Cat Ford-Coates is a

Portrait Photographer, Educator, and Speaker.

Photographers: you built a real business. Real talent. Real clients. Real hours.

And still...the number doesn't match the work.

That's not a marketing problem. That's not a pricing problem. That's what happens when you've been building a business around being easy to work with instead of impossible to replace.

Cat Ford-Coates is the woman who says the thing.

Not to be provocative. Because she already knows where you're going and she's done watching you pretend you don't.

She doesn't develop photographers. She develops founders.

If you've known for a while that it was never just about the photos — you're home.

"I had faith in you and what I wanted, and you said

'and faith in yourself'..."

MIM Q.

"I'm building my business and staying in my photo

related job as I build these foundations for success."

ALENA F.

Lead Your Business with Standards. Scale It with Strategy.

You've shot the sessions, posted the content, offered the discounts, and said yes to clients who didn't respect your time. And you've gotten very good at calling it "professionalism".

You have clients who cry in front of your camera because you captured something they didn't know how to name. And you're still the one chasing. Chasing inquiries. Chasing bills. Chasing the version of your business that was supposed to exist by now.

That's not a hustle problem. That's not a marketing problem.

That's what happens when you build a business around being easy to work with instead of impossible to replace.

The Studio Takeover exists for the photographer who is done performing her way through her own business.

Not to hand her another system to organize the chaos. To build the standard that makes the chaos stop.

Our clients don't just earn more. They become the photographer no client can talk out of her rate, no room can make smaller, no slow season can shake.

Kristen went from $3k to $30k a month. Alexis made $16k her first month in business. Ivana hit $20k within three months.

Not because they got better at marketing. Because they stopped negotiating themselves down.

Every month you build a business that works for everyone but you is a month you pay to stay exactly where you are.

If you're ready to build one that holds you instead — you're in the right place.

Apply to work with Cat

TESTIMONIALS

What others are saying

Aamel Abed

Calgary Canada

Ivana Desancic

Chicago, IL

Simon Diez

Washington

Lorraine Hjalte

Alberta, Canada

Dr Donnamaria Jones

Waldorf, MD/Washington DC

Ashanta Staten

Sanford, NC

Apply to work with Cat

Working with Cat is not just another “course” but the mentoring experience you've been missing. Working with Cat leading the ship with her team supporting you and holding you accountable every step of the way to get where you want to be in your portrait business.

not sure if applying to work with cat is the right next step?

Frequently Asked Questions

Who will I be meeting with?

You will be meeting with Cat. The call is a diagnostic meeting to assess alignment and whether or not your photography business can actually support a more sustainable, high-leverage structure — and whether it makes sense to build it together.

Some people leave with clarity and next steps.

Some people leave knowing this isn’t the right move yet.

Either way, you’ll get a direct answer.

On the call, we’ll:

Identify where your current structure is capping revenue

Separate effort problems from design problems

Determine whether your business is ready for sustainability-focused scaling

This is diagnostic, not motivational.

Can I reschedule my call if something comes up?

Save for real emergencies, we don't allow for reschedules for these appointments. Cat is reserving an hour of her time for you and your business at no charge to you. We simply ask that you respect your time and hers for the time you booked for your appointment.

What if I’m interested but would need financing to move forward?

If we both feel it’s a strong fit to work together, many photographers choose to use financing to get started.

Several of my mentees have used services like Affirm or Klarna, which often offer flexible repayment plans ranging from 12–48 months.

If financing is something you’d want to explore, I recommend applying before our call so you know what options are available to you. That way, if we decide to move forward together, we can do so without delays.

And if we determine it’s not the right fit, you’ll still have financing available for other investments in your photography business.

Do I need to prepare anything for the meeting?

It’s helpful to come to the call with a clear picture of:

• where most of your current clients come from
• what type of photography you'd like to book more of
• what your goals are for your photography business over the next 12 months

That way we can make the conversation as useful as possible for you.