Creative Courage

Finding Your Flow and Achieving Your Potential with Hannah Power

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you feel like everything in your business is in flow? Where everything feels easy, it feels fun, it feels exciting… 
In this episode, I’m joined by Hannah Power, to discover how we can reach this feeling of flow more often within our business and our lives. Hannah is a personal branding and performance coach, best-selling author and the founder of Amplify. She’s coached over 500 people to help them to find meaning in their lives and achieve their potential.
We unpack how to recognise the symptoms of a lack of balance in our lives and the steps we can take to find that balance so that we can start attracting the clients that bring us success and make our business more easeful.
This is one of my favourite conversations that I’ve had on Creative Courage, and if you’re feeling stuck and unfulfilled in your business, I think it’ll be one of yours, too.
Covered in this episode: 
How to find flow in your business and life so you can achieve more whilst feeling less stressed.
Recognising the symptoms of a lack of message and purpose.
Are you in dreamer mode, achiever mode or performer mode and how do these states affect your business?
How to stop relying on external factors to find balance in our lives.
Why do some achieve happiness and success and others don’t?
Why so many of us are out of balance.
How to identify the next steps for achieving flow.
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 
The Dreamers Digest - https://www.amplifyu.io/thedreamersdigest
Flow Podcast - https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/flow-with-hannah-power-5335967
The Creative Life - https://www.mattessam.co.ukApply to work with Matt - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator
CONNECT Hannah Power on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahipower/
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

Achieve Your Goals Faster By Using ‘Parts Work’

Have you ever felt like you know what you need to do to take your business to the next level, but something inside is holding you back? It’s like you have one foot on the accelerator and one on the brake…
In this episode, I’m going to share a strategy that can help you break through this internal conflict and bring you closer towards landing those higher-paying clients, and saying no to the ones you know aren’t a good fit. 
It’s called ‘parts work’. It’s a type of therapy that’s been transformational for both my personal life and business. It involves understanding what parts of your subconscious brain are trying to protect you from and developing a strategy to get them working together towards achieving your goals.
Once you understand the principles behind parts work, you can resolve these internal conflicts much more quickly and feel frictionless movement in the way you approach goals and challenges.
Covered in this episode: 
Understanding the internal conflicts that are keeping you from achieving your goals.
Getting out of your own way so you can show up fully in your life and business.
How to get all parts of you working together to achieve the same outcome.
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 
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle - https://amzn.eu/d/1AOW8eF
Apply to work with Matt - https://resources.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

How To Attract Your Ideal Clients Through Storyselling with Mark Leruste

Wouldn’t it be nice to attract your ideal clients without having to send hundreds of proposals and spend countless hours on sales calls?
Mark Leruste joins me in this episode to share his strategies for doing just that. Mark is the king of ‘Storyselling’. His TED Talk, ‘What they don’t tell you about entrepreneurship’ has amassed over one million views, and he gets paid five-figure sums to speak for blue-chip clients like Google, Nike, and Adobe.
We have a focused conversation on exactly how you can use your story to attract your dream clients and gain the upper hand in creative pitches. 
Storytelling doesn’t come naturally to a lot of us, but the frameworks that Mark shares will allow you to plug your story into your brand and start truly connecting with your audience.
Covered in this episode:
How to use your story to attract your dream clients.
The 3-step framework to transform your portfolio.
How our attraction to stories is biologically ingrained in us all.
Why politicians tell stories over sharing figures.
How to turn client case studies into powerful client stories.
The 5 types of stories that you can use to connect with your audience.
How to guarantee useful testimonials from your clients.
Techniques for building empathy with your clients and making them feel seen.
How stories can make sales more enjoyable for creatives who hate sales.
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
Mark Leruste - https://www.markleruste.com/
Storycast - https://www.storycast.co/
Mark’s TED Talk - https://youtu.be/f6nxcfbDfZo
CONNECT
Mark Leruste on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markleruste/
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT?si=c5205d3971864d8e
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam

The Secrets to Selling as a Creative with Daniel Priestley

Sales don’t happen without people. So, why are so many creatives so adverse to building relationships?
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Daniel Priestley. Daniel is a best-selling author and entrepreneur, who launched his first company at 21 and grew it to a multi-million dollar enterprise by 25. He’s grown businesses around the world, and in this episode, he shares with us his insights on sales, gratitude, and success.
We dive deep into the skills and mindset that creative business owners need to grow their businesses. We speak about the importance of building relationships and how you can build them in a way that works for you. We get a look into Daniel’s mindset that enables him to perform as an entrepreneur and so much more.
Covered in this episode:
Why your relationships could make or break your business success.
How to build more relationships as an introvert.
How to get better at selling as a creative.
Understanding your worth and what you have to offer the world.
Escaping a downtrodden view of the world and the impacts that your mindset has on your business.
The concept of three mindsets: The Empire Builder, The Reptile, and The Autopilot, and how they can affect us as business owners.
The difference between creativity and imagination and why it’s so important to understand.
Understanding how to deliver real value that people actually need.
How using ScoreApp can help you to collect more useful information on your leads.
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
Daniel Priestley - https://danielpriestley.com/
Key Person of Influence - https://www.keypersonofinfluence.com/
ScoreApp - https://www.scoreapp.com/
CONNECT
Daniel Priestley on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpriestley/
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT?si=c5205d3971864d8e
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam

Capturing The Confidence of Your Clients with Dan Kennedy

Angelina Jolie, Drew Barrymore, Dua Lipa. These are just some of the famous faces that Dan Kennedy has photographed.
Dan is a London-based portrait and fashion photographer who’s worked with some of the biggest names in the world and he joins us in this episode to share his insight.
Not only does Dan share some incredible stories of his experiences of working with his celebrity clients, but he also gives us a look into the way that he captures the confidence of his clients and ensures he’s able to consistently get results to be proud of, often in a very short space of time - these are busy people we’re talking about.
We speak about how, as a creative, to stay ahead of the competition. We learn about the research that goes into each job before the client has stepped through the studio door. We go into strengths and weaknesses as a creative and why it’s important to understand and communicate them. And much more.
Covered in this episode:
How Dan Kennedy is able to take control and exude confidence in his photography sessions with famous celebrities.
The major faux pas that Dan has learnt from to avoid losing clients’ confidence.
The importance of resourcefulness as a creative.
Training the creative muscle and not getting left behind.
Knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are and capitalising on them.
What is the future of photography where AI is concerned?
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
Dan Kennedy - https://www.danielkennedy.com/
CONNECT
Dan Kennedy on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dankennedyphoto/
James Martin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dankennedyphoto
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT?si=c5205d3971864d8e
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam

Turning Your Story Into Success with James Martin

Are you putting your authentic self across in your marketing? Is there something holding you back from telling your story? 
James Martin, Founder of Made By James and Creative Partner at Lincoln Design Co. joins us in this episode to share his journey from accidental entrepreneur to successful agency owner. 
Made By James was a beautiful accident. Once he began to tell his story and started to reveal the inner workings of his talent, James found himself picking up 100+ logo design clients a year through his content marketing. The money was coming in, but something was missing.
I last caught up with James at Adobe Max in 2023. At the time, his partnership with Lincoln Design Co. was a mere concept. Now, that partnership has come to fruition, and it’s been a match made in heaven.
We get the behind-the-scenes on how James has been able to get to where he is today. James opens up about his past and we learn how he has been able to take ownership of his flaws and channel them into positive outcomes. And he shares plenty of advice for agency owners who want to take things to the next level.
Covered in this episode:
How James Martin was able to overcome the challenges of his past and build a successful agency.
Becoming a creative partner and not just an order taker.
How social media has changed the creative business landscape.
How to be truly authentic on social media.
The behind-the-scenes on James’ partnership with Lincoln Design Co.
How James was able to shift to charging fair rates for his services.
Why creatives and agency owners aren’t sharing their stories and how they can overcome those blockers.
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
Made By James - https://themadebyjames.com/
The Creative Life - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/
CONNECT
James Martin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-martin-3b594698/
James Martin on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/made.by.james/
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT?si=c5205d3971864d8e
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam

The Mindset Shift That Turns Challenges Into Opportunities

Unlock the secret to thriving in creativity and business - with this episode's deep dive into thepower of presence. Join Matt Essam as he uncovers how this singular mindset shift can notonly enhance creativity, but also transform stress into success, and uncertainty into clarity.In a candid discussion, Matt opens up about his personal journey, revealing how the practice ofpresence pulled him through tough times in business, inspired by the profound teachings in"The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle.
IN THIS EPISODE:
Delve into the philosophical underpinnings of presence with real-life applications thatwill impact your creative process.
Gain practical strategies to harness the power of now, turning everyday challenges intoopportunities for growth and innovation.
Discover meditation and listening as tools not just for personal development but as keyskills for business growth.
Transform your approach to creativity and business with the power of presence.
Inspired by this episode? Connect with Matt on LinkedIn to share your journey or suggesttopics you’re eager to hear about in future episodes.
LEARN MORE
Creative Life - https://www.mattessam.co.uk
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
Want a Custom Roadmap to Grow Your Creative Studio? Get yours for FREE in less than 10 minutes by clicking this link: https://social.mattessam.co.uk/LR98
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

3 Strategies To Reprogram Your Mind For Success

Picture this: you're faced with a daunting challenge, but instead of feeling overwhelmed, youfeel empowered and in control. How is this possible? Join Matt Essam as he uncovers threepowerful strategies that can help you reduce stress, reframe negative situations, and envisionthe success you deserve.In this episode, Matt reflects on his personal journey, where he faced significant challengesthat took years to overcome. He emphasizes that it's not the events themselves but ourinterpretations of them that dictate our emotional responses; he shares insights gained fromcognitive-behavioral therapy and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), highlighting theprofound impact of our thoughts on our emotions and behavior.
COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:
Understanding the impact of interpreting events on emotions.
Harnessing mindset to achieve goal-aligned actions and success.
How to understand emotional intensity and its interpretation.
How to embody specific behaviors and mindsets to influence desired outcomes.
Techniques for regaining control over emotions and thoughts.
Reframing perceptions and visualizing success using NLP techniques.
LEARN MORE
Creative Life - https://www.mattessam.co.uk
CONNECT
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
Want a Custom Roadmap to Grow Your Creative Studio? Get yours for FREE in less than 10 minutes by clicking this link: https://social.mattessam.co.uk/LR98
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

Unveiling the Traits of Successful Leaders and High Performers and with Dave Raybould

Are you the leader your business needs to grow? Whether you're a solo founder looking to grow into a small business, or you're an established agency looking to scale… There's 1 thing that's going to determine whether you can make that vision a reality or not—that's is your leadership skill.
In today's episode of the Creative Courage Podcast, I sit down with Dave Raybould who has spent the last decade coaching start-up founders running tech companies valued at $50 million dollars to military leaders responsible for more than 15,000 people, and we're now lucky enough to have him on our team as the head coach here at Creative Life.
In this episode, we dig down into the crucial skill that is: Leadership. You might think, "I'm just a creative; why do I need to improve my leadership skills?" You're not alone. Many creatives assume leadership is a skill reserved for the corporate world or those with "natural" talent, but here's the thing: leadership is crucial, even in the creative industry. Leadership affects everything from how you run your sales conversations and how much you can charge, to how you handle relationships with your clients and your team.
Without a strong leader, your business could be missing out on opportunities to grow and have the impact you want it to have. So, if you're looking to take that vision of your creative business from dream to reality, check out this episode.
COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:
How to recognise and develop the traits of elite performers to excel in your field.
Why you should apply leadership skills in all areas of life, from managing small teams to negotiating with clients.
How to effectively align resources and communicate with confidence, ensuring your vision and goals are understood and pursued by others.
Why taking ownership and responsibility is crucial for overcoming challenges and achieving success in any endeavour.
How to establish and manage clear agreements to foster accountability and prevent misunderstandings in professional relationships.
Why embracing introspection and courage leads to transformative personal growth and a more impactful leadership style.
How to adapt a solution-oriented mindset to navigate complex problems and lead your team or project to success.
Why building and nurturing relationships through empathetic leadership can significantly enhance team performance and project outcomes.
LEARN MORE
Creative Life - https://www.mattessam.co.uk
CONNECT
Dave Raybould on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidraybould2/
Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/
Want a Custom Roadmap to Grow Your Creative Studio? Get yours for FREE in less than 10 minutes by clicking this link: https://social.mattessam.co.uk/LR98
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

How to Take Back Control of Your Project Pipeline

Waiting for the next project to land on your lap? Do you feel like you're not in control of your business due to the unpredictability of sales and marketing? If you're anything like me, you've probably even found yourself feeling at the mercy of the market at times.We both know the drill: you're out here offering your big-ticket projects, usually in the $30k to $50k range, and it's great when clients come knocking with a specific need. You jump in, do your magic, and they're thrilled. But once the project wraps up, it's back to waiting for the next big thing.It's this cycle that, while rewarding, doesn't exactly make for the most consistent cash flow. And let's be honest, that can be pretty stressful. It's a tough spot because, more often than not, you can't just sell your main service straight off the bat. Clients need to have that very specific need, and timing is everything.That's where the concept of the "Logical Next Step" comes into play. It's something I've got to say, it's been a game-changer for me and all my clients. The gist is, instead of waiting around for clients to come to you with those big needs, you take a step back and look at their current situation.Get to know their immediate pain points, their challenges, and then offer something that might not be your core service, but still uses your skill set to solve their immediate problems. Think of it as a way to keep the conversation going, to provide value and build a deeper relationship with potential clients before they're ready for your main thing.If you're curious about what your Logical Next Step could be or how to use this strategy to get some cash into your business… Check out this solo episode of the Creative Courage Podcast where I show you how the Logical Next Step strategy works and I give real-life examples of how my clients have used it to keep generating revenue even when the market seems to be working against you.LEARN MOREThe Creative Life - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/CONNECTMatt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/Want a custom roadmap to grow your creative studio? Get yours for FREE in less than 10 minutes by clicking this link https://social.mattessam.co.uk/LR1OLISTENSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLiyYtBLe03JBC8LivIApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam