We're back with our first **official** episode of our Season 6 re-launch. Our bonus episode last week gave you the explanation for that.
Our earlier episodes of Season 6 laid the groundwork for what we’re talking about today: your content strategy. If you’ve missed those or you need a refresher, you may want to pop back to the beginning of Season 6 to see what you’ve missed. We’ve talked about how to make sure your content strategy is sustainable, and how to narrow in so you’re actually getting some visibility. This episode, we’re gonna teach you how to build out your strategy.
Listen in to the episode below to get started!
Inside this episode, we're talking about:
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
The Creative Freedom Show is back!
This time, I'm re-starting Season 6 with something special. A "bonus" episode that breaks down how 2021 went.
Tune in as I go through a month-by-month breakdown of the highlights of what happened last year both personally and professionally, and end the episode with insight around what the changes we are making at Creative Freedom HQ that were inspired by 2021's rollercoaster.
Check out the show to get started.
Inside this episode, we're talking about:
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Nickelback. That band everyone loves to hate. Well, thanks to a lot of stock video footage, their rock anthem is now a parody of what it takes to get more visibility in your creative business.
Want to remind your customers of your creative business and develop a sustainable marketing strategy? Check out Episode 6 of the Creative Freedom Show today.
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"How I'll Remind You" is a parody of "How You Remind You", originally recorded by Nickelback. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young.
Ever feel like you're on the hamster wheel of hustle when it comes to your marketing? I can SO relate! So much so that I created this parody based on my favorite Mark Schultz tune, "Running Just To Catch Myself"
So, here's the social media/marketing edition of his super fun tune!
And if you're looking for support to develop your marketing strategy WITHOUT having to be on the hamsterwheel of hustle all the time, check out Episode 5 of the Creative Freedom Show today.
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"Running Just to Catch Myself" is a parody of "Running Just to Catch Myself", originally recorded by Mark Schultz. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young.
This week's parody is an 80's throwback shout out to Swing Out Sister - one of the most inspiring songs of my youth. We tweaked it for a business audience, obviously, but it's still a toe-tapping good time.
If you're ready for your breakout year, be sure to check out Episode 4, where we talk about business planning and ways to make the rest of this year even better for you.
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.
If your business is running you ragged and your clients are a PITA, this video is for you!
This is the full version of the musical parody for episode 3 of Creative Freedom Season 6.
Inside this episode, we're taking a closer look at how each creative entrepreneur type can take advantage of 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.
Check out the episode to learn more.
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.
As part of Season 6 of Creative Freedom, we decided to take our parodies to a new level. Here's the full-length parody from Episode 1.
How do you build a business that lets you stay true to yourself - you know, without selling out? That's what Season 6 Episode 1 of the Creative freedom Show is all about!
T.A.D.A. is an acronym we developed to help you listen to what's really on your heart and bring yourself and your business into alignment (or back into alignment) with what's true for you. Check out the show episode to learn more.
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"Be True to Yourself" is a parody of "Be Good to Yourself", originally recorded by Journey. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young.
This week we’re going to focus on brand visibility, but not until I tell you a story about Marvin the rooster. That’s right, a neighbor’s stray rooster is going to teach the importance of brand visibility for your company.
After the recent storms in Mississippi, Marvin has been seen strolling up and down our quiet neighborhood street, stopping traffic, blocking our driveway, and waking me up with his obnoxious crowing at 3am every day this week.
I always know where he is because he’s got an unmistakable sound. There’s another rooster somewhere else in the neighborhood who doesn’t crow nearly as often, and I can tell them apart.
Yes, Marvin has branded himself, and it feels like he is EVERYWHERE in my life right now. I can’t get away from him. Even when I chase him off, he’s right back a few hours later.
So... how do we grow brand awareness as a creative entrepreneur? It’s all about showing up consistently to your target audience and having a great logo that draws people in and creates an impact.
As I mentioned in my last episode, consistency and frequency are not always the same thing. No, you can’t just post one youtube video and call it a day - but you don’t have to post multiple times a day either.
It really boils down to finding a rhythm you can commit to for a while, mapping out your visibility strategy - and yes, we’ve got a downloadable in the Rising Tide Learning Library to help you with that.
This episode walks you through finding a rhythm you can commit to for a while and mapping out your visibility strategy.
Check out the show to get started.
Inside this episode, we're talking about:
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"How I'll Remind You" is a parody of "How You Remind Me", originally recorded by Nickelback. 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/
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!
Check out the show to learn more.
Inside this episode, we're talking about:
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
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/
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!
Check out the show to learn more.
Inside this episode, we're talking about:
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
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/
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.
Check out the show to learn more.
Inside this episode, we're talking about:
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
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/
We have gotten such great feedback on the new season of Creative Freedom! Thank you! If you haven't seen the first episode yet, what are you waiting for?
Close your eyes for a minute and think about Katy Perry - you know, the strong-willed, powerhouse vocalist behind Roar and Firework. See her in all her glory.
Okay, now that you've got that image in your head, try to imagine her singing her edgy songs about... Jesus.
Yeah. I know. That was weird, right?
Well, Katy Perry started her singing career as a Christian artist. SERIOUSLY! She signed a record deal and released her first album in 2001 as "Katy Hudson" - her real name, btw.
It flopped. It took 7 years of trial and error before her second album made it to the airwaves and made Katy the candy-coated pop star we know today.
Whether you love her or hate her, she's got an amazing brand that's immediately recognizable in a niche that's unlike anyone else in the industry.
Wanna know how you can do the same thing?
This week, the podcast takes a deep-dive look at Katy and Shania Twain to show you how to carve out your own profitable niche in your industry. BOTH of them came from a musical world that was different than the one they ended up in. It required a little patience and courage to make the jump... and it made all the difference.
Check out the show to learn more.
Inside this episode, we're talking about:
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"Worse Things" is a parody of "There are worse things I could do", originally recorded by Stockard Channing for the motion picture "Grease". 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/
This is bonus episode 5 in an unscripted series of lessons learned from 25 years as a creative entrepreneur. You're getting 4 big lessons in a single episode as I gear up to lead you through the Fix This Next methodology. Can ya handle it?
President Eisenhower was right: plans are useless, but planning is everything. That said, you can't control the outcome, you can only influence it by what you do and what you choose not to do. Remember, too, that your goal isn't always THE goal, and if you want to achieve it, you need to be consistent. Consistency isn't sexy, but it works.
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
First, I'm super thrilled to announce that I'm now a fully licensed and certified Fix This Next coach and I'm booking assessments now. I mention this now because it's a huge celebration, but also because it's relevant to this week's episode. When you can pinpoint the biggest issue in your business, you can fix it sooner and get your business back on track. That's what Fix This Next can do for you. Schedule your Fix This Next assessment today and get the clarity you need to grow your creative enterprise.
“If you can avoid just a few of the biggest, most crucial mistakes that I’ve made, then success is going to come much easier.” Said Shravan Gupta.
Okay, on with the show. This is bonus episode four in a series of unscripted "lessons learned" from 25 years as a creative entrepreneur.
One of the hardest lessons I learned was this: No one is coming to save you. You're a business owner, and you need to act like one. If you don't like the way the system works, the only way to change it is from the inside. In this episode, I'll take you behind the scenes in my biggest business failure and share how I turned it around.
You'll also see examples from Apple, Denise Duffield-Thomas, and Leonie Dawson, to show you why you need to take control of your business and act like a business owner if you want it to grow - and how growing for growth's sake is only going to make you miserable.
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
This is bonus episode two in a series of unscripted "lessons learned" from 25 years as a creative entrepreneur. Your business is NOT the Field of Dreams. If you built it, ya gotta market it or people ain't coming - or BUYING!
At the core, marketing is sharing your message with an interested audience. But what's that message? And where do you find an interested audience? That's what we're looking at in this episode! You'll also hear about some real-world marketing examples and my "SIMPLE" framework for marketing and launching your offers.
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Firstly, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2020 is as amazing for you as it has already been for me. I just celebrated my 45th birthday, and the entire weekend was superb. Then, on Monday, Charlie and the gang at Productive Flourishing published my guest post about the 25 lessons I've learned from 25 years in business. Some of them I'll be sharing in future episodes, but if you want the whole list, go check out Charlie's blog!
This is Episode Two in a series of unscripted conversations I'm hosting on the podcast between seasons. This episode shares one of the first principles I started teaching to direct sellers when I first became a coach: The most important "product" that your company has to offer is you. No matter where you go, there you are, on display for the world to see, and if you represent a business, that's part of the reputation of the company.
It's just as true today for creative entrepreneurs as it is for direct sellers. In a world where there are lots of people doing things similar to you, the truth is that YOU are the competitive advantage your business relies on most. As the face of your company, you were what your audience is buying into every time they make a buying decision. This week's bonus episode fills in the details and helps you get a handle on it even further. You'll also get a peek into my business and see what's been working, what hasn't, and how we're re-tooling for 2020
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Firstly, to those of you celebrating it, MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope Santa brought you everything you wanted this year.
I debated back and forth about launching a Christmas episode, but here we are. This is Episode One in a special bonus podcast-only series I've created to share the most important lessons I've learned over the past 25 years. Yep. I've been an online entrepreneur for over 25 years now - back when the World Wide Web was a new-fangled thing and the Internet itself was a young upstart, barely old enough to drink.
A lot has changed in the past two and a half decades. Ideas have come and gone, money was made and lost, businesses opened and closed. I was there through all of it - and learned quite a few lessons along the way.
This episode talks about the single most important lesson I've learned in my 25 years online - how your mindset is more important than the mechanics of being a creative entrepreneur... and how to set yourself up for success.
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Okay, I gotta rant a little. There's nothing that grates my toast more than the phrase "EPIC CONTENT" (be sure to say it like you're announcing a monster truck rally this Sunday-Sunday-SUNDAYYY!)
In the final regular episode of Season 5, I'm going OFF about how this phrase "create epic content" has become synonymous with "if you can't make something that goes viral, then don't do anything at all" - which is a trap that either keeps you stuck on a hamster wheel of content creation in your creative business or paralyzed by perfectionism to the point of doing nothing at all.
Instead, I'm going to show you an easy way to share engaging, meaningful content with your audience on the regular on any platform. And you don't even have to create it all. In fact, if you want to have a life, you probably shouldn't!
THAT, to me, is what epic content creation is all about!
December is content creation month at Creative Freedom HQ. I'm leading a series of workshops to help you plan AND create your content for 2020. Be sure to sign up for email updates to get advance notice of the next one!
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
As a creative entrepreneur, you've got LOTS of ideas. How do you keep track of them all? Can they even be managed? How do you decide which ideas to pursue, and which ones to table for later (or even give away to someone else)?
You're in luck because this week I'm sharing some useful tools and resources to help you organize your ideas and get clear on what you're going to move on now, and what can wait. You'll be able to end the distractions and stay focused!
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You've probably heard the phrase "riches in niches" more times than you care to count. As a creative entrepreneur, finding a niche can feel challenging if you don't solve a "problem" or "pain" with your Great Work.
That's why I don't support the idea of looking for a pain to solve, but instead, looking at core values - which are a clearer indicator of why clients buy from you (and keep buying from you for years to come). In this episode, I'm stealin' a process from the manufacturing world to help you hone in on why clients buy from you and how to find more clients just like 'em.
Rising Tide community members can login and access your free downloads here.
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!
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
Music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/