In the July Issue:
How to rapidly grow your success by getting more creative
Right now, as you read this, someone's working to usurp the years of blood, sweat, and heart you've put into your business. What's worse is, while it'd be nice to imagine we'll still be able to hold our own, without genuine, creative innovation, it's only a matter of time before the fabric of what we've created starts to fray and our offerings become obsolete.
Every single second, we're being bombarded with "The Next Best Thing"...Yet, how is it that certain brands still stay strong, in a world where the window of opportunity is shrinking at insurmountable speeds?
The truth is, yes, while money plays a part, you don't need a massive advertising budget to expand that window. You just need to be more aware of what you've got to work with, and work with it more creatively.
Think like Jobs — If you owned Apple Inc. in it’s 80’s heyday, you may have thought your job was done and that you could happily retire. Steve, however (despite a short reprieve) came back to push the company to even greater heights. To do this, he constantly asked, "What's not working?", "Why doesn't it work?" and "Is this the best we can do?".
Work it like Gaga — When Gaga hit the scene, there was no way not to notice her. While other artists were climbing the charts by shaking their hips, Gaga shook things up with art exploitation. She could have easily carried on in the tradition of Britney and Christina. Instead, Gaga defiantly did what was edgy and new. Ask yourself: "Is my company being innovative, or are we just following tradition?", "What can we use (like Gaga used art) to better stand out?" and "How can we unapologetically express our mission?".
Expand like Bezos — No one has better figured out how to expand a brand like the creator of Amazon. Love him or hate him, he's mastered the art of micro analyzing and synchronizing systems for maximum efficiency, making way for Amazon's global domination. To be truly expansive, we must be willing to embrace when we get it wrong, and understand that these moments are KEY to a deeper level of growth through revision.
Love like Marie — If you don't know Marie Forleo, look her up now, 'cause this lady's an amazing example of someone whose business is doing what she loves and, in return, is spreading love on a major scale. Ask yourself, "Do I love what I do? If not, how can I better love BOTH myself and others with what we offer?" Wherever you can, sprinkle LOVE into your business mix!
Risk it like Iger — Disney wouldn't be where it is today without the creative genius of it’s former CEO, Bob Iger. When the rest of Disney's board sought to preserve the company's classic, animative ideal, Bob fought for its future by taking unprecedented financial risks in acquiring not just Pixar, but Marvel, and Lucasfilm. He transformed Disney from a sinking ship into a magnificent, floating fortress. Lesson? Don't always listen to the board and TAKE CREATIVE RISKS!
Give like Oprah — While Oprah Winfrey may have started her rise to fame as a queen of curiosity, she soon turned into a queen of generosity, taking her to even greater heights and opening the gateway for OWN. Follow her lead by looking to GIVE MORE in every avenue of your business, i.e., be Oprahmazing!
So what's superstar power?
CREATIVE POWER!
And it's not something special reserved for artists or big names. You're doing it now by imagining how great it'd be to expand your brand more creatively. It just takes time to brainstorm and commitment to see new ideas through. So make it a point to sit down and have a creative meeting with your team each month, or hire a creative business coach or agency, to look for areas where you can more rapidly grow your brand's success by getting more creative!
Meet K.J. Kruk,
Bestselling Author | Brand Director | Business Coach
Hey! I'm K.J., bestselling, multi-award-winning author, brand director, and business coach to countless entrepreneurs, celebrity influencers, and Fortune 500 execs—and I'm here to help you create the business of your dreams by getting more creative!
Learn more at thekrukcreative.com and subscribe to the Power Insider for FREE creative business tips and advice.
P.S. If you enjoyed this article be sure to follow and connect @krukgalaxy! :)
