One of the biggest challenges creatives share with me is knowing how much to charge for their services. Can you relate? If you can, you’re not alone. Pricing something as subjective as creativity can feel like a confounding riddle at best and an impossible task at worst. Throw in limiting beliefs, scarcity thinking, and discomfort talking about money, and you’ve got a holy mess on your hands. Is it any wonder pricing remains an issue for so many? So, you…
If you’ve been hanging out with me for a while, you’ll know I can pretty much tie any life experience to entrepreneurship. And this post is no different. 😂 This one was fun to write because it has ALL the elements of a messy human experience: ego, growth mindset, grit, and resilience. The (literal) vehicle for this experience? Roller skates! It all started a couple of months ago when I COVID-purchased (aka impulse bought in an attempt to reduce stress…
Have you ever had a project or client relationship careen off the tracks through no discernible fault of your own, leaving you feeling hurt, confused, and doubting yourself? I know I have. What I’ve learned from it all is relationships or projects only go sideways when an expectation goes unmet. That’s it! And guess what – boundaries are a great way to communicate and establish expectations – ensuring everyone knows where they stand, what’s expected of them, and how to…
At the beginning of this month – aka lifetime ago – March’s content calendar theme was sales. It’s a topic I love to talk about (because I know so many people feel weird about it….so much opportunity for transformation!). But as the news worsened, I felt a blog about sales would be tone deaf, so I wrote a post on staying positive during uncertain times. But just as the crisis shifts every day, so does my instinct about the support…
I recently had a huge realization about the clients I LOVE working with. They’re smart, view me as a thought-partner rather than teacher, know what they want and are willing to go after it, and challenge me to show up and do my best co-creative work with them. Some of them have PhD’s and MBA’s (letters I do not have after my name) and have, between you and me, always intimidated me a little. It’s only recently, having successfully coached…
In a world that idolizes entrepreneurship you can be forgiven for thinking there’s something wrong if you’re not feeling inspired and in full-on hustle mode 24/7. The truth is, being a business owner or independent creative is hard and full of ups and downs: without daily interaction it’s easy to feel isolated you’re often working in a vacuum, unsure if this idea you’re pouring your heart and soul into is even any good you’re out there on the leading edge…
Have you ever woken in the middle of the night gripped with fear because you don’t see a future for your creative career or business? If you’re feeling anything other than a Zen-like calm right now, you’re not alone. You’re definitely not alone. But your fear IS misplaced. While it’s completely normal for our minds to convince us that the constraints we see before us are a path to certain unavoidable doom, it’s nothing but a cheap trick. And once…
I can still remember the exact moment I decided to start a coaching business. It was 2008 and, like many creative businesses, my talent management agency Plum Creative was hit hard by the recession. Barring a miraculous economic turnaround, my days were numbered. It was a pretty crappy feeling! Thankfully, I was a part of a wonderful accountability group (which included a book keeper, an IT specialist, and a magazine sales person; no creatives) and it was during one of…
Have you ever wondered how some businesses or brands just seem to have their finger on the pulse, perfectly anticipating what their clients want and need? What gives? What secret do they know that you don’t? They know that the secret to building a thriving, relevant business is understanding who their target customers are, and building a message, product, and experience to meet their unique needs. More specifically, they know what problems their ideal clients think they have, and they know…
Having worked with creative business owners and freelancers for more than 15 years, I’ve learned that the path to entrepreneurship is rarely straight. Many of us (myself included) fell into entrepreneurship and never went back; some were pushed via a layoff, and a scant few knew entrepreneurship was for them and had a plan. Is it any wonder the holy grail of entrepreneurship, the freedom to choose whom you work for, when, and for how much, feels like a pipe…
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