Creative Courage

When you jump on a call with a prospective client, does it feel more like a job interview? Does it feel like you have to prove yourself to them? Like an order taker rather than a valued partner? What if there was a simple way to turn the conversation on it's head? To go from service provider to interviewer. In this episode, I share a 15-minute clarity call framework that will allow you to take control of the conversation, quickly q...

The project deadline is looming.

A team member just called in sick.

Your computer is playing up.

All while the client is constantly chasing you.

We’ve all had those weeks where your to-do list is never-ending and everything feels like it’s on fire. And you’re wondering how on earth you’re going to get it all done.

I’ve been in this situation myself, and I know what it feels like.

That’s why, in this episode, I’m sharing one of the ...

Have you ever been asked for a discount for your services?

Do you ever deal with micromanaging clients who just won’t let you get on and be creative?

And do you ever find the scope of a project gets stretched just a little further at every milestone?

If so, you’re probably making one of the three pricing mistakes that I’m sharing in this episode.

These are the most common mistakes I see creative business owners make. And it’s costi...

AI is evolving fast.

The creative skills that we once thought were immune to being replaced by AI seem less ‘safe’ every day.

And if you’re not willing to adapt, you’ll quickly get left behind.

That goes for designers, web developers, audio engineers, and most other creative skillsets.

But how can creatives adapt to this inevitability?

In this solo episode, I’m digging into the impact AI is already having on creative work, and more...

Do you ever feel like you’re building a business based on someone else’s blueprint rather than what feels authentic to you?

Following strategies that don’t quite sit right.

Building relationships that just feel… off.

Pushing yourself down a path that looks good on paper, but feels heavy and draining.

If this sounds familiar, you prob...

You know what you need to do to grow your business, but something’s holding you back from taking action. Maybe it’s fear of how people will react... Maybe it’s the voice in your head that tells you you're not good enough. In this episode, you might just learn how to break through these invisible barriers. I sit down with my friend and Coach Adil Hussain who shares a powerful story that allowed him to stop people pleasing, push thro...

I know what it’s like to feel trapped in your business.

You’re desperate for a holiday, but you know that things will fall apart if you take more than a couple of days away.

The team can’t match the level of quality your clients expect.

Operations become chaotic.

And you tell yourself it’d be easier to keep handling it on your own.

But this isn’t sustainable. It leads to burnout, and makes scaling much harder.

That’s why, in this e...

Losing a project to a competitor can be gutting.

You know your work is good. You know you can solve the client’s problem. But for some reason, they picked someone else.

I’ve been there. Back when I ran my creative studio, I’d come across competitors with great work - sometimes even better than ours - often charging less. And I’d wonder why a client would choose us over other studios.

I was assuming clients only cared about the work...

Are you tired of getting to the end of the month and finding that there’s no money left?

If you aren’t making the level of profit you want to in your business, this episode is for you.

I’m joined by Marcel Petitpas - a profitability expert who’s worked with hundreds of agencies to help them increase their profit margins without sacrificing their creativity or sanity.

If you’re tired of working hard and still feeling like you’re und...

How do you find new clients when things go quiet?

Ask for referrals? Send cold emails or DM's? Post content on social?

All of these things work. If you know how to work them. And in this episode, I want to show you how to create content that attracts ideal clients.

Most people create content that attracts peers not prospects. They get likes and comments not projects.

It can feel frustrating and demoralising.

It makes you want to ...

Are you building your dream business or someone else's? Are you doing the things YOU need in order to be successful or what someone else has told you to do? It's easy to look at high-performing entrepreneurs and feel like you aren't doing enough. They seem to always be winning awards, getting invited on podcasts and having their work featured in all of the high profile magazines. Maybe they get up at 5am and have a crazy morning ro...

How much of your week was spent working within your genius zone? 

And how much of it was lost to admin, chasing emails, or fixing broken systems?

In this episode, I’m joined by Grant Hushek. Grant helps marketing and creative agencies grow and scale without increasing their headcount using AI and automation. 

We uncover actionable strategies that you can start implementing today to eliminate the grunt work in your business for a fr...

What if your next six figure deal was right in front of you? What if you don't need more leads, you need to get better at finding the opportunities in your existing network? This is how Daniel Ocock landed a six figure deal in less than 90 days after we started working together. Before that, his branding agency was ticking along, but the spark wasn't there. His business felt stale, and he knew he wanted more. More revenue, more gro...

What do you do when your biggest client walks away and they’re the only one keeping the lights on? This week, I’m speaking with Sergey Pantileev, a client was on the verge of closing his business and getting a job after losing one of his biggest clients. Fast forward two years, and Sergey is now closing multiple six-figure deals with ideal clients through Upwork and is no longer worrying about when the next opportunity will show up...

How well do you know the numbers in your business?

If you’re like many creative business owners, time spent worrying about your accounts is time spent away from being creative. So you avoid it.

But because of this, your business likely isn’t as profitable as it could be. You’re making money but you’re not sure where it’s going, how much you can safely reinvest, or what’s really holding back your growth.

In this episode, I’m joined ...

Your relationship with money could be preventing you from growing your creative business and having a bigger impact with your work.

Many creatives see money as secondary - a necessary evil that comes with doing creative work. But what if the way you think about money is actually stopping you from charging what you’re worth, growing your business, and creating the life you want?

In this episode, I speak with Catherine Morgan, a mone...

There’s a hidden force stopping creatives from making more sales and landing bigger deals - it’s called your shadow. The shadow is the part of your personality that you suppress - A part of you that you don't like. It's this part that often inhibits founders ability to sell higher value projects. In this episode, I’m going to show you how to identify your shadow and work out if it's holding you back.

Covered in this episode:

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As a creative business owner, your time and energy are two of your most valuable assets. If you want high-value clients and a business that’s fun and profitable, learning to say this one word is essential. NO Saying no doesn’t come easy to most creative business owners. In this episode, I will help you to figure out which opportunities you should say yes to and give you the confidence to say no to what’s not serving you.

In this ep...

Let’s talk about money.

I’ve heard from so many creative business owners that “it’s not all about the money”. And that more money will only create more stress.

But money gives you freedom, space, and the ability to better serve your clients. Like one of my clients Cey, who was able to release a feature film in cinemas after changing his perspective around money.

If you’re struggling to attract the income you want, it may come down ...