Episode 188: From Teacher to Photographer with Brooke Jefferson

Full Episode Transcription:

Arianna Vernier (00:00):
Hey y’all. Welcome back to the Ditch the Classroom podcast. On today’s episode, I brought on a special guest. Her name is Brooke Jefferson. She’s a former teacher, turned photographer and also a business coach for photographers, and she is the host of the Book More Clients Photography podcast. So I’m super excited for you guys to hear Brooke’s journey out of teaching and what advice she has for those of you that are looking to get outta the classroom as well, which if you’re here, that’s probably what your goal is. So excited. But before we jump into today’s episode, if you’re ready to ditch the classroom for yourself, I invite you to come to our free workshop, the The Number One Way to Quit Teaching in Six Months or Less. This is the roadmap that will help you go from burnout teacher to work at home mom, and to be able to be there for all of your babies firsts and everything that is important to you. So, like I said, it’s free, it’s taking place April 13th. You can go and register at ariannavernier.com/free-workshop or click the link in the show notes. All right y’all, let’s jump in to today’s episode.

Arianna Vernier (02:23):
Hey Brooke, welcome to the show.

Brooke Jefferson (02:25):
Well, hey, thank you so much for having me. I’m excited to be on your podcast mainly because I’m very intrigued with the different stories that you tell through your show. I think it’s such a valuable resource and one that I wish I would’ve had.

Arianna Vernier (02:42):
Aw, well thank you. I appreciate that. And if you guys didn’t hear the intro, Brooke was a teacher for a while and she is now a photographer. So Brooke, I would just love if you would just start us out with telling us a little bit more about you, like how many kids you have and then then walk us through your teaching journey, how long you taught and the grades you taught.

Brooke Jefferson (03:03):
Yeah, so my name’s Brooke Jefferson. I am a wife, a mom to two kiddos. I have a daughter that’s nine and a son that is six. I used to be a teacher and then I left that, which we’re gonna talk more about here in just a little bit to become a photographer full-time. And then about a year or two after I did that, I became a photography business coach to help other women do the exact same thing, leaving their nine-to-five jobs so that they can pursue their own business full-time. And I also am the host of the Book More Clients Photography podcast and I stay plenty busy.

Arianna Vernier (03:43):
I feel you there. Busy mama. I’m a mama of two as well, but mine are littler. I have one that’s one and then one that’s almost four. So they’re, they’re wild. Yes, that’s how we like it. So what led you to want to get out of teaching?

Brooke Jefferson (04:03):
I was actually going to college to become a nurse and had some financial aid issues that happened and so I left, I started working for a college, so I left my university. I came back home and I started working at our local college in town. During that time I ended up getting pregnant and so much like all the moms do, we want to take pictures of our child. So I found myself borrowing my boyfriend’s mom’s camera then just like going crazy and taking pictures and, and I loved it and I ended up getting asked by one of my really good friends if I would take pictures for her and her daughter. Something about that session just kinda like lit me up. I was like, oh my gosh, like I really love this. This would be so fun. You know, to do as as a side thing, I was saving money up so that I could go back to college, got all the finances in order and I started going back to school to become a teacher. I was going back to school to do that while also still taking pictures on the side and being a mom to a little one. So again, like my life is always things going on. I’ve never been one to do one thing. I ended up getting pregnant with my second child after I got married. Then here I was two kids going to college. I was just so determined to get that college degree and my kids were a newborn and a toddler. So I was even more determined to be like, I can do this. I never want them to say that you can’t do this. By the time I graduated college and had passed all of my exams and teacher certifications and all the things, I was actually due with my son at the beginning of the following school year, which I knew I more than likely would not be offered a job. Like they’re just not going to hire you when you’re pregnant as a first year teacher and due at the beginning of the school year, I was right. I did not get hired anywhere and I found myself at home with a three-year-old and a newborn and a photography side business. It was just really, really rough. At that point I was praying about an opportunity to do something, whether it was gonna be a teaching job or some other type of a business option. And one of the kindergarten teachers at a local school ended up not coming back after Christmas break. So they offered me the job and I got hired as a kindergarten teacher and as I was teaching, I was also running my business and I was becoming busier and busier with that. And I had heard someone, I can’t remember exactly who it was, it was another like famous photographer at the time was really talking about going full-time and how photography can be more than just a fun hobby on the side. It can really produce a lot of income for you and it can be a career choice. And I was like, huh, that’s so interesting because the way that I grew up, my parents were always like, it’s college. It’s college, it’s a degree and it’s, go get yourself in a traditional job there. There really aren’t any entrepreneurs that I know of ever in my family. So I’m kind of the, the oddball out here. And then the next year I had moved from teaching kindergarten to a different school and teaching junior high and I absolutely hated every minute of it. I think I came home crying almost on a daily basis. There was just no support from the administration side and the kids were awful. That age group is very hard. At that point I was like, I can’t do this another year. So I kind of went pedal to the metal and decided we gotta get out of this thing. Like, if there’s a will, there’s a way and I’m gonna figure it out. So I did. Which leads us to your question, why I wanted to leave. I just felt unfulfilled and I wanted to chase after the freedom of time and the freedom of, you know, financial freedom and all the things. I just wanted to be in control of my own schedule. And sitting here thinking back to that moment when I dreamed of being able to live this life on a Tuesday, talking to you, you know, in the middle of the day. It’s just, it truly is just like a blessing to look back at what I was able to accomplish by leaving the classroom.

Arianna Vernier (08:22):
That’s amazing. I wanna point out two things that you said. One is that you just, you got in there and you just realized that wasn’t what you were expecting, teaching wasn’t fulfilling what you wanted for your life. And I think so many of the listeners on this podcast feel that, but they get, but they hesitate to do anything about it. Cause they’re like, well maybe if I stay a little bit longer the these feelings will change. But I’ll always say that if God places a dream on your heart, it’s there for a reason. So if you continue staying stuck and don’t take that step of faith, you might not even be fulfilling God’s purpose for you. So I think it’s so important sometimes to just make a plan and start to pursue what’s really going to light you up. And the other thing that you mentioned is that your family didn’t have, you know, any entrepreneurs in it. Mine didn’t either. Very much the same, go to college, get a normal degree, get a normal job, and then when I was like, Nope, I don’t wanna do this anymore, they’re like, excuse me? So it’s hard to go against the grain sometimes, but it’s about what lights you up and what your desire is and what God’s desire is for you. That’s what you have to chase.

Brooke Jefferson (09:37):
Yeah, I love that you brought that up because one of the things I wrestled with was constantly asking God then why, like what was the point? What was the point of busting my butt through college? What was the point of missing all the things that I missed? What was the point of even becoming a teacher? And I couldn’t see it at that moment, but I do think that sometimes we’re doing what God has called us to do, we’re just in the wrong vehicle of what that looks like. And for me it was not public school. The vehicle that I chose at that moment was public school teaching. But the vehicle that God actually had for me is I am teaching every single day of my business. I’m teaching other people the business skills that they need, the life skills, that’s the cool thing. Business is life skills. You learn so much about yourself. Looking back, I see the dots connected now, but I couldn’t at the time and so I wrestled with God of well this doesn’t make sense. And oftentimes he doesn’t make sense with what he’s calling you to do or to leave. So I love that you brought that up.

Arianna Vernier (10:43):
Yeah, I agree 100%. Can you share any practical advice you have with my listeners about preparing to leave the classroom if it’s on their heart to do so?

Brooke Jefferson (10:54):
Absolutely. So this is the most important piece. It’s, you know, we can all have this dream and this desire of yes, I want what she has, especially as you’re listening to this podcast, you’re hearing story after story and you’re like, I want that. But it’s so much more than just saying like, all right, I’m quitting my teaching job today. Don’t do that. Please don’t do that unless you have the financial means to do so. But I had to be very practical about this. I also will say, you know, a lot of times it’s a mindset thing too because we don’t know what’s on the other side. Like I specifically remember telling myself, there’s no way that I will be able to make $1,900 a month on my own. I mean like, are you kidding me? It’s just, it’s wild that that was my safety net. And again, remember I was a first year teacher, I was super young. I also live in the state of Oklahoma and I’m pretty sure we’re ranked like last on the pay scale for teachers. So if some, some of you were like, wow, you got paid nothing, you are absolutely correct. So anyway, all that being said, it’s just funny and a while to think back to that I knew like I can’t just leave and then hope for the best. And sometimes yes, I mean there, there truly is a lot of that because my business and my clients were never guaranteed. So definitely hear me say that first I had to take the leap even when I was scared. But I was practical and smart about the way that I did so, so you know, I sat down and, and I looked at the numbers first. I really did. I looked at the data, do I have everything in place for me to even book the amount of clients that I need? How many do I need to book? I probably need to raise my prices. I kind of taught myself how to do a lot of this stuff, but I also listened to a ton of podcasts as well to just learn things that I didn’t know and and equip me with things to help me prepare this plan. So make sure you have a plan in place. And I will tell you, I actually have an entire podcast episode. I know this is coming up at the very end, but I just wanna mention it now. If you truly wanna know like every little detail of what I did, I have a full episode on my podcast where you can listen to me talk about I did this and then I did this and then I did that. But I just wanna say, don’t just cross your fingers and go quit your job and hope for the best. Actually make a plan to leave. Look at what you need, how much money I had savings, right? Like I built that up to where just in case it didn’t go the way that I wanted it to. We weren’t like, oh my gosh, we can’t pay our bills this month. I of course financially prepared myself. I had to mentally prepare myself as well and get in rooms with other people who did the same thing. That’s kind of some of the practical advice there is. Definitely get a plan in place that is going to help you prepare all those stepping stones so that when you do ditch the classroom, you’re doing so as confidently as you can, even though it’s still a leap of faith.

Arianna Vernier (13:56):
Yeah, I agree 100% that I think as teachers, you know, we all know the term backwards design. We have the tests that we need our students to be able to pass. What do we have to do to get there? What lessons do we have to take them in order to get there? That’s something that we do in the Teacher Turned Virtual Assistant program that I have is we walk through, you know, what’s your goal for income wise? So most people it’s replacing their teaching income and then we break that down into tiny steps to help them get there. So I love that you mentioned that. What would you say is the biggest thing that you kind of had to overcome in your ditch the classroom journey?

Brooke Jefferson (14:40):
So I actually think there’s two things. One was the fear of what other people think. We kind of talked about that when we were talking about going against the grain. I looked crazy. I am very loyal and I will always finish something out to its fullest. So I wasn’t gonna just get up and quit my job in the middle of the year, even though everyone around me was like, you should like, you should do that. Absolutely you should do that. My husband was like, just quit. Like Brooke, is it really worth it? That was the first thing. It’s just like getting over what everyone thought and what I thought things were gonna look like. And number two is really leaning into understanding that even when you have a plan in place, you will never, ever fully feel ready. You’re never going to be like, “oh I’ve got everything in order. I am so confident.” There’s no fear that’s not realistic. There is always fear cuz you’re getting outside of the known and you’re jumping into the unknown and you’re gonna see this even in your business. So one day when you’re looking back and you’re like, I did ditch the classroom and now I’m building this business, you’re going to have fear of the next level and fear of the next investment and fear of all this stuff. And that is just the way that we’re wired. It’s, it’s our brain, it’s science, it’s all the things. So just understand that you, there’s never gonna be a day where you’re like, okay, now I’m ready to leave this job and go do my own thing. Unfortunately it just doesn’t happen that way.

Arianna Vernier (16:06):
Yeah, I agree. I love how you mentioned, you know, kind of having that support system behind you. Like even if they don’t fully get it, I have a really supportive husband as well. And if, if your, if your spouse is not supportive, there’s, there might be just like an issue with the way you both are communicating with each other if how you’re communicating your goals and what this could potentially allow you to do. So I do have a podcast episode that I actually did with my husband, I can’t remember the exact number, but it’s like 147, somewhere around there for the listeners who are like, “how do I get my spouse to be supportive of my ditch the classroom journey?” Go check that out. But I love how you brought that up because I think it’s really important to have those people in our corner encouraging us. And even if we don’t realize it at the time, that can really help you to take that leap of faith.

Brooke Jefferson (16:57):
100%. Yes. I love that. And sometimes your spouse is fearful and they don’t wanna tell you that, and a lot of times that’s where the miscommunication happens or you feel like they’re shutting down or not showing up for you or they’re expressing too much concern about what you’re doing. Honestly, it just goes back to they’re probably just as fearful as you are and that’s why if you can sit down and plan together, it makes it better. And then sometimes honestly, not everyone’s spouse is gonna be on board and I’m just gonna tell you that because even your own family will be the last to support you and I know what a lot of that is like, but at the same time it all comes back down to the unknown. It’s because people want what’s best, your best interest, but sometimes they don’t really know what that is. So I just wanted to add that little word of encouragement as well.

Arianna Vernier (17:52):
Yeah, I agree. I think the people that love us the most, their first desire is to protect us and how are they supposed to protect us from something they don’t understand? I 100% agree. I know you mentioned that podcasts really helped you when you were looking to get out of teaching. Was there anything else that really helped you as you were transitioning?

Brooke Jefferson (18:14):
Yes. One of the things that I did was I did spend lunch breaks and late nights at home just digging into listening to podcast or reading a business book and then trying to figure out where can I implement this in my life. So yes, free resources and free value is absolutely amazing, but what held me accountable was I hired a coach, I hired a mentor. Get someone in your industry or someone that has done what you’ve done and is living out the thing that you want and link arms with them. And again, back to that fear we talked about. Yes, yes, it is scary, but you know, the best time to actually invest when you are still in the classroom is when you’re in the classroom. Why? Because you have income to fall back on. Whereas when you’re in your business that I make an investment, sometimes it is hope for the best, pray about it, fingers cross, let’s go. Not even gonna lie to you, I, I probably make an investment like that at least once or twice a year. You know, I’m five, six years out from ditching the classroom and I’m still hiring a mentor and a coach for every level of my business. There’s nothing that will accelerate your results and your journey. Then linking arms with a mentor, that is my biggest piece of advice to help you truly ditch the classroom. And you’re listening to this show and it sounds like there’s an incredible program that is literally exactly what I’m talking about to set you up for success.

Arianna Vernier (19:40):
Yes, yes, we do have the Teacher Turned Virtual Assistant program. If y’all don’t already know what that is, if it’s, if it’s your first time here, you can check that out at teacherturnedvirtualassistant.com. I would not agree more with you. I think a lot of times people try to pursue their goals and their dreams on their own, but then the second they hit a roadblock it’s like, oh, I’m just gonna go back to my comfort. Like apparently that’s where I meant to be. But I don’t think that’s the case. I think sometimes God gives us mountains to climb for a reason. And when you put in that investment, like you said, you get that accountability, that extra support you need to get over those mountains and you have someone who has made mistakes that can help you avoid them and help you reach your goals in way less time. So I always say that don’t look at an investment into yourself, into your business as losing money. You’re going to get that back, whether it’s in time, whether it’s in money, usually both. You just have to be willing to put, put in the effort for it.

Brooke Jefferson (20:49):
Yep. You absolutely need to be someone that is going to be an action taker and not sit in a place of indecisiveness. And what you are instilling in yourself right now are the skills and the habits if you will, that you will carry on throughout your business journey. Yes, love the advice. But yeah, that is my main thing is you know, you do, don’t do it alone. Do not do it alone. It is going to be too hard. You’re gonna spin your wheels for way too long and honestly there’s no excuse to do it alone because you do have free and paid options for you to grab on. You just need to decide, is this truly the path that I want to travel?

Arianna Vernier (21:32):
Yeah. And the first thing you should always do is pray about it and God will give you an answer. It may not be right away, but it’ll happen eventually. I wanna ask you a question that I ask every guest we have on this show and it’s, if someone wanted to start their to classroom journey but they just felt too overwhelmed, what would you tell them?

Brooke Jefferson (21:51):
So you kind of already said the exact answer that I was gonna give for this question, but I’m gonna add to it. The first thing that I would say is to pray about it, and I’m gonna get a little more specific. Sometimes when we are so close to what’s going on, we like our mind is consumed, we start to see it from like a six inch view rather than a six foot view. And my big, and I do this with all of the photographers that I coach as well, I tell them shut it all off. So for you teachers that are in the classroom, take a whole weekend and do absolutely nothing related to school and nothing related to your business and take a step back, go for a walk, go do something you enjoy, go shopping. I don’t know what that looks like for you, but do something to where you’re not even focused on your, on what’s going on in your life, right? But you are able to clear your mind and kind of do a a mental reset, listen to music, read a book. The best ideas come to me when I’m reading a good fiction book that has nothing to do with anything, it’s just crazy how that works or going for a walk. I want you to put space in between and take a break and step back and pray throughout that weekend. That way you can center yourself that way. The overwhelm melts away when you step back from it and you’re able to go back to that plan that we talked about earlier and just remind yourself, you know, if you know that you know that you know that God is calling you to ditch the classroom and move into this next phase of your life and business, then trust him that he is going to help provide that for you. But a lot of times when we’re overwhelmed, it’s cuz we don’t take breaks. So take a break and pray about it and just give some space like I’m telling you, you will watch, you’re overwhelmed, just kind of melt away. It’s amazing.

Arianna Vernier (23:45):
Amen. I cannot agree more. I love it. It has been such a blessing having you on the show with us today, Brooke. Where can my listeners come and connect with you?

Brooke Jefferson (23:54):
Two places that we can get connected over on Instagram. My handle is Brooke Jene photo or Brooke Jene Photography. You’ll find me one way or another. And then the second place is over on my podcast called Book More Clients Photography podcast. Yes, I obviously am speaking to photographers, but there’s so much good faith and marketing advice over there that you would be able to apply to your own virtual assistant business. You’re gonna get a ton of business knowledge that will allow you to just become even more of a valuable resource to your clients and your future business endeavors. So that is where we can connect.

Arianna Vernier (24:35):
Perfect. Thank you so much. And for everybody listening, I’ll have those linked in the show notes so you can just go grab the links easily there if you didn’t catch what Brooks, thank you again so much for coming on today. I’m super excited. I think my listeners are going to just eat this episode up and I just really appreciate you coming on.

Brooke Jefferson (24:56):
Thank you so much for having me, and I’m just praying for everyone that’s in their ditching the classroom journey. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I promise.

Arianna Vernier (25:06):
Amen.