June 5, 2024
Discover how one creative entrepreneur turned CEO keeps her passion alive while stepping into a leadership role.
It can happen quickly.
No, I’m not talking about the moment you finally understand why your parents got so excited over a new kitchen gadget or monogrammed hand towels on Christmas morning. (I get it now, Mom!)
I’m talking about that shift when creative entrepreneurs like you become people leaders and managers, and suddenly feel a major void where their creative outlet used to be.
One minute, you’re in your element – creating, designing, and innovating. You’re crushing client projects and pulling in new leads. This is the dream that got you into creative entrepreneurship.
But then, reality hits. You need a team to keep up with your growing business.
Suddenly, you’re swamped with the details of managing people—like writing job descriptions, handling payroll, and making sure your team is developing well.
It almost feels like your success is working against you, and now you’re stuck doing a job that drains your creative energy.
This is a common trap that stunts many creative entrepreneurs’ growth.
It holds them back from hiring the team they need to grow (aka employees.) They fear losing their creative time and space, having to replace it with the routine tasks of managing people.
So, how do you overcome this tough transition from creative entrepreneur to CEO?
Should you just give up on your growth goals and remain a solo act forever? Or just accept that hiring means putting your creativity on the shelf?
Absolutely not!
You learn from those who’ve been there and find ways to infuse your leadership role with the passion that drove you to start your business.
That’s exactly what we dive into in today’s podcast episode.
I chatted with my good friend turned client turned friend turned client, Kristin Richards, CEO of In Flow Design. Her journey and insights will inspire you to embrace your role as a leader while staying true to what lights you up.
Kristin discusses her evolution from creative entrepreneur to dedicated leader, and how she makes sure her passion for creativity thrives amid her CEO responsibilities.
In this episode, we talk about:
🔹 Balancing leadership with finding joy in your business
🔹 Leaning into things going wrong
🔹 Creative leadership and empowering your team to discover what excites them
🔹 Staying true to your values, no matter what
🔹 Rethinking the employee vs. contractor debate
🔹 Building trust with a network of experts to grow your business
Without giving too much away, it basically comes down to this:
“When you’re stuck doing what everyone else is doing, you’re not accessing your own creativity.” -Kristin Richards, CEO, In Flow Design Co.
In your services, business, and leadership roles, there are endless opportunities to access your creativity – reminding you that your mission to innovate never truly ends.
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Listen Now!
About Kristin
Kristin Richards is the CEO and creative director of the branding and website design agency In Flow Design Co. Kristin launched her business while living overseas in Australia, and has grown it beyond a one-woman show into having a team and selling digital products. Her company In Flow specialties in working with clients in the coaching, consulting and luxury travel industries. She is also a certified mindset & success coach, and believes in building a business based around your values and lifestyle.
Links Mentioned
In Flow Design: https://inflowdesignco.com/
Steal Kristin’s step-by-step website launch process! This is the same process she and her team use with her website design clients – all in one handy dandy free checklist: https://inflowdesignco.com/website-launch-checklist
