Up With The Lark And

In the month of March, the theme is 'Grow' and this week specifically, about 'Growing Your Mindset'. If you are thinking of going freelance, changing direction or intimidated about learning a new skill for your business, then this is for you. My guest is Naomi Bikis, a ceramic artist, and together we explore what it is to have a 'growth mindset'. Naomi's story is such an interesting one - there is so much to enjoy and learn in this episode!

Bikis Ceramics - https://www.bikisceramics.com
Carol Dweck - The Power of Believing That You Can Improve - https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve?language=en
'Conversations' with Richard Fidler https://www.abc.net.au/radio/people/richard-fidler/7689816
Find Your Local Library https://www.gov.uk/local-library-services
Flying The Nest One to One Session with Up With The Lark https://www.upwiththelarkconsulting.com/workwithme

As it’s Valentine’s Day, it seems an appropriate topic. I think that the answer to most of your questions about your creative pursuit is ‘love your client’. Find out who they are, keep up with them, look after to them, listen to them. They will tell you everything you need to know. Like every relationship, it takes nurturing and listening. Our guest, is fashion designer Rachel McCulloch. She has a refreshingly straightforward approach to the topic. The customer is right. Keep up with them or risk failure. If you’ve ever let your focus drift from your customer, this is a great episode to get you back on track.

Have you ever been bothered, distracted or overwhelmed by the competition? Even just for a moment? Then this is for you. Fine jeweller Sophie Breitmeyer shares pragmatic and realistic advice on how to develop your own point of difference, to have faith in your convictions and enjoy supporting those in your market place.

Sophie Breitmeyer - https://sophiebreitmeyer.com
Competitor Analysis - Tuppence Creative - Ally Mackie - https://www.tuppencecreative.com

Have you ever struggled with comparison? My guest, Ruth Marsden of Bright Mama, is an actor and bloggger/vlogger/instagrammer so has a real insight on this topic. We talk about the pitfalls and temptations around comparison but also the hidden gems you can find if you manage comparison in the right way.

Find out more about Ruth here: https://www.thebrightmama.co.uk
Here is the marvellous Lucy Sheridan: http://www.proofcoaching.com

How do you respond to good feedback? Do you shrug it off? Smile momentarily then move on? In this episode I share some thoughts on why taking a compliment well is good business sense!

Have you ever received bad feedback about an aspect of your business? Perhaps the product itself, your branding, your delivery service, your pricing or even you? If you have and you weren't quite sure how to handle it, then this episode is for you. Clio Wood, founder of &Breathe Postnatal will bring you from frustrated, embarrassed, disgruntled or just uncertain to a fresh perspective, a sense of calm and embracing the idea that there is always so much to learn.

Clio Wood - &Breathe Postnatal - www.andbreathepostnatal.com

This episode is all about making the most of the mentors in your life. Find them, ask them and nurture that relationship. It's a critical way to gain insights, challenge ideas and build confidence and contacts.

Do you want to take back control of your time? This is for you! Julie Annis, an illustrator, shares some great thoughts, ideas and practical ways to make the most of the time that you have to run your creative enterprise. We look at deadlines, the tension of the creative process and the realities of life, work family balance, the power of white space, seasonality in your business and how to make it all possible. It's a much longer episode than usual but it was worth it as Julie had such great ideas to share!

References:
Hollyhock Lane - http://www.hollyhocklane.co.uk
Becoming by Michelle Obama - www.becomingmichelleobama.com
Capsule - www.capsulecrm.com
Deep Work by Cal Newport - www.calnewport.com/books/deep-work/
How To Break Up With Your Phone - www.catherine-price.com/how-to-break-up-with-your-phone/
Toggl - www.toggl.com

In this episode, I explore the importance of why it is so important to give feedback, what we can learn and I challenge you to give feedback to a surprising group of people. I hope that the result will be a host of brands giving and receiving great feedback this Christmas!

In this episode, I look at the importance of celebrating the wins. I think that the best way to do this is an annual review to chart your successes and where you can improve. I will run through the why, the when, the who and the how. I hope that you will find it helpful!