Keep It Creative Podcast

In this week’s episode, we go through Kate’s work in the fashion industry. Most recently, Kate has collaborated with Gold Coast brand, Tanouk Apparel. We chat about how this was organised and how you can connect with local brands too. We also chat about her recent trip to Sri Lanka and how it has inspired her creativity. Three key takeaway points from this episode are: Focus on what you want, take a trip or even a staycation to realign with this. Consider a brand’s sustainability practices Don’t be afraid to reach out to local brands to connect and work with them.  

Alarice Stuart is a brand strategist and website designer. With clients like Air New Zealand, Two Islands Co., Saben, Hippie Lane and Rhye Intimates to name a few! In this episode, we chat about her recommended path for those considering getting into the design world.   Alarice goes through if you should go to university or study online/at a smaller college and the perfect journey for you. She also explains how to build up a rocking client list. Keep listening to find out how.

Montana Lower is an engineer, model, activist, and artist who has now started a non for profit called Murals For Change. In this episode, Montana shares with us how to balance contrasting skills into one project, we talk about tips for those wanting to open their own NFP and how Montana’s upbringing has influenced her outlook and the way she lives her life. This episode is full of insight, compassion and positivity, so if you’re thinking about making some big changes in your life or want to support others working towards changing, you need to listen to this! Take a look at Montana Lower’s Instagram here. Murals For Change Go Fund me.

Shibui is a Gold Coast-based film developing lab. In this episode, we’re chatting about how Brooke and Josh started Shibui Film, working as a couple and how they’ve grown the business and tips for shooting on film. If you’re an aspiring photographer or are considering making the transition to film, this episode is for you! Check out Shibui Film here. Instagram here.

Is it just me, or are there some weeks where you’re just flying through life, win after win, and others feel like they’re draining every last bit of life out of you? Today I want to chat about what to do when motivation is at an all-time low. Because not every week is going to be buzzin’, and learning how to deal with this is a part of life. So here are some of my favourite ways to deal with low low motivation.   What do you do when you need to get motivated? Check out https://www.keepit-creative.com/

Charli Burrowes is an Australian artist, photographer and film maker, who has worked with a broad range of international luxury brands on unique campaigns, beautiful artwork and dynamic editorials, both here, and overseas.   Her clients include Uniqlo, Lorna Jane, David Jones, Westfield, Kikki K, Magnum, Swisse, and Fuji Film, and her work has been published internationally on billboards, television and in magazines.   Check out Charli’s Instagram here and Me Oh My Girl’s website here.   ME OH MY: Charli Burrowes Film Maker, Artist, Photographer - How to Balance Multiple Ventures & Disrupt The Industry As a Creative In this episode, we’re talking about Charli’s creative process, how she gained experience to work as a visual artist and why taking risks and throwing all your money into something can totally work out!

One email a day, check sites like Pedestrian.tv, OzLance, Upwork (I don't like), and reach out to businesses directly. Travel websites, any brand with a blog, check out ProBlogger which advertises a lot of work, Contena is a paid site - I haven't used so can't recommend If you’re struggling for work, consider getting some work with a local marketing, digital or PR agency. The main thing is though, you’re still working for someone else, but if you don’t want to have to deal directly with client’s this could be a great option for you. Pricing your work Note that, often, when reaching out to publications that already have a team of writers, they will give you their standard pricing rate. So always ask to begin with, what the pay is to confirm, rather than telling them your price. This will save you a lot of time. Refer to the previous blog for more information on pricing yourself too.   Live it up! Once you start building yourself up as a writer, your strategies and ideas will continue to grow. Your writing style will also strengthen. So if there’s one thing you take from this article, remember, that the only way to become a freelance writer is to actually WRITE. And if you need to improve your skills, WRITE and READ every single day. Read publications and articles you’d like to write. Read books and reviews. Write out anything that comes to mind. Write creatively. Write about whatever you wish. Slowly, but surely, your skills will improve.

RESEARCH Research is a key part of copywriting. You may not always be able to visit or experience the product or place you are writing about. So having the ability to research and comprehend, and learn about it, is so important. Google is a key research tool, as well as YouTube, books and speaking to those who have experienced the brand, product or place you’re writing about. Get creative! Explore online tutorials, videos and training materials to help you along the way.   PROOFREAD Get another copywriter or a friend who is good at English to proof your work before you submit it. This is key. Oh and use Grammarly. It’s da bomb.   BUILD UP YOUR LIST OF CLIENTS. Once you have about 4 -5 pieces of high-quality work, you have now started to build up your portfolio. Get ready to reach out to bigger brands and organisations, and either a) get your name out there b) start earning money. If we're talking about the travel writing industry, reach out to directories like Visit Queensland (unpaid), the Urban List (paid), and use the scripts/template below. Depending on your experience and the company, this will either be free or unpaid. Once complete, add these articles to your Portfolio of Work tab. For example: when it comes to pitching to travel writing or dining review sites. As a tip - pick up a few local guides, including Sydney and you’ll quickly identify the writing style and a few similarities in each review.

Write about locations, places to visit, activities on the weekend or even - suburbs /where to live etc. Or if you’re a bit of a lover of fine dining, write directory listings about restaurants and bars.   Write for Weekend Notes This was a great introduction for me to get used to having my work published. It even pays (very little, but still!). The more page views and clicks, the more money you earn.   Leverage your network through friends and family If you know people who own their own business or can connect you to the business they work with - reach out to them. This is how I built my experience in gas, electrical and finance (random hey!). Send a quick text or email out to friends to see if their business needs any writing for blogs, newsletters or social media. It only takes a minute, but is well worth it!  

So things are looking good for you, you’ve decided the style of writing you’re ready to do, now it’s time to get ready for business. Set up a free website: on WIX, Squarespace or Wordpress. Add navigation tabs including - About, Portfolio of Work, Services (optional). Determine your goals - what sort of job in writing do you want? Do you want to continue to freelance, or work for a brand? If it’s temporary, determine by when you’d like a full-time gig. Write out a list of potential clients and what their needs are. And specifically, who their audience is. Review their website content, what is the tone?   Figure out revenue. Set up a budget and an action plan. How much do you need to earn each week, what’s your minimum and desired hourly rate? How will you make sure it is profitable? Do some practice with your blog and figure out how long 250, 500 and 1000 words will take you to write. Specifically for pieces that are thoroughly researched.  

Do you actually know what a copywriter is? Do you know where you’re going to specialise in? What about SEO? Let’s get this straight. A freelance copywriter is… First of all, freelance basically just means working on a contract basis. You choose your clients, set your rates and plan out your own schedule. Next, the word copy is simply used to describe written content, which helps to sell and ‘market’ a brand. A copywriter’s focus is to write content for commercial use. This can be the content for ads, billboards, video scripts, email campaigns, websites and so on. So you could go from creating short text for Facebook ads to writing out long-form content for blogs in a day. Basically, your writing is a soft version of sales through promotion and research.

Paige Leacey is a copywriter based in Bali. Paige has worked as a news journalist, a radio-ad copywriter and within the promotion and activation teams. Now she has built up Squawk Content, whose focus is on building high-quality content that adds value to the brand’s she works with. In this episode we’re chatting about Paige has grown her portfolio of clients as a copywriter, how to niche down, and some incredible resource you can use to access research and articles. Three key takeaway points are: “The riches are in the niches”, become a well read writer in your space and specialise in a certain topic. Start with one audacious email a day to begin getting new clients. When cold pitching, read the entire website, and think about the angle not just the subject. Try to have interview talent locked in.

We’re all about #livingthedream but the reality is, most freelancers have no idea where to start when it comes to setting up their hourly rate. So we’re giving you a breakdown of how to figure out your hourly rate so that you can go in with confidence and conquer! Beyond an hourly rate though, project-based income will financially be more beneficial for you. When determining a project’s cost, ask your client “Do you have a budget set aside for this project and is it over X?” to ensure that they are not considering a very low budget for the work. This will weed out low budget clients that don’t fit into your fees. Writers: Pay per word or hourly, which is better? Often it will come down to what the client is looking for, with a preference for paying. But usually, in publications and journals payments are per word.

After moving to Paris, Olivia Cummings found herself in Turkey learning jewellery design at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. Today we’re talking about her story and how she’s moved her jewellery design from Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar to an international brand, Cleopatra’s Bling. She creates jewellery with emotional and historical relevance. We’re delving into some of Olivia’s personal interests, how she started her brand through Etsy, where she draws inspiration from, how semi-precious stones affect our moods and emotions and her thoughts on astrology. Access Cleopatra’s Bling website here. Cleopatra’s Bling Instagram here. Three key takeaway points from this episode are: Get an edge and learn to stand up for yourself and say no. Creating a brand around timeless pieces is the pinnacle for success to create meaning. You’re never going to know it all, so just take it day by day. Are you interested in jewellery design? Tell us about it in the comments below!      

Angelika Alana is a life coach based out of LA. In this episode, we talk about strategies to reconnect with your empathic self, the shift to becoming a life coach, how to reconnect in everyday life through our relationships and daily routine.  She explains, "It is my life’s mission to equip you with tools to help you do just that: support yourself in the face of whatever arises. It is my hope, that equipped with these tools you’ll be willing to participate in life with eyes wide open, in anticipation of what adventure will unfold next and arms wide open, in deep appreciation for this moment right now." Check out her website here: Instagram here.    

In this week’s episode, I’m sitting down with Allie and digging into how Hara the Label has already in two years made such an impact on the community. We chat about how Allie has sourced sustainable fabrics, how she and her brother moved their entire product creation process to Australia, body image and the role it plays in her brand, her experience at New York fashion week and how natural dyes differ from conventional dyes. Allie lives and breathes her passion and she was so inspiring to talk to. Every little detail of Hara is sustainable and it was so intriguing learning from someone who doesn’t miss a thing. In a lot of ways, Allie is self-taught and her attitude towards giving things a go is what really stood out for me. Nothing is off-limits and this woman is a powerhouse of knowledge. So if you need to brush up on your sustainability practices, want to know how to run a successful and ethical brand or just love Hara the label, then this episode is for you. Oh, and at the end, Allie leaves us a single starting point for launching a sustainable brand.

Nicola found her love for photography by borrowing her mother’s camera on a holiday to Germany. Shooting now over 35 weddings per year, Nicola has a knack for shooting romantic and relaxed style imagery of couples behind the camera. After nine years in the industry, she’s still obsessed with love, photography and lives and breathes it! In this week’s episode, we chat about how Nicola makes her couples feel comfortable behind the camera with actual processes around what she says and does, the reality of building up a list of clients as a photographer and the Old Love Project. If you need help on how to build a thriving list of clients per year, then you need to listen to this episode!

As you’re probably well aware, Instagram has begun its rollout across certain countries, including Australia to remove audiences from being able to see the ‘like count’ on photos. I’m currently in Indonesia and we can still see likes, but in Australia, it has been removed, 7 countries in total. COUNTRIES THAT INSTAGRAM HAS HIDDEN LIKES: Australia Brazil Canada Ireland Italy Japan New Zealand But what does this mean for brands and creators? Is Instagram going down? Is this the beginning of the end? Well in today’s topic we’re going to explore this a little further.

Ming Nomchong is an Australian fashion and lifestyle photographer. She loves the energy of a beautiful place, and she knows how to capture it. Raised on the east coast of Australia with a camera in one hand and a surfboard in the other, Ming has built an international reputation with her authentic sun ’n' salt fashion and lifestyle images. With her rare combination of edge, adventure, and style, Ming is bringing something fresh to fashion photography. And clients as diverse as Cotton On, Spell & The Gypsy Collective, and Queensland Tourism count on Ming’s easygoing energy and knack for capturing those “in-between” moments to bring their brands to life.

Alright, so working for yourself sounds like the dream, right? But there are a few questions you need to ask yourself before diving right in. While I’m definitely the type to just jump straight in without thinking about anything. I’ve learnt from my mistakes and now [try to be] more planned about the steps I take. Take a look at 10 questions to ask yourself before going freelance here.

In this week’s episode I’m chatting with Puno the founder of I Love Creatives and People Map. Puno is the ultimate self-starter and a natural creative. Her wild creativity is prevalent throughout her ventures, and she teaches a Squarespace and Instagram Marketing course. Puno has had all sorts of media attention from the New York Times, Society6, LA Confidential just to name a few, and today is chatting with me about her journey about leaving the 9 to 5 hustle to become a self-made digital entrepreneur. Check out Puno’s website here: Punodostres I Love Creatives People Map

In this episode, Emma and Victoria sit down with me to chat about The Beach People. A brand that has shaken Australia and now the world! It’s famous round towel changed the way the textile industry is perceived. We speak about how the round towel was brought to life, setting up suppliers and sustainability and the many learning curves the girls had to overcome. I really loved talking to Emma and Vic because these ladies are just so honest and raw and completely transparent. You can hear the way they talk about each other is so full of respect and admiration.  

In this episode, I'm chatting with Byron Bay musician, Tay Oskee. Over the past couple of years I’ve seen first hand Tay’s career unfold, from the challenges and to the rewards that he’s been through, so I today I wanted to feature him on the podcast to share it with you. He’s played at some of Australia’s biggest festivals like Splendour in the Grass, Bluesfest Byron Bay, Falls Festival and is currently on tour through Europe. Tay shares with us a linear process on how to become a musician, income streams and one thing that has really helped him progress as a musician. If you’re a budding artist or have just started your journey as a musician then you NEED to listen to this episode. Check out Tay Oskee on Spotify here and YouTube here.

Sharnee Thorpe is a freelance textile designer and the founder of Wandering Folk. In this episode, we speak about the process of developing textile designs, how Sharnee built a reputation as a pattern designer and how she has grown Wandering Folk so effectively. Sharnee has collaborated with so many incredible brands including Nine Lives Bazaar, Rue Stiic, Peony Swimwear, Mr Simple, We Roam, Cleo Bella, RM Williams, Victoria Secret, Bonds, Sportsgirl, Shapes in the Sand and so many more. Check out Keep It Creative website here.

Anita Ghise is a co-owner of Andean Collective. Anita goes by the concept - choose well and buy less and speaks to us about what slow fashion is and how she’s implementing it in her brand. Anita has had incredible experience working for leading fashion house Spell & the Gypsy Collective and has worked in Argentina and Germany in a number of roles in the fashion industry.

Phoebe Galloway is an Australian film maker based out of the Gold Coast. She creates all types of video content including documentary, branded film, wedding, promotional, corporate, commercial & fashion. In this episode we talk about the work Phoebe did for Nona in Italy and Belgium, filming people when you don’t speak their language and how she makes awkward people feel comfortable in front of the camera. Check out her website here and social media here. What videographer inspires you the most? Terence Connors, Elliot Rausch, Terrence Malik, Derek Cianfran, Sofia Coppola and Danny McShane - her boyfriend

Let’s face it. Most millennials are sick of the 9 to 5 rut, so employers either need to move with the times or be ready for things to change. So maybe you’re thinking about quitting your job to go freelance? But maybe you don’t know what exactly it is you could do as a freelancer? Well, the best place to start is by completing my eBook - How to find your freelance skills [and make money from them]. Now it’s time to start following some actionable steps. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s dive right in.   START SAVING MONEY & BUILD YOUR INCOME WHILE YOUR STILL FULL TIME For an entire year before I went freelance, I worked full time plus another three nights a week on my freelance work to build it up to where it needed to be. Start your journey by saving money to have a ‘fall back’ if your income drops in the beginning. This acts as a safety net for you to rely on. Next, it’s time to build your income while you’re full time and slowly peel away your current job. I then cut back to three days a week and filled those spare two days a week with freelancing. I then finally took the jump and quit. If you want to be more calculated about it you could peel back a day at a time, however I’m more of an all in or nothing kind of girl so I just went for it.

Marta, from A Girl Who Travels, is a female travel and lifestyle blogger who also provides happiness and lifestyle coaching. Marta has travelled all over the world and has lived in Italy, India, the US, and is now based in London. In this week’s episode, we’re talking to her about how to find your niche as a blogger in an over saturated digital space and how travelling has inspired her to start a blog. Marta shares some insight with us on what’s helped her succeed and how social media has kick-started this. Check out her article here: https://www.keepit-creative.com/blog/keep-it-creative-podcast-a-girl-who-travels

Cara Sanders, the talent behind Owlet is a Gold Coast artist who focuses on commissions and character drawings. We sat down with her and chat about what led her to leave her ‘9 to 5er’ and become a full-time artist along with some of the biggest lessons she’s learnt on this journey. Cara is a self-taught artist and is driven by her passion to explore different medium and colour palettes. Three takeaway points from this episode are: Keep pushing through, even when things are going slow and nothing is happening, later on down the track, they will come to fruition. Commit to something every day and you will begin to reap the rewards Don’t be afraid to reach out to people via Instagram messaging that influence and inspire you, because you never know where this may lead you to.

Rose Madden and Vanessa Cave share the story of Nine Lives Bazaar, their labour of love and 70s inspired boutique in Coolangatta. Starting from the humble beginnings of selling vintage clothing at the markets, to selling custom made fabrics and designs in their own flagship store. We sit down with Rose Madden from Nine Lives Bazaar and I sit down and she shares with us the trials and triumphs of opening your own fashion label, Nine Lives Bazaar creative process.

Carmen Huter shares with us her story and how travelling the world led her to become a full-time photographer as well as her tips on she became a travel photographer, what’s in her camera kit and her daily routine as a photographer. What I really love about Carmen is her commitment to making a difference in this world and how she allows her online influence to help educate people and create a more sustainable future. She is so genuine, passionate and talented and I know you’re going to love this episode, so let’s get into it! Three key takeaway points from this episode are: Find what it is you’re looking for in photography and follow that to find your style Carry a mirrorless camera, with a good lens, which is all you need in your camera kit Mental and physical health impact everything, if you don’t put your wellbeing first, you won’t be able to perform.