An online education-based membership programme for artists, crafters and creatives of all kinds. No more flying solo, bud.
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You're working hard on your creative business, but you're not seeing the growth you expected?
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Despite your best efforts, you feel invisible on social media and have no idea how to get your business in front of the right eyeballs.
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You know that your brand has real potential, but turning it into a profitable business seems just out of reach.
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You dream of having a sustainable and fulfilling career from your handmade products, but struggle to find balance between work and your personal life.
The Creative Business Association is here to cut through the noise and provide clear, actionable strategies that work.
As a member, you’ll learn how to turn your creative passion into a thriving business... all without sacrificing your well-being or creativity.
A vault of courses to watch at a time that suits you!
We cover a wide range of topics including Social Media & Content, Marketing, Branding, Time Management and Mindset.
CURRENTLY IN THE COURSE VAULT:
Time Management & Organisation
- Time Blocking
- Task Management
- Burnout-Busting Boundaries
- Goal Setting
Social Media & Content
- Content Plan Development
- Optimising Your Instagram Profile
- Social Visibility 1: Grabbing Attention
- Holiday Season Socials
- Story Highlight Storefront
- Content Eco-System
Marketing
- Creating an Ideal Customer Profile
- Email List Building
- Product Launch Fundamentals
- Selling; Sleaze-Free
- Voice & Values: Crafting a Stand-Out Brand Voice
- Next-Level Newsletter
Mindset & Confidence
- Overthinking
- Money Mindset
- Overcoming Comparison
Implementable action plans, workbooks & resources to enhance your learning.
Learning by watching or hearing someone talk about a topic is one thing, but it's far more likely to stick when we write things down (even more so when it's on cute stationery) and relate them to our own experiences.
A dedicated community of like-minded creatives!
No more flying solo! Once you join, you'll be sent a direct link to our community Facebook group, where you'll have access to your new creative family on a platform that you're already familiar with. No need to download external apps to communicate with your newfound friends!
A calendar of drop-in coworking sessions to help keep you on track.
Being a creative business owner and working from home can be super lonely sometimes.
Sometimes we need the accountability and support that comes with working alongside someone, and that's where The Creative Business Association® comes in!
Monthly special guest interviews!
Each month, The Creative Business Association® will host a special guest interview with an influential member of the creative business community, available in both video and exclusive podcast format.
Support and guidance at your fingertips.
The Creative Business Association community will be a place to lift each other up and provide somewhere to talk about your experiences without judgement or disregard.
Rolling monthly payments, no fixed term.
I get it; working with a mentor is a big deal and you wanna make sure you're choosing someone who knows their sh*t... so let's get into the nitty gritty.
Hey! I'm Laura Jane. Founder of The Creative Business Association®, tired parent, organic marketing specialist and dog-obsessed Simpsons superfan.
I've been joyfully ingrained in the small-scale creative business world for 13 years and founded 3 successful product businesses as an artist and hand-maker.
Having built businesses in fine art, crochet, stationery, apparel, accessories, homewares and digital art, I have a wide scope of what it takes to build an engaged, excited and supportive customer base online, regardless of what you make or who your target audience is.
Outside of our world, however, I have corporate experience out the wazoo, so you know that you're in safe, professional and brightly manicured hands.
Some of my more suited and booted experience includes:
- Working directly with Facebook and Instagram on a 1.5 million view campaign to empower creative business owners,
- Working as the video content creator for Simply Crochet Magazine and host of their YouTube channel for 3 years,
- and my time as Head of Community and Social for the size-inclusive retail brand, Snag Tights.
It's good to meet you, pal. Let's do this.
Starting something new can be quite daunting, and you may still have some questions about whether you'll really benefit from joining us. Check out some common queries and concerns below.
I don't have a lot of spare time - is it even worth joining?
This is an important one! Being short on time is a big problem for many creative business owners, especially those of us with additional needs, jobs or care responsibilities. One of the main goals of The Creative Business Association® is to help its members to optimise the little time that they do have, by helping them to build a business that fits around their life and needs without burning them out.
There are educational units for creating social media content plans, time management and streamlining current processes (amongst many other things,) to make sure that your time is well spent!
By learning the things that will properly push you towards your business goals, you will be saving energy in the long run by not wasting your precious time guessing your way through!
I'm not really making much/any money. Is it worth financially investing in this group if I'm not making sales yet?
If anything, joining at the very start when you're still finding your feet is the best time to join!
If you do choose to join, yes, it is a financial investment and you may not feel as if you can comfortably become a member until your business is moving forward. It should be said, however, that building a business on your own is not only a lonely adventure, but it can be a confusing and overwhelming one. The aim of The Creative Business Association® is to offer a supportive, non-judgemental community space where you can learn, network and grow around likeminded, creative peeps.
There's a saying "you have to spend money to make money" which, while it's partly true, doesn't take into account everyone's individual situation. You know your own financial responsibilities better than anyone else, and should always trust your own judgement.
I don't live in the United Kingdom. Will this matter?
Not at all! We have members all over the world including the United States, Canada, Europe and even Australia!
The social sessions are set at a wide range of different times to accommodate as many of our members as possible and we never chat about the specifics of legalities, taxes or product testing as we know that our members will all be subject to different rules depending on their location. This means that all of our content is as wide-reaching as it can possibly be, and everything will be relevant regardless of where you are in the world!
I find socialising difficult. Will I get much out of this group outside of the learning materials?
Different individuals have different needs when working alongside others, which is why there will never be any obligation to attend any sessions that make you feel uncomfortable.
One of the reasons that I have chosen to put the learning materials into a members hub as well as delivering them live is so that everyone can still enjoy their learning experience without worrying about who else is involved at the time!
There will also be no rules regarding whether or not your microphone or camera need to be on during group sessions, if you do choose to attend. So if you enjoy the ambiance of group work but would prefer to work alongside others in a more private capacity, that's fine too! :)
Will I still benefit from being a member as someone with more business experience?
Yes! Many of us have built businesses where a lot of our practices were developed through guesswork, meaning that we probably aren't running things in the best possible way. Even for those of us that have been on this journey for a long time, a community environment that supports us and holds us accountable can make all the difference!
Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved.
The Creative Business Association® and Crappy Hour® are Registered Trademarks and the Intellectual Property of Laura Jane Barnes.