Ever feel like you’ve hit a wall with your business and aren’t sure how to break through to the next level?

Here’s the secret: If you want to grow your business and expand your influence, you have to embrace your creativity.

Creativity is a loaded word for a lot of us. Some of us see ourselves as very creative; others don’t see ourselves as creative at all.

If you’re like I was for many years, you do see yourself as creative, but in the midst of building a business and raising a family, you’ve put your creative self to sleep. Maybe you’ve let those hobbies that used to bring you joy slip, or you’ve always felt like writing just for the fun of it, but it never makes it to the top of your priority list.

Of course, creativity does show up in running your business. It shows up in the innovative process you’ve created for doing bookkeeping, the social media posts you create, and the products you design. And those things matter.

But do you know what matters even more—and what will ensure that your well of ideas to grow your business never runs dry?

Upping your creative thinking and self-expression outside of your business, too. Yes, that’s right: A “not-related-to-work” “for-no-reason” creative outlet will grow your business. And I’m excited to show you why.

So, without further ado, here are 10 practices that are scientifically proven and personally tested to up your creative thinking skills and ultimately expand your business.

1. Repeat after me: I AM CREATIVE.

To be human is to have creative power. And to be an entrepreneur is to channel your creative power into a business that makes your heart sing and serves others.

Even if you don’t feel creative, I promise that you are.

Creativity is innate and immediately accessible to all. Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel once called the brain a “creativity machine!”

I’ll prove it to you: Think back to your very first creative moment. I guarantee you have one. It may have been the first picture you drew or a lemonade stand you had as a child. As children, we all used curiosity and imagination to make sense of our world. But slowly, we began to trade imagination for implementation and playing for production.

Not only do the demands of adult life get in the way of our creativity, but also our brain’s capability for self-monitoring increases as we grow up. Neuroscience research proves that among creatives there is lower self-monitoring brain activity when they’re creating.

They key to getting to this place of lower self-monitoring is by declaring to yourself that you are creative and by consciously turning off your judging brain to unleash your imaginative brain. It’s so much easier to uncover your natural inventiveness if you believe it’s there.

2. Let Go of Originality

There are so many brilliant business ideas that never come to fruition because entrepreneurs think that their idea is already out in the world.

Here’s what I know: If you want to start a jewelry company but feel like there are already so many jewelry companies in the world, you’re thinking about it wrong.

Creativity is not always making something that no one has ever seen before—instead, creativity builds upon other things that have already been created. Think about it: it’s not possible to invent something totally new, only to improve something that already exists or to put your own expression into something. All ideas have been done before—they just haven’t been done by you!

If you’re in the development stage of building a business, stop trying to come up with a totally new idea, and instead think about what ideas you could build on. What’s one thing you could improve or two things could you combine to create something new?

3. Go on a treasure hunt for time and space.

In order to come up with great ideas to grow our business, we have to create the right conditions for our imagination to flourish.

One of the problems I hear most is that people don’t have time to be creative. If you identify with this, start watching the words you say to yourself: you’re not really “running out of time,” “wasting time,” or “low on time”—you just have to use it in the right way.

Where can you find an hour in your day for your creative passion? On your lunch break? By waking up an hour earlier? By shutting off your phone and closing your laptop an hour before you go to bed? Lack of space can also prevent creativity—which is why I recommend shifting things around in your home and at work to make way for the perfect creative space.

Time and space are hard to find as a busy entrepreneur—I get it! But by setting boundaries around when you work and when you’re spending time and space on a “frivolous” creative passion, you’re going to boost your ability to be more creative and innovative when you are working.

4. Loosen up.

Once, when I was leading a workshop on Guided Creativity at P&G, I noticed that a table of women was stuck and stopped generating ideas. I told them to get up from their seat and walk around the table to loosen up. And guess what? That table ended up creating more ideas than any other! Why? Because movement produces endorphins and endorphins change your energy and elevate your mood.

Play and positivity promote creativity more than anything else. Neuroscience research shows that individuals are more likely to solve complex problems when in a positive mood.

As an entrepreneur, you’re responsible for generating new ideas to expand your influence—which means that time spent exercising, laughing with friends and doing what you love will, down the road‚ contribute to your bottom line. Don’t skip it!

5. Limit your resources.

Let’s be real: An empty page, a blank canvas and a bare wall can be totally intimidating. If you’re feeling stuck, limit the possibilities! Give yourself a specific amount of time or allow yourself to only use one kind of resource.

Maybe that means decorating a room entirely with things you buy at a local antique shop. Maybe you start a series of social posts that are just about your office space, or you brainstorm business growth ideas that only have to do with using connections in your city.

It’s amazing how much more inspiration comes when you set parameters around your creativity!

6. Get curious.

“It is only in walks that are a little too long that one has any truly good ideas.”

This quote from one of my favorite voices on creativity, Brenda Ueland, speaks to the power of observation in creative thinking.

Start small: On your drive to work, turn off autopilot and practice noticing everything you see.

As you go, you’ll be able to start getting curious about growing your business. Opt-in for someone else’s newsletter through a lead magnet so that you can see how they market their products.

Pay close attention to how commercials are using empathy to sell their product. Read books and blogs about the journey of famous entrepreneurs.

It’s not a waste of time (within reason) to let your curiosity run wild and learn as much as you can.

7. Reframe it.

If you have a problem that you need to confront creatively, try looking at it through a new lens.

See potential, not problems.

See opportunities, not obstacles.

See chances to create, not challenges.

Try getting out of your normal realm of experience. I call this “detribalization.” Go to places and connect with people outside of your normal circle. This doesn’t have to mean traveling to a different country, but it can! I learned so much and left inspired after a trip to Bali.

Don’t be afraid of collaboration, either. Cross-pollination is a powerful tool. Ask for feedback from trusted mentors and work beside other people doing great work. Why do you think so many tech start-ups are next door to each other in Silicon Valley?

8. Challenge Assumptions

What are you assuming about the way you have to do business? You don’t have to do it the way it’s always been done.

Look at the standards set in your industry, and try going the other way to give yourself an edge.

Does everyone in your industry blog? Start a podcast.

Does everyone else use a text-heavy powerpoint when doing presentations? Don’t use a powerpoint at all!

Is email marketing the method every other business uses to market? Go back to snail-mailings.

Talking to your ideal clients in a way or in a space that’s less crowded can be amazingly effective.

9. Embrace failure (privately)

Successful innovations result from trying different approaches and keeping what works—which means throwing LOTS away. Embrace failure as part of the process, and if you can, fail privately.

Pitch your business before you feel ready, and learn from how people respond. Ask a friend to go through the ordering process for your product so that you can work out the kinks before a customer places an order.

10. Believe that creativity is vital.

Tapping into your creative power leads to confidence, awareness and happiness.  Based on a study by the APA, happiness and creativity go hand-in-hand. Not just that—60% of CEOs polled say that creativity is the most important quality to have in a leadership role! (Fast Company)

In their work, entrepreneurs who embrace creativity are more self-directing, confident and aware.  In life, creative entrepreneurs solve problems with ease, view the world through a richer lens and truly enjoy life more.

If you’re ready to uncover your creative purpose or if you are ready to creatively take your business to the next level, let’s spend a day together! I love doing Creative Strategy Days with people to create a plan for executing brilliance. Click here to set up a discovery call with me!

Elle is a veteran entrepreneur and creative strategist who takes businesses to the next level and helps thought leaders expand their influence. As a pitch coach for Aviatra’s LAUNCH cohorts, she uses her background as a professional actress to help women explain what they do with confidence and presence. Visit her website here.

 

What exactly is your business?

My business is called Prepped Girl. We are a local meal prep company making and delivering healthy breakfasts and lunches. We make all the meals from scratch using wholesome, nutritious ingredients. We deliver early Sunday morning so our customers are ready to just grab and go Monday morning.

How did you come up with your business idea?

I started out as an online health and fitness coach through Beachbody. Time and time again I heard people say, “I would _____________ if I only had the time.” I was standing in my bedroom telling my husband that there has to be a way to help people with this “time” issue when I felt the idea just download. I turned to my husband and said, “I got it. We’ll start a meal prep company…” I chose to make breakfasts and lunches because I feel that these are the two meals that get shortchanged by busy people. And, I felt there were enough dinner companies out there.

How did you find out about Aviatra?

I felt very lost during my first year of business and knew I needed to find people to guide me. I learned about both Aviatra and Ocean then. I chose Ocean in the beginning because they were faith based, and I felt I needed that, but the program seemed to be more for people who were working on developing their ideas rather than growing an already launched business. I met another food-based entrepreneur through the kitchen I worked out of (she is HIGHLY successful) who went through Aviatra. “They” say that success leaves clues, so when I saw the email about the LAUNCH program, I just knew I had to get in.

What is your inspiration?

I have several:

1) Helping people eat healthy. I know how the quality of my life changed when I changed what I ate, and I want other people—especially women—to have that same life changing effect.

2) I want to change my family’s life financially. I want to contribute to the family budget.

3) I want to show my daughters that they can be whatever/whomever they decide to be, and that we don’t just have to be “one thing” our whole lives. I want them to know that life is a journey; that we are always learning and growing and becoming.

4) My husband who put the bug in my ear to own my own business.

5) I just thought, “Why not me too?”

What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business so far?

That I am getting ready to start year 3. That I have juggled a teaching career, starting/building a business, and being a wife and mom. And that I have grooooowwwwnnnnn so much as a human being. Learning to become a successful businesswoman is probably by far my greatest accomplishment yet.

What was the most valuable thing you gained from your experience with Aviatra?

Well, we are still early in the program, by getting to work with my mentor Lacy Starling has been so transformative. I feel supported and encouraged and no longer alone.

What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting your business?

Money, of course, but also having limited resources (like people to ask questions, etc.). Also, my mindset. I officially launched my business in August and then sat like a deer in the headlights until January. I had a lot of inner work to do and fears to overcome. I knew the business was a good idea, but I did not believe in myself enough to really step into it. Where do you hope to be in 5 years? The business supports me financially and pays employees. And we have our own delivery system with trucks and drivers and such. We have our own kitchen space downtown where we can make the food and people can pop in and take food with them. Prepped Girl is franchised with several successful locations in the country.

Any advice for future Aviatras?

Just do it even when you are fearful—especially when you are fearful. And use the support and tools that Aviatra provides.

Where can we keep up with you?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/preppedgirl/

Instagram: @prepped_girl

Website: www.preppedgirl.com

We’re so excited to announce that Jackie Neville, Aviatra graduate and founder of Your Stylist LLC, now has her own radio show! We sat down with the award-winning personal stylist to find out more about her new show, The Style Edition.

What exactly is Your Stylist LLC?
JN: I help women transform their lives through their wardrobes. Your Stylist is a full-service styling company where I offer style consultations and assessments, closet audits, personal shopping & wardrobe consulting. In group settings, I offer style seminars and I also do a lot of women’s events and public speaking. On the philanthropy side, I partner with Dress for Success and donate clothes from my clients’ closet audits to help disadvantaged women—a cause very close to my heart for very personal reasons I have shared publicly.

How did The Style Edition come about?
JN: I was recently a guest on another show on 55KRC in the iHeartRadio studios. The producer was very interested in my line of work and everything I talked about on the show. After we chatted for a little bit, he asked me if I would ever consider having my own show. I thought he was kidding, but he wasn’t! He said the topic was fascinating and thought that a radio show would give me the opportunity to share my expertise and knowledge on a large platform. Before I knew it, I was in a meeting with the Program Director at iHeart, got the green light and then the hard part came – I had to get my own sponsors! But I did it and now I’m here with my own show that just premiered on March 24th on iHeartRadio!

What is your inspiration for The Style Edition?
JN: The radio show is an extension of what I do as a stylist and Your Stylist LLC. There are a lot of psychological aspects in what I do as a stylist, and my work has even been nicknamed as “style therapy.” I am always learning about women’s life changes and they choose me to help with their transformation process. I hear their stories and so many of them have career moves all the way from a new title to retirement, or marital status change, or they took a turn in their health, or the aging process has prompted them to make a change, or there’s a weight change, maybe some just recently had children while others have grandkids, others are simply realizing their style has evolved.

The Style Edition is based around the topic of style but it goes deeper than that. I talk about self development and improvement, struggles with confidence, and feeling good on the inside first so the outside accurately reflects that. I make sure that listeners know I work from the inside out.

What can we look forward to on your show?
JN: My show is for those who are seeking style advice and want to hear more on topics surrounding self image, related to clothing or not. I’ll talk about how to become the best version of yourself through your wardrobe and beyond. I’ll also discuss the common challenges, mistakes and solutions.
I’ll include real stories of transformations from my own clients so listeners can relate and know that stylists are NOT just for celebrities! I work with real women who have careers, responsibilities, families and just super busy lives.

Guests will include local business owners and sponsors in the field of improving the lives of others. I’ll feature health coaches, wellness centers, career coaches, public speakers, even dermatology and cosmetic clinics, spa/salon owners and other organizations beyond these that empower others—specifically women!

Where can listeners tune in?
JN: The Style Edition airs every Sunday morning at 8:00 AM locally on 55KRC Cincinnati & nationally on iHeartRadio app/website!

Listen to Jackie’s episodes from March 31st and April 7th! And be sure to tune in on April 28th for an episode featuring Aviatra Accelerators CEO, Nancy Aichholz!

For any startup to succeed, achieving product/market fit is among the most vital of goals. But verifying that your product meets a strong market need and can stand up to competitors is not an exact science, nor does it typically happen in one grand a-ha moment. Likewise, building momentum in a market requires patience and comes with no guarantees as customers’ needs, regulatory landscapes, and competitive pressures change over time.

“Consider that your business will only succeed if it adds real value for the user. In this case ‘value’ means that businesses or individuals will understand they need or want it enough to pay you a price that will give you profit and success,” advises SCORE mentor Bob Goedjen.

Do your homework to understand your customers’ current needs and anticipate what they’ll need in the future. Research your target demographic by spending time with prospective customers, read industry blogs and print publications, attend industry tradeshows and webinars, and seek out a professional in your industry who might serve as a mentor to you as you develop your products and services.

Focus on one primary and critical value proposition. It’s impossible to be all things to all customers. By homing in on what’s most important to your target customers, analyzing significant trends in your industry, and identifying where competitors are falling short in solving customers’ problems, you can deliver value out of the gate. If you’re solving a pain point for your customers from the start, they will be more patient in waiting for you to add other features and options.

Listen. Learn. Adapt.

Have a business plan, but be open to change as you listen to feedback and ideas from your early customers. Learn from what they’re telling you can improve your products or services. And be prepared to adapt your systems and processes to make your business more viable and sustainable.

Request a FREE Mentor Here 

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 10 million aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses through mentoring and workshops. For more information about SCORE call (513) 684-2812 or visit www.scoreworks.org. 

 

One of the most important administrative responsibilities small business owners face is keeping accurate and current records. Not only is it critical for assessing opportunities and risks that can affect your company’s profitability and potential for growth, it’s also necessary for ensuring legal and regulatory compliance.

Here’s a list of some commonly required records businesses need to maintain. While this list is not all-inclusive, it will give you a good idea of the basic items you need to track and keep in your possession.

• Accounting records
  • Expenses
  • Income
  • Invoices
  • Customer payments and transaction records
  • Tax filings (annual, quarterly, and monthly if applicable)
  • Bank and credit card statements

• Contracts (with clients, vendors, partners, etc.)
• Purchase orders
• Licenses and permits
• Employment applications
• Vehicle mileage logs
• Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Organization (depending on legal structure)
• Operating Agreement
• Annual Meeting minutes
• Trademark, service mark, and patent registrations
• Inventory logs

Without a doubt, there’s a lot to stay on top of as a small business owner. To help prevent important details from slipping through the cracks, you need to stay organized and educate yourself about what information and documentation you need to keep.

Consulting with professionals who specialize in taxes, accounting, and business law can also help ensure you meet regulations and requirements.

SCORE mentors, with their breadth of experience, can be a great resource when evaluating other providers to assist with your record keeping. Request a FREE Mentor Here

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 10 million aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses through mentoring and workshops. For more information about SCORE call (513) 684-2812 or visit www.scoreworks.org.