This is the Transcript of the #WeddingMarket Chat on July 22, 2015 with Dane Sanders from GoBeCollective.com. The answers were made on Twitter so responses will appear different.

Dane Sanders is the author of two business books for photography-oriented entrepreneurs. The first is Fast Track Photographer and the second is The Fast Track Photographer Business Plan – both published by Penguin Random House.

Dane has been making photographs professionally for more than 12 years and has been featured in a number of publications, including Rangefinder, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Professional Photographer, Photojojo & Design Aglow.

More recently, Dane founded GoBeCollective.com – a resource dedicated to helping creatives build killer businesses out of the stuff they make. There, you’ll find Converge: The Business of Creativity Podcast, GO: The Converge Summit and Fastermind Coaching, offering results-driven, accountability-oriented business coaching at a price any independent entrepreneur can afford. These types of business coaching resources can go a long way to help business owners run their businesses successfully.

Dane speaks frequently on the convergence of creativity and commerce in the digital economy and has presented at SXSW, Engage, Pioneer Nation, Grow Brand Camp, B2B Marketing Forum, WHATIF, WPPI, iUSA, PDN, Brooks Institute and events throughout North & South America, Europe & Asia.

Dane and his family live and work in Newport Beach, California and he’s @danesanders on Twitter.

See more information at www.GoBeCollective.com

Q1: How did you get involved with wedding photography?

Dane Sanders: I used to be a professor & one of my students introduced me to it. Ruined my career ;).j.mp/thephotoreport

Q2: If you create a company with your name on it, Why is it important to discover who you are first?

Dane Sanders: If you are your company, who you are should come before what you do.

Q3: How can a new business owner prepare for difficulties in running a business when they lack experience?

Dane Sanders: New biz owners can’t avoid difficulties. Fail early/often instead. Fewer consequences long haul.

They can help themselves though by hiring professionals that have the knowledge that they may not. For example, many new business owners don’t know how to organize taxes or pay their employees so they would use services like those of Federal Tax Resolution for tax resolution services payroll tax problems so that legal implications do not occur. However, the most pressing matter that new biz owners, especially those starting their online business, should focus on is how they can get funding for their business. It is imperative that a business receives funding in order to get off the ground. This will allow the business to grow and move forward. That said, there are a variety of funding types available to businesses including bootstrapping, crowdfunding, and business loans. Therefore, it might be wise that entrepreneurs learn about the different funding options from a resourceful website.

Q4: What do most creatives struggle with?

Dane Sanders: In my experience creatives struggle most with confidence in the value they create. I also struggled when I first created my podcast, but I found a fantastic Podcast Advertising company and they made things much easier for me. It’s hard to gain an audience at first!

Q5: Why do business owners limit themselves by saving the word can’t?

Dane Sanders: “Can’t” is only true if you say it is. Better option is, “Can’t up until now.”

Q6: What should creatives do to be sure all the pieces in running a biz are running efficiently?

Dane Sanders: The trick to make all pieces run smooth in biz is to own responsibility for all pieces one at a time.

Q7: Why comparing yourself with others can be bad in biz?

Dane Sanders: Comparison and envy are cardinal sins for a reason. Doesn’t work in life or business.

@DreamyWeddingSK Comparison may not be such a bad thing. Only then will you be able to review and make improvements to your biz.

Dane Sanders: Ranking is powerful but if I’m committed to leading, comparison can have unintended side effects.

Q8: How do some business owners achieve long term success while others fade?

Dane Sanders: I think the reason some biz owners go long haul and some fizzle is a combo of choice & character.

Q9: Why is a long term vision important in running a business?

Dane Sanders: Long term vision in business is important because looking for short cuts is a sucker bet.

Q10: Why steps must be put into place to reach long term goals?

Dane Sanders: The one critical need to reach long term goals is ruthless & relentless focus on vision.

Q11: Why taking care of yourself is just important as running the business?

Dane Sanders: There is a direct correlation between self-care & long term health of your business.

Q12: Why anxiety about doing something new is ok?

Dane Sanders: If there’s one directive in the Bible that makes sense to everyone, it’s the uselessness of worry.

Q13: Why business owners struggle with making the big leap?

Dane Sanders: Making the leap in business can feel terrifying. That said, feelings are overrated. Suggestion: soundstrue.com/store/leap-first–1.html

Q14: How measuring how much money you need to make this year is important?

Dane Sanders: Every business that flourishes long haul does forecasting. Why would we be different? Suggestion:personalmba.com

Q15: How can wedding professionals determine how many people they need to talk to make x amount?

Dane Sanders: If booking ratio is 5 leads to 1 booking, decide # of bookings you want, multiply x5 & get after it.

Q16: Are there software programs or apps that can help determine this?

Dane Sanders: Figuring out how many leads you need is the easy part. Finding courage to go get them though takes guts.

Q17: What would you like everyone to take away from this #weddingmarket chat?

Dane Sanders: Sometimes when you commit with all you’ve got, it really works. Every time you don’t try, it fails.

#WeddingMarket Questions From Twitter:

Event Solutions We just signed a lease for a new showroom/creative studio.. a big investment! Any advice?

Answer

Dane Sanders: Any new investment requires new radical commitment to maximize. Enthusiasm covers a multitude of sins.

@HappyHanky I love that you talk about being present in the moment. Do you have any tips?

Answer

Dane Sanders: Check out http://calm.com & http://headspace.com – great resources for practicing presence.

@BridalBalance Any advice for businesses shifting focus or doing something new or different?

Answer

Dane Sanders: Get clear on where you’re going. Having a clear path between current reality and future vision is key. I wonder if it might be less about balance and more about focus.

@DFWEventsInc What’s more important in business: getting ahead of the curve or staying consistent w/ what you do best?

Answer

Dane Sanders: Not sure it’s mutually exclusive. As pro’s we need both. Consistently ahead of curve pays off more long haul.

@DreamyWeddingSK What were some of the steps taken to achieve your goals and become a leader in your industry?

Answer

Dane Sanders: Staying steady & focused. Honestly, when I’ve done that well, I get somewhere. When I don’t, I’ve failed.

@TapSnapShare What can you do to make your biz stand out in a saturated market?

Answer

Dane Sanders: Be you at any cost. There’s no competition for that.