Creative Warriors

As entrepreneurs we usually try to think of the next best product people will want. We come up with an idea, make it happen, and expect to see success. We know our products are better than anyone else’s on the market, and that’s all we need to be the successful - right? WRONG. It’s that mentality that cost Microsoft billions of dollars in research and development when they created Bing. Although it’s better than Google’s search engine and algorithm, it was essentially one of the largest tech flops. You can’t have a mentality that marketing is for those who don’t have a good product. Marketing is everything. If you want to be successful you have to be the king of your category. You can’t do that by giving people something better, or by giving people a solution. You need to announce yourself, be loud and proud, and tell people what problem you are solving. That’s right, you can’t sell a solution. We are surrounded by solutions. You have to let the people know they have a problem, what it is, then they will natu

One of the most common debates in business is whether to niche or not to niche. I suppose it works for some but I believe it is counterintuitive to the Creative Warrior's natural way of being. Do one thing? For just one group of people? But we are capable of being good at many things. To say nothing of it being a smart business model in today's world is to have multiple streams of income. Listen in to how I define the New Niche and how old niche is about narrowing and New Niche is about expansion. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think d

We always hear people say, “Act your age!” But what does that really mean? What is someone who is 41 supposed to act like that’s different than someone who is 40? We are told we have to grow up, but that can come with some dangerous consequences. When we try to “grow up” we lose the ability to take chances. We become afraid of the world. Adults don’t play in the rain, they cower under umbrellas to escape the little drops of water from falling on us. We begin to follow rules because that’s what we were always told to do. There’s no reason for me to wait 30 minutes after eating before I swim. It has no science behind it, and yet many people still believe it’s true. We follow so many rules blindly, and it may be time to start letting it go. So many people suffer from what Jason Kotecki refers to as Adultitis. We need to stop trying so hard to be safe adults, and start living like curious children who aren’t afraid to dream. No one wants to be on their deathbed and look back at all the opportunities they missed b

When in business, we can often start following the "rules" of our industry. Thinking the way it's been done is the way it "should" be done. Of course, there also all these rules in life about proper behavior and the normal way to be in the world. Is normalcy the path to creating an outstanding life? I think not! Learn about the importance of playing by your own rules. Trusting yourself and standing out.  The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who w

Everyone knows that nothing holds a creative back more than themselves. We all think that we’re not good enough. We get jealous of others, and give up before we even try. We believe our skills just aren’t good enough. STOP.  You’re just letting your inner critic control your brain. You need to learn to acknowledge the critic, and see what it’s really telling you. You can learn a lot about yourself from your inner critic, but you can’t let it control your life. There are a few things that cause an inner critic to come out and take control: Envy of other Too much self criticism Not letting go of emotions Pressure from deadlines and our environment Fear It’s easy to let our mind’s get wrapped up in thoughts, emotions, and fears. In fact it’s something we’ve done our entire lives. When you first learn to accept and acknowledge the inner critic, but not let it control your emotions and life it can be very unsettling. So many people get uncomfortable without it that they end up reverting right back to the

There's this interesting phenomenon that I've experienced and have coached many clients through. It's what I call the Soul's Gatekeepers. It's the challenges, doubts, and inner conflict that shows up when you least expect it. You're proud of what you've accomplished, you're on the cusp of a major breakthrough, you know you're on track and ready to give back, and BAM! You're faced with all this stuff that holds you back. Why is that? We explore the Soul's Gatekeepers. The perfect lead into the very next episode which is about overcoming your inner critic. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative War

Do you ever feel down and worry you’re going to be stuck there? Don’t worry, that’s a common feeling and one you should let go of. Everyone’s life is full of peaks and valleys. Just know that you’ve felt happiness before, and that you’ll feel it again. Trust in your journey, and let your happiness come from the path you are on. I know it’s easy to say but taking action or even truly understanding why you aren’t happy can be difficult.  There are typically two ways we feel down and stuck. The first is that we adapt a sense of security that holds us back. Maybe we have a steady job that pays well, but we aren’t truly  content there. Change is a scary thing, but if you want to be happy you have to learn to be a little more adventurous and make a leap into the world. Don’t let feeling secure be the reason you’re unhappy. Security is nice, but it’s not worth holding yourself back. The second reason people can feel miserable is because they are trying to force an outcome. Sometimes what we think needs to happen,

As entrepreneurs and Creative Warriors, being in a funk every now and then is to be expected. It's unavoidable. Putting ourselves out there as we do, we subject ourselves to many circumstances and emotions. All of which can cause us to get in a funk now and then. But we don't want to stay there too long. It can suck the life out of us and kill our productivity. So here are some funk-buster ideas to get you moving again. And yes, dogs help.  The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been hand

We often blame outside sources for our own shortcomings. Some people blame money, others blame the economy, but very few are willing to accept responsibility. In the end, not looking internally to find the problems means you’ll never be able to find a proper solution. This is commonly the reason many businesses and entrepreneurs fail. There’s a level of pride and ego that stops you from seeing it as your fault. This same exact mindset is commonly seen when people need to survive, because that’s exactly what a business needs to do - survive. When things start to go wrong, and they always will, people tend to panic. Some entrepreneurs begin to run around in circles, while others freeze and give up. If you really want your business to survive, you need to think like you are out in the woods after a plane crash. Always analyze what’s going on around you, be ready for what could go wrong, and don’t be afraid to stop and think. On this episode of Creative Warriors podcast we are joined by Jonathan David Lewis, au

One of the biggest challenges creatives have in business is that if what we are doing or what we have created is truly unique, then people won't know to ask for it. So, on one hand, we need to be unique and stand out. On the other hand, we've been told we must be searchable. Now, this is a dilemma. Yet another example that what got us here won't get us to where we want to go. Being searchable may not be the answer. If we create our own category, we may also have to create the communication.   The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think diff

Do you ever wonder why things aren’t working? Maybe your numbers aren’t as high as you want them to be, or maybe you’re not getting the response from a market you wanted. We live in a world of data, and data doesn’t lie. It’s like you aren’t analyzing your results properly. One of the first steps you need to take in order to come up with a solid strategy is to be able to properly gather analytics look at the statistics you need. From there you can find your audience and really come up with a plan to build your brand. Branding used to be a negative thing. We used to think about it as something that only people who were sleazy salesman or very narcissistic did. That’s simply not true anymore. Everyone needs a brand and it needs to represent us in the way we want to be seen. If you have a video on Instagram of you doing a keg stand it might be funny to your friends, but your potential next colleague or associate may have a different take on it. On this episode of Creative Warrior we are joined by Peter Winick,

It seems entrepreneurs don't often consider themselves to be leaders. Well, I challenge that notion. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are perfectly poised to be leaders in their communities and have a major impact on the world. I point out that leadership doesn't have to look like the stereotype corporate leader. Creative Warrior leadership is a quiet confidence that is passionate, empathetic, compassionate, and loving. Exactly what we need more of! You'll also discover how Creative Warrior leadership can help you in your business every day! The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors

We often believe that if we throw a wide net we’ll catch more fish. This mentality doesn’t actually work in business. If you spread yourself too wide you won’t be able to find the audience you need. You’ll end up having a hard time explaining yourself and your business, and people will not trust that you can do everything you claim. We are joined on this episode of Creative Warriors by Tamsen Webster, who explains the importance of narrowing your focus. If you can describe who you are and what you do in six words or less you’ll be able to really pull in the audience and customers you want. Once you have them hooked you can really sell them with your elevator pitch, and start to find the results you’re really looking for. Download this episode of Creative Warriors podcast to get more insight on what you need to find your brand and build the support you need. WARRIOR OF RESILIENCE “You can’t keep a good Red Thread™ down.” -Tamsen Webster Highlights - It’s not the story that matters; it’s the meaning that

This is the first time I've ever done a Talking Stick episode as a prelude to another episode. But the interview I have coming up with Tamsen Webster about finding your Red Thread™ is so important, I thought it would be helpful to provide you with some context ahead of time. What you'll discover is that there is a thread, a throughline, in all that you do. You may not be able to see it yourself yet. This so important for us Creative Warriors who often feel like we're all over the place. Finding your Red Thread™ clarifies your message. The clearer your message, the more opportunities will come your way. Listen to this episode and then follow up by listening to the very next episode with Tamsen Webster. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact

It’s common for people to build a business or start a career and then see it all start to fall apart. We may begin to lose that sense of fulfillment, or our sales start to suffer. This doesn’t mean we are failures or aren’t good enough. You’ve probably just outgrown your current situation. It may be time for you or your business to pivot and find a new direction. Becoming trapped in thoughts of “what’s going wrong” is something we all do. But it’s just that; a trap. These points aren’t crises, they are opportunities for growth and change. The best thing we can do is shift our focus to what is working, and begin to grow in that direction. Sometimes these changes can be minor, and other times they may be giant leaps. Jenny Blake joins us on this episode of Creative Warriors to discuss her book Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One. She discusses exactly what a pivot means, and the four stages you have to take in order to make a successful pivot. Don’t miss out on this advice, because even if you

It can seem a little trite to say "change your thoughts, change your results." We've heard it too often without anything concrete to help us understand it's effectiveness. My take on this is as Creative Warriors, we do need a different way of thinking because we've been handed a bunch of mindsets that don't work for us. We are often told to act differently than what's natural for us and how other businesses work doesn't work for us either. So, it's time to get our minds in the right place. I introduce a brand new FREE tool for you, The 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs, to get you to think differently and keep you on track. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking

We often times ask ourselves, “How am I feeling?” When we focus on this question, we concentrate on the negatives. What we should be asking ourselves is, “How am I thinking?” You need to concentrate on your outlook and the positive aspects of the journey you are on. Michael Glauser joins us this week to discuss the discoveries he made about entrepreneurship while bicycling across the country. On this journey he discovered nine things that makes a successful entrepreneur, and we are lucky enough to hear them on this episode of Creative Warriors. Being an entrepreneur is hard on the soul and this causes many people to give up. There are many secrets to get past the hard times. You not only need to find passion in what you do, but you need to have a clearly defined purpose to keep you on track. It’s also important to have a strong support team you can turn to when you need help. Download this episode of Creative Warriors to get amazing insight from Michael Glauser. WARRIOR OF TENACITY “I had a number of jou

As it's been said, entrepreneurs will work 80 hours a week for themselves to avoid working 40 hours a week for someone else. While I respect hard work, it doesn't have to be that way. In this episode, I offer 3 ways to make being in business easier in your marketing, working with the right customers, and with customer service. The best part is, these 3 ways of being are exactly what customers want from you today! The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking Resources - Do you ever wish you could get advice for your business? Does it sometimes feel like you’re completely on your own? Ever wish you had help getting things done? Then join the Creative Warriors Alliance! A weekly group

What’s stopping you from making money on your passions? Do you feel you’re not ready yet? That your work isn’t good enough? That you just don’t have the time to get it all done? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the problem is you. We all strive to be perfect, or to be the best. Unfortunately, that’s just not a reality. The best is in the eye of the beholder. Chances are you know plenty of people out there who are making a good amount of money even though in reality they are mediocre at best. Why should they make money, and not you? Monica Leonelle joins us this week to share her expertise about making it as a creative. She explains why you are putting too much pressure on yourself, and how chances are you are ready to start making money on your passions right now. Often times you need to unblock yourself and move forward. Monica lays out seven simple steps to getting on the path of turning what you love from a dream and hobby into a successful career. WARRIOR OF TRY and TRUST “Get somet

In this special Memorial Day episode, a day when we honor the armed forces in the U.S., I wanted to suggest that we honor our past as well. So often as we move through life, transitioning from one thing to another, we close the door on the past instead of integrating our past into the future. Instead of closing doors, I suggest every door be left open a crack so that in the words of singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen, "There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - We want to hear your opinion on the topic. Let us know what you think or share a personal story. Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and add to the conversation.  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support Available for speaking Resources - Do you ever wish you could get advice for your business? Does it sometimes feel like you’re completely on your own? Ever wish you had help getting thi