Happy Thursday Reader

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I want to get real technical and nerdy today. 🤓

Let's talk about the things you actually need when you're in the foundational stage of creative business.

The internet loves to tell us that we should be making money immediately from our creative work. And that we're doing it wrong if we can't do that.

Hmmm......... this is not reality for the majority of people.

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The foundational stage of a creative business can last months or even years. (It has indeed been years for me 😎)

It’s the time when you’re making little to no money. Not because you’re a complete loser, but because you’re still building the foundation that will sustain your business long-term.

Without that foundation, running a business can feel accidental.

Like any success comes from pure luck, and you have no idea how to make it happen again.

A client turns up out of the blue and you're like woah?!

This is because we don't have the foundational things set up and running.

And THAT'S OKAY!!

There's absolutely no shame in being in the foundational stage.

We all have to go through the learning stage. And we have to figure out how we want things to fit together.

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I get real sad about the general sentiment of shaming towards foundation-stage business 😢

I think it comes from the fact there's so many online courses and stuff saying "it's easy just buy this course and do what I did!"

We internalise the "it's easy" messaging, and then feel ashamed when we don't find it easy.

There's so much conflicting business advice out there too.

Wading through it all and putting the foundations together in a way that fits you is no mean feat. That's why it takes months or years.

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When you do take the time to set things up in a way that fits you, everything starts to feel more intentional. You actually feel in control.

I've been focusing on these things recently and am just starting to feel purposeful now.

So what do you actually need to focus on in this stage? Let’s break it down.

(This list is based on my notes from this podcast episode from business coach Jo Casey.)

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1. What Makes You Unique

There’s a lot of pressure online to ✨put on a show✨ and pretend to be different than you are.

Maybe you feel pressured to make yourself look organised and productive?

Or you feel pressured to be loud and energetic when you talk to people?

The truth is you don’t have to pretend to be different.

The key is mapping out your personality, beliefs, opinions, strengths, and interests so you can confidently show up as yourself.

This does two things:
✅ Helps you grow huuuuge self-confidence
✅ Attracts the right people to you naturally

There's a lot of deep personal work involved in this mapping process.

You'll need to unlearn shame around being yourself.

You'll need to discover what you truly enjoy + are good at.

You'll need to unlearn beliefs about what you "should" be doing.

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2. Your Message

This part includes figuring out the core of your work and summarising it into a general message.

• Who do you work with? (e.g. your niche or focus area)
• What’s the transformation or impact of your work?

You don’t have to shrink down your message. You definitely don't have to niche down and constrict yourself.

You can have a huge overarching message that incorporates all the different facets of your work.

This is potentially the hardest thing to do on your own.

You can't see the label when you're inside the jar.

(i.e. you can't see your whole self from the outside in order to label it and tie it all together).

Lots of reflecting + trial and error involved here!

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3. Your Audience

Who really needs your work in the way you offer it?

What are their desires, struggles, and beliefs?

Demographics don't reaaally matter here. Knowing someone's age, location, interests etc. doesn't tell you whether they need your work or not.

The great thing is, you're most likely looking for people who have the same beliefs and desires as you (or as your younger self).

(We have the same opinions, that's why you're here right? 😆)

When you understand this, your marketing and offers no longer feel forced.

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4. Your Offers

• What are you selling?
• What are you charging?
• Does your pricing support you and feel right?

This is where so many people get stuck because there’s so much to untangle.

Choosing what to sell can be difficult cus you get stuck thinking "what *exactly* can I do that people will want?"

Lots of experimentation and willingness to test things out needed here.

You can also get stuck thinking "what *exact* pricing should I use that won't put people off?"

There's a lot to learn about pricing and how to not undercharge.

But clarity here gives your business structure and gets you more money 😎

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5. Your Marketing

You'll need to know how to write sales pages, or pitches, or other such materials.

Depending on what you do, you might also need to have sales conversations (over email, in person, on a call).

Specifically, you'll need to learn how to express the benefits of working with you. You'll need to understand what your potential buyer is feeling and how you can help them.

Sales can feel terrifying. Especially when we're surrounded by aggressive advertising.

You might've had bad experiences with someone pushing you to buy something 👹

But when done in a way that suits you, it can actually feel natural and even enjoyable.

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6. Your Energy Mix

How do you want to do marketing? Do you like writing emails? (I like writing emails 😛) Do you like social media? Do you like doing collabs with other creatives?

How about networking? Do you enjoy in-person events? Would you rather chat with people in DMs?

How do you like to plan your week? Do you batch tasks together, or spread them out?

What feels best for you? You can try things out and experiment.

Following your own energy levels is super important.

You don't want to drain all your energy doing something you hate when there's probably a better alternative!

Building a streamlined business plan that works with your energy (rather than against it) keeps your business sustainable long-term.

(Note: streamlined ≠ perfect)

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Extra: The Power of Support

Can you do all of this alone? Yes... but you'll be muddling through and it may be quite confusing.

Having people in your corner, whether for strategy, emotional support, or simply a space to experiment, makes an enormous difference. Sometimes we just need the right guidance.

This applies at any stage of business, not just foundational.

Maybe you go make some new creative biz friends. Or you invest in working with a coach. Or you sign up to a newsletter that talks about these things. Lots of options out there.

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If you’re in this foundational stage right now, know this: there is literally zero shame in it.

It's a very exciting thing.

Taking your time to build a business that fits you is one of the best investments you can make.

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Much love 🫶🏻

Damon

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🌱 Stuff I'm Doing Recently 🌱

March Week #1

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Find me on: Instagram | TikTok​

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