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Behind the Design

Author: Olivia Austin

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No fluff or vague lectures that make you zone out. Just real talk on building the business and life of your dreams… Because you deserve both.
Unfiltered entrepreneurship insights—in your ears for free every other week.
Are you tired of reading and hearing the same old aspirational BS?

Too much business content online is the curated result of years of painstaking work and unsexy struggle. Those poolside laptop photos and launch-earning reveals hide what really goes on behind the scenes, which is where the true lessons lie.
106 Episodes
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Today's episode might be one of my favorite conversations I've had in a while. As you know, this new theme of motherhood and business is an important topic I've been touching on throughout my pregnancy and now as a new mom. For me, becoming a mom was a big deal not just because I'd be taking care of a human, but because I was nervous about what it would mean for my identity as a creative and business owner. Today I sit down with Cassie Gudmundson, a wealth energetics + business coach, specifically for mamas in biz. She is a former designer, mama of 3, manifesting-generator and lover of all things mindset. Her work is a place for moms + entrepreneurs who truly desire to have it all, without sacrifice. In her private coaching, programs & containers, you can have BOTH as she teaches you how to dive deep into the mindsets, energetics and aligned actions needed for you to truly be the wealthy mama + ceo that manifests in everything you desire, in your business and beyond.We talk about all of those things today and how we want to change the narrative on what it means to be a mama in business. So if you're a mom and a business owner OR if you are curious what that will look like for you some day -- this episode is for you. LINKS: SUMMIT: https://currentdesign--reuxdesignco.thrivecart.com/vip-bundle/ https://www.instagram.com/cassiegudmundson/
A majority of my podcast episodes are business focused and trainings, but I wanted this episode to be different. The most meaningful conversations I have with you are ones when I share real bts and real lessons I’m learning in life. I’m in such a different season of life right now, one that is so precious and slow and hard and very very different than anything I’m used to.  In just 4 short weeks my life and perspective has changed a lot and  want to share my experience in hopes to inspire and empower you. As entrepreneurs we are constantly go go go.  Comparing ourselves to others and told to hustle in order to reach our goals. And while Ill be the first one to say I love setting and achieving goals, when it comes down to it that is not what life is about. Today I’m getting personal and sharing my birth story, things that are going well and not so well in my first month of maternity leave and some tips for slowing down if you’re someone who is constantly on the move.  @byoliviaaustin byoliviaaustin.com/shop
Monthly Recurring Revenue is something that's talked about often in entrepreneurship  because of the security it brings in an otherwise unstable space. While courses and memberships are great ways to bring in that type of income, as a creative service-provider it might not feel like that's not the route you want to take your business. Monthly recurring revenue is often interchanged with ongoing or retainer work in the design world and today I'm sitting down with a client and friend, Brooke Molinari of Nari Creative whose design studio is mostly based on retainer work and where she has more than 20 clients each month on this type of service. Brooke Molinari has been leading her design studio since 2017 after working in corporate design for many years. She has found her niche working with brands and influencers, and with her talented team of designers, Nari Creative generates graphic designs across vast visual mediums such as newsletters, Instagram stories, blog collages, and more, adding up to hundreds of deliverables every week. There is no one I know that is running a design studio at this high caliber, pushing out as many high-end deliverables for their clients, so I'm excited to dive into this episode as I know it will bring so much value to you. naricreative.com @naricreative
I mentioned I'd be talking a lot about the  brand and website design process this month because I get asked a lot about how I grew Current and whenever I really stop to think about it, I directly correlate hitting my revenue goals, growing my team and getting consistent clients to our design process. Over the years, I've spent so much time and investing into a design process that supports the business and life I strive to have. A streamlined and strategic design process allows you to stay in your genius zone and produce better results for your clients, show up professionally and as the expert so you are the expert and overall be more profitable in your business. I originally sat down to record just one episode about our client experience/design process from start to finish and realized that while it would be helpful, it would be 3 hours long and not super effective because of information overload. So in today's episode I want to break down the 3 things you might not have heard before that most designers are missing in their brand and website process, while also elevating and streamlining your design process from start to finish. FREE GUIDE: 3 Elements Most Designers are Missing in their Brand + Web Process
While I don't believe in quick fixes when it comes to business, I do believe there are key things that make or break a business. Most of the time, these things are overlooked because they seem small and don't feel like "revenue-generating" tasks, but not all of those tasks are about sales and marketing. When you break down your financial goals and what you need to do to increase profitability and the overall health of your business, it often comes down to one thing: your process. For me, this was absolutely true. When I look back over the last 5 years and how I've grown Current to a multi-six figure business that has allowed me to work with amazing clients and start other business ventures, it's because of my design process. A streamlined and strategic design process allows you to stay in your genius zone and produce better results for your clients which increases client retention and revenue...  it allows you to show up as the expert and position you more professionally, which sets expectations and boundaries upfront and doesn't cause issues later in the project, which overall allows you to be more profitable in your business. In today's episode we're talking about the importance of a streamlined + strategic design process, how it directly correlates to hitting your revenue goals + the next steps you need to take in order to create a design process that works for you. FREE GUIDE: 3 Elements Most Designers are Missing in their Brand + Web Process
I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with the Creatives behind Oh Sierra, Xanthe and Frank Appleyard. Over the last few years I have been following their journey and obsessing over their beautiful designs, open-hearted communication and knack for marketing, so it was amazing to finally sit down with them and get the deets on what they've been up to. Xanthe and Frank Appleyard are the Founders of Oh Sierra, where they help leaders and brands harness the potent power of community through content strategy, content education and content creation leading conversations around radical authenticity, creative living, and balanced business, helping entrepreneurs attract and grow an aligned, loyal community while embracing a culture of work and play. Xanthe and Frank's unique perspective on business is a product of the path-less-traveled, informing their philosophy - anywhere people come together to eat, drink, laugh, create and share ideas is the happiest place to be. @ohsierracreative ohsierra.ca
I wish I was one of those people who bulk recorded podcast episodes, but I'm just not. I have them all outlined already, but I usually record that week and honestly it's because I like to make sure it's relevant and something I actually care about that will help YOU in your business. This week I'm so glad I didn't record this episode early because something really unexpected happened that aligns so perfectly with the theme of this episode. Obv, the title of this episode is "How to Recession Proof Your Small Business", which we are going to dive into 5 ways for you to do that, but the underlying theme is how to prepare your small business for the unexpected. If you've been in my circle even for a short time, you know my main mission is to help you build a sustainable, long-lasting business. I don't help with quick fixes or play into hustle culture, we are building businesses to LAST and that work with you and your lifestyle. Shit happens. Life happens. Things rarely go according to plan. So if you can set yourself up and your business up in a way where it works with the ebbs and flows of life -- you will no doubt be successful and run a thriving business (which most small business owners don't get to). So, in today's episode we're diving into personal story on my terrible first week of 2023 and the business lessons this taught me and then dive into 5 ways to Recession Proof Your Small Business (AKA run a thriving, profitable business no matter what happens!).
Monica Denais is a Latinx Licensed Professional Counselor and Mindset Coach in Dallas, Texas.  Monica helps ambitious women and entrepreneurs overcome anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout so they can feel confident in both life and business. Monica has been featured in Women's Health Magazine, Verywell Mind, and Insider Magazine.  Monica is also the host of the Café with Monica podcast, where she brings amazing entrepreneurs to cover all things life, mental health, and entrepreneurship. https://www.instagram.com/cafewithmonica/ Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/monicadenais
How to go from low-paying clients to booking high-end clients I recently was asked this question, "how did you go from working with low-budget clients to booking high-end clients?". It really got me thinking because I can remember when I was in the early-ish years of my business thinking, "how do I work on those big projects"? "How can I work with a client like that"? and really over the last few years I've evolved into only working with high-end, super aligned clients and that has been a game changer in my business. In this episode I'm going over the evolution of booking high-end clients, because it doesn't happen overnight, and 3 things you can start implementing TODAY to attract high-end clients that value your work and are ready and excited to work with you. If you're feeling misaligned with the clientele you're calling in, are struggling to increase your prices and/or are ready for a little uplevel in general, then you're going to LOVE this episode! LINKS: https://currentdesignstudio.mykajabi.com/offers/SjdqDFT7 motivedeck.com instagram.com/motivedeck
In this episode, I’m going to go through my beginning years to the toughest year of business and everything in between.
I started 2021 with the mindset of “we’re going big”... no playing small, taking risks, going all in and betting on myself and this business... and that’s exactly what we did. 2021 was our best and biggest year in business yet. We  hit milestones month after month, all while feeling super aligned, growing our team, calling in high-level clients, building connections AND as the episode title says, 2.5 timing (??) our revenue. It’s huge, it’s exciting and I learned a lot -- which is what I want to share with you today. Disclaimer: This episode is not about how to make money fast, so if that’s what you’re looking for then this isn’t for you. What we’re talking about today will help you hone in on your business goals and set the foundation for a successful year ahead WITHOUT the overwhelm (did I mention I took 3 weeks off for my wedding?) while doing all of this? LINKS MENTIONED: Consistent, High-Quality Leads Masterclass on Dec. 17 (Save $20 with early bird signup!) Custom Design Application https://www.instagram.com/current.designstudio https://www.instagram.com/byoliviaaustin/
Dr. Amanda Chay is a time & business strategist helping entrepreneurs get their time back by maximizing efficiency with your team and business. She also runs + owns a naturopathic clinic, a supplement company + runs a coaching business, so if anyone knows how to manage their time, it's Amanda. In this episode we chat about how to establish goals for maximum revenue without spreading yourself too thin + working less, what burnout is + how to avoid it, the best way to structure your days for maximum productivity + how she runs multiple businesses while still getting to ski any chance she gets. Amanda is a wealth of knowledge, I've already implemented some of her tips from this episode, and I'm so excited for you guys to hear it! https://dramandachay.ca/ https://www.instagram.com/dramandachay/ https://www.instagram.com/naturalpathclinic/ https://www.instagram.com/enlivennaturals/
Growing up is not a right, it's a privilege. And every single day you spend on this earth is a gift and should be treated that way. I love clean slates and although I love a good new years resolution, I prefer to use my birthday as the marker for setting new intentions and celebrating another year of being alive. Amidst a global pandemic, 27 was the biggest year of my life with really really huge life and business milestones along with some tough, but loving lessons I learned. As I look forward to a new year, I thought I'd share the top lessons I learned this past year, what I'm looking forward to this year and some tips on how to set intentions for a fresh start. Links mentioned: https://currentdesignstudio.com/designed-to-scale https://currentdesignstudio.com/design-biz-accelerator
I'm going a little Amanda Frances on ya today and sharing an audio snippet from one of our Designed to Scale mastermind calls that's all about embodying your next-level self in business + life. Something we're constantly growing towards in this group are the mindset shifts + energy elevations you have to make as you scale your business past multi-six figures + in this lesson I'm walking through a practice to do every day that will help you fully embody this. Scaling a business is not just about numbers + sales + as you grow into the multi-six figures + beyond, the energy + mindset work becomes just as important as the systems you're implementing, so I'm excited to share with you a little taste of what this looks like. https://www.instagram.com/carabarone/ https://currentdesignstudio.com/designed-to-scale https://currentdesignstudio.com/design-biz-accelerator
You know that feeling when you get off a discovery call and that client just "felt right"? You chatted easily and are both as equally as excited to work with each other - we love those clients and there's no reason that every single discovery call shouldn't be just like that. I believe that no matter what stage of business you're in, it's important to know everything and anything about the client's you're serving + constantly elevating that clientele as you uplevel your business. In today's episode, I'm going over how to know someone is a "hell yes" client, how to find this ideal client in different stages of your biz + establishing a marketing strategy to connect with those clients.
Want to stop getting on discovery calls with people who think you're too expensive and actually work with clients who hurl their credit cards at you? I've got ya. When your brand is misaligned you can feel like... 👉🏼You're getting on discovery calls with less-than-ideal clients. 👉🏼Your content is more "inspirational" than high-converting 👉🏼You're confused on how to streamline your message to connect with your audience ...and don't even get started on your website The root of this frustration stems from speaking to too broad of an audience of not the exact right people - that's where defining your niche comes in. I know, I know, this is a buzzword in the business world that comes up often, but it's the key to going from hot mess online to THE aligned goddess in your space. I personally have niched down to a specific market, and in this episode, we're chatting the importance to defining your niche and how to do it.
Jill Wise is a Brand Strategist, copywriter, business advisor + fellow wine lover who believes everyone should wake up every day doing what they love. In this episode we chat about mindset shifts + practices for high-level entrepreneurs, internal business strategies that helped her go from freelancer to business owner + productivity hacks to focus on scaling your business. We also chat about why and how Jill will retire her husband (a topic I love to chat about) and how she manifested her dream home. This interview is probably one of my favorites to date and I think it will be yours too.
This is definitely the top question that I get from you guys, so I thought it deserved it’s own podcast episode. When it comes to putting prices on your website, there are two different views on it and in today’s episode I’m sharing those two very different views and my personal opinion on this topic that I think will have you making a change to your website immediately.
50 episodes!! Woo hoo! Recording these episodes up to now has been so much fun and to celebrate you and this amazing community I thought it’d be fun to do a Q&A. The questions that you sent in are so good and I’m so excited to dive into them. From business to finances to relationships, we’re getting into it today.
Are you ready for some serious systems & operations in today's podcast episode with Dubsado Queen, Nicola Peters?? We're chatting all things operations & systems using specifically Dubsado. If you've ever listened/watched/witnessed one of my self-proclaimed Ted Talks on systems, then you'll know that Dubsado is behind 100% of the client systems we have at Current. I've said a million times before, it's the most important way to scale your business. If you feel like you're constantly writing the same email over and over, have trouble following up with leads, your on-boarding process is a mess or non-existent - this episode is for you! Recommended links: Dubsado: Start now with 3 free clients! https://www.dubsado.com/?c=currentdesign20 http://nicolamelinda.co.uk/
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