Business Lessons for Creative Entrepreneurs & How to Launch an Online Community with Designer, Writer, and Podcaster Kathleen Shannon

Kathleen Shannon (@AndKathleen) is a graphic designer and brand strategist, and co-founder of Being Boss, a podcast and community for creative entrepreneurs. Kathleen began as a staff art director, but learned entrepreneurial habits working on her side projects and blogging. She's now seeking to become a media mogul and serve the creative community.

In this conversation, we discuss the origins of Being Boss, how Kathleen learned systematic behaviour and stays organised, and the common mindsets of creative entrepreneurs.

Catch up with Kathleen on the Being Boss website or that of her agency, Braid Creative.

• Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 95 (MP3, 52:24, 25.3 MB)
• Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 95 (OGG, 52:24, 24.4 MB)

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Show Notes & Links

• Prescott had a classmate named Kathleen, who went by Kate. Her mother, also Kathleen, went by Cassie.
• Kathleen was almost named “Cinco”, born May 5
• Prescott is born May 6, making the two both Tauruses
• Kathleen describes herself as a “truth seeker & dream (job) chaser. Tea drinker & good food eater. Risk taker, magic maker & booty shaker.”
• AndKathleen.com, Kathleen’s personal site and retired blog
• “Creative Horcruxes”, websites and projects where we divide our passions, time, and attention
• Kathleen co-owns Braid Creative with her sister Tara
• Braid Creative is “Branding and business visioning agency for creative entrepreneurs”
• The Being Boss podcast started in 2014 as a way for Kathleen to “grow the top of her funnel”
• Emily Thompson (@EmilyM_Thompson), Kathleen’s partner in Being Boss
• Prescott kept hearing about “your audience”, which sparked him to start The Busy Creator
• Prescott admits that Being Boss is “ahead” of The Busy Creator in terms of spawning multiple forms (books, events, community classes, etc.)

"Show notes are a great way to increase search engine optimization."

—Kathleen Shannon

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• The aim is transform Being Boss from a podcast into “multimedia conglomerate”
• Chelsea Handler, Kathleen’s hero for hosting a tv show
• Kathleen & Emily recently submitted a book for publishing (due out Spring 2018)
• FreshBooks was a sponsor of Being Boss almost since the beginning, because they align
• Being Boss Facebook Group, 17,000+ members strong, has grown almost beyond control

"How you feel at work affects how you feel at home, and vice versa."

—Kathleen Shannon

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"We didn't want to sully the waters with money."

—Kathleen Shannon

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• The Being Boss Clubhouse is a year-long community learning course with coaching, and more.
• Will Hudson, early guest on The Busy Creator, ep. 12
• It’s Nice That and its sister agency, Anyways
• Armin Vit and Bryony Gomez-Palacio have both been on TBC, separately, eps. 3 & 84
• Brand New Conference, Brand New Blog
• Kathleen started writing on LiveJournal in 1999
• Kathleen worked as an Art Director for advertising while blogging at home
• The Etsy–Pinterest Boom
• Kathleen attracted freelance design projects from posting her wedding invitations

"First, you have to be dedicated to your craft."

—Kathleen Shannon

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• 10,000 hours
• “Fit of Entrepreneurial Passion”, as described by Michael Gerber

"Nothing kills creativity like desperation."

—Kathleen Shannon

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• Kathleen learned Project Management skills at her ad agency job
• Charlotte Hornets

"You can only connect the dots looking backwards."

—Steve Jobs

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• Steve Jobs addresses Standford class of 2004 2005
• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo on Amazon and on Audible
  
• Prescott’s grandfather collected his lifetime’s worth of business cards
• 9 Habits of Highly Creative People (free eBook)
• Kathleen & Emily met as internet blogging pals
• Emily pitched the idea of a podcast, along with responsibilities
• Kathleen is the editorial lead; Emily handles web and tech

"I didn't know this thing would need its own bank account one day!"

—Kathleen Shannon

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• 7 People are involved with the production of Being Boss, including an editorial assistant and an audio editor
• The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber on Amazon and on Audible
  

"Most people are still in their struggle. There's never a 'there'."

—Kathleen Shannon

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"Your goals mean shit if you feel like shit along the way."

—Kathleen Shannon

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• Emily only uses list view in Asana; Kathleen only uses calendar
• Prescott prefers Kanban view, where that’s available
• Ramit Sethi
• Kaizen, continual gradual improvements over time
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott on Amazon and on Audible
  
• Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson on Amazon and on Audible
  
• Daring Greatly by Brene Brown on Amazon and on Audible
  
• Martha Beck
•  BeingBoss.club
•  Kathleen Shannon on Twitter
•  Kathleen Shannon on Facebook
•  Kathleen Shannon on Instagram
•  Braid Creative on Facebook
•  Braid Creative on Pinterest
•  Being Boss on Twitter
•  Being Boss on Facebook
•  Being Boss on Instagram
•  Being Boss on iTunes

Tools

• Being Boss Podcast
• Facebook Live
• FreshBooks
• Acuity Scheduling
• Asana
• CoSchedule
• Notebooks, Post-Its
• Evernote
• Google Docs
• Slack

Techniques

• Ask your audience what they want, to create new content
• Put in your 10,000 hours before becoming an entrepreneur; become a “confident expert”
• Build a bridge before leaving your full-time job
• Aim to replace your income before taking that last leap
• Ask to be in client meetings; see the process up close
• Share your process as you’re in it — publish along the way
• Codify your methods, translate them to an e-course 
• Find a “business bestie” and have “Skype dates”
• Use your existing resources to bolster your side projects
• Create an org. chart to plan future expansion, duties
• Know every element of your business, and only outsource as needed
• When overwhelmed, write top 3 items on a Post-It
• Be a little more casual with your team when chatting on Slack

Habits

• Drink Coffee and Tea every morning
• Broadcast on Facebook Live a few times a week
• Make decisions, whether they’re right or wrong
• Respect your future self (through systems)
• Have empathy for others and what they struggle with — it may be different from you
• Put everything in Google Calendar
• Work out first thing in the morning

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