In this week’s dose of empowerment for creative entrepreneurs, I’m keeping my word. Last time, I told you we’d dig into how to build a sustainable marketing strategy for your business. It begins with knowing your stories, so before we go any further, be sure to download your copy of the mini workbook inside the Rising Tide learning library that accompanies this episode. Think of it like a study guide that’s going to help you make your content marketing plans go a whole lot faster from here on out.
Let’s also address the elephant in the room when it comes to creating content and then marketing said content: Burnout. Decision fatigue, and the sheer volume of tasks that have to be done to create and promote that content.
Too many folks have equated consistency with frequency - myself included. But they are NOT the same thing!
So how do you develop a profitable, sustainable marketing strategy that doesn’t lead to burn out? The good news is that it’s totally possible.
This episode shares 3 sustainable business practices that help to pull you out of the content hustle and step into the creative freedom you crave.
As a friendly reminder - this month I’m leading the Cashflow Creator workshop - a small group intensive where we take a long hard look at your business model. You know: You + why + who + what + how. All things that will help bring the tips from this episode to life for your business!
Not a member yet? It's free! When you register for the Rising Tide, you also get email updates, the FREE learning library, and access to episode transcripts, worksheets, and more!
Sponsors & Credits
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support. "The Content Hamster Wheel" is a parody of "Running Just To Catch Myself", originally recorded by Mark Schultz. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young. Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
[Creative Freedom S6E4]
In today’s dose of empowerment for Creative Entrepreneurs, we’re getting tactical and practical. By that, I mean, we’re looking at your planning for your business. Now, I don’t mean business plans - which I believe are mostly useless for creative entrepreneurs who aren’t looking for external funding. There’s a much simpler and easier way to do them - which we’ll talk about in a future episode.
Instead, I’m talking about strategic planning and goal-setting for your business.
I know. I know. It’s March, and I hear you saying, “Lisa. Why are we talking about goal setting and planning now, when the year has already started?
Because if you’re like some creatives I know, you’re still in recovery from 2020, which was a hell of a ride in more ways than one.
The end of Q1 is hot on your heels here in March, so it's a GREAT time to reflect and re-set for the remainder of the year if you've already done your annual planning. OR, you can get your year in gear now and set yourself up to be on track for the rest of 2021.
This episode shares 5 tips to help you get your strategic business planning done for the next 12 months - whenever the year begins for you!
Not a member yet? It's free! When you register for the Rising Tide, you also get email updates, the FREE learning library, and access to episode transcripts, worksheets, and more!
Sponsors & Credits
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support. "Your Breakout Year" is a parody of "Breakout", originally recorded by Swing Out Sister. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young. Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
[Creative Freedom S6E3]
We started talking about business models in our last episode. Don't let your eyes glaze over because whether you like it or not, you've already GOT a business model. So, it's important for you to have a better understanding of how they work and - more importantly - which business models are best for your creative entrepreneur type.
This week, we're taking a closer look at how each creative entrepreneur type can take advantage of these different business models. Sure, you can have any business model you want, but each creative type needs to focus on doing business in a way that's in alignment with their strengths.
That's what we're looking at in this episode.
The podcast "deep dive" this week shares an example of how a Chaotic Creative can transition from a product-based business model to one that is more profitable and capitalizes on the boutique nature of a high-touch, personalized business.
Not a member yet? It's free! When you register for the Rising Tide, you also get email updates, the FREE learning library, and access to episode transcripts, worksheets, and more!
Sponsors & Credits
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support. "Do What Comes Natural" is a parody of "Natural", originally recorded by Imagine Dragons. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young. Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
[Creative Freedom S5E6]
How ya liking the new website? Have you checked out the virtual card deck or taken the new version of the quiz yet? I haven't done a formal post yet about all the changes. That's coming soon. Right now, I'm coming off the high that is Creative Freedom Live. I got home earlier this week, and it's been fun to unwind and "recover" from such an amazing weekend. More on that later, too!
Today, though, I'm going to do my darndest to make business models approachable and easy to navigate. Just hearing the word “business model” can conjure up spreadsheets, process diagrams, flow charts, and other stress-inducing imagery. But business models don't have to be stressful.
Once you figure out your unique business model, you’ll like how sexy the results are: more money, meaning, and impact. More Raving Fans for your work, more freedom, and more time to focus on what’s truly important to you.
The best part? It isn’t hard to figure out. The hard parts are sitting down to DO the work and then staying true to the business model that works for you. If you follow along today, you’ll even have some of that handled, too.
Not a member yet? It's free! When you register for the Rising Tide, you also get email updates, the FREE learning library, and access to episode transcripts, worksheets, and more!
It's been a busy month at Creative Freedom HQ! As the first quarter of the year heads into the sunset, I've been plastering my face and voice all over everyone else's website this month in preparation next month's big open enrollment for the Creative Freedom Incubator. If you know you need both coaching and hands-on help in your business, think about applying now to beat the rush. For a limited time, I'm waiving the application fee, so don't dilly dally!
I had the joy of being featured in 4 different places this month. Please check 'em out, leave a comment, and let the hosts know that you'd like them to bring me back! It's your comments, feedback, and recommendations that help me spread the Creative Freedom message far and wide!
Profit. Power. Pursuit. podcast
Host Tara Gentile and I sat down to talk in-depth about the Creative Freedom Incubator - what it is, how it works, and more importantly, WHY it works. Designed for creatives in Early Struggle, the Incubator combines coaching with crucial hands-on business support (VA/Marketing/Admin) that most early-stage businesses need, but can't afford.
We go behind the scenes in how the whole concept was developed, how it evolved, the tough lessons I learned in the first year, and how I've adapted the program to better fit (and inform) my business model. I also talk about what didn't work, client results, and how I've set things up for more success (for them and myself) going forward.
This is my second appearance on Mike Michalowicz's popular show. He's a funny guy, and his co-hosts keep things hopping. Mike's the guy who wrote The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, The Pumpkin Plan, Surge, and, yes, Profit First. His new book, Clockwork will be out this fall.
This was my first (and hopefully NOT last) appearance on The Strategy Hour with Abagail and Emylee. These two are a powerhouse combination of business smarts and compassion for the creative entrepreneur's lifestyle. We talk about the importance of striving for a six-figure business - or not, and the rare reasons why you may not need to aim that high. We also dig into the Cusp types - something I don't get to do very often when talking about the Creative Entrepreneur Type Spectrum. If you're a cuspy, this could be some great learning for you.
I love me some Charlie Gilkey! I was lucky enough to be a guest just as the Creative Freedom Spectrum was coming into the world, so when they asked me back as a contributor, I was thrilled!
On the heels of Oprah's Golden Globes speech, this post provides some insights for people wanting to speak their truth with their audience in ways that won't alienate their true fans, while still being a genuine reflection of their thoughts, values, and beliefs.
Yep, it's been a pretty busy month for me, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. But we've also got some big happenings coming up around here, too. The new season of Creative Freedom is right around the corner, and I can't wait to share the new episodes with you!
Again, Please take a moment to check out the content that interested you, leave a comment or review, and let the hosts know that you'd like them to bring me back! Your comments, feedback, and recommendations are an important part of making sure I get to be a repeat guest. And if you know some podcast or stage I should be speaking on, let us know! I'd really like to see more people this year and get Creative Freedom into as many hands as possible!
One of the scariest topics for most of my clients - the one that brings with it the most baggage and emotional upheaval - is pricing. Right now, about half of my Incubator clients are stalled out on the decision to raise their prices. As early-stage entrepreneurs, there's a struggle between wanting to earn more and not being convinced that they can/"should" raise rates, for fear that they can't get enough clients to pay them the higher rates when they've been struggling at a much lower rate for a while. What they don't realize is that those lower prices are appealing to the wrong kind of audience, and until they can clear their head trash, they'll stay stuck at the lower pricing.
The myth of charging what you're worth
Although I've used the phrase before, I don't believe you can really charge what you're worth. First of all, you're a priceless masterpiece. No one can define your worth. They can, however, decide how much their willing to pay for your Great Work. You can influence that decision, but ultimately, it rests with the buyer. So it's less about charging what you're worth and more about telling a compelling story so that potential buyers are willing to pay your asking price. As Tara Gentile says "Pricing tells a story". So what story does your pricing tell?
More often than not, pricing brings out a lot of hypocritical behavior. This week's episode explains how your inner hypocrite could be running your business into the ground.
Does your "inner hypocrite" control your pricing (or your business)?
Have you had moments in your business where you said one thing was important, but your actions revealed some other motivation? Have you experienced this "out of integrity" moment with other business owners? How did you handle it? Share your thoughts in the comments and be part of our Rising Tide.
Need support for your creative business? I have two openings in the Creative Freedom Incubator. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first served basis. If you're not ready for that level of hands-on help, join the growing community of supportive creatives in A-Club. We're here to help you grow.
A couple of years ago, I was hired on as the Marketing Director at Heart of Business. It didn't last long, and yet a whole bunch of great learning came out of it (for all of us!). Mark Silver, the founder, and I developed a stronger friendship and keep respect for what we each bring to the table. I was VERY fortunate to sit down with Mark this month and chat about all things money - from the evolution of Heart of Business (and Mark) to pay-what-you-can pricing models and taking on clients that aren't a good fit when you need the money. All that and much more in this short, 40-minute conversation. SO delicious. Enjoy!
This is my second appearance on Mike Michalowicz's popular show. He's a funny guy, and his co-hosts keep things hopping. Mike's the guy who wrote The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, The Pumpkin Plan, Surge, and, yes, Profit First. His new book, Clockwork will be out this fall.
This was my first (and hopefully NOT last) appearance on The Strategy Hour with Abagail and Emylee. These two are a powerhouse combination of business smarts and compassion for the creative entrepreneur's lifestyle. We talk about the importance of striving for a six-figure business - or not, and the rare reasons why you may not need to aim that high. We also dig into the Cusp types - something I don't get to do very often when talking about the Creative Entrepreneur Type Spectrum. If you're a cuspy, this could be some great learning for you.
I love me some Charlie Gilkey! I was lucky enough to be a guest just as the Creative Freedom Spectrum was coming into the world, so when they asked me back as a contributor, I was thrilled!