769: Navigating Creativity, Scaling with Confidence, and Growing A Team

0:01Okay, I have been on this ruthless pursuit to purge any clothes that I'm not actually wearing. Like if I haven't reached for it in months, it's got to go. I am trying to be really intentional about what I bring into my closet right now, which means I am only buying pieces that I know I will actually wear and use. Revolve just gets it though. I'm literally wearing my brown Autry sneakers from there right now and my new suede purse. It fits my laptop in it. So it's basically a fancy shoulder bag that works for everything. I love finding pieces like that. Things that look good, but also work hard for my actual life.

0:35Their holiday shop is live right now with all the good stuff. Sparkly party dresses, cozy sets, cute gifts, everything you need for whatever is on your calendar. And it's all in one place, which makes shopping feel way less overwhelming. Whether it's a weekend away, a big night out or a holiday party, your dream wardrobe is just one click away. Head to revolve.com forward slash gold digger, shop my edit and take 15 % off your first order with the code gold digger. Fast two day shipping, easy returns. it's literally the only place you need to shop from. That's revolve.com forward slash gold digger to shop by favorites and get 15 % off your first order with the code gold digger offer available for a limited time.

1:15So happy shopping. So I had built this model that required me to consistently show up. And when life wouldn't allow me to show up, then I had this really big kind of scary awakening of like, I've built something really awesome. And yet it doesn't allow for me to be a human, right? Hey, my name is Jenna Kutcher and I am obsessed with all things, business, marketing numbers, and helping you to navigate both the messy and the magical seasons of this thing called life. I'm a small town mama who took a $300 camera, grew a successful photo biz. And now I work from home and run a seven figure online business.

1:51I teach you the tried and true secrets to building a career you adore. Shy away from the real talk? No way. Money, hardship, growth, loss, and marketing are all topics we discuss here. Think of this as your one-stop shop for happy hour with a gal pal mixed with business school. Pull up a seat, make sure you're cozy and get ready to be challenged and encouraged while you learn. This is the Gold Digger Podcast. If you've been listening to the Gold Digger Podcast for any length of time, it probably won't surprise you when I say that I love solving problems. Like I love puzzles. I love brain teasers.

2:25I love being faced with challenges. And that is why I absolutely love these gold digger coaching sessions. These sessions give you the listeners, this opportunity to ask for help, something that we all could be a little better at. And at the same time, it helps me get to work alongside of you working through your business challenges and the things that you are working on overcoming. Today, I am chatting with Brandy. She's an artist, a muralist, an author, podcaster, and an educator. Woo! She does a lot of things. And she has this passion for making meaningful connections through art. Her artwork has been featured on national television and has graced the pages of international publications and prestigious galleries all over the world.

3:06And she is ready and she is working towards taking her business to the next level. Brandy knows it's time to transition her freelance business into this thriving and more stable career. and we have to mention she's also a stay-at-home mom to three boys. In our coaching session, Brandy asks a lot of heavy-hitting questions. We talk about grief, we talk about creativity, delegation, project management, automation, and burnout. We are covering so many different bases. This is a great conversation no matter what stage of business you are in. If you are someone who would love to be featured in a future coaching episode of the Gold Digger podcast, make sure you join the Gold Digger Insiders Facebook group.

3:47This is linked in today's episode description and the show notes there. I will be asking monthly for volunteers to come on the show, to ask me questions, get mentored and help other listeners while of course, being on your favorite podcast all at the same time. So join the Gold Digger Insiders Facebook group, and hopefully we can hit record together soon. Now, without further ado, let's dive on into my coaching session with Brandy. Okay, real talk. Are skinny jeans out or are they in? My friends and I continue to have this debate and it just goes to show that trends come and go and come back again.

4:23And the same goes for marketing strategies. Like who can even keep up? Luckily, HubSpot makes it their job to keep marketers on trend and on track to hit their goals. Their 2024 state of marketing report is an all-in-one guide for everything happening this year and how marketers can best approach it all. HubSpot surveyed more than 1 ,400 marketing pros across the world and curated the top trends they're thinking about. Sure, there's AI, but there's honestly so much more. The report covers everything from increasing awareness and engagement to ensuring privacy and boosting efficiency and growth.

4:56This report will give you all the info you need to shape your strategy for the year and keep on winning into next year. So friend, do not get caught hopping on an old trend. Visit HubSpot.com slash state of marketing to get your free copy of the report today. That's HubSpot.com slash state of marketing. I am absolutely thrilled about today's conversation with an amazing gold digger podcast listener, Brandy. Brandy, welcome to the show and thank you for coming on for a coaching session. No, thank you for having me. I actually couldn't believe that you reached out when your team member, Christy, was like, Hey, Brandy, we want to fit you in on Wednesday.

5:38Can you make it? And I was like, this is not real. Because like a lot of times those things aren't right. Like they're like, we'll steal your identity, actually. Just to give you an idea of who I am and what I do. I'm an artist, muralist, podcaster, educator. I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget everything I did. Oh, yeah. Mother to three. Crazy little boys. And we're kind of tucked in to a cool place that's on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan in the like quiet Canadian prairies. And I'll throw in an A somewhere just for all your I love it. Or international listeners. Because yeah, I meet a lot of women specifically on my podcast from America.

6:23And they're like, your accent is just like the cutest. And I was like, what accent are they talking about? So it's not a boat. I didn't go that far, but, and I just love empowering creatives to build diverse income streams. And not only that, but like thrive as a creative to avoid burnout because I've hit it so many times. I know you talk a lot about that in your book and in your podcast. So a lot of our stories align and I'm very excited to chat with you. Oh, that's awesome. I always laugh when I tell people I'm from Minnesota because we're from Northern Minnesota. And they'll always say, you don't sound like you are.

7:04And I'm like, I don't know if that's a compliment or a dig, but I'll take it. I have a team member from that area. Yeah. It's like the little cute things. I hear it sometimes in YouTube. So let's dive on in and let's talk about some of the bigger topics that you want to cover today. And now that we've kind of laid the foundation of you and your business. Let's dive on in. So what do you want to ask in today's session? My biggest questions are obviously like I really connect with the whole grief and loss and using creativity as your outlet to get through those parts of your life. And I'll tell you why.

7:49In 2014, I was pregnant with my first son, Gus. And six months into that pregnancy, I actually lost my mother to cancer. And then a few years later, after our second son was born, we lost my father-in-law suddenly. And so creativity has always been there for me. And I know it's been there for you. You quoted in your book, we are the sum of the total of our experiences. And I think our experiences like such as heavy losses, they build up who we are. Like you're a stronger, more resilient woman and person. And so am I from, you know, charging through that. But I wouldn't have gotten through it without my creativity.

8:38Right. and those times of. So I want to hear about how creativity has empowered you to become stronger or once you get through the grief, like moving forward, like what would you tell someone who's in a grief moment? Yeah, I love this question. And I'm so sorry for your losses, especially at such a tender time in your life. You know, it's such a transformational journey of becoming a mom. it's so interesting to me because I often cling to this quote that I heard and I don't know where it originated from but that grief is a tunnel not a cave and I feel like that's such a powerful line for people that are in it because it often feels like a cave that you're never going to climb out of and when you realize that it is this tunnel and you can keep moving forward I just always feel like that's such a powerful way of looking at it and it's interesting because I think a lot of times when we are grieving, we can see some of our unhealthy tendencies come out to play.

9:38And for me, something that I am unpacking to this day in therapy is that I have this deep-rooted belief or this innate characteristic within me of like, if I just work harder, everything will be okay. And I know for me that when I went through those hard times of grief, I just threw myself into work because it was this distraction. And creativity was what was actually pulling me out of that and almost calling to me to like not go into that unhealthy, like workaholic mode, because that felt like the only thing I could control at the time. And it's really interesting because I'm finding myself in a really unique phase of life right now that isn't rooted in grief, but in curiosity.

10:20And I think that one of the most powerful things that I've done in my business over the years, especially during my grief journey was build these systems and these things that could be running while I rested because I was forced to rest. Right. And I think that for so many of us, we build these businesses that are amazing. And then life knocks us to our knees. And we recognize that we build businesses that don't work if we're not running. And so what's interesting is that I'm in this stage of life now where I have built this business that really can run really well without requiring as much effort on my part, where now I have that more freedom and bandwidth and curiosity to be creative again.

10:59And so I definitely recognize for me, and I'm curious for you, Brandy, does your creativity come with ebbs and flows? Or do you feel like it's constant? Because for me, it is this roller coaster. So what does it look like for you, especially as an artist? I think it's always there. And I think it's, you can tap into it. There are ways of tapping into creativity, even if you're feeling exhausted, because through that time of grief and like being in the early stages of motherhood. So babydom where you're like up all night. And I suffered burnout from like making too much art in this time of, and I was just like, art was really great through that grief period, making art.

11:40It was always there for me. And then there was this phase where it was like, okay, I'm getting like a little more freedom in my business to create more custom artwork, which was my like really cool portrait process. Right. And my art consultant, so it would be like an art coach. She was like, people love what you do and they love those custom pieces. So let's really focus on that. I was like, okay. So like my type A was like, let's focus on that. And then I would have like eight custom orders a month. And it was so crazy. And I was part of my friend Shannon's mastermind. And she is like, this is really great, Brandy.

12:19I'm so glad you're succeeding. However, is this sustainable? And I was like, I'm fine, Shannon. I'm fine. I just don't want to paint portraits anymore. No big deal. And I might go crazy if I do another one. And they just kind of laughed. And I was like, okay, that's a pretty big deal if you're a portrait artist and you don't want to paint portraits. Yeah. And it was like Christmas Eve and I was like doing a custom order and I was like, I can't do this anymore. And then it's just grown into like changing my practice into all these other things, like focusing on making big murals and then teaching other people how to make portraits, which was a really big.

13:04because I like could have kept that secret, like of all my tricks of like making portraits to myself. That was like the start of like, I can be an educator and show people and I can share what I know. And I'm not afraid of sharing my secrets because it's going to empower other people to connect with their creativity. And it's like an expander. You know what I mean? Yes. But expanding your practice and creating multiple sustainable income streams, still you can suffer burnout. And I did again in February. So let's talk about it. What question I need advice on because, you know, setting up those different strategies and setting up all those flows and the workflows and your emails and all of that stuff, like transitioning a business.

13:51I thought of it as like, I'm starting a brand new business. I'm not just making art. I'm not just selling it. Right. And that can be applicable in any business. Like you're not trading your photography. it's the exchange of time for money, right? Yeah. And you are like the master of like figuring that out. But in those figure out moments, that takes a lot of like massive focus and energy. Yeah. I feel like if I don't do it right then, I'll lose the momentum because that's kind of my personality. So I really need advice on that. on setting up like more automated and evergreen type things. Is that the question?

14:34Yeah, I'm in that mode. Here's the thing about automation and like creating more freedom. And honestly, I feel like there is a movement happening, especially with women entrepreneurs who maybe have already gotten results and they've already built successful businesses, but they're recognizing that the freedom aspect isn't there that they thought would be there. And I know for me, that was exactly what happened with wedding photography. I loved wedding photography, but if I didn't show up to shoot, I didn't get paid. Right. And so I had built this model that required me to consistently show up.

15:06And when life wouldn't allow me to show up, then I had this really big kind of scary awakening of like, I've built something really awesome. And yet it doesn't allow for me to be a human. Right. And I think that this is something that so many successful women find is like, yes, I've gotten the success or yes, I've gotten the results or the money or whatever we're judging success off of, but it's not giving me the life that I want. And I think that's a really powerful place to be. And I also think that a lot of times that burnout isn't necessarily an indicator of overworking. It's that like you recognize that you can't stop working.

15:42You know what I mean? And not always, but I think that that happens to a lot of us. It's time for Cyber Monday, Dell Technologies biggest sale of the year. You'll find the lowest prices of the year on select Dell PCs like the Dell 16 Plus with Intel Core Ultra processors. And with built-in advanced AI features, it's the PC that helps you do more faster. From smarter multitasking to extended battery life, these PCs handle the busy work so you can focus on what actually matters to you. Plus, earn Dell rewards and enjoy perks like free shipping, expert support, price match guarantee, and flexible financing options.

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16:51Okay, I have been on this ruthless pursuit to purge any clothes that I'm not actually wearing. Like, if I haven't reached for it in months, it's gotta go. I am trying to be really intentional about what I bring into my closet right now, which means I am only buying pieces that I know I will actually wear and use. Revolve just gets it though. I'm literally wearing my brown Autry sneakers from there right now, and my new suede purse. It fits my laptop in it, so it's basically a fancy shoulder bag that works for everything. I love finding pieces like that. Things that look good, but also work hard for my actual life.

17:24Their holiday shop is live right now with all the good stuff. Sparkly party dresses, cozy sets, cute gifts, everything you need for whatever is on your calendar. And it's all in one place, which makes shopping feel way less overwhelming. Whether it's a weekend away, a big night out, or a holiday party, your dream wardrobe is just one click away. Head to revolve.com forward slash gold digger, shop my edit and take 15 % off your first order with the code gold digger. Fast two day shipping, easy returns. It's literally the only place you need to shop from. That's revolve.com forward slash gold digger to shop my favorites and get 15 % off your first order with the code gold digger.

18:03Offer available for a limited time. So happy shopping. When you're starting to think about creating more systems and funnels and automation and things that can run on autopilot, I think a lot of times we think we have to start from scratch and build from the ground up. And the truth is, is that if you have already been getting results, you likely already have the framework for everything that you need to put it into automation. One way to very easily combat the fear, the feeling that you have to start from scratch, the scared feeling that comes with like, I need to like create everything and I don't even know where to begin, a way to combat that is to take an inventory of what has already been working and getting results for you.

18:48So if you've already been making sales on something, there are probably a few key pieces to that, that you already have created. And so for me, one thing that I do, and I think this could work for any business and any offer is if you do some sort of a live launch, whether you are a product-based business, service-based business, digital business, educational business. If you do some sort of launch, when I am creating for a launch, I am already thinking about how everything I'm creating will translate into an automated sequence. So for example, we just did a live launch of my program, the Pinterest lab.

19:27We close the doors on it. The doors are closed. Now we are taking time as a team to look at, okay, what worked, what needs to be tweaked? What makes sense when it's live? What doesn't make sense when it's automated. And we're basically paring down every aspect of that live launch and then popping it into automation. And so what is beautiful is, is that you get to create, you get to test with a live offer, you get to assess, and then you just get to take the pieces that you've already built and tweak them slightly. And all of a sudden now you have that automated funnel. And so it doesn't feel like you're thinking with two different brains of like live launch.

20:06And okay, now I've got to rebuild from scratch. And here's what this is going to work. You're creating with this one mindset of like, I'm going to do the live launch to get the results and the insights. And then I'm going to take everything that worked and put it in to automation. Now, one thing to note that a lot of people don't recognize is if you are going for a more automated business, a lot of times you will require ads to fuel it, right? Because the whole point of automation is that you don't have to be on the hamster wheel, constantly talking about what you have to sell. Right. And so I feel like a lot of people crave this automated business or this business that can run more on autopilot, not with no work.

20:46I don't think passive income truly exists in many cases, but a lot of times you need to have that initial entry point into a funnel that is already working. And so for us, that is paid ads. We do Facebook ads. We do Pinterest ads. We do Instagram ads. And so what's beautiful about it is if you do a live launch and you get results, you likely also get an income or money that can help fuel the automated efforts. And it's a lot less scary to put money behind ads when you know you're putting it towards something that is proven to work, right? It feels a lot less risky than running ads and being like, I have no idea if this is going to convert.

21:22I have no idea if I'm throwing money down the drain. It totally changes the whole thing. So I would just say that as you are thinking about it, I would start Brandy with your most sought after offer or your most profitable offer. Looking at like Pareto's principle of like 10 % of your efforts usually yield and 90 % of your results. I know that's totally not true for the multi-passionate people like you and I, where we do have like good chunks of the pie, but at the same point to think of what is going to be the easiest offer to create some sort of funnel around or some sort of automation around?

21:57How do I get that one going? And then once that one is going and you're out of the weeds on that one, then you can create the next offer. Don't try to do it all in tandem, where you're like email number one for offer one, two, three, four, and five is this email. Like that's too much. That's too much for anyone. And the chances that you would actually have the bandwidth and the energy to optimize and assess it is pretty much zero. I would say like do one and get feedback from it, start to pay attention to what works for it. And then a lot of times it is more rinse and repeat. Even if they're drastically different offers, you start to see like, Oh, three emails works.

22:38Oh, five emails works. Oh, this entry point made sense. They wanted this freebie, which led in, Oh, they wanted straight to a webinar or a sales call. And so you start to kind of see these different trends that work for you and your audience. and then you're able to really just apply all the info that you have to the many different offers across the board. Does that help simplify it a little bit for you? Yeah. I love what you said. Cause like we have a lot of stuff set up and I've just recently over the past year started working with a team. Actually my team member is, I was like, we have to do Pinterest.

23:12Like we have to do it. So I actually bought her your training for that. So our launch in Pinterest. Yes. And like, I just didn't have the bandwidth to do. Like, I only can at this point with all the kids and the hockey and the things like I'm like, I only can do Instagram. Like, I'm really great at creating really fun content. And I know that and I enjoy doing it because that is another creative outlet. I especially love reels. And when we look at it in a really positive light, it works for us. Yep. So I'm just learning to work with a team and delegate. Yeah. I mean, and I'm like, I'm like a nice person.

23:53So I'm like, could you please maybe. Yeah. If it's not too much of an inconvenience, can you please help me? If you can't do it, it's totally fine. But yeah, I don't want to take up too much of your time. I'm paying you. But yeah, so I'm just figuring that out. And like, it's working out. And in fact, in your community, I have found another team member, which was really cool, which I love how you highlight and empower and encourage that in your community, people to find others to help them in their business. So you're at such a pivotal place as an entrepreneur and also a place that so many entrepreneurs don't prepare for or even think about when they start a business, right?

24:36You never start a business thinking, I'm going to be a boss someday, right? Like that isn't a lot of times how we go into business because especially for people like us who bootstrap everything, it's just us. We're all the people. And being a boss is really hard and delegating and letting people care for your baby is really hard. And one thing that I've been struggling with and working through is remembering that like, I am the visionary. And when I have the time and space and freedom to let myself be creative and have the visions, everyone does better. And when I'm in the weeds of trying to micromanage and do all the things and ideate and create and do everything that doesn't allow me to like rise up to like really cast the vision that is necessary to continue moving forward.

25:27And so figuring out kind of what that looks like for you. And one thing I've been really focusing on is setting aside time for deep work because as a mom and as someone with ADHD and someone who is multi-passionate and who loves all these different things and has a million ideas, deep work is so hard for me. People talk about it and I'm like, how do you even like get into deep work? My brain doesn't even operate in a way of like one track mind. I hear that. Yeah. And so I've been really like protecting my schedule and what a privilege to be able to do that. But to say like Mondays, I'm not taking any calls or meetings.

26:06Like that is the day where I like get to ideate and think through and think ahead. And you know, I was writing the other day and I like set aside time for that. And it's like, if I had a splattering of meetings or different things or calls with my team, I wouldn't be able to like sink into like, Oh, I feel like writing today. Right. And so one thing that I will say that has been super helpful for me, there's this book by my friend, his name is Dan Martell and it's called buy back your time. And for anyone that is in the beginning stages of hiring a team or curious about hiring a VA to help with your business, or just trying to figure out like, where is my time most valuable?