“Putting the pedal to the medal”, is how someone described it, who called me today to find out more about working with me. As professional musician, she wanted to build her network, put herself out there, and become visible in the right circles. But do you recognise that feeling, when you know all these things yourself, but you do f*ck all about it? You know very well that you need to go to networking events, you know that you should improve your website and get a clearer story up. Your photos need an update. Your social media presence sucks. You know all of it. But you are frozen, overwhelmed and you procrastinate. This is why you need a creative business coach right now.
Accountability is by far the biggest thing my clients need. As a coach, I help them prioritise, and create massive clarity around their niche and offers. However, at the end of the day, if they don’t show up where they need to be seen…then nothing changes. But when you have a coaching call scheduled, and you have homework assignments, you darn well do your best to do the work.
Yes, the tasks may be uncomfortable, hard, or scary, but to grow your business, you gotta do them. How good would it feel if you turn up at the zoom call and you can tell me you spoke to the big shot in your industry, you created a fab new video, or you finally rewrote your About page? Good, right? And ready to get more work done!
6-figure coaches in a business suit?
And of course, you can hire any business coach out there. There are millions to choose from! But not many of them have my background. In fact, none of them have. Most of my clients find me on Google, because they are creatives, and they are looking for somebody who ‘gets them’. Filmmakers, musicians, writers, designers, stylists, and fellow coaches. And they are feeling intimidated by the suited, corporate-looking or glamorous 6-figure business coaches on the net selling them a lifestyle they don’t even desire. They want a real person. So they type in ‘creative business coach’, and here I am.
Why me? I am no nonsense, down-to-earth (and Dutch). And yes, I do live near palm tree beaches (I am based in Spain), and I do lead a fantastic lifestyle that is not your average 9-5, but that is where the similarities with those glamorous business coaches end. I earn money doing what I love, which is helping other creatives do the same. And I have plenty of freedom for my artistic pursuits such as painting and singing with my band.
I am an artist and multi-passionate creative soul myself. I am also a huge believer of bringing out the best in people, and building people’s confidence and skills to succeed as creative entrepreneurs. If I can do this stuff, you can too. I promise.
OK, arty type, what d’ya know about business?
After getting my Masters degree in Art History at Groningen University in the Netherlands, I rolled into marketing and communications in the creative industries, first in Holland, then in the United Kingdom where I lived for twelve years. I discovered I was a great writer, and not only that; I was REALLY good at getting to the essence, and writing clear information for the audience it was meant for. If you have ever worked in the cultural sector or the arts, you know how much BS is being spouted to sound intellectual and of importance. I never liked any of that, and I became (in)famous for creating clear and concise marketing material that people actually understood. I still am big on that with my coaching clients.
Over the past twenty+ years, I have been a Communications manager for a visual arts centre, a Marketing consultant helping cultural organisations sell more tickets, a Marketing manager for a theatre/concert hall creating a stronger brand and online presense for them, and an Advisor for cultural grant applicants. My super power of creating clear written and visual information and building bridges between service and audience is still in full use today.
Opening shops and learning on the job
And then there are my credentials as a creative entrepreneur myself. The first time I delved into entrepreneurship was when I was heavily pregnant with my first baby, and I decided to birth a business at the same time. Yes, crazy times, that’s how I roll. I opened an actual shop with a door and a key, selling vintage furniture and design in rural Scotland. I knew nothing about running a store, but I learnt on the job, with a baby on my hip. It was an amazing period, and I won an award for my creative contribution to the local area, building a vibrant community of other creative entrepreneurs around me.
Six years ago, we moved to Spain, and became an entrepreneur once again, this time online. I launched myself as a copywriter at first, quickly getting international clients, but, like many of us during the pandemic in 2020, I pivoted and set myself up as creative business coach. I felt I had a lot more to give than writing blog posts for others, and wanted to pour all of my marketing and business expertise as a creative into a beautiful offer. That is where I am today, and since then I have helped many international clients.
Do you want a creative business coach?
It’s up to you. Stay on struggle street, or get the support from someone like me who can help you build that empire you are dreaming of. You have a passion, a skills, a real desire to change the world and make an impact. DO IT. Don’t wait. Life is now.
I can’t promise miracles, 10k months or 6-figure incomes, and I don’t want to. My aim is to get you from self-doubt to feeling confident, from overwhelm to clarity, and from struggle street to knowing what steps to take to attract a steady flow of clients.
Want to know if this is possible for you?
