Creative Courage

Most creative founders don’t struggle because their work isn’t good enough.

They struggle because the business they’ve built, or the role that they play within that business, isn’t right for them.

In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Ramsden, Founder of film production studio, Dojo Films.

Sam has been employed in the creative industry, he’s freelanced, and now he’s running an agency. But throughout his journey, Sam has found that success on paper doesn’t automatically mean fulfilment.

We dive deep into the shifts that Sam had to make within his business to allow him to do more of the work that he loves, while still scaling.

If you’ve ever found yourself losing the creativity that made you start your business in the first place, this conversation is for you.

Covered in this episode:

How Sam built a film production studio working across 16 countries remotely.

Can creativity truly be standardised?

How niching can allow a business to be more creative.

Choosing the role within your business that’s right for you.

Agency vs one-person studio and when each model makes sense.

When giving work away for free can make you more money.

The “fun, fame, fortune” test to decide which projects to say yes to.

What to do if you hate sales but still want to scale.

And more…

If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.

PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.

 

LEARN MORE 

Dojo Films - https://dojofilms.co.uk/ 

Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator

CONNECT 

Sam Ramsden on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramsden-sam/ 

Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/ 

LISTEN 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT 

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id17215157999

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcf0CcYK3MtnITQCyGXoVVR-eTu8SEbAV

“Be authentic.”

You hear it all the time in the branding space.

But what if authenticity wasn’t actually possible?

In this episode, I’m joined by James Martin (Made By James) for a very different kind of conversation.

We dive into the idea of why “authenticity” when it comes to branding is misleading, why so many creatives end up bored of their businesses, the shifts happening in the creative industry and a whole lot more.

You’re either going to love this conversation, or hate it.

And if you’re a James Martin fan, and want to hear him take the p*ss out of me, you’ll probably love it.

Covered in this episode:

Why “authentic” brands don’t exist.

Evidence vs. perception and why you need both.

Why followers don’t equal success.

What a brand really is.

Why creatives get bored more easily than most.

The shifts that are happening in the creative industry.

Defining your own version of success.

And more…

If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.

 

PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.

 

LEARN MORE 

Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator

CONNECT 

James Martin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-martin-3b594698 

Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/ 

LISTEN 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT 

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcf0CcYK3MtnITQCyGXoVVR-eTu8SEbAV

You’re probably paying more tax than you need to.

And for a lot of creative business owners, that extra tax can become a real burden and slow down growth.

In this episode, I’m joined by Pali Banwait, who shares some advice on how you can avoid paying more tax than you should be paying.

But our conversation goes a lot deeper than tax.

Pali is the founder of Strive, which helps entrepreneurs set up businesses in Dubai and he’s also founded and invested in many other businesses over the last 20 years, which has given him a unique perspective on what makes a business thrive.

We dive into how to run your business like an entrepreneur and not just a creative, how to spot risk early before things go wrong, and why so many businesses are moving overseas.

If you want to keep more of what you earn, build a healthier business and stop wasting money through avoidable mistakes, this episode is for you.

Covered in this episode:

Why you’re probably paying too much tax and how to fix it.

The biggest misconceptions people have about setting up a business in Dubai.

How to know if moving your business is worth it.

The hidden risks most founders miss when making financial decisions.

Why you need more than just a bookkeeper to manage your business finances.

How a SWOT analysis can help you avoid upcoming risks and capitalise on your strengths.

Why reporting is essential for any business and how to get it right as a creative.

Getting feedback from clients and using it to grow your business.

And more…

If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.

PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.

 

LEARN MORE 

Strive - https://www.strivedubai.com/ 

Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator

CONNECT 

Pali Banwait on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/palibanwait/ 

Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/ 

LISTEN 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT 

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcf0CcYK3MtnITQCyGXoVVR-eTu8SEbAV

Business is hard.

With delivery, sales, marketing, and everything in between, there’s too much to do, and not enough time to do it.

That’s why I tell creative studio owners that the first hire they should make is a virtual assistant.

And in this episode, I’m joined by Richard Woods - a three-time bestselling author, serial founder, and finalist on The Apprentice - to dive deep into how to leverage VAs to scale twice as fast.

Richard runs Million Dollar Sprint, where he helps small businesses get to a million dollars as well as Sprint VA, a global virtual assistant business with nearly 200 people.

If you don’t have a VA yet, this will help you figure out what to look for and where to start.

And if you already do, you’ll learn how to stop managing them so closely and get hours back each week.

Covered in this episode:

Why most creative business owners wait too long to hire a VA.

How to find the right VA.

The first task you should outsource in your business.

The common mistakes that cause outsourcing to fail.

Management strategies for those who hate managing people.

How to know when a team member isn’t working out.

What will separate businesses from the rest in 2026.

And more…

If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.

PS: If you want a custom roadmap to grow a creative studio that works for you, rather than the other way around. Click this link - https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/.

 

LEARN MORE 

Sprint VA - https://sprintva.co/courage 

Million Dollar Sprint - https://milliondollarsprint.com/ 

LinkedIn For Breakfast - https://www.skool.com/linkedin-for-breakfast/about 

Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator

CONNECT 

Richard Woods on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardwoodsofficial/ 

Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/ 

LISTEN 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT 

Apple Podcasts - 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcf0CcYK3MtnITQCyGXoVVR-eTu8SEbAV

Should you be creating content?

It feels like everywhere we turn, we’re being told we need to regularly pump out content to attract more clients.

And yet many creatives I talk to feel stuck when it comes to content.

They overthink it.

Or they post a couple of times and they decide it’s not for them.

But the reality is that most creatives don’t have a content problem.

They have a clarity problem.

In this 100th episode of Creative Courage, Chris Do returns for a conversation that goes way deeper than ‘how to get more followers’.

We talk about what people are missing when it comes to content, the first mistakes people make, why so much content gets ignored, and what stops people from sticking around.

We didn’t agree on everything… which made this one of the most valuable conversations I’ve had in a long time.

Covered in this episode:

Should every creative business owner be making content?

The first content mistakes most people make.

How to overcome the internal blockers that stop you posting.

What really makes people buy (and what doesn’t).

Why there’s more to content than marketing.

The missing “thread” in most content.

And more…

If you get value from this episode, follow Creative Courage on your favourite podcast app for more transformational content to help you thrive as a creative.

 

LEARN MORE 

Work with Matt to grow your agency - https://www.mattessam.co.uk/creative-life-accelerator

CONNECT 

Chris Do on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo/ 

Matt Essam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/  

LISTEN 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2LSpLIyYtBLe03JBC8LjvT 

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/creative-courage/id1721515799 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Matt_Essam