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Who’s Your Coach?
I’m a multi award winning wedding and portrait photographer, an entrepreneur, a mum, a wife and a former stunt-double (once!).
I’m an NLP Master Practitioner, a mindset and business coach for photographers in the wedding and portrait industry.
I’m a former TV documentary producer with credits including Discovery Channel, Nat Geo & BBC. I travelled around the world for three years producing and co-directing the double BAFTA award-winning children’s wildlife series, Michaela’s Wild Challenge (this is where my stunt-double job came in!).
In 2005, I created Pippa Mackenzie Photography – a brand that has grown into a multi-six-figure business gaining the reputation as one of the UK’s leading luxury and destination wedding photography teams with work featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. I’ve travelled around the world on many incredible assignments from The Serengeti to India and everywhere in between. From The Orient Express to private jets, and having the honour of being a part of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday party.
Having had my photography business for nearly 20 years, if I had to stand up on a stage and talk for 45 mins with no notes… I could chat to you all day about how to build a passion-led and profitable creative photography business.
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I wish I'd had a coach/mentor when I first started my business! To have someone on hand to help shorten my learning curve and to support and believe in me would have fast-tracked me to where I wanted to be.
That if you follow your passions and stay true to who you are, amazing things can and will happen.
I also learned early on that I wanted everyone around me to feel happy too. Not to listen to those horrible doubting negative voices inside your head telling you that you can’t do something. But instead, to know that you can choose the path of laughter, happiness and following your passions. To know deep in your heart how amazing you are, and that you can be anyone and do anything you want to be. You just need to believe it.
When I was 18, school recommended three careers to me. Photographer, teacher and stunt double. (I can hear you laugh at the last one, but bear with me!)
I moved from Scotland down to London, and began a university degree in Teacher Training. Within a few weeks, I realised that traditional school teaching wasn’t for me, and I changed my degree to one that quite simply merged all the subjects I felt passionate about… education, film, photography and TV.
Towards the end of my degree, I knew that I wanted to work in documentary TV and my heart was set on working for Discovery Channel. I dreamt about it. I visualised myself working there, travelling around the world making adventure and wildlife documentaries. It was all I could think about.
My first job was with The Weather Channel and I hated it. I ignored everyone around me telling me that I should stick with it and 3 days in, I quit.
A month later, I had a phone call from the job agency. I had an interview. It was with Discovery Channel…
Discovery Channel, Nat Geo, BBC….travelling around the world (this is where my stunt-double job came in!). A year was spent travelling around the world on my own as a photo-journalist, and my last three years were devoted to producing and co-directing a double BAFTA award winning children’s wildlife series called, Michaela’s Wild Challenge.
It was an incredible chapter in my life. We travelled around the world, diving with sharks, and coming face to face with many extraordinary wild animals from crocodiles, scorpions, grizzly bears and orang-utans. I learned so much appreciation for our natural world, and that with the right people around you and the right mindset, you can do anything.
But I had a little itch deep in my soul.
I knew there was a greater purpose for me out there – but I just didn’t know quite what it was.
Relaxing with Michaela
Laying with a Leatherback Turtle
In 2005, I got engaged to Ian and in 2006 we were married. I began a photography business, Pippa Mackenzie Photography, and together with Ian, have built it up into a multi-six-figure business that we’re so proud of. We’ve gained the reputation as one of the country’s leading luxury wedding photography businesses with our work featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar and have travelled around the world on many incredible assignments from The Serengeti to India and everywhere in between.
We’ve travelled on The Orient Express, been flown in private jets and helicopters, and even had the honour of being a part of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday party. We have also had the pleasure or working alongside the best creatives in the luxury wedding world.
Our business is built up on pure passion, grit and integrity. We’ve worked hard and, yes, made many mistakes along the way. We’ve also learnt so much and are extremely proud of the business we’ve created.
And along the way our beautiful daughter, Poppy, was born. It took seven years, 3 miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy before she came along. She was our wonder-baby! Since then, we’ve worked hard to balance being a family and at the same time running a full-time business.
Despite running a really successful business that I was truly proud of, that itch in my soul that I mentioned earlier… It was still there, niggling away at me.
I was on a train returning home from London one day from a photo-shoot and I came across a magazine feature about the power of coaching. I was transfixed. Here was a way that I could help people better themselves and their lives – to ultimately be happier. Bright lights flashed around me and I felt a spark inside that totally lit me up. I know I wanted to be a Mindset and Business Coach.
It all made sense, and I then understood that this was what I was meant to do all along.
To lead others on a journey of self-belief to show them they can be, and deserve to be, anything they want. To help them to ignite their own creative spirit and to have a business and a life that lights them up.
It was then I realised that it took all these years for me to go on my own journey of self-exploration and adventure. To create my own successful business and become a mother. To have the wisdom, empathy and skills to help others do the same.
I want to share with you my secrets of how I created a multi-six-figure business in the photography industry.
I want to take away the stress of building your business so you can feel empowered and your creativity can truly shine through.
All the bends, cliff edges, rocky tracks that I journeyed along in my business were all lessons and teachings that enable me to guide you on your own creative business journey in the most empowering, authentic and liberating way.
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I’m now a fully qualified NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and Life Coach and I feel passionate about helping wedding and portrait photographers just like you. I can help you transform your brand into a passion-led, successful and profitable business.
Helping women just like you believe you can be anything you want to be.
To have a business that is successful and profitable, and gives you joy and pride.
To work smarter not harder.
Whilst having a work/life balance.
For that is when we feel truly happy and alive.
I believe that we are each responsible for our own joy and happiness.
And that in our life we meet certain people who will guide us through a particular chapter of our life’s journey.
I believe in daring to take a leap of faith and seeing where it takes you.
Above all, I believe that we can be anything we want to be.
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