The Creative Business Co is working hard for pretty businesses

Today’s post is for all the pretty businesses out there!

I met Elle Roberts on twitter a little while ago and was immediately struck by her passion and energy. She is the owner of The Creative Business Co which is all about educating creatives in the art of business. She is also the brains behind The Artful Business Conference (being held in Brisbane in September) which boasts an amazing line-up of speakers including Tara Gentile of Scoutie Girl fame and Megan Auman from Designing an MBA. I was intrigued to hear more about both Elle’s ventures and I figured you guys would be too! Here’s Elle (and make sure you read through to the end for a very cool insight into how Elle thinks … it would be a game changer for many creative businesses I reckon!)

Your business is called The Creative Business Co. What was the inspiration behind its creation?

I have always had a passion for business, planning and marketing. Three years ago when my son was born and I started sewing, I fell deeply in love with the handmade, indie market and the creative entrepreneur movement happening online. I started an online store but soon discovered that my passion didn’t extend to a love for retail, rather it was for the creators and business owners behind the products.

My passion is in supporting and encouraging these people to take their business to greater heights. I do this by utilising my business and marketing background but also by helping people realise ways they can use the artist skills and talents they already have to make their business stand out from the crowd.

I really feel like I have a message to share with the world and my business gives me a voice and a medium to share that message. I am so grateful and proud every day that I get to wake up and serve this entrepreneurial community.

Where did the idea for The Artful Business Conference come from and why do creative businesses NEED to be at the conference?!

To be honest the conference was born out of a conversation I had with a friend about similar events run in USA and how we wished there was something like that in Australia. I slept on it for about a week before I decided I would create that conference myself just so that I could attend it!

It is going to be an amazing couple of days and a unique opportunity to met some incredible people from around Australia. All six of the speakers are inspiring and I am busting to hear their insights. Mostly though, I cannot wait to be standing in the room with 200 people who think about business, art and passion the same way I do – the vibe is going to electric!

You’ve got a pretty impressive line-up of speakers for this conference – want to give a quick rundown on them?

Oh gosh – where do I start?! I have immense respect and admiration for each of them and I think they have so much to offer our community. Russell is an up and coming super hero in social media, he lives and breathes it and that comes across in everything he does and puts out in the world. Lisa has been in marketing for most of her life and has done it in the corporate setting but has also run her own businesses for years now and has so much insight. Jess is a huge success and I love how she has done it all by trial and error, she is blazing a trail in the multi-passionate business model – and she is insanely cute to boot.

Megan, Jenn and Tara are absolute powerhouses and I am humbled that they have been so supportive of this event. Megan speaks so eloquently about topics that so many find icky to talk about, she makes pricing and profit sound beautiful. Jenn knows how to speak to the creative mind with enough left brain inspiration to  get the important shit done! As a firm believer of the business plan I find Jenn’s book, The Right Brain Business Plan is the book I wish I wrote!

Tara Gentile is one of my heros and when I meet her I am going to have to muster all my strength not get all crazy fan on her. I think she has such a powerful message to share with the world about the You Economy and she is empowering creatives worldwide.

Who do you consider your biggest business inspiration?

I have so many, and I find more every day but if I had to pick one it would be Richard Branson. He was my inspiration when my feet were on the corporate/hospitality path. For a few years I thought we were very different in how we approach things but I have come full circle. I respect his attitude towards making money and resonate with his need to give back and improve the environment around him.

You have lovely image on your blog at the moment that says “I am seeking financial freedom through soulful work”. I think this would be a fairly universal goal for creative business owners whether they realise it or not! What is your #1 tip to help them achieve this?

That is an easy one – Be true to yourself and BE today who you wish you were tomorrow.

Is that two? I think you need to be true and open to your own purpose and be confident to share that with the world. At the same time though you need to resonate at the level to which you wish you were at, Mastin Kipp of the Daily Love said it so simply recently in an interview with Marie Forleo “I know I resonate at this level, I am not going to strive after it – I am just going to be it.”

My own business changed almost overnight when I made that decision for myself!