanich’s journey from sculpture and glass blowing to leading marketing at Mace, then launching Design Pod Studio, sets the stage for clear, field-tested advice: Branding is the sum of every touchpoint, not a mark on a shirt.

We dig into the brand discovery process—questions that force owners to name their five and ten-year goals, define target audiences, and pinpoint which aesthetics actually fit. Adanich shares a candid misstep about launching with a clever but confusing agency name, then rebuilding for clarity. From there, she maps how to move from transactions to experiences: packaging that earns price, photography that signals authenticity, and customer responses that build trust. If you want to charge more for a bar of soap or a specialty product, the unboxing, the booth, and the email all matter. Consumers are sharp; they spot stock photos and AI artifacts. Original images and a consistent tone of voice are no longer optional.

Adanich explains how to articulate your purple cow—the differentiator that justifies your price and attracts the right buyers—then proves it with a case study of a niche recoil pad brand that scaled by aligning product, visuals, and content. On tech, she’s pragmatic: AI and templates are tools, not strategy. Keep the human taste, use the tools to move faster, and make brand decisions with intent. Along the way, we cover email cadence that respects the inbox, how to test legacy tactics without sinking the budget, and why comparison is the thief of joy in marketing.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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A musician’s tour, a borrowed camera, and a rowboat on Central Park’s lake: that’s the unlikely path that led Ash Fox from nightlife photography to building a full-service proposal planning studio in New York. This interview digs into how a niche chose her, why proposals feel more honest than weddings, and the exact steps that turn a fantasy location into a smooth, unforgettable yes.

Fox breaks down the difference between a proposal photographer and a proposal planner, and why most couples actually need both. She shares candid stories about early gear mistakes, the collapse of the rock revival scene, and the moment she realized proposals required coaching, logistics, and decoys as much as lenses and light. You’ll hear how she guides clients away from crowded icons like the Brooklyn Bridge into vantage points that protect privacy, control timing, and preserve the surprise. We also explore how Instagram and TikTok changed expectations, when to add video, and how to build decor that matches the couple’s personality rather than chasing trends.

With more than 3,000 engagements planned and photographed, Fox offers practical advice on booking timelines, private rooftops, and what to do when your partner plans everything. She’s frank about viral “no” videos, why they’re often staged, and the real markers that a relationship is ready for marriage.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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The Dead Pixels Society sits down with SPAC’s leadership, Coree Cooper and Calvin Harrell Jr., to unpack how a volunteer-driven nonprofit became the world’s largest gathering for school, sports, and volume studios—and why its focus on workflows, profitability, and community sets it apart.

Harrell describes how SPAC evolved from film-era hotel meetups into a global hub with attendees from Europe, South Africa, and beyond. We get specific about what matters to operators right now: RFPs, data and capture workflows, ecommerce platforms, on-demand print, AI-enhanced processes, and the sales moves that win and retain school and league accounts. The SPAC agenda is designed for impact—Schools 101, Sports 101, and Volume 202 for scaling teams; a dedicated trade show with 100+ volume-first vendors; and a Workflow Walkthrough that lets you compare cameras, lighting, backgrounds, extraction, and software in side-by-side pods before you buy.

Cooper also dives into SPAC’s culture of access: scholarships for first-timers, 15-minute coaching sessions that often turn into year-long mentorships, and the live-voted King/Queen of the Hill session where peers pitch ideas that save or make real money. Expect smart ways to raise average order value with banners, ornaments, and yearbooks, plus a look at a new digital yearbook solution set to debut. Beyond sessions, curated excursions—Valley of Fire portfolio shoots, Atomic Golf, and the neon museum—build real connections. New this year, the SPAC Zone on the trade show floor creates a quieter space for meetings, quick coaching, and networking.

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What does it really take to build a creative career that lasts—from film backs and FedExed portfolios to AI search and virtual production walls? The Dead Pixels Society sits down with commercial photographer and stock photo library owner Stewart Cohen to trace a candid arc across decades of change, revealing what fades, what scales, and what never stops mattering.

Cohen starts with the old-school apprenticeship: assisting legends, traveling light, and learning how to manage clients when the stakes are high. He explains why he chose commercial work over weddings, the thrill of annual reports that sent him around the world, and how he built trust before online portfolios existed. When digital upended the economics—killing film costs while introducing tech overhead—he didn’t flinch. He rebuilt the business model, focused on relationships, and found leverage in licensing by treating every frame as an asset that can pay again and again.

Cohen then digs into ownership and strategy. He shares why he acquired Superstock, how he invests in metadata and modern search, and where AI currently fits: powering discovery and efficiency rather than chasing loss-leading generative tools. He talks about the market’s swing away from over-retouched perfection toward authenticity, and how video workflows are transforming with virtual production walls, smarter post, and lighter gear. Through it all, one theme anchors the story: deliver on time and on budget, but bring heart to the picture. Tools change; trust and taste don’t.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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Pricing isn’t the problem—meaning is. We sit down with author and podcaster Miriam Schulman to unpack the mindset and mechanics behind selling creative work without racing to the bottom. From her journey off Wall Street into a thriving art career, Schulman shares a practical framework for moving past fear, charging premium prices with confidence, and helping buyers answer the real question on their minds: Am I worth this investment?

Schulman explains the belief triad—belief in yourself, in your product, and in your buyer—and why that third piece is the missing ingredient in most pitches. Instead of listing specs, we show how to sell the destination, not the plane: the captured safari shot you would have missed, the portrait your grandkids will treasure, the brand identity that finally fits. Schulman explains how price signals trust, why “reassuringly expensive” can convert better than discounts, and how to align your personal story with what collectors and clients value.

Sustainability matters as much as the initial win. You’ll learn the four-hour rule for creative genius, what to stop doing immediately (hello, vanity metrics), and what to double down on to build a lasting business. She also tackles AI with a clear-eyed take: it’s a powerful car that needs a skilled driver. Use tools that save time—smart prompts, clipping, research assistants—while protecting the original ideas that make your work irreplaceable.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
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What if your archive could fund your mission? We sit down with HistoryIT founder and CEO Kristen Gwinn-Becker to reveal why most organizations are far less “digital” than they think—and how a smart strategy can turn dusty boxes, dying tapes, and scattered drives into a living, searchable asset that powers storytelling, alumni engagement, and real fundraising results.

Gwinn-Becker walks us through the essentials: Start with strategy, not scanners. We delve into why PDFs are not a reliable form of preservation, how master files and standards safeguard against obsolescence, and why metadata is the engine that makes evidence discoverable. From NFL teams to fraternities and historical societies, she explores how unified metadata lets users click a single name and surface photos, plaques, film clips, and documents in seconds. The result is access that feels magical—and measurable. Hear how one membership organization achieved a 791% jump in its day of giving by making history personal and instant.

In this conversation, we also tackle the hard choices. Should you decide what’s “important” before digitizing? Gwinn-Becker explains the risks of guessing, the urgency of preserving magnetic tapes and obsolete formats before “last play,” and the real role of AI in accelerating metadata without surrendering quality control. We share practical steps to future-proof born-digital content: define owners, formats, intake checklists, and routine ingestion so the next twenty years don’t become another rescue project.

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What if your photo books could talk back? Not with another app or QR code maze, but with a small, tactile device that lets you record and play stories, songs, and memories at the press of a button. The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Geoffrey Stern, the founder of Voice Gift and the longtime audio mind behind Build‑A‑Bear’s wildly successful “sounds,” to unpack how voice transforms printed images into living experiences—and why that shift boosts both emotion and sales.

Stern explains the psychology behind audio as a memory trigger and the practical reasons customers finish purchases when they add their own voice: ownership deepens, abandonment drops, and the keepsake becomes personal. He discusses VoiceGift Play, a $59 handheld recorder that ties numbered audio tracks to photo pages, framed prints, wedding albums, travel books, and recipe collections—no apps, Wi‑Fi, or screens required. With 10 hours of storage, USB‑C backup, and standard MP3 files, it’s simple to share recordings across multiple copies or import music like a wedding playlist to soundtrack an album. There’s also a kids’ version with pictograms and stickers that turns storytime into an interactive, confidence‑building ritual, and accessibility use cases ranging from braille overlays to guided routines for dementia care.

Along the way, we talk about the shift from digital overload to analog delight, the “don’t add steps” mantra for photo retailers, and how self‑playing audio breathes new life into printed products without complicating production. From Build‑A‑Bear’s immersive retail lessons to practical upsells for photo labs and online platforms, this conversation shows how linking sight and sound can future‑proof the category and make keepsakes truly unforgettable.

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What if the best photo you take is just the start? The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Heath Lassiter, founder of Niche AI, to explore how volume imaging is transforming from prints and proofs into living, brand‑ready media—think fusion assets mapped to body parts, refined face replacement, and motion‑from‑stills that parents and guests can’t wait to share. Lassiter's roots at Express Digital and deep work across schools, theme parks, events, and cruises give him a rare, pragmatic lens on what actually scales: fast inference, lower COGS, consistent brand aesthetics, and real privacy compliance.

Lassiter unpacks Niche AI’s core offerings—precision cutouts, fusion scenes, and immersive face swaps—built to operate at enterprise speed and quality. The conversation gets tactical on GPU throughput, cost curves, and why off‑the‑shelf AI often produces generic looks or drifts from target demographics. Heath explains how his team blends proprietary models with in‑house design to nail placement, mood, and age‑appropriate results, and how that approach translates into higher conversions and repeat purchases across e‑commerce.

Schools get a spotlight: extend fall capture slightly and replace the operationally heavy spring shoot with AI-driven products—seasonal themes, cap‑and‑gown automation (colors, tassels, even hands and diplomas when needed), and short motion clips for social. We cover data handling, GDPR, API vs on‑prem, and why once‑reluctant enterprises are now opening the door to responsible generative and non‑generative workflows. For parks and events, the image becomes both souvenir and marketing engine, turning guest photos into shareable media that drives reach and revenue.

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Ever notice how a new boss “fixes” a process that wasn’t broken—and six months later everyone is quietly doing it the old way again? That loop is costly for small businesses, and we sought a more effective approach. William Holsten, a business mistake prevention specialist, author, and former brand leader, will unpack why errors repeat and how to prevent them with simple, durable habits.

Holsten starts with the real first step after a leadership change: get out of the office and into your customers’ world. He lays out a practical script for face-to-face conversations that actually get the truth, plus ways to map the entire customer journey in a photo retail context—from file transfer and on-site kiosks to packaging, archival storage, and digital asset handling. From there, he breaks down his $10,000 mistake checklist: “no one actually needs this,” “death by assumption,” the “vanishing wallet” cash-flow squeeze, and “flying without a map.” Each comes with field-ready fixes: test-and-learn prototypes, quick price sensitivity checks, weekly cash forecasts with tripwires, and a one-page plan that nails proposition, differentiation, and unit economics.

Holsten also shares the origin and rebuild of PitchBurst, a dunk-tank alternative that delighted early users but failed on materials—until a full engineering rethink made it bulletproof. The lesson translates to imaging: validate not just demand but durability and workflow under real conditions. We explore using AI to cut through analysis paralysis, the value of mentors, experts, and naive observers, and a favorite tool he calls “uh-ohology”—learning from other people’s mistakes so you don’t pay the tuition yourself. Expect actionable tactics like pre-mortems, design thinking sprints, and daily “parachute checks” for backups, insurance, and lab maintenance.

If you run a photo lab, camera store, or creative service, this conversation gives you a system to spot which issues are fatal versus fixable, act faster with less guesswork, and build trust with customers who bring you their most important memories.

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The physical photograph is making a powerful comeback, and dye sublimation printing technology stands at the forefront of this renaissance. In this eye-opening conversation with Jeff Huang, corporate officer of Taiwan-based HiTi Digital, we explore how this 25-year-old company has positioned itself as a unique force in the printing industry by manufacturing both printers and consumables in-house.

What makes dye sublimation printing superior to inkjet for event photography? According to Huang, it comes down to "speed, speed, and speed." While inkjet printers place individual dots, dye-sub printers transfer entire lines simultaneously, dramatically reducing printing time. Beyond speed, the technology offers remarkable reliability—printers can sit unused for months and still work perfectly when needed, a critical advantage for seasonal businesses like photo booths and event photography.

We dive deep into the growing markets where physical prints remain highly valued. Photo booth operators are thriving at weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings, where guests crave tangible mementos of special moments. Sports photography represents another booming sector, with parents willingly spending $60-100 for high-quality prints of their athletic children. These aren't just photos—they're treasured keepsakes that capture fleeting moments in ways digital images simply cannot.

Huang also addresses how technological advancements have overcome historical concerns about dye-sublimation print longevity. Through multiple formula revisions and the addition of specialized protective layers, modern dye-sub prints maintain their quality for years, even under challenging conditions.

Discover why, in a world saturated with digital images, the physical photograph continues to hold powerful emotional value and commercial potential. Whether you're a photography professional, technology enthusiast, or business owner, this conversation reveals why some technologies don't get disrupted—they evolve and find new purpose in changing times.

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Step into the psychology of branding with Jean-Pierre Lacroix, a veteran branding expert and leader of Shikatoni Lacroix Design, whose career spans creating iconic retail concepts like the Kodak Image Center. This eye-opening conversation challenges fundamental assumptions about what makes customers loyal to brands and why even industry giants sometimes catastrophically misunderstand their own value.

Lacroix reveals true branding begins far deeper than logos or slogans – it starts with a clear value proposition that connects emotionally with customers. "80% of all buying decisions are done emotionally and in a split second," he explains, sharing why his book "ThinkBlink Manifesto" focuses on winning that crucial moment of decision.

Through fascinating case studies, including Cracker Barrel's recent rebranding disaster, Lacroix explores how companies destroy customer loyalty when they abandon their emotional equity. He contrasts this with success stories like Chick-fil-A, whose owners greet customers personally and create "shareable emotional moments" that foster true brand loyalty.

For photo retailers specifically, Lacroix offers actionable strategies: celebrate photography as an art form, showcase local photographers' work, host classes that build community, and create in-store "selfie moments" that customers want to share. He emphasizes that competing on price or product selection alone is a losing strategy – the real opportunity lies in creating a sense of belonging that online giants can't replicate.

Discover the seven tenets of emotional branding from Lacroix's book, from understanding your core emotional equity to future-proofing against disruption. Whether you run a specialty retail store or manage a global brand, these insights will transform how you think about customer connections in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

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The traditional world of school photography is undergoing a remarkable transformation, blending time-honored practices with cutting-edge technology and data-driven marketing approaches. In this revealing conversation, Tim McCain, Chief Evangelist of Captura, and Michelle Federschneider, VP of Commerce, take us behind the scenes of this evolution.

McCain shares the fascinating journey of unifying multiple photography platforms (ImageQuix, PhotoLynx, Skylab, and others) into Captura's comprehensive solution. "It's like a big marriage of different families with different ways of thinking," he explains, detailing both the challenges and benefits of creating a unified approach to school photography technology.

The conversation takes a particularly interesting turn when Federschneider, who brings a fresh perspective from her 17 years at Vistaprint, reveals how data-driven marketing is revolutionizing parent engagement. Through rigorous testing and parent feedback studies, she's discovered counterintuitive insights about what actually drives purchases. "80% of our traffic comes from mobile," she explains, "so messaging needs to be punchy and to the point." Her approach has transformed traditional marketing assumptions in the industry, showing how simplified messaging often outperforms elaborate designs.

Yearbooks emerge as a compelling opportunity for photographers who are already capturing school images but missing out on additional revenue streams. McCain passionately advocates for the enduring value of print in an increasingly digital world: "Mom can take photographs of their kid themselves, but they can't create a yearbook." This authenticity becomes increasingly precious in an era of AI-generated content, with McCain noting how people are "longing for stuff that isn't made up."

Whether you're a school photographer looking to maximize revenue, a parent curious about how your child's photos are marketed, or a technology enthusiast interested in how traditional industries adapt to digital transformation, this episode offers valuable insights into the evolving world of volume photography. Subscribe now to keep up with the latest trends in photo imaging technology and business strategies.

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From construction industry websites to photography businesses, the digital landscape is transforming at breakneck speed – and those who adapt will thrive while others fade away. When Wes Towers received a business valuation three years ago, identifying AI as an existential threat to his company, he faced a pivotal choice: resist or evolve. His decision led to his most profitable year ever.

"We're calling it search everywhere optimization," Towers explains, describing how customer search behavior has fundamentally changed. People no longer search with disconnected keywords but engage in full conversations with search tools. This shift toward natural language is actually humanizing digital interactions rather than making them more robotic. The key differentiator for businesses navigating this landscape? Authenticity.

Your content must sound uniquely like you – not the generic, faux-enthusiastic tone that permeates so much AI-generated content. Towers advocates using AI as your "first terrible draft" while ensuring the ideas and voice remain authentically yours. "You want to be the master of the AI, not the other way around," he advises, recommending businesses develop clear style guides before employing generative tools.

For smaller businesses competing with larger entities, Towers offers counterintuitive wisdom: embrace your size as an advantage. While larger companies might offer more services, small businesses provide direct access to passionate founders who truly care about outcomes. By niching down and becoming specialists in targeted areas, even tiny companies can attract significant clients searching for genuine expertise.

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What happens when an entrepreneur with no background in photography or AI sees an opportunity in the headshot market? In this conversation, Ricardo Ghekiere, founder and CEO of BetterPic, reveals how he transformed a small startup he acquired for just $1 into a multimillion-dollar AI imaging company.

Ghekiere shares his remarkable journey of growth, from setting what he thought was an ambitious goal of $50,000 monthly revenue to actually reaching $114,000 monthly in just one year. This dramatic underestimation of the market reveals just how hungry consumers and businesses are for AI-powered imaging solutions that eliminate the hassle and expense of traditional photography.

Ghekiere also explains his newest venture, BetterStudio, which creates digital twins of real models for fashion brands. Unlike controversial fully AI-generated models, BetterStudio works with actual modeling agencies to digitize real people, allowing brands to dress and style them virtually for e-commerce and marketing campaigns. This approach not only preserves jobs in the modeling industry but also addresses ethical concerns about AI-generated people.

Particularly fascinating is Ghekiere's insight into identity ownership in the AI age: "You own your eyes. If the eyes change, the person changes, but if the eyes remain the same, that's you." This principle has helped shape how BetterPick approaches the creation and licensing of digital content in a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

The geographic differences in AI adoption also play a crucial role in BetterPic's strategy. Despite being based in Belgium, most of their headshot revenue comes from the United States, with Europe typically adopting AI technologies "two years later." For their fashion industry product, however, they've taken a "Europe first" approach, recognizing that navigating complex European regulations first will make global expansion easier.

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What's really holding your business back from reaching its full potential? The answer might surprise you. In this eye-opening conversation with Brandon Pflieger of Capital Growth Partners, we uncover the often-overlooked foundations of business growth and the uncomfortable truth that many entrepreneurs need to hear.

Pflieger brings a refreshing perspective shaped by his diverse background spanning retail, marketing, fitness entrepreneurship, and business consulting. His "Turnaround Blueprint" cuts through the noise to focus on what truly matters: people, systems, offers, and strategic marketing.

The most startling revelation? In 70-80% of struggling businesses, the owner themselves is the primary obstacle to growth. Through compelling real-world examples, Pflieger illustrates how well-intentioned micromanagement suffocates potential and how stepping back can paradoxically accelerate success. "You're going to care about your business more than everyone else," he acknowledges, before offering practical strategies for building team investment through customized incentive structures.

For businesses wrestling with pricing pressures, Pflieger delivers invaluable insights on maintaining margins without joining the "race to the bottom." His approach to crafting compelling offers centers on customer outcomes rather than overwhelming options—"Nobody cares how they're going to lose 30 pounds. They care THAT they lose 30 pounds."

Digital presence gets equal attention, with Pflieger dismantling common misconceptions about websites and marketing budgets. His rule of thumb? Companies in growth mode should allocate 5-10% of total revenue to marketing, with approximately 60-70% directed toward digital advertising—numbers that shock many small business owners currently spending a fraction of that amount.

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Ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs spot untapped market opportunities hiding in plain sight? Carl Armijo's journey from civil engineer to thriving business owner offers a masterclass in customer-focused growth.

When COVID-19 disrupted traditional career paths, Armijo pivoted to real estate photography—a choice that perfectly balanced his need for family flexibility with pandemic-era social distancing requirements. Rather than approaching photography purely as a creative venture, he applied his engineering mindset to build systems that prioritize customer service, consistency, and frictionless experiences.

What sets Armijo's business approach apart is his relentless focus on removing obstacles for his clients. Through sophisticated online booking platforms, next-day delivery promises, and streamlined media delivery, he's eliminated the frustrations that plague typical service businesses. His real estate agent clients can order, schedule, and receive their marketing materials without the endless back-and-forth that wastes precious time.

Most impressively, Armijo transformed a common client complaint into an entirely new business opportunity. After repeatedly hearing real estate agents grumble about unreliable cleaning services, he launched Louisville Cleaning Pros—a separate company that complements his photography services while potentially doubling revenue from each property. This strategic move demonstrates how attentive listening and problem-solving can unlock unexpected growth avenues.

Armijo's naming strategy reveals his forward-thinking business acumen: while "Carl Armijo Photography" ties the brand to him personally, "Louisville Cleaning Pros" was deliberately named to facilitate potential future sale—a subtle distinction that highlights the importance of considering long-term exit strategies from day one.

For photographers, service providers, and entrepreneurs alike, this conversation offers practical insights on pricing strategy, handling inevitable service disruptions, and building businesses that grow beyond the founder's personal bandwidth. Join us to discover how combining technical expertise with exceptional customer service creates business opportunities you might never have imagined.

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Struggling to make sense of SEO for your photo business? You're not alone. Search engine optimization often feels like arcane wizardry to small business owners—a necessary evil that's either too complex to understand or constantly shifting beneath your feet.

Steven Schneider, co-founder of TrioSEO, shatters these misconceptions in this enlightening conversation. "It's not all witchcraft and wizardry," he explains, revealing how quality content and authority form the scientific foundation of successful SEO. For photo retailers and photographers who rely on white-label platforms, Schneider offers practical strategies to regain control of your digital presence through strategic blogging and targeted content creation.

The podcast dives deep into what really matters for photography businesses online. Discover why topical authority works like an iceberg (with your specialized content forming the powerful mass below the surface), how to refresh seasonal content like "fireworks photography tips" to maintain relevance, and why Pinterest remains an untapped goldmine for photography businesses. Schneider shares his 90-day sprint approach to SEO, explaining why meaningful results typically appear within three to six months when targeting the right niche keywords.

Perhaps most valuably, Schneider addresses the elephant in the room: artificial intelligence. While AI tools can generate content quickly, they lack the human touch that makes truly effective SEO content. "The AI isn't going to know how to add custom quotes and testimonials unique to your personal experience," he cautions, explaining why his agency remains committed to human-written content despite industry trends.

Visit trioSEO.com for a complimentary, hand-crafted site audit that examines ten core aspects of your website.

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The intersection of copyright law and artificial intelligence represents one of the most challenging legal frontiers of our digital era. In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. C. Daniel Miller (The Copyright Detective) unpacks the complex world of intellectual property rights when machines can generate content indistinguishable from human creation.

From his unique background spanning higher education, NASA projects, and over a decade in copyright clearance, Dr. Miller offers a balanced perspective on AI as both an innovative tool and a potential legal minefield. He explains that while copyright fundamentally exists to encourage creativity by granting creators exclusive rights, AI systems have disrupted this framework by training on millions of works without permission or compensation.

Perhaps most surprising is the current legal status of AI-generated content: images created solely through prompts remain uncopyrightable according to the US Copyright Office. Neither the user nor the AI can claim ownership, effectively placing such creations in the public domain. Meanwhile, major lawsuits loom large over the industry, with Disney and Universal Studios taking on Midjourney for creating near-perfect replicas of iconic characters, and potential damages in other cases potentially reaching billions.

For creators concerned about protecting their work, Dr. Miller emphasizes the critical importance of copyright registration within 90 days of publication. Without registration, creators cannot sue for infringement and lose access to statutory damages that make legal action financially viable. He also warns about "AI hallucinations," noting studies showing up to 79% of content from newer AI platforms may contain factual errors, reinforcing his mantra: "Don't trust and always verify."

Whether you're a photographer concerned about your images being scraped into training datasets, a business using AI-generated content, or simply curious about where this technology is heading, this episode provides crucial insights into navigating copyright in the age of artificial intelligence. Visit ThecopyrightDetective.com to learn more about protecting your creative works in this rapidly evolving landscape.

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In this interview, Hans Hartman describes the seismic shifts in the imaging industry and how the Visual 1st Conference stands at the epicenter of these changes. Moving to KQED's spacious headquarters for its 13th edition, this year's gathering promises an elevated experience with theater-style seating, immersive displays, and the industry's most forward-thinking voices.

Visual 1st creates a uniquely candid environment for industry dialogue. Join us Oct. 28-29 in San Francisco to experience firsthand the technologies and trends shaping the future of visual communication.

Agentic AI represents the next frontier beyond the generative AI revolution. Unlike systems that simply create content from prompts, agentic AI accomplishes complex visual goals with minimal user direction. This technology promises to transform everything from editing workflows to print production, potentially creating a "zero click" future for many imaging tasks.

Counterbalancing this technological acceleration is the surprising durability of retro imaging. What many dismissed as a passing fad has become an enduring consumer preference, with Fujifilm's Instax leading substantial market growth and companies like Ricoh/Pentax doubling down on film cameras. The conference explores the rejection of "too perfect" digital imagery, examining why authenticity resonates so powerfully with consumers seeking tactile, imperfect visual experiences.

The conference culminates with its legendary Show and Tell sessions, where innovators demonstrate their breakthroughs in lightning-fast four-minute presentations. These rapid-fire demos consistently earn the highest audience ratings.

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The digital marketing landscape has transformed drastically, forcing photo retailers and imaging businesses to rethink their strategies. In this illuminating conversation with Max DesMarais, Director of Strategy at Vital Design, we explore how small photo businesses can effectively compete against industry giants despite limited marketing budgets.

DesMarais reveals a significant shift that's reshaping the marketing world: organic search visibility is declining as "pay-to-play is becoming more important than ever." With Google's expanded ad space and AI features consuming the search results page, there has been a dramatic drop in organic click-through rates. This doesn't mean small businesses, however, should abandon hope - quite the opposite.

Local photo retailers possess unique advantages that national companies can't match. Through Google's local customization, smaller businesses can achieve higher visibility in their specific markets. DesMarais emphasizes overlooked yet powerful tactics like optimizing Google Business Profiles and leveraging relationships with other local businesses through cross-promotion and interlinking - signals that establish legitimacy and boost organic rankings.

We dive deep into conversion optimization through A/B testing, with DesMarais suggesting approachable starting points like testing email subject lines and comparing designed emails against plain text versions. His insights on landing pages are particularly valuable: "Almost always a designated landing page is going to outperform," he explains, challenging the common retail instinct to showcase every product at once.

Perhaps most compelling is DesMarais's evidence that video content directly drives transactions. "When we include videos on pages, it's extremely rare for us not to see a bump in conversion," he reports. Beyond improving conversion rates, videos enhance organic rankings and open additional discovery channels through platforms like YouTube and social media.

For photo businesses feeling overwhelmed by constantly changing digital trends, DesMarais offers this grounding perspective: master the marketing fundamentals first. Before chasing viral content, ensure your website clearly communicates your offerings, features strong calls to action, and maintains those critical trust signals that both search engines and customers value.

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What if everything you've been taught about sales is actually holding you back from extraordinary success? Marc Von Musser, sales expert and founder of Soar and Roar, challenges conventional wisdom with a refreshing perspective that could transform your approach to business.

Growing up as the son of a renowned photographer who captured 150 national magazine covers in a single year, Von Musser learned early that success comes not from transactions but from capturing essence and creating value. This foundation, combined with his journey from a nine-year-old newspaper delivery boy to Tony Robbins' director of coaching, has given him a unique lens on what truly drives sustainable business growth.

In this compelling conversation, Von Musser dismantles the tired notion that "sales is a numbers game," replacing it with a human-centered approach that produced staggering results—increasing Tony Robbins' coaching revenue from $2 million to $30 million annually, and product sales from $11,000 to $2.1 million in just six months.

You'll discover why competing on price is "a race to the gutter," how to position yourself as a trusted advocate rather than a salesperson, and why an abundance mindset unlocks creativity that scarcity thinking suffocates. Through captivating stories—from helping his tattoo artist brother generate $5,000 in just 13 days after making zero income, to explaining why he willingly paid $15,000 for a sauna available elsewhere for $4,000—Von Musser reveals the profound impact of heart-driven selling.

Ready to tap into what Von Musser calls the "six to seven figures of business potential" sitting in your phone contacts right now? Whether you're in photography, retail, professional services, or any other field, this episode offers actionable insights to transform your approach and dramatically enhance your results.

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The quiet power brokers in your organization aren't always who you think. Michelle J Howe, founder of Empath Evolution, reveals a startling truth on the Dead Pixels Society podcast: Roughly 25% of your workforce consists of highly empathic individuals who dramatically influence your company's energy, culture, and success.

As Howe shares her transformation from structured accountant to empathic mentor, she uncovers the hidden dynamics playing out in workplaces everywhere. These empaths—people who can absorb and process others' emotions—often excel in sales, leadership, and relationship-building roles. Yet without proper understanding and boundaries, they risk burnout, exhaustion, and ultimately leaving your organization.

"When you're very empathic, you best beware," Howe cautions, "because you're going to need that mental health day." She distinguishes between true empathy and those who use emotional intelligence manipulatively, offering practical guidance for identifying and nurturing empathic talent during interviews. Her insights challenge the dismissive notion that emotional intelligence is merely "touchy-feely" business speak, instead positioning it as a critical competitive advantage.

Howe discusses toxic workplace personalities and their outsized impact. "If companies recognize this is a lose-lose situation," she explains, employees must be held accountable for the energy they bring to work daily. This responsibility extends to leaders, who set the emotional tone through their own behavior and communication style.

Whether you're an empath seeking to understand your heightened sensitivity or a leader looking to create a healthier work environment, this episode offers valuable perspective on the unseen forces shaping your organization's success. Discover practical strategies for emotional boundaries, authentic leadership, and cultivating workplaces where both empaths and non-empaths can thrive together.

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