Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists, creatives, freelancers, and solopreneurs to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Sarah K Wolf, former Marketing Director of The Austin Chronicle, who joined us in June of 2018 during our roundtable event on Event Planning. She shares all about event marketing: from guerrilla tactics to ticket giveaways to ALL the avenues for extending your organic reach. If you're trying to get the word out about your event (or anything!) without spending a dime, tune in!  Notes: 0:00 to 2:10 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Sarah K Wolf 2:11 to 3:02 - Introduction of Self and Topic 3:03 to 15:20 - Opportunities for Organic (Free) Reach Create a Facebook Event Can be a sponsorship perk to tag a sponsor in Facebook event Ticket integration functionality Great avenue for sharing updates and announcements (including logistical updates) Utilize free community calendars Be aware of submission deadlines (some are reviewed, others post upon submission) Who is your audience? Knowing that will help you find the right avenues for marketing. Think outside the box! Utilize your email list Make it EASY to share your event with partners Provide images and copy to help others share on your behalf Share with: vendors, venue, non-profit beneficiary (if applicable), bands / speakers / talent, sponsors Utilize your media list for your Media Alert Only use for major updates (ticketing announcement / speaker/talent announcement, week of reminder) Don't overdo it! Invite press to come and attend What do you they get? Early entry, sneak peek, free parking, etc. Can your talent be included on-air or in an interview? Ticket Giveaways If you have a non-profit beneficiary, you can usually get a non-profit discount on media spends Be mindful about media sponsorships and keep category exclusivity  Diversify - don't put all your eggs in one basket (only promote on Facebook, for example) Create an excellent poster, but then have other things to say about the event (i.e. promo videos, sneak peeks, behind the scenes) Choose your event partners that can help extend your reach, don't be afraid to ask them questions 15:21 to 16:22 - Guerrilla Marketing Tactics Temporary art installations to promote bigger art show, event scavenger hunts to win tickets to the event 16:23 to 17:34 - Co-Promote/Cross-Promote with Other Events Find events with similar audiences and help each other promote events (trade space at event or social posts) 17:35 to 18:51 - Use Relevant Hashtags Use a unique hashtag for your event Also use hashtags that are relevant for your industry, used by influencers, etc. 18:52 to 20:27 - Closing Thoughts Prepare for the next one already Get photos! Capture attendee email addresses Recap deck for sponsors and media partners Try to keep attendees engaged until the next event 20:30 to 22:21 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review are so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook). Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Next up, Attention Management (aka Productivity). Stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists, creatives, freelancers, and solopreneurs to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Sarah Lo, VP of Professional Services at Red Velvet Events, who joined us in June of 2018 during our roundtable event on Event Planning. She shares ALL about communication: with vendors, team members, and volunteers. If you're looking for insights into communication while the stakes are high, tune in! Notes: 0:00 to 2:02 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Sarah Lo 2:03 to 3:22 - Introduction of Self and Topic Prior Proper Planning Prevents Painfully Poor Production Proactive versus reactive Mantra is to be preventive 3:22 to 6:45 - Timely and Effective Communication What's the best method for communication for THEM (i.e. email, text, social media) Adjust how you communicate so they hear what you need them to hear Set clear expectations - DON'T make assumptions Spell it all out, don't assume anyone knows what you need them to Re-read your communication to make sure it's streamlined and clear (make sure YOU understand what it says) Send ONE (1) email that summarizes all final decisions Reflect back on the event after its conclusion to make notes, suggestions for future improvement (write down the thought as it happens, during the event!) 6:46 to 9:41 - Volunteers Do you need a volunteer or a hired contractor? Free tools to streamline communication - Volunteer Spot, SignUp Genius, Volunteer SignUp Be mindful about communication with volunteers (expectations, full details) during the planning process Monitor communication and see how and if they respond to measure their engagement Be mindful of the number of volunteers needed, you'll likely need more than you think! Think about the benefits that are most valuable to THEM, not to you the organizer 9:42 to 13:04 - Vendors Can you DIY or do you need a hired vendor? When working with a vendor for the first time - be mindful about a great website (they may just have a great web designer). Pick up the phone or meet in person. Don't make assumptions! Find a vendor that matches your level of expectation Try to get multiple proposals, not just a proposal from one vendor Open up the door for a transparent, honest conversation with your vendor (i.e. level of service you expect and can they deliver) Ask for client testimonials and references (not just testimonials on their website) Note - the person you're communicating with during the planning phase is likely not the on-site contact / representative. Aim to set up phone call with on-site contact. Ask for copy of Certificate of Insurance (do they have a back up plan) 13:05 to 14:04 - Addressing Issues On-Site Versus Waiting If there's an issue on-site during an event, ask yourself if you need to address it in that very moment Is it affecting the attendee experience? If so, do it constructively and not in front of attendees If it's just an opinion and can't be changed on the spot, hold it and wait till after the event 14:09 to 19:04 - Ashland Closing Remarks Volunteer Training and Volunteer Handbooks Run of Show Save reminders in your phone to revisit post-event Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review are so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook). Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. One more on Event Planning to come, then we shift gears for Attention Management (aka Productivity). Stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists, creatives, freelancers, and solopreneurs to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Hayley (Swindell) Wakefield who hosted us in June of 2018 during our roundtable event on Event Planning. She shares ALL about event sponsorship: how to find sponsors, how to communicate with them, how to create your benefits package and sponsor deck, and top tips on sponsor stewardship. This episode is packed to the brim with insights that'll help anyone who asks for money, even if they're not in events. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what Hayley has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 2:15 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Hayley Wakefield 2:18 to 8:04 - Hayley introduction of self and topic 8:05 to 10:11 - Event Creation Step 1: Create a Budget What can be an in-kind donation? Once you know asks, figure out how to divide into levels (i.e. 10k, 5k, 1k) 10:12 to 11:22 - Sponsor Decks Sponsorship levels are built into sponsor deck Decks and one-sheets are VERY helpful Hayley prefers customized and catered asks over sponsor decks Sponsor asks should be about how the brand is featured in the event and how you help them (not the other way around) Personalize your outreach, not "dear" "to whom it may concern" with an attached sponsor deck Recommends Canva for sponsor deck build 11:23 to 19:54 - Sponsor Target List and Sponsor Outreach Be organized/track your asks  Google Sheets with a few columns and shared with your team for tracking is very helpful If someone says "no," ask why If you just can't ask for money, recruit a host committee Share graphics and sample copy for host committee to share the word Be mindful of using terms like "partner" or "collaborate" if you're actually asking for a cash sponsorship (be clear about that) Don't need a coffee meeting for everything you're asking for; a phone call can be sufficient to establish fit and then connect more following the call Follow-up is HUGE Share photos as soon as possible Ask how you can support the sponsor in the future 19:59 to 24:42 - Ashland Closing Remarks Shot lists for photographers Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review are so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook). Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Event Planning to come, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists, creatives, freelancers, and solopreneurs to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features (former) event planner Richelle Ouellette who joined us in June of 2018 during our roundtable event on Event Planning. She shares all about the nuts and bolts of events - everything from logistics to budgets to creative decision making. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what Richelle has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 1:44 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Richelle Oullette 1:45 to 2:54 - Richelle introduction of self 2:55 to 15:33 - Creating Your Own Roadmap for a Successful Event First step - prioritize goals / objectives of event i.e. Marketing event (needs leads from event registration, social media account names from photo booth). Be specific with goals for event. The more specific, the more likely you are to achieve it Creatives Meet Business event example Goals shape format for event Second step - event budget Corporate client versus non-profit client (relying upon sponsorship) Can make more informed decisions about where to spend money Budgets include - three columns Initial estimate (from past experience) Initial estimates from vendors Actual costs  Third step - Logistics Resources: Google Drive Action items - creating micro actions and working backward to develop timeline and action dates (ordering branded promo item example) Helps with prioritization of tasks Assign tasks  Google search for event timelines, resources are available online Over-communication is key 15:38 to 17:48 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review are so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook). Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Event Planning to come, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists, creatives, freelancers, and solopreneurs to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features event planner Danielle "Dani" Thomas who joined us in June of 2018 during our roundtable event on Event Planning. She shares all about how events are actually experiences via the five senses framework. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what Dani has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 2:50 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Dani Thomas 2:55 to 3:21 - Dani introduction of self 3:22 to 3:58 - Experience = immersion 3:59 to 9:18 - Purpose of event Experience for the sake of art or brand Meow Wolf example of experience for the sake of an experience  Events at SXSW are examples of events for the sake of a brand If creating for a brand, everything you're doing needs to speak to the brand If creating for the sake of an experience, but you've brought in sponsors or other invested individuals, you have to bridge the two and create an experience that speaks to those brands inside of the larger experience. 9:19 to 12:09 - Immersion via the five senses Touch as many sensors as possible with events Sight - brand assets, visual art, murals, venue itself, etc Sound - music, bands, DJs, sound effects, silence Touch - swag, giveaways, tactile activities, furniture, textiles Taste - themed food, custom cocktails Smell (underutilized), olfactory is sensitive 12:14 to 13:52 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review are so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook). Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Event Planning to come, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! We're taking a break from our regularly scheduled podcast programming to share interviews with Creatives Meet Business Experience (CMBXP) Guides about their workshops at our upcoming event September 19 - 21.  This episode features Kyle Ali sharing about his upcoming workshop "The Art of Negotiation: Know Your Worth" taking place on Saturday, September 21st from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM at CMBXP. Want to join us? Snag your badge at cmbxp.com!

Hi there folks! We're taking a break from our regularly scheduled podcast programming to share interviews with Creatives Meet Business Experience (CMBXP) Guides about their workshops at our upcoming event September 19 - 21.  This episode features The Austin Chronicle's Sarah Marloff (Associate News and Qmmunity Editor) and James Renovitch (Web Editor) sharing about their upcoming workshop "Writing Tips to Get You the Right Kind of Attention." Want to join us? Snag your badge at cmbxp.com!

Hi there folks! We're taking a break from our regularly scheduled podcast programming to share interviews with Creatives Meet Business Experience (CMBXP) Guides about their workshops at our upcoming event September 19 - 21.  This episode features writer and teacher Claire Campbell sharing about her upcoming workshop "Conscientious Writing and Revision." Want to join us? Snag your badge at cmbxp.com!

Hi there folks! We're taking a break from our regularly scheduled podcast programming to share interviews with Creatives Meet Business Experience (CMBXP) Guides about their workshops at our upcoming event September 19 - 21.  This episode features standup comedian Carina Magyar sharing about her upcoming workshop "Never Tell a Boring Story Again." Want to join us? Snag your badge at cmbxp.com!

Hi there folks! We're taking a break from our regularly scheduled podcast programming to share interviews with Creatives Meet Business Experience (CMBXP) Guides about their workshops at our upcoming event September 19 - 21.  This episode features social media powerhouse Alexis Davis of The Content Plug sharing about her upcoming workshop "From the 'Gram to the Green: a Workshop on Instagram for Business." Want to join us? Snag your badge at cmbxp.com!

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists, creatives, freelancers, and solopreneurs to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Scott Andrew James, Poet and Author Coach, who joined us in April during our roundtable event on Telling Your Brand Story. He shares all about how to tell the story of what you do in a way that's captivating, engaging, and in only 5 seconds.... ready to learn how to do it? Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what Scott has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 1:24 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Scott Andrew James 1:30 to 2:49 - Introduction of Self and Topic His personal mission was to write and give away 1,000 poems in a year. This experience led to the creation of the lunch line pitch. 2:50 to 8:37 - The Lunch Line Pitch What can you say to start up a reasonable and fun conversation while waiting in line for food. Mad Lib - I __(verb)____ Do ___(clients / audience)____________ Example: My mission this year is to write and give away 1,000 poems. Don't explain all the things you do, just pick one to introduce yourself with. When questions arise, you can explain the rest then. Don't use jargon Don't use commas Keep it under 5 seconds Look at someone in the eye when delivering the pitch and smile If you don't feel like networking that day, don't go do it. Use simple language Never apologize for what you do Don't overexplain, the fewer words the better. You want the other person to ask questions. 8:38 to 11:23 - Add a Few More Interesting Details Add two more interesting details Come up with a number for what you do Example with a number: I help business owners make 1 extra sale a week by delivering singing telegrams. Workshop your verb; options include "help," "teach," "write," "discover," "sussing" Gameify your pitch, play with it each time you explain what you do and make tweaks based off those conversations 11:28 to 12:45 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review are so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook).  Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Telling Your Brand Story to come, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists, creatives, freelancers, and solopreneurs to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features AprilJo Murphy, Editor at Greenleaf Book Group, who joined us in April during our roundtable event on Telling Your Brand Story. She shares all about the difference between Voice and Tone, how to create a Brand Voice and the emotional intelligence behind Tone. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what AprilJo has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 1:46 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of AprilJo Murphy 1:47 to 5:32 - Introduction of Self and Topic Establish a voice and think about how your tone can modulate Voice and tone are separate, tone falls under the umbrella of voice Voice is all of the communication you have with all the people inside and outside of your company (email, memo, blog, tweet, logo - it's visual and textual) Even if you are a one-person company, your brand voice is not your personal voice. It will make your brand voice more effective if you think about it as a separate entity Think about brand voice as something you can step in and out of You can create brand guidelines for others to share the voice of your company 5:33 to 11:40 - Why You Want to Separate Your Brand Voice from Your Personal Voice and How to Find Your Brand Voice It will focus your efforts and allow for you to have quality control It will become a recruiting tool for you Notice patterns you use in communications/content as part of your brand voice Analyze communication that was successful so you can emulate it again Think about the brand voice you want to have Identify three or four characteristics (adjectives) of your company (i.e. we are friendly, authentic, humanitarian) What do these mean to you and your client in your particular situation Handout 1 (attached below) Overview and Discussion Conversational as a buzzword with an example Human touch in example is what she means for tone 11:41 to 19:42 - Tone Defined Think about emotional intelligence Your voice is always consistent, but how you talk to someone in a specific situation is your tone and that will modulate Because it modulates, it sounds human Can be the words you choose, the metaphors you use Comes across in design elements, examples are: Don't F it Up The Best Team Wins The Business of You Tone is where the emotional atmosphere of a situation lives, you can shape how people interact with you Second and Third Handouts Discussed (Attached below) How do you take a negative interaction and help it work for your company overall 19:43 to 21:38 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review are so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook).  Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Telling Your Brand Story to come, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business    

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists, creatives, freelancers, and solopreneurs to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Claire Siegel, Founder of The Petite Professional, who joined us in February during our roundtable event on Goal Planning. This episode includes SO much about self-care. From demystifying what self-care is to ways you can practice it without spending a dime, this episode is chock-full of self-care know-how. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what Claire has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 1:36 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Claire Siegel 1:39 to 4:50 - Introduction of Self and Topic Self-care is an absolute necessity for your overall wellbeing 4:51 to 7:03 - First Self-Care Concept Clarified: Self-Care Doesn't Always Mean Doing More Drawing boundaries is an act of self-care, use them to allow you to say no without guilt A personal example of having free time in her schedule (unscheduled time) as self-care 7:04 to 9:27 - Second Self-Care Concept Clarified: Reframe the Way You Think About Self-Care We don't manage emotional or spiritual pain in the same way we do with physical pain Maintaining your emotional needs is self-care Self-care is maintenance, should be part of your routine Find what self-care is for you and build it into your routine Treat yourself like a friend 9:28 to 11:28 - Third Self-Care Concept Clarified: Self-Care Doesn't Always Feel Good in the Moment Difference between immediate self-care (taking a walk, taking a bath) and self-care for your future self (paying off debt for future self) Review relationships in your life and cut toxic ties It doesn't always feel good, but that doesn't mean it's not self-care 11:29 to 13:28 - Fourth Self-Care Concept Clarified: Self-Care Doesn't Have to Cost Money It doesn't have to be a matcha latte or a designer cupcake, there's plenty of self-care opportunities that don't cost you money An example about saying no to a dinner invitation because of lack of energy and a need to stay home  Ways to self-care for free: bath, nap, walk, call someone, journal 13:29 to 14:58 - Fifth Self-Care Concept Clarified: Self-Care is Unique to Each Person Self-Care at its core is giving yourself permission to do whatever it is that you need to be OK 14:59 to 17:06 - Exercise for Creating Self-Care Plan Start writing and see what comes out (stresses, sadness, etc) and bubbles up. Once you see one thing that you really want to dig into, list the ways you're currently coping with that. Start figuring out how you can swap out negative coping mechanisms for acts of self-love that are ultimately in better service to you. Keep checking in and being honest with yourself and making self-care a priority in your life 17:11 to 19:32 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook).  Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Telling Your Brand Story is next, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business  

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Kara Perez, Founder of bravely, who joined us in February during our roundtable event on Goal Planning. This episode includes SO much about financial goal planning. From the "why" behind the goal to some tactical how-to info, this episode is chock-full of financial goal setting know-how. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what Kara has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 1:41 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Kara Perez 1:46 to 2:07 - Introduction of Self and Topic 2:08 to 3:25 - Setting a Financial Why Connect with a financial why Personal story about setting a financial why 3:26 to 5:00 - Set a SMART Goal S = Specific M = Measurable A = Achieveable  R = Realistic T =  Timebound Example =  I want to pay off $10,000 in student loan debt by the end of 2018 5:02 to 10:59 - Organize Money Check your accounts Very easy in the digital age to be separate from our money and our cash First thing to get organized = budgeting Budgeting apps available, spreadsheets, downloadables  Categorize by need and want Understand your spending patterns Review expenses and highlight the things that move you toward your goal Separate accounts for separate goals Kara has 6 savings accounts Be mindful about interest rates 11:00 to 17:34 - Having Conversations about Money with Loved Ones Having money conversations with those you share your time with is critical.  Be sure to share your financial why Be specific about the changes you want to make Sharing about your goal helps keep you accountable toward achieving it Use "I Statements" Visual and consistent reminders to keep self on track Vision board / picture on wall Goals on phone screen Setting reminders or alerts on Google Calendar  Can be a sweet reminder to self like #debtpayoff Sign up for daily alerts with your bank Money fluctuates, be compassionate with yourself when looking at your money 17:39 to 21:59 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook).  Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More Goal Planning to come, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business  

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Maggie Gentry Miller, Founder of MaggieGentry.com, who joined us in February during our roundtable event on Goal Planning. This episode uncovers the values behind goal planning and how you can create more meaningful goals for yourself. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what she has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 1:06 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Maggie Miller 1:11 to 2:42 - Introduction of Self and Topic Mindful Moments  2:43 to 9:12 - David DeSteno Research - Power of Gratitude Delaying gratification study in the 1970s with a marshmallow and children Kids who could wait for second marshmallow had "grit"  Further studies of those same children who waited for a second marshmallow hit every success marker (good grades, good colleges, good work), but they weren't living as long. Deprivation of what we want now and the pleasure of the present moment increases our stress hormones. A prolonged period of that shaves off years of life. David DeSteno says the problem is that our goals are self-serving, it doesn't rely on strengthening social bonds and community (historically what we've done)  Three values that allows us to work as a collective to achieve goals: Gratitude - Look at what you're grateful for on a daily basis.  Gratitude increases our threshold for patience which then increases our self control Compassion - Giving ourselves a healthy perspective of what the overall environment is Pride - Take an honest pride in your work, in your strengths, and in what you do really well Enjoy the process 9:13 to 10:30 - Danielle LaPorte - Desire Map - Create goals with soul Creating goals that make you feel the way you want to feel Looking at values (gratitude, compassion, pride) and understanding how you want to feel in pursuit of that goal, then you're finally ready to create a vision board 10:31 to 14:11 - Vision boarding Maggie does her board once a year How do I want to feel? - that's the question she uses when creating a board. Start with a central image (start in the very middle) - that's the focal point and everything builds around it After creation, post it in a place that's visible every day  Gratitude journal / journaling - create a gratitude practice To accommodate pride and the process in pursuit of the goal, Maggie has a piece of paper on the wall with blank slots for the number of client spaces she has available. It's about physically creating space. 14:12 to 15:48 - Visualization  Two kinds of visualization - Guided Meditation and Visualization (Power of Habit / Michael Phelps example) Michael Phelps strategy with visualization 15:51 to 20:01 - Ashland Closing Remarks Mindset by Carol Dweck // Carol Dweck TedTalk Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook).  Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More Goal Planning to come, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business  

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Pei Sim, Founder of The Paper + Craft Pantry, who joined us in February during our roundtable event on Goal Planning. This episode covers measuring success for yourself and ways to goal plan with you AND your business in mind. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what she has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 2:32 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Pei Sim 2:36 to 4:02 - Introduction of Self and Topic Write goals in pen! 4:03 to 8:58 - Define Success for Yourself and for Your Business Set goals for yourself, not based on what you think is expected of you Be careful to not get caught in the cycle of wanting more GIF example that shows you can't have perfect balance Pei doesn't believe in perfect balance, it's a series of ebbs and flows 8:59 to 13:22 - Setting Goals Start 10 years out and work back in Separated by category (family, career, health and wellness) What are you doing in 5 years to get to your 10 year goals Separate your business goals from your personal goals Pivots aren't failures Include by / when dates (accountability tool) Personal story about a bed and breakfast abroad Goal setting allows you to say yes and no to opportunities 13:26 to 14:55 - Tips for Feeling Separate from Your Business Leave your computer charger in an inaccessible place until the next day Boundary setting (example with not responding to an email until the next day) 15:00 to 18:24 - Ashland Closing Remarks Derek Redmond Story Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook).  Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More Goal Planning to come, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business  

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Neelan Choksi who joined us in November during our roundtable event on Bootstrap. This episode outlines the Growth Stage of Bootstrap Entrepreneurship and includes so much amazing info on how to GROW. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what he has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 2:12 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Neelan Choksi  2:13 to 6:32 - Introduction of Self and Topic - Growth Product Market Fit - your service / product matches a need in the market and you have demand It's all about rinsing and repeating Stages 1 through 4 are addictive, but not the growth stage Now you worry about making ends meet, inventory, etc Be honest with yourself, what's the ceiling of the business? That'll determine the funding / business route you select and opt for. This stage is all about rinsing and repeating You know you're in the growth phase when you start to stay "No" 6:33 to 9:26 - 3 C's and 4 P's of Marketing C's: Customer, company structure, competition P's: Pricing, Product, Place and Promotion Pricing = Jacksonville Jaguars example Distribution -  until now you're the sales person and wear all the hats. Now you're thinking about scaling - hiring a sales person, for example 9:27 to - Scaling / Growth Example - Girls Will Be Neelan's daughter wanted to shop for clothes in the boys section, which prompted Neelan's wife to develop a line of clothes that were active and had a different fit PR and Social Media help you look bigger than you are Speaking engagements and books help you in the growth phase Questions you start asking in the growth phase How much cash flow do you have to put into inventory? As a services business, I don't quite have the demand, can I hire someone? 14:16 to 16:07 - Benefits of Partnership Human Fabric by Bijoy Goswami addresses the power of two (2) Valley of Death is typically something you do alone, the partner comes in the Growth stage The things that make you successful in the early stage will kill you in the Growth stage 16:12 to 18:49 - Ashland Closing Remarks Want to come to CMBXP (9/20 to 9/22)? Great, get your badge today! Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Next up - Goal Planning, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Lou Ellman who joined us in November during our roundtable event on Bootstrap. This episode outlines the Valley of Death Stage of Bootstrap Entrepreneurship and includes so much amazing info on how to SELL your way out. This episode is chock full of sales tips, tricks, tactics, and much much more. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what he has to say! Notes: 0:00 to 1:42 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Lou Ellman, Founder of RoyaltyZone Like what you hear? Join us for CMBXP (9/20 to 9/22 in Austin, TX) for Lou's workshop on "Sales Skills to Grow Your Business" 1:48 to 2:39 - Introduction of Topic - Valley of Death Only way out is to sell your way out No outside funding in bootstrapping, the only way to get funding is through sales 2:40 to 6:06 - Three Concepts for Selling Hunting - traditional sales prospecting, finding targets and closing deals Cold calling, emailing, events, trade shows, networking, social media - identify your ideal prospect and engage with them Ideal prospect - intersection of two circles; the people who want to buy your product and the people that you want to sell to Fishing - marketing Content is king Partnerships - a way to really move the needle for bootstrappers Farming - once you have a client, keep them happy to be a referral source and to stay a client Service your clients as best as you can Keep educating them Lou's original business plan: Get a customer Make that customer ridiculously happy Repeat 6:07 to 8:38 - Techniques for Selling to your Ideal Prospect Qualifying - early and often Two ways you win: by losing early and winning Qualified prospect = willing AND able to buy your product / service BANT (IBM acronym) = Budget, Authority, Needs and Timeline How do you learn this info? Through a conversation! 8:39 to 10:47 - Navigating the Sales Cycle Actually a Buying Cycle, not Sales Cycle Important to overcome objections, uncover their needs and concerns Find out what and who the competition is and differentiate yourself You have to drive the process forward Negotiating and closing are key for bootstrappers! As the person who sold the product, be part of the delivery process! 10:48 to 14:47 - Tips and Tricks No one cares what you think about the status of the deal. What you really want to know is what THEY think about the status of the deal Listen more than you talk. Work questions in at every phase of the proposal / pitch Always ask for next steps, never leave a conversation without understanding the next steps in the process from their perspective  Get before you give  Work backwards from the end to establish a calendar of events Save the proposal / contract until the very end (discuss pricing and budget early on). Once you send this, you've lost all your leverage. 14:50 to 16:48 - Ashland Closing Remarks Want to come to CMBXP (9/20 to 9/22)? Great, get your badge today! Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Bootstrap, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Danny Gutknecht who joined us in November during our roundtable event on Bootstrap. This episode outlines the Quest(ion) Stage of Bootstrap Entrepreneurship and includes so much amazing info on Danny's Essence Mining model. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what he has to say! Helpful Links! Meaning at Work by Danny Gutknecht Notes: 0:00 to 2:37 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Danny Gutknecht, Author of Meaning at Work 2:40 to 3:44 - Introduction of Topic - Question Stage  Struggle in entrepreneurship is important, it's helping you learn about what you really want to do 3:45 to 13:00 - Essence Mining Way to understand self and business Example - how siblings are different from each other Resonance - how trust is established through chemicals in the brain Early interest in self discovery and philosophy Personal journey with creating companies and finding personal fulfillment Created essence mining process from his work in recruiting and combining it with philosophies he'd been studying Essence Mining steps: Past  Where did you grow up, what did you enjoy doing as a child, what happened next. Examine narratives about how interests grew. How did those interests move to the next step in school, etc. Present  What am I doing now that I really care about? Where does time melt away? What am I doing when nothing matters anymore? Whatever that is, do more of it. Future We focus our attention on the tension When you mine your narrative, it helps you be present. If you perform this process regularly, you start learning things. You realize that nothing is ever settled, it's a constant learning process. 13:06 to 16:30 - Self Deception - Answer to Attendee Question Caps lock / Caps off technique: argument on paper or on computer, argue both sides (one side caps lock, one side caps off). Argue until the argument is done, come back to it when emotions aren't running as high.  Cultural ratcheting 16:31 to 19:20 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Bootstrap, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Bijoy Goswami who joined us in November during our roundtable event on Bootstrap. This episode outlines the You Stage of Bootstrap Entrepreneurship and includes so much amazing info on Bijoy's MRE model. Without further ado, let's hop in and hear what he has to say! In other cool news, listen all the way through the episode for a special gift-away...  Helpful Links! Human Fabric by Bijoy Goswami MRE 6 Day Challenge Sarah Vela Interview with Bijoy Goswami  Notes: 0:00 to 1:01 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Bijoy Goswami, Founder of Bootstrap Austin 1:07 to 5:37 - You Stage from the Roundtable Event 5:40 to 29:30 - Interview with Bijoy Goswami 29:31 to 30:57 - Ashland Closing Remarks Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Bootstrap, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Bijoy Goswami who joined us in November during our roundtable event on Bootstrap. You'll actually hear from him again in two weeks! This episode is the overview of the bootstrap business model and an outstanding overview of the other forms of business models out there. Let's hop in and hear what he has to say! 0:00 to 1:20 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Bijoy Goswami, Founder of Bootstrap Austin Link to Bijoy's Slides 1:21 to 4:12 - Musical Fugue and Human Fugue Definition of Fugue and Framework of Human Fugue Model Watch a Fugue! Four (4) Basic Houses of Human Fugue  Phenomena Rights  Resources Meaning Processes inside of houses to deal with each house Phenomena -- scientific methord Rights -- democracy // Produces laws Resources -- observe a problem, create a solution, sell to a customer // Produces business models Meaning 4:13 to 10:42 - Paths of Entrepreneurship Three different paths of entrepreneurship Craft Entrepreneurship Cookie cutter business - franchise Easy to enter businesses, hard to differentiate Present everywhere Funding-Driven VCs, Silicon Valley Investor is driving the whole story Invests in multiple endeavors expecting very few to succeed Creation of novel business models Most fail Hollywood Example Constrained by time, unconstrained in resources Bootstrap In-between these models Low cost, but not implementing a cookie cutter model Discovery of new business model, but using process of bootstrapping to discover the model Least understood because it's the least studied Term comes from Baron Munchausen pulling himself out of a swamp by his bootstraps Constrained in resources, unconstrained in time Austin examples - Tito's, Kendra Scott  10:43 to 13:15 - Steps in the Bootstrap Map You Stage - key action is discover // get to know yourself Question Stage - key action is awaken // embark on hero's journey Ideation Stage - key action is demo // create something Valley of Death Stage - key action is sell // find customers Growth Stage Rebootstrap, no model lasts forever 13:20 to 16:28 - Ashland Closing Remarks Book I'm reading - Originals by Adam Grant Tempered radicalism concept from book Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! Link to Bijoy's Slides If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Bootstrap, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Ashley Thompson, Managing Director at the Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact, who joined us in August during our roundtable event on Fundraising. As you'll soon find out, she has so much to share about thought leadership and how to get yourself on the path toward that. Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Ashley has to say! 0:00 to 1:15 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Ashley Thompson 1:20 to 2:34 - Introduction of Self and Topic How to Win Friends and Influence People - build authentic relationships. Win the hearts and minds of people through listening, humility, and real authenticity  2:35 to 3:33 - Qualities of Thought Leadership Authentic Truthful Based in real knowledge, awareness, and understanding Vehicle to build a base and your audience 3:34 to 4:52 - What is a Thought Leader Overprescribed today in who is called a thought leader Someone who has a keen sense of the scope in their area of focus Humble, aware of how much they have to learn in the space Someone who is driven to share knowledge (and often) Builds up a perspective and thoughts Takes years to achieve thought leader status 4:53 to 10:13 - How to Be on the Path Toward Thought Leadership Aligning where your passion meets your audience Tips! Get specific and narrow in focus Do your research (every day, day in and day out) Build your audience / know your audience Connecting with and networking with the experts in the space Get published and speak as much as you can Be conscious about social profiles Create lists (roll up stuff / boil stuff down) Be focused on the future Start thinking about your passion and your north star. 10:19 to 13:22 - Ashland Closing Remarks Awesome podcast episode - Sounds Good with Branden Harvey with guest Nate Snell Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We're headed for Bootstrap, so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Erica Ekwurzel, Founder and Owner of CivicAIM, who joined us in August during our roundtable event on Fundraising. As you'll soon find out, she has so much to share about how to get to know your donor and how to prospect (with specific examples!). Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Erica has to say! 0:00 to 1:35 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Erica Ekwurzel 1:40 to 2:33 - Introduction of Self and Topic Founded CivicAIM - works with gift givers What do we think of when we think of "fundraising"? 2:34 to 3:46 - Why Do People Give? Because they're asked Because people that they trust ask them Because they believe in your cause Because they want to be recognized / because they want to be part of a larger purpose Tax advantages 3:47 to 6:18 - What Do Donors Expect and Want? We've all donated before and have experienced either a response from the organization we donated to or no response until they make another ask Think about how you'd want to be treated if you were the one making the donation Acknowledgement and accountability  Communication - share the narrative as well as the quantitative data. How has the donor contributed to that work? A good rule of thumb - 7 touches with a donor before the next ask. Touch can be a generic thank you or personalized.  Handwritten thank you goes so far! 6:19 to 7:18 - Doing Your Homework - Getting to Know Your Donor (Individual) 80% of fundraising is doing your homework, it's not the ask. 10% is about the ask. Know who your donors are and what motivates them. Position yourself to know this information and when it's the right time to ask them How can you do this? Ask your current donors (one-time or veteran) what it was that brought them in to make a donation to the organization. Ask why they're sticking with you. 7:19 to 10:08 - Finding Grantmakers and Organizations Regional Foundation Library (if you're in Austin) Database that's open to the community Clearinghouse for all sorts of grantmakers (corporation, foundations, etc) After you have your list from this search, dig in a bit deeper and make sure it's a fit Pull the organization's 990 and look at what organizations they gave to, what type of projects they funded, and the amount of funding given GuideStar has 990s available Who serves on their board?  Ask your donors or board if they have any connections to the organization's board For organizations that don't have a website or annual report, the 990 is a great way to learn about their application process 10:10 to 10:36 - Always Be Authentic When you're fundraising, always be yourself! Be proud of what you're representing. You aren't begging, you're asking donors to contribute to a larger cause. 10:38 to 11:03 - Be Quiet and Listen After you give your intro, be quiet and listen to prospective donors See what their interests and concerns are Be open to that! They might have criticisms and thoughts that are valuable to making a better organization 11:04 to 11:41 - Don't be Discouraged After a "No" Sometimes it's the timing or it just wasn't in alignment A "no" is only a "no" today, things can change tomorrow 11:46 to 15:16 - Ashland Closing Remarks Awesome podcast episode - How I Built This with Nolan Bushnell Roll the dice on new opportunities! Like this podcast? Great! A rating and review is so helpful! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Just one more on Fundraising, then we switch to Bootstrap, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Aubrey Wilkerson, Executive Director of Out Youth, who joined us in August during our roundtable event on Fundraising. As you'll soon find out, he has so much to share about revenue streams and how to play to your strengths for funding sources. Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Aubrey has to say! 0:00 to 3:41 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Aubrey Wilkerson 3:46 to 4:52 - Introduction of Self and Topic Started at UT, raising money for super computers Executive Director of Out Youth Board member for The Telling Project Board member for the Austin Tennis Club Fundraiser for over 10 years 4:53 to 7:10 - Sources of Funding Grants Researching and finding grantors Writing Letter of Intent  Writing Grant Interviews / Site Visits Executing the Grant Reporting and Deliverables Corporate Gifts Individual Giving // Employee Giving Find Prospective Funders Meeting  Emailing / Direct Mailing  UT model was 12 contacts a year with only one ask a year for money Event Fundraising (Gala, Luncheons, etc) Each category has a lot of work associated with them Think about your capacity and how much you can take on and execute when thinking about diversifying your revenue streams (and whether or not you can) 7:11 to 8:23 - Should You Diversify Your Funding Streams? Depends! It depends where you are with the project and much more Out Youth annually reviews its revenue streams to see how to better diversify for coming years If all your funding is from one source (all your eggs are in one basket), you better watch that basket closely 8:24 to 9:49 - Downside to Isolated Funding Streams Individual Giving Responsive to things outside your control (like the economy, election cycles) Grants High reward Grantors can change funding models and not renew the full grant, might mean releasing employees if the grant is lost 9:50 to 11:00 - Diversified Revenue Streams as Future Goal  At some point, the goal should be to have diversified income streams Start with your best and natural fits first, the lowest hanging fruit first Have future goals for improvement in areas that aren't your speciality 11:01 to 11:46 - Making a Case for Supporting the Arts Learn how to message the importance of investing in all forms of art 11:47 to 13:07 - Beyonce Story! Included because it's heart warming and lovely! 13:11 to 15:07 - What Aubrey Learned from Years in Fundraising The value of stewardship and building a relationship with donors Fundraising jobs at first are technical, it wasn't till he was actually asking for money that he learned how it all worked together If someone is actually connected to the project, asking money for it is easier 15:08 to 16:28 - Donor Circles / Donor Societies How they work Host a low impact event (wine and cheese) that's an update about the organization or project and then don't ask for money 16:32 to 17:38 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Fundraising, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Meghan Wells, Cultural Arts Division Manager at the City of Austin Economic Development Department, who joined us in August during our roundtable event on Fundraising. As you'll soon find out, she has so much to share about how to be a better collaborator. Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Meghan has to say! 0:00 to 1:06 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Meghan Wells 1:10 to 1:49 - Introduction of Topic (Public / Private Partnerships) Public sector = government Private sector = community members that want to partner 1:50 to 3:44 - Be Authentic Tell your authentic story Be committed to making good work and to your craft Be invested in yourself Make good work, then get it out into the world Document it - take pictures, record things, build a portfolio, create a budget history, list of references (partners / clients / funders / collaborators) Build a world 3:45 to 4:53 - Partnership is an Art, Not a Science This is one way to do it, there are others. Forge your own path. Talk to someone who has already done it, find a mentor Fiscal sponsor - "big brother" entity to give feedback, best practices City of Austin staff is a resource 4:54 to 5:26 - Know What Your Goal Is What is your goal? How will support help you reach your goal? What will your project or work contribute back to the funder?  How will you provide a public benefit? Do your thing 5:27 to 6:12 - Work Within Established Funding Frameworks Know the deadline Start WAY before the deadline Read the guidelines (make sure you understand them) 6:13 to 8:46 - Build Relationships Build trust, help make them understand that their investment in you is a smart one Half of this is luck (and timing) Example about how outreach can turn into more and build a relationship Don't be shy, share your information Ways to network Just start talking to people 8:48 to 9:16 - Get Feedback Ask for critique Helps your work improve 9:17 to 10:00 - Think Like a Business Figure out a long-term plan and transfer it into a business plan You need to make money Think about how your income and expenses are part of the picture Small Business Program at City of Austin has resources 10:01 to 10:43 - Don't Be Afraid of Testing Your Assumptions Reshaping your identity and exploring new areas of creative work is healthy, but don't have too many that you aren't focused Keep everything under an umbrella, but taking risks is good Funders like innovation, think about that in the context of your work 10:44 to 11:25 - Biggest Piece of Advice Plan ahead Start Early Ask a lot of questions Don't give up, if at first you don't succeed, try again Timing can help you or hurt you Build relationships 11:30 to 16:36 - Ashland Closing Remarks The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Fundraising, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Sally Blue, fundraising coach and consultant, who joined us in August during our roundtable event on Fundraising. As you'll soon find out, she has so much to share about how your vision should be what's driving your fundraising. Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Sally has to say! 0:00 to 1:39 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Sally Blue 1:43 to 2:44 - Introduction of Self Consultant and Coach Association of Fundraising Professionals (link to Austin chapter) 2:45 to 6:12 - Misson, Vision, and Your Why (and how it connects to fundraising) Your mission and vision should be the basis of your fundraising, should be the heart of what you're doing Be clear on your mission / vision Be sure your board knows them too! Mission = what you do everyday, day to day activity of your organization. Vision = big picture, where are you going. How is the world different because you exist? This piece is fundamental to your fundraising. Makes people want to be involved with and a part of what you're doing Fundraising should never be about begging. It's your opportunity to share something you're passionate about. Why - where you can build in some of your more personal pieces. Knowing what they are helps you know when to say no. 6:13 to 6:56 - Saying "No" Having clarity around your why, mission, and vision will help you when you need to say "no" Sometimes you have to walk away from money and opportunities Learning to say no comes from seeing when an opportunity isn't in alignment with your vision, mission, why 6:57 to 8:36 - Talking About Money We all have a hard time talking about and asking people for money It's important to remember that it's hard for anyone to talk about this when asking for money Don't make assumptions or project your views about money onto your prospective donor Make sure your prospective donor is a match for your mission / vision  Decide if you want to live in scarcity or abundance 8:37 to 10:55 - Traps You Can Fall Into When You Lose Sight of your Mission and Vision in Your Messaging Becomes very easy to lead with the need i.e. we need costumes, roof is caving in, etc. This is fine for a little while, but causes fatigue relatively quickly Causes anxiety and tension with your donors Lead with vision / not need, helps donors be invested and not transactional "Nobody wants to give money away, they want to invest in important causes" 11:00 to 14:31 - Ashland Closing Remarks "Get Rich or Die Vlogging: The Sad Economics of Internet Fame" by Gaby Dunn Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Fundraising, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features Kyle Banahan, Brand Manager for SkinnyPop Popcorn at Amplify Snack Brands, who joined us in June during our roundtable event on Branding. As you'll soon find out, he has so much to share about positioning along with the other p's. Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Kyle has to say! 0:00 to 2:28 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro o Banahan 2:32 to 3:44 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Differentiating in a Crowded Market) Former Brand Manager for Lean Cuisine and Hot Pockets 3:45 to 5:47 - 4 P's of Differentiating - Low Hanging Fruit Attended SXSW Panel "Why Marketing Hasn't Changed in 10,000 Years" and was reminded of fundamentals 4 P's Product - change the product slightly. Example - a smaller popcorn (smaller kernel) Price - be less expensive Packaging - logo change or packaging Promotion - market in a different medium than competitors Short-term change as it's short-term value from consumers The 4 P's are low hanging fruit 5:50 to 9:26 - True Path to Differentiation - Positioning  Define positioning and how you create value for consumers, that is going to be the way that you actually differentiate Positioning is the what. What is your brand? Positioning is the answer to this question: What does my brand have that consumers value that the competition can't deliver? You will never differentiate on a long-term basis if you can't answer this question Example with Bounty paper towels (**disclaimer - Kyle made up this positioning statement**) To the person cleaning up the spill, Bounty is the paper towel that is the most absorbent.  Differentiation here is "most absorbent" Every piece of communication will reinforce their positioning of "most absorbent." Use positioning to inform 4 P's Every brand uses positioning as a framework to launch from 9:27 to 10:45 - After Positioning Comes Personality Further differentiation comes from personality Example with Brawny and Bounty Brawny might be adventurous and sexy Bounty might be family friendly, incorporate family friendly designs and partner with Despicable Me Personality communicates positioning 10:47 to 16:07 - Ashland Closing Remarks Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for Fundraising, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for artists and creatives to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. This episode features James Lanyon, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at T3, who joined us in June during our roundtable event on Branding. As you'll soon find out, he is a fount of knowledge on all things sales AND designing products for your audience. Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what James has to say! 0:00 to 3:46 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of James Lanyon 3:51 to 6:53 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Designing for Sales) Despite all the case studies and business books you read, the truth in product and service creation that generates more demand is really more fundamental and gets down to two key realities. Personal story about graduate program Background in sales over 18 years Opportunity to control your own destiny from sales 6:54 to 7:48 - Where You Need to Focus Pitch Product - does the product speak for itself and have value Tendency is to err more toward one than the other Spend too much time noodling what you'll put out there 7:49 to 8:53 - CustomerCentric Selling CustomerCentric Selling  Sales isn't a sin Most really great salespeople are more like therapists and consultants Innate ability to get people to lower their guard and talk about real issues 8:54 to 9:32 - Three (3) Need States Someone Will Transact With You For Ultimately a person or company is going to give you money for one of three reasons: I need to achieve a goal, get from Point A to Point B Solve a problem, got stuck somewhere along the way Satisfy a need, I have a feeling Point B is out there, but I don't know how to get there 9:33 to 12:37 - Don't Stop at the Sale, Create the Product Sales and product creation are co-conspirators Create a feedback loop with the honest conversations you have with clients and customers to create opportunities for business You wear all of the hats as a business owner, but the two that should be worn at the same time are sales person and product creator Don't just use it to hone your pitch, use it to hone and create your product 12:38 to 14:07 - Pain Scale Pain scale like you'd see at the doctor's office with a series of faces from 1 to 10 to showcase pain Solution in search of a problem - when something is created that isn't a pain point for people Most issues on the far right side of the scale (where they're hurting) aren't being addressed and that's what people need and will pay for 14:08 to 15:00 - Test and Learn Processes Instead of responding immediately to a good idea and shifting your business model and overhauling your website, send a test email to say 25 of the 500 people in your database with the new idea you have. Keep repeating until you get 25 "no, I have no interest in this" and then check it off and move on. 15:01 to 17:16 - Lean Business Model Canvas Most start-ups are forced to do the exercise (if they get any funding) Several options for the Lean Business Model Canvas: Link to Lean Business Model Canvas on Canvanizer , Link to LEANSTACK site, or do a google image search Important for any business owner or entrepreneur to complete, not just start-ups seeking funding The problem doesn't have to be profound, but it has to be problematic in some sense for it to be a solution  You can write it over and over again, that's how businesses change over time One of the greatest assets you can have is to create a metaphor: I'm the this of that 17:20 to 19:07 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Big thanks to Jamal Knox (audio engineer) and Chris James (composer)! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for one more on Branding then we move to Fundraising, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Kaitlin Maud, Director of Strategy at T3 and independent consultant, who joined us in June during our roundtable event on Branding. As you'll soon find out, she has so much to share about branding overall, but more specifically about leveraging your personal brand for your business strategy. And, she does it in right at 15 minutes! Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Kaitlin has to say! 0:00 to 2:13 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Kaitlin Maud 2:19 to 3:30 - Introduction of Self 3:31 to 8:27 - Introduction of Branding (relaying for purposes of sharing the same definition) Brands exist in the eyes and mind of the consumer Consumers perception of your brand, is your brand You can create a visual representation of a brand (i.e. Nike ads) Tone of voice, product and service offering all play into the brand (i.e. Tom's, 1 to 1 giving) Intangibles -brand promise and who your company associates with Brands are important in the world for two reasons They help you make decisions (need to make assumptions to be able to make quick decisions) It's important for us as humans to understand our place in the world and have a sense of self in relation to other people. Brands help us accomplish this by association.  Dunkin Donuts, Boston example SNL Sketch with Casey Affleck 8:28 to 11:28 - Personal Branding  Is your personal brand who you are (your authentic self) or is it a persona or an avatar of who you are that you control and put out into the world? The answer is...it varies from person to person, it's a spectrum. It depends on your consumers (i.e. customers, prospective clients, hiring managers, recruiters) Example with a spiritual advisor and an attorney 11:29 to 15:51 - Three (3) ways to take the concept of personal branding and apply it to your business strategy Use your professional experience as a story Storytelling builds trust, helps you be more memorable Find ways to take bullets off the page and into a coherent story Use your personal interests and hobbies as an approach to target customers Example with social media marketing and applying that to your interests Assess your individual interests as a way to determine who your end customer can be Use your values as a decision making process Example with she / her pronouns Kaitlin uses in user journeys 15:58 to 17:09 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for more on Branding, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Rachel Clemens, Chief Marketing Officer at TradeMark Media, who joined us in June during our roundtable event on Branding. As you'll soon find out, she has so much to share about the principles behind every engaging story and does it in just over 10 minutes! Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Rachel has to say! 0:00 to 1:40 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Rachel Clemens 1:42 to 2:13 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Behind Every Engaging Story...is a Set of Principles) 2:14 to 2:50 - Why Storytelling is Important Humans are predisposed to tell stories Wired for conclusion, want closure on story Stories allow audiences to move from passive to active 2:51 to 5:18 - Unearthing Stories & Rules of Storytelling  Underlying foundations for your storytelling Know thyself Simon Sinek TED Talk - How Great Leaders Inspire Action (Start with Why) Find what's driving you Point of view / perspective - rallying cry either for or against something. You should turn on 50% of your audience and turn off the other 50% Example from previous agency (For founders) Dive into your history to find your stories Allow yourself to be vulnerable People want to hear stories about real humans 5:19 to 7:06 - Story Spine Beginning, middle, and end of a story Need all three parts to be engaging Beginning - starts with one day Set the status quo, the lay of the land Middle - until one day What starts the journey, signals that something is changing Because of that, because of that - as many or as few as you need to tell the story End - until finally - the conclusion Example with squirrel Case studies are good examples for story spine 7:07 to 10:58 - Uncovering story through common plots Overcoming insurmountable odds Erin Brockovich example Underdog story, what's an underdog story for your organization (you or your client) Unlikely pairs Toy Story example, Buzz and Woody Using creativity to solve a big problem MacGyver  How you're using the tools in your business to solve big problems Good versus Evil Hero and a villain  Client is the hero Villain can be a person or a concept Experience Status Quo 11:03 to 12:22 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, and rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for more on Branding, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Trenzio Turner, Parter at SandersWingo, who joined us in June during our roundtable event on Branding. As you'll soon find out, he has so much to share about empathy - how it differs from sympathy, how you can develop it, and how you can leverage it for your brand; and does it in just under 15 minutes! Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Trenzio has to say! 0:00 to 2:14 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Trenzio Turner 2:14 to 2:37 - Introduction of Self and Topic (What is Empathy, How Do I Use It and How Can I Leverage it For My Brand?) Empathy is a strength, not a weakness 2:38 to 4:19 - Difference Between Sympathy and Empathy Empathy - putting yourself in someone else's shoes, understanding or relating to their beliefs, concerns, experiences or their emotions. Sympathy - having concern or showing welfare or sorrow for someone's misfortune or loss Empathy is ascending over time, sympathy is fleeting Example with passing of friend's loved one 4:20 to 6:53 - How Do You Use It Active listening - seeking to understand (about meaning, about purpose) 7 Key Components Be attentive Ask open-ended questions Ask probing questions Requesting clarification Paraphrasing Reflect on feelings (be mindful of nonverbal cues) Summarize (create next steps) Paul Lyons (writes about empathy in the workplace)- "people want to be heard and have their view acknowledged." It's not necessarily about agreeing, but about acknowledgment.  6:54 to 11:31 - How Can I Leverage Empathy For My Brand Create a culture where empathy is nurtured and expected Make questioning to understand a part of your DNA, part of the ethos of your brand Prioritize progress over wins and losses Example with $2 bills at agency to recognize progress over wins / losses Hire people with empathy, have soft skills It's sticky, people want to stay Millennials perform better in an environment with empathy-based managers If managers don't have that, create a training program that includes empathy Unconscious bias training Create solutions (products, services, offerings) through an empathetic lens Silicon valley has mastered this New disciplines developed - design thinking, chief sustainability officers, UX, UI - all based on empathy 11:32 to 11:47 - Theodore Roosevelt quote "Nobody cares about how much you know until they know how much you care." 11:51 to 12:52 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for more on Branding, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Billy Moyer, Author and Founder of SOS Leadership, who joined us in April during our roundtable event on Managing Professional Relationships. As you'll soon find out, he has so much to share about setting up relationships properly in the first place (to avoid burning bridges); and does it in just under 15 minutes! Because there's so much magic in this episode - let's hop in and hear what Billy has to say! 0:00 to 1:28 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Billy Moyer 1:33 to 3:33 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Walking Away Gracefully: Calling it Quits Without Burning Bridges) Example with prospect that wasn't a fit and how Billy helped that prospect find the right provider for their needs. Approach is to look at why he shouldn't work with a certain client instead of why he should  3:34 to 5:40 - The Conversation that Leads to Exiting a Relationship Really Begins When the Relationship is Formed Start at the beginning with clear goals and expectations of what you want the relationship to be (i.e. contracts) It's a lot easier to end a relationship if it was clear up front Prenup is signed BEFORE the wedding, not after Formalizing expectations later in the game brings time draining consequences and emotions into the equation 5:41 to 6:50 - Avoid Using the Word "Maybe" Maybe means "No, but I don't want to hurt your feelings" Example with t-shirts for an event  6:51 to 13:23 - When Having "the" Conversation, Utilize the Following: Stay calm Be mindful of saying and writing things you will come to regret Be understanding of where the other party is coming from, empathize with them Be direct Things get messed up when you aren't direct You want to know when it's ending Having a repeat of the same conversation is harder the second time Too much worry around burning bridges creates indirectness  The longer something gets drug out, the more likely it is to burn a bridge If you have practiced directness, calmness, empathy, and setting expectations in advance and the bridge still gets burned - do you care? Stick to facts, leave emotion out of it Business itself is logic, though some parts include emotion (sales, sharing vision, etc) Make decisions based on what's best for your business Jerry Maguire quote - "It's not show friends, it's show business" Friendship is an emotional relationship Emotion trumps logic, it's very difficult when you mix those together Don't dredge up the past or place blame Be fair, don't leave someone with an unfinished project Be reasonable, don't leave someone scrambling Practice emotional maturity Say "thank you" Thank a person exiting the relationship for the contributions they made to the project, organization, etc. Shows emotional maturity and respects their involvement.  Always look for "win win" situations Want for both parties (you and the other) to win If you can't get "win win," then aim for "win" What you don't want is "lose lose," it never works out well Number one role of a manager - inspect what you expect 13:28 to 14:55 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for info on Branding, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Kara Kriegshauser, Client Services Professional, who joined us in April during our roundtable event on Managing Professional Relationships. As you'll soon find out, she'll walk you through the fine art of managing up, down, and across in under 15 minutes. Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Kara has to say! 0:00 to 1:40 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Kara Kriegshauser 1:41 to 3:44 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Managing Up, Down, and Across) Managing up - trying to influence someone to change their mind who has say over your paycheck Managing down - managing an employee, assistant, intern Managing across - working with someone equal to you (a peer) to accomplish a goal that you desire 3:45 to 5:10 - Success is about influencing others / 3 Main Things to help create influence Empathy Information Reciprocity Queso versus sushi with friend example that uses all three principles 5:11 to 6:34 - Mutual Respect Google study about what makes teams successful within Google. Survey result was "being nice to each other" Mutual respect What piece can you control and how can you influence within that 6:35 to 11:19 - Understand Place in System and How to Build Influence What's my goal. What can I control? What's my role? So, what can I control within my role? Managing up example with CEO at former company Managing up example with boutique owner and task management software Asana Pilot your idea! After implementation, work with the manager to find more ways to improve the process or solicit feedback for improvement Take time to celebrate 11:20 to 12:02 - Parting Quotes Steve Martin, "a mistake that we make is we ask ourselves who can help me when the question to ask is instead whom can I help first." Builds mutual respect "The key to successful leadership today is influence and not authority." 12:07 to 13:23 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social (@createmeetbiz on Instagram and Twitter // Creatives Meet Business on Facebook) Links that Kara references: What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team, New York Times Influence: Managing Up, Across, and Down Webinar with Steve Martin Asana  If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for more info on Managing Professional Relationships, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Dr. Vagdevi Meunier, Founder and Executive Director of The Center for Relationships, who joined us in April during our roundtable event on Managing Professional Relationships. As you'll soon find out, she'll walk you through the fine art of boundary setting in under 15 minutes. Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Dr. Vagdevi has to say! 0:00 to 1:43 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Dr. Vagdevi Meunier 1:49 to 2:39 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Boundaries) As soon as you're in a relationship, you have to think about boundaries We negotiate boundaries from the time we're children 2:40 to 6:37 - Setting boundaries Know what makes you feel like somebody crossed a boundary for you Boundaries are about personal integrity and self knowledge Boundaries are necessary because they create safety and allow people to be the best versions of themselves  Safety is necessary for creativity  Setting boundaries is an important skill for creatives to have Self awareness and observation are key to understanding personal boundaries Think about personal values and sense of purpose Know what makes you flourish and feel free (not restricted) Know your limits and capacities Know when you're approaching your capacity Negotiation changes when you have a better sense of your capacity Know what makes you feel fear or lack of safety Know what you have a tendency to do 6:38 to 7:03 - Guiding Principles Write out a three sentence statement about what you're about How do you want people to experience when in relationship with you This becomes your set of guiding principles 7:04 to 9:45 - How to Set Boundaries Learn to be assertive and not aggressive John Gottman research - four behaviors that are aggressive rather than assertive: Criticism Defensiveness Contempt Stonewalling  The antidote for each of these is assertiveness 3 R's Formula: Receive Reflect Implicit Values Respond 9:46 to 10:26 - Put yourself first Take time for self care! Meditate More likely to stand up for ourselves when we feel like we're befriending ourselves Seek consultation 10:27 to 11:24 - The Art of Saying NO Always begin with a "Yes" and then talk about what you need and want and when it would be a good idea for you to offer that 11:27 to 12:39 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social Need help with goal planning? Connect with us for a goal planning session! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for more info on Managing Professional Relationships, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Jen Spencer, Founder of The Creative Executive, who joined us in April during our roundtable event on Managing Professional Relationships. As you'll soon find out, she's basically crafted a Professional Relationship 101 course that you get to partake of in under 15 minutes. She begins with defining various types of relationships then walks you through how to design them to work for you. Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Jen has to say! 0:00 to 0:57 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Jen Spencer 1:00 to 2:14 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Designing Professional Relationships) She isn't referring to all of the relationships that are part of your network (some of those are at a more superficial level), instead she's talking about the deep, meaningful relationships that are part of your business or career Assumption that there's a mutual relationship of giving and taking (reciprocity, not one-sided) 2:15 to 6:05 - Types of Professional Relationships Guides - could be a mentor or coach, colleague. Someone who helps guide you in your business and on your career path Partners - can be formal and informal. Link to Jen's blog post: "10 Things to Think About Before You Get Work-Married"  Uncommon to have a 20 year business partnership Collaborators  Alliance / Affiliation, a more formalized collaboration Conduit / Channel Partners Workers - employees or subcontractors. With workers, you make the call, you're in charge Clients - everyone has them! 6:06 to 9:13 - Three Phases for Designing Relationships Creating - you need a direction for where you're wanting to go. Creation is about the initiation phase or "dating." Do you share values with your partner / collaborator? Link to Jen's Values Assessment (you'll need to share your name and email address to download it) What's the agreement part of the relationship, figure it out beforehand Maintaining - you're being assessed and you're assessing other people about what's working and what's not working. Refining - Use action around what you've learned in the maintaining phase. You can: Course correct Expand the relationship Pause it if it didn't feel like a good fit End it  9:14 to 9:40 - Three Questions to Think About for Your Professional Relationships Where are you going? List top 10 to 20 relationships that fit inside of Guide, Partner, Worker, Client categories What's working, what's not working, and what's missing for where you're going?  9:43 to 11:41 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social Come check out our three day "Experience" this September - www.cmbxp.com (September 14-16) Need help with goal planning? Connect with us for a goal planning session! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Get ready for more info on Managing Professional Relationships, stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Claire Winslow, President and Senior Strategist at Best Practice Media, who joined us in February during our event on Digital Marketing. As you'll soon find out, she shares some completely brilliant insights into the world of Online Reputation Management and what you can start doing now to own your front page. She chats about which platforms you can solicit reviews on (if you must), how to google yourself incognito, tools for managing your online reputation, and so much more. Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Claire has to say! 0:00 to 1:11 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Claire Winslow 1:16 to 1:26 - Introduction of Self and Topic (Online Reputation Management and Social Listening) 1:27 to 3:34 - Social Audit and Online Reputation Audit Social Audit - what someone is doing on social, what their competitors are doing, etc. Online Reputation Management Audit - Google people, company, executives and see what can be found The best place to bury a dead body is the 2nd page on google search results Your current online reputation is the top 10 results Search in incognito mode to see your true online reputation Important to know - how much of the content on your first page do you own yourself and how much was created by other people (or it isn't about you) Best Practice Media example, took some time to own the first page because people often search for Best Practices IN Media 3:35 to 5:09 - Social Listening Tools Google Alerts - a free tool to help you monitor your online reputation Set one for your own name, your company's name, your industry, your competitors Remember to put the text in quotes ""! Takes about 24 hours for results to populate Enterprise level tools (like Spredfast and Brandwatch) Probably don't need these tools when getting started These tools can measure brand sentiment VERY expensive Lower cost social listening tools Mention SocialReport 5:10 to 8:52 - Review Platforms! Yelp - strict algorithm. Do not solicit reviews, they will not stick. Yelp knows when they're fake.  Google My Business - you need a physical, brick and mortar address. PO Boxes (and the like) aren't accepted Select either home address (not recommended), OR Coworking space floating membership, most low cost options will allow you to use their address Facebook Not often thought of as a review platform If you have a local page, you can get reviews No algorithm for filtering out reviews LinkedIn You won't get negative reviews Endorsements, the value is unclear Recommendations are very helpful, especially when you're on the hunt for a job or new clients or when you're bidding for a client or piece of work Glassdoor  Platform for employees to comment about previous or current employers Glassdoor has great SEO Industry specific platforms Avvo - for lawyers Healthgrades - for doctors Angie's List - services Search for arts and freelancer platforms Don't count these out! These are great opportunities to get new clients. 8:53 to 11:22 - What to Do If You Don't Own the Content on Your First Page Or Don't Like What You See Do your Local SEO - take brick and mortar address and make your own directory listings: Best of the Web Superpages Localeze Infogroup Citysearch Bing Not the most sophisticated way to own your front page, but it's the quickest Make sure you enter in the address the same way every time (Avenue versus Ave. for example) Moz is a paid option to do all of the directories for you The deeper dive is to create your own content to own your front page Active blog, social platform 11:25 to 13:25 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social Come check out our three day "Experience" this September - www.cmbxp.com (September 14-16) Need help with goal planning? Connect with us for a goal planning session! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. One more on Digital Marketing, then we move over to Managing Professional Relationships so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Cortney Hickey, Digital Marketing Manager at lookthinkmake, who joined us in February during our event on Digital Marketing. As you'll soon find out, she shares some completely brilliant insights into the world of SEO and what you can start doing now. She chats about when to be creative (and when not to be creative), how to set up a Keyword Planner, how to update previous content to be more searchable and so much more. Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Cortney has to say! 0:00 to 1:35 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Cortney Hickey There's a couple hisses and pops in this episode - sorry! 1:36 to 2:07 - Introduction of Self and Topic (how to get search engines to work for your blog) SEO can seem intimidating, but it's not!  SEO is for any size of business There are tools you can start using today  2:08 to 2:50 - What Search Engines Do Two functions: Spider - they crawl around every page and link on the interwebs and create an index of everything that's out there Answer Machine - create ranked lists of websites that they deem relevant and popular for a certain search term using algorithms or ranking factors The full algorithm and ranking factors aren't revealed, but SEO professionals have a very good idea of what they're looking for 2:51 to 4:03 - Why Blogging Is Important to Search Search engines see new content as a ranking element Search engines include dates for when posts were written 3/4s of people use search engines to find local business information Power of SEO grows over time 4:23 to 5:04 - Blog Content and Best Practices Focus should be first on quality content Ultimate goal: write useful blog posts that are optimized for search Focusing the content of each post pretty narrowly What's the goal? Is there a metric I can measure that goal against?  Keep the content between 300 and 700 words 5:05 to 7:51 - Keyword Research The terms need to be something that people are searching for Google Keyword Planner tool - it's free, you just need to create an Adwords Account Enter in your website, theme or keyword you're thinking of and it will create a list of keywords that are relevant. Also provides search volume for the keywords. The more search volume, the more competition. And thus, the harder it is to get ranked. Look for long tail keywords Example about "favorite things to do in Austin" blog post, get more specific. Google Keyword Planner is a good place to start, but it's not creative. Think outside the box! Think in the searcher's brain and not just from what Google has told you Once you have your keyword, pick around 3 to 5 variations of that keyword Keep it natural in your content 7:52 to 11:07 - Onpage Optimization If you have a website hosted on Wordpress or another CMS, there's usually a plug-in that can help you get started. Yoast for example is helpful for Wordpress The plug-in will analyze content, give you information on keyword density, give you an opportunity to fix your titles and descriptions of pages, and is really useful for people just getting started. No code! The most important aspect of this is your title tag (what shows up in search engines that people click on) Don't get creative here, say EXACTLY what the blog is about 70 characters or less is a good length URL - most URLs are based on the name of the post, but you should shorten as much as you can. Remove stop words (e.g. And, The, An) to shorten the URL Meta description - the search preview snippet shown below your title Not an SEO factor, but very important to stand out from other results on page Any words in here that are used by a searcher are in Bold.  If you're updating any images or using any media, you can set alt descriptions and give an exact title of what your image is. Helps search engines with what image is about 11:08 to 12:12 - Once the Post is Published - Linking What other resources can you point to, include other internal or external links Internal linking - the way your own website links to pages within itself Important ranking factor Search engines will think the page with the most links to it is the most important  When you write a new blog, think about an older, more authoritative page to point from. Look at your homepage or a popular previous blog, see if there's a module you can link from 12:13 to 14:47 - Outreach and Amplification and SEO Takeaways Social sharing and telling everyone you know! Main takeaways: Results of SEO don't happen overnight You can't hurt anything by getting started You can revisit previous content and pages to your website and make changes Go to Google and type in Site: (and your website) It will show all of the pages it has crawled and indexed and include the titles and meta descriptions Google has webmaster tools to provide more help if pages aren't showing up You can update pages on your site, not just blogs Homepage, services, etc Make sure external links aren't broken Don't be afraid to get local with your content 14:48 to 16:27 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social Come check out our three day "Experience" this September - www.cmbxp.com (September 14-16) Need help with goal planning? Connect with us for a goal planning session! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Digital Marketing so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Chad Jones, founder of Hatcreek Marketing, who joined us in February during our event on Digital Marketing. As you'll soon find out, he shares some awesome insights into the world of analytics and what you should really know. He chats about the scientific method, how to find the analytics that you actually need to measure and so much more. Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Chad has to say! 0:00 to 1:43 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Chad Jones 1:46 to 2:36 - Introduction of Self and Why Analytics Should be Measured Now (Not Later) You should be paying attention to analytics at every stage of your business as analytics help you keep your finger on the pulse with your customers and prospective clients 2:37 to 5:59 - Concepts and Approach for Analytics - The Scientific Method! Travel back to middle school and revisit The Scientific Method Ask questions, come up with a hypothesis, test / research, come up with a conclusion First question should be - how do I provide value to a client? Then -what metric do I use to measure that? Example of a photographer - metric to measure is time on site Think practically about what scares you off when you're shopping for things - Reviews? Slow load time on page? Preview thumbnails are too small? Analytics is: question, test, answer, new question 6:00 to 7:32 - Segmented Data Grouping data and looking at specific metrics inside those groups Source metric - where traffic is coming from (i.e. organic search result, twitter, newsletter) Example with auto post to Facebook and Twitter, how you can measure the results to see which audiences are bouncing and which are engaging Segmenting data gives you actionable intel 7:33 to 9:20 - Building Funnels Anytime you build an email campaign, website, etc, you have an idea how you want people to step through it (steps to take) i.e. social post to landing page to call-to-action to form Compare predicted behavior to actual behavior  Hatcreek Marketing example - basic navigation funnel Why, What, How and Who Look at metrics with that funnel in mind 9:21 to 10:54 - Pitfalls to Watch Out For Know how the metric you're relying on is calculated Example of bounce rate on a one-page website Example with dryer not behaving properly and bouncing from site after taking all of the suggested steps from the website (the site did what it was intended to do) Watching out for bogus data Counting your own traffic 10:57 to 12:51 - Deep Dive on Google Analytics Conversion funnels that can send you emails User flow - user behavior report Good place to start if you're just now thinking about funnels 12:56 to 14:00 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social Need help with goal planning? Connect with us for a goal planning session! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Digital Marketing so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Maggie Miller, owner of MaggieGentry, who joined us in February during our event on Digital Marketing. As you'll soon find out, she shares some awesome insights into the world of email marketing. She chats about everything from strategies with downloadables and providing valuable resources to your audience to healthy open rates to strategies on when to send your emails (and much much more). Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Maggie has to say! 0:00 to 1:59 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Maggie Miller 2:05 to 3:42 - Introduction of Self and Marketing for Solopreneurs Misconception is that marketing for solopreneurs is only social media You no longer own the content that you put out on Facebook, Instagram, etc. Once published, they are owned by these platforms Use your social media strategy to drive people to your website or newsletter 3:43 to 5:14 - How Do I Get Anyone to Join My Newsletter List? Through the idea of an email opt-in, freebie, or downloadable This is a free resource that provides value to the user in exchange for their email address Product-based businesses provide 10% off first order in exchange for email address This allows you to own the email address of that user Whitelist your email address to reduce emails falling into spam or promotions filters  5:15 to 7:05 - What's My Free Resource? Checklist or workbook, 5 free stock photos Think about your end client, what will they find valuable? Take it further though - what is valuable to them but also helpful for you? Think about the process you take with every client. Example - a graphic designer who focuses on logo identity or brand design will need to create a mood board. An email opt-in could be a checklist for all of the elements for a perfect mood board or a worksheet to create. When they complete it and come back to hire you, they've completed the first checklist which helps you.  7:06 to 8:27 - How Often Should I Send Something and When Should I Send It? Keep it consistent, but find YOUR consistent Best time to send is typically Tuesday through Thursday Test to find your sweet spot 8:28 to 10:14 - Open Rates and Click Throughs A healthy open rate is 30% If you want to improve this, you can send a series of 3 emails to engage your audience and see if they want to still be on your list. If they say no, remove them and then you'll have a healthier list with a higher open rate. A healthy click through rate is 2 to 3% If you have a goal for yourself to sell a certain number of items or services, do the math backward and see how many people you'll need on your list to make your sale People need to hear something 7 times before they take an action 10:15 to 10:31 - A Typical Launch Strategy 21 day is the sweet spot, 3 weeks and 7 emails 10:32 to 12:14 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social Email us for a goal planning session or join CreativeTribes if you're in Austin! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. More on Digital Marketing so stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features James Renovitch with The Austin Chronicle who joined us in December during our event on PR. As you'll soon find out, he succinctly explains PR from the journalist's perspective. He chats about everything from how you should speak to press to what you should share with them to maintaining your own personality (and much, MUCH more). Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what James has to say! 0:00 to 2:42 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of James Renovitch 2:47 to 4:45 - Rule 1: Know That You're Emailing Another Human Being Know who you're talking to! That extends to the publications (what their bread and butter is) and what each journalist covers Know why you're writing to them. Tech related? About social issues? 4:46 to 6:08 - Not Sure Who to Start With? Call the front desk of the publication. Don't ask to be transferred, just describe your project and ask who you should be emailing Still not sure? In your email outreach mention "I'm not sure if you're  the right person to share this with. If you're not, could you please direct me to the right person or forward my email to them?" 6:09 to 7:27 - How Many Times Should You Follow-Up If there's no time sensitivity - Send first email, wait a week (include information again). If you don't hear again, that's probably it. You can try again in a few weeks, but that's really the max you should do. If it's time sensitive, you can fast track it a little Be mindful about phone calls 7:28 to 9:27 - Tone Professional or Informal? Depends on who you're writing to - know who you're writing to! Don't hide your personality. Professionalism is great, but that's really about including what needs to be included. Don't forget to include a link to your website. Put yourself in the journalist's shoes - what would they want? Include a summary, photo, a link to see more 9:28 to 11:10 - Don't Write the Story for the Journalist Help them picture what the final product would look like Include a photo, a video (if you have one), some snippet that stands out about what you've created Know your strengths and weaknesses If it's unfinished, mention the elements that aren't complete 11:15 to 12:11 - Ashland Closing Remarks Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We're moving over to Digital Marketing soon and have some pros that we can't wait to introduce you to. Stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Kristen Chin with POM PR who joined us in December during our event on PR. As you'll soon find out, she succinctly explains SO much about "timing" in the world of PR. She chats about everything from the variety of different media outlets and when you should pitch them to what should be on your timeline and how  you should format it (and much, MUCH more). If timelines eluded you before this episode, you'll walk away with a spring in your step and a better understanding of all things PR. Because there's so SO much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Kristen has to say! 0:00 to 1:40 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Kristen Chin 1:41 to 2:01 - Introduction of self and POM PR and topic "Timelines - Why They Matter and How to Plan One" 2:02 to 2:47 - Newsworthiness Ask yourself - "Is this your time and why?" Think about what's your story and what's the timeframe for you Editorial usually won't break more than two weeks before an event / performance. Look into paid marketing opportunities if you're wanting coverage beyond the two week mark. 2:48 to 3:20 - Formatting Your Timeline and Tasks Suggests using Excel or Google Calendars (create a PR calendar for your PR activities) 3:21 to 4:09 - Tasks on your Timeline Get your materials (press release, pitch, artwork, graphics) ready to go before you start pitching Worst thing that can happen is you get press interested in your story and then don't have any images or materials and you lose the story altogether 4:10 to 5:02 - Creating Your Media List Research outlets and writers Read recent stories the writers have written Nothing will get your email deleted faster than sending something to a writer that's not relevant for them Media move around a lot, make sure they're still with the publication you think they're with before you reach out (and make sure they're still writing on the same topic) Check the website, masthead, LinkedIn, google Beats can be very nuanced, researching helps you know you're reaching out to the right writer 5:03 to 8:37 - Timeframes for long lead press Magazines - 8 weeks out Think of your end goal date and back that out 8 weeks Tip - pull the media kit online and look at the advertising deadlines  Editorial will always happen before the ad date close  Calendar listings - 6 weeks out All your basic information - who, what, where, when, pricing and an image Many calendars are self-submitting. If it's the first time you're doing it, factor in timing for creating an account. Check it after it's posted to make sure everything transferred properly, the image is correct, etc. Online and blogs - pitch periodically Bloggers might have content planned as much as two months out Give yourself enough time Coverage is in limited supply - think about when you were last featured Coverage is spaced out If your news isn't time sensitive, pitch it around when your topic best fits into the media's editorial calendar Advertorial sections can give you a good indicator of the topic that's being featured in a publication 8:38 to 11:11 - Press Releases General news announcement for a vast number of outlets all at once Cuts down on amount of time you need to spend on finding media contacts You can use a wire service to reach a lot of press at once Wire service examples - PR Newswire, Business Wire Can be pricey, some charge based on word count or attached image Benefits to wire service is press release pickup that copies your press release word for word which helps with SEO and link backs to your site. Downside to wire service - you have to monitor your coverage, you have no idea when your piece might hit. Downside to press releases - you aren't cultivating relationships with press Hybrid situation - you can build a media list yourself and then if time runs out, blast it out to your whole media list (use something like MailChimp or Constant Contact to see who opened it for follow-up). You can also do this by separating your long leads from your short leads You can also send to 5 or so people individually and then a press release to the remainder of the list 11:12 to 11:59 - Frequency of Pitching Pitch when you have something really important to say Once you've pitched, you want to follow up once, wait a week and then follow-up again. Don't ever follow-up more than twice. If you haven't heard from someone after two follow-ups, they aren't interested (not the right topic or not the right time). Don't get discouraged - it's all about patience 12:03 to 12:58 - Ashland Closing Remarks More PR to come! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We'll be sticking around the world of PR for a couple more weeks and have some pros that we can't wait to introduce you to. Stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Casey Miller with lookthinkmake. She joined us in December during our event on PR. As you'll soon find out, she succinctly explains SO much about the world of PR. Topics range from media alerts to press releases to honing your story (aka - know, explain and stay true to your why) and much, MUCH more. If PR confused you before this episode, you'll walk away with a spring in your step and a better vocabulary for chatting about all things PR. Because there's so so much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Casey has to say! 0:00 to 1:27 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Casey Miller 1:32 to 1:40 - Introduction of discussion topic - honing your story and making it compelling 1:41 to 2:26 - Back it up, begin with your why Don't start with what you're doing, but WHY! Tie things into your brand pillars and identity.  Have this serve as your anchor for everything you do 2:27 to 3:25 - Think about who your audiences are and what they will find interesting Who is your audience - you, clients, media, other people in your industry (all of them combined) Start by writing down a list of topics about what is interesting about what you're doing  3:26 to 4:32 - Telling what you need to tell in a tight and meaningful way Be digestible and surprising Be mindful of what somebody is going to cling onto. People resonate with emotional aspects and anecdotes When telling a story, think about building a friendship Make sure you're building a relationship with your brand 4:33 to 6:54 - Press Kit Evergreen, but update it when you have new content Introduction to your story and your brand You write it yourself, it's a way to craft your own story Be mindful of adjectives and words that work best for you Press Kits contain:  History Why you're doing what you're doing (story) Background Bios Facts General Information You want your press kit to be used by media and have quotes and content pulled from this, it's how you want to be described! Include visual assets Always a good investment, this content can be used in so many channels to tell your story 6:55 to 8:55 - Press Releases Owned content (you write this yourself) that you send out to announce a significant milestone or piece of news Include a couple of quotes and a boiler plate at the bottom (company bio) Helps strengthen SEO for website Helpful to distribute over PRWeb or another news wire service because it helps get your name out there Differentiate between fluffy pieces and more timely, significant milestones. Use a press release for the significant milestones, things like: a new partnership, hitting a major milestone, announcing a new brand, an award 8:56 to 11:56 - Media Pitches Opportunity to tell your story to someone to share it with their audience Keep your email short, around 3 to 4 short paragraphs Be mindful, people read emails on their phones and consider the amount of scrolling needed to read your email Be clever, catchy and hook them with your first paragraph with what you're trying to accomplish Be digestible and concise Don't just say "I'd love you to cover this certain thing," offer a hook and differentiate how you can be helpful and a resource Take the time and think about who you're writing to (know about this journalist) Look at their coverage and see if you can match your story to what they like to write Your subject line is also an opportunity to hook them (if they don't know you). You're asking them to take a lot of actions, but by hooking them the hurdles get smaller and smaller. Use the same adjectives you use in your press kit You don't have to be the only person in a story for it to be a successful story. 11:57 to 12:48 - Don't forget your interviews! Prepare! Be prepared for them!  You want to give a sound bite conversationally Do your research on the journalist Media isn't the only way to tell your story Don't forget to reach out all the time, stay top of mind and be consistent Don't pop up once every 6 months, they won't remember who you are Eventually you'll find a story that works, the point is to build a relationship with the journalist 12:49 to 13:56 - Ashland Closing Remarks More PR to come! Stay in touch, email us (ashland@cmbatx.com) or connect with us on social If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We'll be sticking around the world of PR for a few more weeks and have some pros that we can't wait to introduce you to. We're so excited about future episodes on: timelines, leveraging events as part of your PR strategy and much more. Stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Jennifer Sinski with Giant Noise. She joined us in December during our event on PR. As you'll find out, she leaves no stone unturned when it comes to Influencer Marketing. Topics range from what an influencer is, what pay to play is, how to engage with an influencer from a brand perspective and much, MUCH more. If influencer marketing confused you before this episode, you'll walk away with a spring in your step and a better vocabulary for chatting about all things influencer. Because there's so so much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Jennifer has to say! 0:00 to 1:26 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Jennifer Sinski 1:28 to 1:48 - Introduction of self, Giant Noise and discussion topic 1:56 to 2:38 - Defines Influencer Owns own platform (blog, Facebook page, YouTube), not a traditional media outlet and produces their own content. Looked to as tastemaker / leader in their area 2:39 to 4:47 - Interacting with influencers and Pay to Play Influencers are willing to promote a service or product in exchange for an experience or product Restaurant example - dining experience for Instagram post Pay to Play - Influencer will provide a media kit as well as cost for a post 4:48 to 8:19 - How to Identify Influencers Depends on industry Food - look up hashtags, what's being tagged and who is tagging them Search through location or services  Instagram blocks APIs of a lot of 3rd party apps  Look at Follow Page Content that your friends like, people around you are liking Hashtag research Top content being engaged with, that content creator is someone you might consider being on the influencer level Having a second means of communication - a blog, YouTube or other platform is a plus Micro influencer - anyone under 20K followers on Instagram (not exclusive to Instagram, there are other platforms that should be considered) 8:20 to 8:54 - Negotiating with an Influencer Be clear about your expectations and what you're getting With Pay to Play - Have a Contract! Include: how many times they'll post, the copy of the post, when it'll be posted by, how they'll get paid, have them send a W-9 Don't just have a one email interaction or send product blindly, it won't come back to you 8:55 to 10:14 - Identifying Fake Followers You can buy followers 100,000 followers with 100 likes or zero comments aren't good odds that they have real followers Services that comment on photos for you doesn't translate to event attendance or product purchases Services let you select demographic and it'll make comments like "This is everything" or "Thumbs up"  Follow / Unfollow - following a person in the hopes they follow you back, then unfollowing them Understand how Influencers have built their audience. If you are wanting to work with them, will this audience help you do what you want them to do 10:15 to 12:00 - Influencer PR Strategy Goes hand in hand with a traditional PR strategy. Just like you would do a media alert or press release, you'd pitch an influencer but tailor it to them Expectation isn't that they will write about it. In outreach, offer opportunities for photographing and more Influencer outreach is same type of interaction as press outreach Done on every level, not just locally Mommy blogging is a big market 12:01 to 12:58 - How People Become Influencers Some buy followers, for others it just happens How to deal with it? Honesty with audience is key! Attend media events Attend free events Sponsored posts are an option Influencer Marketing helps brands reach their target demographic directly 12:59 to 13:17 - Who Works with Influencers? Ad Agencies and PR firms are in the middle, both share in this space  Some ad agencies have targeted themselves as only working with influencers 13:18 to 14:31 - Ashland Closing Remarks More PR to come! If you're in Austin, check out CreativeTribes If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We'll be sticking around the world of PR for a few more weeks and have some pros that we can't wait to introduce you to. We're so excited about future episodes on: timelines, making sure your story is compelling for press, leveraging events as part of your PR strategy and much more. Stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Jon Lebkowsky, founder and CEO of Polycot Associates. Jon is a fascinating fellow and is beyond knowledgable about all things web and development (and on ALL things internet).  Jon shares about the different types of platforms out there (and the difference between them) and what questions you should be thinking about if you're ready to work with a developer. Because there's so so much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Jon has to say! 0:00 to 2:16 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Jon Lebkowsky 2:20 to 5:23 - Four Categories of Platforms   Hosted Service - examples include Squarespace, Wix, Tumblr Light Content Management System - you arrange the hosting yourself. WordPress is an example. Note - WordPress does have a hosted version, but Jon is talking about the software, not the service. More Complex Content Management Frameworks. An example is Drupal Web Application Development Frameworks - Ruby on Rails is an example. Basecamp is an example of a site built with Ruby on Rails Rails is good for rapid prototyping and web application development 5:24 to 7:11 - Web Development is less about building from scratch and more about re-tooling to increase and customize functionality. Two ways to extend functionality: Themes, free or purchase - configure to customize based on needs Additional functionality that's not in the core platform: WordPress - plug-ins Drupal - modules Be careful of the plug-ins or modules you attach to your site as they increase complexity to site and potential for conflicts. There could be security flaws with the plug-ins or modules, so be cautious. 7:12 to 11:32 - Questions to Ask When Decided on a Platform What are you trying to do and who are you trying to reach with the platform? Brochure sites - basic information Considered Purchase site - informative, repeat traffic from same visitor Information site or portal - very information dense E-commerce site - can be simple or complex Web application - application that's served over the web (Basecamp is an example) How are you going to choose a developer? If you have someone in mind, get to know their platform proficiency. Recommended to get developer first and include them in the conversation about platform selection that will work for your project How much can you afford to spend? How much are you willing to spend for ongoing maintenance? How often will your website and content change? 11:36 to 12:36 - Content Management System For Self-Maintenance  Open source allowed more freedom for customers to change  developers, no longer locked into a developer if the client was dissatisfied  12:37 to 13:57 - Ashland Closing Remarks If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We'll be moving over to PR next, so start getting excited. Stay tuned for more! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Alyssa Scavetta with Masonry. You'll find that she leaves no stone unturned when it comes to website admin. Topics include: domains, hosting,  SSL certificates, 301 and 404 error messages and more. If website lingo confused you before this episode, you'll walk away with a spring in your step and a better vocabulary for chatting about the web. Because there's so so much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Alyssa has to say! 0:00 to 1:55 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Alyssa Scavetta 1:59 to 4:01 - Anecdote about aiding a brand after their original domain included the number 1 at the end of it (name wasn't on brand) Google Domains - find alternative domains and search misspells  Domains - roughly $10 to $12 a year SEMrush - finding misspellings - shows what people are searching for when looking for your brand or site so you can see how they're misspelling it 4:02 to 4:36 - Domains and Hosting Domain - basically the address Roughly $10 to $12 a year, unless it's unavailable and someone else owns it Hosting - basically the house - server space you buy so the domain can live there 4:37 to 5:40 - HTTP vs HTTPS HTTPS - ALWAYS use with e-commerce. Necessary if you're collecting other people's personal, private data.  Technically, Google favors HTTPS sites (but it's not going to hugely increase your site traffic) It's a certificate that talks to browsers and says the site is secure You'll see a green lock next to the domain Usually purchased on a one year or three to five year basis. Usually $100. 5:41 to 6:11- Security Updates Look for updates once a month Save the current version of your website before the update in case something isn't compatible Wordpress automatically updates sites 6:12 to 7:30 - 301 and 404 Messages 301 - Permanent redirect  When building a new website based on old site, you'll want to redirect all of your old links Masonry uses reroute module in Craft CMS Keeps SEO value, visitors going to the right place Put new link in as related content  404 - Page not found Put a landing page, decreases bounce rate Customize your landing page to be on brand 7:31 to 9:08 - Domain Authority Scale from zero to 100 that grades your website based off of backlinks that it has (and internal links it has). Based on the quality of the content. Research your domain authority and your competitors as well Hard to influence your domain authority, taking these actions can influence your domain authority: Install Google Search Console tools - take snippet of code and it tells you where your errors are being received by the crawling bot, 301s / 404s and more Getting rid of 301s and redirecting old or missing content to content that's alive Mitigate 404s that you find in your crawl report 9:09 to 10:24 - Ashland Closing Remarks If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We'll be sticking around the world of websites for just a couple more weeks and have some pros that we can't wait to introduce you to. After websites, we'll be moving over to PR, so start getting excited. Stay tuned for more! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Jeremy Cox, Digital Director at McGarrah Jessee. He shares so so much about branding - brand positioning, brand personality, branding elements, what makes a brand unique and distinctive, pitfalls and more. Because there's so so much that's exciting about this episode - let's hop in and hear what Jeremy has to say! 0:00 to 1:55 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Jeremy Cox Examples of McGarrah Jessee client work: Whataburger, Frost Bank, Shiner Beers, Yeti Coolers 2:00 to 3:58 - Branding Your Site - Consistency in Tone and Appearance Branding is vastly important Branding - what does it mean. Jeremy's definition: It's not - just a name, logo or a couple of colors It is - the public facing manifestation of who you are Also includes people's perception of what you've put out there 3:59 to 4:40 - What is a Well-Architected Brand Unique - therefore own-able Easily recognizable Consistent - everywhere 4:41 to 6:45 - Brand Positioning and Brand Personality Brand Positioning: A statement - a single sentence - that says what you do and do well that the competition can't do and can't touch and that people actually want Brand Personality: A layer / filter to brand positioning - how do you do what you do?  Is it serious? Whimsical? 6:46 to - 12:41 Branding Elements Name - one of the first things people experience Logo - visual counterpart to your or company's name Do these fit through filter of brand positioning and brand personality? Visual anchors Copy - great opportunity for you to exercise your brand through words Ex - Choice of tense - 1st person is conversational, personal; 3rd person expresses size, it's bigger than just me Micro-level interactions on your site - confirmation page as a place to add personality through a purchase made through website Color - apply with thought to user experience  Typography - More choices available now online Use caution - use legible copy in the body text but one that's a compliment to the personality of your main typeface Visuals - don't say things with words when an image would be much better, don't say things with an image when a video would be much better Structure of a site - are you allowing the user to digest it the right way? Interactions and Animations within site  12:42 to 14:57 - Pitfalls  Just like your brand shouldn't be all things to all people, your website shouldn't be. Don't be afraid to make decisions that focus you towards your audience and the purpose of what your business is meant to do Don't get too intricate / too fancy. Take it one step at a time when building up your brand online Don't think of your brand as static, it's not a static brand Be cautious with templates (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace) - put the time in to craft it and make it your own. They have customizable ways to personalize it Be careful not to lean too heavily on trends and assume that's what your brand is. Trends change more frequently than your brand should 15:02 to 16:20 - Ashland Closing Remarks If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We'll be sticking around the world of websites for a few weeks and have some pros that we can't wait to introduce you to. Stay tuned for more! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Alex O'Neal, an Austin-based UX Consultant with UXtraordinary and Instructor at General Assembly Austin. She shares so so much about testing, metrics, analytics and more. Alex begins with the reasons WHY we test and moves into metrics and analytics. She also walks us through a great alternative to AB tests for smaller sites - before and after snapshots. One of the coolest we things we learned about was POP - Prototyping on Paper (check it out, it's awesome). Without further adieu, here's Alex... 0:00 to 3:18 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Alex O'Neal 3:20 to 5:12 - Why Do We Test? Two big questions of User Experience  Who is on the other end of the screen? What are they doing? 5:15 to 7:59 - Analytics for Websites Some hosting services offer their own metrics  Conversion - Does the customer do what you wanted them to do Device (Desktop or Phone) Used to Visit Site Google Analytics - free service - uses a snippet of code that you embed on pages of your site Exit - someone comes to site, looks around at a few pages and then leaves Bounce rate - lands on site and doesn't explore other pages (not applicable with one page sites) 8:00 to 9:05 - Behave.org Formerly whichtestwon They gather tests from large and small companies from all over the world and organize them by type of page (homepage, landing page, e-newsletter, etc) and vertical (type of industry or field) They provide AB tests and analysis on which test worked and why 9:06 to 10:53 -  Before and After Snapshots When AB tests aren't an option, use before and after snapshots Two versions of a page (original and new version you want to test) Measure metrics for a specific period of time - Sunday through Saturday (for example) Make the changes you're interested in testing and measure during the same time frame (Sunday through Saturday, for example) Be mindful of federal holidays when selecting time frames to review Transformation test - testing two very different looks and feels, helps with things like testing a site refresh 10:54 to 13:34 - Example of Importance of Metrics and Analytics 13:35 to 17:05 - User Testing or Usability Testing Essentially you're putting a potential user in front of your site with a goal It's very important to set tasks and goals Ex. Ask them "Where would you go to sign up for an event?" Jakob Nielsen suggests that when getting a group together for user testing no more than 6 people are needed. They'll find 90% of the issues on the website Paper sketches - Prototyping on Paper (POP)  17:06 to 18:42 - Ashland Closing Remarks Wanting to learn more about metrics? Here's a bit of bonus content - 11 Analytics That Are Actionable. If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. We'll be sticking around the world of websites for a few weeks and have some pros that we can't wait to introduce you to. Stay tuned for more! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Paul Glantz, an Austin-based CPA, who owns Launch Consulting, Inc. Launch Consulting, Inc. assists clients throughout the business process - from business consulting to entity selection to bookkeeping to tax preparation. In case you missed it, Paul was featured in the previous episode which answered questions like: What is a CPA and when do I need one, plus he strolled us through the World of Taxes and shared about deductions, estimated taxes and more. You see why we brought him back for business structures (like LLCs) and advice for getting started, right?   0:00 to 1:03 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Paul Glantz, CPA 1:04 to 4:10 - Advice for Getting Started Set up an entity Get an EIN (pretty much the social security number for your business) This is free to file! Takes about 10 minutes Open a bank account Keep a separate business bank account and credit card, keep it separated from personal. Keeping it separate helps for several reasons: 1) easier to keep track of your expenses and you'll know what's a business expense, 2) if you're ever audited, the IRS will ask for your bank statements. There'll be more scrutiny if funds are "commingled", aka if expenses are mixed between business and personal accounts. Partnership Agreements (if you have a business partner) Have a written agreement! Have a lawyer help you draft this! 4:11 to 4:52 - Ashland Interruption 4:53 to 6:39 - What is an LLC + Entity Selection An LLC is a Limited Liability Company. From a legal standpoint, this means your exposure is limited A sole proprietor / DBA has unlimited liability which means your assets are exposed  Entities that provide some sort of limited liability / limits your exposure are: LLCs, Corporations, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Partnerships Which entity is right for you? Depends on your goals for growth, revenue and raising funds Your choice of entity affects your taxes, day to day operations, how you grow / scale 6:40 to 7:13 - Are There Benefits to Being a Sole Proprietor? The cost for starting is low, there's a filing fee for an assumed name certificate Reminder: On the legal side, you have unlimited liability and on the tax side you pay the self-employment tax 7:14 to 8:46 - Choosing a Business Entity  Consider liability Consider your goals for growth and funding Breakdown of entity types  8:48 to 10:44 - Misconceptions about LLCs LLC is the most common type for small business LLCs are governed by state statute LLCs with one member as the sole owner (by default) is a separate entity for legal purposes but disregarded for federal taxes LLCs with two or more members (by default) is a partnership No LLC is a corporation or S corporation by default, you have to make an election to be taxed as such If you have an LLC and didn't make an election to treat it as anything other than its default treatment, there's no separate business tax return to file - it's reported on your individual income tax return 10:45 to 11:28 - Get Your Team Together Gather your lawyer, CPA and financial advisor - the three of them will help you make the best financial decisions possible 11:34 to 12:35 - Ashland Closing Remarks If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, rate and review. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. In the next several episodes, we'll be shifting directions into the world of websites and have some pros that we can't wait to introduce you to. Stay tuned! Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). This episode features Paul Glantz, an Austin-based CPA, who owns Launch Consulting, Inc. Launch Consulting, Inc. assists clients throughout the business process - from business consulting to entity selection to bookkeeping to tax preparation. For all of these reasons, Paul will be back for the next couple of episodes as we tackle LLC and Business Structures and a mystery episode. Without further adieu, let's tackle taxes! 0:00 to 2:08 - Ashland Opening Remarks and Intro of Paul Glantz, CPA 2:14 to 3:51 - What IS a CPA CPAs can focus in certain spaces like: Public Accounting, Taxes, Industry / Private Practice  CPAs in taxes help with compliance and filings and more 3:53 to 6:22 - Taxes and Who Can Prepare Them Taxes can be prepared by a tax service provider (like H&R Block), an Enrolled Agent, or a CPA  CPA - has a vested interest in clients and looks for opportunities to save client money. Benefit in a CPA lies in the long-term relationship. 6:25 to 8:25 - Just Getting Started? Finding the Right CPA Main factors for choosing a CPA: Price - Find someone in your budget, but don't cut corners Familiarity with your industry - Tax is broad, you want them to be familiar with your industry and the deductions available for you Are you a more aggressive or conservative tax payer? Make sure they're comfortable with your style and vice versa. 8:27 to 10:25 - How do you minimize your bill with your CPA? Ask your CPA up front and have a conversation about it! Keep clean records Separate business from personal - have a business banking account and credit card 10:27 to 13:30 - What do you give your CPA (from your business) at the end of the year? Profit & loss statement, a balance sheet, general ledger  If you aren't using accounting software and are tracking for yourself, categorize your expenses on an annual basis Benefits of accounting software 13:32 to 14:30 - When's the Best Time to Hire a CPA? Best time to hire a CPA - during the year, beginning of the year or before the year-end. 14:32 - Getting More Advanced - Conversation Shifting to Taxes 15:03 to 17:10 - What's Deductible? General answer - anything ordinary and necessary to produce income or operate your business is a deductible expense If you're soliciting your business over: meals / drinks / tickets to a game / etc - 50% is deductible  Clothing is never deductible - unless it's a uniform 17:12 to 18:33 - What Does The IRS Want?? The IRS wants their cut!  Self employment tax 18:35 to 19:20 - Keep Your Receipts! 19:22 to 22:18 - How Do You Calculate Estimated Taxes? Check out Paul's Ultimate Guide to Estimated Taxes Safe Harbor Provision If you owe more than $1K, you're required to make quarterly deposits 22:20 to 23:20 - How do Estimated Taxes work with Expenses? IRS has worksheets that can help you Form you file - Form 1040-ES IRS Direct Pay link 23:24 to 24:27 - Ashland's Closing Remarks If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, like and comment. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Stay tuned for more, we'll be posting another episode featuring Paul in the next couple of weeks. This next one will be all about LLCs and Business Structures and some solid business advice for getting started. Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). We recorded the content for this podcast at our live event on Social Media in June. This episode features Hailey Whidden, Account Coordinator with Social Distillery. Her episode on "How to Plan an Engaging Content Calendar & Curation Tips" goes into three types of content: original, consumer generated and repurposed content. Hailey shares excellent tips on setting up listening streams to share relevant content to your audience and how to leverage social media holidays to work into your existing content. Some of our favorites here at CMB include: Hug Your Cat Day (June 4th), Maple Syrup Day (December 17th), National Potato Chip Day (March 14th), No Dishes Day (May 18th), and Ask a Stupid Question Day (September 28th). :15 to 1:04 - Introduction 1:05 to 1:37 - Three types of content Content creation takes a long time! Three types of content: original, consumer generated and repurposed original content. 1:40 to 3:42 - Original Content Content that you create - blog post, shared article that shows thought leadership Stay up to date with industry news, create google alerts and set up listening streams Hootsuite, a free listening platform that searches for relevant hashtags and follows certain accounts Take the time to brainstorm before you build out your content Utilize social media holidays that are relevant for your industry, research about two to three months out Social Media Holiday Calendar - Downloadable Google Calendar with 2,346 holidays 3:43 to 5:06 - Consumer generated content Repurpose what people are saying about your brand, it's organic and also saves you time Guest blog posts - connects you to your community, shows your connections and thought leadership Share guidelines with guest bloggers 5:07 to 5:43 - Repurposed Content Look for ways to repurpose your content, brochures, information on your website, past blogs. With long form content, you can break it up into chunks and share. Create a mini video series from snippets from your blogs. 5:44 to 6:41 - Videos Videos are expensive to produce and time consuming Prediction - 70% of social media will be video based by 2017 Take classes on Skillshare or lynda.com to learn more about making video Utilize apps like Boomerang to make videos 6:46 - Closing Notes Course on Lynda.com to help make better videos - How Can I Shoot Better Video on an iPhone from Video Gear Weekly. Review and rate this podcast if you like what you hear Advice column! If you want to ask a question, go to our website and submit through the comments section. We work with past speakers to get the best answer possible AND make it fun to read. If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, like and comment. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Stay tuned for more, we'll be posting another episode featuring one of the pros from the Social Media edition in two weeks. Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business

Hi there folks! Creatives Meet Business is an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to get from zero to one in thinking of themselves as business owners (in the creative sector). We recorded the content for this podcast at our live event in June. This episode features Alejandra Cos, a Strategic Account Manager with Facebook. Her episode on "Paid Strategies for the SMB" goes into Facebook's algorithm for serving ads and what you can do to best position your ads for success. The discussion ranges from the type of content that performs best on Facebook to what does best on Instagram to bids and budgets and custom lists and lookalike audiences to relevance scores and so so much in between. This episode will knock your socks off (unless you're already sock-less). :15 to 3:30 - Introduction This episode pairs nicely with "Storytelling and Social Media with Ryan Johnston" - go back and listen to it if you haven't heard it yet. Overview of what's to come from Alex Facebook resources: Power Editor (don't use it with Safari!) Facebook for Business (FAQs) Facebook Blueprint (training videos for advertising on Facebook) Awesome resources for designing creative: "15 Great Resources to Create Quick and Beautiful Images for Social" - blog post from Hootsuite  Canva (full service image creator) BeFunky (full service image creator) Creative Market (design assets) Unsplash (free stock photos) 3:36 to 5:10 - Why Facebook? Targeting - people-based marketing as opposed to cookies High intense signals used to run ads 5:12 to 6:27 - Difference between the social media platforms, what to advertise where Facebook - stories from friends, family, loved ones People scroll through things that they value in life, the best way to stand out as an ad is to blend into timelines / scroll Instagram - a platform where people go to get inspired (not necessarily by friends) Sometimes the platforms aren't used for the same purpose, be mindful of this when creating your ad creative 6:30 to 8:06 - Understanding your objective Know your business objective and match it with what's available on Facebook Like campaign example - if you choose this as your objective, Facebook will use its algorithm to find people who like Conversion campaign example - if you choose this as your objective, Facebook will use its algorithm to find people who take action (complete a lead form, sign up for an event, sign up for a newsletter) 8:07 to 9:13 - Know what audience you're wanting to reach Requires testing! Create a lookalike audience from uploaded customer email lists 9:15 to 10:08 - Creating Creative! Most of the real estate is the image You have a second or so to capture someone's attention as they scroll, the image has the most stopping motion Ensure a good timeline experience 10:08 to 12:05 - The Good, The Bad and The Delivery (of Ads) X'ing out an ad affects how the ad is delivered (delivery slows and loses the auction more and more) Captivating Ads win more auctions Relevance Score (1 to 10) - how these work. A 6 or above is recommended 12:06 to 13:15 - Testing! Look at signals from reporting & metrics and make your campaigns even more relevant A/B Test - Test with one variable, otherwise it's hard to track which variable contributed to the better performance One example of testing is to keep the content the same but add multiple images and see how each image performs separately  13:16 to 15:05 - What About When Your Ad Isn't Performing...? Tips to combating under-delivery - your budget wasn't reached in ad delivery Review your bid - amount you're willing to pay for the desired action Keep within your budget, but its recommended to pay toward the higher end of the funnel for the bid Budget - how much the campaign will spend per day or in its lifetime Facebook auction process Be mindful about audience overlap - don't compete against yourself for an audience 15:06 to 16:20 - Frequency  If you like a page, you can see 3 ads tops per day If you don't like a page, the maximum you can see is 2 ads per day Audience overlap example with frequency 16:26 to 19:11 - Closing Time (Tools and Helpful Bits) Facebook Business (FAQ that includes pretty much anything you could imagine) Link to FAQ about my inquiry about which creative serves best for Facebook or Instagram  Link to event on 8/16 (Taxes & Accounting) Announcing... the launch of the CMB advice column! Go to the comment section of the website and send us your questions! If you like what you hear, share the podcast with your friends, like and comment. To stay in the loop - follow us on Twitter, Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter. Stay tuned for next week, we'll be posting another episode featuring one of the pros from the Social Media edition. Thanks! Ashland, Creatives Meet Business