EP 118 - What It Really Looks Like to Grow a Business as a Mom with Hannah Faye
In this episode, I talk with Hannah Faye about building and scaling a photography business while raising three kids under five. We get into systems, outsourcing, workflow tools, and how she’s structured her business to support her life instead of compete with it. Hannah shares what’s actually helped her grow, what she’s stopped doing, and why community has mattered more than anything.
Meet Hannah:
Hannah Frederick is a Washington-based wedding photographer, mother of three, and wife who has built and scaled a thriving photography business while welcoming three babies in just over three years. She knows firsthand what it’s like to send client emails while breastfeeding, juggle nap schedules with timelines, and grow a dream business without losing herself—or her peace—in the process.As the founder of a growing associate team, Hannah is deeply passionate about encouraging and empowering women in business, especially mothers who are navigating both ambition and family life. She believes wholeheartedly that it is possible to run a successful, sustainable business without sacrificing family time, presence, or joy.Hannah is living proof that motherhood and entrepreneurship can coexist beautifully—and she truly believes that mothers make the very best businesswomen.
Hannah started her photography career ten years ago with a $500 Costco camera, shooting her brothers and friends, and slowly built from there. Today, she runs Hannah Faye Photo, has two associates on her team, and recently hit the 300k mark in her business. Her story is a reminder that big growth doesn’t usually start big - it starts with consistency and momentum.
One thing that really stood out to me is how Hannah talks about motherhood as a superpower, not a setback. She shares how becoming a mom actually sharpened her focus, clarified her priorities, and pushed her to build better systems so she could protect her time and energy. Every season looks different, but she’s been intentional about creating workflows that support her life instead of working against it.
We also get into the practical side of things. Hannah breaks down how systems and tools have saved her countless hours, especially with editing and post-production. She talks about using Narrative Select and Imagen AI to streamline her workflow so she can spend less time behind a screen and more time with her family.
Community is another huge part of her growth. Hannah shares how investing in education and surrounding herself with other women in the industry helped her see what was possible. She’s big on relationship-building, whether that’s connecting with other photographers, vendors, or simply showing up with gratitude and kindness.
We also talk about outsourcing and the mindset shift that came with it. Hannah is open about how hard it was at first to spend money on help, but how hiring support - from Pinterest and blogging to backend systems - changed everything for her business and her capacity as a mom.
If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who needs to hear it, and I’ll see you inside Summer School for more conversations like this.
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Connect with Hannah:
Website: https://www.hannahfayephoto.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahfayephoto/?hl=en
Book a mentorship with Hannah here: https://www.hannahfayephoto.com/coaching
