I almost didn’t record this episode.. not because I didn’t want to reflect on the year, but because I was making it bigger than it needed to be. So instead of overthinking it, I sat down with a post-it note and recorded a simple, honest 2025 wrapped: brand photography edition!

This episode isn’t data-driven or trend-heavy. It’s a real reflection on what actually defined my year as a brand photographer, educator, and coach - including what worked, what changed, and what I’m carrying with me into 2026.

Before you plan for what’s next, you have to understand what just happened. This episode walks through the three things that shaped my business in 2025, why returning to the basics made everything easier, and how slowing down created more clarity and capacity.

We’re talking:

1. The three things that truly defined my brand photography business in 2025
2. Why I intentionally booked fewer brand sessions
3. How prioritizing profitability changed the way I make business decisions
4. What hiring more intentionally unlocked in my business
5. Why my content worked better than expected this year
6. What I’m leaving behind in 2025 as I look ahead to 2026

Links & Resources:

1. 📱 Join the free 14-Day Instagram Challenge (starts January 5): maddiepeschong.com/ig
2. 📸 Learn more about working together in Rebrand or Behind the Shot: maddiepeschong.com
3. 📝 Explore free resources for brand photographers: maddiepeschong.com
4. 💬 DM me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway from 2025

Let's Connect:

1. Website: maddiepeschong.com
2. Instagram: @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.

We all love talking about what worked on Instagram, but what about the posts that totally flopped? In this episode, I’m breaking down my “worst” Instagram content from the year, what those posts had in common, and why I’m actually not upset about any of it.

This is the second part of a little two-episode series - last week I walked through my best content and this episode is taking a looking at my worst performing content. Spoiler: a lot of my “worst” content is also some of the most important for building trust, deepening relationships, and growing my brand long-term.

We’re talking:

• Why my lowest-performing posts are almost all talking head reels
• How longer, more thoughtful content can still be wildly valuable even with low reach
• The difference between content creator goals and business owner goals
• How I’m using my Consistency Cure series, even though it’s not topping my analytics
• Practical ways to improve “bad” posts without scrapping the idea completely
• How to look at your own worst-performing content without making it personal

Links & Resources:

• 📉 See my "worst" performing content stats: on the blog
• 🎧 Check out last week’s episode on my best Instagram content from the year
• 📱 Connect over on Instagram: @maddiepeschong
• 💻 Learn more about twelve month program for brand photographers who want to attract and book more clients: Rebrand

Let's Connect:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @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.

Instagram has been my thing since before I even had a photography business, but this year, my content looked a little different. I hired a social media manager, leaned into more nuanced topics, and started paying closer attention to what was actually working instead of just guessing. And spoiler: my best-performing posts were not the perfectly designed, “Pinterest-worthy” ones.

In this episode, I’m breaking down my best Instagram content from the year and what all of those posts had in common.

You’ll hear what kind of posts actually did the best for my brand photography and education business and how you can also use those patterns to create better, more strategic Instagram content of your own.

We’re talking:

• Why I finally hired help for Instagram, even though social media has always been “my thing”
• How I identified my best-performing posts (and what those posts actually were - see them on the blog!)
• What my top content had in common: 5 main things
• How “I” language and personal stories can still be super valuable for your audience
• Why leaning into hotter topics made my content more fun
• How behind-the-scenes and milestone posts ended up in my top performers

Links & Resources:

• 🏆 See my top performing posts & stats on the podcast blog post
• 📱 Come hang with me on Instagram: @maddiepeschong
• 📸 Learn more about Rebrand and my education for brand photographers on my website: maddiepeschong.com
• 📝 Binge more educational posts, past podcast episodes, and resources for brand photographers on the blog

Let's Connect:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @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.