April 18: Biz + Life Goals

Hi guys! At the beginning of every month, I’m starting to share an in-depth look at my business and life goals for the month coming up. I’ve re-discovered that the chances of hitting goals will be better if I share them, write them down and stay accountable! And this also gives me a chance to work on the things that are most important and disregard all the others. Goal making is fast becoming something I’m passionate about, and this is a great way for me to stay focussed on my return to the business and blog. I’m so pumped about being able to work on this little biz, and as the form of this blog will change and transform, I want to keep creating content that will inspire and educate. Here we go!

New months bring new things.

The end of March especially has brought so much of calm and beauty. I just celebrated another birthday, with some lovely friends and family visiting us. With Easter Sunday we celebrated again yesterday and with the new sense of calm and clarity all around, it seemed fitting to write about what’s happening around these corners, and express a bit about life in general.

Somehow, this fresh calm has made me reflect on our journey so far.

We moved to this new city last year. New City : Sydney, Australia.

Sydney brought about a whirlwind of transition and potential, surpassing anything I thought would have happened last year. We moved from Perth, and immediately a couple of things happened:

1. Our things would not be arriving for another 6 weeks
2. I was working on a client project without my desktop computer
3. We had to find a place to live – this took us 4 weeks.

January 2017 will always be, to me, that month of the year where I felt like an omelette. Tossed, mixed and somewhat burned. From the outside, it looked so exciting; the new journey, leaving the old city for the new one, cascading down new highways and learning about nooks and corners of a city I was once enamoured by.

Sydney was about to disrupt my concept of me.

I was suddenly, with my hubby, in a new place and this place is so completely different from anything I’d seen in Perth. The pace was frantic, Sydney siders seem to live in a world of their own – the morning commuters so adept at moving swiftly, the trains moving and buses swiftly gaining momentum. Everyone is on their phones. I wanted to connect with someone and feel a bit like I was making progress in the ‘make a friend’ department, but nada.

It was hard, to say the least.

Chaotic, bumpy, rough.

Living in a hotel room for 6 weeks made me nauseous and full of an angst I didn’t know existed. I had to complete a client’s project that was supposed to be done way back, in Perth. With new deadlines and a sense of dread considering I did not have any proper editing equipment. I slowly braced myself for the rest of that project. We completed it 2 whole months later – along with moving house (we now live in a ‘burb called Ryde) and setting up home (there was nothing really ‘set up’ until 3 months after that)

Soon as that project finished, I was in the Philippines for my birthday – running along the shores of a paradise beach was healing, and brought so much of that long-lost stability and sense of positivity I was wanting to feel. We were there for a wedding, one of my friends from Perth, and had purchased tickets months earlier. That place and the event was amazing. Just the best. Simply put, it was the oasis to my desert, the calm to my storm and a break that only the heavens would have lined up for me. Actually worthy of a separate blog post.

When I got back, I was so short of moolah, it wasn’t funny. Bills had piled up and I quickly decided to find myself a part-time/contract job. I decided to take one up in customer service. I learned SO much about business, offerings, and customer care in that time. It’s another blog post all on its own.

After the customer service gig contract of 3 months ended, I took up a job as a Sales Consultant in a furniture store. I loved the process of learning about Interior Design, working with people looking for a fresh look for their homes or looking for a replacement of their own old interiors. It has taught me so much about learning to work with different personalities and tastes, educating your customer about how you can best help them, and putting their needs above everything. Sales is all about relationships – and in business (and in life) it’s the key to pretty much everything one can possibly want to create/make/shape/relate.

It also was one of those jobs that made me realise what a gift it is to have talented staff around and how you can either bring out the best in your team or the worst!

The reason I’m writing all of this, is to say how grateful I am, back in this space. Back on the biz, and back on this blog. I’m looking forward to using all the lessons that I’ve learned – both in the customer service and sales space. The complaints might be many in a customer service environment, but the nature of the work dictates the foundations of all business – offer Value, and do it well. I’ll certainly remember this always!

With the above experiences in mind, these are a few goals for this month:

Reviewing every single client job created so far, and polishing our processes and paperwork to reflect the values and goals of this business. Chutzpah Creative was first created to shine a light on the stories that matter – and to communicate loud and clear, the message that every business story has value and can have positive impact on the world.
Updating the Portfolio section (April + May 2018) and communication of the value we give our clients
Create a long-term vision for the brand aka Communicate our why Loud and Clear. It might take a while to get that across but it’s ok. I’ve decided that being in business is about the long game, not the quick and easy. In wanting to build a brand that is loved, there is also the work that makes it lovable, and note-worthy. It’s one brick at a time. To say that I even had a chance to serve a single client through this business is just so freaking cool.
Sharing notes about the ins and outs of running a business: I would love to do this weekly – and mostly because I’ve learned so much from entrepreneurial folk who have shared their own journeys online.
Branding photography and update all imagery on this site Excited to work with Hayley Richardson on a Brand Shoot for Chutzpah Creative!
Featuring businesses and blogs that are inspirational/doing great work in the world/creative skills/rad.
Create a media kit for future clients: This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time but have not been able to create but this is the month, it is!
Attend networking events to meet other biz owners, and begin with new creative and exciting projects.

Some networking events I’m keen to check out + be a part of:

Creative Mornings

Realise Business

BWA

BNI

Chutzpah is about audacity. The courage to bounce back, to claw yourself out of the pit you’re in. Dust yourself off and march on.

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I want to embody my brand value in my life, and there is no better time than this new beginning.

So, those are my goals all for this month, guys. I’m thrilled to get into the Sydney life and business here and really see what’s possible. I will update this blog as much as I can and stay as active as possible, sharing all that I learn. Let me know what you’re upto! I’m so glad that you’re following along, and really appreciate your presence here!

If you’re thinking of using video in your business, send us an email at hello@chutzpahcreative.com – and we will be so glad to help you with a free initial consultation.

Why Video is a game changer in the universe of content marketing

Chutzpah Creative - September 2017

Everyone’s telling you to get a video for your website these days, or better – hop onto a social media channel and create video stories for your business. #AMIRIGHT?

I sense a nod.

It’s true. Video is here to stay, and in a big way. Whether your business is a service based one, or a product based one, you can use video to really connect with the people who matter to you.

YouTube is a fore-runner when it comes to search engines. In fact its the worlds second largest search engine. So even though video has usually been the last option for business owners – its now a priority on every marketers list. You just cannot ignore it.

Three reasons here on why getting into the video game is more crucial that ever:

Upgrade your SEO standing:

This is the numero uno reason why Video can and should be the Queen (or King) of your marketing game online. Having a great SEO ranking will put you right in front of your customers – and your business (and you) will be happier for it.

2. Increase the amount of conversions in your business

There’s a key moment when a decision gets made. By your client – or someone who is thinking of working alongside you. Video is one of those mediums that makes decision making a lot easier.

3. Increase engagement with your content

Content takes effort to create! You know this, if you are the creator of your business + marketing content. Small biz owners have this challenge (including me!) of making the time to create value adding content for the business. Video allows people to have real time engagement with your stories, it’s a virtual experience like no other!

Let us know how we can help you get started with video production for your business – email hello@chutzpahcreative.com

A glorious sunset

We were driving back from the airport after dropping my little brother off, and this absolutely stunning sunset caught my heart so completely. We are on the Anzac bridge at this point and luckily, the traffic was slow…it allowed me to stop and really take in all this beautiful light.

I’m looking forward to sharing more moments here in Sydney. There are no words for this place and I wanna go back to all the wonderful things I’ve seen and haven’t blogged about.

A return to this space

Not too much to say, other than this is a return to this space.

See you soon!

WHY YOUR STARTUP NEEDS A TEAM VIDEO (AND HOW TO GET IT RIGHT)

This blog post first appeared on Collective Hub (www.collectivehub.com)

Words by Amy Molloy

Photo by Alexander Wang on Unsplash

When Delta Airlines went live with its Big Thank You video – a 50+ hour live Facebook event where they honoured each and every one of their 80,000 staff members by naming them individually on the world’s longest greeting card – it took public employee praise to a new level.

Working with American marketing agency Moxie, famous business people, celebrities and athletes were enlisted to read a message praising employees’ commitment to the company (the full video is no longer available, but you can watch short replays on the Delta Facebook page).

It’s not the only company to give employees small-screen stardom. From About Us videos to instructional webinars and social media ‘velfies’ (video selfies), many startups are choosing to put their staff in the spotlight to aid recruitment, boost their reputation, and give customers emotional investment in their product. They can appear on the company website, or on their LinkedIn profile for potential applicants to see.

“Customers – millennials especially – want to feel a (real) connection to the personality of a brand before they buy,” says Australian director Reuben Field, founder of Lights, Camera, Business, who has made videos for the likes of Woolworths and Pepsi. “Videos can create an emotional connection with customers: putting a human face on your brand makes you approachable, relatable and authentic.”

According to Reuben, a two-minute video is enough. “You probably can’t include everyone, so be selective and just choose a few strong representatives to be the face of various groups [in the company]”, he advises.

Want to shoot your own miniature blockbuster? Follow these tips for small screen success.

It’s not really about you

“Even though it’s about you, it’s not really,” says Reuben, “It’s about the audience. You’re making this video because you want them to learn something – and feel something.” He cites iiNet as an example, which calls on staff members to present learning videos on digital topics, such as how to secure your Facebook. “Work out what you want the audience to think and feel before you start, and use that to avoid self-indulgence and irrelevant ideas,” he says.

Do it well, or don’t do it

Shooting a good team video takes some effort. “For example, the Department of Finance’s recruitment video should never have been shot, let alone made public,” says Reuben, who believes it was too jargon-filled and emotionless. “Simply reading your script aloud beforehand will force you to recognise its weaknesses. Your first draft will likely be too long and sound too much like written language. Revise and test repeatedly until it sounds good out loud. Only then should you spend time and money shooting it.”

Real people, expert supervision

Your staff will shine, especially if they have expert guidance. “Most people are capable of giving a decent performance if well directed,” says Reuben. “If possible, hire a director. If you can’t hire a director, just remember most bad acting is overacting. Tell people not to try so hard. Sometimes it even helps to say, ‘act bored’. Don’t pretend to be more eloquent, cool or funny than you really are. The audience will know you’re pretending and they won’t like it.”

Always have fun

Most importantly, don’t take it all too seriously. “Embrace imperfection,” he insists. “If someone stuffs up their lines and starts laughing, consider leaving it in instead of cutting it out. Consider having a blooper reel at the end. Acknowledge flaws, own them, and turn them into assets. If you’re enjoying making the video, that enthusiasm is likely to come through on camera. And if making the video feels painful, take that as a warning sign of potential trouble.”

Ever been confused about what storytelling really is? Read this.

Everyone’s a storyteller right now. #feelslikethat #amiright?

Be it in social media, content marketing or business blogs – marketing, storytelling and selling all converge into a great tonne of buzzwords. There is lots of talk about the latest in digital media and of course the ‘how you need to be a storyteller’ business advice.

I get this. Stories are what drew me into the field of creation and ideation in digital media. Documentaries about real life heroes inspired me insanely. Stories are what bring me to do my job every day, and they are what keep me dreaming and going forward.

But the more I hear people call themselves storytellers, the more I need to go back to the authentic meaning of that word. And in recent times, it’s been made clear to me – Story is a re-telling of events. From a unique and individual perspective. From a very specific point of view. I have to thank Muse University for this particular insight – from one of their courses I took recently.

In digital marketing today- that would sound something like this. There’s a story to be told? Think a modern day ‘once upon a time’ meeting your digital marketing strategy which then goes on to meet your audience.

In business especially, we are all telling our stories – about our products, our services and what value we bring to the table. But here’s a little check-in you may want to consider –

There’s a difference between fact-telling and story-telling.

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Here are a few examples of fact vs story:
—

Fact: Saying what you do.

Story: Someone saying how they felt experiencing your service (what you do) – and how that changed their life.

—

Fact: You’re a biz coach and you have the qualifications to teach/coach a biz owner.

Story: A real life human you coached recently started something from nothing, and really created a profitable business with the help of your coaching.

—

Fact: Your non-profit organisation – you have a sign on your website saying how you help people.

Story : You have a collection of testimonials and social proof from someone you helped – they share their voice of gratitude and happiness

—

Stories can have facts. But facts are not stories.

In our business narratives, while there might be a lot of fact-telling, it mustn’t be confused for story-telling.

Now, will the real story please stand up? 😉

Watch out for more of these kinds of posts in the next few weeks. I’ve been going through a new streak of upgrading my story IQ, and the insights are just so story-worthy! 😉

What about you? Have you felt like you can tell better stories in your business?

Reading this changed the way I thought about running an online business

When I began thinking about starting a business, way back in 2009, I had no idea about details about running a business, and the actual time and effort that goes into making things happen. As a young professional beginning to create new connections and yearning to ‘get out there’, it felt like there was so much to do, but nowhere to really begin.

Until I began to read biz books that changed all that.

Reading and learning became my ‘go-to’ tool to widen my horizons into what was possible, and these books literally became my teachers. So much advice and life direction in a single week! (about the time it takes me to fully read a book) If you’re a business owner and just starting a new business – reading is definitely worth your time, and inevitable will lead to a breakthrough in your own thinking and ideas.

1. Creativity – The Perfect Crime, by Philip Petit

Reading this book was akin to going on a super exciting journey, whilst being in a mysterious wonder land…it redefined what reading a book meant to me! I felt like I was on a 4D, virtual reality mission, being creative whilst traversing the gap between the Twin Towers, on a rope. The thought processes and mindfulness of this perfectly chaotic and transcendental soul (Petit) will fill you with a yearning for a new adventure. I had no idea what lay inside this cathartic and almost playful book. It is filled with a variety of things involved in the journeying of creative people, including – the vision, the decision making moment, the preparation process, getting resources together and being resourceful, setting out on an epic journey, and then the tension filled moments of making the dream happen.

If you’re a creative soul looking to fill your moments with an inspiration like no other. Or if you’re planning world domination and need a spirit guide, THIS is your book.

2. Do the Work – Steven Pressfield

I read this book way before I actually got out and began a full time journey with my business. Honestly, one needs to read it, and then do the work, and then possibly go back for a second read. I first heard about Steven Pressfield through Marie Forleo, and happened to have it on my Kindle throughout 2013-2015, which is when I was playing with the idea of having my own business. Setting it up, and following through with the work – it aint no joke. Pressfield is all about dealing with resistance, knowing it, working with it, working through it and basically being aware about the existence of resistance, but not letting it drive you or your creative and/or business practice.

3. Make it Happen – Surrender your fear, take the leap, live on purpose – Lara Casey

I enjoyed reading this book – Lara shares a similar faith based thinking to myself. Reading this reminded me that one’s greatest setbacks, faults, struggles and disappointments can become the radical footing for a ground breaking future. I loved her honesty, her clear style of writing and also felt like she was so open and transparent in sharing her own business journey, and the ups and downs of her experience, and the lessons she learned while building a business from scratch.

4.Do Cool Shit – Miki Agrawal

One of the very earlier ‘biz books’ I came across. This badass fiery woman inspired me like no other. She is smart, tactical and almost ninja in my view. There are certain traits in entrepreneurs that just remind me of a ninja, and Miki is just that. From being on a national soccer team to starting a new line of healthy pizza, Miki has really created a new realm of understanding what is it to be a builder, someone who creates from nothing. Her gutsy attitude and chance-taking chutzpah had me at page 1. #greatread

5.Show your work – 10 Ways to Share your Creativity and get discovered – Austin Kleon

Early on, it was quite hard for me to have the confidence to show people my work. It was, in my eyes, a mammoth task to share it and be at the mercy of an audience. Now, in business, it’s my duty and a vital practice of my everyday life to be able to show people the work, talk about, get practical and honest feedback that will improve the work. As creatives, it’s so important to have the humility and vulnerability to share your ‘baby’ with the world. Only something that gets easier with time!

Hope you enjoy getting into these delicious pages! If you have any recommendations of a good business or self help book, please leave a comment! I would love to know 😀

#Videocrush :: Biz Video done right

April Goals: New places, new spaces.

Guys! It’s been a while. I know!!! I’m stoked to be back.

// As I write this, I’m both chuckling to myself, in the nicest way, and also energised by the possibilities surrounding me. And as I write this, we are officially operating here in Sydney as well as in Perth. (!!!) Somebody pinch me! I thought about this, but never in my wildest dreams did I think this year, 2017, would be the year I’d be living, like a proper Sydney sider, here in freaking Sydney!!!

My husband Josh accepted a new job here, and that’s the reason we came here. Wow. Life knows how to surprise, delight and errything! I’d be lying if I didn’t also tell you that it’s been chaotic, exhausting, full of tired nights and heavy eyelids, but we’re waking up daily to a city that is buzzing, and as far as I’m concerned, I’m in for this wild ride…

It’s been almost 3 months since we left Perth, and since then, we’ve lived in a hotel for a month (in Chatswood), scrambled around to find a place to live, and finally found the perfect spot in Ryde, opened 55 (yes, 55) boxes of home life, and tried to put things in place. In between all this, there was a trip to the Philippines (Boracay) – sharing more about this soon! And now, in another 10 days, I will be flying back to Perth for a dear friends wedding.

Exhausted just writing all this out so you can imagine the journey. It was. intense.

But I’m here and it’s quiet. I can hear the birds singing, the traffic sounds have a somewhat calming on my work, our to-do lists are not as long, even though we have lots to look forward to this year, and there is a sense of newness in every day, especially in the way I approach work here at Chutzpah.

Someone asked me the other day – a friend who wants to begin her own business – what does business mean to you? Good Q.

Personally, it means the world to express, to create, to serve to your highest ability. To meet and work with different and talented clients, to go beyond what you thought was possible, and to dream big.

When I began, the enthusiasm to just begin was so great, and I had so much fun in the first few months with my first few clients. There was a spark in literally everything I did! Even if I had to work all night to hit a deadline, and even with balancing different issues within the business – I could just not miss the smile and satisfaction of a job done.

Back to being in this new city.

I wonder what’s ahead. I smile at these blue skies and want to jump with some amount of excitement, even as I think about my friends and family in Perth.

And as always, I ask myself this question – what are my goals supposed to be? Do they change massively because I’m in a new place? Do they become bigger?

Strange are the ways of my brain – but these six are what popped out for me

Serve with Soul: Envelope my work with warmth and love.
Discover Sydney: It’s a new city, let’s go play!
Connect with others: I don’t know anyone here. It’s an opportunity to make new friends!
Share your work: Update that portfolio, and get case studies up and running’
Build a team: More about this a bit later
Progress over perfect: This is something I learned from Lara Casey, and it’s always brought me from a place of angst about perfection to knowing that I can take one more step forward and I’ll be just fine!

// Some things that helped me with the move: 💕 Essential Oils: Hardly thought I’d ever even say this, but using DoTerra Oils – so good! My favourite is the Balance blend 🙂

Journal practice:

Staying in the moment – I try! But no seriously, journalling the monkey mind is key – every morning, some stream of consciousness gets passed on to a lucky piece of paper – or my very loyal laptop.

Doing the work:

Timing, timing! All about that time! I came to Sydney with a massive project and a lot of editing to do – a whole album with a super talented artist and some close deadlines. Along with working on my laptop for almost a month, because my desktop was on it’s way – and being in a hotel room, I was well on my way to being focussed for a few hours a day.

God:

Last but not least, I think my faith in God and His providence has grown stronger with this experience. Spending time in the quiet is the best time of my day.

As it stands, this week – Friday, I head back to Perth to reconnect with the city, be bridesmaid <!> (more on this later), visit family and generally exhale. We’ve had a pretty full on couple of months here, and this is going to be so, so good.

back soon,

Fayann x

Fear – what if it ran the (whole) show?

Hi friends, it’s mid-week but this one’s been full of learning and reflection, and I was compelled to write and share. Specifically about fear and feeling it in almost most moments of change and challenge.

The backstory to this post.

In the midst of creating, connecting with our past and some new clients, juggling projects, moving cities, (Perth WA to Sydney, Australia) setting up home and office and relegating myself to boss status, there are untimely and not-so-motivating thoughts of Who am I to do this/I’m too —– to get this completed/I can’t.

Then I reach for more coffee.

In the midst of this, I think:

What if Beyonce listened to her fear and never sang, danced and expressed herself?!

I, forever that person in the #Beyhive, shudder at that thought.

That voice of doubt, and shrinking myself in moments of change and upheaval is something that has followed me always. But in every situation, a choice presents itself and it’s in those minuscule segments of trepidation and apparent chaos that destiny is made and legacies forged.

Here I am, following my dreams, doing my best, loving my work, wearing my passion, sharing my journey and there is that small, niggling fear. As always, a constant pop up.

I’m calling it out, today. No ignoring it. I know that it’s showing up for a reason, it wants me to be safe, to be ok.

But today, it’s not the driver of my day, of my business and of my life.

There is nothing extraordinary about fear.

But there is nothing ordinary about hearing the fear, feeling all of it, and living your best life, anyway.

To fear – that constant catalyst,

Let’s keep going forward regardless. It’s going be the best day ever.

FD x

PS. If you feel like it, post about a moment (in life or business) where you felt fear, and went ahead anyway. Would love to hear it!

PPS. I made a printable – with some help from Canva 😉 save it on your phone or tablet!.