Are you a freelancer or service-based creative business owner who’s tired of hustling for projects, and looking to create a steady stream of income doing work you love?
Design your creative business to make more income, and more impact, in just 4 months.
Join Justine Clay to re-design your creative business from the comfort of your own home in our virtual group coaching program starting on February 2020.
Tell me if this sounds like you…
- You want and need to get better clients, but have no idea how to find, or connect with them
- As a multi-talented creative, you struggle to communicate what you do and the value you offer
- Your brand message and presentation are not representative of what you know you deliver
- You’re overwhelmed with information and don’t know what to focus on to start getting results now
- You know you need to market yourself, but have no idea where to start
If you’ve ever looked at the darlings of your industry (you know, the ones who get all the great projects, speak at conferences, and are on all the great panels) and wondered what gene they have that you don’t,
I’m here to tell you there’s no difference between you and them.
Here’s what successful creative entrepreneurs know that you don’t (yet)…
- What makes them unique and stand out in the crowd
- Who their ideal clients are, what keeps them up and night, and what they need right now
- The art of creating a message, content, and services that speak to their ideal client’s interests and needs.
- How to cohesively present their work and message
- How to build a thriving network of clients, collaborators, supporters and referral partners
- The powerful rituals, routines and processes that help them move the needle in their business every single day
Learning how to position and profit from your creative expertise isn’t rocket science (thank goodness!), but it is a strategy that you need to understand and take consistent action on if you’re to get the results you want.
If you’re tired of trying to figure it out yourself (really, who has the time?) and are ready to learn how to take your creative business or career from struggling to successful, I have the perfect solution for you!
Introducing…
The Creative Business Bootcamp
group coaching program
Get the top tier clients you want. Make the money you’re worth.
I’m Justine Clay and I’ll be teaching you what successful creative business owners and freelancers know, and do differently.
How do I know this?
When I moved from London to New York in 1996, with little more than a psychology degree and English accent, the concept of being a successful entrepreneur with a passion for marketing and business were as foreign to me as putting maple syrup on your bacon! After a stint waitressing (what kind of a New York story would it be without that?), I landed my first job answering the phone in a design agency. I’m almost 100% certain the only reason I got the job was because of my English accent, but I didn’t care; it was my ticket to somewhere. A year later, I was hired by an up-and-coming creative representation agency where I learned every aspect of positioning, managing, and growing the careers of creative professionals. From spotting great talent and putting together a portfolio that stood out, to making new business calls, writing and negotiating a proposal, and managing a project from beginning to end, I learned that every element was crucial to building a successful creative career.
In 2005, I branched out and opened my own creative services agency, Plum Creative, where I built a reputation within the advertising and design industry for helping retail and lifestyle brands find the perfect talent for their projects and managing the project from beginning to end. With one of my top earners billing $2,000 a day (every day) we were working on great projects and making good money.
And then the recession of 2008 happened.
Almost overnight, the work dried up. I was paying myself out of my savings and the pressure of not knowing how long I’d be able to hang on had my stomach in knots.
As the freelance work situation worsened, more and more creatives were turning up on my doorstep looking for work. I’d spend an hour or two helping them identify their unique talent, define their ideal client profile, re-work their portfolio, and sharing the names of a few people to call. They walked out of my office transformed; lighter, clearer and armed with a plan.
I had an epiphany: I had a gift that I could share with the creative community on a much larger scale. I could teach them to become their OWN agent.
I’ve spent 8 years developing and testing a step-by-step system that will teach any creative professional how to attract high-quality clients, land larger projects, and get paid what they’re worth.
Imagine discovering you have WAY more business smarts than you thought and doing for yourself what you do for your clients. Imagine deciding who to work with, when, and for how much.
Can you feel the relief of finally shaking the confusion that has held you back and coming to your desk every morning knowing exactly what you need to do to attract high-quality clients and move your business forward?
Are you ready to re-write your story and learn the exact steps to charting your success? Here is your next step.
Join
The Creative Business Bootcamp
group coaching program
A system for building a creatively fulfilling and profitable service-based business or career
"Justine's Creative Business Bootcamp was the single best investment I made this year. I was at a crossroads were I wanted to find clients that aligned more with my values and where I wanted to be in the long run. The course helped me shift my perspective entirely and think about what hiring managers were looking for. Justine has the unique perspective of being on the hiring side for 20 years and working with 100's of creatives. It is crazy to me how much changing my marketing brought in a ton of new clients and not only that, but the clients I specifically wanted. Her bootcamp really works, and it's also great to have met a new network of creatives through the process too. If you're on the fence, do it! So worth it."
“I left the Creative Business Bootcamp with an entirely different business than the one I joined with! Justine’s guidance gave me the confidence to niche my business specifically for designers & builders. I’m now judicious about the clients I take on. I anticipate doubling my income because of the changes I've made with Justine's guidance. I'm so grateful!”
“Justine’s Creative Business Bootcamp was exactly what I was looking for. I am in the process of re-vamping my business and was feeling stuck with everything I had to do and consider. I had come to the realization that sitting back and waiting for clients to just roll in is NOT a business plan, duh.
As a result of working with Justine, I’m much clearer about the kind of clients I want to work with, am more confident in what my unique strengths are, and feel clearer about how to market myself (even as an introvert!).
The program was a great and affordable introduction to working with a coach, and Justine is very personable, organized, and has her *stuff* together. She’s generous with her time, very responsive, and honest about where you’re doing well and where you could put some more thought. I’m so happy I decided to sign up. Thank you Justine!”
What you’ll get:
- 8 live virtual group coaching sessions
- 7 Facebook Live sessions where you can ask questions and get feedback between sessions
- A recap and recording of each group coaching session
- A 30-minute one-on-one laser coaching session with Justine
- Assignments and resources to help you apply what you learn directly to your business
- Access to a private membership site
- Access to the private Facebook group with on-going conversations
- Support and feedback from industry peers
- Assigned accountability partner
- Special guests: web designer/developer and creative business expert Jill Anderson will be joining us in session 5 to share insights and best practices. And in session 6, Branding, marketing, and design expert, Melissa Lind will be sharing best practices for growing your Instagram following.
Here’s how it breaks down:
Kick off
“Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation.” —Zig Ziglar
To help you get the most out of this experience, we’ll kick off with an exercise designed to get your creative and strategic juices flowing and to define a specific goal. The result; you’ll come to our first session together prepped and ready to make big things happen!
Session 1: Define what makes you stand out in a crowded marketplace
At the end of this module you will be clear on what unique gift YOU bring to the world and how that talent benefits people who genuinely want and need your services.
You will learn:
- The difference between a generalist and a specialist (and why you want to be the latter)
- What truly makes you unique (it’s probably not what you think!)
- Who else is in the marketplace and the gaps YOU are uniquely equipped to fill
Session 2: Create your ideal client profile
If you try and be all things to everyone, you become nothing to no one. At the end of this module you will know exactly who your ideal clients are, what they struggle with or aspire to, what they need right now and how YOU are uniquely equipped to help them.
You will learn:
- The traits of an ideal client
- What your ideal client aspires to or struggles with
- The benefits your clients get from working with you
- Who YOUR ideal client is
Session 3: Craft a compelling pitch that converts strangers into “I need to work with you” prospects
By the end of this session you will know how to confidently and quickly communicate what you offer, what’s in it for your ideal clients, and what they need to do next to work with you.
You will learn:
- What blocks you have around speaking about yourself
- How to communicate what you do in an authentic, non-sales-y way
- How to craft a natural and compelling pitch that will serve you in any situation
Session 4: Find your ideal clients in large numbers and build a thriving network
It’s time to come out from behind your computer! In this session, you will learn where to find your ideal clients in large numbers, how to network naturally and effectively, and build a thriving network.
You will learn:
- How to re-frame the concept of networking so it’s easy AND fun
- The 4 essential elements of a thriving network
- The art of give, give, get
- How to connect in an authentic, natural way
Session 5: Create a plan for your website
Does your website function more as an online portfolio than your number one marketing tool? It’s OK, you’re not alone. In this session, you’ll learn how to create a website that compels and converts without compromising your artistic integrity.
You will learn:
- The real purpose of your website
- The action you want people to take
- How to use copy and images to engage and inspire action
Session 6: Build a marketing strategy that attracts your ideal clients to you
By the end of this session you will be clear on what marketing activities align with your natural strengths, how to streamline your efforts and get better results in less time.
You will learn:
- How much time you should spend on your marketing (and how to fit it in!)
- The eight elements of a marketing strategy
- Which online and offline tools are most aligned with your natural skills
- How to create regular content that resonates with your audience
Session 7: How to package your services to sell
By the end of this session you will have an outline of services that help your ideal clients quickly recognize you are the solution to their problem and self-select before you even speak with them.
You will learn:
- What your ideal clients really need
- How to edit and tailor your services to meet those needs
- How to present your packages so your clients self-select before you even speak with them
Session 8: Pulling it all together
Remember that specific goal we mentioned in the kick off session? As we come together one last time (in this capacity!) you will share with the group what you discovered, what you did, and the actionable steps you will take now, and moving forth.
Onwards!!
But there’s more!
bonus #1:
Access to the Private Facebook group
Can you do this program alone? Sure. But isn’t it nice to know you don’t have to? Join your fellow entrepreneurs in this private Facebook group and share feedback and support every step of the way. We’re stronger together!
bonus #2:
Craft a compelling story that builds the “know, like and trust” factor with your ideal clients
Clients do business with people, they know, like and trust, and well-crafted personal story can tip the balance significantly in your favor. In this bonus worksheet, you’ll learn the 3 essential elements of a great story and how to craft yours.
bonus #3:
30-minute private laser coaching session with Justine
In this one-on-one session, we’ll focus on a specific challenge or goal for YOUR business and strategize solutions to help you move forward.
bonus #4:
Best practices for transforming your website into your #1 marketing tool
Our special guest, web designer/developer and creative business expert, Jill Anderson of Jill Lynn Design, will be joining us in session 5 to share her best practices for transforming your portfolio website into your #1 marketing and sales tool. You won’t want to miss this!
bonus #5:
Best practices to build your Instagram following
Our special guest, branding expert and Creative Business Bootcamp superstar, Melissa Lind of Dwelling Creative will be joining us to share how she used Instagram as a part of an integrated marketing strategy and took her following from a couple of hundred to 11K+ engaged followers. Whatever marketing strategy or platform you choose, you’ll be sure to walk away with TONS of insights and ideas.
When I went back to full-time freelance after a few years in an office, I knew I needed to strategize about taking my work as a self-employed writer and editor to the next level. During the bootcamp, I worked to hone in on my niche and create messaging and marketing strategy that speaks to the clients I want to attract. It’s paying off and I’m doing absolutely great! Business has been so good that I recently fulfilled the dream of becoming the sole breadwinner for our family. I also finally launched a new project I’ve been planning — a website for women freelancers — and have all kinds of ideas to build it into an amazing resource. It’s a pretty great feeling to be succeeding and to be thinking bigger than ever!
"Justine helped me re-structure the way I thought about my business. After neglecting my branding and design business to focus on my start-up I was in the desperate position of needing to quickly bring in new work that paid well. Justine helped me figure exactly who I wanted to work with, what I had that they needed, and how to make it easy for them to select me as the perfect match for their challenges.
A few months later I have three new big clients, probably the best I’ve ever had, and know exactly how to grow my business from here on. I just need to execute.
Working with Justine is the single best advice I would give any creative business owner looking to grow their business quickly and consistently - period."
“Participating in the Creative Bootcamp has given me clarity and a sense of direction with the addition of practical tips which I can always fall back on whenever I need to refine my direction again or when taking next steps in my business. Before this Bootcamp I felt frustrated about not being able to find a clear direction and was stuck in the process of taking my business to the next level. This course has helped me narrow down my special gift, who my ideal client is and the confidence in marketing this. I’ve come away from this course with an ability to communicate clearer and plan my next steps in order to build the business and life I aspire to. I know I will go back to Justine in the future for extra coaching to help me with future challenges.”
“What a huge relief to connect so many dots and get a firm grip on my own value and strategy! It’s hard to admit this, but before I met Justine I was… lost. I beat myself up for lack of focus. But now I can more confidently answer “What do you do?” without stress or ending the conversation. The clarity I’ve achieved priceless, as is Justine’s program’s structure for my further betterment. I’m refreshed and motivated to think like a creative solopreneur about my business and my marketing.”
Ready to join the Creative Business Bootcamp group coaching program?
Join Justine Clay to re-design your creative business from the comfort of your own home in our virtual group coaching program, starting February 2020.
ONLY 4 payments of $375
Applications are currently closed. Join the wait list and be the first to get notified about the Winter 2020 bootcamp!
Click here get early access.
Got questions? I’d be happy to jump on a 15 minute call with you to see if this program is right for you. Just send me an email at justine@justineclay.com and we can set that up.
10-Day Money Back Guarantee
If you change your mind before October 4th, 2019, just send us an email and we’ll refund your money. No hard feelings or questions asked!
I am committed to helping purpose driven, motivated and resilient creative professionals fulfill their vision and mission in life. And because this is a group program, I want you to know that you’re right for this program.
This course is right for you if:
- You’re a service-based freelancer or creative entrepreneur, looking to attract more of the high-quality clients and projects you want.
- You have the vision and are willing to do the work, but you don’t know the steps necessary to go from a dream to a reality
- You’re tired of hustling and are looking to be more strategic about how your find clients
- You know you need to invest in your business, but you can’t afford one-on-one coaching right now
- You want to find meaning in your work, add value to the world and be compensated well for what you do
- You know you’re not charging enough, but don’t know how to position or price your services
- You recognize you need to invest in yourself and your business and are ready to do the work
The course is not for you if:
- You’re looking for someone to fix your business for you
- You keep buying courses, but don’t follow through with any of them (then complain when nothing changes)
- You say you want change, but you’re not willing to invest your time, energy and resources to make it happen
- You have a product-based business. While Justine works with product-based businesses in a one-on-one capacity, this group program is geared towards service-based businesses.
“When I came to Justine, I was at a point in my career where I needed a jumpstart. I had clients, and I had work, but I had lost some long-term clients and while I had tried to generate new work, my plan [or lack of one] was not working. I had joined Business Networking groups, but that route was not working for me. And then I learned of Justine’s Creative Business Boot Camp – an intimate group of creative professionals in similar situations who would meet, talk, share successes and failures. Initially skeptical, but in need of that jump-start, I signed up. In the four months of our meetings, Justine helped me to re-focus, re-energize, and re-structure how I approach my business. Consequently, Justine and my Boot Camp Colleagues were an amazing source of inspiration, motivation and just the focus I was needing. A well spent four months with ten times the return on the investment!”
“Before signing up for the Creative Bootcamp course, I'd been scrambling to build my business on my own, unable to gain traction because I'm my own toughest client! During the 4-month Bootcamp, I was able to accomplish an incredible volume of work in a short amount of time; I gained clarity around who my ideal clients are, what my unique position and offering is, and how I wanted to package and price my services. I got much-needed accountability and, as a result, I was able to completely overhaul my website in less time than I ever would have on my own. Thanks, Justine!”
"Joining Justine in the Creative Business Bootcamp was an invaluable experience! Her insights and suggestions were always very inspiring on our group calls. All of the assignments she crafted were incredibly succinct and results driven. Justine goes beyond typical brand positioning advice. She encourages a beneath the surface approach that simplifies and helps align your spirit and passion with your brand and work. Justine helped me get very clear on who my dream client is and how to most authentically and effectively market myself to them. I have redesigned my website and am incredibly excited about putting myself and my brand out into the world! Thank you Justine!"
“Almost as soon as the bootcamp started, I felt a subtle but real shift in my mindset and the phone didn’t stop ringing.”
Got questions?
Here are some answers to questions I hear most often:
The program is 16 weeks. I’ve found that, for most people, 2 weeks per module is the sweet spot for giving you enough time to do the work (even if this is your side-gig), but not so long that you lose momentum.
The group will be limited to 16 people. This keeps the group intimate, while including enough variety to ensure you benefit from the expertise, experience, and feedback of your peers.
I specialize in working with established creative entrepreneurs and freelancers. With a deep background in branding, design, and advertising, I do particularly well with creatives of the communications and problem-solving variety including: art directors, creative directors, design directors, graphic designers, website designers, branding and design agencies, copywriters, content creators, writers, video producers and directors.
While I specialize in working with creative professionals, my system works for any professional whose mission is to share their unique talent with people who have a genuine need for it. We’re committed to gathering the highest quality group of creatives so that you learn from each other, as well as Justine and the program. We’ll be reviewing applications to ensure each participant is a good fit for the program.
Yes! There is an opportunity to ask individual questions, during sessions, in the Facebook group and in the Facebook lives I do in between sessions. If you have a question, it will be answered.
This program has been created specifically for creative professionals who have, to some degree established their creative business or career, and are looking to be more proactive, more effective, and grow. They are willing to put aside any pre-conceived ideas and fears and do the work. This program won’t work for people who don’t have a somewhat established freelance career, business or idea, skeptics, complainers or people who make excuses not to take action. I’m invested in the success of each and every person who works with me, so it’s important that we’re aligned on our vision and what it will take.
All of our sessions will be held virtually via Zoom. I will send a link via email to everyone in the group 15 minutes before the session. All you have to do is click on the link and you’ll be in. You can call in from your computer, phone, or tablet. All sessions will be recorded and an link will be included in my round up email after each session.
Absolutely! Upon joining us, you will be given access to a private members site where you will find recordings of each session, a worksheet to turn your ideas and dreams into strategy and ACTION! I will also be doing a Facebook live on each topic during the weeks we’re not meeting to answer questions, keep you engaged, and moving forward. The private Facebook group is also a great place to find and share resources shared by your fellow participants. It is my promise that, regardless of your learning style, you will be supported throughout!
Yes! My top tips are:
- Use the private Facebook group to ask questions, share work for feedback, offer support and answer questions when asked.
- I will pair you up with someone in the group who you will check in with regularly to support and hold one other accountable.
- Show up for the live group coaching calls. They’re a great place to get feedback, ask questions, stay motivated and get un-stuck.
If you do the work, you can expect to:
- Gain a clarity and confidence about what you have to offer and position yourself uniquely within a crowded market place.
- Become more intentional and strategic in building your business.
- Gain a crystal-clear understanding of your ideal clients’ needs and how you are uniquely positioned to help them.
- Attract better quality, higher paying clients, while the less-than-ideal clients effortlessly drift away.
- Create a pitch that naturally and clearly communicates what you do to potential clients and referral partners.
- Understand which marketing tools are right for you and create a marketing plan that doesn’t feel like ‘selling’ or ‘work’.
- Learn how to package your services to resonate with your ideal clients and sell
- Create content that engages and draws your ideal clients to you.
- Work on more creatively fulfilling projects.
I understand, but let me re-frame that thought for you. If you don’t invest in yourself, who will? Investing in yourself and business takes courage and only you know when you’re ready to take that leap of faith and start making the changes you want to see in your business and life. That said, I will never encourage you to sign up for coaching if it will put you in financial jeopardy to do so and I have created lots of free resources to support you in your creative business or career.
Yes, to make this a no-brainer investment, I’m offering 4-installment payment plan. Your credit card will be automatically billed each month.
Being the curious and ambitious entrepreneur that you are, I’m absolutely certain you’ve done some version of some for the content my program covers. We might “know” something for a long time before it actually clicks and becomes something we take meaningful action on. You could even do the exact same exercise each year and get a different outcome each time. Each step connects with the bigger picture, so I encourage you to come to this proven process with an open mind. The results you get will be all the better for it!
Apply to join The Creative Business Bootcamp group coaching program today and take the first step to building a thriving creative business.
Join me! I’m excited to help you build the creative business you dream of!
Ready to join the Creative Business Bootcamp group coaching program?
ONLY 4 payments of $375
Applications are currently closed. Join the wait list and be the first to get notified about the Winter 2020 bootcamp!
Click here get early access.
Still undecided? I’d be happy to jump on a 15 minute call with you to see if this program is right for you. Just send me an email at justine@justineclay.com and we can set that up.
Please remember, this investment may be considered a tax-deductible expense.
free guide!