Creatives In The Wild Justine Mulliez

I've worked with freelancers for over 6 years and was a freelancer myself for most of my 20s. On new solo episodes of Creatives in the Wild, I'm sharing wisdom and research I've gained from those experiences, so you can learn tools and strategies to use in your business right away!
Today, we're diving into the two main elements freelancers need in order to go from side hustle to full time (or to simply find more ease in their business).
Listen to hear about:
Being good at your craft, especially in a world of increasing AI The importance of selling and sharing your own perspective and point of view Having your own approach and style to make it easier for clients to work with you Prioritizing personal work as a way to strengthen your skillsets and find more work Protecting yourself against burnout by creating blank space for your inner creative Being good at business: client management, services, and pricing Nobody is born being a great entrepreneur, it's a learned skill Selling a service that offers a purpose and gives an end result to clients Money mindset and how it can shift a hobby into a functioning business Choosing pricing models that suit your personal financial needs Creating safety when deciding to go from side hustle to full time Being comfortable with the discomfort of finding clients Using empathy and listening in order to get jobs Why collecting no's is a good practice How craft and business skills feed into each other How your adventurous spirit can help you run your business
Use this episode as a personal pep talk if you're feeling discouraged in freelancing this year!

 
Resources mentioned:
Workshop recordings: https://www.justawildthought.podia.com
Tools and templates for freelancers: https://justawildthought.com/tools
Gear Library of free tools: https://justawildthought.com/free-resources
 
Connect with Justine:
Website: https://www.justawildthought.com 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justawildthought 
 
Was this episode helpful? Screenshot this and tell a friend to go to justawildthought.com/podcast! Please rate and review Creatives in the Wild on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Kaylee Litle (she/her) is the founder of Kindling Design, a graphic design studio specializing in branding, web, and brand experiences for outdoor-minded companies.
Through thoughtful design and creative problem solving, Kaylee's Signature Bonfire Brand Process offers clients an in-depth, guided experience through creating a meaningful visual identity that stands out.

 
In this episode, Justine and Kaylee chat about:
How building relationships and setting consistent expectations are keys to business.
Questions to help determine whether a potential client is a good fit for you.
How taking charge in the client relationship serves both parties.
The importance of having an established process for client work.
Question asking as a skill to determine your own needs and those of your clients
How Kaylee differentiates being a "creative" vs. a "designer"
Understanding yourself, your "why", and your work's "why"
A creative way to brainstorm potential new services to offer
How transparency is more valuable than money
You are your biggest hurdle: Tips for newer freelancers

 
 

 
and more!

 
Connect with Kaylee
Website: https://www.kindlingdesignco.com
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindlingdesign

 
Connect with Justine:
Website: https://www.justawildthought.com 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justawildthought 
 
Was this episode helpful? Screenshot this and tell a friend to go to justawildthought.com/podcast! Please rate and review Creatives in the Wild on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Micheli Oliver (she/they) is a filmmaker, photographer and storyteller based in Denver, Colorado. Her work centers her family, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and femme voices to facilitate connection and help folx build strong relationships with the land.
Micheli works to create safe spaces for honest and joyful storytelling across different creative media and just premiered her debut film "Provide."
 

 
In this episode, Justine and Micheli chat about:
 
- Growing up in Colorado with a passion for hunting, fishing, and camping

- How being stranded in the middle of Idaho with a new camera led her to photography as a potential career path

- Challenging the way that media portrays time outdoors; there's no one way to be outside

- Uniting diverse groups through their love and appreciation of the land

- Personal values and ethics in creativity, selling, and the outdoor industry

- Embracing truth and joy in storytelling

- Projects and people that inspire her like: Jojo The Toad Musical, Max Romey and Alexandra Houchin
 
- The joy and learnings of working with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina

- The challenges of balancing commercial projects with personal projects
 

 



 
and more!

 
Connect with Micheli
Website: https://www.michelioliver.com
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micheliphoto

 
Connect with Justine:
Website: https://www.justawildthought.com 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justawildthought 
 
Was this episode helpful? Screenshot this and tell a friend to go to justawildthought.com/podcast! Please rate and review Creatives in the Wild on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Dawn Rae Knoth (she/her) is a Color Designer + Trend Strategist who has been consulting with brands in the outdoor industry for over 21 years. She works with clients to implement meaningful, functional creative visions that elevate a brand's purpose, positioning, and consumer engagement. 
Dawn Rae loves how her work combines multiple things that excite and fascinate her: art, pattern recognition, math, human behavior, emotional landscapes, curiosity, and science. In her monthly newsletter, Creative Intelligence, she shares insights on color and trend strategy, design, palette creation, and merchandising. 
Outside of work, you will find her bikepacking with her family, trying to get to genius level on the Spelling Bee, and listening to podcasts that unpack the human experience.

 
In this episode, Justine and Dawn Rae chat about:
 
- Color strategy and branding in the outdoor industry, which blends science and art

- Embracing your unique personality and perspective as a freelancer, even if you’re not the absolute best at every single service you offer

- Working with brands and reaching their goals even with logistical and budget constraints

- How past work set Dawn Rae up with a big knowledge and experience base to start her own business

- Leveraging long-term industry relationships and the importance of a wide-view industry perspective

- Working with clients on a long-term basis: season to season or year after year

- The emotion, stories, and strategy behind color

- Building trust with clients through clear processes

- Maintaining a personal artistic voice through a creative newsletter
 
 



 
and more!

 
📢 Special announcement: The Money Clarity Course for Freelancers hybrid program starts 4/1/24!
Go to https://www.justawildthought.com/money to tackle your money demons, beat your blind spots, and learn how to make intentional choices in your business finances. We're using Q2 of 2024 to work through coursework and activities around pricing, selling, financial forecasting, money management and more, and we'll meet for three live coaching sessions. The Money Clarity Course is a holistic experience for long-term money confidence in business. We hope you'll join us this spring!
 
Connect with Dawn Rae:
Website: https://dawnrae.com
 
Creative Intelligence: https://dawnrae.substack.com
 
Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/dawnrae_colors/
 
Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/dawnraek/
 
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@dawnrae_colors
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnrae/

 
Connect with Justine:
Website: https://www.justawildthought.com 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justawildthought 
 
Was this episode helpful? Screenshot this and tell a friend to go to justawildthought.com/podcast! Please rate and review Creatives in the Wild on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jessica Kennedy (she/her) is a website designer and SEO specialist who builds, manages, and optimizes WordPress and Squarespace websites for small business owners.
She loves working with outdoor-loving folks who are starting a business or looking to improve their online presence. When not working, Jessica is usually dog-walking, camping, or laughing at something absurd on TikTok.

 
In this episode, Justine and Jessica chat about:
 
- Always knowing that she'd work for herself someday, but still trying to make a "desk job" work

- The journey to her current business, including taking a desk job at Yosemite National Park

- How freelancing makes it easier for Jessica to live and work aligned with her values

- Balancing creativity with client desires and taking leadership while serving clients

- Dismantling people-pleasing tendencies

- The importance of freelancers to create a sense of safety for their clients

- The value of word of mouth marketing, time with peers, and coaching

- How Jessica makes intentional decisions in her business and beyond, noticing intuition and truly listening to what she does and doesn't want to do

- Using structure to add data and science to her intuition in business
 

 
 



 
and more!

 
📢 Special announcement: Freelancer Boot Camp starts 3/28!
Go to https://www.justawildthought.com/freelancer-bootcamp now to learn about this 12 week coaching community designed for aspiring and current freelancers. Together, we'll outline your business vision, reshape your mindset, and get into the nitty gritty to turn your creative pursuit into a fully functioning business.
 
Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jesskenn.com
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesskenn/ 

 

 
 
Connect with Justine:
Website: https://www.justawildthought.com 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justawildthought 
 
Was this episode helpful? Screenshot this and tell a friend to go to justawildthought.com/podcast! Please rate and review Creatives in the Wild on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Iz La Motte (she/her) is an adventure photographer and filmmaker who splits her time between Utah’s Wasatch Range and her off-grid cabin in the woods of Vermont. 
Iz has developed her craft into one that focuses on the human story and its relation to the world. Her passion lies in working with individuals and brands to tell their own impactful stories in a way that feels true to them.
Her work has been seen in marketing campaigns across the ski industry, in print publications such as Freeskier and Backcountry Magazine, and in the film festival circuit at Mountainfilm and Banff Film Festival.

 
 
In this episode, Justine and Iz chat about:
 
- Iz's career dream at 12 years old (that turned into reality)

- building a career in film, from "Fuel" to "Advice For Girls"

 - being able to choose whose opinions matter most in your work

- using risk-taking and feedback for growth and development

- the importance of money talks, both with clients and with peers in your industry

- how pricing secrecy can hinder a whole industry

- balancing paid work with doing your craft for fun, including having days just for personal enjoyment

- the pressures of seasonality in photography and filmmaking

- there's no one way to have a creative career, and you can make it fun

- living in the woods and making it work without wifi or cell service
 


 
 
and more!

 
📢 Special announcement: Freelancer Boot Camp starts 3/28!
Go to https://www.justawildthought.com/freelancer-bootcamp now to learn about this 12 week coaching community designed for aspiring and current freelancers. Together, we'll outline your business vision, reshape your mindset, and get into the nitty gritty to turn your creative pursuit into a fully functioning business.
 
Connect with Iz:
Website: https://www.makeplusequal.com

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makeplusequal (use #makeplusequal)

 

Article: https://www.outsideonline.com/business-journal/issues/the-20-most-influential-people-in-the-outdoor-industry/

 
Connect with Justine:
Website: https://www.justawildthought.com 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justawildthought 
 
Was this episode helpful? Screenshot this and tell a friend to go to justawildthought.com/podcast! Please rate and review Creatives in the Wild on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.