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9 money mistakes I’ve made as a creative entrepreneur

Money mistakes are something we’ll all make, at some point in our life. We’re human – it’s part of the journey! 

So first of all, feel no shame about the ones you’ve made. You’re not the only one and you won’t be the last. Remember also that building a business is a long game – an adventure that will have highs and lows. Being committed and acting in alignment with that commitment is what will bring you success.

I’ve previously shared the 4 most powerful money lessons I’ve learned so far in my creative business journey. These are key principles I recommend every creative business owner really sit with, absorb and take action about. 

In this post, I’m sharing some of my biggest money mistakes and the additional lessons that have come out of making them. I’m hoping that in doing so, I can spare you from the setbacks they brought me. Continue reading “9 money mistakes I’ve made as a creative entrepreneur”

No Starving Artists – 4 Money Lessons to Debunk the Myth!

As a fellow artist, you’re probably not unfamiliar with money worries. It’s the way it goes since we chose to pursue the arts not just as a hobby, but as a career move, right?

Wrong! 

There are 2 misconceptions about creative people that get me really riled up

Continue reading “No Starving Artists – 4 Money Lessons to Debunk the Myth!”

3 ways to keep business going when life gets tough

Resilience can often feel like an abstract concept. Well, I have to be honest… the past five months have been really TOUGH!

Perhaps the toughest time I’ve ever experienced in my life. I unexpectedly lost two loved ones, including my brother with whom I was very close. My son-shine was diagnosed with Autism which has brought about a lot of learning how to adjust our life to better support him to thrive. I caught COVID during the rapid Omicron phase that took over Nairobi last December. While it was thankfully relatively mild, the weeks of fatigue afterward was real! And then my fiancé suddenly developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome – a rare autoimmune disorder that rendered him immobile overnight…

Continue reading “3 ways to keep business going when life gets tough”

5 powerful questions to help you deal with overwhelm

I don’t know about you but, for me, November is always the busiest month of the year. There’s so much to do before the end of the year and it feels like time is accelerating!

It’s very easy to let overwhelm take over. Too easy to let all the healthy habits established over the year to simply be thrown to the wind. After all, when you’re stressed out, you need cake and hours spent mindlessly scrolling, right?

Over the years, I’ve experimented with several strategies to resist this destructive, overwhelm-induced spiral and I’d like to share the ones that are working best for me right now. 

Get out a pen and paper and test them out by answering these …

Continue reading “5 powerful questions to help you deal with overwhelm”

Easy mental health ideas from our team: no stigma here!

Mental health is something our team talks about often and we’re all passionate about more open conversations on the topic. There’s no stigma here!

On this World Suicide Prevention Day, we wanted to share some of the strategies that have helped us on our individual mental wellness journeys.

This is the kind of journey that has no final destination: it’s a constant work-in-progress. But it’s the kind of ‘work’ that can actually become a joy and a pleasure.

We hope that in sharing, you get affirmation that you’re not alone, and that you also get some inspiration to explore on your own journey. Continue reading “Easy mental health ideas from our team: no stigma here!”

Opening a brick-and-mortar shop: a tested guide for creatives

Unexpected beginnings

6 months ago I took a risk and signed a lease for a studio/shop space for my business. 

It was one of my goals for 2021, but one that I anticipated to achieve in the Q4, not Q1!

We were deep in the pandemic – unknowingly a few weeks ahead of another wave. We’d had a great Christmas season with product sales but I was wary of being overconfident, only to be left with a significant business expense that I couldn’t sustain. 

Continue reading “Opening a brick-and-mortar shop: a tested guide for creatives”

Permission to steal my mentors and jumpstart your life!

We all know it’s a great idea to have mentors. People who’ve achieved success in the areas we’re aspiring to make our own. People who can guide us and offer tough love when necessary. Mentors who can help us get where we want faster and with less heartache. 

It’s amazing to have a mentor who you have direct access to. Somebody who can give you individualised attention and bespoke advice. However, that’s not the only way to enjoy mentorship!

We’re so lucky to live in an age where we can be mentored by people who live thousands of miles away from us. People we may never get to meet in person and who may never even know our names!

Here are some of my “virtual” mentors. People who, not just inspire me but, who I actively study and learn from. Continue reading “Permission to steal my mentors and jumpstart your life!”

This is how personal growth unlocked my business growth

One of the books I love reading to my son, includes a line that hits me every time: 

“If you want things to change, you first have to change YOU.”
[The Lion Inside]

Truer words were never written and I’ve come to appreciate how much this is also the case, when it comes to business. Personal growth is a prerequisite for business growth

This has certainly been my experience. I wanted to share some of the ways in which my personal growth and growth in business have been connected.

Continue reading “This is how personal growth unlocked my business growth”

9 ways to leverage creativity in business

Creativity has the power to change the world in all kinds of positive ways and helping us establish thriving businesses is one of them. 

Businesses that are sustainable in all aspects of the word – positively impacting our wellbeing; our communities and our environment. 

Unfortunately, creativity is still largely undervalued in our society. How many times has somebody asked me to “just give” them some ideas, without appreciating that my ideas are the most valuable thing I have to offer. My products and services are merely vehicles for the delivery of my ideas. Continue reading “9 ways to leverage creativity in business”

9 key elements of a personal brand

More than ever, it’s important to consider and intentionally craft your personal brand. 

What is a personal brand? 

A simple definition is: what you want to be known for. However, this isn’t just about what you offer but, the complete package that includes why and how.

People buy into people. Whether you’re selling a product, a service or even “selling” an idea. 

Continue reading “9 key elements of a personal brand”