Over the summer I had a wonderful opportunity to share on an international level all about a cause near and dear to my heart during a podcast interview with The Pet Photographers Club founders Kirstie McConnell and Caitlin J. McColl: my annual pet calendar contest fundraiser.
For those who may not be familiar with this group, The Pet Photographers Club is a massive pet-centered collective of professional photographers and experts whose goal is to connect pet photographers around the world. In hosting their podcast, contributing a wealth of resources to their members-only mastermind group, and sharing content in their free Facebook group, Kirstie and Caitlin are passionate about sharing what they’ve learned, not only with each other but with this worldwide growing community to bring their conversations to the world of professional pet photography.
If hearing about a podcast interview sounds familiar, it’s because I was also interviewed by the amazing Nicole Begley back in June on her Hair of the Dog Podcast about this very topic. Having heard the countless successes and questions of fellow pet photographers implementing the very marketing, fundraising, automation, and sales strategies I promote, I was beyond excited to go more in-depth when I was approached earlier this year about elaborating on this wildly popular fundraising approach for The Pet Photographers Club community.
One of the most impactful ways Bark & Gold Photography gives back is through an annual pet calendar contest, which launches every January in support of Biggies Bullies, a Pittsburgh-based pit bull rescue. Since the first year of this contest back in 2017, Pittsburgh pet parents and 178 furry entrants have helped raise more than $23,919 for local rescues and animal-related non-profits, all of which directly benefit the animals of these organizations! These funds are entirely the result of calendar contest entries, votes, reserve-a-grid-space donations, and calendar purchases made possible by Pittsburgh pet parents and pet-friendly businesses throughout the area. For anyone looking to raise money and support their local shelter or rescue, this calendar contest is, as Caitlin described it, very successful.
During our interview, Kirstie, Caitlin, and I dive deep into how the Flourish Academy and the Hair of the Dog Academy community and courses were instrumental in launching my business, the value in pushing past fear and discomfort, marketing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the role that automation and systems play in crafting a next-level client experience, my love of work, and most importantly, about giving back through the annual pet calendar contest I run for Biggies Bullies.
You can listen to my interview (episode 5, season 7) of The Pet Photographers Club Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.
This post is a part of a photography blog circle featuring photographers specializing in a variety of niches. To see what the next photographer is sharing for our weekly theme, “The Joy of Giving,” check out Amy Tedrow with Believe, Create, Inspire LLC and Amy Tedrow Photography, providing website and branding solutions for your lifestyle, business, or non-profit organizational needs. Continue to click the link at the end of each post in the blog circle until you eventually find your way back here.
I loved everything about this podcast. Your calendar contest is So inspirational and for a great cause too
Thanks, Amy! It was so much fun to share more about this and to follow along with all the pet photographers implementing these strategies with success.