Startup Creative | Your Go-to Source For Straight-up Business Advice

On today’s episode I share 3 hacks for helping you to navigate through times of feel stuck, lost or unclear about your business vision and direction. Inspired by a lot of practices and strategies that I’ve been implementing of late about how to reignite my passion and inspiration for my business after some time off.  A practical guide with 3 clear steps to take now and revisit when the feeling arises. It’s not always going to be easy and the ebbs and flows of business can be hard to manage but when we take time out of working in our business and revisit why we started and where we’re headed we can more easily regain focus and motivation. 

On today’s episode I caught up with the bubble personality, photographer and business coaching client of mine Sian Fay. Over the last 6 months or so Sian and I have been working together to redesign her personal brand and help her to scale her business in order to attract more of her ideal customers and dream work.  On completion of our time together Sian shared the many wins and successes she’s had in her business since working together and we reflected on the journey she’d been on to make her dreams and goals come to life.  In this episode Sian very generously shares the lessons she learnt, the [practical steps she took, the ways in which she mastered her mindset around money and her worth as a creative and how she was able to transform her business by backing herself.    A lot of people come to StartUp Creative for ‘how to start’ advice and we regally share the success stories of many well established entrepreneurs and businesses but in this episode we celebrate those still on the journey and the first ste

On today’s podcast I share insights from recent materials I’ve been reading and enjoying to creativity inspire my writing, teaching and business coaching.  Pulling on a variety of books, podcasts and lessons from the wisdom of First Nations people, the laws and lesson of nature and new commentary on time and our finite amount of it.  Books & resources I mentioned on the episode: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman  Sand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta  The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben  The Choice by Edith Ever  Happy Money by Ken Honda 

On today’s episode I discuss the rising fear of challenging economic times for small businesses, creative entrepreneurs and startup founders. As we learnt throughout the pandemic, there will be many unpredictable circumstances outside of our control that will inevitable challenge us as business owners and freelancers. Whilst we can not always predict or control outside events we can find hope that they are a natural part of life, business and growth and happening around the globe. As a business owner you should be taking time out of your business to consider how you are setting yourself up to handle the changing tides that ebb and flow so as to withstand the challenges and come out the other side stronger. During difficult times, many businesses owners will become fearful and begin to act from a place of lack, scarcity and comparison. This outlook can stifle business growth and cloud your ability to see opproetunies, new ways of doing business and growth. In this episode I share tips on how to get yoursel

Today's guest is the founder of Ora Health, an Australian based supplements company, Gabriel Perera. Coming from a background in the health industry, Gabe took a gamble on himself knowing that he had always wanted to have a crack at starting his own company and by the age of 40 knew that it was now or never. Gabe shares his inspiring and honest account of what it took to launch a product company in the middle of a pandemic, how he stands out in the supplement marketplace, his tips for health and wellbeing and many more practical and actionable tips for making your startup successful.    If you'd like to give Ora supplements a go, Gabe has kindly offered our listeners a 15% off code STARTUPCREATIVE15 which you can use at the checkout.    https://orahealth.com.au

On today’s episode I share my recent experience of feeling stuck and not sure what to focus on in my business when I lacked inspiration and motivation.  I share some insights into how to ride the highs and lows of business and what simple actions you can take to help you regain your momentum and get inspired to take action on your goals again.  If you’d like to check out the Halfway Reset that I mentioned on the episode to go through the full process that I taught in our recent webinar you can get the recording and step-by-step process here: https://www.startupcreative.com.au/product/halfway-reset-workshop-guided-goal-setting-process/ Get in touch here for 1:1 Business Coaching kaylene@startupcreative.com.au Here you can join our Level Up Masterclass https://www.startupcreative.com.au/product/level-up-masterclass/  Take the survey to be the first to hear about our upcoming dinner party eventshttps://kaylene3.typeform.com/to/pHcqPWou

Podcast regular Jai Long returns to the show to update us on how he managed to keep his business not alone online but thriving through the pandemic & gives insights into how he knows when to pivot and what plans he puts in place. Jai is a successful business coach, photographer and all around entrepreneur who isn't afraid to say it how it is, take big risks, share his lessons and take others on the journey with him.  In the episode we chat about money mindset and how to overcome fear of taking risks, bouncing back from mistakes and finding the motivation to get up everyday and work on your dreams and goals. An inspiring, practical and abundant chat packed with advice, real stories and insights into the mindset of successful entrepreneurs.

On today's episode we meet the owner of Gonzo Vino and wine company repairing the reputation of cast wine that sells delicious blends in 3L casts with incredible designs and a fun brand voice and message. Marcus was working in hospitality as a Sommelier (one of the highest achievements in the world of wine experts) and decided that he couldn't do it forever and wanted more. Since then he has been on the journey to start his own brand with an OG entrepreneurial spirit has pulled in favours, made mistakes, pivoted, hustled hard and juggled his 9-5 alongside building his side hustle. An inspiring story of someone who is truly passionate about what they do and who is willing to do whatever it takes to make his idea a success.    Be sure to check it out  https://www.gonzovino.com

Today’s guest we showcase the incredible talent that is Kerryn the face behind the inspiring, Melbourne cult brand Radical Yes. We discuss creating a fashion brand that is conscious and doesn’t play into the fast fashion world, how to fund your fashion startup without investment and creative ways you can do it yourself. Kerryn shares her down to earth tips and lessons on starting small and growing a loyal following that will come on the ride with you. Lots of incredible and actionable advice for someone looking to start their own fashion line and build a brand on your own personal values. 

On today’s episode we caught up with author, speaker and coach Rachel Service from the Happiness Concierge to get her expert advice on presenting, pitching and creating content with confidence. A natural and vibrant speaker herself Rachel has presented a TED talk and runs courses and workshops on presenting, leadership, pitching and so much more. It was an absolute joy to have Rachel on the podcast after meeting her at the very beginning of our careers over seven years ago. 

On today’s episode I chat all things creativity in the most fun and creative way with the fun, energetic and passionate creative that is Struthless aka Campbell. An online content creator who runs a studio, makes  Youtube videos, runs a podcast and illustrates. A legend in the game with honest, to the point and raw advice on how to make an idea stick, the power of creating outside of the box and a living, creating example of someone who has truly turned their passion into a viable business.  https://struthless.com

Nat and her partner have built a thriving marketing company that backs sustainable brands and businesses, Compass Studio. BCorp certified themselves Nat share why it was important for her to build their business with this in mind and how their brand values are reflected across everything they do. She shares some simple yet effective insights into the world of marketing we are all navigating and where and how a brand should go about developing a marketing strategy that works for them and will help to grow and scale their business. 

Recent author and curator of creative spaces and events, Madeleine More just released her first book with the a title that speaks to us all ‘I Didn’t Do The Thing Today: On letting go of productivity guilt.’ A topic that almost every creative entrepreneur and business owner I know struggles with, Madeleine share insights on how to overcome the inner critic that stifles our creativity when we think we haven’t done enough. Madeleine shares her insights into writing the book, getting a publishing deal and tips for those looking to do the same. 

In today’s episode, I chat with the founder of Australia’s new favourite toothpaste brand, RoccNaturals. Whist on materiality leave and surviving a global pandemic with her newborn baby Prue saw a need for a natural and sustainable toothpaste product that would be good for humans and the planet. In the short space of two years, Prue took the idea and not only made it a reality but has managed to scale to the business, off the back of her own funding to an Australian-wide major stockist. Rocc Naturals will officially be stocked in over 830+ Coles retail outlets around the country with an exclusive deal to expand her brand into more households looking to make the sustainable switch in their toothpaste purchases. Prue chats openly and honestly about the fear, risks, research, and rewards of starting and running her own company and the power of creating a brand that is a true and honest reflection of her own personal values and the role that that plays. Enjoy the episode and be sure to head to our Instagra

In today’s episode, I catch up with a fellow creative, author, and good friend of mine Amie McNee @inspiredtowrite for a raw and honest conversation about the comparison. We discuss where and how it shows up in our own lives and businesses and share some tips for overcoming it when it rears its ugly head. Comparison can lead to self-doubt, inaction, and shying away from going after our dreams and goals and can often cause people to quit before they’ve even started. When we are able to catch it in the moment, silence the inner critic and find healthy ways to combat it before it takes charge we are more likely to keep moving in the direction of our dreams and goals and find ways to collaborate instead of compare.

In today’s episode, I chat for the first time ever to the very talented and inspiring creative, author, and designer Ngaio Parr who also happens to be the designer of my book - How to Start a SideHustle. Ngaio has an incredible design career but after experiencing a number of sudden deaths in her life she was compelled to create a resource that she would have wanted to help her through the process. In this episode, we dive into the ‘Grief Companion’ Ngaio’s card deck and guide to experiencing grief and discuss where the idea came from, how she went about pitching it to a publisher, and tips for doing so, making time to work on her side project whilst running her creative design business and her tips for taking an idea and making it a reality. Enjoy the episode and you can check out Ngaio’s work here https://www.ngaioparr.com

In today’s episode, I address one of the most common struggles I see in my business coaching clients and that I have personally had to overcome on a regular basis in my own business - how do you ride the highs and lows of running your own business? Starting and running a business is hard work, full of uncertainty, and can change at any moment. Somedays we’re on top of the world and things seem to be going exactly as we planned and others are filled with fear, setbacks, and overwhelm. Nature is a perfect reminder that all of life fluctuates between different seasons of abundance and loss. Both states are necessary and hold lessons for us to learn. Today I share insights as to how you can emotionally prepare for the ups and downs and preserve your energy to stay the course and keep finding ways to show up and get the job done so as to not burn out in your business.

When life and business present us struggles, challenges, or setbacks there are two ways in which you can approach it, either with confidence and a level of self-belief that you have what it takes to solve the problem, endure the hardship and master the skills required to move through it or to feel a sense of failure, shame, and rejection. Research shows that those who have high self-efficacy ( an individuals belief in their capacity to execute the behaviours necessary to produce a specific performance outcome) are more likely to face challenges as something to be mastered, bounce back from setbacks and rejections quicker, approach threading situations with the belief that they can control them and are more likely to zoom out and problem solve. All necessary qualities for an entrepreneur who is bound to face many highs and lows on their journey of starting and scaling their business.  In this episode, I share research about this topic and tips for increasing your self-efficacy to better equip yourself to endur