Creative Warriors

More often than not, we are our own worst critics. Change the way you treat yourself - take time to set clear and exciting goals that you believe in. Try not to get caught up in how big the goals you set for yourself are - it doesn’t matter how big if you have no belief in yourself to accomplish that goal. Keep your ideas big, but take small steps on your path to success. When you feel better, you do better. Give yourself permission to do self-care, you can’t find clarity without taking some time for yourself. Even if it’s just a short walk or brief meditation, be present in the moment and check in on what’s important for you. Find one small thing you can do to combat stress. Ask yourself what you need and what you want and say no to things that aren’t driving your agenda.   To breakdown the 4 factors of her Success-Energy equation - I’ve brought on speaker, author, coach and consultant Michelle Cederberg.   For 15 years Certified Speaking Professional Michelle Cederberg has captivated audiences acr

Join 17,000 subscribers looking to do "business with a soul" and sign up to receive my Self-Employed Nutshell Newsletter! Sign up here!   Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Empl

You must work on finding the icon within yourself in order to become an iconic brand in the world and ensure that your message isn’t instantly discarded. How do we find the icon within ourselves? Try asking yourself, what is the best of my offering that corresponds to the emotional concern of my audience in relation to my product.   To breakdown how to stand out in a world full of overloaded content - I’ve brought on Iconist Jamie Mustard.   Jamie Mustard is a strategic multimedia consultant, art, design and product futurist, creative artist and Iconist. His passion is to teach the science and “art of obviousness,” helping professionals, change agents, artists, and businesses confidently and at will make their messages, brands and ideas stand out to their desired audiences. Jamie’s Iconist work has spanned some of the world’s leading companies, technologies, artists, designers, creatives, and nonprofits.   Learn how to transform your business into an iconic brand - by downloading this episode n

I posed the question in our community Facebook group about what you wanted coaching on. By far, the most common request had something to do with how challenging it is to separate our business from our personal lives. So, here you go! I share what I do myself as well as what I have suggested to coaching clients.   Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Je

Wisdom is not having all the answers, but knowing where to find them. Learning technology in business is similar in that you can not be afraid to fail because that fear will keep you from being your best self in business. You have to ask questions, play around with it, and remember that most of the time your peers have the same fears you do.   As a small business owner, don’t compare yourself to larger brands that have entire social media and ad teams. The social media platforms you chose to join should depend on your target audience. Get on one or two social media platforms that are most beneficial to your brand, and absolutely master them.   To help make complex social media and web concepts more accessible and easy to understand - I’ve invited technology strategist, certified futurist, and friend, Crystal Washington.   Crystal Washington is a social media marketing strategist, speaker, co-founder of Socialtunities- a social media instruction brand that trains Gen Ys-Boomers on the strateg

If you're looking for some coaching on how to get some business rolling, here are three ideas that won't cost you anything and have been very effective for many of my clients. These are some first step ideas to get things going which I understand is very much needed for a lot of businesses right now.   Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw

You can never know when the perfect time to act on your self-employed dreams will tap you on the shoulder. Some would even argue that there is no such thing as the “perfect time.” And if there ever was, it’s always in hindsight. But there is such a thing as preparation. And the way to be fully prepared to seize those perfect opportunities is to find yourself a mentor.  

As the end of the year approaches many of us are starting to scramble to try to get all the things done that we had planned for this year. But this year has been...a lot. So many of us are also feeling tired, overwhelmed, anxious by all of the other things going on around us in addition to our goals.   Here are my tips on how to prioritize when all the things are equally important.   Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the

Most of us struggle with forgiveness, however it can be a very powerful tool that can unlock future roadblocks. To take control of your life you need to forgive and make a plan. Stop winging it in life and decide on the non-negotiable values in your life.  When you deeply understand who you are, when you can identify your black sheep values and what makes you you, you will start living your life on purpose. It’s time to turn negatives into positives, and try looking at things with a different perspective. Whether you’re self-employed or not, it’s imperative to do things with deliberate intentions. This is key to crafting the life you want.   To break down the idea of discovering your black sheep values, I brought on a special guest and longtime friend and colleague, Brant Menswar.   Brant Menswar was recently selected as one of the Country’s “Top 10 Motivational Speakers.” He is a critically acclaimed author, award winning musician, podcast host, and the CEO and founder of Rock Star Impact, a boutiq

With almost all of us making significant changes to ourselves and our businesses in the past several months, it introduces one of the most frustrating things I know of. Waiting. Let's face it. Patience tends to not be one of our strong suits as self-employed business owners. Especially after we've made changes, are more clear than we've ever been, are committed and ready to go, and now we're waiting for the payoff from these changes. And we're left waiting.   Find out what this is all about and what to do about it.   Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at

So much has changed so quickly. A lot of us are reevaluating a lot of things right now. Whether it’s seeking your next dream or transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship, one thing is for sure. Many people are feeling stuck.   Sometimes what we need is a life audit. When we get clear on where we are and what our core values are, we can then take a look at our lives and decide where we need to go. But first we have to believe we can get there.We self-employed have to believe we can be unstoppable.   To dive into how we can find career clarity, I’ve brought on author and founder of The Nth Degree® Career Academy, Tracy Timm.   The Nth Degree® Career Academy, the proven career clarity system that helps high-potential professionals discover, define, and drive careers they love. Tracy has a degree in behavioral psychology from Yale University and studied design thinking with the founder of the d.school at Stanford University. She left a successful but unsatisfying career in finance, traveled o

As we start each day as busy self-employed business owners with lots of demands on us, we often think about everything we have to give. And we give it our all every day, don't we?   But what about what you'll gain? What would it look like if as you started each day you considered the energy you were going to gain from other people and from doing the tasks you love? Would it change how you felt about the day ahead?   That's what we're discussing on this premiere episode of Coaching Break!   Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email

For my first official episode of The Self Employed Life, I’m very excited to share a life-changing conversation with one of my absolute favorite authors, Todd Henry. Today we define something that is often glossed over but is essential, not just for the self-employed, but for all of us trying to tackle some of the world’s current major challenges: motivation. Todd and I discuss what it means to crack your personal motivation codes by understanding our patterns, what makes us tick, and how we can understand the motivational codes of those around us. I love where art and science intersect. And this is how we take the art of living and turn it into a scientific understanding of what uniquely motivates us.  Todd Henry is an author, international speaker, consultant, and advisor. He is the founder of Accidental Creative, and author of The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, and Louder Than Words, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Positioning himself as an "arms dealer for the creative revolu

A BIG and very Special Announcement! Be sure to turn in for the big news. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Services and Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Music by Jawn

We are all more than one thing. But self-employed entrepreneurs have been told over and over again that we can’t have a division between who we are in business and who we are at home. Studies show, however, that having and sharing other dimensions make you better at your job. When I work with my coaching clients I help them connect the dots of who they are to figure out how they can serve their customers the most authentically. And believe me, we really dive in and find all the dots. We are all more than our jobs, so why do we feel pressure to pretend we are not? Sharing your “ands” is a wonderful way to stand out beyond your technical skills. They add texture to your humanity. It is important for self-employed business owners to bring their whole selves to their work, as well to give themselves the time and space to cultivate all of their sides.  To dive into the power of sharing our “ands” I’ve brought on nationally recognized speaker, emcee, and stand-up comedian, John Garret. John draws on his condition

It can often feel in business, especially during challenging times that recovery is far away. Or that your business needs a complete overall or change of direction. That is often not the case. It may be that turning your business around is just a tweak or two away. This episode should give you hope! The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Services and Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look a

When you are in business, you are in the wish-granting business. When you really think about it, what you offer is what helps your customers achieve what they’re wishing for. And when you can find a way to communicate what you stand for, how you will grant those wishes, and why you are unique in doing so, you will elevate the humanity of your business. But it begins with you; especially for the self-employed. What is your backstory? How can you connect the dots of your life to figure out where you fit in the market? My origin story of being a photographer is what distinguishes me in what I do today; I help people truly be seen for who they are and what they do. And so as you set the stage for your business you can then begin to weave in all the elements of your narrative that will ultimately lead your customers to invest in you, the person, the human, not just your brand.  To dive deeper into the Business of Story, I’ve brought on The World’s Most Industrious Storyteller, Park Howell. Park helps leaders of

Cyber attacks are not just against the big guys. The fact is that for a variety of reasons, attacks against small businesses are extremely common. We all need to be concerned, no matter how small or big our business is, especially during times of major distraction or disconnect, like, say, during a pandemic.  We’re in a weird social place right now, we’re stressed, some of us are even desperate. Cyber attackers prey on these times, often by using false information and fake links from sources we recognize to lure the most vulnerable into downloading malicious code or surrendering credentials. These cyber attacks are well-orchestrated, convincing, and truly raise the hairs on the back of my neck. To help us get us into the minds of cyber attackers I’ve brought on author and speaker, Mark Sangster. Mark is the author of "NO SAFE HARBOR: The Inside Truth About Cybercrime and How to Protect Your Business." He is an award-winning speaker at international conferences and prestigious stages including the Harvard L

We face a big challenge as business owners in today's overload of information. What's good information and at what point does that information influence us so much that we lose the ability to be different than the rest? This is particularly true in trade associations which I am a big proponent of. Have a listen for an idea about how to handle the balance of information and influence. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Services and Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of

Creativity is iterative. It is about possibility. True creativity is about the everyday making of things; of just doing and refining until we can eventually get to our genius. Sometimes all we need is the discipline to just start. So if we can give ourselves the permission to just start with whatever terrible ideas we have, we can often get into that sought after “flow state” even sooner.  Many creatives are binary when it comes to what and how they produce work. Either it’s all about inspiration and the arts, or it’s sitting down and hammering out an idea. Too many of us are quick to judge a thing as good or bad. And in doing that we paralyze our process with fear of failure or looking foolish. But there is an unfiltered nature to “starting ugly” and if we own it, we can open up a variety of pathways until we get to where we want to be. But being a fulltime creative and/or self-employed means you have to wear your discipline hat. You have to have a routine in order to clear your brain and just start.  To