Creative Courage: The Creative Business Podcast

Why An “Authentic Brand” Doesn’t Exist with James Martin

“Be authentic.”
You hear it all the time in the branding space.
But what if authenticity wasn’t actually possible?
In this episode, I’m joined by James Martin (Made By James) for a very different kind of conversation.
We dive into the idea of why “authenticity” when it comes to branding is misleading, why so many creatives end up bored of their businesses, the shifts happening in the creative industry and a whole lot more.
You’re either going to love this conversation, or hate it.
And if you’re a James Martin fan, and want to hear him take the p*ss out of me, you’ll probably love it.
Covered in this episode:
Why “authentic” brands don’t exist.
Evidence vs. perception and why you need both.
Why followers don’t equal success.
What a brand really is.
Why creatives get bored more easily than most.
The shifts that are happening in the creative industry.
Defining your own version of success.
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 
James Martin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-martin-3b594698 
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 

You’re Paying Too Much Tax (Here’s How To Fix It) with Pali Banwait

You’re probably paying more tax than you need to.
And for a lot of creative business owners, that extra tax can become a real burden and slow down growth.
In this episode, I’m joined by Pali Banwait, who shares some advice on how you can avoid paying more tax than you should be paying.
But our conversation goes a lot deeper than tax.
Pali is the founder of Strive, which helps entrepreneurs set up businesses in Dubai and he’s also founded and invested in many other businesses over the last 20 years, which has given him a unique perspective on what makes a business thrive.
We dive into how to run your business like an entrepreneur and not just a creative, how to spot risk early before things go wrong, and why so many businesses are moving overseas.
If you want to keep more of what you earn, build a healthier business and stop wasting money through avoidable mistakes, this episode is for you.
Covered in this episode:
Why you’re probably paying too much tax and how to fix it.
The biggest misconceptions people have about setting up a business in Dubai.
How to know if moving your business is worth it.
The hidden risks most founders miss when making financial decisions.
Why you need more than just a bookkeeper to manage your business finances.
How a SWOT analysis can help you avoid upcoming risks and capitalise on your strengths.
Why reporting is essential for any business and how to get it right as a creative.
Getting feedback from clients and using it to grow 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 
Strive - https://www.strivedubai.com/ 
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT 
Pali Banwait on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/palibanwait/ 
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 

The VA Mistakes Most Founders Are Making with Richard Woods

Business is hard.
With delivery, sales, marketing, and everything in between, there’s too much to do, and not enough time to do it.
That’s why I tell creative studio owners that the first hire they should make is a virtual assistant.
And in this episode, I’m joined by Richard Woods - a three-time bestselling author, serial founder, and finalist on The Apprentice - to dive deep into how to leverage VAs to scale twice as fast.
Richard runs Million Dollar Sprint, where he helps small businesses get to a million dollars as well as Sprint VA, a global virtual assistant business with nearly 200 people.
If you don’t have a VA yet, this will help you figure out what to look for and where to start.
And if you already do, you’ll learn how to stop managing them so closely and get hours back each week.
Covered in this episode:
Why most creative business owners wait too long to hire a VA.
How to find the right VA.
The first task you should outsource in your business.
The common mistakes that cause outsourcing to fail.
Management strategies for those who hate managing people.
How to know when a team member isn’t working out.
What will separate businesses from the rest in 2026.
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 
Sprint VA - https://sprintva.co/courage 
Million Dollar Sprint - https://milliondollarsprint.com/ 
LinkedIn For Breakfast - https://www.skool.com/linkedin-for-breakfast/about 
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT 
Richard Woods on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardwoodsofficial/ 
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 

What Creatives Get Wrong About Content with Chris Do

Should you be creating content?
It feels like everywhere we turn, we’re being told we need to regularly pump out content to attract more clients.
And yet many creatives I talk to feel stuck when it comes to content.
They overthink it.
Or they post a couple of times and they decide it’s not for them.
But the reality is that most creatives don’t have a content problem.
They have a clarity problem.
In this 100th episode of Creative Courage, Chris Do returns for a conversation that goes way deeper than ‘how to get more followers’.
We talk about what people are missing when it comes to content, the first mistakes people make, why so much content gets ignored, and what stops people from sticking around.
We didn’t agree on everything… which made this one of the most valuable conversations I’ve had in a long time.
Covered in this episode:
Should every creative business owner be making content?
The first content mistakes most people make.
How to overcome the internal blockers that stop you posting.
What really makes people buy (and what doesn’t).
Why there’s more to content than marketing.
The missing “thread” in most content.
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.
 
LEARN MORE 
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT 
Chris Do on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo/ 
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

Freelance vs Agency: Which Model Gives You More Freedom? with Shoaib Ahmed

Should you run your business solo? Or is it better to build an agency?
It’s a question I hear often from creative business owners.
You started your business for more freedom and flexibility.
But somewhere along the way, things changed, and you end up with less freedom than you’d get from a 9 to 5 job.
In this episode, I’m joined by Shoaib Ahmed, who’s lived the agency life, and as a solopreneur. He built an agency doing £30k months with a full team, but realised he could never truly switch off.
So he burnt it down and went all in on his freelance business, where he specialises in helping people build their personal brand.
We break down the trade-offs between staying solo and building an agency and how to find real freedom in your business.
If you’ve ever felt torn between scaling up and simplifying, this is for you.
Covered in this episode:
The symptoms you’re building the wrong size business.
The ‘freedom trap’ most creatives fall into.
How to make a solo business work without doing everything yourself.
What people never measure when they talk about freedom.
How to structure your business so you can take time off.
The one thing more important than client acquisition that most creatives miss.
How to build trust and win business without constant outreach.
What most LinkedIn content gets wrong.
How to know when it’s time to change 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 
Shoaib Ahmed on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shoaibahmed21 
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 

The 3-Step System For Getting Sh*t Done in 2026

If you want 2026 to be a 10/10 year, you don’t need resolutions.
And you don’t need SMART goals.
In 2025, I wrote a book, hit 100 podcast episodes and launched a new coaching programme, all while running my multiple six-figure coaching business (and still took two months off).
And in this episode, I’m sharing the 3-step process I followed to make this happen. This is the same process I use with my clients to turn vague intentions into measurable results.
If you want 2026 to be a year you can look back on and be proud of, this episode will give you the exact framework to make that happen.
Covered in this episode:
Why goals often fail.
How to get clear on what you actually want.
Mapping out the exact actions you need to take next year.
How to keep yourself from giving up on your goals halfway through the year.
Why SMART goals don’t work for most creatives and what to use instead.
Why it’s easier to show up for clients than for yourself and how to fix it.
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

Are You Building The Wrong Business For Your Personality Type?

Most creatives see stress and burnout as a time-management problem.
Or a team problem.
So they hire more people. They implement new systems.
But nothing changes.
And if you find yourself burning out regularly, you’re probably looking in the wrong place for an answer.
Stress can completely break your creativity. And if you’re like me, you probably compare yourself to the Hormozis and Bartletts of the world, wondering why you can’t handle stress and pressure like they can.
But what I’ve come to understand is that not all personalities are built to handle stress in the same way.
Yet so many of us are modelling our lives and businesses on these serial entrepreneurs who are wired completely differently.
In this episode, we dive into why this is dangerous for your business, and how to build a business that works for you.
Covered in this episode:
Why stress shuts down creativity.
How different personalities process pressure and why it matters.
Why comparing yourself to other entrepreneurs is burning you out.
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

AI Will Make Creatives Invisible Unless They Do THIS with Paul Fernandez

Most creative businesses aren’t struggling because they’re not good enough.
They’re struggling because they’re invisible.
And in a world where AI can produce decent deliverables in seconds, visibility is becoming the difference between the businesses that grow and the ones that get left behind.
In this episode, I’m joined by Paul Fernandez, Co-Founder of The Growth Guys and Social Pitch AI. We unpack the truth behind what exactly creative businesses need in order to stay relevant.
If you’ve been feeling shift in the creative industry, this conversation will give you the clarity you need to stay one step ahead.
Covered in this episode:
How to stay relevant with AI replacing creative work.
The real reason creative experts are going unnoticed and how to fix it.
Why “know, like and trust” isn’t enough anymore.
How “unconscious incompetence” silently limits your growth.
Will AI replace creative jobs?
How to use AI in a way that builds trust instead of eroding it.
What creative businesses must offer to clients to survive.
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 
Paul Fernandez on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-a-fernandez/ 
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 

Why Fun Is The Secret Advantage And How To Get It Back with Adam Faulkner

Are you having fun running your business?
I’ve asked myself this question in the past and the answer hasn’t always been yes.
A lot of creative business owners hit a point where their business is ‘working’, but it’s boring. And that boredom drains the energy from their business.
In this episode, I’m joined by Adam Faulkner. Adam has been running a successful video production agency for over five years, but he reached a point where business became boring, and he knew that something had to change. 
Adam changed direction with his business and content and attracted the attention of a talent agent, and when he did, he started opening doors he never expected.
We dig into why fun is more than a “nice to have” and how it can become the compass for your business.
So, if you’ve been feeling bored, stuck or like you’re playing it too safe with your business, this is for you.
Covered in this episode:
Why fun might be the most underrated business advantage you’re ignoring.
How avoiding being overly strategic can actually help your business.
How Adam got picked up by a talent agent.
Why authenticity doesn’t need to mean oversharing.
The real reason content doesn’t stick.
Why ‘showing up consistently’ isn’t enough anymore.
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 
Adam Faulkner on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfaulkner 
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

How To Experiment Your Way To Finding Your Purpose with Chris Goor

Do you ever feel like something’s missing, despite having a portfolio full of great work?
You’re not alone.
Chris Goor has filmed some of the world’s biggest moments from the headline stage at Glastonbury to Usain Bolt breaking world records.
But behind the camera, something felt off.
Chris had built a successful career, but couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t giving him purpose anymore and 12 hour days, 7 days a week were leaving him at breaking point.
So Chris decided to experiment and made a shift out of the world he knew, building a personal brand with a following of over 100,000 people, where he helps others find their purpose through content creation.
And in this episode, Chris shares how he was able to make the leap and find success.
If you ever feel stuck doing work that doesn’t fulfil you, this is for you.
Covered in this episode:
How to know when it’s time to make a shift.
The first steps to moving towards something more purposeful.
How to build a following online without chasing trends.
Why your LinkedIn posts are being ignored.
Overcoming the perfectionism holding creatives back.
The key to turning followers into clients that’s often overlooked.
How to move away from work that no longer serves you.
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 
Chris Goor on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thechrisgoor/ 
Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT 
Chris Goor on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisgoor/ 
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