The 24 Experiences That Changed How I Run My Creative Business

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It’s that time of year when every creative business owner scrolls through their inbox, saved Instagram posts, or must-follow entrepreneurs to find the last deals of the year. The can’t-beat sales, the one-time-only discounts, the ‘last time to grab’ spots in the course you’ve been eyeing all year.

I get it.

As entrepreneurs, we can’t help but wonder if we just buy one more digital product, sign up for one more course, or work with THIS mentor…we’ll transform our creative businesses.

The truth is, sometimes that course, product, or mentor does change the way you do your work. But transformation also happens outside of your latest purchase. From spending more time journaling or pursuing your hobby to actually saving those emails you write over and over (and over) again as templates, business-changing experiences come in all shapes and sizes and budgets.

So today, I’m sharing with you the 24 experiences of 2022 that completely changed how I run my creative business.

Let’s go!

24 Experiences That Transformed
The Way I Run My Creative Business

1. Being over a year into running my creative business. This alone has transformed how I think about my business on the day-to-day, how I manage my time, and what my plans are for the future. Nothing beats time and experience.

2. Joining the Duo Collective’s SEO Group Coaching Program* to learn about SEO, keywords, partnering with designers, and building a community. (*This is an affiliate link but at no extra cost to you!)

3. Not sleeping in on weekends. To be fair, Monkey rarely ever lets me sleep in past 9:00 am anyways but consistently getting up before 8 am every day of the week makes me feel more productive no matter what I’m doing. 

4. Using Voxer to communicate with clients. I love sending a quick ‘hey there!’ check-in rather than another email that clogs up your inbox. 

5. Using voice notes, in general, to stay in touch with other biz friends. 

6. Not offering everything for everyone. I switched to a retainer-only blogging model a few months ago to dedicate more time, energy, and focus on each brand’s tone of voice, communication style, and subject matter.

7. Getting new tires on my car. Apparently, my tires were actually crumbling apart but now I can enjoy the flexibility running my own creative business offers me by taking SAFE road trips. 

8. Moving to Squamish for 6 weeks. From climbing to hiking to swimming, living in Squamish is the most rewarding experience I’ve had…one day I’ll be back to stay!

9. Hiring Samara Bortz to mentor me, design my website, and build out my brand. Just look at it! ‘Nough said. 

10. Started saying ‘no, but…’ or just ‘no.’ Instead of saying yes to every client inquiry that pops into my inbox, I’ve started trusting what feels right to me and either rejecting unaligned projects or offering compromises I’m comfortable with. 

11. Also saying ‘hell yes’ a lot more. Yes to moving. Yes to new friends. Yes to collaborations. Yes to things that excite me. 

12. Traveling to Portugal with my partner. Our first out-of-country trip together and the first time I left Canada since COVID. We surfed, ate, surfed, explored, surfed, and nerded out over the buildings, history, and nature. 

13. Adding a new service to my package suite. Since retiring blog posts, I knew I wanted to create a mid-tier option for creative business owners writing their own website copy but craving extra personalized support. Enter: The Brand Messaging Guide.

14. Finding a go-to poké place for the many days I forget to cook lunch and/or dinner.

15. Starting to rock climb because it works my brain, mental strength, and physical strength AND is the perfect balance of a group activity that still offers lots of solo time. 

16. Trading my HIIT Spin, Barre, and Strength classes for a good ole’ YMCA pass that doesn’t make me want to pass out after every workout. 

17. Expanding my existing services to include extra support through longer kick-off calls, ongoing communication, and SEO add-ons so I can offer my clients more value while balancing my own energy levels.

18. Snorkeling with turtles in Mexico. Not only was this trip a well-needed break from work, but it also led to a newsletter email about turtles!  (Pssst – are you subscribed to Memorable Monday Messages? Get on it here!)

19. Going sober in October – okay, most of October – led to better sleep, less money spent, and more energy overall. Plus more kombucha. 

20. Calling my family and friends during afternoon Monkey walks. 

21. Raising my rates so that it reflects the value I offer clients AND I can take on fewer clients – meaning my brain is focused on you and not torn between 6, 7, or 8 different projects. 

22. Including Monkey in my new brand photos (done by Slow Sundays Photography!).

23. Including Monkey in more adventures. Monkey is reactive to other dogs which limits the places I take her. This year though, I worked to bring her on hikes, to rock climbing crags, and to a few patios. She did great!

24. Finding a better balance between working on client projects, working on my creative business, and taking care of myself. This is still a WIP, btw.

What’s one experience you’re ready for in the new year?

Maybe it’s…completely new website copy that sounds like you, gets eyes on your creative business, AND frees up time for you to enjoy slightly more thrilling, heart-pounding, toe-tingling experiences?

If so, then book in now to claim your website copy spot!