Podcast Supershow: David Trust

Pat Miller: 00:00

I'm Pat Miller, and this is The Professional Photographer Podcast. We get to do something fun today. We get to share a part of the podcast supershow filmed live at Imaging USA 2025 in Dallas. We had four incredible guests on the show. And in the next couple of weeks, we will release one guest after another so you can pretend that you were there. If you weren't there, like, seriously, do I have to judge you through YouTube? Because I will I'm gonna judge you. I will judge you. Don't miss it next year because it was a really great show. Today, we get to talk to CEO David Trust. The PPA Big Cheese is gonna sit down with us. We'll talk about what was great at Imaging and where the organization is headed. We're gonna sit down with David Trust as a part of the podcast supershow next. David Trust, welcome to The Professional Photographer Podcast.

David Trust: 01:00

Thank you so much. That heartfelt welcome was very nice.

Pat Miller: 01:02

Wasn't that great? They're really happy to see you.

David Trust: 01:05

Thank you.

Pat Miller: 01:05

Yeah. We're live at Imaging USA. It's been a terrific conference, and it must fill you with pride to be the leader of the organization and to be here amongst all your people.

David Trust: 01:14

Well, not to be the leader of the organization. Right? I mean, there's so many people that contribute to our success. All of our speakers, we have an amazing staff, all the red shirts that we have out there. I mean, they're remarkable, and it really is, I mean, it's not one thing. There are so many components that make it an amazing week, but, you know, talking to everybody before this–

Pat Miller: 01:38

Yeah.

David Trust: 01:38

It's really the interaction between people is what make Imaging USA such a special place.

Pat Miller: 01:46

As you're traveling back to Atlanta and you reflect on the things that will stand out to you, can you think of a few things that, boy, I really enjoyed this conversation or this particular topic that was circling amongst the membership, something that you're gonna take away and feel good about?

David Trust: 01:59

Yeah. I mean, yeah, the program is great. Right? And so I enjoy the programming, and it's always fun to catch up and to try to, you know, I'm not a photographer. Right? I'm not a professional photographer and and but I am a professional marketing and communications guy. And now I'm in this role for the last twenty six years. And so just to speak to photographers, as an association person, how do I make sure that PPA stays in touch with the people that we serve, our customers. Right? Yeah. You're members of PPA, but you're also customers. You're people who attend Imaging USA, but you're customers also. Right? And so how do you remain relevant for them, is you talk to them. Right? And it's the conversations that honestly stand out for me. It's just being able to spend all day just talking to our customers, our members.

Pat Miller: 02:51

Sure.

David Trust: 02:51

And that's incredibly special. You know? It's Todd, Michael and Autumn, and it's just everybody that we talk to. You know? Todd's a retired colonel. He was in the Pentagon on 09/11 when it was hit. It was his service. He rides motorcycles. You know what I mean? It's learning about our members, our customers that really, really stands out. And then I would say this also, Pat, it's watching everybody interact with each other. You know, we just had a couple conversations, and suddenly everybody was joining in with each other in conversation. And that is very Imaging USA. You know, it really is. Yes, it's an event that people attend, but it's really an opportunity for people to share and get together and compare notes, and they're sitting next to each other, swapping notes with the Tim Waldens and the Juliane Costes. It's just such a great opportunity, and it's a special place.

Pat Miller: 03:50

It is.

David Trust: 03:51

We're very proud of it, actually.

Pat Miller: 03:52

What are some of the themes that bubbled up in the conversations, things that are on the member's mind that you remember and you're gonna take back to Atlanta and get to work on?

David Trust: 03:59

Yeah. I mean, first and foremost, it's always improving their both business and photography, which is nice. Right? Because this is Professional Photographer–

Pat Miller: 04:10

That's right.

David Trust: 04:11

–Podcast. You're not Photographer Podcast. And we are Professional Photographers of America, not Photographers of America. So there was a time when that was–I remember when I first got here, and this is a true story. I remember when I first got here. That was 1998. Okay? So people were almost apologetic to talk about making money, photographers making money. You know? And I came here as the Director of Marketing and Communication. Right? And there was this thing where, 'Well, we don't wanna be too brash, too out there about making money. It's really about the art." And I said, well, you know, is it, though? And we actually ran a campaign in Professional Photographer magazine that said being a starving artist is overrated. You know? And I mean, that was the campaign. And that there's nothing wrong with making money. So I love that they get together and that we have the opportunity to talk to them about photography. They talk to us a lot about education and the things that they're looking for in the future. And I and I love the conversations about being a professional, professionalism in photography, but also it's okay to make money and support your family and plan for retirement, maybe take a vacation through photography. And I think those are related. I think the quality of photography, that professionalism, and the desire to be a professional photographer and support our families drives creativity sometimes. I don't think they're separate. Some people talk about them like they're separate things. I don't really agree with that. So it's the conversations that we get to have throughout the week with our members. Remember, this is really the only time–one of the only times– that we get to be together with our members all year long. We have 35,000 members, and we see them at Imaging USA, not 35,000, someday.

Pat Miller: 06:01

Someday. We'll get there.

David Trust: 06:01

But we get to see them at Imaging USA, and this is where we get to rub shoulders. It's very different than phone calls. Right?

Pat Miller: 06:08

Yeah.

David Trust: 06:08

It's very different than Zoom meetings.

Pat Miller: 06:11

Ah, Zoom. Seriously.

David Trust: 06:12

I know. And I mean, but you get to sit and talk to people about their businesses and about where they live and what the climate is, what the weather is like. You know? I was talking to Autumn, and we were comparing. We're saying, well, she's from Columbus, Ohio. And I'd said, well, that's just like Dallas, Texas this time of year, ain't it? I'm in Columbus. And so it's good, it makes everybody real, and people can share their experiences and feelings and the things that are going through their mind. It's very special. Sounds like the sales thing, but it's not. It's just very special to be here together with everybody. That's what stands out to me.

Pat Miller: 06:50

Lights and lenses might be what people want, but talking business is what they need. So, what are some of the business items you wish people were paying more attention to right now? So we have more people coming next year because their businesses are doing great.

David Trust: 07:03

Yes. And please, by the way, buy lights and lenses–

Pat Miller: 07:07

We love them. Yes.

David Trust: 07:08

–from our exhibitors and buy Adobe Photoshop and go to the training and everything else, please. But yeah, it is beyond that. Right? That's gear, that's equipment, and, oh my goodness, everybody wants to talk about gear. Right? And there's nothing wrong with that. I think there are still things out there that we have to figure out how to do. I mean, I'm not a photographer. I'm not gonna tell anyone what to do in terms of photography. We had a big program, that in fact, Juliane was part of last year, where we talked about AI. It was very–we're not sure what to do with this thing, what are we doing, and how do we sort of, incorporate it into our lives and into our world and that kind of thing. I think we've taken some steps since then, but I don't think photographers yet are learning to use the tools that are available to them to manage their business, to manage their customer lists, to run marketing campaigns, eventually to do their taxes for them too. Because if you can put time back into a photographer's pocket, well, that's a big win. Right? Because they are the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Production Officer. They clean the bathrooms in their studios. And so they're the Chief of everything. Right? And the one thing that every photographer that I know has in common is they don't have enough time to do everything that they need to do. Right? And so we get that. So we've gotta figure out efficiencies. We've gotta figure out tools. We've gotta figure out software that can help them save time without taking out the creative aspect altogether. I think that's a big mistake in that way that we could talk about, but it's really about saving time because, in my mind, that's the reason photographers don't do everything in their business that they want to do. I think it's because there's just not enough hours. And so that's the issue. I don't think AI is the answer. I think AI is part of the answer, but it is part of the answer. And I think people need to focus more on that part of their business.

Pat Miller: 09:17

I've had the opportunity to interview the best of the best the last three days. We've been cutting episodes of the podcast this entire Imaging USA. What has struck me with the best of the best sitting in front of me, the higher their accomplishment, the more talented they are as a craftsperson, it seems almost as if they're even more talented and accomplished as an entrepreneur. The best of the best are where they are, not only because they're great at what they do with the camera, but they're there also because they're great operators and entrepreneurs. And that was an insight that kinda hit me as I talked to, like, the eighth amazing entrepreneur that happens to be an amazing photographer. It seems like those two things feed off of one another at a high level.

David Trust: 09:55

Yeah. Why do you think that is? I'm not sure. I mean, I have ideas. But–

Pat Miller: 10:00

The reason why I think it is that there are equally talented photographers who aren't on stage with me because they're not equally talented entrepreneurs to tell their story, to have the confidence in what they believe in, to shoot what they see, and trust themselves. It seems like they don't trust themselves, and we have incredibly talented people who aren't on stage because they don't believe in themselves as much as the folks that are.

David Trust: 10:23

Yeah. By the way, you guys see how I did that and flipped and made him answer the question just then?

Pat Miller: 10:27

That was really good. That's a pro move right there. Thank you.

David Trust: 10:32

No. Because I think, one, work ethic and self-discipline, you know, I've done a lot of programs over the years on what makes successful people successful, which is really the foundation for that question, and why are successful people successful? And there are studies, lots and lots of them, that show the commonality, habits that are common between successful people, and they're not really different. Those things don't really differ between professions. It's things like the discipline to get up in the morning. It's the discipline to read not for pleasure but to make yourself read for information, to understand your business. One of the things that drives me a little bit crazy is how little sometimes photographers understand what's actually going on. And they get their financial news, sorry, from CNN or Fox News or whatever, or the Internet. You can't get financial news from them because we all understand what "that news" is nowadays. But you can get it online. You can get it straight from the US Census Bureau that has financial data. And so, understanding our business, they understand their business. You know, they're disciplined to make themselves have a workable calendar. That is to say, I can't just say, oh, I wanna go out and–name a type of photography, any photography–okay, so I wanna go talk to a school about doing more seniors. I need to get to that school. Okay. Well, that's just a wish. So that needs to reside on your calendar in six different places. One, what the end result is. And then two, when are you gonna talk to that school? And three, when are you gonna prepare the materials that you're gonna use in that presentation to that school? And four, when are you gonna rehearse that presentation? And five, when does that stuff need to be at the printer's office? You can be rehearsing while the printer's taking care of it, or you're printing it. You're a photographer, so you're printing that stuff yourself. Sorry. I'm thinking like a marketing person. But you the point is that resides in five or six different–it's an actionable vision for your business. Right? And I think that's what really successful people have is they have this actionable vision. They know what they need to do, and they're disciplined. They have the discipline to do it. And the advantage that they have over photographers, they don't have images to play with, you know? Because photographers all wanna gravitate–we all do, by the way, we wanna go into our shell and do the things that we love to do. Well, photographers wanna go into their shell and play with images, which you absolutely need to do, but not at the expense of your entire business model. Right? And so I think successful people, I think that's what it is. I don't know. Should I ask you again?

Pat Miller: 13:20

No. I think that's actually a great answer. That's for sure. There's one thing I wish people would do more of. The opportunity that it seems for people to participate in the benchmark survey seems to be a massive opportunity for PPA because that information that comes out of the benchmark survey to give people an idea of what a good job looks like, that can help them go back and orient themselves with what other photographers are getting. That seems to be a big opportunity.

David Trust: 13:44

Yeah. It is. We're conducting a benchmark survey right now. Right? And so, it is. And what's great about it is it forces them to focus on their numbers for a little bit. It's kinda like, remember when your kids were little and they would put their hands on your face and make you look, "Daddy, look at me." You know? Because they wanted to make sure you heard what they were about to do. It makes us look at our numbers. Right? And I think that is a real positive.

Pat Miller: 14:09

I really am glad that you came on the show. Let's give you the last word. You can talk to the entire membership. There's one thing that you wish they knew or you wanted them to understand that maybe they aren't as clear on as they should be. What comes to mind?

David Trust: 14:22

About PPA or photography?

Pat Miller: 14:24

Or life. If you wanna just dole out some life advice, that's great.

David Trust: 14:28

Yeah. I don't know about that. I will. It'll be life. Here's life advice, is that live happily. And that sounds like, "Oh, that's kinda meaningless." No, I think living happily is actually a discipline. Training ourselves to steer clear of all of the craziness and all of the negativity and all of that. So, living happily means, for me, not you, getting up in the morning and making your bed. You know what I mean? Because you have the discipline to do little things. How are you gonna have the discipline to do big things if we can't do little things? That's kinda silly. Living happily means understanding our business and our customers and being content with that. Living happily means having vision, actionable vision with our goals on it so that we can, you know what I mean? So that we know what we need to do in the morning. By the way, that actionable vision is what gets us out of bed in the morning. And it's on your calendar, and it's I need to do this at 9:00. I've gotta do this at 9:30. You know, 10:00, I'm working on these. And living happily is, in my mind, it's a choice, it's a discipline, and I think that it encompasses everything. It also forces us to create balance. It's not all work. Right? And it's not all money, but it forces us to sort of create balance. So, probably not where you wanted me to go. I don't know. But, to me, having the discipline to–and Sandy knows this, my kids know this, by the way–but having the discipline to learn to live happily. That would be my advice for every professional photographer.

Pat Miller: 15:56

That's better than any business advice you could have given us. David Trust, thanks for coming on the show. We appreciate it. Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode of The Professional Photographer Podcast. I'm already looking forward to our next conversation. Now before you go, can you do me a favor? Drop us a like, hit subscribe, leave us a comment, let us know how we're doing. That will let us know what we should do more of in future episodes. It's really that simple. So leave us some feedback, and you will help the show get better. The other thing is if you're not a member of Professional Photographers of America, you're missing it. PPA offers incredible resources like equipment insurance, top-notch education, and a supportive community of photographers ready to help you succeed. It's perfect for photographers who are serious about growing their business in a sustainable and profitable way. At PPA, you belong here. Discover more about membership at PPA.com. That's PPA.com. I'm Pat Miller, Founder of the Small Business Owners Community. Thanks for joining with us on this journey. I'll see you right here real soon. Take care.