Creative Courage

It feels like everywhere you look online, content creators and influencers are telling business owners they need to build a personal brand. But there are thousands of successful businesses without personal brands behind them, so why does everyone talk about personal branding like it’s essential? In this week’s episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes on my own personal branding journey. I recently had with Chris Do (The Futur), where we got into the truth about what personal branding really means and at what point should creatives consider building theirs. I also share insights from another conversation I had with James Martin (Made By James), who had a very different take, that might make you rethink how you see personal branding. If you’ve ever felt conflicted, or unclear about personal branding, this episode will help you find an approach that works for you. Covered in this episode: What is a personal brand? And do creative business owners need one? Where to start with building a personal brand. Why personal brands might not be as ‘authentic’ as they claim. Why people misunderstand personal branding. 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  Matt’s conversation with Chris Do - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE8qfhD4b8I  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 

What if you could attract 6-figure clients, regularly, without any outbound marketing? No outreach. No paid ads. This is what Alex Ghalleb has managed to achieve with his multiple six-figure consultancy business - with no full-time staff and no business development. Alex started out in the audio production industry, before moving into hospitality. And although you might not think of hospitality as a creative industry, Alex is bringing high-value client’s creative visions to life.  In this episode, Alex shares how creatives can over-deliver for clients so their reputation does the work for them. If you want to attract higher-value clients on autopilot, this is for you. Covered in this episode: Building a multiple six-figure business with no outbound marketing. What hospitality can teach creatives about client experience. The impacts of niching and choosing the right clients. How to ensure your clients are sold from the first interaction. How to build relationships that lead to consistent referrals. 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  Alex Ghalleb on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-ghalleb-13869194/  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 

Do you ever feel like there’s something missing from your life or business? If so, you’re not alone. But what you think is missing might not give you the satisfaction you’re after once you get it. A lot of my clients tell me that they want more clients or they want to reach a certain financial goal. But what they’re chasing is the vehicle, and even once they reach it, they still don’t feel satisfied. In this episode, I share an exercise I walk my clients through to uncover what truly matters. This simple shift helps you get what you want sooner, without the endless chase. Covered in this episode: Why “more clients” or “more revenue” never feels like enough. An exercise to uncover what really matters to you. How to make important decisions more easily. Uncovering your highest priority. 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 

“We like your work but we’ve decided to go with another agency.” Does this sound familiar? If you’re tired of prospects comparing you with other agencies, you need to hear this week’s episode of the Creative Courage podcast. The most successful creative business owners I’ve worked with have gotten to where they are by differentiating themselves in a way that makes them incomparable. But with 1000s of agencies out there offering similar services, how do we differentiate? I’m going to go over the 4 P’s of positioning - the key elements you need to understand as a creative service provider to differentiate yourself from the competition. Covered in this episode: How to avoid pitching against a dozen other agencies. How to immunise your business from being replaced by an AI solution. Uncovering the unique qualities that make your business stand out. Identify the right niche for 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  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 often do you stop to think about why things have or haven’t gone well? If you’re like most creative business owners, probably not very often. And the problem with this is that you could be missing the strategies that led to your successes and failures. Meaning it’s harder to repeat the wins and avoid more losses. As we move into the last quarter of the year, I want to help you to achieve any outstanding goals you’ve set before the year ends. I’m going to run you through a process that I do with my clients every 90 days, to discover what is and isn’t working, to give you more clarity and help you keep up the momentum. Covered in this episode:  How to identify what is and isn’t working in your business. Where to shift your focus so you attract more wins. A repeatable process to figure out what you need to do more of. 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

Do you ever feel like you know what you need to do to drive your business forward, but you end up spending your day doing everything except that thing. So many creative business owners blame a “lack of time” for slow growth. But ‘time’ is rarely the culprit. In this episode, I’m joined by Simon Alexander Ong - keynote speaker, life coach, bestselling author and YouTuber with 170,000 subscribers. Simon and I dive deep into how to re-energize yourself, how to get maximum impact from your day, and the mindset shifts that can turn your biggest goals into reality.  Covered in this episode: Why a lack of time isn’t what’s holding you back. How to cut down your responsibilities and focus on what moves you forward. Productivity hacks you’ve probably never heard of. The ‘gamification hack’ to make challenging goals achievable. How to stack the odds in your favour and become a “luck machine”. Selling with confidence if you get nervous on sales calls. How Simon secured book endorsements from Simon Sinek and Ali Abdaal. How to tell if you’re building the life and business you really want. 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  Energize (Simon’s Book) - https://simonalexanderong.com/book/ Simon’s Newsletter - https://simonalexanderong.com/shots-of-energy/  Simon on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@simonalexandero/videos  Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator CONNECT  Simon Alexander Ong on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonalexanderong/  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 

Have you ever made a choice that felt right in the moment, only to realise it was the decision from hell? That was me recently. I flew to Amsterdam, dropped $2,000 on a Mindvalley ticket, and instantly started regretting it. Instead of enjoying the experience, I found myself frustrated that I’d wasted the money and beating myself up for not making the most of it. But then something shifted. I was able to reframe the whole trip and turn what felt like a mistake into something valuable. In this episode, I break down how you can do the same, so you can transform bad decisions into powerful lessons. You’ll learn how to make choices that align with your values, so no matter what the outcome looks like, it doesn’t have to come with a side of regret. Covered in this episode: How intuition can turn regret into value. The key to making aligned decisions you won’t regret. Turning sunk costs into valuable experiences. 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/@Matt_Essam

Do you feel like you’re undercharging for your work? But you believe that if you raise your rates, you’ll scare prospects off? Or maybe you’ve raised your rates already and you’re getting price objections. Either way, this is for you. In this episode, I break down why pricing isn’t about the number, it’s about how prospects perceive the value you deliver. And I share how to completely change your prospects’ mindset around how much your service is worth, so you can double, triple, or even quadruple your rates without losing business. Covered in this episode: The real reason prospects say no. How to reframe value so a higher price makes sense. Why asking for a prospect’s budget NEVER works. Exactly what to say when a client pushes back on pricing. 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/@Matt_Essam

There’s a fundamental shift happening in the creative industry, and it’s changing how we find and attract clients. After a decade of coaching award-winning studio owners, I’ve seen even the most talented creatives struggle to consistently bring in dream clients.  And the reason is because they’re chasing attention instead of building trust. But with AI content flooding the internet, the world is getting noisier. Standing out is harder than ever, and your portfolio alone won’t cut it anymore. In this episode, I share with you the best way of fast-tracking your way to trust with your ideal clients, so you can reliably and predictably grow your studio. Covered in this episode: Why trust, not attention, is your biggest asset. How to shortcut the trust building process. Why content is becoming less valuable in an AI driven world. A proven way to make trust predictable and repeatable. 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/@Matt_Essam

What would it be like to build a 6-figure business without having any clients? No relying on client outcomes and schedules. No more being treated like an employee. That’s exactly what Greg Preece has done. And in this episode, Greg shares how he escaped the stress of client work to build a content creation business on his terms. Before Greg managed to turn his YouTube channel into a passive income machine, he’d reached a plateau with his earnings. But after a few key shifts, his income has skyrocketed, without having to serve a single client. If you create content, or if you’ve ever considered building a content platform as an additional source of revenue, this episode is essential. Covered in this episode: How Greg was able to walk away from client work and still generate a 6-figure income. The three pillars of successful content creation. How to get more views and attract brand deals on YouTube. Why “good” content isn’t enough anymore. How to find a content niche and stand out. The truth about AI and the future of content creation. And much 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  Greg Preece on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GregPreece  Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator CONNECT  Greg Preece on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregpreece/  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