The Creativ & Kin Podcast

Aka "The One where she Sings". So we're heading into it: whether we like it or not. It's called "Silly Season" for a reason... We think of people running around like headless chickens, trying to get everything done before the holiday season is in full swing and it feels like there's not nearly enough hours in every day. And if you're running a small business - you might feel the weight of the increasing load of orders and customers breathing down your neck to meet their deadlines. Now with any increased demand on your time, it's always a good idea to have a plan or system in place. That way, things won't feel like they are so out of control all the time. So in this episode, let's take a look at a few ways to Survive the Silly Season... Please share your takeaways and "ponder points" from this episode and please tag me @creativ.and.kin or leave a review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Connect with the Creativ & kin community via the following links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin Email: creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

In this episode, Lauren and I chat about the launch of her beautiful new book: "Bold Bible Girls". We discuss the calling that led her to write on this particular topic, as well as what it means to raise bold and brave young women in order to change the narrative about girls and their position in society. Lauren has such a passion for women's rights and her gift of writing was nurtured from a young age. She has stepped boldly into her purpose and it is always such a delight chatting to her about the topics near to her heart. So whether you are raising bold girls, or possibly raising strong boys to respect bold girls - this promises to be an enlightening conversation with someone with so much passion for bringing truth and light to the female historic narrative. And if you are secretly nurturing a dream of writing a book "someday" - please reach out to Lauren, maybe choose a good mentor and then start setting those dreams alight!

Whoa, this is one special episode right here!! Just before the launch of our 2021 #creativandkinplanner, Jess and I sat down to discuss the journey that led us from the very start, all the way through to a finished product. But here's the twist: she was interviewing me and so for the first time, I was in the hot seat! In this 37th Episode we take you through the ups and downs of the creative process. We touch on the beauty of a good partnership, what it takes to collaborate on a big creative project and how we have tried to balance work and family life through it all. We've shared what it means to plan through difficult times, as well as our vision for what the 2021 Planner might be to you ~ an opportunity for us to dream and create alongside you in a year of new growth. Please share your takeaways and "ponder points" from this episode and please tag us @watercolour_heart_illustration and @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Find us at the following links: Jess ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watercolour_heart_illustration Website: www.watercolourheart.com Email: hello@watercolourheart.com Barbara (Creativ & kin) ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin Email: creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

Hold onto your knickers ~ Shante is in the house!!! But seriously, what an amazing interview with one of the interweb's snackiest little firecrackers! Join us in this 36th episode as we chat all things collaboration... We talk you through the ins & outs of gifts, trade exchanges, paid partnerships and sponsorships. I also get up close and personal with Shante about her journey into photography, entrepreneurship and her online presence. And of course we ride the wave of #womensupportingwomen and #collaborationovercompetition all the way out to the shore in order to dig deep into these amazing, but often heavy and heated topics. Please share your takeaways and "ponder points" from this episode and please tag us @shante_hutton and @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Find us at the following links: Shante ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shante_hutton Website: www.roseandthorns.co.za Email: shante@roseandthorns.co.za Barbara (Creativ & kin) ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin Email: creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

Today's episode is on a topic I absolutely love! Collaboration!! If you've listened to a few episodes on here, you'll know by now that my heart beats for community - in the sense of women working together and supporting each other. I am an encourager at heart and just a general dream-believer and supporter. So when someone says "collaboration", I am there! So let's quickly unpack what a "collab" is and then I'll share a bit about what it has meant for me this year... A collaboration is a working practice whereby individuals work together to a common purpose to achieve business benefit. Other words to describe it would be: partnership, alliance, teamwork, cooperation and my favourite: connection. Collaboration enables individuals to work together to achieve a defined and common business (or creative) purpose. So collaborations, when done right - can result in beautiful partnerships where the journey together brings out each individual's strengths and marries them into something that is exponentially better than those of each individual in isolation. There is so much magic in shared creativity, ideas and knowledge. You play to each other's strengths, learning where to take over and where to let go. And when one of you is down, the other lifts up. When one is unsure, the other finds a way to provide clarity or certainty. I think you can hear the passion here - man, I've just learnt so much from it this year. So on to my partnership with Jess of Watercolour Heart Illustration. Designing a planner with Jess was my one big dream for 2020. And then the pandemic and lockdown happened, and I kept stalling on when I would contact Jess to start collaborating on the idea and hopefully the project. When I finally realised that it was halfyear, and an in-person coffee date was not going to happen anytime soon, I took the plunge and asked Jess whether she was still keen on designing a year planner with me and whether she thought we still had enough time left. Her answer was that with it being June already, it would be tight, but that she was in and we could definitely make it happen! It had been a big dream of hers for a long time as well and she was as excited as I was for the journey ahead!! So we started with a discovery call on zoom the very next week and then started taking it one step at a time. We set a clear timeline, with priority steps and goals for each of us. We used Asana, a LOT of whatsapp messages and voice notes and MANY zoom calls. There were many shared references and ideas, many revisions. Many happy dances! Many good and sound compromises to keep things local and conscious. The whole process has been thoughtful, intentional and so, so empowering. One of the most amazing things about this collaboration has been the open communication and in-tuneness (if there is even such a word, hah) with Jess. And that can be applied to any partnership. Towards the end of August, Jess and I were checking in on our timeline and proposed launch date. We were both starting to feel pressured, rushed and uneasy about our launch date. We had an open conversation and decided to move it. Give ourselves more time. This was a unique year and we both felt it would be so good to give people (including ourselves) more time to come to grips with the fact that the year was moving on into a new year, with the uncertainty but also the hope that it would bring. It also gave us more time to enjoy each step of the journey and the process. To pour intention and purpose into each little detail of the planner, to consider different options, sometimes even just for the sake of considering it and to refine each element to a point where we were both happy and almost giddy with excitement about the end result. It ...

Copying and Imposter Syndrome - wow, two VERY touchy subjects...!! In our 34th Episode I chat to Khanya Ngumbela about navigating her online community through the often difficult topics of copying and confidence. We dive into her approach and how she landed her first brand deal at just 800 followers. She shares what she sees the women in her circle struggle with most often and how she structures her topics of teaching accordingly. This woman is a force to be reckoned with and such a natural when it comes to teaching and guiding others! Tell us what stood out to you in this episode and please tag us @xxkhanyaxx and @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Find us at the following links: Khanya ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xxkhanyaxx Youtube: xxKhanyaxx Email: hello@xxkhanyaxx.com Barbara (Creativ & kin) ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin Email: creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

Ok, so today's one is a touchy subject. Copycats. You feel hurt. You feel like stopping. You feel like: what's the point if people are just going to copy me. But hold on there girl, back up a few steps. What I'm going to say might not be exactly what you want to hear right now, but just hear me out for a second. People can feed off of your current work, but they can never anticipate where you're going next. As long as you keep on innovating, bringing new spice and flavour into your brand and business, they will stay in your rearview mirror. And I don't mean this in a bad way - you can take them along for the journey, but just don't allow them to hijack your ride. Ok enough figurative speech, what I mean is this: once your ideas are sent out into the world, you might forever be finding reinterpretations of what might look very much like your own creations, art or products. But everyone draws inspiration from somewhere, (we all do), and most often these interpretations might be too vague to call out. And I'm not talking about stolen images, yet, we'll get to that. But don't let inspiration drawn from your work by others just starting out, steal your thunder or your magic. They actually need your encouragement and direction. Let's dig a bit deeper into this. When I interviewed Nick Dreyer of Veldskoen shoes this topic came up. His words were: We just maintain a good company culture and if we see exact knock-offs of our product, I just send them a message saying: Come on guys, you're better than this. Go and put your own spin on it!! And Heike of Fleur le Cordeur and I have done some Instagram lives together, where this exact topic came up a few times. Her approach really inspired me and changed my mindset even more: She said that it took her quite a few years to be ok with people using her ideas and as others call it, copying her. But she also said that there is very little under the sun that is truly new, and our ideas and the creations we put out there, will always be open for interpretation by others. She shifted her mindset to start seeing it as a compliment, which she admits is very hard to do. And she started encouraging people and motivating them instead of feeling robbed and fuelling the scarcity mindset. So you'll see you generally have 2 options in how to deal with copying: Confront when needed, or avoid and continue on your own path. Now if someone is stealing your exact work, or using your self-created original images as their own, you'll have to confront them. That's just not cricket. Ask your community to call it out when they see your images being used without your consent. Usually they don't even need to be asked. Most of the really engaged online communities and fiercely loyal. I've seen it done before and I've called people out myself. I've even called people out when they weren't tagging artists but using their artwork in a post of theirs. Now I hate confrontation as much as the next person, but what's right is right and what's wrong is just wrong. On the other hand, unfortunately, we don't have much possession over our unique ideas. Unless of course, you have it patented. Different story for a different day. The bottom line is, we draw inspiration from different places and those around us do the same. Now, as with most things in life, a mind shift will soon have you looking through a different pair of goggles. They might not be rose-tinted, but let's make them a carefree shade of yellow. There is more than enough to go around. If we can use this feedback and remain in the role of the leader, or thought-leader even, it should allow us and even push us to continuously innovate. Which is not a bad thing. It's a goo...

In this episode, Therese and I chat about beautiful beginnings, how to build a business with pure intention and that feeling of "homecoming" when you finally find the perfect name for your business or brand. We also explore the idea that beautiful packaging can very much respect and nurture the relationship between a customer and a small business. Share with us what stood out to you in this episode and please tag us @missmillysa and @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Find us at the following links: Therese (Miss Milly) ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missmillysa Website: https://www.missmillysa.co.za Email: missmillysa@gmail.com Barbara (Creativ & kin) ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin Email: creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

Hi everyone, and welcome to another power pod. That just means that this is a super short & punchy episode, and that it's jam-packed with value and tips. And basically you can listen to this one on the go or even simply to get your creativity started for the day. Chances are good that if you're listening to this, you are a creative soul. And you either have the dream of starting a really mindful & intentional business or have already begun that journey. In this episode, I explore what it means to be intentional about your creativity, your brand and your business. It's so much more than building a tailor made little empire around yourself and really about enjoying and allowing yourself to fully experience and immerse yourself in every step of the way. Maybe that's what 2020 has taught us. To just be present in the moment - whether it's good or just pretty awful, or hard or weird. And to make something mostly just for the joy of it. So whilst intentional means: done on purpose, deliberate, conscious and intended, for us as creatives we should very much also give focus to it being a considered and purposeful journey. Because face it, that's where you'll find a lot of your energy and inspiration. So for this week, I'll leave you with these questions: are you truly being intentional about how you are growing your creativity and your business? Are you allowing time for the experience and the journey by affording yourself pauses in between to rest and take stock? And the most important one - are you allowing yourself to enjoy it? Because if you haven't yet, I think you need to tell yourself to just let go a little and enjoy the ride! Share with us what stood out to you in this episode and please tag me @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Find us at the following links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin Email: creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

Hi everyone, so the buzzword is still: Authenticity and today I am chatting with the wildly popular and much-loved local creative and DIY-queen, Lindall Atkins, as we discuss what authenticity means for a small startup in the digital and social era, in terms of online presence and stepping out of our comfort zones. We touch on the idea of sharing relatable content for your brand, showing up regularly and in an authentic way and what that really means on a day to day basis. Share with us what stood out to you in this episode and please tag us @nwabisas_little_things and @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Find us at the following links: Lindall (Nwabisa's Little Things) ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nwabisas_little_things Website: https://www.nwabisaslittlethings.com Email: nwabisas.little.things@gmail.com Barbara (Creativ & kin) ~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin Email: creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

Hi everyone! I'm back with another Power Pod - a term coined by my friend and mentor, Tam Braun. Thank you Tam, I love it!! So today, we're discussing authenticity and how that translates into creativity and entrepreneurship. I always love seeing what google thinks about these big, and sometimes vague terms we often use so loosely: Being authentic means coming from a real place within. It is when our actions and words are in line with our beliefs and values. It is being ourselves, not an imitation of what we think we should be or have been told we should be. There is no "should" in authentic. But wait a minute. So authentic doesn't translate to good, morally right and all the happy shiny people?? The short answer is no. Authentic just means you are being true to yourself. So that could mean you are showing up - flaws & all; anxieties in tow and all your vulnerability gaping at the sides... So basically, it sounds like being authentic can be revealing but also very very freeing at the same time. An here's the real reason I'm talking to you about authenticity at all: it can also be extremely valuable for your business. Most leading companies globally are focusing on developing "authentic leaders" within their ranks. Executive courses at Harvard Business School in authentic leadership development are oversubscribed and expanding every year. As the Harvard Business Review declared in January 2015 already, "Authenticity has emerged as the gold standard for leadership." The essence of authentic leadership is emotional intelligence, or EQ. People with high IQs and low EQs can hardly be called authentic leaders. In contrast to IQ, which basically does not change in one's adult lifetime, EQ can be developed. The first and most important step on this journey is gaining self-awareness. Authentic people are said to be deep thinkers who generate thought power from within, and transpose it outward to add value to the lives of others. So if I just very quickly and basically summarise this, here we see it starts with: intention (the reason why you're doing it) > deep thought (putting it through some filters and processes) > mindful action (how it will affect others) = (inward thought, outward focus) So keeping all of this is mind, If we start with HOW to be authentic, we'll have to explore what authenticity means for small businesses and the people behind the brands: •It means showing up for your business in a consistent way •Showing the messy; behind the scenes; real bits of your business and your life mixed in here and there - this makes you or your brand relatable •Being responsive to your audience or community, answering their questions and always striving to add value •Being real and honest, as in being able to apologise when things go wrong or make things right when mistakes creep in So here, authenticity for a business would mean staying true to the brand and it's values to benefit the brand and business as a whole, but always ending in good and honest service to the customer. Now, let's take a look at WHY being authentic is important for you or your brand: (I'm going to list them slowly, so feel free to pause if you want to write something down): 1- It elevates your business above the competition 2- It builds your identity and image into something influential 3- It gives substance to your business, services and products 4- It enables people to relate to your business (as mentioned before) 5- It helps people understand how what you offer is of benefit to them 6- It tells people that what you offer is of high quality 7- It marks you out as a reliable, t...

We're picking up where we left off last week on Mentorship. And who better to explore this topic with, than the person who's been mentoring, guiding and supporting me for the past few months. It's Tam Braun of the boutique branding, styling and design studio called Tapestry and who also runs a mentoring programme called The Business Besties. We'll take you through what the mentoring process looks like for us as creative entrepreneurs and how you can gain the most value from it. Tam shares how her love for branding and design evolved into a passion for working with women in business, come alongside them, keep them accountable on their goals and help them to take the next step in their business. confidence Important things to consider: is the mentor you are wanting to work with, genuinely interested in your business; is there active listening; are your values aligned? What is it that you are wanting help with? All of these questions and points will determine who you choose as your mentor. Share with us what stood out to you in this episode and please tag us @tapestry_ct and @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Find us at the following links: Tam (Tapestry): Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tapestry_ct Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/tapestrylove Email: tapestry.capetown@gmail.com Barbara (creativ & kin): Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin Email: creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

Help! I feel so alone and I need guidance!!! So entrepreneurship can be a really lonely road, but it doesn't have to be. Don't get me wrong; you might get loads of support from your your family and friends, but there's gonna be lots of times where you feel like they have no idea or understanding of what you're doing. They might not be speaking your language, or they might not be as interested in your work as you feel they should be. That's ok. It's normal. It might be time for you to reach out to a mentor, or just schedule in some time with a friend for accountability. In this episode, we take a quick look at what mentorship is, how and when to choose a mentor or mentorship program and what it could mean for your business or brand. Please get into contact with me via DM's or email: creativandkin@gmail.com if you have any questions or need help in choosing a mentor. Share with us what stood out to you in this episode and please tag us @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! Find us at the following links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativ.and.kin Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/creativ.and.kin As always, stay connected and keep creating! xx

This episode is a ground-breaking one: we are welcoming our first male guest onto the show and I had to make sure it would be worth your time!! Today we welcome Nick Dreyer, co-founder and CEO of Veldskoen shoes, the iconic South African product that literally took the world by storm. Together, they have put "vellies" on the feet of Ashton Kutcher and Prince Harry, and this promises to be a truly motivating and highly informative episode, so grab your pen and paper! Please share with us what stood out to you in this episode and please tag us @veldskoenshoes and @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! As always, stay connected and keep creating xx

Ok so today we are making all your sweet cake dreams come true to bring you the story behind Sweet Lion Heart. I'm chatting to Nikki Albertyn, the owner of this well-known and ultra popular online bake shop, to find out what led her to creating what can only be described as works of art. We cover her path into baking, starting her business, what the growth of Lionheart looked like and the process of hiring entailed for them. What an amazing story to be inspired by - we are capable of steady growth and building sustainable businesses!! As always, share with us what stood out to you in this episode and please tag us @sweet.lionheart and @creativ.and.kin, or leave us a stellar review so others can continue to find inspiration here! As always, stay connected and keep creating xx

Let's take a look at the reasons why you might be struggling to write good copy or content for your business. We'll explore a few ways to overcome this in a really powerful way and also take a good look at different types or styles of writing and when to use them. Creative writing is woven into your brand or business from the initial idea all the way through to the lasting impression as experienced by the customer. This is why storytelling is so important and doing it well should be one of the things you work on continuously. Share with me what stood out to you in this episode and please tag me @creativ.and.kin, or leave a review so others can continue to find inspiration here! As always, stay connected and keep creating xx

In this episode, we chat about being brave, just getting started and taking those first steps in order to keep yourself accountable. One of the strongest push-factors for many of us is motherhood and we discuss this a fair bit as well. The intertwining of creativity and business for most creatives is a tough one - Ndumi shares how she used lessons from her past as well as lots of research and adjustments to guide her in the setup of her brand and business. We also discuss diversity and representation in children's toys in South Africa: how far we've come and where we need to do better still. We hope you enjoy a glance into this very vibrant local brand! Let us know what inspired you most in this episode! Share it and tag us @imibongo_kamakhulu and @creativ.and.kin - we'd love to share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating xx

Jen is an inspiring soul who combines poetry and floral design to make art that inspires and empowers others. In this episode, we discuss her journey into floral artistry and her experiences growing up on a farm and growing her own flowers as a child. We chat about finding your purpose, stepping into it and then possibly making a living out of it. Jen gives advice to artists and makers in better translating emotions into words for their audience or creative community, as well as creating a context for their work or products. We then further discuss 'pivoting' your brand or business during these strange times and how this growth and change can be especially messy but really good. Listen to the end for a live reading by Jen of one of her beautiful poems! Please share with us what has left you most inspired during this episode and tag us @nectar_and_bloom and @creativ.and.kin - we'd love to share it. (If you want to read the full story of Jen's journey from a writing career back to flowers, scroll down on her Instagram page to her posts of 15-23 February 2020. I'm sure it'll leave you feeling inspired!) As always, stay connected and keep creating xx

In this episode we'll be tackling: 10 Ways to Push through and Stay focused when times are tough (in your business or your creativity) 1 - Take it one day at a time. Every day has new opportunities and could bring a brand new perspective. You know me - I try and look at the step in front of me in stead of looking at the whole stair case. I often have to remind myself of that quote - if I get overwhelmed with the big picture, I just ask myself: what's next? So, what's next?? 2 - Make a daily list with attainable goals or tasks - What I mean by this is that is doesn't help anyone to have a massive long list the size of the Nile to get you motivated. If it seems impossible, it's most likely going to be demotivating. So spread out the tasks in your week and tick them off for extra satisfaction when you're done. 3 - Possibly one of the things on your list above should be clearing your dedicated work space or general area. I know I always have this my list, but I can't work constructively in a cluttered space. I like to do 20min bursts of clearing, so it doesn't end up taking up my whole morning or day. So I set a quick alarm on my phone, tidy and pack away as much as I can and then when it's workable, I leave the rest of the deep clean for later if I've finished my more important tasks. 4 - Now that we've spoken about cleaning, we need to plan for rest too. Use your weekends mainly for rest and inspiration. But: when the muse comes to visit and inspiration strikes, make a quick note of your thoughts on your phone's notepad and revisit it later when you have time to plan it out. 5 - Plan ahead: if your are creating content for social media, it's always a good idea to have something prepared , as opposed to furiously trying to type out a post. Remember that if you want to serve your audience or your community well, you should be focusing on what would bring them value - be it inspiration, motivation or personal growth. Remember that quality is always better than quantity here. Being consistent doesn't necessarily translate to daily. 6 - And then if it all gets a bit too much, or your mind feels jumbled and confused - Air it out, and even better: garden it out! Go for that walk, do some mindless weeding, as in pulling weeds from the ground (I did it again this morning and here I am writing suggestions for you!) It's not a waste of time, your mind needs breathing space too! When you focus your mind on things that don't need much executive function, it often gets the down time to sort through the things you've been meaning to think through. Amazing huh?! 7 - Map out dedicated work time and switch your phone and mind to silent - don't answer distracting emails or phone calls during your creating or admin time. Just power through your list and answer those messages in batch form later. This has been a game changer for me recently - when I'm in flow as they say, I can use that block of time way more constructively. And please note that this work is never done in complete silence or super-focus, I have gotten used to have comics or rather educational shows as my background music. I have no problem with an extra screen offering me some help here and there during the day. 8 - KEEP GOING FOR IT - Stop waiting for someone to ask you or to invite you. Ask them. Send an email or pop a DM. You've got nothing to lose. The worst that could happen? They say no. So you move on to the next opportunity. I say create your own opportunities. You know what? I bet you'd never be able to guess who of my guests on the podcast asked for an interview, as opposed to those whom I invited. I'll just leave you with that thought. 9 - So now that you're back in your zone of genius, how about a little mood board or a mind map to keep you ins...

In this episode, we chat a bit about the journey that brought Bianca to writing a children's book - a book that is very significant in exploring identity, self-worth and diversity. We talk through what the process of publishing looked like, the need for more local children's literature and the message she wants to spread with this beautiful book. Listen to the end for a reading from both the English and Afrikaans copy, specially by Bianca! Please let us know what inspired you most in this episode! Share it and tag us @bianca.flanders, @pumkinfindsherqueen13 and @creativ.and.kin - we'd love to share it! Also, if you love this podcast - please leave a review!! As always, stay connected and keep creating, Barbara xx

In this episode, Sophie and I chat about her journey into lifestyle photography and how motherhood has weaved itself into her craft and creative expression. We touch on her style of photography, her love of storytelling and her approach to parenting. She has such a natural and honest take on life and I'm sure you'll get a few new ideas or tips for how to navigate some of these topics. Sophie is launching her new manual photography course in the next 2 weeks and it promises to be so valuable and super practical, so be sure to keep an eye out for that via her instagram page!! Here are the podcasts Sophie referred to in the interview: • Unruffled Podcast by Janet Lansbury • Episode 188 of The Ten Percent Happier Podcast by Dan Harris: Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport Please let us know what inspired you most in this episode! Share it and tag us @what.sophie.saw and @creativ.and.kin - we'd love to share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating! Barbara xx

In this long-awaited episode, we get the full scoop on where and how it all started: Heike's intense love of flowers, her unending creativity and her unstoppable capacity for dreaming big. She's a soon-to-be mom of 5 who grew up on a farm in the Karoo and always dreamt of having a big family and being able to work from home. We discuss the responsibility that comes with the use of social media, the importance of mentorship and passing on knowledge and the concept of balancing extreme hard work with wholesome family life. We hope you enjoy this episode! Please share with us the things that inspired you most and tag us @fleurlecordeur & @creativ.and.kin - We'd love to share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating! Barbara xx

This episode is meant to encourage and support all of you who are continuing to grow your community, brand or business during what can only be described as an utterly strange and tough time. May you use the ebb & flow of work/inspiration and rest to your advantage during lockdown! In this episode, I start off by discussing the "5 Questions you need to ask yourself" when wanting to grow an engaged and supportive community. I really believe that the way forward, is to grow your brand in an outward-focused way. We then dive into a really insightful interview focused on launching a new product-based business, with Elsa Sharp of Blooming Butter. She has successfully launched a brand new line of hand-crafted sunflower butters. We discuss what went into launching her unique business, the importance of mentorship and the beauty of trusting your gut whilst working through new processes; even if that means you learn from mistakes made along the way. Please share with us the things that inspired you most in this episode and tag us: @blooming_butter & @creativ.and.kin - we'd love to share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating! Barbara xx

In this very real and raw episode; Juanli, Lente and I chat about the birth and growth of "Die Naguilklub" ('The NIght Owl Club')- an inspiration hub for parents in all seasons and phases of their parenting journey. These girls really are a hoot (pun intended), so come along for the ride!! We delve deep into the trust, vulnerability and honesty needed to form such an amazing partnership - including the similarities and differences between them that make this such a magical team. We go on to explore the personal growth they've experienced on this journey; from writing with a unified voice and keeping things real, all the way through to laying down the culture for a healthy and supportive online community. Come along for the ride - the 2nd & 3rd installments of "The Night Owl Club" aka "Die Naguilklub". Listen to the end for ALL the realness and rawness... Please share with us the things that inspired you most in this episode and tag us @dienaguilklub, @lenteswift, @juanli_theron & @creativ.and.kin We'd love to share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating! Love, Barbara xx

In this very real and raw episode; Juanli, Lente and I chat about the birth and growth of "Die Naguilklub" ('The NIght Owl Club')- an inspiration hub for parents in all seasons and phases of their parenting journey. These girls really are a hoot (pun intended), so come along for the ride!! We delve deep into the trust, vulnerability and honesty needed to form such an amazing partnership - including the similarities and differences between them that make this such a magical team. We go on to explore the personal growth they've experienced on this journey; from writing with a unified voice and keeping things real, all the way through to laying down the culture for a healthy and supportive online community. Come along for the ride - the 2nd & 3rd installments of "The Night Owl Club" aka "Die Naguilklub". Listen to the end for ALL the realness and rawness... Please share with us the things that inspired you most in this episode and tag us @dienaguilklub, @lenteswift, @juanli_theron & @creativ.and.kin We'd love to share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating! Love, Barbara xx

In this episode, Suzanne and I chat about the original post and story behind "Die Naguilklub" - an inspiration hub for parents in all seasons and phases of their parenting journey. This was a late night chat in true Naguilklub-style and you can hear the crickets and owls in the background! To start with, we focus on being intentional about branding and launching, all whilst creating and building an engaged and authentic community. We further explore what it means to create a safe space for parents to share their experiences with transparency, how the Naguilklub has shaped its leaders and members and how they celebrate their biggest joys and achievements. Please share with us the things that inspired you most in this episode and tag us @dienaguilklub, @bravelikeamom & @creativ.and.kin We'd love to share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating! Barbara xx

The exciting possibility of maybe one day seeing your brand in a physical space, is a very real dream for many of us. For Marissa, owner of Konfetti Love, this dream recently became a reality! In this episode, we chat about the process of taking a brand from an online or service-based capacity into a physical space and shopfront. We focus on the challenges but also celebrate the joys of this process! We then discuss the importance of networking to build a supportive hub or web around yourself and how to connect with other creatives to form loyal and lasting relationships. Please share with us the things that inspired you most in this episode and tag us @konfetti_love & @creativ.and.kin - we'd love to share it! Alternatively, pop an email to creativandkin@gmail.com As always, stay connected and keep creating! Love Barbara xx

This woman's heart beats as wildly as mine for other women's dreams and beautiful journeys. Taz Falconer is the owner of @alchemystore_sa and has created a space for women to move together, irrespective of where they are in their own fitness journey. In this episode, we chat about the flow from a creative passion into entrepreneurship and retail. For some it's easier than for others to take the plunge, and Taz shares her tips for the naturally "risk-averse' among us, like herself. We delve into the theme of "doing things even when you're terrified" and working through comparison and imposter syndrome. We also focus on identifying your target audience & clientele and explore the idea of finding other ways to be inclusive when possibly selling an exclusive product. Please share with us the things that inspired you most in this episode and tag us @tazfalconer & @creativ.and.kin We would love to share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating! Love, Barbara xx

In this episode, Lauren and I discuss the magic and hardship of writing a first book, overcoming self doubt, celebrating your own successes as well as those of others and the fact that there is enough sun for all of us. We dive deeper into the how to's of publishing, editing and standing up for what you believe in during this process. All in all, there's a WHOLE lot of value in this episode and even I walked away from it feeling super empowered! Share with us the things that inspired you most in this episode and tag us @profuselyprofound & @creativ.and.kin As always, stay connected and keep creating! Barbara xx

In this episode, Loraine and I discuss what it means to have a full-time job and grow a creative business driven by passion, alongside it. It involves many "juggling acts" and "straddling tricks" especially when there's a family involved! This is where we get practical in this episode about dividing up your time and scheduling certain tasks or simply blocking out time. We chat about Loraine's growth as a brand and business over the past 3 years, what she did first and how much time she gave herself. Then we dive deep into time management and a typical day divided between corporate and 'creative'. If you are also growing and scaling a product-based business or even a small business alongside your day job, this episode is jam-packed with actionable tips and definitely a must-listen! Share with us the things that inspired you most in this episode and tag us @loraineroux.collection & @creativ.and.kin As always, stay connected and keep creating! Barbara xx

In this episode, Kate and I chat about her own experience of self-discovery, taking a gap year and then pivoting her studies and finally her career choice. We also explore the different influences on our own creativity and career choices, and touch on the struggle of getting past the need for validation and believing in your craft. Kate and I met at recent meetup of Creativ & kin and except for obviously falling in love with her beautiful accent, we connected instantly. She moved to Cape Town from the USA, met her husband here and then decided to stay. She obtained a degree in fine arts in Texas, went on to work for Magnolia Home and HGTV's "Fixer Upper". She has recently decided to restart her own creative business here in Cape Town, and she walks us through a little bit of her journey. Networking and support is super important for creatives, and Kate is the perfect person to ask for an opinion on how to make the most of starting afresh in a new setting or trade, or even a new country! Take a screenshot of yourself whilst listening to this episode and share with us your most valuable and inspiring points! Tag us @madebykateg & @creativ.and.kin so we can share it! As always, stay connected and keep creating! Barbara xx @creativ.and.kin

Hi there and welcome to this mini-teaching episode of the c&k podcast. Last night I posted my first ever free download for all of you and I was really surprised by how much all of you loved it! If you haven't already snagged the download, hop over to the link.tree in my bio on instagram and download your own copy. Let me know what you think! As with anything new, it kind of feels like the classic camping scenario: You arrive in the dark of night and wake up the next morning, sticking your neck out of the tent to check out the surroundings, because you have no idea if the scenery is going to live up to the image you saw online when you booked. And then it takes your breath away because all along it was even way better than what you had imagined. That's how I would describe launching something new and having a good feeling in your gut, but still not being a 100% sure about it. But then, if you don't risk it, you'll never know. So let's get back to the reason for this download. I firstly had been wanting to create a downloadable mini-guide about how I launched and grew the c&k instagram page in quite a short amount of time, and what I use on a daily basis to carry on with things and get them done. And secondly, I thought that if I felt so overwhelmed by this step, maybe by taking the leap and trying it out, I could learn lots of valuable new things I could then teach many of you. If I could figure out a process or a protocol that I could simplify and write down, I could take a lot of the anxiety out of it for fellow-creativepreneurs. Ok so let's get down to business about refreshing a stale feed: If you feel like you didn't quite get on board with the "New year, New me" wave, and maybe your insta feed is in fact feeling a bit outdated and not so much the true you or your business anymore, then this mini-training is for you: Now I know your first question is most likely going to be: Barbara, do I need to delete all my old posts and start from scratch?! And my answer is a clear and definite: NO WAY! People love seeing how you've evolved and grown in your journey. So focus on the next 5 points and you'll see just why I say: "Keep the messy parts!" 1.Fresh new images: Have some fresh new portrait pictures or product images taken. A portrait shoot should get you about 30 nice images and you won't believe the impact of this - they could pull you through the next 3-4 months of content for your feed if you use them wisely. It's always a good idea to have some professional pics at hand when collaborating with other creatives. If there's no budget for some pro pics at the moment, source some nice locations in your area and ask a friend or hubby to take a few nice shots in different spots. Get creative! You could also source some "filler" images from stock libraries - there are loads of free ones available. 2.Redefine the way you speak to your audience: Is the language you are mainly using too formal? Or are there ways you could hit the spot a little better by changing it up to sound a little more casual, familiar and witty? Or do you need to give them a bit more "real talk" or even some behind the scenes details about yourself to let them in a little more? Spend some time thinking what it is your readers or community want to read more about or hear more of. Or even better - ask them! 3.Decide on an underlying colour scheme for your feed: This should fit in with your primary brand colours and feel, it you've already established those, otherwise now might be a good time. Figure out what resonates more with your brand - is it bright and colourful? Neutral and muted? Minimalistic? Feminine? Deciding this will set the stage for the whole look of your feed and will make it easier to decide what goes...

In this episode, Nanette and I discuss the magic of humble beginnings, hiring for the first time (eeek!! Yes that's a daunting step!), the importance of company culture and we revisit the big topic of allowing imperfections for the sake of starting. Then we also touch on the statistics for small businesses in South Africa... Let us know which category you fall into or currently find yourself in! If this episode has inspired you in your own journey, please share it with us and tag us @creativ.and.kin and @handmade.media As always, stay connected and keep creating!

This is a slightly deeper but really relevant topic as we explore Jess' story of how @watercolour_heart_illustration started and her growth as a creative even during difficult times of loss. Jess' business started as a result of her taking some time off due to a damaged ulnar nerve. She then started to explore and fire up her creativity and love for illustration, as her grandmother had left her a beautiful watercolour paintbox and paper set after passing. Jess has continued to create and allow herself to truly feel and be inspired through deep losses. If this episode has inspired you in your own journey, please share it with us and tag us @creativ.and.kin and @watercolour_heart_illustration. As always, stay connected and keep creating!

Hi everyone and welcome to 2020! Some of us might have popped champagne and danced into those symmetrical new digits but I have a feeling that most of us just slept into the new year, blissfully aware of the fact that we would soon be woken up (most of us super early) by our own tiny minions. Now I really get excited by fresh starts, even if they are actually just another day of the week, same routine and most of the shops are closed on the 1st of January anyway. But we can all create our own magic if we want to right? We had waffles for breakfast at Wimpy today because they were open and it was awesome. So let's just take the pressure off and enjoy easing into the new year together, shall we? Now you definitely don't have to feel like you need to be going at full speed in the first week of January because I can assure you no one's watching - they're either still on holiday or wishing they were. So let's rather use the time to start forming some plans so that we can roll over into action once we get back into our usual routines. Goal setting and actual planning for the year ahead are two quite different things. An example of a goal might be to have 10 new clients by June 2020, or to be more organised in your admin by the end of the first term. Note that these goals all have the same things in common - they are specific, they are measurable and they have a deadline. Now planning for them will be a different process. For those of you in the service based industry, planning to reach a deadline for a project will have a very specific timeline and end date. But for creatives running a product based service, things might be a bit more loose and that's why I want you to be intentional about your planning, so that you don't wake up by midyear and realise you've been dreaming and staring into space for most of the time. Ok, so if the idea of sitting down to plan a few months ahead into 2020 gets you all anxious and sweaty, or just downright depressed, the following 3 tips to plan for the year ahead might help you out of that situation: Number 1: Invest in a planner - whether it be a desk planner or a diary. I've said this many times before, but there is just something so very empowering and super positive about writing your dreams and goals on paper and keeping them somewhere visible in order to hold yourself accountable. For me, I write my big to do lists and deadlines in a day to day paper diary and then usually make shopping lists on my phone, as I know I'll always have it with me. Then for our household, we use a desk planner to synchronise everyone else's calendars - so all the big days, deadlines and to do's go on there so we can try and make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Number 2: Decide HOW you want to plan your year. Do you want to set one big goal per semester or per quarter, or would you prefer breaking the year up into smaller chunks and taking it one step at a time? Some of us might have a combination of the above approaches and that's actually really good. Do what works best for you. So if you are doing the smaller chunks, start by planning your personal goals and work goals for the next 3 months only. Once you have that down, you can go on to the next 3 months and that will get you to halfyear. Try to think of these goals as events or deadlines popping up like locations on a timeline. Now remember that if you are in the service based industry, your goals and projects are two completely different things. When I started planning for the very first creativ & kin meetup last year, I gave myself 6 weeks and set the date. That way, it was easier for me to figure out what I had to do weekly to get to ...

In this episode we chat about Nikola's big career pivot and her move back to South Africa, as well as a big health turnaround that led her to conscious living. We also dive into the importance of a morning routine (however short or unstructured for the moms listening!) and the power of visualisation & gratitude. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to this episode and tag us @creativ.and.kin / @nikolabotha and tell us what stood out the most to you. Thanks for listening and as always, stay connected and keep creating!

In this episode, Jaclyn van Greunen aka @theladyjaclyn lets us in on her secrets for showing up confidently every time - even when she doesn't feel completely up to it. We also chat about setting goals and ultimately playing the long game. This episode is as much for creative entrepreneurs as it is for every fierce female wanting to step up as the best version of herself. Let's get those creative juices flowing and bubbling for 2020!!! If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know what inspired you most by leaving a review, or what your main take-home points were by tagging us in your post/stories @creativ.and.kin, @theladyjaclyn and #creativandkinpodcast on Instagram. You could also leave a review on our Facebook page @creativ.and.kin or send us a DM and tell us what or who you want more of on here!! Thanks for listening and as always, stay connected and keep creating!

Abi is a local artist specialising in ink line drawings of mostly South African botanicals. For the past 3 years she has successfully and consistently brought out annual & birthday calendars, as well as loads of beautiful commissioned work. Her calendars recently sold out at one of the Kamers vol Geskenke events and can be found in local and international shops, as listed on her website: www.abiwiese.com In this episode, we chat about juggling creative work, studies and motherhood and all the (wonderful) emotions that come along with this kind of wild ride! Find Abi on Instagram @abiwiese to follow her beautiful work & inspiring journey. If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know what inspired you most, or what your main take-home points were by tagging us in your post/stories @creativ.and.kin, @abiwiese and #creativandkinpodcast on Instagram. You could also leave a review on our Facebook page @creativ.and.kin or send us a DM and tell us what or who you want more of on here!! Thanks for listening and as always, stay connected and keep creating!

Join Barbara as she shares the heart & vision of the Creativ & Kin community and brand new podcast!