Episode 146: Finding Your Own Original Creative Voice and Creating Meaning Relationships with Kitiya Palaskas, Craft-Based Designer
In this small business owner interview, Fiona talks to Kitiya Palaskas, a creative craft-based designer who has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world, since starting her business 11 years ago. In their conversation, Kitiya talks about finding one’s own original creative voice, building meaningful relationships, how she started her business, and how she worked with big brands. Enjoy this episode!
Get in touch with My Daily Business Coach
Get in Touch with Kitiya Palaskas
Books mentioned by Kitiya in this episode:
Episode transcript:
Kitiya
If you're looking to find your authentic voice and just do you 100%, or an authentic way of doing things that sort of allows you to stand out from the crowd, I think you really need to spend time experimenting and dreaming up plans and ways of doing things. But it really needs to be cut off from sources of media and content that can influence you and dilute your voice. And I'm talking mainly about like, Instagram and things like Pinterest, for example. So you really need to be finding this from something that's not somebody else's work on Instagram. I think that's like really important.
Fiona
Hello, and welcome to Episode 146 of My Daily Business Coach podcast. My name is Fiona Killackey and I am coming to you from Wurundjeri land in Melbourne and I have to pay my respects to the Elders past, present and emerging the traditional owners and custodians on the land and which I am coming to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, and I just acknowledge that sovereignty has never been exceeded.
Today it is an interview episode as you can hear it in my voice. I'm really excited to bring you this one as I am all of them. I just just feel like there's an abundance of creative, awesome, curious, wonderful people out there. And I am so lucky that in my job as a business coach and group coach facilitator, I get to meet so many of these people. I've just really formed connections and get to know their business and also get to get to know them. And my guest today is no exception.
So my guest is the wonderful, beautiful, super cool, Kitiya Palaskas. Now, Kitiya Palaskas is a craft-based designer. She has worked for more than a decade, with huge brands from Adidas, to Adobe, to Lego to Disney, and so many others, creating just really incredible brand content, doing creative direction for their campaigns, everything from like Windows to brand, content campaigns and so much more. And Kitiya also runs workshops. She is a consultant, she's Yeah, all sorts of things. And I was lucky enough to come across Kitiya, gosh, a good 8 years ago now. I was working as head of marketing for a major retailer. And somebody in my team in the content team brought up Kitiya's name into a discussion that we were having around a Christmas gifting sort of video that we were doing. And I didn't really have much to do with it. But I remember kind of watching from afar and thinking, ah, this woman is super cool. And in that kind of like feeling a little intimidated because she was so cool. She just knew her stuff. Really incredible at what she does and indeed back then as well. And I just remember that name. And I remember sort of seeing her work in different places seeing her in magazines and, and just thinking she was like the epitome of curious and creative and just awesome and like truth be told, I probably wanted to be her a little bit still do.
And so you can imagine my delight and surprise, surprise and delight but really genuinely, when I received an email from her about business coaching, and I thought Whoa, I remember telling my husband Ah, this woman is super cool and I was just so excited to help her in any way that I could with her business. Now we have gone on to do business coaching together and I've had dinner with Kitiya and I must say I had dinner with a few of my clients in one of the very sparingly you know, couple of weeks that we were not in lockdown for the last two years. And Kitiya just blew everyone away with her knowledge of mushrooms of all things, but also of you know, places she traveled and I could just literally listen to her talk about anything all day because the passion and the excitement and enthusiasm and just knowledge like insane level of detail about different aspects and different elements and I everything she said you just want to it was like God, I want to like go and watch a mushroom grow after you talked about this. And also she talks about how she took time away in various places she grew up all over the world and just absolute delight, like the type of person that you just leave at conversation within you just beaming and excited about life. And so yeah, absolutely honor to ask her to come on to the podcast today and talk about how she has built this business, how she's built this community, how she's worked with such massive brands. And you know, how does she keep the creativity coming, especially when we're going through things like lockdown. So I know that anyone listening to this is going to get so much from it. As I said, it's been my absolute pleasure to get to know Kitiya in various ways throughout the last two years and I'm really excited because at the time of coming to you, we should Fingers crossed, everything crossed the out of lockdown here in Melbourne. So I'm excited about catching up with Kitiya in real life and seeing her amazing fashion and lifestyle and just awesome aura in in real life. So here it is my interview with the brilliant craft based designer, creative director and all things curious and creative, Kitiya Palaskas.
Welcome to the podcast kiss Yeah, how are you?
Kitiya
I am doing okay, under our global circumstances. I guess that's my standard answer for anytime someone asked me how I am these days, it's always
Fiona
good to have like a caveat. Like I'm okay. Asterix. Exactly. Yes. And so it's funny because literally, I listened back to podcasts and they might come out, you know, a bit, like a few weeks after we record them or even a few months. And it's funny because like we are currently locked down six. And literally this week's podcast said, Hey, we're in lockdown. Five. I feel like you know, we've been locked down 11 by the time this comes out, bash. Gosh, I
Kitiya
Hope not.
Fiona
I hope not too. So given we're still in sort of unfolding life with COVID. How has COVID-19 in the whole pandemic and these stops that stopped out lockdowns impacted your life and your business?
Kitiya
Well, obviously, it's been a challenging time, like it has been for so many of us. I mean, everyone, and I've, like many others have felt a lot of uncertainty, fear, frustration, about life and business. And that has affected me a lot in terms of my mental health, if I'm being honest, and obviously that's carried through to thinking about my career in that context, as well. But I'm always trying to find the silver lining. And I think for me, amongst those feelings, this has also been a really huge time of growth and discovery for me in terms of my career and business. So like, I've always been a multi passionate creative, and there's always been multiple avenues to my business, like props, content creation, illustration workshops. And I've often felt because of that, because I'm multi passionate that I've been too broad or like not specialized enough to make an impact. But this business model, I've realized, since everything happened with COVID, has really helped me because I've had to pivot and sorry, I hate using that word, everyone's probably sick of hearing it by now. But I've really had to pivot. And so like, while some of my areas of my business have fallen, I guess to the wayside due to COVID, I was really able to lean on other areas of my business, like for example, content creation, and really focusing on those and grow those and steer my business in a new direction. So I guess, despite this being a really challenging time, I've also realized that, like what I'm capable of as a creative and as a business owner, and realized that I can be incredibly resilient. So I guess amongst the hardship and challenge of COVID there's also been this time of growth and like a real sense of pride. So I'm just trying to focus on that side of things as opposed to like, all the doom scrolling of the other side of things.
Fiona
Oh my goodness, it's such a beautiful answer and such a great attitude to have and thank you for being so honest as well because I feel like I don't think there's anyone out there that hasn't had mental health kind of you know, challenges in the last year and a half it's been really really tough.
Kitiya
If there is someone out there that hasn't please get in touch because I really want to know your secret.
Fiona
You'll making millions of your online course. Yeah, that Yeah, I I yeah, I think what you're doing is amazing. And obviously I've told you that before, but I do think it's great that you've had lots of different things that you could then pivot or shift or adapt or whatever word you want to use to meet what's happening right now. So well done on that front. And speaking of that, so I think I was trying to think about when I first heard about you and came into contact and it was probably around 2000 14. And that was I was working at mimco. And someone in the marketing team presented your work and was sort of like this is who we want to come in and help with some of the kind of campaigns that we were doing. And I remember just looking you up and having a look. And it was just this very amazing and creative and fun and bold and like, colorful and wonderful person. And this brand. And I also hadn't been that far back from London. And I remember just being like, Whoa, this is I haven't seen anything like this here. Or even, you know, there as well. So can you talk us through your career because it is quite varied, and how you ended up running your own business. And also, you're such a humble person. And yet, when you look at your career and who you've worked with, you're working with these huge brands like Lego and Disney and Adobe, and then you know, smaller ones as well, like obus. And hey, Tiger, how did that all happen?
Kitiya
Well, firstly, thank you. That's so nice. I might cry, feeling a bit emotional today. So thank you. That's so lovely. Well, I guess, to describe what I do to anyone that is listening who might not know of my work, I call myself a craft based designer. And that's a term I kind of coined I mean, I'm sure it existed maybe before, but I'd never heard of it. And I just kind of made it up to describe what I do. So I create work for commercial Design Settings. So for things like ads, editorial events, retail, and publishing and things like that. But they're all based in craft and handmade techniques. So I really bridge that kind of line between craft and design. So craft based designer was a term I came up with, because I kept getting asked what I do, and I found it really hard to explain. So I came up with this term. So I'm a craft based designer, I produce work, like you mentioned, majority majority commercial clients, not really many private clients. And I've been running my business now for 11 years. So I guess where I started, I've always been really entrepreneurial ever since I was a kid like I used to make these fake supermarkets in fridge, cardboard boxes with my brother and like sell all these products that we would spend hours making and like demand that our parents pay us real money for them.
Kitiya
And then, you know, when I was a bit older, I would sell crafts stuff that I'd made at school market stalls. And me and my best friend Kelly in high school had this whole business like we made a killing like we did hair wraps and like painted light bulbs. And so bandanas and we were like yeah, we were just like these little high school hustlers. And I guess that's kind of where my business acumen came from. And I guess I've really, also always been super clear on the way that I wanted to live my life as well. And like, was really quite stubborn about it, and about ensuring that I designed my own life. So I knew from a really early age that I wanted to work for myself and create a career for myself, even if I didn't know how I was going to get there. And I think there was always that dream and drive in the background, even if I hadn't fully identified it yet. So I went to art school and I studied printmaking at university. But I realized after graduating that I really just wanted to start my own business. So it was the first year of Etsy after when I graduated from uni. So I started my own, like I had my own indie Etsy shop in the first year of Etsy being being created. And that was such an empowering time for people like me, because it was like, online shopping wasn't really that common back then. And the empowering feeling of being able to create your own business so easily on a site like Etsy that was like purpose built for crafters and makers. This was so exciting. And I was also super into the DIY blogging scene at that time. So I had my own blog. And that's kind of how I, I guess, started making a name for myself in a really small corner of the internet. And during that time, I was sort of experimenting with what kind of Avenue I wanted to go down. I guess like I mentioned earlier, I do a lot of different things in my business now. And back then I also had many interests, I love fashion, I love making my own clothes, and that's what my Etsy store was. But I also loved other different kinds of craft projects. So all while working a day job I started assisting a stylist, a fashion stylist in Sydney, that's where I was living at the time and she would work on she was really established and would work on these huge amazing shoots for well known magazines at the time and you know for well known brands. And that was kind of my foot in the door of working in a commercial design setting. And she knew I was super crafty and she would get me to make all these bespoke props and costume accessories for models to wear during her shoots. And she was kind of the catalyst for I guess what I am now doing in my career because she really encouraged me to be original in that way and she would anytime one of her stylist friends needed something similar or something really bespoke. He would always pass that job on to me. And that was how I kind of got started. And also started to realize that I could do craft as a job, that I could actually get real money from handcrafted things that previously I just done for fun. So that was Yeah, like a really inspiring and empowering time. And also, I think, during that time, DIY as a trend was having this huge resurgence. So handmade anything was trending like hand hand drawn typography, crafty elements, in installations and in photoshoots. So it was really becoming trendy and mainstream media, like in ads and creative campaigns. So I think I was really offering something totally unique at that time, and totally different to, I guess what was common in advertising, in particular. So I was really able to leverage my skills at that time, and just like forge this nice career path for myself. And yeah, I guess it just rolled on from there. And it was also pre Instagram makes me sound so old. So word of mouth was how I got all my work. And that's how I really like built my brand. That was a long story.
Fiona
No, it's a fascinating story. And are you still in touch with that woman who helped you?
Kitiya
Yes, we have worked together on projects, you know, throughout the years, and she is still an amazing and inspirational person, and she's still stylist. So that's really cool.
Fiona
Amazing, there's so many, gosh, so many things in that from all the different party went down. And also just the, I think even being able to work with somebody like that, and to take in everything that you can take from those opportunities as well, like, a lot of people don't do that they don't reach out, or if they get an opportunity, they, you know, let their own self talk get to them, and then they don't end up going or, you know, following up on an opportunity or a lead. So roll down for doing that.
Kitiya
Thanks. I mean, look, don't get me wrong, I have a lot of negative self talk still. But I think in this instance, it was fortuitous, because this person was a friend of a friend. And I think that's something that we can't discount as people trying to forge careers. And as well, like, you never know when a friend is going to turn into someone that could have turned into your client. And I think it's really important to like when you go out into the world, I always tell people who are asking for advice, or that I'm mentoring, that you should try and make friends as opposed to contacts, like friends, not contacts. Because when you can forge a personal connection with another person, and they know who you are, and what you're likely to be like, if you've ever worked together, they'll always just think of something somewhere down the line, and you just never know, as opposed to just exchanging a business card at a networking event, you know what I mean? Making friends, you just never know when your friends are gonna be able to help you and support you.
Fiona
Yes, and also, that's such good advice. And I think as well, like, what you're saying is just do it your own way. Like I remember when I started and I would be, you know, here, you know, out in Warrandyte, which is not the city, and I had like a young child and I thought I'd see people like on Instagram that were in the same space as me and they were like going to this networking event and this, you know, Women's Business thing and this thing and and be like, I'm not going to anything, but I made my own way. And I think like sometimes you can look at that. I think I need to be at every networking event and I need to be swapping cards and stuff. But really, you're so so right. It's like actually forming long relationships that can last after that night finishes. And you've got like 50 business cards.
Kitiya
Yeah, definitely. I mean, I have to say, like, I don't would not even be able to tell you where any of the business cards anyone's ever given me are right now. But I have kept friendships from things like that. But also for all the introverts in the crowd, you don't need to actually go to it is fun. And it does help to see people face to face, especially when you've been creating human company due to being in lockdown, for example. But a lot of the friends that I've made have been through the internet. And I've ended up you know, working with some of those people and collaborating with them. And I haven't even met them in real life yet. Yeah, we were we've worked on real jobs together. You don't have to, you know, be at a physical event to make a friend.
Fiona
Totally. Oh my gosh, I'm just like nodding along here. You're so creative, and you're so passionate. And even recently, when we had the pleasure of having dinner together, you were talking about mushrooms and I have to say, I felt like you could have like created the most incredible documentary just the passion alone that you had for one thing.
Kitiya
It's so random.
Fiona
Fascinating, like, fascinating and you're just passionate and you just ooze this like passion in whatever you're talking about. So can I ask, what was your upbringing like? Are your parents the same way is that sort of where you got this creative burst of energy from and like, are they small business owners are they into trying new things and then also, I know That you have traveled quite a lot in your upbringing as well as you know, as an adult. So like, how do you think all of that has influenced you?
Kitiya
My parents are both incredibly creative. However, they both are not ever done their creative things as a career. So my mom, I think, is probably where I get the passion for craft from she's a prolific craft, she's literally done every single kind of craft some days, I just look on her Instagram. And she's done like four different five different kinds of craft things. And you're like how on earth, managed to do all of those things in a day and execute them to perfection. So she's definitely where I got the Crafty gene from, for sure. My dad used to be a graphic designer in his early career days, and is an incredible photographer. So they both understand, you know, the creative ethos and that kind of thing. So that's really good to have, I guess, that influence growing up, they're both retired now. But my dad was an academic. So his work actually took us all over the world. And because we're a mixed race family, so my dad's Greek, and my mom's Thai. And I was born in New Zealand, my dad migrated there when he was a kid. But we didn't actually have a hometown, like a lot of people do. So growing up, I think my parents just being from totally different countries, they look for work everywhere, not just in, you know, one place. So that's why we got to travel. My brother and I got to travel a lot when we were younger, and live in many different countries. And I think that really has shaped my overall, I guess, like view because I got to experience so many different kinds of cultures, and also so many different ways to live. So like, you know, you know, I've experienced small town living where, you know, family is really big. And there's lots of tradition, because people have lived there for their whole entire lives. But I've also experienced expat culture in other countries, like the Emirates, for example, where everyone's an entrepreneur, and there's so many international people, and you see people from all different walks of life, and it's very culturally rich. And yeah, so I think it's really, it's really created a really diverse, I guess, life view. For me, I think that's really helped when it comes to how I pull from all different places, when it comes to my creativity and my career. So yeah, I definitely think it's shaped me into a very mixed, mixed kind of person.
Fiona
Oh, and what an amazing person and amazing view that so many people don't get to get you ever have that sort of...
Kitiya
I feel so grateful. I think like, I mean, I especially started to feel grateful when I became financially independent and realized how difficult it was to travel as much as I had traveled as a young kid, because you have to, like, make money to travel. So I do feel incredibly fortunate that I was able to have that opportunity as a young person.
Fiona
Yeah, oh, my goodness. And when if people have not heard about you, I'm sure they most of people listening have but if you haven't, I mean, definitely just go on over and check out Kitiya Palaskas. And we'll leave the link to that in the show notes on Instagram. But instantly from anything that you do, if it's your website, your Instagram, any of your work, like color is like, right away. Like it's just Whoo, in there. And it's amazing. It's really colorful, it's really bold. And I know that, you know, nowadays you can see other businesses doing that. But when I first encountered you and your brand, you were really the only one that I felt was doing this in Australia in your own way, and you stay true to doing things in your own way. And exceed, I guess what I see people starting out and I see like a lot of people, especially that used to come to my loving Monday's workshop, which is like starting a business, the brand logo, the brand, everything would kind of look very same same. And you know, like even right now there's lots of things that are very muted the very sort of same kind of tones. And I guess my question is, how do you just do you? 100%? And I guess, because you were so new and different in that space, and you're still so different. What advice would you give to others listening who maybe do want to do things differently, but they're also like, well, Will it work? Or will I stand out too much? And I'm just trying to find my feet and let me just sort of go under the radar and kind of do it similar to other brands out there.
Kitiya
That is such a good question. And I think something that is really important in today's age of, you know, Instagram and Tiktok trends and stuff like that again, there I go sounding really aged
Fiona
... I'm way older than you, so...
Kitiya
Those tik tok kids, I don't know how you do it. I think it's really hard to identify original thoughts in yourself in the era of Instagram and Pinterest. And obviously, there's no doubt that they're there but they're, they might be buried under like this flood of content that we're presented with every single day all day. So it can be really hard to work out like What your original voice actually is, especially when you are starting out and trying to establish yourself as a creative or, you know, establish an original voice. So like I said, I was really lucky because I started my career before Instagram even existed. And even when it did, people were still just using it for taking personal photos and like putting the Sierra filter on top of it, you know, like they weren't using it yet for business growth. So I think back in those days, I would just sit in my studio and experiment and play around with materials and designs. And sometimes it would just be a big mess, I wouldn't really be anything, but then other times there'd be this like, lightbulb kind of moment, it's hard to explain, I'll try. But it's sort of like an internal feeling in your chest, that's excite like of excitement. And you feel this kind of satisfaction and connection with the thing that you've just made. And that's how it's like a spark. And that's how I knew, you know, I was really onto something. So it's like a physical, an emotional connection and a feeling over this thing that you've just created. And just like getting so excited about it and staring at it for ages. And it just making you feel really happy and good. To me. That's how I identify when I'm truly connecting with an authentic creative voice. So I guess that's like part of an answer to your question. But I would also say like if you're looking to find your authentic voice, and just do you 100%, or an authentic way of doing things that sort of allows you to stand out from the crowd, I think you really need to spend time experimenting and dreaming up plans and ways of doing things. But it really needs to be cut off from sources of media and content that can influence you and dilute your voice. And I'm talking mainly about like, Instagram and things like Pinterest, for example. So you really need to be finding this from something that's not somebody else's work on Instagram. I think that's like really important. And I think for me, at least, there's like definitely this level of stubbornness in me that has really helped me to just do my own thing this entire time. Like, I usually really hate people telling me what to do, if I've already decided from a gut feeling that I want to do it in a certain way. And so, you know, when I was a teenager, I would like really rebel against stuff like that. And even though that can be a bit of a bratty approach, I think it's still really helped me to like to be stubborn and vehemently authentic, to have that, like, individual original voice in my career now. I hope that answers your question.
Fiona
It does completely and so after so many tips and insights, and thank you for answering it in such a considered way. Because I do feel like even just that advice about, like, look at where you're getting inspiration from and make sure it's not social media, because that's other people's stuff. It's so true. Like, I think the people, we're not, you know, we're on our screens all the time. And we're not going to I'm not even going for a walk or going for an art gallery, or you're not going to see something else that might trigger it's going to like see the symphony or, you know, like, just even listen to some classical music or switch things up a little bit. You just never know where the inspiration is going to come from. But I feel like you know, and I have a love hate relationship with social media. But I feel like sometimes it can be inspiring to be on social media, but it can also quickly escalate into comparison rather than inspiration.
Kitiya
Completely. And you know, like, I have a love hate relationship with it too. And I get inspired and love seeing people on there doing amazing things. But I feel like my inspiration comes from watching someone else be their authentic self. So if, if you just want to see some really beautiful stuff and support your community, that's where Instagram can be really powerful. But if you're trying to, you know, chip away at all that and like dive deep and find your original voice, I think you just can't try and find it on there. You have to find it from real life. But also even things like you were saying sound smell, experiences, feelings, all of those things can help you shape a voice, an original creative voice doesn't just have to be like an aesthetic style.
Fiona
Totally, totally. And speaking of style, and aesthetic, and like creative stuff, you are really well known for your amazing DIY kind of creations. And we will link to your blog, which has a bunch of DIY projects, but also you can check them out on Instagram. But that's it kitty Alaska's dot com forward slash blog. But you also do a whole lot of like brilliant branded content, and you work closely with brands on like creative direction for their campaigns. What have been some of your favorite projects? And can you talk us through how those actually came about? like did you PhD they just find you through Pinterest or Instagram or, you know, a referral like how did you end up winning those jobs as well?
Kitiya
Okay, another fun question. So I guess like I said before, a lot of my work has come from word of mouth, and I actually to be honest with you haven't previously done a lot of active pitching. I have done some but not all. Although I really am starting to do that more now, to help me be a bit more selective about the kinds of work that I want to take on. And I think that this is fairly unusual, and I feel really grateful that I've managed to sustain my career for this long through majority word of mouth recommendations. I don't know why that was the case. But it's been that way. So I work on, like, so many different projects, and they're all so unique and special in their own ways. And they all have things that I've learned from them. And sometimes it's the things I've learned that make them the most like rewarding and favorite projects for me, not necessarily that they were fun, but I'll go through a couple that really stand out to me. So I guess the first one was creating my DIY craft book pinata party. So I have always loved writing and reading. And it's been a dream of mine. Since I was a kid to create my own book, I originally wanted to be the first girl under 12, to publish a full science fiction novel, and I wrote like half or three quarters of one when I was a kid, obviously could not get a book deal at age 12.
Fiona
Well, you are very, very ambitious, then it's amazing.
Kitiya
I spent like entire weekends just writing this novel. I've still got the original pages. But I guess like, so to be able to publish my own book, have it be available in lots of different countries and things like that was a huge highlight for me. But it was actually a really challenging experience for me, because the process of writing a book as you would know Fianna because you've written one, two, was long and hard. And you really like yeah, I found it really challenging. But I think the thing that made this my favorite project is the collaborative process that I experienced working with my photographer in particular, Mark Lobo, who was a friend of mine, and so I never worked with him before and getting to, I creative, directed the shoot and styled it. And it was like that thing I was mentioning before about that spark, like when you hit on something, and you know, like, I was born to do this, and you feel like you're naturally, everything comes easily to you. That's what happened when I worked with him on, you know, creating the images for the book, it was just this beautiful partnership. And we work so seamlessly together, which is rare, I've never worked with someone before it can, you know, like not be perfect as you're learning how to work with each other. But that coupled with the feeling of just just fitting into this role of styling, and creative directing this project of mine made it the most amazing experience. So that was one and so that I was approached to do that, but to pitch on a book. And then the editor had found me on Instagram. So that's how I got that one. Another job. So random, these jobs are very, very different from each other. But another one was when I produced and starred in a YouTube craft show for Warner Music, where it was like odd attack meets play school. My two like biggest inspirations in life. And so basically bands on the Warner roster when they were on tour in Australia, remember when bands could tour? Oh my god, what is that? Yeah, I know what does that mean, they would come on to my show, which was this set that was set up in the Warner Music offices. And they would just walk in and it was like, we had little kids chairs and a little kid table and I designed the entire set and built it. And they would come in and sit down at this table. And we would do a craft project as I interviewed them about their album or about their music and what they were doing in Australia. So it was very random. But interestingly, it was a huge step outside of my comfort zone in that it was like my first time hosting a show. And it was really intimidating because I'm some of the people were really famous. And they were bands that I really admired and, and loved. So then having to, you know, be a host, ask them questions, respond to the questions, kind of try and fit in with their already tight knit camaraderie that they have as a band and not feel like a loser. And then also do craft with them at the same time and have that make sense and be funny and asking questions. Like it was all just so beyond anything that I was comfortable doing. But I think it was memorable to me because it was a huge learning curve. And I gained so much more confidence as a presenter as a result. So and it was just a really exciting opportunity. And that one I got through a friend like I was saying before friends, you know, it was a friend I've known for years and he started working there. And one day he just approached me with this harebrained idea and that's how that ended up happening.
Fiona
Oh God, how is this the first time I've heard about this, googled it and I'm finding it and we're going to link to PTF alaska.com forward slash content hyphen creation because I'm literally we stopped recording I'm gonna be watching these videos. I can't wait to see this.
Kitiya
Also, one of my friends' bands created a jingle for the show and so now I have My own jingle. And I sometimes use it on like on DIY project videos and stuff. Oh, you should use it more because not everyone has their own jingle so I should really make the most
Fiona
No, no, that will be the quote that goes with this podcast. No one has their own jingle that's, that's so so amazing. Oh my goodness. Wow, I don't know if I can even ask this next question, but and I don't usually ask this kind of question. But outside of lockdown time, what does a typical week look like for you? Because I think sometimes we can see especially, you know, with you with someone like you that's making these incredible creations and it's all looks awesome. And we don't see really all the stuff that goes on behind the behind the scenes. We just see this like the end product and it looks incredible. And so can you talk us through the typical week? Okay,
Kitiya
Well, I think the first thing I should say to preface this is that no week is a typical week for me because I do so many different things. And I actually do so much in a week in the space of a week as you would know Fiona as we've chatted about it many times before my to do lists, like a bit wild,
Fiona
You're a very efficient person,
Kitiya
Really? Oh, that's great that you think that because I feel very disorganized a lot of the time in my head, but maybe it's just a frazzled, at least it's coming across as me being efficient. So that's cool. I'm glad. So I guess I'll go through like, I guess some of the things that I might do in a week, even though every week is different. So first of all, boring, but necessary, I do a day of admin or like strategy. Actually, the strategy part is fun, the admin part, maybe not so much. And also like in that day, I usually work at a co working space, once a week, I work from home, usually just to get out of the house because I can become very Hurmati. And I just have two cats, and I just talked to them all day. And I don't see any other humans all day. So I decided to do one day a week, my admin day at a co working space, so I could just be amongst the fellow humans. On that day, I might also do things like self education, like take a course client liaison, have meetings, do Pinterest maintenance, update my blog. Also, sometimes coaching is coaching with you. And then I guess other things are like I could be making, I could be working on fun personal projects and documenting them for social media. And then like being present on stories responding to DMS, that kind of thing. Other days, I could be creating client content. So filming, editing, doing voiceovers, creating blog posts, designing projects writing copy, then I could actually be working on like a proper installation project. So designing that costing it quoting, creating technical drawings, like making mock ups and samples. So a lot of the work I do involves me actually having to create physical mock ups to show clients so there's a lot of work involved in that. And then yeah, actually being in production mode to create those things. I also try and do like if I can, a half day or full day obviously not when we're in lockdown every week to just do inspiration hunting or like take myself on an excursion to get out of the house. So you know I love to go thrift shopping to find inspiring things that I can upcycle maybe visit an art exhibition catch up with a creative friend, just go for a walk somewhere else be inspired, do a little road trip that's like usually half a day or a full day if I can. What else I do like material sourcing days and visits to suppliers and manufacturers and fabricators so that can sometimes take me Look, honestly right now anything to get me out of the house is great. Also in the mornings, in general, I like to take it a little bit slower, I find my creativity kind of increases as the day wears on. And unfortunately for me in my sleep patterns, I am the most inspired and creative in the middle of the night. And the least in the morning. So I try to have a slow morning, maybe do exercise, just do life stuff like chores and have a coffee hang with my cats that kind of thing. And then at nights, I do a lot of content brainstorming and project planning on the couch with a wine with my fiance because I'm the most creative then. And so I try to kind of work with my creativity flow, rather than try and like be creative in a time when my brain is just like not not feeling it. So I might do that at night. And I find that really fun. It's like kind of my favorite part of my business is like dreaming up new ideas and how I'm going to execute them. The execution part is the hardest part for me, but the dreaming up part is definitely the most fun. And you know, like in general, I'm a really high achiever and I'm an incredibly ambitious person and I truly love like I'm truly obsessed with my job. And so I find it really hard to actually switch off and relax because I get these ideas and I just get so excited about them and I just want to work on Like right now and action them immediately. And I have to work really hard on creating boundaries around life and work. And that's something that I'm really trying to work on at the moment because I have a tendency to burn out a lot. And when you've got a lot on your plate, and you love what you do, it can be really hard to like, separate that from just your human need to rest and like fuel your body and move your body and things like that. So if I don't pay attention to that, I'll just work 24 seven, because I like it so much. So yeah, that's something I really am trying to be more aware of these days.
Fiona
Oh, my goodness, so, so much in that answer. And I guess the reason that I wanted to ask you that was because I think sometimes we don't see all the work that goes on behind something we can just like I said before, see the end product? And I love that you're also really aware of, you know, what's a good time for you in the day? And when you were talking about like the evening? I don't know if that song that was like really big A while ago, and it was like, in the evening, the real me?
Kitiya
Oh my god. Yes. And also, thank you so much for serenading me today.
Fiona
Yeah, we're in lockdown, I'll do anything I can do. Yeah, it's really, really interesting to hear all of that. And so can I ask, When you said I'm learning how to not get into burnout, or to sort of set boundaries? Is there anything to seven one thing in particular that's working well, so far for you in that journer?
Kitiya
I think just the main thing is like for me is identifying what the symptoms of all the signs of burning out after me. And then also telling my fiance that so that if I'm in the thick of it and don't realize he can notice the signs and remind me or pull me up on it and say, hey, you've been doing x y, z, I think you need to take a break. So being able to identify it is important. So you can catch it before it turns into full blown burnout.
Fiona
Oh my gosh, it's so so so wise. Yes. And the other like you are, you know, we're talking about You're so passionate about the thing. And it's it's not just, you know, the actual creation and working with this. It's also what it brings to your brands and the people that you work with and your clients. And I know that you also run workshops for businesses looking to like, connect with their own staff or their audience in a new way. Why is craft and creativity, like so important to businesses and also to like people's employment satisfaction, and I guess this podcast will come out just before we hit the last quarter of the year. And I know people listening might be thinking about, especially after the years that we've had, like, how can I get my employees together in a way that's like fun? And not just like a typical Christmas party? Or, you know, even how can we like engage and maybe have an event in store for audience like, Can you just talk us through I guess, because I know that you're so interested in craft and creativity and why it's important to businesses?
Kitiya
Yeah, well, thank you for asking this question, because I could talk about this all day. But I'll try and keep it brief. So I read this survey recently that that said that 73% of people and that's heaps reported that they felt creatively fulfilled, and were doing, you know, craft based or like making activities with their hands. And that doing so had a really high impact on easing their anxiety and depression and also increased their feelings of satisfaction and achievement and accomplishment. And, you know, I feel like engaging in creative activities like craft and DIY, it can be really cathartic. And it can give you an outlet to express your energy. And I feel like that's especially important. If you are working, let's just say like in a high paced environment where you're on a computer all day, and you really don't have any way in your workday where you spend most of your day to connect physically with tactile things. You're just living on this on the internet and having to, you know, tick all these boxes on your to do list and you've got all these deadlines. And so the act of creating something with your hands, it can just be incredibly fulfilling. And you can just feel, you know, really proud and really satisfied just from having a tactile connection with something. And I think all of that impacts positively on mental health. And not only that, but creating something amazing by hand is a really great way to bring like this small moment of joy into your day. And I think that's a really wonderful thing, especially for people that are going through things like a lockdown as an example. And I guess in terms of business and for brands. Incorporating tactile, handmade elements into your campaigns I found really helps to create like this approachable personality. And it can be a really genuine and effective way to connect emotionally with your customer. So like when they see something that you're putting out there that has been created by an actual human, they immediately feel like there's real people behind what you're selling. And I think authentic connection is incredibly important, especially in this world we're living in filled with digital content all the time. And so that's kind of why I do what I do in a nutshell.
Fiona
Oh my goodness. And there's so much in that. I know that like even some of my friends took up [...] last year for the first time, because they wanted some escape from being yet like online and digital and being on your phone all the time. It was like, give me something to do with my hands. It's not my phone.
Kitiya
Yeah, and you know, because I love stats, Adobe, even predicted that, like DIY was going to have a huge resurgence in 2021, as a direct result of that exactly what you've just said, and about, you know, increased screentime from being locked down. A lot of people working from home, a lot of people trapped in the house, they all are starting to turn towards these creative pursuits to just get them through. And I'm definitely I've always been an advocate for it, of course, but I'm definitely seeing an increase in that as a trend like, this year official.
Fiona
Yeah. Oh, my gosh. And can I ask you another question? So out of all these extra questions for you, why do you think people don't do craft? Like as in do you think? I mean, it might be hard for you to answer this, because you're doing it all the time. But do you think there's some sort of like invisible barrier that we think, Well, mine is gonna turn out crap, or, you know, she's really good at it. And I couldn't do it like that. Like, I guess what would you say to someone who's listening to this? And may be thinking, yeah, I should, I should go and do a class or I should go and do something. Or maybe I'll go to Kitty's blog and download something I could do. But then, you know, their brain kicks in with like, oh, probably make it look crap, or is there anything you might say to them?
Kitiya
I mean, I think the number one thing that I hear from adults attending my craft workshops is that I haven't crafted since I was a kid, that's literally what so many people say, every time and I feel like they either think that's just what kids do. Or like I'm a I'm an accountant. Now, I can't indulge in this craft stuff. It's silly, or they think it's someone else. They don't realize that I can anytime these people say these things, 20 minutes later, they are like elbows deep and felt scraps, I'm just loving them loving it sick. Like they are just obsessed. And they always leave just so with this sense of like I said, satisfaction and reward. And just they always say things like, I just can't believe like That was so fun. Like, I can't believe it was so fun. So it leads me to believe that there's a stigma that craft is for someone else, not for like grown ups maybe and also exactly what you said that a lot of people seem to have assumptions that they're not good at it. So a lot of people also say to me, like, Oh, I'm not good at crafts, but then they create something incredible. So I think that you might have tried something once, I don't know when you were like seven, and it didn't work out. And then something a complex formed in your head. And you just carried that through into your adult life and just thought I'm not good at creative stuff. But you actually are. And I think a lot of people don't realize that you can be creative and creatively minded, and not necessarily have to make a physical, like have physical output, or that you might be creative inside. But you've never given yourself a chance to actually put your hands onto something and see what you can do. So yeah, I definitely think that's, that's a huge thing. And in terms of what I would say is just give it a go. Like, you might find something that you didn't realize that you were good at or that you enjoyed. And like I think when I say that you're good at, you don't need to be good at craft to enjoy craft, you can be really bad at it. And in fact, I highly encourage people to just try stuff. And if it's ugly, don't feel like you have to share it on social media. It has to be like Pinterest worthy. It could be the biggest Pinterest fail, but you could have had like the best afternoon of your life making something so I think just go for it. And yeah, just try not to have any preconceptions of what it's going to turn out like, and just see if you like it or not.
Fiona
I feel like that should just be a logo for life. Like a slogan sorry for life. Just
Kitiya
You can apply that to other areas, too. Not just Yeah,
Fiona
oh no, this is like making me feel like I need to get to a craft workshop. So I guess if you're listening, and you are you've got staff or even like friends or whatever, and you want to do a an adult craft workshop. definitely get in touch with Keita and likewise for you know, campaign creation and all those other good things. So you mentioned before that you've been in business for 11 years, which is like, so amazing. Well done. I know here in Australia, like 60% of businesses fail in the first three years. So 11 years is incredible. And hope you celebrate that. So what have you had to kind of learn during your time in business to uplevel? Have there been anything in particular that's been super difficult or just more of a challenge than other parts of business learning?
Kitiya
Hmm, great question. I think that the biggest thing is actually mental for me so that my own ego and my own feelings of fear and imposter syndrome can get in the way of my actual career growth like that is something that has definitely happened for me over the years and you know, learning to try to separate business decisions and business strategy, from my thoughts has been a really hard thing to learn and something I'm still working on. But crucial because thoughts aren't necessarily facts. And I think you can get in your own head a lot as a solo business owner, especially working in a niche area like I do, where I don't really have that many other peers in my circle that I can talk to, or go to for advice, because I do such a unique thing. So I have friends that I can talk to that do, you know, maybe one element of what I do, or another one, but not someone that's doing all the all the exact same things as me. And so I think I can really get in my head a lot. And things can seem a certain way, just because your mind is spinning them in that direction. So I think it's really important to try to if you can, and I'm still trying to work out how to separate that from your business planning, because it can really affect it and has for me, so that's probably one thing. And then I think the biggest lesson that I've learned this year, in particular, and last year, is that to grow, you really need to invest in yourself and your business, and you need to take some risks, and you can't play it safe. So I think like, I've always been the kind of person who gets scared of failing. So I might not try stuff, because I'm fearful to take a risk or to step a little bit outside of my comfort zone like that. And, you know, I worked a day job for many years, I do my, my business full time right now, and I have in various other phases in the past, but I, you know, could get really stuck in that whole day job security and feel like I didn't want to invest and step out and take that risk to devote more time 100% to my business, but when I did, I experienced incredible business growth. So I think whether it be a time investment or financial investment, some kind of investment is required in order to push to the next level. And yeah, if you're not a risk taker, like me, I mean, I'm really sensible, especially when it comes to money these days. But I do think that some element of measured risk is incredibly necessary for growth. And that's the biggest lesson I've learned this year.
Fiona
So, so I'm just I'm loving all of this, you could just like write a book, read or write another book, like a business book. But what you mentioned, like investing in your time or your money into things, and so have there been like books or courses or, you know, mentors or anyone that you've worked with, that you'd recommend for other people listening to this?
Kitiya
Absolutely. First one on my list is you.
Fiona
I was afraid that so you didn't feel like you have to say that at all.
Kitiya
But let it be known entire world that I have you been doing business coaching with Fiona, oh my god, you've literally changed my business life like you have helped me so much. I can't even put it into words. So definitely you. I've never really done formal business coaching before. And so that was an investment for me. And it was, you know, like it was a measured, not risk. But it was just a measure decision that I made to invest in myself and my business with you. And like I was saying, you know, when you do invest, you experienced incredible growth. And I think working with you is really done that for me. And she didn't pay me to say this. Because
Fiona
I do you think working with anyone is a risk. You just don't know if you're going to like I've worked with different business coaches, the one I have at the moment is great. I have worked with people in the past that I haven't felt like I got Machado. So I would say that it is a risk and you got to find the right person for you. Yeah. Thank you. Are there books or other things as Yeah,
Kitiya
Well, one other I just wanted to also mention one other I guess mentor is actually my accountant. I don't know how many people can say that about their accountant. But her name's Sarah, her business is called Bridge and Tunnel Accounts, she has literally pulled my business out of the financial gutter because I was so just flighty and impulsive, as you know, with money when I was younger, and that really affected I guess, like my financial business growth in the early days. And she's really helped me over the last few years to rein that in and create systems that ensure that I never have to stress about money. And I think that as a freelancer is a huge thing that can impede growth and like the way you feel about your about how successful you are. And so I think yeah, that's been really great. I mean, I've never been able to say that about an accountant before. So she's awesome. But in terms of books, I've got two favorite books that I think would be that I really want to share. So one of them is called How To Be Everything. And it's by a person called Emily Wapnick, who has also done a TED talk on the same topic. And it's all about being a multi passionate, creative, but also just person so it's for anyone out there who feels like they cannot hone in on one particular thing that they want to be. And one particular thing that they want to do and like me has many different interests and wants to pursue all of them instead of people Just one. And so that's kind of like a guide for anyone that feels that way, and how to leverage all of those skills and interests and passions to shape a career for yourself. So I would highly recommend, and then also, Elaine Welteroth's book more than enough. So she's the former editor of Teen Vogue in the USA is a mixed race creative is incredibly inspiring to me. And her book is a memoir. And it's all about, I guess, yeah, being mixed race and, and how that, you know, being a minority and managing to work her way up to create a dream career for herself and create all these amazing opportunities. And just her work ethic is incredible. And she's so inspiring, because she just goes for stuff that she wants, she doesn't wait for it to come to her. And basically every page of her book, I was just like, yes. So I would highly recommend that as well. And then finally, this is one quote from Nelson Mandela, which I have stuck up on my computer, I'm going to read it to you. And I don't really I'm not really a quote kind of person. But this one really stuck with me when I first saw it, and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. So this is the quote, "There is no passion to be found playing small in settling for a life is less than the one you are capable of living." And I just love that and try and live by that as my own personal mantra. So thanks, Nelson Mandela.
Fiona
Oh, wow. Oh my goodness, those books. I'm definitely gonna go and check it out. The Elaine one I have on Audible but yeah, she's she has so many great Instagram lives and just a whole lot of free information out there as well. So stylish. Oh my gosh, she's so so so so, so stylish. Like, that quote is amazing, as well. And I'm all about the quote. So yes, give me a good quote every time I will love it. On the tech side of things. Are there any kind of tech tools or platforms or, or kind of things that you work with day to day in your business that you just couldn't live without them?
Kitiya
Yeah, definitely. I mean, obviously Instagrams one, but I would love to live without it, but I can't. So that's a reluctant one on the list. Don't come for me Instagram algorithms, please don't be listening to my conversation. But in terms of other tech tools, Adobe Creative Suite. I use even though I'm a craft based designer that makes everything by hand. I use Adobe Creative Suite every day in many different ways for my business, so couldn't do without that one, for sure. You know, like just managing workflow and organizing my frazzled and excitable brain. Asana is key for my business. I use it every day. And it's been really helpful to help me work you know, have a to do list that isn't just written on the back of like a piece of packaging from a felt box of felt like, it's just been so good. And you can color code it. And I love that when you take off certain tasks, like unicorns fly across the screen and stuff. So that makes it quite fun. Anything that can make admin fun for me is very good. And then on that note, also just Google Drive and Google Calendar, I use Google Drive to share a lot of documents with my clients. And just yeah, if I didn't have Google Calendar, sinking absolutely everything I would forget about every appointment that I could ever have, because that kind of stuff just doesn't, you know, just falls out on my brain immediately. So yeah, those are my tools.
Fiona
I love them. And we'll make sure to link to all of those in the show notes as well as those great books that you mentioned, what are you most proud of from your journey? 11 years.
Kitiya
I think actually, to be honest, we I know like the journey, I feel like just the act of having built something completely nation unique and not really seen before from absolute scratch and just being an absolute nobody with no business training like literally like even just coaching with you is the first formal business training I've ever done. So to be able to now be doing this full time and to have been able to design my life the exact way that I want to and finally be seeing that come to fruition now a decade later. That's the most rewarding thing for me and that's what I'm most proud of.
Fiona
And what a perfect note to end on and thank you so so much for just so many insights and tips and your passion is just contagious, obviously for what you do, but also I feel like for life in general. So where can people connect with you like what's best and and sort of see what you're about and then also what's next for you? Is there anything coming up? This will come out I think around mid to the end of September. So yeah, is there anything that's kind of coming up that you want to remind people about for sure.
Kitiya
Firstly, I'll just say thank you so much for having me and it's just been such a joy to chat with you in this context. And I just love everything that you do for business owners everywhere and I love this podcast and I'm just so thrilled to have been part of it. So thanks so much. You're so you're the best You're like my queen.
Fiona
So, so lovely. Right back at you.
Kitiya
If you I guess if you're interested in my services and working with me or you want to get stuck in To some DIY my websites the best place to go for that that's kitiyapalaskas.com And if you want to be entertained or just have a chat, Instagram is a great place to find me that's at @kitiyapalaskas, I guess I'm kind of like a mini craft show in your pocket, I do a lot of craft content on there. So if you're just in lockdown, or if you just have a bad day, you just want to be entertained with some colorful crafty content. That's where you should head. And I guess what's next for me right now I'm really focusing, like I just mentioned on creating fun, entertaining DIY content. So I think, you know, we all need to be entertained right now and just mindlessly indulge in something that's fun and stimulating. So I'm putting a lot of focus into that at the moment. And I'm also working on an online course, all about craft based design as a career, which I'm hoping to launch early next year. So that's kind of in the planning stages at the moment. And then I'll also be speaking at the Adobe Max Creative conference in October. So that's going to be online, and it's completely free. And it's so inspiring. So you'll be able to check that out. I'm running a inspirational, I guess, lab all about using some Adobe products, and how to use them creatively for your business. So that'll be really fun. And then hopefully, some new and exciting brand partnerships and client jobs on the horizon for the holidays. I think I should probably stop there.
Fiona
Oh, it also so also and well done on Adobe Max, that's massive. And also with this course, just quickly can is that so you're teaching people how to be how to have a creative career. Is that correct?
Kitiya
Yeah. So it'll be focused on it'll basically be modeled on my career trajectory, and all the things that I did to forge this niche career of craft based design. But it can also apply to any freelance or anyone that's looking to start a small business and do it in a DIY way with no formal training. So I guess it's kind of like, the mentor I wish I had when I first started my career.
Fiona
That's basically what it's going to be. Oh, my goodness, I love that. And I think if you are interested in that, and I know so many people will definitely go on over and connect with kitty and get on her email and check her out on Instagram so that you'll be first to know when it comes out. Sounds pretty awesome. Thank you so much for coming on. And like I said, sharing so much. And also just for what you do, like I love that you've just kept doing it. And you just bring so much like every time I see your stuff on Instagram, it's just like a, like a beacon of sunlight. It's just like, yeah, that's really interesting. Maybe I'll make something like that. And it's a really big injection of creativity. So thank you for all you do.
Kitiya
Thanks, Fiona, thanks so much for having me. It's been really fun to chat with you today. Bye, bye.
Fiona
Oh, my goodness, what an amazing person. And I'm just, I could just talk to her all day long. Honestly, Kitiya Palaskas is just iconic. And like one of those legendary people that you're just going to always say and think they are cool in like the real sense of the word. And just so creative, so curious. So community minded. And I just think that she just was dropping truth bombs and amazing business tips all throughout that podcast episode, I absolutely interview I should say, I absolutely loved chatting with Kitiya as I always do. I so so appreciate her take on the world. She's just one of the most intelligent and creative and genuinely curious people I've ever had the pleasure of encountering.
So I would love to know what you took away from that interview. I know so many things stood out for me, I wish I could be here all day. But I can't I'm just going to focus on two of the things that I think really stood out for me.
The first is the idea of really finding your own original creative voice. And I love that she talked about the fact that her career started before social media, and you know, I will have my thoughts on social media. But I love that she sort of said, You know, sometimes it's even maybe getting off those things so that you're not just consuming and consuming and consuming, but they're finding your own voice as well. And I know sometimes we can be sidetracked and sort of traveled down a path because of what we've seen somebody else doing on social media and I love that Kitiya is so original and interesting in what she puts out. And that she really honed that voice well before social media came along. But I love her advice for people who are starting off now to really take the time to find your own voice and not just consume and consume and consume. I love kind of the idea of you know, create before you consume.
And the second thing that I love that she talked about was really creating these proper, meaningful relationships with people, not just sort of seeing people as Oh, I need to network I need to find people in that niche or that group. But really cultivating your crews. I often talk about cultivating your crews and I think that is something that Kenya has done really well and she's just also at the top of her And I feel like as soon as we met, you'd be like, Oh, I want her. I want her in my life forever. But I really love that she talked about, you know, creating networks and creating relationships that will last that that are going to be ongoing. And really putting the effort and the time into those people and those brands and the other places that you find your your people I guess, I absolutely love that.
So I would love to know what you took away from this I'm sure that Kitiya would love to know as well. So you can find both of us over on Instagram. I'm just at @mydailybusinesscoach. And Kitiya is at @kitiyapalaskas, which is one word, of course, we'll link to that in the show notes, you can find out all the amazing things that Kitiya offers, whether you are a brand, whether you are a fellow creative Freelancer over at kitiyapalaskas.com. So yeah, get in touch with Kitiya. I'm sure she's really excited to hear what you took from this. And of course, if you are a business that needs any type of super cool content creation, no matter what kind of category you're in, definitely get in touch with kitty either the work that she has created for huge brands, little brands, all of them has just been out of this world. And I know that she's just a mind that just comes up with these amazing creations. So definitely get in touch.
And obviously I guess we're coming up to the end of the year. So if you're interested in talking to Kitiya, about you know your Christmas windows or Hanukkah windows or any kind of gifting Windows, or anything that you've got coming up next year, she is a definite person that you want on your creative team. So that is it for today's interview episode.
You can find the full transcript including all of Kitiya's details over at mydailybusinesscoach.com/podcast/146
Thank you so much for listening. If you found this useful, I would love it if you hit the subscribe button. And if you have 10 seconds, not even 10 seconds, five seconds to leave a review. It would just really really means so much to us and it really helps us get found by other small business owners who hopefully will learn so much from this podcast. Thanks so much for listening. See you next time. Bye.
Thanks for listening to the My Daily Business Coach podcast. If you want to get in touch you can do that at mydailybusinesscoach.com or hit me up on Instagram at @mydailybusinesscoach.
Then the goal. So you might have various goals, you'll have three, let's say you have three big goals, and you'll have sub-goals underneath those. But let's say one of your goals is around sales, because you're selling skincare, you want to sell it. So you want to make money. So you might say my goal, and you've just gotten started, really maybe it's you know, however long you're in the business. So you might say my goal is moving from making 300,000 in total revenue, this is not profit 300,000 total revenue for 2021. calendar year, I want to move to making 600,000 in calendar year 2022. So you're doubling. So that I can hire another staff member and take more time off. And remember, you always want to go from x to y by when so that. And so that goal, I'm just going to repeat it again, you're going to move from making 300,000 total revenue in calendar year 2021, to making 600,000 in calendar year 2022. So that you can hire another staff member and take time off. So that's the goal.
The strategy would be like, okay, part of our strategy is that we want to increase our average transaction value. So we want to double our overall revenue. We want to increase how much on average people are spending on our online store, and within store customers. So so you might have like a pop up store or markets or maybe not markets at that price, but maybe a pop up store. So you would say that's the strategy. And remember, you've got this army. So think about this, think about your strategy is where the army comes into it. And they're like, Okay, we've got this goal.
How are we doing things? Now, I have zero background. And I don't know anyone that's been in the army. I actually one person I used to work with a cafe when I was like 17. And he went off to the army. But I didn't keep in touch with him. So I don't know, anyone in the army land. So I'm just sort of what I'm saying army. I'm literally taking a guess that's what the word strategy means. But you go back to those goals, and you think, "Okay! My strategy is pulling that army into place." and going, why like, what are we doing? What's the overarching strategy to get this goal.
So then if the overarching strategy, and you may have a few, a few different strategic moves that you're making, one of them is we need to increase the average transaction value of our online store, then your tactics, this is the doing - tactics, we will incorporate low priced add ons at on product detail pages. So it could be you know, you're selling skincare, it could be face washes, it could be masks to sleeping, it could be like eye mask, it could be pillowcases, it could be all these other add ons. It could be that you are incorporating free shipping over x, which often increases the value that people spend on average. So you'll see that all the time. So if someone's average transaction value on a website is like $35, they might say it's free shipping over 50, what they're trying to do is to get you up, so there should be my of cost $10. So if you got to $45, sorry, $35 plus $10 would be 45. If they could just get you to spend that little bit extra, then you know, all sorts of things can go on but one of them would be that the average transaction value the spend is going to go up so your tactics, like I said incorporating low price add ons, free shipping, it could be really great visual merchandising if you have a pop up store so that you know people are coming in but also a great visual merchandising online and in store for bundles.
So it's another area where you will can create an increase in your average transaction value because you're putting things together so instead of me buying just the facewash I'm now buying the facewash and the moisturizer So it's, it might have a slight discount if I buy them together, or maybe it has a gift with purchase, which is another way to increase the perceived value of what people are spending, so they spend more. So you have bundles, you could have an introduced like a limited edition range. So that's the highest price point. So you might do a skincare, you might do an artwork, like you might collaborate with a cool artist who's maybe as a non-binary artist. And so you're like, cool, I want to put the non-binary artists artwork on here with leveraging their audience and their community in everything else. And so that may increase, You could promote this to your, you know, top tier buyers. So you might have like the top 100 people that regularly buy from you, you could incorporate a VIP shopping event, you know, not in Melbourne, if you're like me and the lockdown. But at some point, we will have shopping events, you could have like, you could automate, you know, a SKU specific email sequence. So you could say, so SKU is, you know, some people may not know that word, it's a term that is usually used for a unit of products. So, you might have like a shop that has 20 SKUs, which is 20 different product lines. Or, Anyway, I digress.
But you could automate so that if someone buys the face washer, they automatically go into an email sequence to nurture them to come back and buy more. So that can overtime, increase your average transaction value. So those are tactics. And so often I see people say, here's my strategy, and it's a bunch of tactics, it is not actually the strategy, the strategy in this case is, we need to increase that average transaction value. That's what we need to do to hit this goal.
So again, you don't just necessarily have one strategy, you'll have a couple of different strategies to hit those goals. And then under each strategy, you will have the tactics to achieve that. So remember, just think of it like the army is other people out there, then they go, they've got to have like a general, they've gotta have somebody telling them, this is what you do. So I hope that makes sense. If you just kind of go back to that triangle that I talked about at the top, you have got vision, then you've got your goals, then you've got your strategy, then you've got your tactics. So I guess that's it for this quick tip episode. But I just would really love you to think about Do I have a strategy? Or am I do I have my goals? And if I don't have either of those, what can I do to work on them? And also look at your plans, especially as we're heading into 2022 and think about, is there a strategy here are we just like throwing stuff at the wind?
Now, this is definitely something that I talk about a lot with clients, I talk about it in group coaching, I talk about it in my courses, especially around Marketing for Your Small Business. So if you are interested in that stuff, please get in touch with us. Again, our email is just hello@mydailybusinesscoach.com you can find a whole bunch of things that can help you with your business, including 1:1 coaching over at mydailybusinesscoach.com/shop. Hope you found that really useful. And if you have, please share it with your friends, please hit subscribe. And I'd love to see what you made of this on social media. So don't forget to tag at @mydailybusinesscoach. Thanks so much for listening. I'll see you next time. As always, I should mention that before the show notes are available at mydailybusinesscoach.com/podcast/145. Alright, that's it for me. See you next time. Bye.
Thanks for listening to the My Daily Business Coach podcast. If you want to get in touch you can do that at mydailybusinesscoach.com or hit me up on Instagram at @mydailybusinesscoach.
