The Business Animal Podcast recently had Betsy Bird of Ride the Sky Equine Photography on for a discussion about Understanding Brand Values.
The episode was a wide-ranging discussion about what brand values are, how you discover your brand values, and why you need them in your animal-based business.
The Business Animal Podcast shares stories, techniques, strategies, and inspiration for animal-based businesses.
You can find the podcast here.
More Posts in the Branding Series for Horse Photographers
Want to keep building your brand with clarity and confidence? These blog posts will walk you through the essential pieces of your horse photography brand:
📌 Mission Statement 101 for Horse Photographers Who Want to Stand Out
Craft a mission that actually reflects what you do and why it matters.
📌 Your Future, But Make It Strategic: Vision Statements for Horse Photographers
Define where your business is going—and how to stay aligned with that goal.
📌 The Secret to Standing Out as a Horse Photographer (Without Shouting on Instagram)
Write a value proposition that makes clients say “Where have you been all my life?!”
📌 Why Your Horse Photography Business Needs Real Brand Values
Discover how brand values attract the right clients, guide your messaging, and give your business a personality people connect with.
📌 Does Your Horse Photography Business Branding Need an Upgrade?
Spot the signs it’s time to rebrand—and learn how to refresh your visual identity without losing your mind (or your audience).
📌 Horse Photography Business Branding Tips for Aspiring Pros
Get practical branding advice that helps new horse photographers build a strong foundation (without feeling like they need a marketing degree).
📌 On the Pod: Understanding Brand Values with Betsy Bird
Hear me break down what brand values actually mean and why they’re the secret sauce to standing out in a crowded market.
📌 Inside Ride the Sky: My Real-Life Brand Values (And Why They Matter)
Take a peek behind the curtain at the brand values that drive my business—and get inspired to define your own.
Need Help Defining Your Brand Values?
If you’re stuck on how to choose brand values that actually reflect you (and not the generic buzzwords every other photographer is using), I’ve got something that’ll help.
Grab the free guide: 194 Brand Values for Horse Photographers
This isn’t just a list—it’s a shortcut to clarity. You’ll walk away knowing exactly what your business stands for, how to talk about it, and how to use those values to attract clients who actually get you.
Whether you’re planning a full rebrand or just starting to think about what makes your business unique, this freebie is the perfect first step.
Betsy Bird, Cr. Photog., CPP, of Ride the Sky Equine Photography spends her days doing insane things to make animals look at her. Clearly, she’s desperate for attention. Outside of acting like a total goofball, she invests in growing her business, mentoring photographers, dealing with her teenagers' angst, and hanging with Nitro, the best dog ever. She also tries to spend some time educating and entertaining aspiring photographers by teaching and blogging about whatever catches her fancy at the moment.
Betsy has earned her Photographic Craftsman degree from the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) which honors photographers who contribute to the photographic industry through speaking, mentoring, and publishing. Betsy is also a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) with PPA. The CPP designation is held by fewer than 2,500 photographers nationwide and is a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry, and professionalism.
Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Professional Photographers of East Tennessee (PPETN) and the Tennessee Professional Photographers Association (TNPPA). She is also a professional member of the Equine Photographers Network (EPN).
Betsy's award-winning work has been featured in a variety of publications and is found throughout homes and stables in the United States. She is also the co-author of the book, Equine & Equestrian Photography Poses that Sell: The Ultimate Guide to Posing Horses & Humans. She has also been featured on Scenic Trend, the Profitable Photographer Podcast, The Business Animal Podcast, Chatter Magazine, Cowgirls with Cameras Podcast, the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the Chattanoogan, and the Focal Points Podcast to name a few.
Ride the Sky Equine Photography is based in Chattanooga, TN, Ride the Sky Equine Photography works on location in Tennessee, North Georgia, and beyond. With a strong background in entrepreneurship, brand building, goal setting, time management, and business workflows, Betsy is an expert in her field (which isn’t that surprising given how much time she actually spends outstanding in a field...get it?)