Podcast Episode

My Million Dollar Story

Take It Personally··10 September 2026·17 min

About this episode

A first-class plane ticket totally changed my life. In May 2023, I was heading to Louisville to spend two days with my business coach when she told me to dress in “one-million-dollar business attire” and start imagining myself as Million Dollar Maddie. Naturally, I was annoyed. But I’m also nothing if not a bit of a rule follower, so I went with it. (And because I’m a Taurus who deeply values luxury and comfort, I upgraded to first class.)That experience made me realize that if I wanted to become the version of myself who ran a million-dollar business, I needed to start making decisions like her now. This matters for brand photographers because the version of you making your business decisions is also shaping your brand. When those decisions come from fear, people-pleasing, and trying not to rock the boat, your brand becomes safer, smaller, and much easier to ignore.We’re talking:How I accidentally built a brand from the smallest version of myselfWhy invisibility feels safe but fails every timeWhat your imposter syndrome actually isThe four parts of a brand with a backbonePositioning from fear versus positioning from abundanceAsking what the million-dollar version of you would do Links & Resources✨ Join me for Invisible to Inquiries, my upcoming masterclass on September 10 (at 12pm CST) about building a brand with a backbone, getting visible, and turning that visibility into inquiries✨ Learn more about Rebrand, my group program where you get content reviews, marketing and business coaching, and support in becoming a booked out brand photographer. Learn more here!📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let's Connect:Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.🎙️✨