Helping business owners, freelancers & other self-employed creatives succeed… and have fun doing it. It can be overwhelming at times, but there’s nothing like the privilege of working for yourself – making your own rules, owning your time, and trusting your instincts to make the right decisions. With short episodes that get straight to the point, this podcast is about the common issues we face in business, along with solutions that work for other creatives like you. Aardvark Girl is a producer, project manager & business specialist with 20+ years of experience managing companies & helping people in creative industries. She helps you get a handle on the business side of things so you can focus on your talent. Let's get to work!
Episodes
Monday Aug 31, 2020
You Can't Be Motivated All the Time
Monday Aug 31, 2020
Monday Aug 31, 2020
We can’t be motivated and productive all the time. Sometimes we need to take breaks to recharge. Other times we need to do what we feel like doing, and not just what we think we should be doing. Everything comes down to a choice and understanding what the best thing for you actually is in that moment. For some reason, when people start working for themselves, they tend to forget that stopping from time to time is a perfectly valid option. It’s easy to get so engulfed with what you’re doing – all the things you have to do, want to do, think you should do – that you forget that sometimes the best thing to do is nothing.
00:37 Who’s to say how much you have to get done by when? Only you! That’s one of the perks of being a business owner. We need to stop putting so much pressure on ourselves.
01:12 The world is in a weird place right now, and that’s affecting everybody.
01:52 I'm personally at a point where I can't get everything done.
02:38 The pandemic has had an impact on our motivation and productivity.
03:53 I needed to get this episode out but was just starting blankly at my computer because I didn't feel like writing an outline.
05:27 I think it's important to know and acknowledge that we all deal with these same things in our businesses, and in our personal lives in general. People who seem like they have it all together, don't always have it all together.
05:57 It's important to take breaks to recharge.
07:16 If you're faced with two options, make your choice based on what is right for you in the moment, and not just what you think you should do.
08:19 There isn't one solution that is going to work for everyone every time.
08:59 It's good to set goals, to have plans, to strategize. But it's also important to be okay with changing your mind.
09:34 If you Google productivity hacks, you'll find advice from all these people who are "doing it all." But they're not doing it all.
10:14 Being human is complicated. But instead of fighting that, let's embrace it. Enjoy the fact that you can change your mind.
11:27 Be decisive and know how to figure out if you need to do something now or if you can afford to wait.
12:41 It comes down to you and what's right for you. You don't have to explain to everyone else why you decided to do something or not do something.
Connect with me through your favorite platform: https://pods.link/aardvarkgirl
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for topics, email info@aardvarkgirl.com or find me on social @aardvarkgirl. If you want to work with me, that’s where you’ll find me, too.
Thanks for listening!
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Danielle Demski: Balancing Work, Life & Being on TV
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Monday Aug 24, 2020
You may have seen her in shows like Veep, AP Bio and NCIS, or co-hosting “Let's Make a Deal” with Wayne Brady. In this episode, I'm talking with Danielle Demski about work-life balance and the newly changing world of TV.
Learn more about Danielle at http://www.danielledemski.com/
Follow her on Instagram @danielledemski and Twitter @danielle_demski
00:39 Balancing work, marriage & motherhood
01:56 Adjusting to life during COVID - when productions aren't happening, travel isn't safe, and you have to find new adventures.
04:19 When you love what you do, you figure it out - producers are finding new ways to shoot while social distancing
05:31 Working from home with a husband and two small children
09:05 Missing sports
10:28 Adapting how tv & other content will be made
11:42 Don't worry! The new episodes of "Let's Make a Deal" that you're seeing on TV now were filmed before lockdown!
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Getting Started in Business
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Monday Aug 17, 2020
When I’m working with people on their businesses, the comment I get more than any other is, “I don’t know what I don’t know.” When you start going down that rabbit hole researching all the things, it can seem like there is just too much to do. What do you do first? My best advice is to not overthink it. Start simple and grow as you’re able. You don’t have to have it all figured out ahead of time. And sometimes you don’t even want to because as you start doing more business, you realize what needs to change. You learn as you go. You make adjustments and you keep going. You make more adjustments and you keep going. Wash, rinse, repeat.
I emphasize this because I like to have everything in order before I launch anything. But in the past, that put me in the habit of wasting time. Time that I could’ve been spending actually doing business and not just planning for it. I couldn’t even count the number of times in the last 5 years that I’ve changed my focus, my website, my services, my internal processes, everything about my business. It’s constantly evolving, and I love that. I’ve had to learn to trust and accept that you can’t know everything ahead of time – you have to get in there and start doing. That’s the best way to figure out what you don’t know.
That being said, you have to start somewhere. So start with the basics. But even if you’ve already started and are running your business, don’t tune out just yet. I’m going to talk about two of the most important things that all self-employed business owners should be doing, and I find that a lot of people aren’t. First, and most importantly, be clear on what your business is.
01:30 Decide on your business name and get the matching domain.
02:04 Make sure you have a strong logo and website. My personal recommendation is Tansy Aster Creative
03:25 Be clear about what products or services you're offering and what you're going to charge.
03:47 Create a one-page business plan to help clarify the information in your head.
04:06 It's important to have a good CPA.
05:02 Decide if you want to start as a sole proprietor or LLC.
06:40 Get the appropriate business licenses.
07:30 You must keep separate accounts for your business income and expenses - never mix with your personal accounts!
08:34 Keeping solid bookkeeping records will make your life easier. Check out Quickbooks Online, Freshbooks (affiliate link) and Wave Apps.
10:05 Make it easy for clients to pay you, even if you lose 3% to credit card fees (which are tax deductible).
10:29 You don't have to be profitable right away to deduct your business expenses.
10:56 Plan on putting aside at least 35% of your income to cover your taxes.
It sounds like a lot. I know. It can be intimidating, but if you start getting into the mindset of a proper business owner now, you will be much better prepared to move forward. It does get easier as you go. So if you want to start a business, get these things in order, stop thinking about it, and get going.
Connect with me through your favorite platform: https://pods.link/aardvarkgirl
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Don't Fret About Followers
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Monday Aug 10, 2020
People put a lot of focus on followers - the number of people on our social accounts - as proof of success. But I think it's more important to concentrate on delivering solid content that connects with our target audience and inspires them to engage and share. Maybe it's because I don't enjoy social media, but I do believe organic growth is possible, and often more meaningful. For me, if even one person resonates with my message, I consider that a success.
01:06 What follower count can means for podcasters, YouTubers, IG posters and bloggers
01:39 Looking for validation in the numbers
02:12 My goal is to develop meaningful connections with other business owners
02:58 Share helpful tips, strategies, images and videos - don't make it all about selling
03:15 Don't be afraid to mix it up with some non-business posts to show who you are
04:15 Growth can be slow - it takes time to build and maintain the right audience
04:58 Sometimes we expect too much too fast. There's no set amount of time that is "right."
05:14 Take the wins when you get them. When anyone connects with your post, you've accomplished something.
05:42 Take a minute to tell people when you like what they're doing. That feedback matters. We should support each other.
06:35 Keep doing good work, share when you’re inspired to share, and keep being true to who you are. That’s what really matters.
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Michael Caprio: Be Kind, Honest & Forgiving
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Monday Aug 03, 2020
In this episode, I'm talking with celebrity publicist and owner of Caprio Media Design, Michael Caprio. Michael represents celebrities like Olivia Newton-John, Ian Ziering, Leeza Gibbons, Richard Marx, and Jon Secada, along with Vegas shows like Chippendales and Human Nature.
He talks about how his love of Broadway led to a thriving career in PR and ultimately starting his own company.
We discuss the 3 most important things his mom taught him - "be kind, be honest, and be forgiving." He also adds "be respectful" to that list, and applies these traits in everything he does. He understands the importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded people, which is why he only does business with people who have these same values.
Hear Michael explain why kindness should never be mistaken for weakness, how communication is lacking these days, and why his biggest pet peeve is when people don't respond to emails. Check out the full episode for more insight into the world of publicity, staying humble, and doing more than what's expected of you.
Find Michael on social @mikecaprio
Connect with me through your favorite platform: https://pods.link/aardvarkgirl
02:00 Doing more than what’s expected of you, in terms of throwing a media event.
04:13 “We all have to understand that we have to help each other.”
05:14 Looking at the bigger picture to find relationships that are going to last 20 years, as opposed to a three- or four-month contract. Michael has been representing Olivia Newton-John for the last 22 years.
07:16 Michael’s vow to take these three things his mom taught him through the rest of his life: be kind, be honest, and be forgiving.
09:45 “You have to respect the people you work with.”
12:10 The influence of the team around you.
13:12 Choosing to work with down to earth, kind clients like Olivia Newton-John, Ian Ziering, Richard Marx, Vinny G from Jersey Shore, Chippendales, Jon Secada, and more.
16:54 Having a good sense of who you are and what you can deliver. “I firmly believe you just need to be honest.”
19:42 Thinking outside of the box – how Michael’s career started with an internship in college.
22:39 The importance of loving what you do. “I've rarely had a day where I wake up and I go, “Oh God, I've got to deal with that person today.” And that, to me, that’s success.”
23:40 Michael’s post-college journey, turning a 3-day temp job into a full-blown career.
28:20 Creating opportunities. “You'll succeed in life if you actually listen. If you don't always keep your mouth open, but you keep your ears open all the time, you're going to get a lot further.”
31:50 Moving on to create his own company, Caprio Media Design, in 1998. “Success is skill and opportunity.”
34:10 The difficulties we’re facing now with the pandemic, and why it’s important to do what we can to help. “If you can’t give back, what’s the point of getting?”
36:40 No matter what your skill is, you can choose to be positive, kind and respectful.
38:12 The importance of communication in business, and why his biggest pet peeve is when people don’t respond to emails.
43:23 In addition to being kind, honest, and forgiving, be respectful. “Have respect for what everybody's doing. We are all the exact same person.”
45:35 “Our future is all about young people, and young people have to be passionate. Actually, everybody has to be passionate.”