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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

How to make the transition from being just a freelancer to becoming a studio owner? Erik Herrström, the visionary behind Studio Herrström, takes us through his journey from working as a freelancer, collaborating with giants like Spotify, Beats by Dre, Sony Music, Nike, and Google, to establishing his own studio. With over a hundred industry awards, Erik's expertise is undeniable. Yet, the path to owning a studio, building a team, and achieving business autonomy was filled with challenges,...

Looking to stand out from the competition and transform your creative business into something truly remarkable? Then it's time to “Stand the Flock Out!” with Jacob Cass, the brilliant mind behind Just Creative. Jacob's extraordinary path from aspiring design student to branding powerhouse, collaborating with giants like Nike, Disney, and even Jerry Seinfeld, serves as an inspiring blueprint for daring to be different. In this episode, Jacob pulls back the curtain on how he made his mark in...

Have you ever felt like you are holding yourself back and self sabotaging your growth? In thisepisode, we deep dive into the psychology behind some of our biggest internal limitations andhow we can overcome them. Building a business that feels authentic in 2024 requiresintrospection, courage, and determination. Anneli Hansson, a brand strategist from Sweden,shares how her journey of building a social media following of over 140,000 people hasn'tbeen a smooth ride. In this open and heartfelt...

If you want your creative work to have more of a positive impact on the world, but find yourself worrying if it will pay well, then this episode is for you. In this client case study, we explore how Colin grew his studio by niching down and only helping businesses that he really cared about. In this candid and authentic conversation, Colin shares the struggles of building an agency that did more than just pay the bills. We delve into strategies around pricing, client acquisition, and project...

What if there was a formula for success? One that was simple to follow and easy to implement? That’s exactly what I discovered (by accident) during this interview with Kristy Campbell from Pink Pony Creative. As I was asking Kristy how she built her following to over 200K on Instagram and secured a speaking slot at Adobe Max in front of 600 people, something became obvious… She used the exact same strategy to achieve ALL of her goals (without even realizing it). The best part is, she was open...

If sales and marketing feels unnecessary in your business, this episode is for you. Today, I’mjoined by Nick, Andi, and Alex from This is Distorted, an audio branding agency that hasworked with everyone from Defected Records to Dedmau5. In this episode, we delve into the transformative shift that allowed them to fall in love with thesales process and find ways to sell high-value services without resorting to sleazy andcringeworthy tactics. Discover how they moved away from sending traditional...

What is really possible for you and your creative business? This question might be the key tounderstanding what is genuinely holding you back from reaching your true potential.In this episode, Matt Essam explores some of the key ideas and discussions taken from a client retreat in Tenerife. He shares 3 big ideas that could transform the way you run your business, including: The power of possibility and how it holds us back. What leadership really means and why you should care. One of the...

In this episode, we break down how our client Kai went from relying solely on referrals to having an outreach strategy that lands him A-list clients in a few months. Topics discussed: How to understand and address client pain points to land clients through outreach How to use LinkedIn to uncover client secrets and build lasting rapport How Kai landed Bently as a client with an irresistible offer Anti Selling and the power of focusing on the client first  Mastering follow-up without seeming...

Saying no to unfit clients, knowing and charging your worth, and productizing your services are your crucial foundation to success. Being open to reevaluating and challenging the rules you set for yourself, especially in areas like pricing, will unlock greater business potential. Today, we're joined by the incredible Robin Waite – public speaker, bestselling author, and business coach. Discover Robin's journey from running his own design studio for over a decade to the transformative mindset...

Marketing isn’t about attracting everyone to your business. It’s about attracting your ideal clients. The clients that grow your business without growing your stress levels. In this episode, award-winning marketing mentor, Anna Rumbold, joins us to share her blueprint for attracting the kind of clients who we enjoy working with and pay us what we deserve. The first step is to get clear on who exactly our ideal client is. And Anna shares her insight into how we can do just that. The next step...

Is there something holding you back from putting yourself out into the world? Perhaps it’s a fear of judgement. Maybe it’s a lack of confidence. In the inaugural episode of Creative Courage, we delve into the mindset of pushing through fears and resistance and seizing opportunities with Chris Do, an Emmy award-winning designer, director, CEO, and self-proclaimed ‘loud introvert’.  Chris has struggled with his introversion, but this hasn’t stopped him from amassing nearly one million followers...

Are you a creative business owner? Do you ever feel like you’ve got more to give? That there’s a bigger impact you could make? Or is there an innate fear that’s stopping you from achieving your full potential? In this brand new podcast series, award-winning coach, author and speaker Matt Essam 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...