Welcome back to Creative Friction! This week we talk about the timely topic of the dos and don’ts of marketing during Black History Month. Every February, brands suddenly find they have something to say (or sell) related to Black History Month. It’s become common for brands to participate in Black History Month, but these efforts are often perceived as little more than performative activism.  

So, how can your company uplift and celebrate Black culture and the Black individuals in your community, without appropriating Black culture for likes on social media? Let’s find out. 

In this episode, we cover some “dos” such as:

- DO show support for the Black community outside of Februar
- DO collaborate with employees and elevate Black voices from your community

And some “don’ts”

- DON’T put the brunt of the work on Black employee
- DON’T celebrate publicly if you're not celebrating internally

This February, approach Black History Month with authenticity and action, but also think about how you can uplift Black communities and culture year-round. This month is more than just an opportunity to educate people. It’s an opportunity to promote positive stories, check your motives, and make some changes.

 You can also find more info about Madeline’s mastermind community, Figure 8, or join the waitlist here.

This episode of Creative Friction was produced by Fina Valenzuela.

Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry or The Meade Company, visit our websites!

Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month!

All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.

Welcome back to Creative Friction! This week, we’re here to talk about Artificial intelligence (AI) and how it might impact your creative business. AI has become a buzzword in the agency world, and some are worried about how it could harm the industry. We want to give you some advice on how to utilize AI to achieve maximum impact and efficiency. 

In this episode, we cover:

- Why infusing AI tools with creative talent creates a competitive advantage in cost and time savings
- Why it’s important to acknowledge that AI cannot replicate human intelligence and cultural awareness
- How to shift your mindset surrounding AI from fear to opportunity - and the potential for new business models that can come with it

And SO much more! AI marketing tools promise the allure of self-serve marketing, so how do agencies continue to highlight their value proposition when technology is commodifying their output? Listen and we’ll tell you!

This episode of Creative Friction was produced by Fina Valenzuela.

Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry or The Meade Company, visit our websites!

Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month!

All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.

Welcome back to Creative Friction! This week, we are tackling the beast of rescoping! Inflation is impacting every business. As creative operators, it’s crucial to ensure our work is properly priced and valued by our clients. These are the pillars of future profitability and prosperity - so let’s dive into it! 

In this episode, we cover:  

- Why profitability is more important than revenue, and how to not buy into the vanity metrics
- Why increasing prices is necessary, and how to go about calculating minimum retainers
- How to pinpoint your money makers! Figure out what you make good money off of and let go of the things that aren’t worth it. 

And SO much more! We wanted to give you this episode towards the beginning of the year so you have the tools and resources to reset your pricing mentality with clients, so you can build budgets accordingly.

This episode of Creative Friction was produced by Fina Valenzuela.

Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry or The Meade Company, visit our websites!

Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month!

All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.

Welcome to Creative Friction! We are so excited to dive into this podcast journey with you all, and we couldn’t think of a better jumping off point than addressing client red flags. Clients are an integral part of agency work, but we want to make sure you are working with the right clients for your business. 

In this episode, we cover: 

- Why establishing good and healthy boundaries with clients is essential to agency success
- Why a client asking to negotiate fees is a sign you should run for the hills, and how to stand up for your worth and your work
- How the scarcity mindset is overwhelming the marketing world, and how to hold true to your pricing and your value

And SO much more! We hope this episode gives you lots of insight into how we, as business owners, maintain a healthy working environment that values our time and labor.

This episode of Creative Friction was produced by Fina Valenzuela.

Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry or The Meade Company, visit our websites!

Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month!

All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.