You'll hear --

- the real why behind my decisions to shut things down

- the 3-step process I use to coach myself and my clients

- what you can start doing to create more space for your creative self

She was initially hesitant to join Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business™, but followed her intuition and dove in... three weeks after the program officially started!

Nadja was able to sell her first $3k package within 12 weeks of joining by nailing her "stand out factor" and the value she brings to her clients. Now she's rebooking clients again and again for higher ticket packages  

If you’re a copywriter looking to break the 6 figure mark this year, applications for my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business are now open. This 6 month accelerator will teach you the core foundations of my Agency-Style Method for Creative Service Providers so you can make the most money possible as a writer-for-hire -- and no, you don’t need to grow an agency to do it. You’ll get the how-to, doable week-by-week action plan, and private coaching and mentorship from yours truly to get you there. Boost your sales game, uplevel your work process, grow your client roster, and so much more. If you’re curious to learn more, head over to thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Learn more about the Craft + Cashflow Method™ at http://thejamiejensen.com/craftandcashflow

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

In today's episode, I'm sharing three thing you must do in order to create a consistent flow of ideal copywriting clients coming into your business. And guess what... it doesn't include retainers!

Head over to http://thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter to learn more about the Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business program and apply now!

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the process that I use for myself, and that I work with my clients through in Craft + Cashflow™.

If you're ready to say YES to receiving personal support, strategy, and accountability on your business + writing journey, Craft + Cashflow™ is currently accepting applications. Learn more + apply at thejamiejensen.com/craftandcashflow

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Sales is about relationships, and you are not developing a positive relationship with a cold pitch of any kind, whether it's an email, a DM, or a carrier pigeon into some stranger’s house, okay?

Think about the energy expenditure of sending 100 cold pitches to get maybe 1 response. That would be an average “conversion rate.” That sounds demoralizing and a terrible ROI in terms of energy out to energy in. 

If you’re committed to cold pitches even if they’re not working for your sales, maybe it’s because you’d prefer to hide and don’t actually want to talk to anyone or close any new sales... 

But if you DO want conversations, sales, to see your effort turn into new, let’s choose another strategy.

This your new mantra:

You do not need leads.
What you need is friends.

You need REAL relationships that are built on mutual benefit, kindness, support, love, and care.

Focus on expanding your network, one awesome human at a time, and marketing will start to feel easier. 

Referral business will gradually begin to flood in.

And you won’t have to “push” or force any of it.

So if you do decide to send a “cold” email or DM -- don’t pitch!

Let it be about the relationship, and focus on making a new friend instead.

If you’d like to work with me on getting your marketing, systems, sales, and process rocking out to help you hit 6-figs as a copywriter ASAP, head over to http://thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter to apply for the next round of Create Your 6-Figure Copywriter Business!

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

In this episode, I'm sharing the key mindset shift you need to make to overcome this hesitation. And it's not what you think it is 😉

If you're ready to claim your value, raise your rates, and Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business, applications are now open. Head over to thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter to apply!

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

And wondered if it's... a book, a blog, or something else? (Spoiler: it's something else).

In this episode, I cover the 3 things you want to do to make 6 figures as a writer quickly, efficiently, and joyfully.

So you can get paid, enjoy time behind your laptop doing your genius work, and create flexibility and freedom in your lifestyle too.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

P.S. Hey! If you’re a copywriter looking to break the 6 figure mark this year, applications for my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business are now open. This 6 month accelerator will teach you the core foundations of my Agency-Style Method for Creative Service Providers so you can make the most money possible as a writer-for-hire -- and no, you don’t need to grow an agency to do it. You’ll get the how-to, doable week-by-week action plan, and private coaching and mentorship from yours truly to get you there. Boost your sales game, uplevel your work process, grow your client roster, and so much more. If you’re curious to learn more, you can find all the details and apply at  thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter.

Here's the deal: it becomes WAY EASIER when you have strategic clarity on how to think about pricing, packaging, and sales. Pricing is not about picking a random number, it's NOT about how HARD you work, or how many hours you put in. It's about whether or not your service value-aligned, clearly defined, and desirable.

In this episode, I share the three things you need to think about before raising your prices.

If you're a copywriter who is looking to hit the 6-figure mark in your business this year, head over to http://thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter to apply for the next round of my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

But that doesn't mean it's "free," or that you don't need to invest in software or support to help you start and grow. In this episode I'm walking you through the investments that I made at each stage of my business to hit my goals, grow, and scale to 6-figures as a copywriter.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

RESOURCES

• Continue the conversation inside the Write and Make Money Community.
• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business.

Are you ready to find and sign those dream clients? Applications are now open for Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business. Click here to learn more and apply or slide into my DMs to chat!

Resources from this episode:

• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business
• Join us inside the Write and Make Money Facebook Group
• Follow Jamie Jensen on Instagram at @jamielynnjensen

Why aren't YOU writing your thing?

Listen to this week's episode and let me know.

If you're looking for some stellar support to help you write your thing AND scale your service-based biz in 2021, applications are now open for Craft + Cashflow. Learn more + apply at http://thejamiejensen.com/craftandcashflow

THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU.

It can be scary to say yes to something that stretches you, not just financially but in general. I’ve been there myself MANY MANY MANY times.

Case in point:

Last year, I hired a personal trainer for the first time in YEARSSS.

This decision meant saying NO to a lot of other things that I’m used to spending my budget on (bye-bye fancy lattes and sushi).

I even started crying a little bit when I said yes to hiring him -- he was so confused 😅-- but it’s because giving myself the gift of that support made me emotional.

It can be tough to receive support, especially support that stretches your comfort zones. Choosing it gave me a rush of fear and gratitude. Hence the tears. 

And recently, I made another big decision and chose to invest in a business program even though I don’t have all the external evidence yet that the money is going to show up. I don’t always know HOW it will work out, I just keep listening to my intuition and trusting that it will.

Sometimes, that’s just how it is. 

You take the leap before the net appears. You decide to TRUST.

It’s scary, it can make you emotional, and yet, something inside you just knows that it’s right.

If you’re in this space right now, trying to decide:

1. Listen to this episode of Creatives Making Money
2. Listen to your heart and gut
3. Listen to your higher power, and pray on it

Ask if this choice, though scary, will EXPAND you to new levels in life.

And remember: You CAN’T fuck it up!!!!

All decisions are good decisions, so don’t stress yourself thinking it over for too long.

Decide like you mean it,
Jamie

P.S. I know you’ll make the right choice. :-)

Listen to my interview with Jenny to learn...

• Her journey from full-time mom to local magazine editor to starting her own copywriting business
• How the tools inside Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business that helped Jenny get to consistent $6k months
• Jenny's advice for struggling writer-entrepreneurs

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

RESOURCES FROM THIS SHOW:

• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business™ here
• Connect with Jenny Roth on her website at http://jennyrothcopywriting.com
• Find Jenny Roth on Instagram at http://instagram.com/jennyrothcopywriting

Danielle Wallace is the brilliant woman behind Chayil Media Publishing.

She’s a published author, a magazine editor, and has worked as a reporter for a local news station. 

Last year in October, Danielle was earning a couple thousand dollars in monthly revenue in her copywriting and social media business. That was when we “officially” met. :-)

Danielle took the leap and decided to join Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business™  -- she showed up, she did the work, and it showed.

Within 4 weeks of starting, Danielle added thousands to her monthly revenue, clarified her stand out factor, and sold her highest ticket package ever.

Within 12 weeks of starting, Danielle sold her first $3K copywriting package, breaking through another ceiling of what she had previously believed was possible.

Danielle is a rising star with a special flair for storytelling -- and I hope her story inspires you.

I know she had debated joining Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business™ and I also know she’s glad she did. So, if you’re also considering it and wondering if you “should,” take a moment to hear from Danielle.

And remember: applications for our next cohort close on Friday.

So if you’re interested, apply now.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Sometimes we burn out because we’re putting too much pressure on ourselves.

Sometimes we burn out because we haven’t rested or paused to take stock of our accomplishments and celebrate along the way.

And often, we burn out because doing business -- especially if you’re creative, highly sensitive, or introverted -- is lonely and stressful.

So doing it all alone? Simply doesn’t work.

In this episode, I share:

• What I do to help avoid the drain of doing things all alone, 
• Suggestions if you’re considering different forms of support,
• A new way of thinking about business, especially for us creative types!

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

P.S. If you’re a copywriter looking to break the 6 figure mark this year, applications for my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business are now open. This 6 month accelerator will teach you the core foundations of my Agency-Style Method for Creative Service Providers so you can make the most money possible as a writer-for-hire -- and no, you don’t need to grow an agency to do it. You’ll get the how-to, doable week-by-week action plan, and private coaching and mentorship from yours truly to get you there. Boost your sales game, uplevel your work process, grow your client roster, and so much more. If you’re curious to learn more, let’s talk. I’ve opened up a few times in my calendar for quick chats just for this. Head to creativesmakingmoney.com/chat to grab a time. Or go ahead and apply at thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter.

The Money Mind is a passion project that evolved from Ada’s 25+ years’ experience as a private banker and wealth manager.

Listen to this episode to learn…

• The four factors working against women when it comes to building wealth 

• How to navigate saving for long-term goals like retirement

• The #1 mistake Ada sees clients make when it comes to spending

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside theWrite and Make Money community
• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business here
• Grab a time to chat with Jamie about the program here
• Connect with Ada on her website at themoney-mind.com
• Find Ada on Instagram at http://instagram.com/AdaMatasovski

If you're a writer-entrepreneur who is feeling unfulfilled in their life and business, and are not making the time to work on your own creative projects, this episode is for you.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here

Listen to my interview with Paige to learn:

• Why she broke up with her previous business to pivot to coaching
• How releasing what's not working can make room for new opportunities
• The power of asking, and receiving, help when you need it

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Find Paige Wilhide on her website at www.breakupbreakthrough.com
• Connect with Paige on Instagram at http://instagram.com/breakupbreakthrough

• Your business, marketing, and sales,
• Your clients, or
• Your soul...

There are some pretty distinct challenges that show up (hello resistance, writers’ block, perfectionism, procrastination, indecision, overwhelm 😱).

So, what does one DO with all of that?

That’s what I asked Laura Belgray this week on Creatives Making Money.

Laura Belgray, founder of Talking Shrimp and co-creator of The Copy Cure, is a copywriting expert who helps entrepreneurs find the perfect words to express and sell what they do in a way that gets them paid to be themselves. Through her work with hundreds of clients (including online biggies like Marie Forleo and Amy Porterfield) she’s seen firsthand that putting “you” into your copy and all through your business is pure magic for getting people to love you up, share your ideas, and happily click your Buy button.

In addition to online types, Laura’s list of clients and credits include NBC, Bravo, HBO, TBS, Fandango, and many, many more. So if you watch TV -- and don’t skip the commercials -- you've probably seen her words on air.

Laura joined me on the Creatives Making Money show to share all about... 

• her journey as a writer-entrepreneur, 
• how she made her first million a bit later in life, and 
• what book is the right book to write first (plus more)

I think you’ll really enjoy this episode no matter what kind of writer or creator you are.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Connect with Laura Belgray on her website at https://talkingshrimp.com
• Grab your 33 Non-Sucky Subject Lines for Emails from Laura at https://talkingshrimp.com/subjectlines

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How Sarah grew her editorial agency while also writing her books,
• Every step of the book writing process (+ behind-the-scenes of mine),
• Common pitfalls when you get into writing and how to manage them,
• Things to consider when you’re writing fiction OR non-fiction, plus more!

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Connect with Sarah Fox on her website at www.thebookishfox.com
• Find Sarah on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bookishsarahfox/
• We Need Diverse Books: https://diversebooks.org/
• Find Justina Ireland on Twitter: https://twitter.com/justinaireland
• Find Nana Malone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nanamalonewriter/

Everything that is built into a business mastermind experience is built in with the intention that you are putting all of your energy, your resources, your brain power, your creative juju into the business, into this one vehicle that you were creating and to go out into the world to make an impact to do the thing.

So what should writer-entrepreneurs do? That's what we're covering in today's episode.

If you’re a writer-entrepreneur, ready to grow your biz to multiple-6 figures while also getting your personal writing done, AND making an impact -- I created Craft + Cashflow for you. This creative leadership collective is the 12-month program that will help you implement the exact steps I took to grow from 6 to multi-6 figures, churn out writing work that got me attention and enthusiastic collaborators, and help me make a difference.

If you’re curious to learn more about this virtual group coaching program where you’ll get tons of personal attention, coaching, and strategy on your writing AND your biz (and even some energy work and healing), let’s talk. I’ve opened up a few times in my calendar for quick chats just for this. Head to creativesmakingmoney.com/chat to grab a time.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Connect with Crosby on her website at https://www.prcouture.com and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/prcouture and https://www.instagram.com/crosbynoricks

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Connect with Crosby on her website at https://www.prcouture.com
• Connect with Crosby on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/prcouture and https://www.instagram.com/crosbynoricks

They say they are struggling to create space for their writing EVEN IF they’ve invested lots of money into coaching programs to help them “get it done.”

They say they dream of making all their money from their writing, and slowly begin to resent their business.

They say they want to get their business to a “certain place” before they give their personal writing ANY love and attention.

And, I get it. 

When you’re NOT writing your thing, it can feel like you’re constantly behind and like you’ll never “get ahead.”

AND... it’s usually for one of FIVE simple reasons.

I’m diving into all of them on my latest episode of Creatives Making Money.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Danielle coaches business owners to write their own effective copy, nurturing their confidence, creativity, and productivity with her 1:1 Coaching, CopyLab membership program and self-paced courses.

Tune in to this week’s episode to learn:

• The subtle difference between story and narrative
• How to craft a compelling narrative that sells
• Tips for creating an effective  client/contractor relationship as a service provider

As a special bonus for Creatives Making Money Podcast listeners, Danielle has pulled together a list of 30 proven subject line templates (with examples) so you don’t have to write from scratch! Grab your copy at dwcopy.com/jamie, and be sure to follow Danielle on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dwcopy/

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Grab Danielle's 30+ Subject Line Templates at dwcopy.com/jamie
• Connect with Danielle Weil on her website at dwcopy.com
• Follow Danielle Weil on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dwcopy/

There are a lot of really talented women (and a some men) in my community who are not making the money that is reflective of the value that they're delivering because they're making up a story that they're not good enough to charge the money.

So in today's episode, I'm breaking down exactly why talent isn't what's really keeping you from building a successful copywriting business, and the shifts you actually need to make to make more money as a copywriter.

If you’re a copywriter looking to break the 6 figure mark this year, applications for my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business are now open. This 6 month accelerator will teach you the core foundations of my Agency-Style Method for Creative Service Providers so you can make the most money possible as a writer-for-hire -- and no, you don’t need to grow an agency to do it. You’ll get the how-to, doable week-by-week action plan, and private coaching and mentorship from yours truly to get you there. Boost your sales game, uplevel your work process, grow your client roster, and so much more. If you’re curious to learn more, let’s talk. I’ve opened up a few times in my calendar for quick chats just for this. Head to http://creativesmakingmoney.com/chat to grab a time. Or go ahead and apply at http://thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business here
• Grab a time to chat with Jamie here

Listen to this episode to learn…

• The difference between Buzzfeed quizzes and ones designed for lead generation
• What everyone gets wrong about quiz funnels (and how to get it right)
• How to know if you’re ready to build a quiz funnel for your business

Learn more about Chanti on her website http://chantizak.com

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

P.S. If you’re a copywriter looking to break the 6 figure mark this year, applications for my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business are now open. This 6 month accelerator will teach you the core foundations of my Agency-Style Method for Creative Service Providers so you can make the most money possible as a writer-for-hire -- and no, you don’t need to grow an agency to do it. You’ll get the how-to, doable week-by-week action plan, and private coaching and mentorship from yours truly to get you there. Boost your sales game, uplevel your work process, grow your client roster, and so much more. If you’re curious to learn more, let’s talk. I’ve opened up a few times in my calendar for quick chats just for this. Head to http://creativesmakingmoney.com/chat to grab a time. Or go ahead and apply at http://thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter.

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business here
• Grab a time to chat with Jamie here
• Connect with Chanti Zak on her website at http://chantizak.com
• Connect with Chanti Zak on Instagram at http://instagram.com/chantizak

If you’re a writer-entrepreneur, ready to grow your biz to multiple-6 figures while also getting your personal writing done, AND making an impact -- I created Craft + Cashflow for you. This creative leadership collective is the 12-month program that will help you implement the exact steps I took to grow from 6 to multi-6 figures, churn out writing work that got me attention and enthusiastic collaborators, and help me make a difference. 

If you’re curious to learn more about this virtual group coaching program where you’ll get tons of personal attention, coaching, and strategy on your writing AND your biz (and even some energy work and healing), let’s talk. I’ve opened up a few times in my calendar for quick chats just for this. Head to creativesmakingmoney.com/chat to grab a time.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Tarzan is a master of email marketing and former copywriter-for-hire who specializes in fun-to-read, more-addictive-than-Game-of-Thrones email copy. She also helps freelancers attract better clients who’ll reach deeper into their pockets to pay for top-quality services — also using the power of email, duh!

In a previous life, Tarzan was a music major and – like so many copywriters – did a 3-year stint in law school, en français! She found her way to the online space through blogging and social media (“Whassup, overdue credit card bills and low-paying clients!”).

When Tarzan’s not in “Mob boss mode,” she likes to take mid-day dunks in the pool (even at frigid temperatures), stage backyard episodes of Ultimate Beastmaster, and sing show tunes in the shower.

Tarzan lives in Niagara with her partner and two kiddos.

Listen to this episode to learn…

• Tarzan’s journey from freelance copywriting gigs to launching her own services and courses on email marketing
• How writing for email marketing is different from writing for social media
• Why hiring a VA during her first year of business is still the best investment Tarzan has made

If you’re a writer-entrepreneur, ready to grow your biz to multiple-6 figures while also getting your personal writing done, AND making an impact -- I created Craft + Cashflow for you. This creative leadership collective is the 12-month program that will help you implement the exact steps I took to grow from 6 to multi-6 figures, churn out writing work that got me attention and enthusiastic collaborators, and help me make a difference. 

If you’re curious to learn more about this virtual group coaching program where you’ll get tons of personal attention, coaching, and strategy on your writing AND your biz (and even some energy work and healing), let’s talk. I’ve opened up a few times in my calendar for quick chats just for this. Head to creativesmakingmoney.com/chat to grab a time.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business Chat with Jamie here
• Connect with Tarzan Kay on her website at https://tarzankay.com
• Connect with Tarzan Kay on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tarzan_kay/

If you’re a copywriter looking to break the 6 figure mark this year, applications for my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business are now open. This 6 month accelerator will teach you the core foundations of my Agency-Style Method for Creative Service Providers so you can make the most money possible as a writer-for-hire -- and no, you don’t need to grow an agency to do it.

You’ll get the how-to, doable week-by-week action plan, and private coaching and mentorship from yours truly to get you there. Boost your sales game, uplevel your work process, grow your client roster, and so much more.

If you’re curious to learn more, let’s talk. I’ve opened up a few times in my calendar for quick chats just for this. Head to creativesmakingmoney.com/chat to grab a time. Or go ahead and apply at thejamiejensen.com/6figurecopywriter.

If you're someone who wants to make more money, be known for your expertise, add more value with your work and also have that show up in your bank account, then this episode is for you!

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Learn more about Craft + Cashflow here.

Today on the podcast, I'm sharing exactly why goal setting doesn't work, and what you should be doing as a writer-entrepreneur instead if you're really committed to making 2021 your best year yet.

After you listen to this episode, head over to the Creatives Making Money community and let us know your key takeaway!

Create like you mean it,
xo Jamie

Listen to this episode to learn:

• Christine's best tips for selling through social media.
• The changes that Christine made that helped her triple her launch revenue (while still making time to write her book)
• How Christine's experience inside Craft + Cashflow has transformed her life + business

Grab Christine's Client Attraction Content Checklist for free at https://christineblubaugh.com/checklist/ to learn how to sell everything from $297 courses to $10K services packages using social media - without spammy tactics or cold pitching.

And if you want results like Christine's, be sure to apply for one of the spots in the next round of Craft + Cashflow™ here. 

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Connect with Christine on her website at http://christineblubaugh.com/
• Download Christine's free Client Attraction Content Checklist for free at https://christineblubaugh.com/checklist/

Listen to this episode to learn…

• The three major mindset shifts that must happen to get to your first 6-figures

• How the “Savior Complex” can show up in your business (and what to do about it)
• Julie’s tips for influencers, authors, and creatives on standing out from the crowd

Learn more about Julie’s SHINE Mastermind at http://juliesolomon.net/shine.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Connect with Julie on her website at www.juliesolomon.net
• Connect with Julie on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JulsSolomon
• Learn more about Julie’s SHINE Mastermind at http://juliesolomon.net/shine

"The sense of empowerment that comes from knowing that your money is taken care of makes better art."

Rhianna Basore is a financial empowerment coach who specializes in helping creatives earn their true worth. Whether they’re negotiating contracts, pricing their services or figuring out how much to reinvest in their businesses, she helps artists, actors, nonprofit organizers and healers set themselves up for success. Her creative credentials include being an award-winning director, international actor and professional writer with over twenty years of experience on stage and screen. Rhianna is an Expert Columnist for Backstage Magazine, the #1 performing arts trade magazine in the country.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How your money and creativity are deeply connected
• The top 3 mistakes creatives make with financial planning
• Rhianna's tips for planting and harvesting your very own Money Tree

Be sure to join Rhianna's free virtual money workshop for creatives, the Money Monster Mash, on the second Saturday of every month at 9am PST. You can find all the detail on her Instagram at @selftrustfund.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Connect with Rhianna on her website at www.selftrustfund.com
• Join Rhianna's Gratitude Jar Project at https://www.facebook.com/groups/gratitudejarproject/
• Join Rhianna’s next Money Monster Mash at @selftrustfund  on Instagram

Mariah is an SEO and Visibility Strategist for entrepreneurs over at mariahmagazine.com. She focuses on creating a powerful connection between your business and people that are already looking for the solutions that you offer, while finding & fixing the gaps along the way. She believes in the power of community, creativity, and showing up in your business in a way that energizes you. Because when you show up authentically, you show up on Google.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• What is SEO, why it's important, and how it really works
• How focusing on SEO can drastically improve all areas of your business
• The first two steps you need to take today to build your SEO foundation (hint: it takes like 5 minutes)

Grab your free SEO Roadmap over at https://www.mariahmagazine.com/roadmap

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Connect with Mariah on her website at https://www.mariahmagazine.com
• Connect with Mariah on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mariahmagazinestudio
• Grab your free SEO Roadmap at https://www.mariahmagazine.com/roadmap

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How to embrace operations and systems as a creative business owner
• Why VIP Days, or Intensives, are the answer to your entrepreneurial burnout
• Jordan's top three tips to surviving (and thriving) during your launch

Learn more about Jordan at www.systemssavedme.com or Instagram at www.instagram.com/systemssavedme 

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Connect with Jordan on her website at www.systemssavedme.com
• Connect with Jordan on Instagram at www.instagram.com/systemssavedme

Listen to this episode to learn…

• How Grace leveraged a single blog post to bring in consistent sales

• Why Shopify is the best ecommerce platform for small businesses who are looking to scale

• Grace’s favorite tips for selling successfully on Shopify

If you’d like to learn more about selling on Shopify, be sure to join Grace’s Shopify Cocktail Club Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ShopifyCocktailClub.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Connect with Grace Hayden on her website at http://itsgracehayden.com
• Connect with Grace Hayden on her Instagram at http://instagram.com/thebalimarket
• Join Grace’s Shopify Cocktail Club Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ShopifyCocktailClub

Listen to this episode to learn…

• The trap of Instant Gratification versus Long-Term Financial Planning 
• Why your money mindset is the true key to financial (and life) success 
• Planning for retirement in the midst of an uncertain future

Listen to the Pain to Progression Podcast at https://www.paintoprogression.com/podcast, and check out Regis and Joel’s invention SinkArmor, a 100% biodegradable plastic to use as a sink guard when trimming hair or putting makeup on over the bathroom sink at https://www.sinkarmor.com/. Be sure to use code JAMIE20 to receive 20% off your order!

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Listen to the Pain to Progression podcast at https://www.paintoprogression.com/podcast
• Connect with Joel and Regis on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pain2progression/
• Save your sink and sanity with SinkArmor at https://www.sinkarmor.com/. Be sure to use JAMIE20 to receive 20% off your purchase!

Listen to this episode to learn…

• Common roadblocks when you’re starting and growing your business (and how to overcome them)
• The big mistakes new business owners make when starting out online
• What gets in the way of getting clients
• How to get clear on your message so people actually want to hire you
• Plus tons more!

Rebecca and her team are offering free coaching from September 28 - October 2 so you can get a taste of what it’s like inside Uncage Your Business. Head over to www.theuncagedlife.com/free-coaching to take advantage of that opportunity, and learn more about Uncage Your Business at www.theuncagedlife.com/uncageyourbusiness.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Get free coaching from Rebecca + her team from Sept 28 - Oct 2 at www.theuncagedlife.com/free-coaching
• Learn more about Rebecca Tracey’s program Uncage Your Business at www.theuncagedlife.com/uncageyourbusiness

Listen to this episode to learn:

• Jo's personal journey with identifying + working through her own patterns
• The effect unresolved trauma can have on your business and creative pursuits
• How to identify + transform your own trauma responses

Connect with Jo Tucker on her website at https://jo-tucker.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jotuckercoach/

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business here
• Connect with Jo Tucker on her website at https://jo-tucker.com/
• Connect with Jo Tucker on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jotuckercoach/

Or maybe you’re just considering whether a copywriting business is the best path forward for you.

Well, either way, this episode will answer all of your questions!

If you’re wondering how I grew from 0 to six figures in less than 2 years as a copywriter, and how I work with other newer copywriters to help them do the same, I’m sharing it all in this episode.

Remember: opportunities for copywriters are EXPANDING tremendously as we move more and more digital and “online” as a society.

If you’re ready to hit that 6-figure mark with a copywriting business I’ve got good news for you!

Doors are now open for a special case study round of my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business. 

In it, you’ll learn and implement the agency-style approach that had me hitting 5 figure months just THREE months after going full-time in my business.

Click here for more details and to apply right now.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business here.

Maybe you studied creative writing or literature in school (as one of your majors anyway!), love diving into stories and the land of imagination, and care about things like pacing, syntax, and the oxford comma…

...But don’t want to spend your life doing a job you hate or simply settling for pennies.

Well, the goods news is you don’t have to! You don’t even need to be that good to make great money as a writer (I’m talking 6-figures plus).

In this episode, I’ll share the myriad of ways you can make money as a writer so you can take those word-smithing skills all the way to the bank!

The good news is that opportunities for writers are actually EXPANDING as we move more and more digital and “online” as a society.

But your first step is asking yourself how you want to make great money as a writer?

Show Notes:

• (03:36) Maybe you have another thing you do to make money and writing is something you want to pursue creatively, but you don't necessarily want to pursue it as a revenue generating area of your life.

• (04:25):If you want to consider writing as a revenue generating area of your life, let's talk about options. 

  There’s work for hire and there’s “working it.” 
  Do you want to be a writer for hire or do you want to be your own brand and voice?

  Those are two different things. 

   

• (06:30): What is copywriting?  It's writing that is designed to help market and sell products, services, and offers. It's writing for businesses with the intention to sell.

   

• (08:17): The type of copywriting I specialize in happens at the consideration stage where someone is very close to buying and already in the buying decision phase.

   

• (09:11): That is typically known as direct response copywriting.

   

• (11:32):If you go down the path of blogging, it could take three to five years of consistent content creation to get to a place where you can make six figures a year.

   

• (13:08):I've chosen to have consistent revenue based on a skill that I can turn around to support and help people. And then on the other end of it, I have my creative writing.

   

• (14:00): So you decide what your risk tolerance is at different stages and creative writing is something that absolutely can make money for you. But, you want to be mindful about how you want to build that into your life in terms of money. 

   

• (15:46): There are absolutely authors that make money. There are some bestselling authors that just from book sales alone, make money. 

   

• (16:39): If you're a blogger and you build your own audience, you will get the opportunity to get paid and maybe get a book deal. You will get the opportunity to self-publish a book and make even more money off of self publishing. But again, is that going to be the highest earning potential you have with your blog and with your writing? 

   

• (18:23): The average fee a writer gets paid to ghostwrite a book for someone else is about $30,000.

   

• (20:47): There are some publications that pay a thousand dollars for a piece. But the going average is closer to 300 dollars for an article. And that's IF the publication even pays the writer, which oftentimes they don't.

   

• (21:42): With copywriting, you're in a position where you can charge a couple thousand dollars or more because of the level of value you're delivering for their business.

   

• (25:17): My first year copywriting full time, I had five figure months within three months and made $80,000. Then, I was making $160,000 the next year and it kept growing from there. So I will never say that copywriting is not the best, fastest, most efficient and rewarding way to make great money as a writer.

   

• (26:16): Is your desire to be a professional writer because of the lifestyle you think it can afford you? Like working from home, working alone, working in a coffee shop, having flexibility, being able to do projects that allow you to travel and explore the world and do cool things?

   

• (27:52): When you're considering all the different avenues where you can make great money as a writer, I would ask you to consider what is the lifestyle you really desire? And do you want your revenue to be attached to writing?

   

• (28:34): You can work from home, travel, work in a coffee shop, have that flexibility. 

Be sure to check back next week to learn the Six Pillars of a Six-Figure Copywriting Business, where I'll be walking you through all the different pieces that you need in place to have a copywriting business and hit six figures. I've worked with lots of copywriters over the years mentoring them in their business, so I'll be sharing my exact process next week!

If you’re a talented writer who’s already aching to hit that 6-figure mark with a copywriting business, I’ve got good news for you!

Doors are now open for a special case study round of my program Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business. 

In it, you’ll learn and implement the agency-style approach that had me hitting 5 figure months just THREE months after going full-time in my business.

Click here for more details and to apply right now.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Learn more about Create Your 6-Figure Copywriting Business here.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• What inspired Ajarae to create a resource database for actors looking to book more work
• How Ajarae prioritizes stillness + creativity in her schedule
• The creative exercise that helped her break through her blocks around receiving

Connect with Ajarae on her website at www.actingresourceguru.com and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/ajaraecoleman

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Connect with Ajarae Coleman on her website at www.actingresourceguru.com
• Connect with Ajarae Coleman on Instagram at http://instagram.com/ajaraecoleman

Listen to this episode to learn…

• How Laura went from liquidating her company to launching a luxury travel magazine

• The story behind her appearance on BBC’s Dragons Den (and how she turned rejection into success)
• Why she launched a print magazine when everyone was jumping on the digital hype

Connect with Laura on her Instagram at @laurabartlett0 and check out the latest issue of House of Coco Magazine!

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Check out the House of Coco Magazine at https://houseofcoco.net/
• Connect with Laura Barlett on Instagram at https://instagram.com/laurabarlett0

In this episode, we talk about:

• The mindset stuff that comes up for creative types around business and money
• The courage to follow those nudges in life and let things unfold
• How stories can hold you back or propel you forward towards your wildest dreams and whatever is meant for you
• Why we need to continue to remember the power of “luck...”

Connect with Kristine on her website at https://kristineoller.com/ to find more information about her workshop Creating Cash When Time Are Tough and her course Creating Cashflow.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
• Connect with Kristine Oller on her website at https://kristineoller.com/
• Connect with Kristine Oller on Instagram at https://instagram.com/kristineoller

Listen to this episode to learn:

• My personal journey from bartending to building a multiple 6-figure copywriting agency.
• Six different strategies for adding additional revenue to your business.
• The secret to making these strategies work for you + your situation.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here

Listen to this episode to learn…

• How Alicia transitioned from covering casseroles and crawfish boils to grief
• What it means to be death-positive, and the concept of celebrating life and death
• The importance of amplifying diverse voices in the death-care community
• Tips for handling grief at work, either for yourself or your co-workers

Connect with Alica on her website at https://alicaforneret.com/ to find more information about Grief At Work, and additional resources on processing grief. 

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Connect with Alica:

• Connect with Alica on her website at https://alicaforneret.com/
• Connect with Alica on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AlicaForneret
• Connect with Alica on Instagram at https://instagram.com/alica.forneret
• Connect with Alica on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/griefishardaf

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here

Listen to this episode to learn:

• The politics of being a multi-passionate female entrepreneur
• Why Lauren moved to the United States from South Africa
• How to manage your creative energy and get in the flow.

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here

Beginning her career in academia as a sociologist, Morgan soon found the entrepreneurial pull to take her skills as a researcher, writer, teacher, and leader into building a publishing company, from the ground up. With more than 10 years’ experience in writing, editing, and publishing books, Morgan leads the Paper Raven Books team in developing the best practices for publishing successfully in the modern, digital age.

Listen to our interview to learn…

• How Morgan has transformed her business multiple times while managing a team and growing family
• The biggest mistakes first-time authors make when writing their first book
• Morgan’s take on self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and how to determine which is the best route for you.

If you've been wanting to write your first book (and actually finish it), you won't want to miss the free masterclass Morgan and I will be hosting on July 23 at 10am PDT. Morgan will walk you through the most common mistakes writers make, plus, an incredible case study of exactly HOW a first-time author wrote her first draft (49,952 words) in just NINE weeks. (And, it's now an award-winning book!) Save your spot at http://creativesmakingmoney.com/bookmasterclass

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Save your spot for my free masterclass with Morgan Gist MacDonald here
• Join the Writers' Block Party, my co-writing community where we actually write.
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here

Today’s episode is all about sustaining creativity and motivation in times of traumatic grief, loss and crisis. I’m sharing the things I personally implemented that I found most valuable as I moved through, and continue to move through, the evolving experience of grief.

Listen to this episode to learn…

• The importance of processing trauma and loss.
  
  
• How to use storytelling in your healing process
  
  
• Why accountability to your creative project is the greatest act of self-care

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
  
  
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
  
  
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here

Listen to this episode to learn…

• How we're shifting the conversation for this new season
• Why the podcast took a year-long hiatus (and why it's coming back now)
• Why the fear of failure and fear of success are actually the same thing (and what to do about it)
• The one thing you must get comfortable with in order to truly overcome the fear of failure for good
• My 6-step process for tackling fear and becoming the most powerful version of yourself

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here

In this episode we've covering…

• Practical steps for moving forward while still grieving
  
  
• How to create your "new normal" with a focus on self-care
  
  
• The idea of "repotting" after a traumatic experience
  
  
• The final three steps of my 6-step methodology for processing grief

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
  
  
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
  
  
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
  
  
• Listen to Episode 29: How to Process Grief (Part 1)

I’m not a therapist, clinical grief expert, or psychologist.

But as you heard in Episode 28, I've experienced significant lose. And by using my tools as a coach and certified Reiki healer, I've crafted an intuitive, non-scientific way of processing energy and emotions.  

Over the next two episodes, I'm sharing my six-step methodology for processing grief. And with each episode, I'm sharing tips and journal prompts to help you dive deep into this process. 

In this episode we've covering…

• The emotional energetics of unprocessed grief
  
  
• How to look at grief as an evolving process
  
  
• The first three steps of my 6-step methodology for processing grief

Creatives Making Money is here to help you level up in your life, finances, love, and health.

This is the therapy session you didn’t have to pay for.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

Resources from this episode:

• Subscribe to the podcast + leave a 5-star review here
  
  
• Continue the conversation inside the Creatives Making Money community
  
  
• Grab a Cash + Cashflow Chat with Jamie here
  
  
• Listen to Episode 30: How to Process Grief (Part 2)

Amen. Jenny and I dove into this whole concept of how to make more without working more. We want to maximize our time while making the most of the creative business model that feels good and isn't soul sucking or energy sucking my life away. I know that you reading this can identify with this. How do we manage our time? Listen into this episode to hear the answer.

Some of my favorite takeaways include…

• How to accept your reality and not fight it
• What courageous really looks like
• Jenny’s biggest business lesson

Go binge her blog immediately at www.jennyshih.com/blog and grab her awesome guide around the 7 secrets to working less without making less at www.jennyshih.com/tell-all/.

You can find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/shihjenny/ or on her website at https://jennyshih.com/

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

She had a truly vibrant life! She put herself through design school, decorating and delivering wedding cakes for the family business. She taught yoga for 10 years and co-authored the book, Yoga for Equestrians. She's up for really any conversation that involves France, wine, spirituality or bacon. And I love three out of four of those things, so this episode is a really good time.

Some of my favorite takeaways include…

• Veronica sharing her vulnerability around hiring
• How to create a brand that evolves as you do
• The power of having a conversation with the soul of your business
• Veronica’s yummy vision of what branding looks like

You can find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/designbistro/ or on her website at https://design-bistro.com/

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

So this episode is for those who want a marketing strategy that feels like the very best version of yo and also makes you a lot of money than Brittany is the nerd for you. You’ll learn that real quick listening to this episode.

Some of my favorite takeaways include…

• What the definition of nerd is
• If truth and what works in marketing can coexist
• Why Brittany’s really in entrepreneurship

Find Brittany’s amazing Facebook videos at https://www.facebook.com/brittanybullenofficial/

You can also find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brittanybullen/or on her website at https://brittanybullen.com/

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

This episode is for those who want to create an incredible art and beauty in the world. You’ll find that Megan is straight up with her advice, which I find incredibly helpful as I even talk about my own interest in having a physical product business.

Some of my favorite takeaways include…

• What Megan’s take on Etsy really is
• What the biggest challenge is with selling physical products online
• What common advice makers are listening to that is actually hurting their business
• What steps artists or makers could start doing in order to have more effective marketing

Find more of Megan’s teachings in her classes at https://www.meganauman.com/classes-workshops/

You can find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/meganauman/ or on her website at https://www.meganauman.com/

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

This episode is going to give your hands cramps from all the knowledge bombs being dropped. I’m so incredibly grateful for Thomas sharing so much with us!

Some of my favorite takeaways include…

• How many ways you can use crowdfunding for your projects
• Understanding the difference between failure and intentionally failing
• How to find the type of customer that defends you
• The best products and services to crowdfund

Find Thomas’s podcast that dives deeper into crowdfunding for creatives at https://creativefunding.show/

You can find him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/thomasumstattd or on his website at https://www.thomasumstattd.com/

Create like you mean it, 

Jamie

I was so in awe of Natasha as she walked me through the 3 critical steps to create sustainable growth. We even talk about the Kolbe assessment and how it pertains to creating systems. This episode takes a cool turn talking about how applying systems can actually be a very creative process!

Some of my favorite takeaways include... 

• What five areas Natasha looks at inside a creative's business to find the gaps and holes
• The biggest mistakes creatives are making when they are trying to grow their business rapidly or launch a new marketing system
• Why you must start with simplifying your current systems can triple your client capacity
• How Natasha figured out that systems were where her creative juices flew the best

Discover Natasha's breakdown of the 3 critical steps to sustainable growth on the way to your dream business at https://www.systemsrock.com

You can find her on Instagram at @natasha.vorompiova or on her website at https://www.systemsrock.com 

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

I always allow these podcast interviews to flow naturally, and this conversation flowed straight to a topic that Joana knows very well -- creativity. This episode is packed with insights on harnessing your creativity and applying it to every aspect of your life and business.

Some of my favorite takeaways include...

• How several moments in high school helped to shape Joana's career path, including her discovery of graphic design and the true meaning of creativity. 

• Joana's secret to boosting creativity and not waiting for inspiration to strike before you do the work.

• Her tips for putting her teams into "idea generation mode", and the different techniques she uses for managing her team.

• How Joana uses humor and her love of acting to handle running a business with her partner.

Check out Joana's guide on how to create websites that position you in the top 1% of your business at https://www.gifdesignstudios.com/thedigital1/

You can find her on Instagram at @joanagalvaodesign or on her website at https://www.gifdesignstudios.com

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

Seriously. It’ll make you laugh. It’ll make you cry. And it’ll inspire your to show up as your weird, authentic self in every aspect of your life and business.

Jess is a conversion copywriter who has worked for big brands like Levi’s, Dove Chocolates, and Nike, and is one of the most creative people that I know. Our interview took a few unexpected twists and turns that made this one of the most raw and candid episodes to date.

We cover a wide range of topics, including…

• Why vulnerability and authenticity are so powerful in telling the story of your life and business
• The idea of “coming home to yourself” and what “home” really means, especially for creatives who travel often
• The importance of giving ourselves permission to be “messy” when no one is looking, and even maybe when they are
• How communication and boundaries can make a huge difference for creatives working on their own mental health.

Hang out with Jess on Instagram at @jessmanuszak, or on her website at http://www.verveandvigour.com

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

BRAND IDENTITY

I really wanted to do an episode about this, because MANY people who work with me to get zero’d in on their messaging and story as a brand, or to increase their ability to create balance and truly THRIVE as a creative making money -- struggle with this.

Specifically, they struggle with understanding what about themselves is interesting, valuable, and unique enough to become a brand that garners the success that they are after.

It’s easy to look at brands that really nail it -- like Apple, or Nike… and think you have to be like them. But that’s not always the whole truth. When you’re a small business, online or off, what’s important is that your brand has two components.

1. It needs to be PERSONAL. (so, why does a human being CARE about this?)
   
   
2. And… it needs to be UNIVERSAL. (so, far reaching)

Don't worry -- in the episode I share some questions you can ask yourself to make sure you're on the right track.

After you listen to this week’s episode, head over to the Creatives Making Money Facebook Group to continue the conversation and share your insights!

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

This week, Erin Lindstrom and I teamed up AGAIN to bring you our best practices for mapping out (and getting) what you MOST want from your year.

Some of my favorite takeaways: 

• Getting clear on your expansive vision instead of focusing solely on the “how”
• BEST questions to ask yourself to “debrief” your year
• Why starting with a GRATITUDE list is the best way to begin this exercise
• How to get clear on your “new needs” for the new year
• The importance of SHARING in a group and a safe space
• Picking a WORD for the year
• Making a LIST of things you’re inviting in

My favorite question to ask in review is always “What surprised you?”

We talked all about the PLANNERS and what we use (and don’t).

Apparently we’re both in a BLANK JOURNAL phase right now.

Annnd… The Desire Map came up again! (You can check it out here: http://www.daniellelaporte.com/thedesiremap/)

As did this awesome book Life Letters that my beautiful friend Alyshia wrote.

Some GOOD questions to think about:

• How do you want to feel this year?
• What’s your word for the year?
• What are you creating in 2019?

Share in the Creatives Making Money group if you’re feeling BRAVE today!

Finally, we’d love to meet you IRL if you’re a female creative or entrepreneur near the Los Angeles area (or keen to travel) as Erin is hosting a Shiny Bitches event (details here: erinlindstrom.com/join) with ME.

It’s only $197 for the WHOLE day and will be a magical way to start creating your BEST 2019 yet.

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

She shared that it was SO helpful for her in the “early days” of her business (the first few years) to learn as MUCH as she possibly could. She took tons of courses and absorbed as much info as possible, including B-School and Creating Fame.

Cailen also talked about working as a freelancer and having “bridge jobs,” which is basically another way of saying… temporary work you do while you’re building up your future ideal income from your creative pursuits or business.

But at some point, she recognized that in order to make a SHIFT, it was necessary to hire more support. She decided to work with Nisha Moodley as a coach, and making that decision and investment was the turning point for her business.

We also talked about….

• How she uses The Desire Map every year to get clear on how she wants to feel FIRST, and then set intentions based on those feelings after.
  
  
• Why meditation and mindset work is SO important to success, and how “We think we’re accomplishing something by worrying.” #brilliant
  
  
• The power of taking INSPIRED action instead of just slogging through work.
  
  
• Connecting with your FUTURE SELF to check in on big decisions, possible freak outs, or what to do when you’re feeling ANTSY about work, etc.

And, of course, we talked about some of the most common negative beliefs around money… namely, that working more or harder equates to earning more. Can you relate?

Cailen has a kick ass 3 Day Work Week Template you can download at cailenascher.com.

Follow Cailen on Instagram at @Cailen_Ascher, or join her facebook group called “3 Day Work Week.”

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

P.s. Don’t forget about our weekly AFTERPARTY either, where I’ll share MY biggest takeaways and action steps for YOU from each episode -- at creativesmakingmoney.com/afterparty.

So, I love and value ALL of my guests -- but the power with which Kelly Ruta can zero in on what’s really going on in and with your MIND is unparalleled.

She is clear, powerful, brilliant, and such a talented psychotherapist that I truly believe EVERYONE needs a little Kelly in their life.

We talked about SO many topics, including…

• Undercharging (and how to STOP)
• Holding back on being VISIBLE (and what that’s really about)
• Boundaries and how to set and hold them as a CREATIVE and/or entrepreneur

And her advice for how to cultivate self-awareness and take your power back over your mind:

1. Learn the difference between conscious and subconscious mind. And learn HOW the subconscious actually works.
   
2. Reverse engineer where you’re suffering and struggling. Find the limiting BELIEFS behind the thoughts. Most people have 3 to 5 core limiting beliefs to address.
   
3. Take the time and space to acknowledge your deepest desires. This is about going deeper than wanting something, it’s about being clear on WHY you want it.

Yeah, we went IN. :) There aren’t a ton of notes to share here. My recommendation is to... 

1. Listen to this episode in its entirety. And then again. And then again. :)
   
   
2. Of COURSE go follow Kelly at kellyruta.com, https://www.facebook.com/KellyRutaMentor/, and @kellyruta71 on Instagram.
   
   
3. Head over to http://creativesmakingmoney.com/afterparty where I jam on ALL the action steps I suggest you take in order to get the most out of the episode.

Dr. Lindsay Padilla and I go INNNN on the pressure of student debt.

This week on the podcast, I met with my dear friend Dr. Lindsay Padilla to talk about something that both academics and creatives (and, like, 71% of Americans) can relate to: STUDENT LOAN DEBT. *insert crazy sound effect here*

Lindsay and I jammed hard on what’s SO screwed up about the academic system in the first place, including…

• The heartbreaking reality of being told “WHY study that? There’s NO money in it…”

• How education struggles to keep up with technology (aka “The Culture Lag”)

• Being “tricked” into taking on debt with the promise of “making money someday”

• Why universities are scaling back teachers’ hours and therefore pay, to the detriment of the student’s experience

Plus so much more…

Lindsay is pretty incredible, and helps TONS of creatives and entrepreneurs become incredible teachers with her program Build A Better Beta. If you’re curious and want to learn more about how she can help YOU with your course, you can follow Lindsay on ALL the socials (Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook) at @Lindsaympadilla!

Yeah… this is one WOKE AF episode, and I’m SO excited to hear what it shakes up for you!

Please share your AHAs in a review here or post them on Instagram and tag me at @jamielynnjensen. I’m so curious to hear!

Create like you mean it,
Jamie

I’m extra excited to share this interview with you because Meghan is not only an incredible website designer who teaches other entrepreneurs to create websites that really STAND OUT, she’s also got a full-time day job.

This is an important conversation because I think that not all businesses or creatives need to operate the same way. It’s perfectly OKAY to have a day job and take your time building your ‘side hustle,’ and it’s perfectly OKAY to keep a day job and use your ‘side hustle’ to make even more money.

This is all about finding the creative and financial fulfillment that works for YOU.

Meghan and I jammed about…

• How she created 10 websites in 10 days and landed a full-time web design job with no previous experience (true story)

• Why she, a math and science nerd, decided to enroll in NYU’s film school

• The “3 years” rule of online business success

• A concept called “Polymath,” where you master multiple crafts instead of just ONE

• And SO MUCH MORE…

If you LOVED today’s episode, you’ll love checking out Meghan’s course ELEVATE and following her design journey at craftingcreative.com.

She’s @meghancreative on Instagram, or you can stalk her on Facebook at https://facebook.com/craftingcreative.

As the head (and only) honcho at the Uncaged Life, Becca has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs (including ME) launch their business on the right foot. She has an extra special skill for cutting through the B.S. and getting straight to the answers and this episode was no different!

Becca shared tons of awesome tips and tricks, like…

• Her “GUT pricing method,” which you can learn all about in her Pricing Guide here

• When it’s the right time to raise your prices (also known as: when it feels right)

• How she started charging for her work in the “early days” of her biz (when she was living out of a van with her ex-boyfriend and traveling and climbing all across the U.S.)

• Why it’s important to recognize what your money shit is and HOW to move through it -- do you need validation? a push? to face some limiting beliefs?

We also jammed on why it’s a great idea to spend the $30 you need for a software to make business easier for you (simple ROI) and why having an “easy” attitude towards money makes the process of receiving cash into your business and life WAY smoother.

And, if you’re accepting Becca’s challenge of coming up with 50 ways you could make money in the next week, SHARE!

We always love to continue these convos in the Creatives Making Money group too.

Don’t forget to download Becca’s pricing guide and join her group to share those ideas here too:

https://theuncagedlife.com/pricing

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

We went IN on how your relationship with your body really impacts your ability to flow creatively, access your intuition, and feel charged up and ready to create like you mean it.

And, it’s tough to get us together and NOT talk about SEX. (Listen, the film we worked on together WAS, after all, a raunchy romantic comedy -- which you can also watch in iTunes here or Amazon here.) So we covered a lot -- from sexuality to sexual trauma -- and what that even has to do with your creative and financial flow. (Hint: It’s a lot!)

Nadia typically works with women on the three core messages they receive from society regarding their feminine body that isn’t serving them.

1. “Our erotic is dangerous.”
2. “Play is unproductive.”
3. “Emotionality is weak.”

I love that we touched on all of this because these three things: sexual energy, playfulness and pleasure, and emotionality are ALL aspects of your creative process -- so learning HOW to be with these parts of yourself without judgment or shame is a huge step towards more creative and financial fulfillment.

We also talked about how the seat of your Sacral Chakra (the womb space on women) is a center of creativity as well as work, so it’s imperative that YOU find balance with your life-force energy and it’s not contracted or “stuck” in any particular area.

Yes, this is quite the woo-woo (but also science-y and pragmatic) episode.

Here are some of my other favorite parts:

• Nadia’s 4 Pillars of Embodiment, which all begin with feeling SAFE in your body and learning how to self-regulate your sense of safety.

• How PAIN in the body is a sign that something is off or wrong -- not a signal to numb, push, or self-punish. Instead, it’s an opportunity for deep healing and growth.

• Why becoming a MASTER of your own nervous system by developing a personalized set of tools for your body is critical to ecstatic embodiment.

• The various ways of getting into your body and managing negative energy like “shaking it off” or touching yourself -- and how actions and tools like these are super important to your sense of feeling safe in your body and allowing for optimal creative flow.

• For women -- how learning how to “cycle sync” and arrange your schedule and expectations of yourself according to your monthly flow week by week can be a window into super powers you never knew you had!

Plus SO much more. I really adored this episode and hope that you did too!

And, when you’re ready to start connecting with your body in a powerful new way, you can always check out Nadia’s Embody Dance Class at embodydanceclass.com or learn new ways of working with her at nadiamunla.com.

She also suggested following her on Instagram to get even more of the wisdom and advice she shared on today’s episode!

Remember, that you can “use your body as a compass for creativity” and Nadia’s tips from today’s episode are a great start.

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

If you don’t know Kate, let me tell you a little bit about her --

1. She’s a badass, certified life coach who helps women decide if they should stay in or leave their marriages.

1. Kate especially empowers women to find their strength, passion, and confidence and helps them move forward with concrete plans by putting their children at the center (not in the middle) of all decisions.

1. In addition to all of this, Kate has also trained as a relationship coach and is an expert in communication, co-parenting, and emotional intelligence.

1. Also awesome? Kate had a 30 year career as an actor before venturing into becoming a coach.

She shared her whole story on this episode, from transitioning from actor to coach, wife to single mom, and artist to entrepreneur --- and how she’s worked on her “money mindset’ in the process and continues to grow in new ways with her relationship with money.

Some of my favorite highlights...

• The steps Kate took to expand her money mindset and overcome her the belief that being creative equaled “poverty,” based on what she learned from her parents.

• How being an “over-sharer” has helped her cultivate a powerful social media presence and connect with her clients.

• The hot pink sweater she wore on Grey’s Anatomy on her very first episode.

• Why starting a business has allowed her to be immensely creative and the journey of building a business.

• The concept of charging your ‘worth’ versus pricing for your market (and beyond).

• “The Jamie Jensen Mindset” -- I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY. LOL. I didn’t even know that was a thing but now it is.

We also mentioned…

• Denise Duffield Thomas of Lucky Bitch [right here]
• Amy Smith of The Joy Junkie [right here]
• Kira Sabin of The League of Adventurous Singles [right here]

But here’s where you really wanna go to get more of Kate’s brilliance:

• Her Podcast: Divorce Survival Guide Podcast with Kate Anthony [right here]
• Her Program: “Should I Stay Or Should I Go?” [right here]
• Her Instagram: @coachkateanthony

Here’s to healthy marriages, healthy relationships with money, and creating like you mean it.

xx Jamie

“He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” - Lao Tzu

“To thine own self, be true.” - Shakespeare

To really dig deep and know yourself is a timeless, classic, and necessary piece of advice.

So why the EFF do we find that so hard? Why do we run around trying to please other people by being something or someone we’re not. And how do we stop that madness and just BE ourselves.

My very definition of success is “the ability to be 100% truly yourself.”

But where do you begin? Knowing yourself, of course!

If you haven’t caught the CMM After Party yet over on my Facebook page here, Erin and I do a run down of our FAVE personality tests to dive into when you want to go down the rabbit hole of DEEPLY “knowing yourself.”

It was a real treat to interview one of my best friends and favorite people, Erin Lindstrom, the president of the Shiny Bitches on this episode of Creatives Making Money.

We had a blast covering topics like…

• How do we find our “give-back” threshold? In other words, how much cash do YOU need in your life/bank account/pay check before you feel “safe” giving back and contributing to causes and human beings you care about?

• What are the best ways to creatively make money? I asked Erin what she does to generate revenue (a.k.a. create money) when cash is feeling “tight” and she shares some really awesome tips:

• What IS a Shiny Bitch?

• Where can you stalk Erin and join the Shiny Bitch Club?

• And, as promised, what personality tests do we love and use?

Don’t forget to subscribe to Creatives Making Money on iTunes here, and if you’re enjoying these episodes don’t hesitate to leave a glowing review! :)

Create like you mean it,

Jamie

I know, I know. You’re probably like waitttt a second. WHY is this even a conversation we’re having on Creatives Making Money? MOVIE REVIEWS? IS THAT WHAT WE’RE DOING NOW?

So first of all, this is NOT a movie review. It’s more of an evaluation of the story and a deep look into the various topics it touches on that I feel FULLY relate to creatives.

Now, I love this film, but of course this film isn’t perfect.

All movies have problems, and so does this one.

I’m not going to pretend that it doesn’t.

The purpose of this analysis and discussion isn’t to compare the movie to previous versions of the story.  It’s not to tell you what’s good and bad and nitpick it critically. Again, it’s not a review.

The purpose of this conversation is to talk frankly about the open loops this film leaves in the audience and hopefully help you, as a viewer and creative, spark more conversations in your everyday life and/or our Facebook community on these subjects.

Now, if you haven’t seen the film yet -- there are spoilers galore in this episode.

So just know that! If you wanna listen to this and then go see the film, by all means, do it. But just know you’ll want to experience the film first to get the most out of this episode.

So, as I said all movies have problems.

With A Star Is Born, one of the gifts and “problems” is that as audience members we are being asked to suspend our disbelief within the the very first ten minutes of the movie.

Now this is true for a lot of movies. Movies create a world different from our own, and when you decide to participate you are agreeing to be IN the world of the move, which operates by its own set of rules.

In this case, There is NOTHING traditionally “REALISTIC” ABOUT how this story kicks off.

In the first Act of the film, we meet Lady Gaga’s character (Ally) as she breaks up with a boyfriend and expresses her frustration with the opposite sex. She’s a server. She’s a singer. She’s doing the thing that so many creatives making money can resonate with -- working the money job and writing her music and songs on the side --- because she can’t NOT.

It’s WHO she is.

We also meet Bradley’s character -- Jackson Main -- a beaten down alcoholic musician that’s already achieved his supernova status.

By some complete fluke, driven by his addiction to alcohol, one night after his latest concert Jackson stumbles into the bar where Ally happens to be performing. A drag bar. A place where she’s the only non-drag performer.

And Jackson is immediately taken with her. She becomes his muse. That night, they stay up all night and have a bit of an adventure. But what’s special here isn’t that he meets her and falls for her.

It’s that it all happens so conveniently and seamlessly, but as an audience member -- even though we are going “yeah right” at almost every turn, we’re also 100% ON BOARD.

And for a story like this, you have to be.

WHY? Because this is WISH FULFILLMENT STORY.

Here is Ally. And Ally is us. Ally is every person who’s ever had a dream, a message, a story, a passion, a talent and wished she could simply climb on stage and SHINE that big and bright -- like A STAR.

Ally crawls towards supernova status as her relationship with Jackson evolves.

Now, as a woman watching this, there are some challenges here:

After they sing together, you know 24 hours after they’ve met, I can’t help but ask myself...

• Is she really sleeping with him already? Does she want to?

Here’s another thing --

When you fall in love with characters, it doesn’t matter how fucked up they are -- to an audience, the more flawed the character, the better. We’ll get back to that later.

As the movie continues, we get swept away in their love story and the wish fulfillment of Ally’s rise to fame -- and we go along for this ride.

But the ride isn’t without bumps. (NO great story would be.)

More and more of Jackson’s backstory and trauma is revealed, as his tinnitis (and drinking) get progressively worse, and as Alli gets to know the man behind the fame more and more -- we see just how REAL their problems are.

We also see and feel their love, the excitement and adventure of the change Ally’s experiencing. Their singing on stage together, writing songs together, co-creating, the beautiful power of it all.

But when we get down to the primal nature of this story and where it HITS us.

It’s about this miracle that anything can happen, at any moment, and totally change your life.

One minute Ally’s a server and the next she’s touring and shining her light -- a change she seems to so distinctly underline in her crooning of the signature song Shallow when she says “In all the good times, I find myself longing for change” a change so many of us can relate to desiring.

It’s one of the oldest wishes in the book. Our inner child calling out for someone else, God, the Universe, another person to sweep in and change our life. Love us. Believe in us. Lift us out of what we’re doing. Make our dreams come true just because we’re worthy of it.

And aren’t we all worthy of it?

As we go on this journey as an audience member, it can’t help but kick up ANY hidden dreams you might be harboring deep inside.

WHY? Because you can’t witness this type of EXPLOSION of wish fulfillment without examining what it is YOU wish for. If you’re being self-reflexive as an audience member, this is how you can allow stories to serve you.

Here’s what I want you to know… if you watched this movie, and it kicked up the dust of old, long-forgotten dreams, you’re not alone.

Then, we get to the love story.

OH their love story.

There are so very many moments and scenes where we see Ally and Jackson loving each other so purely, so truly, so genuinely, that we don’t care that he’s a raging alcoholic and that she clung to him to lift her out of her existing life. But this isn’t a story about someone discovering Ally and deciding it was a smart business move to sign her. This is a story about Jackson bringing Ally on tour to be with him romantically, and sing with him, and that decision changing the course of her life.

And even though it’s riddled with conflict (I mean, he’s an addict and she’s codependent), it’s tough to look at their love story and not swoon.

Because through all of that, their love is so sweet and enduring that we can’t even judge it. We especially can’t judge it because it’s absolutely HUMAN to be either or both of those things. I don’t know one person who hasn’t been in a relationship at some point that didn’t somehow reflect what Jackson and Ally face.

This is where we get into shifting gender roles and the question I continue to ask leaving this movie which is whether women get to be superstars and have relationship.

I can’t help but ask this especially off the heels of Lady Gaga’s own stories of losing relationships as she became more and more famous and successful. (If you haven’t seen her documentary 5 foot 2, I highly recommend it.)

Both characters have to balance their careers with their private problems and relationship with one another. And as an audience member, I keep expecting relationship problems to pop up that don’t -- most of the obstacles in this film are dominated by Jackson’s inner world and struggles.

Towards the end of the film, and the end of their relationship, Ally considers cancelling her world tour in order to be with Jackson and care for him. This is after he pees himself on stage while accepts her grammy, because he was messed up on drugs and booze.

But we still love Jackson, and so does Ally. We get glimpses of Jackson off the booze and drugs. Glimpses of who he really is. And we see him hit rock bottom and fight his way to sobriety.

As for me, I’m grateful this story helps us love an addict, but it doesn’t bode well for the future of being an addict.

And, I’ll speak from experience here -- I know MANY artists who are artists because they feel more than others. They feel everything. They have a deep need to speak, create, express.  They can’t manage or function like “everyone else.” I’d say most struggle with anxiety and depression more than others -- and it’s not just the nature of being an artist that comes with that territory.

It’s also the undue pressure and strain of also being in a position of constantly putting one’s work out there over and over and again and again and the vulnerability inherent in that work.

Once you have the audience, you’re then creating for them. What if they don’t like what you’ve created? How will they receive it? Just because a Star is Born doesn’t mean that the struggles are suddenly gone.

Which makes you question the VALUE of your work (and occasionally yourself) altogether.

The film also touches on this topic as a Rock Versus Pop conversation. As Ally rises to a new level of fame, she ventures away from the pure piano and guitar and vocals rock music she creates with Jackson and becomes a POP star. Jackson seems to think that’s not “good enough” or “real” enough. In more than one scene he expresses concern about her authenticity and ultimately de-values her work when she’s up for a Grammy because it’s POP, and not always super “deep.” Earlier in the film, Ally also has a scene where she calls this out during a dance rehearsal, saying “I don’t want to lose the part of me that’s talented.”

Do we lose the parts of ourselves that are authentic and talented in the interest of commercial success?

THIS is one of those questions that we’ll always ask as we create and make money.

What IS the right balance between selling out and genuinely creating, purely, not for financial gain or commercial success? Does that type of art even exist?

And then there’s their parents.

We learn that Jackson didn’t have a father who was present and available and healthy and cared for him. His mother died in childbirth. He was largely on his own, learning nothing but that he wasn’t loved unconditionally by anyone except his brother -- from what we know.

Ally had a strong father figure. Perhaps this is part of why she’s got a different emotional foundation, a toughness, a street smart, take-no-shit attitude that allows her to do things like punch a cop in the face at an after hours bar and think nothing of it. In many ways, she’s the protector of Jackson who’s never had a parent to do that job before.

And regardless of the WHYs of the parenting backgrounds each of these characters faced in their histories, we are still left with this resounding call-out around men and mental health. Particularly creative men and mental health.

Which anchors this story in it’s ultimate what I’ll call “resting place:” love and loss.

Watching this film, and Jackson’s journey, I couldn’t help but think about other recent suicides of people we’d consider “Stars”, such as Chris Cornell, Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade…

Jackson is a tragic hero.

He chooses to die so Ally can rise.

He chooses to die because he’s depressed and considers himself broken.

He also chooses to die because Ally loves him too much to leave on her own.

But that doesn’t make the pain any less significant.

Films that end this way leave us with all kinds of loose ends to process.

We wonder...

Did Jackson need to die so Ally could rise?

It’s a movie, so in the context of what makes a tragic hero, yes.

But in the context of thinking about all of the people in your life who might suffer from mental illness, depression, anxiety, addiction -- no.

They DO need to seek help and get help.

This film is uniquely special in that it’s the type of project that doesn’t come around often.

It’s rare that films of this type and size get the greenlight. It’s a special moment in a career like Bradley Cooper’s to get this opportunity -- and to slam dunk it.

And I mean that across the board. The music, the directing, the story itself, the ability to cast Lady Gaga exactly at this moment of her career where she’s already a supernova and is shifting how she shows up as an artist, stripped down, raw, vulnerable, naked.

I appreciate this film so much because it’s the type of project that doesn’t happen often AND it touches on all of this subjects so impactfully. It has a multi-media component as a musical and the music tells the story almost if not just as much as the film does. So as a musical, it’s on another level.

But the movie also leaves you in a state of grief, with a lot to process on, like…

• Your dreams and wishes
• Your love life
• Your relationship with addiction and mental health
• Men and women -- and their unique challenges in the world
• Being an artist and the challenges that come with that
• Selling out versus being REAL
• Loss and grief

My favorite scene in the film is the scene where Ally and Jackson’s brother Bobby are speaking after Jackson’s death.

In that scene, Bobby says “Jack talked about how music is essentially 12 notes between any octave, 12 notes and the octave repeats. It’s the same story told over and over, forever. All any artist can offer the world is how they see those 12 notes. That’s it.”

And I believe that to be true. Life is life. Story is story. It’s 12 notes. It’s the human condition. It’s the struggle of being an infinite soul with an infinite imagination, living in a mortal body. It’s knowing you’re going to die. It’s loving and losing. It’s facing the time you have on this planet and making choices every day about what to do with that time. How you’re going to spend it well, and wisely and truthfully. What you’re going to create that you feel matters -- your legacy.

All of that is a lot. Especially if you’re struggling with mental health issues too.

Here’s what I want you to remember if you’re a creative and life feels hard today or just some of the days -- because I know there are some days you might feel like an Ally before Jack, some days you’ll feel like Ally after Jack, and some other, darker days you might feel like a Jackson -- remember that help is available to you.

You are loved. You are supported. You are valued.

You can reach out to a friend, to a call center, to a therapist, to a support group.

You have options. DON’T try to walk this path alone. You have a tribe available to you.

This is a big reason I created a community along with this podcast.

Now, I have some action steps for you that I’ll be sharing NOW -- because I’m not doing an afterparty this week. Some questions I’d love for you to think about and journal on, and feel free to share what you discover in the group.

• Your dreams and wishes -- what do you want, really? If you could have life any way you wanted, what would you wish for?

• Your love life -- What do you believe about love and relationship now? How is that showing up, or not?

• Your relationship with addiction and mental health -- Is this something you, or someone you love, struggles with? What can you do today to help someone who needs support (maybe it’s you). Choose to walk this path with compassion and self-belief.

• Men and women -- and their unique challenges in the world -- What’s your feeling about gender roles and dynamics? What do you have to face that’s unique to your gender, or your gender identity? How can you share that with others and provide and receive support?

• Parents - how did your parents help or hinder your choices to be yourself, express yourself, and go for your dreams?

• Being an artist and the challenges that come with that -- Are you creating the way you want to be? Why or why not?

• Do you feel like a sell-out right now? Why or why not?

• Loss and grief -- Is there someone or something you’re grieving right now? How can you create space for grief and let yourself truly and fully process the loss?

I’d love for you to think about and journal on these questions, and feel free to share what you discover in the group.

The biggest takeaway for ME was this (shameless) idea that at the crux of every businesses’ purpose is PROFIT.

As Jason said “PROFIT GIVES US CHOICES.”

With a higher profit margin, you get to expand your offerings, give back to society, donate money to good causes, and even create a bonus structure for yourself and/or your employees (if that’s where you are in business).

My favorite thing is that Jason doesn’t give us a complicated structure. He keeps things simple and boils down profit strategy into three key areas.

The three areas Jason recommends EVERY business owner focus on?

1. SALES
2. MARGINS
3. OVERHEAD

BOOM. I’d recommend taking stock of where you fall in all three areas, even if you consider yourself a “freelancer” and not an “entrepreneur” and see what you discover.

We also talked about how the online arena opens up more opportunities for profit for freelancers and creatives, and how it’s imperative to decide what YOU want and are committed to.

Are you committed to being a business, or are you committed to being a hired hand?

There is no wrong answer, but get clear on which you are/what you’re created and behave accordingly!

And my FAVORITE reminder?

Revenue and sales is not everything.

So the next time you see someone claiming 7 or 8-figures, don’t worry that you’re not doing “well” enough. There’s a good chance you have a higher profit margin than the entrepreneur who’s made 7 figures in revenue over the last year!

Remember, if you have a product that loses money, selling more will only make you less money. Selling more doesn’t necessarily mean more profit. Commercially, it’s about the profit, it’s not about the revenue.

Remember Jason’s sage advice:

Sales is vanity.

Profit is sanity.

And don’t forget to go follow Jason A.S.A.P. →

https://jasonawithers.com

@jasonawithers

@jasonawithers

www.facebook.com/JasonAWithers

Now if you’re not yet convinced from our magical interview, take my trusty word for it.

YA WANNA FOLLOW HER, Y’ALL. Gobble up her free content. Invest in her programs. You won’t regret it.

Now, here’s a fun recap of our convo in case you want to review the highlight reel and some items we mentioned!

1. Having a pretty blue safe was something that taught Allison to keep and have fun with her money at just 6-years-old. For you parents in the audience, this might be a great way to teach your kids to take care of and value their money!
2. Remember, if you feel like you were never included in the conversation about money, or like it’s a taboo topic to cover with people in your life -- it’s up to YOU to take that initiative and break the mold. As Allison said, “No one will approach you and ask you to participate…” You’ve gotta take that initiative yourself.
3. Allison mentioned being a “Projector” according to Human Design. Wanna learn more about Human Design? You can get a chart and report at humandesignamerica.com!
4. When you’re working on your relationship with money, and making it less serious and more fun, literally ask yourself “What would make this more fun?” As money is one of the biggest causes of STRESS, we want to create more joy and ease around the subject so that you stress less and feel better (plus it’s good for your health!).
5. What IS the LIVING RICHLY FRAMEWORK? It’s a process that walks you through looking at where you’re fully expressing yourself in your life (or not), researching and redefining what success means to you, creating a new identity that you can integrate and inhabit around what you discover, and remembering to fully receive and appreciate all you already have.
6. Jotting down 10 things you’re grateful for every day is WONDERFUL, but it’s way better when you’re also giving yourself the space and breathing room to truly FEEL IT.
7. If you’re feeling BROKE AF, here’s what to do: 1. Remember you’re not alone. 2. Look at where you are already RICH. 3. Make a list of the things that make you feel rich, and find a way to do the items that you have easy, available access to! Not all the things that make you feel rich actually cost money. :)Some of my favorite BIG takeaways…

We’re always creating identities for ourselves as we’re doing life in the world. It’s important to stay conscious of what identities we’re creating so we make sure they’re expanding our sense of self instead of limiting it.

Being creative is about MORE than being an artist, just like living richly is about more than what’s in your bank account.

Ease is undervalued in our society because we tend to glorify “hard work” and being BUSY. So it takes some extra work to really allow ourselves to do things the easy way.

YAY! And here’s where to soak up all that Allison Braun Goodness!

Open For Business Training: bit.ly/openforbizvid

What If Money Was Easy? (Free Guide):  bit.ly/soulmoney

http://www.allisonbraun.com

Instagram: @allisonbraun

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllisonBraunTheJoyologist

Michelle is a true personal finance expert, and she’s exceptionally skilled at helping us creative types carve our own money path with unique budgeting, debt repayment, and income management. She offers DIY programs through her Holistic Wealth School [add aff link here] and coaches creatively-minded women on mastering great financial habits.

Her mission -- to help creative women fund the lives they want without that nagging budget getting in the way!

We touch on some incredible topics around money mindset and management, like…

• How to tell if you’re “financially well” or financially sick (uh oh!)

• Her fave ways to pay off debt without going nuts

• How to think about debt so you don’t feel like it’s crushing you and your soul

• The various money styles we all have, and how to get clear on yours before making big financial decisions

• Why Michelle left the security of corporate finance to pursue her own thing

Plus, we also cover some fun things like…

• WTF is a “J-pipe?”

• How many financial terms sound like an ancient language (does.not.compute.)