Creative Courage
Are you a creative business owner? Do you ever feel like you’ve got more to give or that there’s a bigger impact you could make?
Creative Courage is a creative business podcast hosted by award-winning coach, author, and speaker, Matt Essam. Matt explores the internal battles we all face as creative business owners.
From the fear of launching to the anxiety we face around our life purpose, Creative Courage is the first podcast series that will dive deep into the physiology of courage and its key part in our success as business owners, leaders and creatives.
Each week, we bring you expert insights and proven strategies from inspiring entrepreneurs and thought leaders who have conquered their creative challenges.
If you’re ready to elevate your creative journey and unlock your full potential, so that you can make more impact, win better clients and ultimately be proud of what you’ve built, then subscribe to the creative business podcast, Creative Courage, now on your favourite podcast platform.
Join us as we redefine what it means to thrive as a creative business owner.
Listen on:
Episodes
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Do you ever feel like there’s something missing from your life or business?
If so, you’re not alone.
But what you think is missing might not give you the satisfaction you’re after once you get it.
A lot of my clients tell me that they want more clients or they want to reach a certain financial goal.
But what they’re chasing is the vehicle, and even once they reach it, they still don’t feel satisfied.
In this episode, I share an exercise I walk my clients through to uncover what truly matters.
This simple shift helps you get what you want sooner, without the endless chase.
Covered in this episode:
Why “more clients” or “more revenue” never feels like enough.
An exercise to uncover what really matters to you.
How to make important decisions more easily.
Uncovering your highest priority.
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcf0CcYK3MtnITQCyGXoVVR-eTu8SEbAV
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
“We like your work but we’ve decided to go with another agency.”
Does this sound familiar?
If you’re tired of prospects comparing you with other agencies, you need to hear this week’s episode of the Creative Courage podcast.
The most successful creative business owners I’ve worked with have gotten to where they are by differentiating themselves in a way that makes them incomparable.
But with 1000s of agencies out there offering similar services, how do we differentiate?
I’m going to go over the 4 P’s of positioning - the key elements you need to understand as a creative service provider to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Covered in this episode:
How to avoid pitching against a dozen other agencies.
How to immunise your business from being replaced by an AI solution.
Uncovering the unique qualities that make your business stand out.
Identify the right niche for your business.
And more…
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcf0CcYK3MtnITQCyGXoVVR-eTu8SEbAV
Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
How often do you stop to think about why things have or haven’t gone well?
If you’re like most creative business owners, probably not very often.
And the problem with this is that you could be missing the strategies that led to your successes and failures. Meaning it’s harder to repeat the wins and avoid more losses.
As we move into the last quarter of the year, I want to help you to achieve any outstanding goals you’ve set before the year ends.
I’m going to run you through a process that I do with my clients every 90 days, to discover what is and isn’t working, to give you more clarity and help you keep up the momentum.
Covered in this episode:
How to identify what is and isn’t working in your business.
Where to shift your focus so you attract more wins.
A repeatable process to figure out what you need to do more of.
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcf0CcYK3MtnITQCyGXoVVR-eTu8SEbAV
Wednesday Sep 17, 2025
Wednesday Sep 17, 2025
Do you ever feel like you know what you need to do to drive your business forward, but you end up spending your day doing everything except that thing.So many creative business owners blame a “lack of time” for slow growth.
But ‘time’ is rarely the culprit.In this episode, I’m joined by Simon Alexander Ong - keynote speaker, life coach, bestselling author and YouTuber with 170,000 subscribers.
Simon and I dive deep into how to re-energize yourself, how to get maximum impact from your day, and the mindset shifts that can turn your biggest goals into reality.
Covered in this episode:
Why a lack of time isn’t what’s holding you back.
How to cut down your responsibilities and focus on what moves you forward.
Productivity hacks you’ve probably never heard of.
The ‘gamification hack’ to make challenging goals achievable.
How to stack the odds in your favour and become a “luck machine”.
Selling with confidence if you get nervous on sales calls.
How Simon secured book endorsements from Simon Sinek and Ali Abdaal.
How to tell if you’re building the life and business you really want.
And more…
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Energize (Simon’s Book) - https://simonalexanderong.com/book/ Simon’s Newsletter - https://simonalexanderong.com/shots-of-energy/
Simon on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@simonalexandero/videos
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Simon Alexander Ong on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonalexanderong/
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcf0CcYK3MtnITQCyGXoVVR-eTu8SEbAV
Wednesday Sep 10, 2025
Wednesday Sep 10, 2025
Have you ever made a choice that felt right in the moment, only to realise it was the decision from hell?
That was me recently.
I flew to Amsterdam, dropped $2,000 on a Mindvalley ticket, and instantly started regretting it.
Instead of enjoying the experience, I found myself frustrated that I’d wasted the money and beating myself up for not making the most of it.
But then something shifted.
I was able to reframe the whole trip and turn what felt like a mistake into something valuable.
In this episode, I break down how you can do the same, so you can transform bad decisions into powerful lessons.
You’ll learn how to make choices that align with your values, so no matter what the outcome looks like, it doesn’t have to come with a side of regret.
Covered in this episode:
How intuition can turn regret into value.
The key to making aligned decisions you won’t regret.
Turning sunk costs into valuable experiences.
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam
Wednesday Sep 03, 2025
Wednesday Sep 03, 2025
Do you feel like you’re undercharging for your work?
But you believe that if you raise your rates, you’ll scare prospects off?
Or maybe you’ve raised your rates already and you’re getting price objections.
Either way, this is for you.
In this episode, I break down why pricing isn’t about the number, it’s about how prospects perceive the value you deliver.
And I share how to completely change your prospects’ mindset around how much your service is worth, so you can double, triple, or even quadruple your rates without losing business.
Covered in this episode:
The real reason prospects say no.
How to reframe value so a higher price makes sense.
Why asking for a prospect’s budget NEVER works.
Exactly what to say when a client pushes back on pricing.
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam
Wednesday Aug 27, 2025
Wednesday Aug 27, 2025
There’s a fundamental shift happening in the creative industry, and it’s changing how we find and attract clients.
After a decade of coaching award-winning studio owners, I’ve seen even the most talented creatives struggle to consistently bring in dream clients.
And the reason is because they’re chasing attention instead of building trust. But with AI content flooding the internet, the world is getting noisier.
Standing out is harder than ever, and your portfolio alone won’t cut it anymore.
In this episode, I share with you the best way of fast-tracking your way to trust with your ideal clients, so you can reliably and predictably grow your studio.
Covered in this episode:
Why trust, not attention, is your biggest asset.
How to shortcut the trust building process.
Why content is becoming less valuable in an AI driven world.
A proven way to make trust predictable and repeatable.
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam
Wednesday Aug 20, 2025
Wednesday Aug 20, 2025
What would it be like to build a 6-figure business without having any clients?
No relying on client outcomes and schedules.
No more being treated like an employee.
That’s exactly what Greg Preece has done.
And in this episode, Greg shares how he escaped the stress of client work to build a content creation business on his terms.
Before Greg managed to turn his YouTube channel into a passive income machine, he’d reached a plateau with his earnings. But after a few key shifts, his income has skyrocketed, without having to serve a single client.
If you create content, or if you’ve ever considered building a content platform as an additional source of revenue, this episode is essential.
Covered in this episode:
How Greg was able to walk away from client work and still generate a 6-figure income.
The three pillars of successful content creation.
How to get more views and attract brand deals on YouTube.
Why “good” content isn’t enough anymore.
How to find a content niche and stand out.
The truth about AI and the future of content creation.
And much more…
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Greg Preece on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GregPreece
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Greg Preece on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregpreece/
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam
Wednesday Aug 13, 2025
Wednesday Aug 13, 2025
Do you ever feel like you’re not having the kind of impact you want with your business?Like when you reach the end of the year, you look back and ask yourself “did any of it matter?”
And even when you have a steady stream of projects and your clients are singing your praises, something still feels off.
You’re not alone.
And in this episode, I go over what to do when those feelings come up.
I recently had a conversation with a past client who’s found success but still feels this sense of unfulfillment and was considering starting a new venture. And there was one thing I told him to do first.
If you want to know exactly what to do when you’re feeling unfulfilled in your business, this is for you.
Covered in this episode:
Why success isn’t always fulfilling.
What to do when you don’t feel you’re making the impact you should be.
The key skills every entrepreneur needs before launching something new.
Why it’s easier than ever to launch new ideas.
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam
Wednesday Aug 06, 2025
Wednesday Aug 06, 2025
On the verge of burnout.
You’ve just lost a client.
A team member is off sick.
When it all hits at once, the default reaction is to push through.
But what if the answer to fixing your business is the exact opposite?
In this episode, I share why the first thing I often tell clients when everything is falling apart is that they need to take a break.
Last year, I stepped away for an entire month and came back with more clarity and focus than ever. This year, I did it again.
And nothing broke.
Now, I know our businesses are different, but I’ve seen it work time and time again. And in this episode I share exactly what to do to make it possible, so that you can reap the benefits.
Covered in this episode:
Why stepping away from your business could be exactly what it needs.
The 2 key moves you need to make for taking a break to be possible.
How to manage your finances in a way that allows you to take a month off while still paying the bills.
What to expect when you return (hint: it’s not chaos).
If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.
PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.
LEARN MORE
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam