Starting a new business can be intimidating and frustrating. There is so much to keep up with, and it’s best to start a business off right, than to rush things and fix the gaps later. The main frustration I had when creating a business is finding out all the information for what I need to form a business, how to make sure everything is legally correct, and how to get my business to grow. So I created this massive resource list with any photographers who are interested in starting a business or who has recently started a business. These resources can be useful to biz owners who are outside of the photography niche too. Just keep in mind that I will always recommend to seek professional legal/financial advice before starting a business. The links and advice that I’m sharing are not concrete professional advice, and more so just tips from the best of my knowledge to help you if they apply to your situation.

*Affiliate Disclaimer: Just a quick heads up, this post contains affiliate links. Which means if you sign up for Skillshare via one of the links in this page, I get small commission with no extra charge to you ^_^

How To Start A Photography Business (Courses + Posts)

Courses:

1. How To Start A Photography Business by Daniela Andrea Guasti
2. How To Run A Success Freelance Photography Business by KevinLandwir Johan
3. Photographer Field Guide: How To Start Your Own Photography Business Fast by Sergy Kasimov 

Blog Posts:

1. How to Start A Photography Business by Spark Photography
2. Step by Step Guide to Starting a Photography Business by Colorvale
3. How to Financially Prepare Before Starting A Business by My Domaine
4. Starting a Photography Business? By KatelynJamesblog.com
5. How To Start A Photography Business by Magazine Mama

Notes + Productivity Resources

1. Evernote
2. Asana ( I use this)
3. Trello
4. Google Keep
5. Google Docs
6. Dropbox Paper
7. Good Notes (iPad app)
8. Wunderlist
9. Google Tasks

Booking + Scheduling

1. Acuity
2. Calendly
3. Simply Booking
4. Setmore
5. BookedIn
6. Booking Template Via TypeForm
7. Tave

Email Marketing

1. Mailchimp
2. ConvertKit
3. Leadpages
4. Email Templates:

File Management + Storage

1. Dropbox
2. Google Drive
3. WeTransfer

Accounting Resources

1. Quickbooks (Self Employed)
2. Quicken
3. Zoho Books
4. Freshbooks Cloud Accounting
5. Xero Accounting
6. GoDaddy Bookkeeping
7. Mint

Website + Portfolio Hosting

1. Squarespace
2. Wix
3. Format
4. Behance/Adobe Portfolio Site
5. PhotoShelter
6. Wordpress.com
7. Wordpress.org (Self Hosted)
8. Krop
9. Weebly
10. Smugmug
11. Shopify

Contracts + Forms:

1. Photography Forms by Studio Strawberry
2. The Contract Shop
3. Contract (Terms for Creatives) by Elan Blog Studio
4. Contract Mint
5. Photography Forms

Branding Tips:

1. The Epic Guide to Creating a Brand Identity by ByRegina (+ workbook)
2. How to Build A Brand If You’re On A Budget by Dana Nicole
3. How To Brand Your Business from the Start by Forth and Create
4. 5 Tips to Successfully Launch a New Brand by Melyssa Griffin
5. How to Use Photography to Grow Your Brand by PinkPot
6. Create A Consistent Brand ExperienceSprucerd
7. Branding Beyond Visuals by StationSeven

Finance + Legal Resources

1. Business Expenses by Lindsey Humes
2. How To Prevent A Huge Tax Bill When Self Employed by Arts and Budget
3. Small Business 101: Accounting by ThinkCreativeCollective
4. How To Manage Your Money: A Self Employed Survival Guide by BFFCourse.com

Business Planning

1. Designing a Business Plan for Your Creative Business by Amanda Genter
2. Business Plan by Melyssa Griffin
3. Free Business Plan Template by Rosanna
4. The Business Plan by Station Seven

Marketing + Blogging Tips:

1. The #1 Marketing Opportunities Photographers Are Missing by Melissa Jill
2. Hashtag Glossary for Photographers by Wonderland Graphic Design
3. How To Start A Photography Blog by Filtercrave
4. 9 Places To Promote Your Photography For Free
5. 25+ Facebook Groups for Photography Beginners