Have you ever seen a client, family member, or friend make heavy weather out of something and wonder why on earth they’re making things so darn complicated? I mean, from where you’re sitting, things look pretty straightforward! Now, let me ask you this. Have you been that person? I know I have! For me, making things more complicated than they need to be manifests in a few ways. It often presents as a sense of urgency (entirely of my own…
Can you have too much of a good thing? If you’re a freelancer, you’ve probably been conditioned to believe there’s no such thing as too much work. We’ve been taught to adopt a scarcity mindset and believe we’d better take it while it’s coming, because who knows when the next client or job will come along. More is better, right? So, you say “yes” to it all. The good, the bad, and the meh. Before you know it, you’re underwater working for…
Are you a people pleaser, a workhorse, a doer of all the things? You’re not alone. One of the biggest challenges I see creative business owners struggle with (and I put myself in this category too) is trying to do too many things for too many people. We want to help our clients. We tell ourselves that just because we can do the things they’re asking for, we should. We want to say Yes. Saying Yes to all the things…
It’s December! I love this time of year. Yes, I love the holidays. Having an enormous twinkling tree in my living room, pulling out my sparkly dresses (see a theme here?), and make merry with friends and family. But the business coach in me loves this time of year for an entirely different reason; the opportunity to reflect on the past year, think about what I want for the next, and to set the stage for all the good things…
They say you teach what you most need to learn, so here’s my confession to you: I’m a chronic “doer.” Taking on 2 or 3 too many things than I can comfortably handle is my default mode. I used to joke that if I came back as a dog, I’d be the one carrying the newspaper or herding sheep rather than the one snoozing on the porch. I took pride in my busyness, in being able to keep multiple balls…
One of the biggest challenges creative entrepreneurs tell me they experience is not knowing where to focus in their creative business. Whether you’re a one man/woman show, or you have employees to oversee, there are WAY too many things you could (should?) be doing and not enough time, energy, and focus to do it all. So, things go one of two ways: You try and do everything, run yourself ragged in the process, and still don’t see the results you…
If I told you that your business is always going to be in flux would you be (a) excited or (b) depressed? Your answer will tell you a lot about your mindset around change, potential, and your ability to thrive, no matter what. While we’d all love to say we embrace change, enjoy a good challenge, and see failure as a stepping stone to success (and all those other empowering rallying cries we see on Instagram!) most of us don’t…
Have you ever: Got to the end of your day and wondered where it went, or what you achieved? Had a slow start and never really recovered the day? Sat down at your desk and thought “Now what?” My friend, you’re not alone. When you’re the boss, the buck starts and stops with you and that’s a pretty weighty responsibility. I’ve felt it too. When I started my first business, a creative management agency in 2006, I was living alone…
Ahhh, it’s summer! The beach, the lake, or just sitting outside with a cold one. Is there anything better? Not in my book! But there’s a dark side to summer too. For independent creative professionals and business owners, things can get pretty quiet. And I mean, crickets quiet. We all know it happens, yet we still get freaked out by it. I know I’ve been there and I bet you have too. Wouldn’t it be great if there were something…
Just follow your passion!!! Find your life’s purpose and build a business around it (yes, just like that!) Be your authentic self (and everything will be fine) As a creative business owner, is there anything more unhelpful than rally cries like these? It’s like a therapist telling you “cheer up” when you’re feeling depressed and sending you on your merry way. When you’re struggling to figure out how to get from where you are in your business (stuck) to where…
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