Many things that some people seem to pull off effortlessly are a lot harder than you might think. Nothing that is a real help to others is pulled off effortlessly!
- Consistency is harder than you think.
- Clarity is harder than you think.
- Community is harder than you think.
- Creativity is harder than you think.
- Cause is harder than you think.
- Confidence is harder than you think.
There is a Public Enemy track “Harder than You Think” that appeared on my Apple Music feed. The lyrics include the following, “Revolution means change, don’t look at me strange”.
It made me smile as so many times I have had people look at me strangely for trying to do things a wee bit differently. From going B-Corp to swapping to a four-day work week, I have had to get used to that strange look. Then in 2023, I saw the look again as we shifted a gear and travelled Stateside to embrace new opportunities for 2024.
The more I see the “look”, the more I think that there are two types of businesses these days. Some make decisions which are based on fear and those that decide to back themselves and just go for it.
Backing oneself doesn’t have to entail endless investment or huge loans, it’s more about a focus on making a change of approach and having a resolute focus on doing things differently where required! A fresh approach in itself gets people questioning the status quo.
2024, for me, is a year for businesses to be brave and push on and out of survival mode. This is the year for growth, scale and opportunity. It is time to silence the voice saying “You can’t” and embrace the fast lane that resounds with “You can!”
This is a year to upgrade, push the boundaries and get rid of those limitations which have caused progress to stall. For me, it was the trip to California I took at the back end of 2023 that gave me 10 days away to p u s h.
Bristol was our home, London was fast becoming our second home and now, heading to California, we are in the process of choosing our NEW city (watch this space).
To overcome limitations you need the right type of people around you for that next phase of growth. If you are feeling that kind of adventure then this year you are going to need your team to develop the following qualities.
Consistency:
The core team at Cre8ion have been building the future and embracing fresh approaches for years.
At times it has felt as if we were building a bridge at the same time as trying to cross it. The payoff has been delivering consistently for our clients, watching them grow and also challenging the way the creative industry itself works.
I am forever reminded that in the old world, four-day work weeks didn’t work, R&D was a distraction, building teams was a problem and innovation was left on the table.
From building websites, embracing social media, and creating videos, we have always started out to master new things and then backed ourselves to deliver. Entrepreneurship is at the core of who we are and I believe it is needed in 2024, more than ever! Remaining consistently entrepreneurial is what builds our reputation and lifts who we are.
Writing blogs and now doing podcasts are all part of adding value and inspiring people into the place of purpose – and we will continue to create inspirational content.
If you want to be a content creator you HAVE to be consistent and our team is.
Clarity:
As a creative agency, we have a vision to bring about change and create a movement of purposeful people. From a Facebook Group to a growing podcast audience, we are getting there. Our quest to help others be clear on who they are and who they want to work with is what makes our Purpose Playbook so good.
You’ll never have confidence if you don’t have clarity first.
This year, we are continuing to scale our video arm as well as developing our 3D work in preparation for the fresh canvas rapidly heading our way, namely, the Metaverse. With all its new tools and experiences it is enabling us to see things differently. I honestly believe that websites will change their function to become the front doors into a room of experience where people will make their decisions.
For example, a website will enable you to see nice pictures of a car in the countryside or highway and, from the same online location, you can get in the car and take it for a test drive.
As the infrastructure is being improved to facilitate a faster internet, the tech titans are making our job easier for us.
Discovering new worlds has long been a part of the human experience but today we can create them and enhance our own. 3D, VR and AR can enhance the present and future and Cre8ion is making virtual reality our reality.
Our team have clarity. They know that they are at their very best when pioneering to take other people with them.
People of Community:
Networking has always been at the heart of who we are and we do it because we love people, hence our involvement with Introbiz, Hum4ns, HBBA and Purpose People. There’s also the fact that knowing people is EVERYTHING when you are trying to scale a business.
I’ve shared in recent weeks that when you are always open to building new friendships, new opportunities present themselves.
In this year of elections, tomorrow’s leaders HAVE to be good at building relationships and ultimately, so do you. Your audience is everywhere, whether it’s online or offline, in a physical room or a virtual space. Being part of communities multiplies opportunities and one conversation can change your world.
The micro-communities of WhatsApp groups continue to provide me with regular conversations with threads that go back years. I keep them open and I never cease to be amazed at how opportunities come our way!
Creativity:
I get frustrated when others don’t want to think things through. I simply can’t understand why people are satisfied with parroting a certain narrative without questioning or even understanding why they are living by it. It saddens me that people allow themselves to be lulled into behaving like drones through a general lack of awareness.
Always accepting the status quo leaves you living in a world of negativity. It’s easy to get caught up in it all, but very dangerous, as negativity kills creativity.
Ultimately, Cre8ion is a creative agency that tells stories. Writing them is what I enjoy the most. Not necessarily writing a book (although I have and I did enjoy it), but rather seeing each day as another way of creating my own blockbuster story!
You see, you can choose in 2024 to do just that. Write your narrative. You CAN make life happen and stop hiding! Stop putting off what you want to do and stop asking permission to get going with your mission!
Our levels of creativity went up a level last year. From video (see our showcase page) to fresh brands and websites. Our team delivered outstanding work and content of an exceptional standard.
From Fortice to Coron Projects, Shine to Craft Insurance, Clarendon to Core3 the output of the team is getting better and better!
I have loved The Purpose People Podcast and I am aiming to secure a venue this year for all 100 guests to meet in a room and connect!
Cause:
I am keenly aware that cause is something that drives our entire team. To make an impact on the people they serve while creating work that engages and champions the causes they represent.
Purposeful people are behind every business we work with and we are helping those people win by giving them the very best platform to perform.
So whether it is a website, email or blog, the heart of the company is behind it to help our clients engage their audience!
My cause is to turn the media on its head. I want to be a force for good by using the tools and skills I have available. I want everyone to live their purpose because life is a gift and a gift is there to be given. Our team are as committed to your success as I am and that is why we tend to have long-lasting clients!
We want to discover your cause and then find the people who will benefit most from it. That is what we do and we love seeing your successes!
Confidence:
Do not underestimate the potent power of pioneering! For me, it wakes me up. Not that I avoid reality but everything Cre8ion has done has been based on pioneering. It has been the glue that got us through.
From the first website build to recruiting volunteers who wanted to explore the opportunity that the media could bring. As I survey the team we are stronger than ever.
Each person has stepped up and embraced fresh challenges and we now have possibly the most talented team yet. We are strong and getting stronger!
My confidence for 2024 is as high as it has ever been and, regardless of the strange times we face, we are not joining the doom and gloom, we are ready to bring hope! As a creative agency, Cre8ion’s strap-line remains “Infinite Possibilities” and, in 2024, that rings truer than ever before.
Yes, pioneering is harder than you think, but with our people, we’re excited for now and for the future.
Watch the latest episode of the Purpose People Podcast below…