The email below is from Amanda Phillips who is a recent attendee of my 4-day workshop here in Newport Beach. She is such a sweetheart and an awesome photographer too! I remember Curtis from Living Cinema telling me after making the student montage for my DVD that her images really stood out to him because they were so different than most of the other students. She really does have a great eye as you can see from the image above. She gives me a lot of credit for her success in her email below but I know that her success comes from having such a great heart, a love for people, and a God-given gift for photography. Thanks for the very cool email Amanda! I'll be here cheering you on as you do amazing things in your life and in the photography community! Oh yeah, I almost forgot... Amanda has some very exciting news at the end of her email! Congratulations Amanda!! Guess we'll be celebrating just a couple weeks apart!

Here's Amanda's email:

From: amanda@amanda-phillips.com
Subject: Business Update!
Date: June 21, 2006 7:54:51 PM PDT
To: mike@mikecolon.com

Hey Mike-

It hasn't quite been six months since your first four day intensive
seminar and I feel like writing to you to give you an update on my life
and business. First, I want to congratulate you and Julie on your new
addition. Now Aidan will have a playmate! I also want to say I continue to
keep up with your busy life through your blog and I am still learning from
you and am staying amazed at everything you do! You are a truly gifted
man and I am blessed to have someone like you to be my mentor.

I know you don't like long emails and don't have time for a lot of them so
I will try to keep this short :) When I came to your workshop I was going
into my second year of seriously persuing wedding photography. I had one
wedding booked for the year and wasn't sure I would get much more than
that booked. My goal at that point was to book five total. As of today I
have had to change that goal two times. I surpassed the five weddings and
I am now counting thirteen booked for this year and one already booked for
next year. My business has been blessed over and over. I have taken your
advice and I give back to my community of photographers whenever I can. In
fact, I have two that are always calling me for my help and advice which
amazes me considering this is only my second year! With that, my confidence
has opened up to a new level and worth. Today, I just received an email
from a local publication "The Knot" that they have accepted one of my
weddings to put in a 5 to 6 page spread featuring the wedding couple with
my photographs. I can't tell you how excited I am about this. I just feel
that God has put me in all the right places at all the right times in
order for my business to grow and prosper. But I can't help but think
about "The Mike Colon Experience" everytime something like this happens. I
feel that you are the one who has put me on the track to success and I
can't thank you enough. I knew when I left your workshop something in me
had changed and something great was going to happen, but I never knew
exactly what that was and when. I know now. If you ever have a part two
seminar you can count me in. Thank you for being my mentor.

I am itching to get back to California and I will be there for the Pictage
Conference. If I can help you at your seminar or if you have anything that
needs to be done I would love to be a part of it. Also wanted to tell you
my husband and I are expecting a baby too! We just found out a couple of
weeks ago. My due date is February 6th.

God Bless,
Amanda

Amanda Phillips Photography
http://www.amanda-phillips.com
http://www.amanda-phillips.blogspot.com