The T.E.A. with Albie Knows

Alberthe K. Buabeng

Are you ready for candid (and caffeinated) conversations about life & business as a designpreneur? Still dedicated to changing the conversation and creating impact, "The T.E.A. with Albie Knows" is an upgrade to the formerly known as podcast "The Design Influence". Every week, we will think (and talk) through industry growing pains, equip ourselves with solution based education, and take action when & where action is needed. It's time for T.E.A.

  1. What's The T.E.A. on The Meridian Experience Weekend?

    04/29/2022

    What's The T.E.A. on The Meridian Experience Weekend?

    If you’re listening to (or reading) this then you may already know that comeback is a long time coming! When I launched this podcast as The Design Influence 3 years ago, I had a pretty clear idea of where it was headed. I realized — while procrastinating on bringing the show back — that The Design Influence no longer accurately represented what I was creating. In hindsight, I don’t know that it ever really did… I just knew that The E-Design Experience — the virtual conference that inspired the podcast — was definitely not an accurate representation of what I wanted the show to be. It wasn’t, actually, until I did the Share The Mic Now Home Edition initiative in 2020, that I realized how much I was limiting myself & the show with the name “The Design Influence”… I just didn’t have the mental bandwidth to figure out what the next iteration of the show would look like. Now here we are, in 2022, less than 3 months away from The Meridian Experience Weekend — the first of its kind retreat style conference for the home industry — and I knew if I didn’t do this now, I was never gonna do this… this being bringing back the show. And then it hit me… The T.E.A… a show where I will be your guide as we T— think (and talk) through industry growing pains, E — equip ourselves with solution based education, and A — take action when & where action is needed. Talk. Education. Action. The show would run parallel the conference and continue after till the next one… and the next one… and the next one… for years to come! And that’s really why we’re here today… to talk all about The Meridian Experience! Full Show Notes

    30 min
  2. Episode 003: Why E-Design Isn't For You (And That's Okay)

    02/21/2020

    Episode 003: Why E-Design Isn't For You (And That's Okay)

    Be it on Instagram, via YouTube comments, or straight to my email, I frequently get questions related to e-design — getting started, software to use, how to charge…you name it. Hell, it was probably a question from you! Spoiler: my most frequently asked question is always software related, LOL. But one question I would’ve expected to get more of that was actually my least asked question was whether or not e-design was a good fit. I’ve had designer friends remove e-design from their service offerings, realizing that it wasn’t a good fit for them and so happy to be freed up to focus on the services that did fit their business model. They understood the root of their e-design frustrations and ultimately realized that, no matter how many times they tweaked their packages or pricing, it would never make them happy.  Why aren't more designers asking themselves this — is e-design a good fit for me and my business? E-design, for better or for worse, has forever changed the landscape of the design industry and has become a very enticing income stream for many designers, seasoned and new alike. So in theory, it could or should be for everyone right? Wrong. While it is an attractive part of the design industry, it may not be part of the industry that’s for you. In the same way that not every designer does hospitality, commercial, or renovation design, I want you to know that it’s okay if e-design isn’t part of your repertoire. If you’re a designer that has considered e-design for your business, you might wanna pull out some pen & paper or your favorite note-taking app, because today we’re talking all about why e-design just might not be for you. MENTIONED • Season 1, Episode 4: Product Sourcing Online: Retail vs Trade • Season 1, Episode 10: The Business of E-Design LET'S CONNECT @albieknows on Instagram @thedesigninfluence on Instagram

    12 min
  3. Episode 002: What Do You Do When Nothing Seems to Be Working?

    02/11/2020

    Episode 002: What Do You Do When Nothing Seems to Be Working?

    Whether it’s in your business or in your personal life, have you ever had those moments when it just seems like nothing you do is working? Like you just can’t catch a break or get “it” right, whatever “it” is? Yeah, I’ve been there!  So what do you do when you’re in the thick of all these feelings? What do you do when nothing seems to be working? Spoiler alert: there isn’t a one size fits all answer. But in this episode, I want to share with you some of the most common “it’s not working” complaints I’ve heard (some I’ve even said myself) and what you can start to do to “fix” it. • Marketing • Social Media • Client Relations • Work-Life Balance • Finances Whether you’re a seasoned designer, newbie entrepreneur, or somewhere in the middle, no one is immune to feeling, at least once or twice, like you have no clue what you’re doing! But here’s the thing, you can’t succumb to the weight of the doubt otherwise you’ll risk making zero progress. Instead, discern what’s not working, why it isn’t working, and then come up with a plan to fix it. Today's episode is a very truncated list of all the things that you could possibly feel just aren’t working for you but the overall approach is the same no matter the area that you’re struggling with… Identify the struggle …and not with vague, cliche terms, but with very explicit and clear language. Until you can be completely honest about what’s not working, you’ll never figure out why it’s not working, much less how to fix it. Visualize the solution …and I don’t mean just being all “woo-woo” about the end goal, although there’s some woo involved. I mean being very very clear about what it would look like if this thing was working for you. How do you know it’s not working exactly? What does the alternative look like. See that and hold on to that. Hell, write it down! Create a plan that actually addresses each piece of the problem …and gets you closer to the solution you’ve envisioned. You may have to start at a very uncomfortable (and unpopular) beginning, but in the end, it’ll pay off. Marketing not reaching the right people? Might be time for a rebrand. Social media getting too overwhelming? Consider a following/follower purge. Client relations are a constant struggle? Rethink the services you’re offering. Work like balance totally non-existent? Outsourcing might be just what you need to create white space. Coping with an unhealthy money mindset? Maybe a therapist can help you work through those mental blocks. Execute and commit …to whatever your plan is. You know exactly how you want things to look and feel when they’re working so now we just follow the breadcrumbs till we get there. I’d love to hear from you guys, about specifically what isn’t working for you, whether it’s in your business or the peripheral pieces of your life. If I get enough feedback we can do a followup Q&Albie episode addressing what you guys share!

    14 min

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Are you ready for candid (and caffeinated) conversations about life & business as a designpreneur? Still dedicated to changing the conversation and creating impact, "The T.E.A. with Albie Knows" is an upgrade to the formerly known as podcast "The Design Influence". Every week, we will think (and talk) through industry growing pains, equip ourselves with solution based education, and take action when & where action is needed. It's time for T.E.A.