Creative Plus Business

WEBINAR: I Will Survive (Again)
2021-08-05 18:00 - 19:30 (Australia/Sydney)
HERE WE GO AGAIN – a FREE webinar to help creative professionals work through the steps to financial, business and creative survival in the redux of trying times 2021. Yeehaw!

Just as we started creeping out of the house, the doors have slammed shut yet again. Most of us are feeling worse than last time – it’s the shittiest Groundhog Day ever, and we’re over it.

In this FREE webinar our doyenne Monica Davidson will share ideas collected from our team of creative business experts for making it through the next passage of time, as best you can. She’ll also offer free resources and tools to help you along the way.

We’ll talk about (and get your thoughts on):+ Getting your finances in order;+ Managing your mental health;+ Marketing to stay afloat;+ Making new work;+ Diversifying income streams;+ Staying connected, and more!

What’s included? A 90 minute webinar that you can interact with, ask questions of the host, and access later if you want to watch the recording. You also get access to additional resources on our website to support you during this shitty time.

Who should sign up? Any creative and arts practitioners, freelancers, start-ups, students and arts entrepreneurs from beginners to established (International sign-ups welcome!) who are affected by the recent pandemic. We also welcome curious hobbyists and people from outside the arts.

Who’s the host? Monica Davidson, director of Creative Plus Business, industry business advisor and trainer, lifelong creative professional and survivor of the 1991 recession, the 2008 GFC, and last year.

What’s Creative Plus Business? We’re an educational organisation dedicated to helping creative practitioners and arts bodies develop their entrepreneurial skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

ONLINE: Diversify Your Creative Income
2021-08-03 18:00 - 20:00, 2021-06-02 18:00 - 20:00
HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU THINK OF TO MAKE MONEY?

Creative businesses often need help to brainstorm all the possible ways to diversify their income streams (especially now!) and become more financially sustainable. Diversify Your Creative Income is an interactive online workshop that allows participants to discuss the various general ways that creatives can make money (including services, goods and passive income), and includes practical exercises to help brainstorm those ideas.

This workshop examines:+ Identifying your Core and Complementary Skills;+ The Minimum Viable Offering;+ Using a Skills Audit to inspire ideas;+ How to identify a ‘good’ idea;+ Helpful resources and more!

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Diversify Your Creative Income Dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a dedicated webpage full of links and resources to help them get ahead in their creative business.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with time, work and creativity. It’s also relevant no matter what your profession – filmmakers, writers, designers, visual artists, musicians, composers, dancers, performers – everyone can benefit from a quick introduction or refresher to the basics of time management and setting goals.

Who is presenting?Wendi Lanham is an actor, presenter, model, and the Business Manager of Creative Plus Business. She has a wealth of experience combining business and creative practice and is well-versed in the myriad ways artists can make money in order to weather the famine and feast of creative income more effectively.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Five Tips for Freelance Creatives
2021-07-21 10:00 - 12:00
FREELANCING IS TRICKY – AND INEVITABLE

Freelancing in the creative industries is a fact of life. Even curious hobbyists and serial employees will need to understand the basics – not to mention those who have chosen to freelance professionally in their craft. Five Tips for Freelance Creatives is a fast, funny and practical presentation specifically designed for creative practitioners with absolutely no business skills, to help them get the five most important elements of creative freelancing just right.

Participants will learn more about:+ Setting goals and planning the self-employment journey;+ Understanding and handling money matters;+ The key to managing time better;+ The basic beginnings of marketing, and+ Fostering a cheer squad and juggling the realities of combining art and business.We’ll also share more resources and tax, superannuation, and business registration. All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Freelance Five Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for creative practitioners at every level, from students to professionals.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from Creative Plus Business. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops, Monica discusses her own experiences and shares examples from the thousands of people that she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses in the last twenty years.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Business Planning 101
2021-07-20 18:00 - 19:30
“BY FAILING TO PREPARE, YOU ARE PREPARING TO FAIL.”

Benjamin Franklin summed it up best in the quote above. A business or strategic plan is a summary and evaluation of an entrepreneurial idea – and it should be more than just a conciliation for bank managers and funding bodies. A useful plan can make the difference between creative business success and heading back to the drawing board. This webinar reframes the planning process specifically for creative practitioners, and helps participants create a plan that will actually help.

Participants will dig into the deeper issues of:+ The planning process in general, and to make it useful both internally and externally;+ Choosing the right template, and adding an Action Plan;+ The four sections: admin, finances, marketing and goals;+ The Personal/Private and Professional Plans.

Resources and templates will also be provided for a variety of both business and strategic plans, including the preferred options for the Australia Council and other kinds of financing.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated BUSINESS PLANNING 101 Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the webinar is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the webinar;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive webinar. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

Who should enrol?This webinar is tailored specifically to creative people who are (or want to be) self-employed in some capacity. It is ideal for creative freelancers, established practitioners, arts organisations.

Who is presenting?Monica Davidson is an award-winning expert on the creative industries, who began her professional life as a freelance journalist and filmmaker. In 2014 Monica completed her Masters degree in Screen Arts and Business at AFTRS, and was appointed as the first NSW Creative Industries Business Advisor by the Department of Industry. Shortly after she founded the social enterprise Creative Plus Business, which is dedicated to educating creative people about small business and marketing skills. In 2019, Monica was awarded the QUT Creative Enterprise Australia award for being a Creative Trailblazer that “advocates, mentors, donates, educates and advises within Australia’s creative economy”. Monica continues to work as a writer, filmmaker and occasional performer.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This webinar will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. This webinar is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Make Your Own Work
2021-07-13 18:00 - 20:00
HOW TO PRODUCE A SELF-DEVISED PROJECT FROM BEGINNING TO END

How often are creatives told to ‘make their own work’? And what exactly does it mean? MAKE YOUR OWN WORK takes a tough love approach to the job of producing a self-devised project, from the initial ideas stage through to completion. It’s suitable for all practitioners, regardless of experience or creative practice. Filmmakers, theatre practitioners, performers, visual artists, writers and musicians – all are welcome to learn the essential steps to getting self-devised work into the world.

The steps that will be outlined and discussed include:+ Making sure the idea for self-devised work is feasible and achievable;+ The magic of cost-benefit and risk analysis;+ Finding helpers, funding and resources to get the project started;+ Managing the legal aspects of producing;+ Structures, budgets, and the basics of business.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated MAKE YOUR OWN WORK Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for creative freelancers, established practitioners, arts organisations.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops Monica discusses her own experiences, and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Beginner's Guide to Marketing
2021-07-10 14:00 - 16:00
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EASTERN RIVERINA ARTS

Marketing is one of the most despised and least understood aspects of running a creative business and being an arts entrepreneur. Most creatives hate to sell, and would rather be making than hustling. There is a simple secret to making marketing more palatable – understanding the strategy behind the sales will make a huge impact on your creative career. This down-to-earth and enjoyable workshop explores the mystery behind the marketing magic, specifically for creative professionals.

We’ll also examine:+ the key elements of a successful marketing campaign;+ how to understand clients, customer and competitors;+ the deeper meaning of word-of-mouth marketing;+ the importance of social media;+ how to make a website with impact … and much more!

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Beginners Guide to Marketing Dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a dedicated webpage full of links and resources to help them get ahead in their creative business.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with the marketing of their creative practice.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops Monica discusses her own experiences, and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.

NOTE: There will be a livestream of this online event at the original venue address, this being: F.Stop Workshop. Shop 7, 43 Tompson Street, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650, across from Simply Stitches. If you would like to attend this in-person event, please email tess@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Social Media for Creatives
2021-07-07 18:00 - 20:00
DOES SOCIAL MEDIA HURT YOUR BRAIN?

Social media is a complex and challenging marketing tool for a lot of creatives, who find it hard to strike the balance between constantly talking about themselves and ignoring the platforms entirely! This friendly and up-to-date workshop covers the basics of how to kickstart marketing using social media, with a focus on the main tools at your disposal and the strategy behind the socials.

We’ll also cover:+ Understanding your Brand online+ Understanding your Tribe+ Choosing the right platform for your clients+ Tips and tricks on staying up to date … and much more!

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help in class;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Social Media for Creatives dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a website full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with the business aspects of their creativity.

Who is presenting?Lillie Brown is a freelance marketing strategist and Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business. Lillie works with small to medium creative businesses to devise and implement marketing and social media strategies that are easy for creative brains to digest. She walks clients through a comprehensive planning process to create simple to understand and actionable strategies to help them fulfil their vision. Lillie has been the Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business since 2018, and is invaluable in helping build our social enterprise to a national scale!

What is Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.

ONLINE: Money Is NOT A Dirty Word
2021-06-30 18:00 - 20:00
THERE ARE SOME (PRETTY FABULOUS) DIRTY WORDS OUT THERE, BUT MONEY IS NOT ONE OF THEM

The starving artist is a pervasive idea, and in reality many creative people struggle in self-employment because money is a constant battle. This isn’t always just due to lack of funds. Creative practitioners sometimes need the basics of business money and financial literacy explained in a way that is easy to understand.

This online workshop helps to bridge that gap in financial literacy with an entertaining and real-world discussion of money that makes sense to the artistic brain.

The most common financial questions that creatives have are answered, including:+ How do I weather the ups and downs of creative income?+ Do I have to keep working for free?+ What should I charge? How do I work that out?+ What’s the deal with cash flow and budgets?+ How do I invoice? How do I enforce an invoice?+ What’s the deal with tax, and what is cloud accounting?+ Where can I go for more help?

This online workshop will be relaxed and informal. You can ask all the questions you have never been able to ask before and will have ample opportunity to network and get to know each other.

Ideal for: This workshop is tailored specifically to creative people who are (or want to be) self-employed in some capacity. It is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and small arts organisations.

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help during the workshop;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated MONEY dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a web page full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business.

Who is presenting?Monica Davidson is an award-winning expert on the creative industries, who began her professional life as a freelance journalist and filmmaker. In 2014 Monica completed her Masters degree in Screen Arts and Business at AFTRS, and was appointed as the first NSW Creative Industries Business Advisor by the Department of Industry. Shortly after she founded the social enterprise Creative Plus Business, which is dedicated to educating creative people about small business and marketing skills. In 2019, Monica was awarded the QUT Creative Enterprise Australia award for being a Creative Trailblazer that “advocates, mentors, donates, educates and advises within Australia’s creative economy”. Monica continues to work as a writer, filmmaker and occasional performer.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

WEBINAR: Getting Ready for Tax Time
2021-06-29 18:30 - 20:00
It’s almost the end of the financial year, which means it’s time to get your money stuff in order. It’s not much fun, but a few simple tips and tricks (and a friendly face) can help.

This FREE webinar will help you get organised in time for EOFY and take the terror out of tax. Creatives, you are not alone!

We’ll be looking at:

+ The key creative tax rulings you need to know;+ Are you a hobby or a business?+ How to work out your deductions;+ Easy tips and tricks for record-keeping;+ Cloud Accounting suggestions;+ Preparing for TAX (eugh!);+ Better financial habits for next year.

What’s Included?A 60-80 min webinar with our creative industries experts, plus lifetime access to additional resources and/or a special Dropbox folder containing more resources to support your learning.

Who should sign up?Creative industries professionals and business people from start-up to established (Australia only, sorry!). We also welcome creative freelancers, soloists, students, start-ups and curious hobbyists.

Who’s the host? Monica Davidson, director and doyenne of Creative Plus Business, teacher of tax and record keeping, lover of financial organisation and super fun at parties.

What’s Creative Plus Business? We’re a certified social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help by sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

PORT MACQUARIE: Money is NOT a Dirty Word
2021-06-26 09:30 - 16:30
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PORT MACQUARIE HASTINGS COUNCIL

The starving artist is a pervasive idea, and in reality many creative people struggle in self-employment because money is a constant battle. This isn’t always just due to lack of funds. Creative practitioners sometimes need the basics of business money and financial literacy explained in a way that is easy to understand.

This workshop helps to bridge that gap in financial literacy with an entertaining and real-world discussion of money that makes sense to the artistic brain.

The most common financial questions that creatives have are answered, including:+ How do I weather the ups and downs of creative income?+ Do I have to keep working for free?+ What should I charge? How do I work that out?+ What’s the deal with cash flow and budgets?+ How do I invoice? How do I enforce an invoice?+ What’s the deal with tax, and what is cloud accounting?+ Where can I go for more help?

This workshop will be relaxed and informal. You can ask all the questions you have never been able to ask before and will have ample opportunity to network and get to know each other.

Ideal for: This workshop is tailored specifically to creative people who are (or want to be) self-employed in some capacity. It is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and small arts organisations.

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help during the workshop;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated MONEY dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a web page full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business.

Who is presenting?Monica Davidson is an award-winning expert on the creative industries, who began her professional life as a freelance journalist and filmmaker. In 2014 Monica completed her Masters degree in Screen Arts and Business at AFTRS, and was appointed as the first NSW Creative Industries Business Advisor by the Department of Industry. Shortly after she founded the social enterprise Creative Plus Business, which is dedicated to educating creative people about small business and marketing skills. In 2019, Monica was awarded the QUT Creative Enterprise Australia award for being a Creative Trailblazer that “advocates, mentors, donates, educates and advises within Australia’s creative economy”. Monica continues to work as a writer, filmmaker and occasional performer.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Venue: Charles Sturt University Innovation Centre Hub, Building 802, 7 Major Innes Road Port Macquarie NSW 2444

PORT MACQUARIE: I Hate Networking
2021-06-25 17:30 - 20:00
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PORT MACQUARIE HASTINGS COUNCIL

I Hate Networking is a surprisingly fun event designed to encourage creative people to get to know each other while acknowledging the horror of networking and sharing a few tips at the same time. While it’s a vital skill in the creative industries, many practitioners consider networking to be the stuff of nightmares. I Hate Networking combines education with the opportunity to practice in a safe and friendly environment while embracing the discomfort of the whole process and having a laugh.

Tips that will be shared include:+ Success is before you start – preparing before the event;+ Mastering the art of the introduction;+ Overcoming shyness, awkwardness and the urge to run away;+ Dealing with wankers and other difficult people;+ Getting the all-important follow-up right.

You’ll learn how to network in the first half of the session, and practice your skills in the second half.

What do I get? All participants in this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated I Hate Networking Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for curious hobbyists, creative freelancers and businesses, and arts organisations.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops, Monica discusses her own experiences and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.comVenue: The Westport Club, 25 Buller Street Port Macquarie NSW 2444

ONLINE: Understanding Branding
2021-06-23 18:00 - 20:00
HOW TO LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF A COMPELLING BRAND

Branding can be a tricky concept to comprehend and many creative freelancers and arts organisations don’t understand how to make it work. In a marketplace full of mixed marketing messages, a compelling brand can help a creative practitioner or organisation stand out from the crowd. Creatives who make the most of their branding can build a loyal community of clients and customers that are engaged and interested, willing to spend money, and happy to spread the word.

In this down-to-earth workshop, participants will learn about:+ The basic concepts of branding, and why it’s so important;+ Personal and professional branding, and how it applies to creative practitioners;+ The ingredients that make a compelling brand;+ Practical steps to help participants bring their branding A-Game

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Understanding Branding Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

Ideal For: Creative freelancers, established practitioners, arts organisations.

Who is presenting?Lillie Brown is a freelance marketing strategist and Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business. Lillie works with small to medium creative businesses to devise and implement marketing and social media strategies that are easy for creative brains to digest. She walks clients through a comprehensive planning process to create simple to understand and actionable strategies to help them fulfil their vision. Lillie has been the Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business since 2018, and is invaluable in helping build our social enterprise to a national scale!

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What is Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Wellbeing for Business
2021-06-17 18:00 - 20:00
MAINTAINING HEALTH AND WELLBEING IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Working in the creative industries is both rewarding and strenuous, physically and mentally. How can practitioners maintain relative balance between flourishing and falling, particularly when artistic output is built with emotion? Wellbeing for Business explores ways that creative professionals can purposely bring wellbeing practice into their everyday lives. Led by a creative industries and wellbeing specialist, this interactive workshop is a tonic to help practitioners remain creative for the long term.

The workshop focuses on the following topics:+ The physical, mental and emotional aspects of Wellbeing;+ The most effective ways to define personal boundaries;+ Understanding imposter syndrome, self-critical thoughts and self-sabotage;+ How business tips can (surprisingly) help with wellbeing;+ Creative practice processes in the modern world, including managing blocks.What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated BEING CREATIVELY WELL Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

Who should enrol? Hobbyists, creative freelancers, established practitioners, arts organisations.

Who is presenting?Award-winning creative industries expert Monica Davidson, a writer and filmmaker by trade who founded the Creative Plus Business Group in 2016. Monica is a skilled facilitator who has helped literally thousands of creative practitioners through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What is Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Talking About... Your Website
2021-06-16 18:00 - 20:00
WE KNOW WE NEED ONE – BUT WHERE TO START?

A website is so much more than a passive online portfolio display. It can be a centralised place to showcase services, a marketing tool to share stories, and an educational platform to help clients understand your craft. Talking About.. Your Website is a practical and comprehensive workshop that examines the best ways for creatives to present their websites, with real-life examples of best practice, and helpful resources for DIY design.

Tips that will be shared include:+ Why? Outlining the goals for your website;+ Making a Site Map and organising the content;+ Do It Yourself or Hire a Designer? The pros and cons of each;+ Choosing the best platform for a DIY website;+ Thinking SHOP not GALLERY.Resources and links will be shared throughout the workshop to help guide participants.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Talking About.. Your Website Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

Ideal For: Creative freelancers and businesses, arts professionals, creative organisations.

Who is presenting?Lillie Brown is a freelance marketing strategist and Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business. Lillie works with small to medium creative businesses to devise and implement marketing and social media strategies that are easy for creative brains to digest. She walks clients through a comprehensive planning process to create simple to understand and actionable strategies to help them fulfil their vision – including Creative Plus Business!

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.

This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: What's It Worth?
2021-06-08 18:00 - 20:00
CREATIVE COSTING, PRICING AND SHARING YOUR WORTH

Working out what to charge for creative products and services can be a colossal challenge. Where to even start? What’s It Worth is a practical workshop that covers the basics of figuring out the price point for creative work, including calculating costs and understanding what the market can bear. What’s It Worth is vital for anyone struggling to understand the value of their own work, and how to share that value with others.

Participants will also discuss the larger issues of:+ Understanding budgets, including the value of time;+ The psychology of pricing;+ Where cost and price overlap and intersect;+ Understanding the marketplace (and market research); + Creating loss leaders and more.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated What’s it Worth? Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

Ideal For: Creative freelancers, established practitioners, arts organisations.

Who is presenting? Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops Monica discusses her own experiences, and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Freelance Five
2021-06-04 10:00 - 12:00
FREELANCING IS TRICKY – AND INEVITABLE

Freelancing in the creative industries is a fact of life. Even curious hobbyists and serial employees will need to understand the basics – not to mention those who have chosen to freelance professionally in their craft. Five Tips for Freelance Creatives is a fast, funny and practical presentation specifically designed for creative practitioners with absolutely no business skills, to help them get the five most important elements of creative freelancing just right.

Participants will learn more about:+ Setting goals and planning the self-employment journey;+ Understanding and handling money matters;+ The key to managing time better;+ The basic beginnings of marketing, and+ Fostering a cheer squad and juggling the realities of combining art and business.We’ll also share more resources and tax, superannuation, and business registration. All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Freelance Five Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.

Ideal For: Creative practitioners at every level, from students to professionals.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from Creative Plus Business. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops, Monica discusses her own experiences and shares examples from the thousands of people that she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses in the last twenty years.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

WEBINAR: The Decision Tree
2021-05-27 18:30 - 20:00
As our professional lives begin to return to a sense of normalcy, fresh opportunities for work and play arise. But how does one decide what to take and what to leave? When you work for yourself, it can be very difficult to make decisions about the direction your work will take; especially when you don’t have anyone to bounce ideas off of or when people don’t understand what it is you do (we’re looking at you, Nan!).The Decision Tree is a simple process designed specifically for creative folks to help you figure out what you should say ‘yes’ to, and why. It can help make the decision-making process a little less painful and it ensures your decisions are always aligned with your fundamental purpose.

What’s Included?A 60-80 min webinar with our creative industries experts, plus lifetime access to additional resources and/or a special Dropbox folder containing more resources to support your learning.Who should sign up?Creative folks who struggle to make professional decisions and often feel conflicted about the choices they make.

Who’s the host? Monica Davidson, director and doyenne of Creative Plus Business, Queen of purposeful decision-making, and unfortunate lover of shredded wheat.

What’s Creative Plus Business? We’re a certified social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help by sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

ONLINE: Social Media for Creatives
2021-05-26 18:00 - 20:00
DOES SOCIAL MEDIA HURT YOUR BRAIN?

Social media is a complex and challenging marketing tool for a lot of creatives, who find it hard to strike the balance between constantly talking about themselves and ignoring the platforms entirely! This friendly and up-to-date workshop covers the basics of how to kickstart marketing using social media, with a focus on the main tools at your disposal and the strategy behind the socials.

We’ll also cover:+ Understanding your Brand online+ Understanding your Tribe+ Choosing the right platform for your clients+ Tips and tricks on staying up to date … and much more!

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help in class;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Social Media for Creatives dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a website full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with the business aspects of their creativity.

Who is presenting?Lillie Brown is a freelance marketing strategist and Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business. Lillie works with small to medium creative businesses to devise and implement marketing and social media strategies that are easy for creative brains to digest. She walks clients through a comprehensive planning process to create simple to understand and actionable strategies to help them fulfil their vision. Lillie has been the Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business since 2018, and is invaluable in helping build our social enterprise to a national scale!

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What is Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Time Management for Creatives
2021-05-13 18:00 - 20:00
HOW TO MAKE THE TIME FOR EVERYTHING?

This workshop answers the age-old question – how are we supposed to find the time to run a creative career, pursue our arts-based practice, and have a life as well? This fun and informal workshop discusses practical strategies to help you keep all the juggling balls in the air.

Participants will also discuss the larger issues of:+ Setting and keeping goals;+ Staying motivated and understanding procrastination;+ Recognising self-sabotage, and;+ Finding the balance between being creative and making money.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+Lifetime access to a dedicated Time Management dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a website full of additional free resources.The workshop is relaxed and informal, you can ask all the questions you’ve never been able to ask before, and participants will also be given ample opportunity to network and get to know each other.

Who should enrol? This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with time, work and creativity. It’s also relevant no matter what your profession – filmmakers, writers, designers, visual artists, musicians, composers, dancers, performers – everyone can benefit from a quick introduction or refresher to the basics of time management and setting goals.

Who is presenting? Business advisor and creative industries expert Jess Milne from the Creative Plus Business Group. Jess is the co-founder and Artistic Director of content production company TEN ALPHAS. She has extensive media, strategy and hands-on filmmaking experience. She has held key creative positions with Cutting Edge, Defence, Mazda Australia and The Australian Communications and Media Authority and lectured in design/animation at The Queensland College of Art.

What’s Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: The Art of Law in Partnership with Central Coast Council
2021-05-11 18:00 - 20:00
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL

In collaboration with the Arts Law Centre of Australia, this workshop introduces the main legal concepts that creatives need to be aware of – copyright, contracts, moral rights and confidentiality. We’ll also share more details about where to go for help, and what resources are available to empower creatives to manage the basics of their own legal affairs.

Techniques that will be shared and discussed include:+ The basics of intellectual property and why it’s important;+ Who owns copyright, and using the work of others;+ Creating contracts to protect all relationships;+ The three essential elements of moral rights;+ Understanding the importance of confidentiality law.Resources from the Arts Law Centre of Australia will be shared, including links for legal assistance.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated The Art of Law Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.

All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

Ideal for: Creative business beginners, curious hobbyists, freelancers.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from Creative Plus Business and Senior Solicitor/Director of National Partnerships and Programs from Arts Law Suzanne Derry.

Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops, Monica discusses her own experiences and shares examples from the thousands of people that she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses in the last twenty years.

Suzanne is the Senior Solicitor at the Arts Law Centre of Australia, where she has worked for over 10 years. Suzanne has worked for a number of community legal centres and a boutique entertainment law practice. Suzanne provides legal advice on copyright, contract, defamation, debt and business structures. Suzanne enjoys educating artists about their rights and providing practical advice across a range of arts areas.

What’s Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Note: This workshop will take place online via Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link for the workshop upon registration.

ONLINE: Social Media for Creatives
2021-05-05 18:00 - 20:00
DOES SOCIAL MEDIA HURT YOUR BRAIN?

Social media is a complex and challenging marketing tool for a lot of creatives, who find it hard to strike the balance between constantly talking about themselves and ignoring the platforms entirely! This friendly and up-to-date workshop covers the basics of how to kickstart marketing using social media, with a focus on the main tools at your disposal and the strategy behind the socials.

We’ll also cover:+ Understanding your Brand online+ Understanding your Tribe+ Choosing the right platform for your clients+ Tips and tricks on staying up to date … and much more!

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help in class;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Social Media for Creatives dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a website full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business.You also get free advice! All NSW participants are entitled to 4 x 1-hour CHAT sessions, with a creative industries business advisor, 100% subsidised by Business Connect and therefore at no cost to you (no, there’s no catch!).

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with the business aspects of their creativity.

Who is Presenting? Lillie Brown is a freelance marketing strategist and Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business. Lillie works with small to medium creative businesses to devise and implement marketing and social media strategies that are easy for creative brains to digest. She walks clients through a comprehensive planning process to create simple to understand and actionable strategies to help them fulfil their vision. Lillie has been the Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business since 2018, and is invaluable in helping build our social enterprise to a national scale!

What is Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.

ONLINE: Beginners Guide to Marketing in Partnership with Central Coast Council
2021-05-04 18:00 - 20:00
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL

Marketing is one of the most despised and least understood aspects of running a creative business and being an arts entrepreneur. Most creatives hate to sell, and would rather be making than hustling. There is a simple secret to making marketing more palatable – understanding the strategy behind the sales will make a huge impact on your creative career. This down-to-earth and enjoyable workshop explores the mystery behind the marketing magic, specifically for creative professionals.

We’ll also examine:+ the key elements of a successful marketing campaign;+ how to understand clients, customer and competitors;+ the deeper meaning of word-of-mouth marketing;+ the importance of social media;+ how to make a website with impact … and much more!

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Beginners Guide to Marketing Dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a dedicated webpage full of links and resources to help them get ahead in their creative business.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with the marketing of their creative practice.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops Monica discusses her own experiences, and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Note: This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.

BYRON BAY: Freelance Five
2021-05-01 10:00 - 12:00
FREELANCING IS TRICKY – AND INEVITABLE

Freelancing in the creative industries is a fact of life. Even curious hobbyists and serial employees will need to understand the basics – not to mention those who have chosen to freelance professionally in their craft. Five Tips for Freelance Creatives is a fast, funny and practical presentation specifically designed for creative practitioners with absolutely no business skills, to help them get the five most important elements of creative freelancing just right.

Participants will learn more about:+ Setting goals and planning the self-employment journey;+ Understanding and handling money matters;+ The key to managing time better;+ The basic beginnings of marketing, and+ Fostering a cheer squad and juggling the realities of combining art and business.We’ll also share more resources and tax, superannuation, and business registration. All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Freelance Five Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.

Ideal For: Creative practitioners at every level, from students to professionals.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from Creative Plus Business. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops, Monica discusses her own experiences and shares examples from the thousands of people that she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses in the last twenty years.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Venue: Cavanbah Centre Meeting Room, 249 Ewingsdale Rd, Byron Bay NSW 2481

This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

MULLUMBIMBY: What's it Worth?
2021-04-30 16:00 - 18:00
CREATIVE COSTING, PRICING AND SHARING YOUR WORTH

Working out what to charge for creative products and services can be a colossal challenge. Where to even start? What’s It Worth is a practical workshop that covers the basics of figuring out the price point for creative work, including calculating costs and understanding what the market can bear. What’s It Worth is vital for anyone struggling to understand the value of their own work, and how to share that value with others.

Participants will also discuss the larger issues of:+ Understanding budgets, including the value of time;+ The psychology of pricing;+ Where cost and price overlap and intersect;+ Understanding the marketplace (and market research); + Creating loss leaders and more.

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated What’s it Worth? Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners.

Ideal For: Creative freelancers, established practitioners, arts organisations.

Who is presenting? Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops Monica discusses her own experiences, and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What’s Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Venue: Byron School of Art, 112 Dalley Street Mullumbimby NSW 2482

This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

GRAFTON: Social Media for Creatives
2021-04-29 18:00 - 20:00
DOES SOCIAL MEDIA HURT YOUR BRAIN?

Social media is a complex and challenging marketing tool for a lot of creatives, who find it hard to strike the balance between constantly talking about themselves and ignoring the platforms entirely! This friendly and up-to-date workshop covers the basics of how to kickstart marketing using social media, with a focus on the main tools at your disposal and the strategy behind the socials.

We’ll also cover:+ Understanding your Brand online+ Understanding your Tribe+ Choosing the right platform for your clients+ Tips and tricks on staying up to date … and much more!

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help in class;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Social Media for Creatives dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a website full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business.You also get free advice! All NSW participants are entitled to 4 x 1-hour CHAT sessions, with a creative industries business advisor, 100% subsidised by Business Connect and therefore at no cost to you (no, there’s no catch!).

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with the business aspects of their creativity.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops, Monica discusses her own experiences and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Venue: Grafton Regional Gallery, 158 Fitzroy Street Grafton NSW 2460

This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

LISMORE: I Hate Networking
2021-04-28 17:00 - 19:00
DOES THE PROSPECT OF NETWORKING MAKE YOU SHUDDER?

I Hate Networking is a surprisingly fun event designed to encourage creative people to get to know each other while acknowledging the horror of networking and sharing a few tips at the same time. While it’s a vital skill in the creative industries, many practitioners consider networking to be the stuff of nightmares. I Hate Networking combines education with the opportunity to practice in a safe and friendly environment while embracing the discomfort of the whole process and having a laugh.

Tips that will be shared include:+ Success is before you start – preparing before the event;+ Mastering the art of the introduction;+ Overcoming shyness, awkwardness and the urge to run away;+ Dealing with wankers and other difficult people;+ Getting the all-important follow-up right.

You’ll learn how to network in the first half of the session, and practice your skills in the second half.

What do I get? All participants in this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated I Hate Networking Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for curious hobbyists, creative freelancers and businesses, and arts organisations.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops, Monica discusses her own experiences and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Venue: Lismore Regional Gallery, 11 Rural Street Lismore NSW 2480

This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

LISMORE: Social Media for Creatives
2021-04-28 11:00 - 13:00
DOES SOCIAL MEDIA HURT YOUR BRAIN?

Social media is a complex and challenging marketing tool for a lot of creatives, who find it hard to strike the balance between constantly talking about themselves and ignoring the platforms entirely! This friendly and up-to-date workshop covers the basics of how to kickstart marketing using social media, with a focus on the main tools at your disposal and the strategy behind the socials.

We’ll also cover:+ Understanding your Brand online+ Understanding your Tribe+ Choosing the right platform for your clients+ Tips and tricks on staying up to date … and much more!

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help in class;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Social Media for Creatives dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a website full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business.You also get free advice! All NSW participants are entitled to 4 x 1-hour CHAT sessions, with a creative industries business advisor, 100% subsidised by Business Connect and therefore at no cost to you (no, there’s no catch!).

Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with the business aspects of their creativity.

Who is presenting?Business advisor and creative industries expert Monica Davidson from the Creative Plus Business Group. Monica is a writer and filmmaker by trade who learned how to run a successful creative business and now shares that knowledge with others. In her workshops, Monica discusses her own experiences and shares examples from the 900-plus people she has mentored through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What is NSW Business Connect? Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business. Creative Plus Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small and medium creative businesses across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Venue: Lismore Regional Gallery, 11 Rural Street Lismore NSW 2480

This workshop is sponsored by NSW Business Connect, a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you start, run, adapt or grow your small business.

ONLINE: Money is NOT a Dirty Word in Partnership with Central Coast Council
2021-04-14 18:00 - 20:00
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL

The starving artist is a pervasive idea, and in reality many creative people struggle in self-employment because money is a constant battle. This isn’t always just due to lack of funds. Creative practitioners sometimes need the basics of business money and financial literacy explained in a way that is easy to understand.

This online workshop helps to bridge that gap in financial literacy with an entertaining and real-world discussion of money that makes sense to the artistic brain.

The most common financial questions that creatives have are answered, including:+ How do I weather the ups and downs of creative income?+ Do I have to keep working for free?+ What should I charge? How do I work that out?+ What’s the deal with cash flow and budgets?+ How do I invoice? How do I enforce an invoice?+ What’s the deal with tax, and what is cloud accounting?+ Where can I go for more help?

This online workshop will be relaxed and informal. You can ask all the questions you have never been able to ask before and will have ample opportunity to network and get to know each other.

Ideal for: This workshop is tailored specifically to creative people who are (or want to be) self-employed in some capacity. It is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and small arts organisations.

What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help during the workshop;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated MONEY dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a web page full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business.

Who is presenting?Monica Davidson is an award-winning expert on the creative industries, who began her professional life as a freelance journalist and filmmaker. In 2014 Monica completed her Masters degree in Screen Arts and Business at AFTRS, and was appointed as the first NSW Creative Industries Business Advisor by the Department of Industry. Shortly after she founded the social enterprise Creative Plus Business, which is dedicated to educating creative people about small business and marketing skills. In 2019, Monica was awarded the QUT Creative Enterprise Australia award for being a Creative Trailblazer that “advocates, mentors, donates, educates and advises within Australia’s creative economy”. Monica continues to work as a writer, filmmaker and occasional performer.

What’s Creative Plus Business?We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

Note: This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email prior to the workshop.

ONLINE: LinkedIn for Creatives
2021-04-08 18:00 - 20:00
LINKEDIN IS NOT FOR CREATIVES…

Actually, that’s where you’re wrong. LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for creatives but it does take a little bit of manipulation to make it work for you – and help you connect to potential clients and customers! In this interactive online workshop, creative practitioners can learn as a group about how to make the most of LinkedIn for their career.

We’ll work together to:+ Finish your summary and experiences;+ Add media and info to your categories;+ Learn what makes a great photo and banner;+ Use a format for previous work that’s ideal for creative workers and freelancers;+ Discuss the strategy: posting, blogging and more.

Come and join us for some light learning, a virtual glass of wine and the opportunity to work together get to know each other. You’ll also get to work together in a practical way on your own LinkedIn profile with the help of a professional!

What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Hands-on help with their LinkedIn profile;+ Additional resources, including a free webinar to remind them of key pointsYou also get free advice! All NSW participants are entitled to 4 x 1-hour CHAT sessions, with a creative industries business advisor, 100% subsidised by Business Connect and therefore at no cost to you (no, there’s no catch!).

Who should enrol? This workshop is ideal for creative professionals who know they need to be ‘better;’ at LinkedIn, but have no idea how to start.

Who is Presenting?Award-winning creative industries expert Monica Davidson, a writer and filmmaker by trade who founded the Creative Plus Business Group in 2016. Monica is a skilled facilitator who has helped literally thousands of creative practitioners through the process of starting and building their creative businesses.

What is Creative Plus Business? We’re a social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills. We help through sharing practical knowledge in a fun and irreverent way, and everything we do is designed to help creatives to feel more confident and comfortable about the entrepreneurial aspects of their creative practice. We believe that a bit of naughtiness, tempered with a kind heart and a big dose of professionalism, is the key to helping creative people understand the boring basics of business.

Accessibility: if you have any access requirements, please email hello@creativeplusbusiness.com

This workshop will take place on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom link in an email from Creative Plus Business prior to the workshop. Note: this workshop will not be recorded.
