How to find and use your hidden talents in your creative business
Discovering your hidden talents
Finding and then deploying your hidden talents and skills into your creative business can be transformative. All too often we label ourselves as a ‘photographer’, ‘painter’, ‘designer’, ‘florist’ - you get the picture! We forget the life and skill-set that’s gone before (often because we have been unhappy in a former career or job). We feel the need to cast off the shackles of those confining boxes and declare ourselves separate from that experience in order to forge ahead with the new.
But holding on to some of what made us good at our previous jobs, and rejecting the things we were maybe told as children (‘oh you’re no good at maths’, ‘you don’t have the eye for art’, ‘you’ll never be good at writing’ etc etc) can be utterly liberating. It can be incredibly hard to overcome those little voices telling us we’re no good at something, or worse that we’ll never be good enough.
FINDING YOUR NICHE
One of the most magical things about working with some of my coaching clients is diving deep into this, drawing out the threads of that childlike excitement for a task or skill and seeing that there is huge talent lying undiscovered, just beneath the surface, desperate for its time to shine.
Like the wonderful Rosie at InkFlower Press. Right from the beginning of our sessions together I saw her undeniable ability and talent for writing. She has that rare combination of artistic eye and wordsmithing that together is utterly spellbinding. A gentle enquiry as to whether she ever enjoyed writing poetry as a child (or more recently) extracted the truth that yes, she did. And she loved it. From that moment on I just knew there was some way we could forge this into an exciting and unique offering within her business. I won’t spoil the surprise, but all I can say is, watch out this Autumn - it’s going to be pretty special!
Rosie collects our coaching call the day I sowed that seed…
“Have you ever thought about poetry? You write so beautifully, I really think you should give it a go… I’ll leave that with you to percolate and we can chat about it next time.”
No. I hadn’t considered writing poetry. But I have always had a fascination with language; though I think of myself as very much a visual person, I’ll often use words rather than images to quickly sketch out an idea. The longer I sit with Kate’s seemingly ridiculous suggestion, the more it feels like poetry might form a logical, and above all enjoyable, part of my business.
Styling & Photography of Rosie’s work by Kate Cullen
defining your skill-set
So perhaps ask yourself, what have you always loved? Perhaps you have a gift for writing, could you consider adding a more extensive blog beyond just showcasing your work on your website? Do you enjoy painting, perhaps you could send a mini work of art you have done with your own hand as part of a client welcome gift? Did you excel at organisation and networking in your last job, could you run some industry meet ups in your area to meet more potential colleagues and make like-minded friends?
Still a little lost as to what your hidden talents might be? Think about compliments you have received lately (even better if they are from clients or colleagues not just friends or family, they are likely to be truly objective!). Don’t brush these kind words off as merely ‘nice’. Perhaps you have an ability to see things in a different way to most people, a unique way of approaching tasks or dealing with hurdles. If you’re still thinking about what your special skill-set could be ask yourself what jobs you would do if you absolutely couldn’t do the one you’re in now… you night be surprised about the commonalities and the sort of skills it takes to do well in these.
Think about the things you find easy but perhaps others don’t, eg public speaking (start a podcast or IGTV Series), marketing your business (devote more time to it and watch your business really get noticed), using social media (grow your audience), creating graphics to sell your events (up-level your brand identity), designing your website (create more sales through wowing your visitors), writing copy for your website (engage your audience better), doing your accounts (save yourself money). Play to these strengths (write them down if it helps), perhaps even consider hiring yourself out to other companies who struggle in these areas.
Make a difference
Any way that you can authentically show more of your personality will enhance your niche and set you apart from your competitors. Design a business that is truly, ferociously YOU. I promise you will feel more fulfilled and more excited to be working on your business than ever before.
Still not sure what sets you apart?
Set aside time for self-discovery - journal, book yourself on that course or workshop that you’ve always wanted to do, perhaps take a personality test. Or, I’m here to help you discover your inner talents and how they could transform your business. Book a discovery call below and let’s begin your journey.
