It's January and snowstorm #Colbie just dumped a ton of snow in the north-eastern seaboard. My first inclination is to slide back into the bedsheets and stay there till April. But I have photography businesses to run and that means the hustle is on, 24-7.

But does it need to be always on? Is it not conceivable that the photography businesses could continue to grow even without my presence. Oh, sure, I will still be the visionary behind the images, but as you all know being a photographer is different – vastly different – than being in business as a photographer.

I can feel this frustration in the industry today. How do we create a sustainable and thriving photography business and remain sane? Right? Right. We are all in this together. Thankfully, we don't have to look too far for answers.

You could sign up with a business coach. And, business books are aplenty. Yet, I only read a select few every year that are immediately helpful.

In my opinion, Mike Michalowicz' books – The Toilet-Paper Entrepreneur, The Pumpkin Plan and Profit First, are three books that are within reach of my workstation. They are full of anecdotes and analogies that drive home themes and topics that are easy to understand and better yet, easier still to put into practice.

When I found out that the Connecticut chapter of the ASMP had invited Mike Michalowicz to speak on February 5th, at Yale University, I swung into action to see if I could speak with him about the book and his upcoming presentation. Special thanks to Jane Shauck and Mike's assistant, Kristina Bolduc, for making this interview happen.

If you enjoyed that short conversation, feel free to subscribe to Mike's incredible YouTube channel, where you can experience his wit and wisdom in short bites.

If you are going to be in the New Haven, Connecticut area, make plans to register for this presentation by Mike Michalowicz who will go into much greater detail about using The Pumpkin Plan for your photography business. I expect to be there in the audience taking notes. Join me!

Lara Woolfson and Kate Harper run Studio Nouveau, a wedding and boudoir studio in Boston, Massachusetts.

Studio Nouveau is known for being as colorful and bold as their imagery. Their passion for their work is not only evident in the photos that they take, but also in the lasting relationships they build with their clients. Studio Nouveau's work has been published in several issues of Boston Wedding Magazine, Conde Nast's Brides Magazine, and the cover of Seacoast Bride Magazine as well as showcased in such blogs as Style Me Pretty, Snippet & Ink, Wedding Bee, Carats & Cake, Once Wed, Ruffled and Rock'n'Roll Bride.

Lara will be presenting at Inspire Photo Retreats, in Portland, Maine, from February 9 through the 11th. Her topic will be about creating incredible boudoir experiences for your clients.

Check out some of Lara and Kate's work below:

Find out more about Inspire Photo Retreats here and register (if there are any spots open) here.

Lauren Rutten describes herself as the following:

Explorer. Artist. Photographer. Educator. Writer. Swashbuckling World Traveler.

Her career in photography began in 1986 and she has followed a very interesting path that includes not only the visual medium but also the written one. Lauren’s art and writing reflects her deep appreciation of everyday life and seeks to connect, empower and inspire others through her art. In 2013, Lauren took time away from her photography business and fulfilled a life-long dream of traveling solo around the world. In May of 2014, Lauren became a facilitator of the Amherst Writer's and Artists Workshops.

So, this is who is coming to speak at Inspire Photo Retreats in February, 2015, friends! I had an opportunity to chat with Lauren about her work and of course about her presentation at Inspire Photo Retreats:

There are still a few spots open for Inspire Photo Retreats. Register here today. You'll come in contact with people like Lauren who bring a gamut of skills and experiences to enrich your life.

Jason Grubb, a wedding photographer in Denver, Colorado has strategically increased his Instagram followers and converted some of them into paying clients. Having a significantly smaller following on that social medial site, I was intrigued to learn more from him.

While our chat was short, I trust you will find a ton more useful and actionable information from Jason during his ShootDotEdit webinar on December 3. Find out more here.

Oh, and do follow him on Instagram too!

Lastly, do take a moment to check out Jason and Gina's wedding photography below.

I also invite you to visit their website. They are pretty specific about who they are, who they serve and what kind of photography they happen to create for those people they attract. This is “specialism” in action folks and I love how they have brought it all together.

Update: If you missed it, you can can the recorded version of the webinar with Jason Grubb here. Simply register on the site and you will be notified when it is ready to view.

In 2012, Susan Stripling Mautner was named one of the Top 10 Wedding Photographers by American Photo. She photographs 50 weddings a year. She has been at this for about 15 years now. When she gets up on stage, people pay close attention to what she has to say about the wedding photography industry.

So, it's no surprise that she just launched The Dynamic Range, a repository for all her thoughts on the subject of photography. I got an exclusive opportunity to speak with her about The Dynamic Range and why she chose to create a new space that includes a blog and a storefront where you can learn from her blog or buy her ebooks and other resources.

Mark your calendars, from Friday the 28th of November through December 2nd, Susan is offering everything on The Dynamic Range at 30% off! So, bookmark this page now or click here to put your favorite ebooks into your cart.

Want to see what one of her ebooks looks like? Add your name and email to her list (find the form at the top right hand corner of her site) and she'll send one out to you to check out. I believe right now she is offering the one on how to photograph wedding ring shots. Her imagery is one of the finest and she is about to tell you exactly what she does to achieve those results. So, what are you waiting for? Go visit The Dynamic Range now!