128. I'M GOOD AT WHAT I DO... SO WHY IS BUSINESS STILL SO HARD
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
You're talented. Your clients love your work. So why does business still feel so hard? This episode explores the disconnect many creative entrepreneurs experience between being genuinely skilled at their craft and struggling to build a sustainable business. What I've discovered is that the very abilities that make you brilliant at your creative work are exactly the same skills that make the business element work, you're simply learning to apply them in a different way. Key Moments: [00:00] The disconnect between your creative work and running the business side [03:48] Why creative...
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127. NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THIS
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
When people ask about growing their creative business, the questions typically centre around online marketing: Which platform, how often to post, what's working right now... But what if the answer isn't about marketing at all? This week, while refining modules for the upcoming six-month programme, I've been thinking about what genuinely accelerates business growth for creative entrepreneurs. It's not complicated, but it is something we often avoid, even though we're naturally brilliant at it. Key Moments: [05:15] Real life right now: what i've been thinking about [07:57] Why we...
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126 WHEN THINGS DON'T GO TO PLAN
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
There's something so much more important than frameworks, strategies and tactics. You can read every business book, take every business course, study every successful business, but if you don't understand what makes you unique, have clear positioning, and the confidence to keep moving forward when things get tricky... none of that other stuff matters. This week, I'm sharing what happened with my Pinterest experiment in December, why losing four months of momentum became one of my most valuable lessons, and the three things that are helping me turn setbacks into breakthroughs. If you're...
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125. WHY AUTHENTICITY & STORY TELLING MATTER MORE THAN EVER
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
Instagram's head just said something that changes everything for creative businesses: the bar has shifted from "can you create?" to "can you make something that only you could create?" With AI-generated content flooding platforms, authenticity isn't just good marketing anymore, it's your competitive advantage. In this explores we explore why being completely yourself might be the most strategic move for creative entrepreneurs right now, plus the four storytelling questions that clarify your entire brand. Your real strengths and authentic approach are what will cut through the noise and...
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124. FEWER THINGS DONE BETTER
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
Inspired by a Financial Times article on how creativity thrives with constraints, this episode articulates something I've been thinking about for years, that limiting yourself is actually the very best way to seriously flourish. Discover why doing fewer things better might be the most important focus for your creative business this year. Learn three practical principles for constraint-led business, plus how focusing on just one offer last year transformed my entire approach and how the same discipline could revolutionise your business too. Key Moments: [01:27] Why creativity thrives...
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123. A DIFFERENT KIND OF YEAR
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
What if this isn't the year you reinvent yourself? What if this is the year you return to yourself, to your own personal strengths, your genuine values, your natural way of working? This first episode of 2025 challenges the pressure to set aggressive goals and push harder. Through examples of creators who grew significantly in 2025 using completely opposite approaches, we explore why there's no single formula for success, only your formula. I introduce three principles for building a lighter, steadier business: making it truer rather than louder, choosing depth over momentum, and embracing...
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122. TAKING TIME TO CELEBRATE HOW FAR YOU'VE COME
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
We're brilliant at looking forwards. At setting goals. At planning what's next. But taking time to genuinely look back and celebrate what we've achieved? To acknowledge the obstacles we've overcome, the solutions we've created, the progress we've made? That's something we tend to skip right past. And I think that's a real shame. Because that reflection, that celebration, it's not indulgent. It's strategic. It's how we build sustainable success. In this year end episode, we're pausing to do what creative entrepreneurs rarely give themselves permission to do: look back and genuinely...
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121. LESSONS FROM TAYLOR SWIFT'S TOUR
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
Whether you're a fan of Taylor Swift or not, the strategic thinking behind her Eras Tour offers remarkable lessons for creative entrepreneurs. This episode explores the business operation, leadership decisions, and discipline that made a $2 billion tour possible and what you can apply to your own creative business. From six months of intensive preparation to handwritten letters for her entire team, discover how making excellence look effortless requires extraordinary work behind the scenes. You'll learn about building for long-term trust rather than short-term profit, creating cultures where...
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120. WHEN YOUR 'SERIOUS' BACKGROUND MEETS YOUR CREATIVE BUSINESS (AND WHY THAT'S YOUR SUPERPOWER!)
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
So many creative entrepreneurs think they need to leave their "serious" professional self behind. That corporate background, that legal career... they see it as separate from who they are now. But that might be costing you your most distinctive positioning. The parts of yourself that feel contradictory? Those might just be your superpower. The creative entrepreneurs I see thriving are the ones who've brought their whole selves forward. That's what creates a business no one else can replicate. In this episode, I share how your previous career isn't something to hide, it's an integral part of...
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119. YOUR CREATIVE MIND IS YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
CREATIVE STRENGTHS
Welcome to the very first episode of the Creative Strengths podcast. This foundational episode examines something backed by research but often overlooked: how your creative thinking isn't a quirk misplaced in business, it's one of your biggest competitive advantages. Leading research consistently identifies creativity as the number one factor for future business success. This episode explores what creative thinking actually means in practical business terms, why it matters more than ever, and what becomes possible when you understand your specific creative strengths as genuine competitive...
info_outlineWhether you're a fan of Taylor Swift or not, the strategic thinking behind her Eras Tour offers remarkable lessons for creative entrepreneurs. This episode explores the business operation, leadership decisions, and discipline that made a $2 billion tour possible and what you can apply to your own creative business.
From six months of intensive preparation to handwritten letters for her entire team, discover how making excellence look effortless requires extraordinary work behind the scenes. You'll learn about building for long-term trust rather than short-term profit, creating cultures where clients become participants, and maintaining standards that become your reputation.
Key Moments:
- [00:00] Why Taylor Swift's tour docuseries reveals powerful business lessons for creative entrepreneurs
- [02:50] The scale and strategic planning behind a $2 billion operation with 149 shows and making it look effortless
- [10:17] Creating Partisipants not Spectators
- [12:08] Personal Touches and Continuous Evolution
- [18:19] What does Taylor Swift's tour have to do with your creative business?
Notable Quotes:
"Making something feel effortless requires incredible preparation. The sense of freedom comes from having done so much work that you don't have to think about all the different components anymore."
"Building something exceptional is never about luck or talent alone, it's always about the choices you make behind the scenes. The preparation you're willing to do that no one sees. The discipline you maintain when no one's watching."
Resources Mentioned:
- Read: This Week's Full Journal Post
- Link: The Base Notes Waitlist
- Link: Episode 090. Why Care And Design Matters In Business
- Link: Taylor Swift Docuseries: The Eras Tour Docuseries
- Subscribe to our Weekly newsletter
- Website: www.philippacraddock.com
- Send an Email: news@philippacraddock.com
Share Your Insights:
What stood out most to you from these business lessons? Have you experienced how preparation creates freedom in your own work, or discovered ways to build long-term trust with your clients? I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a message on Instagram I read every message.
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