The Self-Employed Life

A lot of people look at Millennials as entitled. Others look at them as lazy. The truth is they are just shifting perspective and are incredibly resourceful. Millennials have found ways to solve new problems by taking the knowledge from previous generations and applying the technology available now. The Boomers kept a depression mentality, that you did whatever it takes in order to achieve the "Am...

People toss around the idea of integrity in business but I wonder if most really understand what it is. Perhaps more importantly, what the true downside is of being out of integrity. Integrity to me is more than a moral compass. It's the integration of your values and your behavior in business. It's knowing that what people don't see behind the scenes is more important that what they do see.  The...

When you think of a good leader, what do you think of? A good leader is someone who really knows the people that are following them. The people who follow them also know all about the leader. There needs to be a strong level of empathy. People need that emotional connection, and to feel invested. If you throw your power around, you're only going to get compliance - not motivation. Nothing gets don...

When you're a Creative Warrior, there is virtually no separation between you and your business. In fact, what we explore in this episode is the power to get the results you want in your business by advancing your personal development. The anchor of this episode is my favorite quote by Jim Rohn--"Your level of success rarely exceeds your level of personal development." Think of this as a moveable c...

Have you ever been in a meeting where you saw someone absentmindedly scribbling on a paper instead of listening to the presentation? Did you think they were being rude, not paying attention, and clearly not interested in what was going on? You couldn't have been more wrong. Doodling is a very powerful tool, especially for creatives. It's a way for the mind and body to remain engaged in what's goin...

As entrepreneurs we usually try to think of the next best product people will want. We come up with an idea, make it happen, and expect to see success. We know our products are better than anyone else's on the market, and that's all we need to be the successful - right? WRONG. It's that mentality that cost Microsoft billions of dollars in research and development when they created Bing. Although i...

One of the most common debates in business is whether to niche or not to niche. I suppose it works for some but I believe it is counterintuitive to the Creative Warrior's natural way of being. Do one thing? For just one group of people? But we are capable of being good at many things. To say nothing of it being a smart business model in today's world is to have multiple streams of income. Listen i...

We always hear people say, "Act your age!" But what does that really mean? What is someone who is 41 supposed to act like that's different than someone who is 40? We are told we have to grow up, but that can come with some dangerous consequences. When we try to "grow up" we lose the ability to take chances. We become afraid of the world. Adults don't play in the rain, they cower under umbrellas to...

When in business, we can often start following the "rules" of our industry. Thinking the way it's been done is the way it "should" be done. Of course, there also all these rules in life about proper behavior and the normal way to be in the world. Is normalcy the path to creating an outstanding life? I think not! Learn about the importance of playing by your own rules. Trusting yourself and standin...

Everyone knows that nothing holds a creative back more than themselves. We all think that we're not good enough. We get jealous of others, and give up before we even try. We believe our skills just aren't good enough. STOP.  You're just letting your inner critic control your brain. You need to learn to acknowledge the critic, and see what it's really telling you. You can learn a lot about yourself...

There's this interesting phenomenon that I've experienced and have coached many clients through. It's what I call the Soul's Gatekeepers. It's the challenges, doubts, and inner conflict that shows up when you least expect it. You're proud of what you've accomplished, you're on the cusp of a major breakthrough, you know you're on track and ready to give back, and BAM! You're faced with all this stu...

Do you ever feel down and worry you're going to be stuck there? Don't worry, that's a common feeling and one you should let go of. Everyone's life is full of peaks and valleys. Just know that you've felt happiness before, and that you'll feel it again. Trust in your journey, and let your happiness come from the path you are on. I know it's easy to say but taking action or even truly understanding...

As entrepreneurs and Creative Warriors, being in a funk every now and then is to be expected. It's unavoidable. Putting ourselves out there as we do, we subject ourselves to many circumstances and emotions. All of which can cause us to get in a funk now and then. But we don't want to stay there too long. It can suck the life out of us and kill our productivity. So here are some funk-buster ideas t...

We often blame outside sources for our own shortcomings. Some people blame money, others blame the economy, but very few are willing to accept responsibility. In the end, not looking internally to find the problems means you'll never be able to find a proper solution. This is commonly the reason many businesses and entrepreneurs fail. There's a level of pride and ego that stops you from seeing it...

One of the biggest challenges creatives have in business is that if what we are doing or what we have created is truly unique, then people won't know to ask for it. So, on one hand, we need to be unique and stand out. On the other hand, we've been told we must be searchable. Now, this is a dilemma. Yet another example that what got us here won't get us to where we want to go. Being searchable may...

Do you ever wonder why things aren't working? Maybe your numbers aren't as high as you want them to be, or maybe you're not getting the response from a market you wanted. We live in a world of data, and data doesn't lie. It's like you aren't analyzing your results properly. One of the first steps you need to take in order to come up with a solid strategy is to be able to properly gather analytics...

It seems entrepreneurs don't often consider themselves to be leaders. Well, I challenge that notion. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are perfectly poised to be leaders in their communities and have a major impact on the world. I point out that leadership doesn't have to look like the stereotype corporate leader. Creative Warrior leadership is a quiet confidence that is passionate, empathet...

We often believe that if we throw a wide net we'll catch more fish. This mentality doesn't actually work in business. If you spread yourself too wide you won't be able to find the audience you need. You'll end up having a hard time explaining yourself and your business, and people will not trust that you can do everything you claim. We are joined on this episode of Creative Warriors by Tamsen Webs...

This is the first time I've ever done a Talking Stick episode as a prelude to another episode. But the interview I have coming up with Tamsen Webster about finding your Red Thread™ is so important, I thought it would be helpful to provide you with some context ahead of time. What you'll discover is that there is a thread, a throughline, in all that you do. You may not be able to see it yourself ye...

It's common for people to build a business or start a career and then see it all start to fall apart. We may begin to lose that sense of fulfillment, or our sales start to suffer. This doesn't mean we are failures or aren't good enough. You've probably just outgrown your current situation. It may be time for you or your business to pivot and find a new direction. Becoming trapped in thoughts of "w...

It can seem a little trite to say "change your thoughts, change your results." We've heard it too often without anything concrete to help us understand it's effectiveness. My take on this is as Creative Warriors, we do need a different way of thinking because we've been handed a bunch of mindsets that don't work for us. We are often told to act differently than what's natural for us and how other...

We often times ask ourselves, "How am I feeling?" When we focus on this question, we concentrate on the negatives. What we should be asking ourselves is, "How am I thinking?" You need to concentrate on your outlook and the positive aspects of the journey you are on. Michael Glauser joins us this week to discuss the discoveries he made about entrepreneurship while bicycling across the country. On t...

As it's been said, entrepreneurs will work 80 hours a week for themselves to avoid working 40 hours a week for someone else. While I respect hard work, it doesn't have to be that way. In this episode, I offer 3 ways to make being in business easier in your marketing, working with the right customers, and with customer service. The best part is, these 3 ways of being are exactly what customers want...

What's stopping you from making money on your passions? Do you feel you're not ready yet? That your work isn't good enough? That you just don't have the time to get it all done? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the problem is you. We all strive to be perfect, or to be the best. Unfortunately, that's just not a reality. The best is in the eye of the beholder. Chances are you know...

In this special Memorial Day episode, a day when we honor the armed forces in the U.S., I wanted to suggest that we honor our past as well. So often as we move through life, transitioning from one thing to another, we close the door on the past instead of integrating our past into the future. Instead of closing doors, I suggest every door be left open a crack so that in the words of singer/songwri...