The 21st Century Creative

Brutally Honest Advice for Your Creative Business with Emily Cohen


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‘Brutally honest’ is not just a catch-phrase for US consultant Emily Cohen – it is the red thread that runs through her advice to creative-studio owners.

In this episode Emily shares the no-nonsense principles behind her acclaimed book Brutally Honest: No-Bullshit Strategies to Evolve Your Creative Business – from firing a client a year to telling over-helpful customers to back off.

‘Parent your clients, prune your portfolio and specialise to survive – tune in for Emily’s trademark tough love.’






Episode summary
Emily Cohen

Based in New York, Emily has spent three decades advising design-studio principals on pricing, positioning, staffing and new-business strategy. Her straight-talking style has made her a sought-after speaker at HOW Design Live and AIGA events, while her self-published tome Brutally Honest has become a cult manual for creative entrepreneurs.

Big ideas in this conversation
  • Parent your practice – staff and clients thrive when you set clear rules, praise good behaviour and enforce consequences.
  • Choose a specialism – industry, deliverable or process expertise makes you memorable and raises your fees.
  • Referrals are not a strategy – proactive outreach keeps you in control of the work you win.
  • Executional vs strategic – decide whether you sell labour or insight, then build systems (and prices) accordingly.
  • The five silent roles – business vision, operational leadership, creative leadership, business development and financial management all need an owner.
  • Advice worth hearing in full
    • Fire one client a year – dropping the weakest account frees capacity for better opportunities.
    • Say ‘no’ to create space – every refusal is an invitation to a more valuable ‘yes’.
    • Build your village – curating external allies (lawyers, accountants, suppliers) is as vital as hiring staff.
    • Where next?

      Explore more of Emily’s resources – including her downloadable proposal template – at CasaDavka.com, and order a copy of Brutally Honest (complete with neon ink and fold-out infographics).

      About The 21st Century Creative podcast

      Hosted by creative coach and award-winning poet Mark McGuinness, The 21st Century Creative podcast helps you succeed as a creative professional amid the demands, distractions and opportunities of the 21st century.

      Each episode features insights from Mark and interviews with outstanding creators – including artists, writers, performers, commercial creatives, directors, producers, entrepreneurs and other creative thought-leaders.

      Make sure you receive every episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

      Join the mailing list to have every episode delivered to your inbox, along with the free 21st Century Creative Foundation Course.

      The post Brutally Honest Advice for Your Creative Business with Emily Cohen appeared first on Creative Coach | Mark McGuinness.

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