Get to Know Your Newbie Basic Training Instructors

 Get to Know Your Newbie Basic Training Instructors
(In class order)
Jennifer Roggi:
Jen Roggi, Cr. Photog., ABI, CBM Studio Management Services Consultant, PPA
After teaching fifth grade for four years, Jen met and married a very talented
photographer, Daniel Roggi. In 1997, they purchased a wedding and portrait
studio, in Vernon, CT, Stephen Charles Photography. Over the last fourteen
years, they have worked side by side in their home-based wedding and portrait
studio, creating a very profitable company.
Jen has become a talented photographer, but finds that her passion is really the
area of business. Her choice to educate herself in this field has been one of the
most important keys to their success. Creating a well-organized studio that is
devoted to customer service, she and her husband have created raving fans.
Combining creative marketing with strong financial principles, they have
become a very successful company capable of supporting their family of four.
Returning to her background in teaching, Jen currently works with
photographers as a consultant for PPA’s Studio Management Services. Her goal
is to help them gain control of their businesses so that they can achieve financial
success while remaining true to their artistic vision.
Jen earned her Craftsman Degree through PPA and is recognized by them as an
Approved Business Instructor. She received her Certificate of Business
Management also from PPA. She is an active member of CPPA, PPANE, and
PPA.
Judy Grann:
Judy Grann’s career has gone full circle: After earning a college degree in
computer science and working as a software developer for two years, her love of
photography won out when she opened a studio in 1987. She struggled for a
year with no direction. Then, she attended a weeklong workshop with Jim and
Ann Monteith in Annville, PA. Judy's photography improved immediately,
however she procrastinated on implementing the business management and
marketing techniques that she had learned.
After two more years of fairly low compensation for her efforts, Judy decided to
start using the business concepts. She created her first comprehensive business
plan, priced her products profitably and began tracking her business properly.
Within one year her business took off. Gross sales doubled, but more
importantly, her compensation tripled! Everything was great. She was doing
what she loved and making a very good living at the same time. For the next
eight years she operated one of the most successful studios in Northern Virginia.
There was only one problem: she couldn’t find software to help manage the
business properly. After collaboration with Ann Monteith, the industry’s guru on
business, SuccessWare was created to help studio owners manage their
business. A beta version was released in 1995. Judy’s studio was the first to
implement it in a working environment. When SuccessWare was released in
1997, after working with SuccessWare in her studio, Judy chose to close her
studio and work in the industry educating others on sound business practices.
Judy received her Craftsmen for speaking on business within the industry,
worked with Ann Monthieth to educate others in teaching business and is
currently proud to work for a company that has won PPA’s "Hot 1" Award 8
times! - SuccessWare is the only business software that integrates all business
functions, and Judy is back in the software business this time helping other
photographers as a management consultant.
Ann Monteith:
Ann Monteith, CPP, M.Photog.Cr., Hon.M.Photog., A-ASP, Hon.A-ASP, ABI, API,
FIPPA, is the industry’s leading authority on studio business management and
serves as a consultant to studios throughout the country, both privately and
under the auspices of major industry suppliers. Her Guerrilla Management
Workshops are widely credited with setting some of the country’s most
successful studios on the road to profitability. A widely read author, her
AnnMonteithMeansBusiness.com blog provides information of interest to studio
owners and managers.
A former chairman of the board of the PPA International School of Professional
Photography and a past president of PPA, she received the Gerhard Bakker
Award for excellence in teaching, the Charles H. “Bud” Haynes Award “for
distinguished service to PPA and its members for encouraging business
awareness and practices in the field of professional image-making,” and a 2008
Leadership Award from the International Photographic Council, which was
presented at the United Nations. In 2010, PPA presented her with the Helen K.
Yancy Award, given for distinguished service to photography that represents “an
achievement of service of far-reaching value.”
She and her husband, Jim have owned and operated four different studio
businesses. Presently they are directors of Monteith’s Countryhouse Studios in
Annville, PA, and also see clients at their vacation home and studio in Deep
Creek Lake, MD. In 2009, they opened Persnickety Pet Portraits as a “warm fuzzy
division of Countryhouse Studios.”
Emily Potts:
Emily Potts is the owner of Emily Potts Photography, a boutique studio located
in Bartlesville, Oklahoma that specializes in newborns, families with young
children and high-school seniors. After only a few short years, she is very proud
to run the highest-end portrait studio in her market area, even though her
business is in her modest home.
Sarah Petty:
Sarah is a highly-acclaimed speaker, author, MBA and coach who started her
own boutique photography studio after working for Coca Cola for 20 years and
then meeting the marketing goals of a top regional advertising agency's clients.
It was at this ad agency where she taught small businesses the value of a strong
foundation and how they would grow with a strong brand. She attributes the
rapid growth of her boutique photography studio, which was named one of the
most profitable in the country within just five years in business by PPA, to the
creation of her own strong brand.
Bev & Tim Walden:
Tim and Beverly took over Walden’s Photography from Tim’s father in 1980,
taking the studio in an entirely different direction when they developed their
trademark “Relationship” Black and White Fine Art portraiture. Today, they run a
boutique studio, providing beautifully crafted portraits in an elegant setting.
Both have their Master and Craftsman degrees from Professional Photographers
of America, and Tim has his Fellowship Degree from ASP. Tim and Bev are
international speakers and Kodak Mentors.
Sue Bryce:
New Zealand-born Sue Bryce currently lives in Sydney Australia. Sue has been a
portrait photographer & pro re-toucher for 22 years and her shooting style is
contemporary, fashion inspired portraiture. She’s built a business and a brand
that she’s very proud of and has sustained an income from portraiture for over
half her life.
Alycia Alvarez:
Alycia is an Internationally award winning portrait photographer, who specializes
in maternity, babies and children. She has been in the industry for ten years in
Tampa, Florida, but recently moved to Texas where she has had to start from
scratch with her marketing campaigns to build a brand new client base. Alycia
will share how she sets herself apart with her “niche” marketing aimed at
maternity and baby clients.
Heather Rivlin:
Heather Rivlin is a photographer, mother of three, wife, and connoisseur of all
things chocolate. She specializes in black and white photography for newborns,
babies, children, and maternity, and operates a boutique studio in the heart of
downtown Toronto, in Canada.
Heather started her business in 2002, after completing a Masters degree at the
University of Toronto. Over the years, her business has seen steady upwards
growth, and in 2006, it was time to start outsourcing workflow elements to
contracted support staff in order to keep her focus on what she loves – shooting.
In 2008, it was time to look for a retail space. Having previously worked from
home, Heather purchased a 1600 square foot loft studio space in the heart of
downtown Toronto.
Although Heather had been offering mentoring services to other photographers
since 2006, she formally opened an arm to her business, called PhotoSpa, to
oversee the teaching side of her business. In 2007 she launched the first “Be
Inspired” workshop, dedicated to professional photographers interested in
mastering the techniques of newborn, maternity and baby photography, taking
their business skills to a new level, and ensuring them greater financial
prosperity doing what they love.
Heather has written dozens of articles on business and photography for several
online resources, including various photography forums, Photographer’s Café,
and is a regular contributor for Design Aglow, providing photographers with
how-to advice on navigating difficult client scenarios with style and confidence.
Heather’s work has appeared in a variety of magazine publications, including
Professional Photographer, and Glow Magazine for expectant mothers. Heather
is also proud to be a sponsored speaker for White House Custom Colour.
Rachel Marten:
Rachel is the example of doing what needs to be done. She and her husband
Clark come from a strong agricultural background, and after pursuing Clark’s
passion of photography, she found the art of photography was totally different
from the business of photography. Pushed into a corner to create a life for her
family, Rachel sought out the people and know-how to take action to be
successful in this industry. Today she and Clark run one of the highest sales per
capita studios in the nation.
Julia Radlick Kelleher:
Portrait Photographer, Julia Kelleher, CPP, AFP-O, is a PPA Gold Photographer
of the Year, and Silver Medalist who specializes in newborn and family portraits
out of her boutique studio in Bend, OR. A specialist in sales and ProSelect
presentation software, she helps photographers and their employees maximize
their potential in the sales room without pushing a "hard sell." Before opening
her studio, Julia spent 11 years traveling the country as an on-air anchor and
reporter for all three television networks. Her experience with the news industry,
and expertise in media relations and public communications have given her the
skills and techniques to help other photographers understand and communicate
effectively with their clients, and get the promotional word out about their
businesses to the community, and sell effectively to their clients.
Lori Nordstrom:
Lori Nordstrom has been a photographer for almost 15 years, and now owns
one of the leading portrait studios in the country. She began with a point and
shoot and her kids, and fell in love with photography! Being a single mom, Lori
has never had an option but to support her family and make a "business" of
what she does. Located in the tiny town (just 5,500 people!) of Winterset, Iowa,
Lori says, "There's no excuse that makes a good excuse". Lori loves sharing
with other photographers and small business owners and does so through
teaching, coaching and her online forum, Photo Talk Forum.
Bruce Berg:
Bruce Berg is Oregon’s most Award-Winning Photographer, having been named
Oregon’s Photographer of the Year four times. He also has eleven PPA Loan
Collection selections and is a past PPA AN-NE winner. He has spoken at WPPI,
SYNC, SPI, SWPP (in London) and numerous PPA affiliates all over the United
States and Canada.
Bruce has been a Master Photographer since 1992 and Craftsman Photographer
since 1997. His images have been featured in over 100 publications and he has
also been quoted by USA TODAY for a feature article about High School Senior
portraits.
He holds a BS degree from the University of Oregon and enjoys snow-skiing,
golf, in-depth biblical study and is a delirious Oregon football fan. He and his
wife, Sherri, have two children and live in their 5000 square foot historic
home/studio in Springfield Oregon.
Bert Behnke:
Bert Behnke is a veteran of portrait photography with over thirty years of awards
and accomplishments to his credit. He holds the coveted Master/Craftsman
degree from PPA as well as being recognized as the IPC Portrait Photographer
of the Year awarded at the United Nations. He has lectured on portrait
photography both nationally and internationally to thousands of professional
photographers.
Rod Evans:
Portrait Artist Rod Evans has become renowned for his innovative portraits by
combining an intense love of art and a visionary style. He has been requested to
lecture nationally, as well as internationally, for a host of venues including PPA's
Imaging USA, WPPI, and Senior Portrait Artists Events. He is a PPA National
Award winner who has been on Photoworkshop.com and PhotoVision Video
Magazine, and he has been named a Top Westcott Pro. Rod has also been
selected to be a member of the prestigious Society of XXV, an international
group of some of the world's finest photographers.
Kevin Kubota:
American Photo Magazine named Kevin Kubota one of the "Top 10 Wedding
Photographers in the world". His photos have been featured on the covers and
within the pages of many popular magazines and photography books. Kevin has
been sponsored to present by Nikon and Adobe, and his work with the Nikon
digital camera earned him a spot as a Nikon "Legend Behind the Lens". Kevin is
also a PPA Photographic Craftsman. He created the popular "Digital
Photography Bootcamp®" workshop which has been running successfully since
2002. He authored the book under the same name, now in it's second edition,
published by Amherst Media. Kubota Image Tools products have won multiple
Hot One Awards as well as the Readers Choice Award. Kevin was personally
awarded the 2009 Monte Zucker Memorial Humanitarian Award for social
service through photography.