Creative Brand Sessions

In this special episode of Artist Magic, I had an informal friend-to-friend conversation with Sarah Weiss of Spiritheal Institute and the Earth, Love, Spirit Podcast. We spoke about entrepreneurship, marketing, and intuition, and it's a conversation you won't want to miss. Sarah brings decades of wisdom as a spiritual practitioner. One of our starting points for the conversation centered around our feelings with “hook marketing.” (Hint: we don't like it.) We wanted to explore the questions, “How do you promote your services and serve your audience, without hooking or reeling people in? How do you avoid false seduction in marketing?” Find more of Sarah's offerings on her website, https://spirithealonline.com — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com

Today I am getting personal and sharing my journey with anxiety and depression, how subconscious healing has helped me, and 5 specific things I've done to facilitate the healing process. — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. I will be hosting Community Coaching + Hypnotherapy sessions every month for a suggested donation of $33. Find out this month's theme and save your spot here: http://feelgrounded.co/upcoming  Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com

One way you can amplify your voice to its highest potential? Learn how to use a mic. Learning audio best practices is about more than audio engineering. It's about regaining the confidence to learn hard things. To try hard things. Even when they have been stuck behind the gatekeeper that is the patriarchy for so long. Men don't own this expertise! We can claim it for our own to share our feminine wisdom. In this episode I'm sharing all about why you can be tech savvy, and how subconscious modalities can help you with technology. — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. Enroll in Simple Audio Magic here: http://feelgrounded.co/upcoming  Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com

The Universe is in your favor. You and she want the same thing: for you to live a complete life, become your highest self, to live fully and wholly. You know deep down how you want to do that–it's called your dreams. Your dreams are your intentions to live the life you're meant to, and the Universe wants that for you too. So she'll do whatever she has to to get you what you want. And she works a lot better when she knows you want her help. She wants you to have a luxurious life. In this episode, I'm talking all about luxury in business and why it's so important to call in. — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. THE WAITLIST FOR SHARE YOUR MAGIC IS NOW OPEN! An intimate 3-month experience to clarify your content + embrace your authenticity Just imagine... You've uncovered your most magical vibration in your social media + marketing content You're channeling content easily every day You're finally looking forward to sharing your gifts with the world and reaching your ideal audience online Finding your state of flow with the arts is easy, and it can be the same with social media: Embracing the art of intuitive posting to sell easily and effortlessly online. All the details are here: http://megan-kuhar.com/shareyourmagic  Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com

You really desire an audience who is ready to invest in your art, who wants to engage with you and who is inspired by you, so you can live a creative life. And your behavior is telling them otherwise. What is going on? When it comes to sharing your artist magic with the world, your goal may be to inspire others who are going through similar experiences as you. Yet that's not what your audience member desires. In today's episode we're breaking down what they (and you!) actually want. — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. THE WAITLIST FOR SHARE YOUR MAGIC IS NOW OPEN! An intimate 3-month experience to clarify your content + embrace your authenticity Just imagine... You've uncovered your most magical vibration in your social media + marketing content You're channeling content easily every day You're finally looking forward to sharing your gifts with the world and reaching your ideal audience online Finding your state of flow with the arts is easy, and it can be the same with social media: Embracing the art of intuitive posting to sell easily and effortlessly online. All the details are here: http://megan-kuhar.com/shareyourmagic  Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com

How much money per year do you delegate to spending on gear? Like guitar pedals or drums or a new bow or new strings or whatever your instrument needs? New music, new software, new plugins? Think of that number.  Now, how much money per year do you delegate to spending on your personal development? Like healing trauma, group coaching, online courses, or business assessments? Which number is higher? I hear from a lot of artists and musicians throughout my work, and I would say that the majority of them would rather buy a new piece of gear than pay for business coaching. And today we're going to talk about why. — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. THE WAITLIST FOR SHARE YOUR MAGIC IS NOW OPEN! An intimate 3-month experience to clarify your content + embrace your authenticity Just imagine... You've uncovered your most magical vibration in your social media + marketing content You're channeling content easily every day You're finally looking forward to sharing your gifts with the world and reaching your ideal audience online Finding your state of flow with the arts is easy, and it can be the same with social media: Embracing the art of intuitive posting to sell easily and effortlessly online. All the details are here: http://megan-kuhar.com/shareyourmagic  Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com

Do you ever wish you could bottle up inspiration to use whenever you need it?  You can. Inspiration comes to you when you're open to receiving it. This happens when you are in flow, when you are more in your subconscious mind than your conscious mind.  If you really want to make more progress in your creativity, business, or life, you can't wait until inspiration strikes. You have to beckon it to you. In this episode I'll share several ways you can create those moments of subconscious flow on purpose. — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. JOIN MY PATREON! * Group masterclass every month with your new artist besties * Channel your intuitive artist magic in a collaborative environment * Refresh your creative energy and get inspired to be your best self * Private Instagram for Patrons only * and more! Tiers start at $5/month. All the details are at http://patreon.com/artistmagic Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com  Download my free Safe to Be Seen hypnosis here: http://megan-kuhar.com/#signup

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: I used to run my business around planning content. I sold a product called the Content Alignment Toolkit, I was on podcasts talking about panic-posting, I built my brand around planning a month in advance. I do not believe in any of that anymore. In today's episode, I am talking about what my intentions were with planning in the first place, why I don't do it anymore, and what I do instead. Hint: It makes for a much more magical social media presence. Fill out my form to apply for 1:1 coaching here: http://megan-kuhar.com/coaching  Thanks to Olivia Clark for providing the testimonial clip in today's episode. — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. JOIN MY PATREON! * Group masterclass every month with your new artist besties * Channel your intuitive artist magic in a collaborative environment * Refresh your creative energy and get inspired to be your best self * Private Instagram for Patrons only * and more! Tiers start at $5/month. All the details are at http://patreon.com/artistmagic Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com  Download my free Safe to Be Seen hypnosis here: http://megan-kuhar.com/#signup

“Something will happen.” That's where we're picking up today's episode. I want to speak to those of you who feel like you are in a cycle of perfecting, tweaking, or even imposter syndrome.  I see you. I feel you. I was you. But repeat after me: Messy is magical. If you're creating content out of fear or another negative place, you're probably doing things like copying trends, posting irregularly, diving deep into Instagram wormholes doing that comparison game, complaining about the algorithm, etc.  But remember: if you're not sure what to do next, that's okay. Something will happen. Do something. Then something will happen. Then something else will happen. Then something else will happen. You will get so much out of just taking action and making it messy.  Note: You'll get the most out of this episode if you listen to it while you are in a quiet space, free from distractions.  — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. JOIN MY PATREON! * Group masterclass every month with your new artist besties * Channel your intuitive artist magic in a collaborative environment * Refresh your creative energy and get inspired to be your best self * Private Instagram for Patrons only * and more! Tiers start at $5/month. All the details are at http://patreon.com/artistmagic Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com  Download my free Safe to Be Seen hypnosis here: http://megan-kuhar.com/#signup

Well, friends, I'm back. It's been a year since I last shared an episode with you. And I mean it's been A YEAR. In this first episode back, I'm sharing all about why I believe pivoting is one of the most magical things you can do in your business. The core of my message is the same: musicians and artists embracing entrepreneurship and changing their outcomes. On the outside, I look like I've taken a 180. But on the inside, I feel more closely aligned to myself than ever. And I don't think I'm that far off from where I was when you last heard from me. Today I'll share more about why and what you can expect from this new iteration of my podcast. — Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. JOIN MY PATREON! * Group masterclass every month with your new artist besties * Channel your intuitive artist magic in a collaborative environment * Refresh your creative energy and get inspired to be your best self * Private Instagram for Patrons only * and more! Tiers start at $5/month. All the details are at http://patreon.com/artistmagic Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com

I'm Megan Kuhar, and I'm an intuitive, Life & Success Coach, and hypnotherapist who can help you learn to channel your artistic energy to make magic happen in your life & business. If you're a musician or another type of artist who feels stuck in your career or life, you're not alone. I've been teaching and coaching musicians and artists for nearly 10 years, and in that time I've discovered something vitally important: We are all harming each other with our intense fear of “selling out,” and it's translating to us making less money and being stuck in a cycle of scarcity. On Artist Magic, we focus on overcoming the anxiety and fear that is stopping you from your desired outcome. We talk about making more money, sharing your voice, healing your recurring "sticky points" that are stopping you from leveling up, and so much more. When you learn how to grow your artist business using intuition, magic can happen.   –   Artist Magic podcast is available on YouTube + all major audio streaming platforms. JOIN MY PATREON! * Group masterclass every month with your new artist besties * Channel your intuitive artist magic in a collaborative environment * Refresh your creative energy and get inspired to be your best self * Private Instagram for Patrons only * and more! Tiers start at $5/month. All the details are at http://patreon.com/artistmagic Instagram: http://instagram.com/megankuhar Twitter: http://twitter.com/artistmagic_ Website: http://megan-kuhar.com  Download my free Safe to Be Seen hypnosis here: http://megan-kuhar.com/#signup

I often have my clients journal in order to provide more opportunities for self-reflection, because the best way to improve your mindset is to pay attention to it. So often we go through life ignoring our thoughts or just letting them take up space without really thinking about why we’re thinking them. But the truth is, when you spend a lot of time on self-reflection, journaling, paying attention to your thoughts, working on mindset… you can get sucked into a situation where you don’t actually DO anything. It can prevent you from actually TRYING and taking action. Sometimes the best way to get inspired and improve your mindset is to interact with others, network, get conversations going, work with clients… remember my disagreement with Yoda I’ve mentioned before? There IS the option to try, and I want to talk today about making sure that you also incorporate that action into your CEO habits. So if you’ve been spending a lot of time thinking, journaling, diving deep into mindset blocks, money blocks, reading books on manifesting, trying to figure out your purpose as an entrepreneur… whew, then this episode is for you.

Join me this week as I dive into some deep entrepreneurial thoughts with my former client Gail Gallagher, a singer-songwriter, composer, and teacher/songwriting coach. Gail and I talked about her journey building her brand, as well as her thoughts on how life purpose and knowing your impact can affect who you show up as online. If you’re looking for some inspiration or permission to show up as authentically as you can, this episode is for you. Gail's Instagram: instagram.com/sparklebardgail Gail's Website: gailgallaghermusic.com Gail's album The Power of the Unnamed Passion: gailgallagher.bandcamp.com/album/power-of-the-unnamed-passion Transition song is "Deep Thoughts" by Gail Gallagher, used with permission from the artist. - Join my Maximize Your Clubhouse Impact workshop: Use coupon code BETA to get $300 off full price. Clubhouse has been an AMAZING tool for me to get leads for my business and I cannot tell you how much it has transformed my networking game! Learn more at http://heymegan.club

This week I want to talk about a common mindset quicksand pit that many entrepreneurs find themselves falling into, including myself sometimes. It’s that feeling of “why isn’t this [fill in the blank] working for me?” That causes the quicksand to start to take you in. Why isn’t my post getting any likes? Why isn’t anyone booking calls with me? What am I doing wrong? Why does the algorithm hate me? Why am I not getting the success I want? Why am I still in the same place now that I was in last year? These are all thoughts you may have had before, or maybe you’re having them now. And living in these thoughts can really start to make you sink deeper and deeper into not getting anywhere. That’s why I call it the quicksand pit of doom. If you live in these thoughts, your business is doomed. Straight. Up.

I started my first business in 2010. Over the years, my business didn’t grow but the intensity of my work did. It was like opposite lines moving on a chart. One plummeted while the other skyrocketed. And it wasn’t going the way I wanted it to. I used to stay up late every night and work on my business. I used to take calls and record podcasts starting at 7pm after the baby went down, which was a terrible idea. I was missing out on a lot—mostly sleep, and time with my husband. And I wasn’t gaining much financial value from it at all. Now that I don’t work in the evening anymore, I am able to do more relaxing things, like watching Bridgerton and knitting… and that’s what I want to talk about today. Knitting.

You’ve probably learned that as humans our instinct with fear is to either fight it, or run away. Fight or flight, right? But I recently learned about a third instinct, and that is to play dead. In today's episode, I'll be sharing how each of these 3 fear responses show up for entrepreneurs, and what you can do about it. Show notes are available at: https://www.megan-kuhar.com/notes

Hi, I'm still here! Things have been crazy and it seemed like a natural time to pause and end Season 3. I just wanted to give you a little update and let you know what is in the works over here. 

I talk a lot about being aligned online and in your work as a Creative. But today I actually want to talk about the other end of the spectrum: What it’s like to be misaligned. In this special milestone episode, I'm sharing 10 results of misalignment: 5 ways it affects you, and 5 ways it affects your content. Show notes are available here: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/notes Book your free mini-session: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/minisession

The reality is podcasting is just like any other business. If you get stuck on the nitty gritty things—like your microphone or your aesthetics or whether you should sound perfect and not ever say “umm”—then you’re missing out on the main point altogether. So today I am sharing 5 key points you need to know about your podcast, ideally before you start it. Show notes are available here: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/notes/what-you-really-need-to-know-about-podcasting Book a free mini-session: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/minisession  

This week I want to talk about running a business, and what it can mean for you. Imagine not having to worry about living gig to gig or project to project. As a creative, you have so many learned and inherent skills and resources that are incredibly valuable in an entrepreneurial setting. Use them to start your own career! Plus, I'll share 3 steps you can take NOW to get started on building your dream business. Show notes are available at: http://megan-kuhar.com/blog/why-you-should-start-an-aligned-business-as-a-creative

Today is all about being brave in self-promotion. It’s not a simple “check” off of your To Do list to be brave. Courage is an ongoing, forever process that gets more challenging as you go through it. The more you take brave steps, the bigger the steps get that you should take. With each step, you grow and you gain wisdom. But each step forward in braveness is a step away from simplicity. In this episode, I'm sharing three suggestions for how to practice being brave online. Show notes are available here: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/notes/to-self-promote-you-need-to-be-brave

Never stop growing. That is so important to me. And as I get deeper and deeper into entrepreneurship, I can see that that philosophy doesn’t always align with my field. In fact, “never stop growing” more accurately applies to business for entrepreneurs and not to personal development. Many are more concerned with making more powerful connections, making more sales, making more money, and equate “growing” to increasing their reach and revenue. Well, that’s not me. That’s why in today’s episode, I’m talking about why I believe personal development is one of the most important pieces to the entrepreneurial puzzle. Show notes are available here: http://megan-kuhar.com/notes/self-improvement-and-personal-development-makes-you-a-better-entrepreneur Book a free mini-session: http://megan-kuhar.com/minisession

Today I want to talk about celebrating your losses. It seems counterintuitive, but it’s something I have recently started doing for myself and for my clients. Have you ever gotten some bummer news, like a client is dropping you, or a student is changing teachers, or a proposal or audition was rejected? Sure you have. How often have you received that news and honestly thought to yourself, “Awesome, glad to know that stage is over. Moving on to something better!” If you have a hard time dealing with disappointment (don't we all sometimes!) then today's episode of Creative Brand Sessions is for you. And by the way, it's the 1 year anniversary of my show! Please leave me a review & rating to let me know you've been listening. Thanks for being here!

In today’s Coaching on Air episode, I’m joined by poet and podcaster Jason Brown. Jason has a lot of wheels turning and wanted to talk about how to keep everything in focus. In his words, he said, “I have a million great ideas,” and he wanted to learn more about how to be efficient and effective with bulk scheduling, and content creation across all of his platforms. In this episode, we talked about: How to split one piece of content into several social media posts Thinking about the “journey” your audience goes on between all of your different platforms Ideas for posting consistently without being boring or repetitive Why posting regularly on your blog is really helpful for your online presence, and how to do it efficiently Jason's website: https://www.darkmtr.com/ You can find the rest of the links for this episode in the show notes at http://megan-kuhar.com/notes/coa-jason 

When you and your work are aligned, it becomes easier to say no to requests or opportunities that come up that don’t quite gel with your inner purpose. Saying no is, in fact, a lot easier when you know what you want to say yes to instead. But it can still be tricky to reject someone, so today I’m sharing a few tips for how to say no like the confident boss I know you are. Show notes are available here: http://megan-kuhar.com/notes/how-to-say-no-like-a-confident-boss

Some of my most embarrassing moments as an entrepreneur include one lesson that I had to learn over and over again. Here it is: Alignment comes from following your true purpose--not from forcing it. My mistake has always been trying to force myself into situations that I wasn’t aligned with, contorting myself into the ideal version of a person who would thrive in that environment. So how do you discover what makes you aligned? I'll share what I did to figure out my "alignment formula," so maybe you can too. Show notes are available here: megan-kuhar.com/notes/discovering-what-makes-you-aligned

As an educator, I’ve taught technology related courses to people across many age groups--from senior citizens to middle schoolers. And one thing I see in common is this ongoing frustration or fear when it comes to operating with technology. Not everyone has it. There are always students who thrive in a tech space, or at least who don’t feel intimidated by it. But it honestly hurts to see so many people struggle with tech. I don’t want people to be stressed when they are working on a computer. That's why in today's episode, I'm sharing 3 common limiting beliefs I hear from students and entrepreneurs regarding technology. And I want to tell you why they are most likely stopping you from fulfilling your full potential, and how you can reframe them to shift your mindset. Show notes are available here: megan-kuhar.com/notes/what-youre-saying-about-technology

If you’ve found yourself feeling like promoting your creative project is not for you, then maybe you’re actually subscribing to a few beliefs that are keeping you rooted in negativity. Today I’m sharing 4 common limiting beliefs that keep you stuck and prevent you from really showing up and serving value on your social media. Show notes are available here: megan-kuhar.com/notes/4-limiting-beliefs-about-marketing

Hey you! Yeah, you. Why aren't you planning your content yet? Today I’m going to share a few misconceptions about planning content that are maybe the reasons why you haven't started. By the end of this episode I hope you are as excited as me about batch working your content, because I have a new tool that I just launched that will change. your. life. And if you are planning your content, you'll still learn a ton from this episode, so go ahead and dive right in! Show notes are available here: megan-kuhar.com/notes/planning-your-content

Grow, learn, show up. It can be difficult to find the motivation to be and do all of the things. I find that sometimes, a lack of motivation or inspiration is really just a lack of understanding or a mental roadblock. If you can widen your perspective a bit, you may find a renewed excitement and a new meaning in the area you were previously feeling kinda "blah" about. In today's episode, I'm sharing 4 ways you can find the motivation and inspiration when you just aren't feeling it. Show notes are available here: http://megan-kuhar.com/notes/how-to-find-motivation

It's Season 3, we're in our new Creative Brand Sessions territory, and we're talking about some hard stuff right off the bat: What to post on social media during a crisis when you don’t know what to say. I'm sharing 3 types of posts that show you're listening, learning, and taking action, but that don't come from a place of shame, panic, or fear. Because it's important we don't make these moments about us. It's not about how woke we are or how ashamed we are. It's about listening and showing support. It's about taking action. Show notes for this episode are available at megan-kuhar.com/notes

Hello and welcome to Creative Brand Sessions! My name is Megan Kuhar and it’s my belief that all artists and creatives can stay true to themselves while being totally aligned online. That’s why my podcast is all about giving you practical advice, resources, inspiration, and how-tos to help you gain the confidence to grow your creative career in the online space… without you feeling phony, braggy, or narcissistic. I’ll help you get more productive, motivated, and strategic in your creative business, so make sure you click subscribe and check out new episodes every Wednesday. See you soon!

It’s the last episode of Season 2! I have a big announcement to make: I'm changing my podcast name and my podcast format. I'm SO excited for this new phase and can't wait to tell you all about why I'm making the change, and how it fits into my brand journey. I also want to talk about a question I get a lot, especially from younger artists who are just starting out: How do I stop comparing myself to other artists? My 50% off promo for the Fan Finder Mindset ebook ends 5/29! Get yours at megan-kuhar.com/mindset and use code STAYHOME.

On today's Coaching on Air episode, I chat with Heather Batchelor, a pop/soul artist based in Nashville who is struggling to find an engagement and posting system that she can handle on Instagram. She feels the lack of consistency and frequency is stalling the growth of her account, and has tried everything from hiring a social media manager to planning her grid. I shared with Heather a few ways to plan with purpose, and how to dive into content that you can share every day without totally burning yourself out. Plus, we talk about why sharing only when there are special announcements or events going on is doing a disservice to your audience. Links: Heather's Instagram: instagram.com/heatherbatchelor/ Episode 26: Real Stories and Real Results from Indie Musicians Highland Kites Save 50% off the Fan Finder Mindset with code STAYHOME: megan-kuhar.com/mindset

I know it’s rough to want to collaborate and connect with people, but be stuck connecting with a screen instead.   I love technology and even I am getting worn out by it. I miss connecting with people face-to-face.   But the thing is, all this time, even before we were forced to eliminate face-to-face contact, we’ve had social media as an outlet for connection. It’s been there, underutilized, all this time.   So in this episode, I'm sharing 5 ways you can connect with your audience virtually as a creative entrepreneur. Don't forget to pick up my ebook for 50% off with code STAYHOME at megan-kuhar.com/mindset!

What do you do when your number of your followers isn’t growing and it’s really bumming you out? That’s what dancer Calah Beale asked me on this episode of my Coaching on Air series. She recently hired a videographer to create 4 dance videos for her, but now she’s frozen and hasn’t gone beyond just sharing one. “I want to gain more followers because most dancers don’t take you seriously unless you have a lot of followers,” she explained. But when it came down to it, she hadn’t shared more videos because she wasn’t sure if she was ready to grow yet. Links: Subscribe to my YouTube channel! Calah’s Instagram Calah’s YouTube That super awesome dancer on YouTube that I totally blanked on: @donte.colley If you’re like Calah and you’re struggling with your mindset while you try to grow your social media following, then check out my ebook the Fan Finder Mindset. It’s perfect for you! And it’s 50% off for a limited time with code STAYHOME. That’s just $18.50! Buy it here: megan-kuhar.com/mindset

Let’s talk about NETWORKING. (Did you just get a shiver or was it just me?) So many artists cringe at the idea of networking, probably because a lot of us are introverts, but we know it’s something we need to continue to do in order to grow our careers. Katherine Forbes, a self-proclaimed “100% introvert,” has realized that confidence in networking comes with time and practice, and that the most successful networking conversations are done one-on-one—not even necessarily in person! So if you’re stuck at home like most of us are, now is the time to start networking. For real. Links: Download Katherine’s Email Templates for Networking: katherineforbes.com/fanfinder Music Biz Besties: musicbizbesties.com Show notes are available here: megan-kuhar.com/notes/katherine-forbes

Today I’m going to share my 5 biggest recurring mistakes. Yep, for real. This is getting deep into some Meg-psyche, but I’m not doing it in a self-degrading way—I’m going to share my five biggest recurring mistakes and how I continue to learn from them. These are basically the 5 thorns in my side that I am always trying to shake off. The mistakes are: Not expressing enough gratitude Not being confident enough in myself and my choices Accepting others’ judgements Comparing my success with others’ Getting stuck in a loop and blocking myself from resolving it If these mistakes are ones that you feel like you relate to, maybe my lessons learned will help you as well.   * SPECIAL OFFER: 50% off the Fan Finder Mindset ebook with code STAYHOME at megan-kuhar.com/mindset   Read this episode as a blog post: http://megan-kuhar.com/notes/my-5-biggest-recurring-mistakes

Cheryl B. Engelhardt is such a source of inspiration for me because her thriving career has featured composing, songwriting, coaching, speaking engagements, producing, and so much more. She is a force of awesomeness and there are a dozen things we could have talked about, but I had to keep my cool and focus on one thing at a time as best as I could. So we talked about one of the coolest things I think she’s ever done: release her latest record, Luminary. Cheryl didn’t just stop with releasing the album, however. When she announced it and started her pre-save campaign, she launched with an immediate, trackable goal: to get on the Billboard charts in the New Age category. Cheryl worked on this goal through the most amazing grassroots efforts: engaging her fanbase, giving them action steps, and reaching out to collaborators to get the word out about her music. She shares all about this process in our conversation, and I know that if you’re looking to release music any time soon, it will inspire you to challenge yourself to think of things in a new and innovative way. Luminary is a piano/ambient music record for mindfulness, focus, and growth, and it not only hit #1 on iTunes and Amazon New Age charts, but it is also featured on the popular meditation apps Insight Timer and Simple Habit. There are meditation videos, a soon-to-be paper journal, affirmations… She’s created a whole brand with this record, you guys. As a marketing geek, I find it totally fascinating, and I can’t wait to share our conversation with you. So let’s get into it! Links: I Am A Luminary website: iamaluminary.com Cheryl’s website: cbemusic.com Cheryl’s Instagram: instagram.com/cbemusic Subscribe to my new YouTube channel, Creative Brand Coach: bit.ly/creativebrandcoach

This week is another Coaching on Air episode of the Fan Finder Podcast, where I coach a listener on air so everyone can learn together. I'm welcoming Nissim from the band Flowtone, who asked me about managing all of his platforms (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook page, Facebook group) with consistency. He wondered, "Are we essentially trying to tell the same story, different sides of the same story, or a different story altogether?" It's a great question, and we dove into to answering it, along with other questions like "Should I plan my captions ahead of time?" and "How do I manage all of this content without getting totally overwhelmed?" Links: Flowtone's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Flowtone/ Flowtone's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gowiththeflowtone/ Flowtone's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FlowTone336   Click here to grab the Fan Finder Mindset ebook. Be sure to use coupon code PODCAST for $4 off! megan-kuhar.com/mindset Click here to sign up for Planoly to start planning your social media content (and avoiding the overwhelming headaches!) planoly.com/referral/megankuhar Podcast music by Stephanie Trivison.

I don’t know about you, but working from home during the COVID-19 self-isolation time has kind of killed my regular work routine. I find myself struggling to jump into meaningful work, and by the end of the day I feel frazzled and like I don’t even know what I accomplished. Not to mention we’re all constantly stressed out, right? That’s why I am so happy to bring on my guest today, Cristina Roman. Cristina is a life coach from Pique Coaching, who specializes in deep work and productivity. If you’ve never heard of the term “deep work,” think focused, uninterrupted work. It’s about blocking out about 60 minutes of time to have one task completed, whether it’s writing a song or going through your inbox. Her method of getting into a deep work state in 15 minutes is super simple, easy to adopt, and really energizing too! Links: Free 30-minute mini sessions to troubleshoot your #1 productivity or time management challenge: http://piquecoaching.co/minisession Guide for how to get into a deep work state in 15 minutes: http://piquecoaching.co/deepworkstate Cristina’s Instagram: instagram.com/piquecoaching Need more chances to work on your limiting beliefs and turn them into empowering ones? Check out my ebook The Fan Finder Mindset, and use coupon code PODCAST for $4 off. Get it at megan-kuhar.com/mindset.

In this first episode of the new Coaching on Air series, I chatted with Marjorye Henry, who is the manager of Tampa-based band WD-HAN. Marjorye and I talked about how her band is releasing a single each month this year, and that's causing a bit of a social media traffic jam. We discussed: How to share content amongst multiple platforms without overwhelming people How to utilize your mailing list and "warmer" audience to get better results How to help your audience help you ...Not to mention why I should join TikTok, which I did after recording this. (Follow me @musicbrandcoach!) What can I say, Marjorye presented a strong case. Coaching On Air is a new series where I coach one of my listeners through their current struggles or roadblocks in branding, marketing, and social media. Have a question you want answered on air? Email me at megan@megan-kuhar.com and let's chat! Links: WD-HAN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wdhanband/ WD-HAN Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wdhanmusic/ WD-HAN Website: https://www.wdhan.com/ NEW: Join my Patreon page and get weekly support during these upside-down times. Livestream Q&As, free ebooks, and more. Check out the tiers here: https://www.patreon.com/megankuhar

I've shared a lot about why I think building your brand message is the best way to get a more engaged, loyal fanbase on social media. Posting meaningful, purposeful content can create all sorts of opportunities for your music to reach the ears of future fans, and it forges a connection with your audience unlike anything else. But why take my word for it, when you can hear a first-hand account from someone who just found success with the Fan Finder Program? Marissa, musician and songwriter for Highland Kites, shares with me on this episode about how her latest single streamed over 2,000 times in 48 hours (compared to the 100 total streams from her last song). She spent one weekend planning 30 days of content, using the content map and brand strategies within the Fan Finder Program, and was able to promote her single to such success that it literally did 20x better than the last song she released. I learned so much from this conversations, and I know you will too. Enjoy! Links: "What Love Is" — the new single from Highland Kites (stream it, love it, share it!): https://fanlink.to/whatloveis Highland Kites Instagram: instagram.com/highlandkites Enroll in the Fan Finder Program: megan-kuhar.com/fanfinder

Lindsey Poyar is a photographer and content creator who shoots everything from wedding, portrait, commercial and lifestyle photography, and she doesn’t always stay in one place to do it. Even though I know Lindsey personally here in Cleveland, we talked on the phone back in January while she was in New York City heading out to a content photography trip in Europe. I spoke with Lindsey because I absolutely love how much she shows up consistently on her Instagram Stories, specifically. She is always sharing the story of the day and each story is stylized for her brand so well. I wanted to share her as an example of how it’s not really that complicated to totally rock your Instagram Stories—you just need to commit to doing it. Links: Lindsey’s Instagram Lindsey’s Website Email megan@megan-kuhar.com to get a free coaching call on the Fan Finder Podcast!

Rebecca Hass is a pianist, composer, and wellness coach who helps burned-out creatives to reduce overwhelm and replenish their energy so they can truly enjoy success in their work and life. In this episode, we talked about incorporating more rest into your life, using self-care to fuel your creative practice, and making small changes for big impacts. Rebecca has some fantastic suggestions for easy ways you can start the process of shifting a habit, so that you can lose the stress and burnout and stop depleting your energy. This episode is a must for all creatives! Links: Creative Wellness Club FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativewellnessclub/ Rebecca's Newsletter signup: https://www.coachingforcreativewellness.com/subscribe Wondering how close you are to finding your loyal fans? Take the free quiz today and find out your next steps! -> megan-kuhar.com/quiz

In today’s episode, I’m talking about 4 things that might clue you in to the fact that you, my friend, are panic-posting. What does it mean to panic-post? What can you do about it? And if you’re afraid of doing something about it because it might end up phony or fake, I have a couple of bonus tips for you to think about too. Links: The Fan Finder Mindset ebook (use coupon code PODCAST for $3 off): megan-kuhar.com/mindset Sign up for the Fan Finder Program waiting list to make sure you don’t miss out on early bird pricing: megan-kuhar.com/fanfinder

Hayley Francis Cann, BMT, MTA, NMT, is a music therapist and author of the new children’s book, Mandy’s Mom, the Music Therapist. In this episode, we spoke about being a music therapist, author, and entrepreneur, and I can’t wait for you to hear this conversation. As Hayley describes, entrepreneurial skills are so valuable to all musicians, whether you are already in a profession or not. Show notes are available here: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/blog/hayley-francis-cann Order the Fan Finder Mindset ebook with exclusive coupon code PODCAST for $4 off: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/mindset

You have probably heard about planning your social media content ahead of time. While batch working and scheduling content helps with time efficiency, overwhelm, and content quality, the idea of planning your content might cause you to feel FROZEN! Where do you start? What do you say? How can you actually come up with all of those ideas at once?!? I have a goal this year to plan all of my social media content a month in advance. But I didn’t just start by deciding I wanted to schedule things ahead of time. There are a few things you need to do before you get to scheduling your content or using planning tools. That’s what I want to talk about today. So let’s get to it! Links: Free Masterclass: “How to Build a Brand Without Feeling Like a Phony”: megan-kuhar.com/masterclass Sign up for the Fan Finder waiting list and receive a special bonus offer! megan-kuhar.com/fanfinder

Brianna Ruelas is a Dallas Based Performing Artist Consultant, passionate about empowering independent artists on their journey and aligning them with clear business strategies for their music careers. We spoke on the podcast about 3 power plays that you can make in your music career to get better gigs, make more money, and not be in the same spot a year from now. We also talked about getting accountability partners (spoiler: we are each other’s now!), why education is crucial to your success as an entrepreneur, and why it’s so necessary to be careful with where you spend your energy. Show notes are available here: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/blog/brianna-ruelas

It’s 2020, we’re officially into January now, and we’ve been talking about goals—and you’re probably starting to feel a little overwhelmed with what you told yourself you would do this year, right? It’s common to start fading around this time, but I promise you can totally keep on these goals you’ve set throughout this entire year. Show notes are available here: https://www.megan-kuhar.com/blog/what-self-motivated-people-do

Our first guest of season 2 is Suzanne Paulinski, CEO of The Rock/Star Advocate. Suz is a mindset coach for music industry professionals looking to gain clarity on their goals & find a better work/life balance. Show notes are available here: http://www.megan-kuhar.com/blog/suzanne-paulinski Enter your exclusive podcast listener discount code at http://www.megan-kuhar.com/mindset to get the Fan Finder Mindset e-book & coaching call for just $33! The code is PODCAST.