PODCAST · business
Play It Brave Podcast
by D'Arcy Benincosa
The podcast for brave creatives who live in a world that wants you to play it safe.It's time to face facts: You are an indestructible woman fused with super powers that defy convention. Am I right? If so, then this podcast is for you!In Play It Brave, D'Arcy Benincosa dives in deep to her wit and wisdom to teach you about creative a life full of mindset, money, and marketing miracles! Let's get started!
Episodes
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Are Facebook Ads Still Worth It in 2026? with Claire Pelletreau
Facebook ads have made me millions, and they've also cost me sixty thousand dollars in a single agency contract. After a year and a half of mostly not running them, I'm turning my ads back on, so I sat down with Claire Pelletreau, creator of Absolute FB Ads and the teacher my team learned from…
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Twenty Wool Throws and a Midlife Crisis: How Christina McGarvey Built Millcreek Manor
Christina McGarvey grew up in a dilapidated Victorian farmhouse in Petersboro, Utah, watching her mother hang wallpaper, lay floors, and carve her own four-poster bed on a lathe. Decades later she built her own dream home, lost her sister, her mother, her father and her uncle in a single year…
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You've Changed. Has Your Brand?
For years, I recognized Pamela Anderson without knowing much about the woman behind the image. Seeing her differently made me question what I'd overlooked—and how often people do the same with us. In this solo episode, I explore what happens when your brand keeps introducing an earlier version of...
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Your Talent Isn't the Problem. Your Brand Might Be.
You can be extraordinary at what you do and still have a brand that makes strangers scroll right past you. In this episode, D'Arcy sits down with brand strategist and researcher Dr. Chelsea Shields to show you what a brand actually does, and it's a lot more than a logo, a palette, or a pretty...
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Healing the Collective Fear of Being Seen
If your brand feels beige, the question may go deeper than fonts, photographs, or a new website. What happens when being unmistakably yourself still feels unsafe? After visiting Glastonbury, D'Arcy explores the fear of being seen through the archetype of the "dangerous woman," the patterns women...
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Stop Playing It Beige: 3 Brand Mistakes Making You Invisible
There are more tools than ever to create a beautiful brand — so why are so many businesses starting to look exactly the same? In this episode, D'Arcy sits down with anthropologist and consumer researcher Dr. Chelsea Shields to unpack three mistakes they see even incredibly talented businesses...
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She Made Hundreds of Thousands—Then Walked Away: How India Earl Reinvented Her Business & Life
What happens when you build the business everyone else dreams about—and realize you don't want to live that life anymore? India Earl had become one of the most recognizable photographers in her industry. She traveled the world, had clients waiting years to work with her, built an enormous…
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How to Multiply the Money From Every Job
What if one job didn't have to equal one payday? Most of us finish the work, get paid, deliver what we promised — and immediately start hunting for the next client. But there may be far more money sitting inside work you've already created. In this short episode, D'Arcy shares a simple way to…
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How I Made $7,000 in Print Sales in One Hour
I charged $4,500 to photograph the wedding. Then the mother of the bride logged into the gallery and, within about an hour, ordered $7,000 in prints. And she came back and ordered even more. That experience completely changed the way I thought about what happens after a photographer delivers the...
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My Ode to Dolly
What did Dolly Parton believe about herself before the rest of the world believed it too? In this tribute to Dolly, D'Arcy explores the beliefs underneath an extraordinary creative life: letting yourself want something enormous, refusing to tone down what makes you different, knowing when…
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How to Tell a Story People Can't Stop Repeating — with Scottish Storyteller Eileen Budd
Eileen Budd comes from a long line of Scottish storytellers. Her grandfather came home from the war with shrapnel in his legs, took a job driving a tour bus, and out-earned every other driver in Scotland — because he told stories while he drove. Nobody discovered Eileen was legally blind until…
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Why You Can't Stop Being Productive
Why You Can't Stop Being Productive Why can it feel easier to keep working when you're exhausted than it does to simply stop? In this episode, D'Arcy looks underneath overworking to the unconscious patterns that can make rest surprisingly uncomfortable. Sometimes the issue isn't that we're "bad…
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The Women Who Hold Us: Self-Trust, Receiving & the Power of Female Friendship with Kara Campbell
There is an awakening happening in women right now. It isn't simply about making more money, building a bigger business, or becoming more successful. It's the question underneath all of it: Is this actually how I want to live? This week, D'Arcy sits down with her friend Kara Campbell — coach,...
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How I Went From $4,500 To $10,500 in 6 Weeks
Sometimes your work grows faster than your identity does. In 2012, I had spent years charging $4,500 for wedding photography when a dream client called me just 27 days before their Sundance wedding. When she asked what I would charge for the weekend, I heard myself say a number I'd never said...
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How I Lead My Clients Through a Major Transformation
You can know exactly why you do something and still keep doing it. You can know where the pattern came from. You can have journaled about it, talked about it, analyzed it, named it—and then Tuesday comes around and there you are, doing the thing again. Because understanding a pattern and changing…
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You're Not Lazy: Why You Can't Jump from Stuck to Motivated
If you've ever tried to force yourself out of procrastination, you know how well that works. You can know exactly what to do. You can have the time. You can want the result so badly it aches — and still find yourself answering emails, returning something to Nordstrom, or deciding the junk drawer...
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Starting Over at 48: I Fired My Team, Ended My Biggest Love, and Flew to India
For the first time, the whole story of the last two years — told from the other side. In this episode: The heroine's journey — the map: the hero comes home with the treasure; the heroine realizes she is the treasure, and she is the home The launch that cracked it open: 21 yeses where 90 used to…
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Content Is Dead: Why the Creator Economy Is Over — and the Artist Economy Is Next
Most photographers aren't studying photography anymore — they're studying Instagram. In this solo episode, D'Arcy confesses to a decade of studying the wrong things — algorithms, funnels, hooks — and makes the case for what comes after the creator economy: the artist economy. It starts with Gene...
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The 3 Love Blocks Keeping High-Achieving Women Single with Sanaiyah Gurnamal
Success came easy. Love didn't. If you've built the business, the body of work, the beautiful life — and love is still the one thing that won't land — this conversation was recorded for you. D'Arcy sits down with self-love and relationship expert Sanaiyah Gurnamal — two-time TEDx speaker and host...
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Letting the Good In: How to Stop Pushing Away the Things You Actually Want
What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn't a lack of opportunity, talent, or strategy, but your ability to receive? In this episode, I'm exploring a question that has fascinated me for years, both in my own life and in my work with clients: Why do we struggle to...
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From Burnout to Resonance – Building an Elevated Brand from the Inside Out: Live Coaching Call with Kristen Marie
What does it actually look like to evolve from a successful photographer into a fully embodied luxury brand? In this deeply personal episode of the Play It Brave podcast, I'm taking you behind the scenes with my client and dear friend, Kristen Marie, as she walks through a massive identity shift,...
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How I Prep to Shoot a 4-Day Wedding (and Tell the Actual Story)
In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on how I approach photographing a high-level, multi-day destination wedding—from the mindset I bring, to the creative direction, to the very real pressure behind the glamour. After more than two decades in this industry, I don't just show up and...
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The Truth About Manifestation and Reclaiming Your Intuition
On this episode of the Play It Brave podcast, I'm taking a conversation I started on Instagram and going deeper into something I care deeply about: manifestation, intuition, and personal power. Because here's the truth, I don't believe you when you say you don't know who you are or what you want.…
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Stepping Into a New Era
This episode feels different, and that's because I am different. This is the first episode I'm recording on the other side of a deep personal and professional transformation. I've let go of old identities, old offers, old stories, and I'm stepping into a new era of my life and business. If you're...
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When to Stay and When to Leave: Processing My Breakup with Relationship Coach Karen McMahon
This episode is a deeply personal one. I sat down with my dear friend Karen McMahon, and while she's known as a high-conflict divorce strategist, this conversation goes far beyond divorce. It's about personal power. It's about self-abandonment. It's about the moment you realize you've been…
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Curating Like Hermès: Creating a Brand People Want to Buy From with Raphaëlle Granger
There comes a point in so many creative careers where what once felt exciting starts to feel heavy. The work may look successful from the outside, but internally, something feels off. In this episode of Play It Brave, I'm joined by photographer Raphaëlle Granger for an honest conversation about...
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Why Photographers Aren't Booking Like They Used To — and What To Do About It with Alicia Daw
On today's episode of the Play It Brave podcast, I'm talking about something many people in the wedding industry are quietly feeling but not always naming out loud. Photographers who used to book 15–20 weddings a year are sitting at just a handful. Retreats are being canceled. Educators who used…
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Is AI Destroying Art or Saving It? with Noella Andres of Imagen
On this episode of Play It Brave, we're diving into one of the biggest conversations happening in photography right now: AI. The excitement. The skepticism. The "Is this going to replace us?" energy. All of it. I brought on Noella Andres from Imagen AI to talk about what AI in editing actually is...
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The Infinite Ways to Photograph a Woman with Elizabeth Messina
There are episodes that feel like a permission slip… and this one is exactly that. If you've ever thought, "I'm a wedding photographer," or "I'm a family photographer," or you've let a label quietly box you in—this conversation is for you. I'm bringing back my dear friend Elizabeth Messina to the...
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Building a Brand That Attracts the Right Opportunities with Gary & Kim Evans
On today's episode of the Play It Brave podcast, I'm sitting down with one of my favorite creative power couples in the photography industry, Gary Evans and Kim Evans. We talk about what it really looks like to rebrand with intention, build a cohesive identity, and grow multiple businesses…
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The Sales Call Mistakes Costing You Luxury Clients: Live Coaching with Jasmine Ortiz
This week on the Play It Brave podcast, I'm doing something a little different — I'm bringing you behind the scenes for a real coaching session with one of my favorite photographers (and one of my trusted second shooters), Jasmine Ortiz. This episode is for every photographer who has ever…
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Talking to Trees and Dealing with Depression: D'Arcy's 2025 Reflection
Welcome to the final episode of 2025 — the year of the snake, the year of shedding skins that no longer fit. If this year felt like a raw unraveling, a call to deeper truth, a refusal from the Universe to let you live inside half-truths or "good enough," this episode is for you. As has become...
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The Art of High-End Weddings with Dawn Weisberg of Tularosa Flowers
In today's episode, I'm talking with my friend Dawn Weisberg of Tularosa Flowers about what it actually takes to create and book large-scale luxury weddings — not just from a "pretty" standpoint, but from a strategic, energetic, and logistical one. Dawn and I both came to the wedding industry…
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Live Coaching: When Marketing Feels Like Too Much (And What to Do Instead)
On today's episode of Play It Brave, I'm bringing you behind the scenes for Part Two of my coaching call with photographer Staci Addison. In Part One, we focused on nervous system safety, trauma, and getting her out of chronic fight-or-flight so she could actually show up for her business. In…
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Live Coaching: When You Want to Grow, But Your Body Says No
Today I'm sharing something different: a real coaching call with my client, Staci Addison. Instead of jumping straight into marketing, we start where sustainable growth actually begins—helping your nervous system feel safe after grief, burnout, and a long, hard season. Most creatives don't get...
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The Price of Status: What It Really Takes to Get Published with Sandra Åberg
Today I'm joined by my brilliant friend, fashion-and-wedding photographer Sandra Åberg, for a real talk we've both been having off-mic for years: does being "published" (Vogue, Harper's, Martha) actually mean you've arrived—or is it another industry illusion that keeps creatives chasing…
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The Myth of the Perfect Leader with Jessica Drogosz
If you've ever paused on your next chapter because you think you need to be "more ready" or "more perfect," this one's for you. My dear friend, multi-hyphenate creative and mentor Jessica Eileen Drogosz joins me to dismantle the myth that leaders must have it all together before they lead. From...
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How to Get Published: PR Strategies for Creatives with Meghan Ely
I almost never say yes to cold pitches. But one late night, I opened an email from Meghan Ely of OFD Consulting—and instead of deleting it, I hit reply. It was researched, personal, and actually useful. That same energy comes through in this conversation, where Meghan shares how she's helped...
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How to Build an Aligned Business with Brad & Jen
Have you ever built something that looked incredible from the outside…but didn't actually feel good to live in? I've been there, and so have today's guests, Brad & Jen. Brad & Jen are a husband-and-wife photography duo with over a decade of experience behind the camera and in business. When I…
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From Scarcity to Confidence: Collaboration in the Creative Industry with Carrie Moe
On today's episode of Play It Brave, I'm joined by my dear friend, the incredible creative and leader, Carrie Moe. Carrie is someone I deeply admire—not only because of her talent (she's styled for brands like Ritz-Carlton, Fujifilm, and Berta Bridal, and been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings,...
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How to Write Your Story with Marion Roach Smith
In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the incredible Marion Roach Smith—author, memoir coach, and one of the most no-nonsense, truth-telling voices in the writing world. We talked all about memoir writing—what it is, what it isn't, and why it's one of the most powerful...
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Reinventing Your Photography Business at Any Age with Natasha Sewell
Today on the Play It Brave podcast, I'm joined by the ever-inspiring Natasha Sewell—a photographer, educator, and expert in creating heartfelt client experiences. Natasha started her photography business at 41, and if you've ever thought you were "too late" to pivot or start something new, you…
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How to Build an Authentic Personal Brand with Dr. Chelsea Shields - Part 2
This week, the brilliant Dr. Chelsea Shields and I continue the conversation about something that's at the heart of every powerful brand and every transformational leader: authenticity. We go deep into what it means to show up fully as yourself in your brand, your business, and your life. From...
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How to Build an Authentic Personal Brand with Dr. Chelsea Shields - Part 1
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Chelsea Shields—anthropologist, speaker trainer, and communication expert—to dive deep into the heart of what makes a brand truly resonate in today's world: authenticity. We unpack why authenticity is more than a buzzword—it's your most valuable currency as a...
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How to Be the Second Shooter Everyone Wants to Hire with Jasmine Ortiz
Ever wondered what it really takes to become a second shooter that lead photographers rave about—or how to find one you can trust with your name, brand, and reputation? In this candid and wisdom-packed episode, I sit down with award-winning photographer and my own second shooter, Jasmine Ortiz…
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The Midlife Chrysalis: Transforming Crisis into a Calling with Dr. Devaa Haley Mitchell
What if midlife wasn't a crisis—but a chrysalis? In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, D'Arcy sits down with spiritual leader and transformational guide Dr. Devaa Haley Mitchell to reframe the way we view this pivotal life stage. Together, they unpack the idea of midlife as a sacred period...
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The Power of Being Seen: Healing Shame and Reclaiming Love
In this episode, D'Arcy and her sister April dive deep into what it means to reclaim love on your own terms—especially when you've spent years minimizing your needs, hiding your pain, or staying small to feel safe. Together, they explore how worthiness, visibility, and nervous system regulation...
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Cracking the Luxury Code: How to Start Networking with High-End Wedding Planners
Most luxury planners don't work with just anyone—and if you've ever tried to get on their radar, you know how tough it can feel. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on what actually builds trust with high-end planners, how to navigate the "Catch-22" of not having luxury work yet, and how to...
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Remembering Our Humanity Through Land, Ritual, and Community with Brooke Benincosa
In this soul-nourishing episode, D'Arcy welcomes back her sister Brooke Benincosa to share the sacred story of how they co-steward Nightingale Cabin—a healing sanctuary tucked into the Utah mountains—and the vision they're bringing to life through retreats, land rituals, and community gatherings....
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From $250 to Luxury Senior Sessions: The Power of Connection & Confidence with Maria Ortiz
In this episode, we sit down with Maria Ortiz—a talented photographer who has transformed her senior portrait business by infusing it with deep emotional connection, thoughtful communication, and bold pricing strategies. Maria shares how she brings excitement and warmth into every stage of her...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The podcast for brave creatives who live in a world that wants you to play it safe.It's time to face facts: You are an indestructible woman fused with super powers that defy convention. Am I right? If so, then this podcast is for you!In Play It Brave, D'Arcy Benincosa dives in deep to her wit and wisdom to teach you about creative a life full of mindset, money, and marketing miracles! Let's get started!
HOSTED BY
D'Arcy Benincosa
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Play It Brave Podcast have?
Play It Brave Podcast currently has 293 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Play It Brave Podcast about?
The podcast for brave creatives who live in a world that wants you to play it safe.It's time to face facts: You are an indestructible woman fused with super powers that defy convention. Am I right? If so, then this podcast is for you!In Play It Brave, D'Arcy Benincosa dives in deep to her wit and...
How often does Play It Brave Podcast release new episodes?
Play It Brave Podcast publishes regularly with 293 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Play It Brave Podcast?
You can listen to Play It Brave Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Play It Brave Podcast?
Play It Brave Podcast is created and hosted by D'Arcy Benincosa.
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