[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/80-five-tips-on-setting-expectations” title=”Five Tips on Setting Expectations” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/80_SettingExpectations_NIONradio_02.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
“You’ve got to decide what makes sense for you and that you feel good going into it.”
Hey guys, welcome back to ONKEN RADIO — I’ve got a quick little mini-episode for you today with some practical tips I’ve picked up in my work as a creative freelancer, and the details are all outlined in this post.
Over the last few years of my career, I’ve learned a lot of lessons. I’ve become a better photographer and a better businessman. But I think the number one thing I’ve learned is that clear communication is essential. I’m still learning how to be better about this, but clear, upfront communication between creative entrepreneurs and clients can prevent so much headache and unnecessary conflict.
If you’re a creative entrepreneur working to grow your business, you must ensure that you and your client have set clear expectations before you start a job. And those expectations must be set by you or by someone who is more educated than you are and knows how your business needs to work.
I recently had a project turn into a disaster because the party negotiating the deal didn’t communicate their expectations — which meant that I couldn’t meet those expectations — and the whole thing became a mess. I learned a lot from that project, and I want to offer my practical advice to you so that you don’t have to learn it the hard way as I did!
So today, I’m taking you through my top five tips to help you communicate and set clear expectations. They’re short and sweet, and I hope they help you communicate more clearly and have a smoother experience with your next client. Let’s get started.
Tip #1: Get Clear on What You Want
My first tip for setting expectations is that you must get clear on what you want out of a particular project. It’s important to understand what you hope to get out of the experience so you can clearly negotiate with the client and maximize your value.
For me, with most jobs I take, there is a sweet spot somewhere between creativity, exposure, and money. Of course, the ideal job would maximize all three, but most of the time, jobs tend to lean more heavily into one or two of those factors, and that’s okay. For example, some jobs offer a lot of opportunities to be creative and develop my craft, and I’m okay taking those for a smaller fee or even for free. The opportunity to grow as an artist and do something new and creative is worth the reduced profit. Other jobs, however, might offer more money, but they aren’t as creatively fulfilling. That’s okay, too — as long as I know what to expect up front.
So before you accept a job, make sure you know what you’re hoping to get out of it. If you need this job to provide you with more exposure in your field, make sure that your name will be credited with the work. If you want to have absolute creative freedom, make sure that you won’t have demanding clients imposing their vision for the art, and be prepared to compromise a little on the fee you charge. If you’re clear on what you hope to get out of a project, you can communicate your desires clearly and avoid taking jobs that don’t provide value to you and your career.
Tip #2: Get Clear on What You’re Going to Give
You need to get clear on what you want to get out of a job, but you also need clarity on what you are able to put into it. This is when you need to think about the job’s practical elements — from actual deliverables to usage, timeline, and anything else along those lines. You need to clearly communicate to your client the timeline for rendering the actual product or service they’re paying for.
When you clearly define what you’re going to deliver and when, you give yourself the freedom of negotiation in the event that the client comes to you with additional requests. If the client asks you for something outside the scope of what you defined and agreed upon, you can then negotiate for an additional fee or other compensation for the extra work. But if you haven’t clearly established the scope of the project, you lose the right to do that, and the project can become a disaster when the client repeatedly requests new and altered tasks.
It’s so important here to sit down with the client so that you all can genuinely listen to each other. When both sides can openly and respectfully present their wants and needs, everyone has the opportunity to have a positive experience on the project. Just make sure to enter that conversation with clarity about what you can bring to the table and what you need to get out of the experience so that you’re upholding your responsibility to communicate as efficiently as possible.
Tip #3: Outline Everything in Writing
Once you and your client have successfully communicated your expectations for the project, it’s essential to get everything in writing. What form that piece of writing takes is up to you. I generally communicate all of this via email. But, if it’s a bigger client and a bigger project, a more formal contract with details about everything from the timeline to the fees charged may be necessary and helpful.
The idea here is to have a written record of both sides’ expectations. That way, if there’s any dispute or discrepancy when you’re already in the process of completing the job, both parties may refer to the written agreement to negotiate.
This is where agents can be enormously helpful. If I’m working with a big corporation, there are typically more factors at play. I’m working with longer timelines, a higher quantity of deliverables, and a bigger team. I’m also expecting more costs associated with the job and higher pay at the end. In cases like that, my agent will draft a contract estimate that the client actually has to sign before we can proceed with the project.
Written documents protect all parties. If there’s a written contract that all parties have agreed upon and signed, the client can’t present any unexpected demands or refuse payment. And if they try to present me with something unexpected after the project officially starts, I can refer them back to the written contract to clarify what I will and won’t deliver.
And it works in reverse too — if I fail to produce what the client expected of me, the client can refer to the contract to ask for more work from me and ensure they get what they need. Written documents hold everyone equally accountable, and so they’re incredibly helpful to have on hand!
Tip #4: Get Written Confirmation of Receipt
This tip is a little more critical if you’re not requiring a signed contract, but no matter what kind of agreement you’re using, you need to get written confirmation that your client has received the documents. You never know what happens to your emails if you haven’t received written confirmation — sometimes they end up in spam or just get lost in the shuffle. But you never want to start a job without ensuring that all parties are clear on the expectations, so make sure to get written confirmation that your client has received and read the relevant documents.
This is another area where more formal contracts can be helpful. Contracts require signatures from all parties involved — usually, you have to sign the document by hand with ink or submit a digital signature, which is just as legally binding. That signature can serve as proof of receipt and help prevent headaches from discrepancies further into the project.
Again, this protects all parties involved. If a dispute arises, both you and the client can refer to the document without anyone trying to claim they did not receive adequate communication. Written confirmation of receipt keeps everyone honest and above board, and that makes dealing with discrepancies much more cut and dry.
Tip #5: Under-Promise, Over-Deliver
My final tip for you today is that you should always under-promise and over-deliver. By that, I mean that you should go above and beyond what you promise the client you will deliver them when you can. If you can produce even more high-quality work than they expect of you, they’re much more likely to have a positive experience and return to you for more the next time they’re in need of your creativity.
This is especially important when it comes to working with friends and building relationships. If you can consistently over-deliver and give the client more value than they were expecting, they’ll have a higher appreciation for you, right?
Think about a time when someone gave you more than you were expecting to receive from them. You were probably grateful and extra willing to partner with them again, right? So as often as you’re able, promise only the minimum of what you can deliver, and they go above and beyond to ensure the client’s total satisfaction.
I don’t always get to over-deliver on my promises, but I try to do it as often as I can. As a creative entrepreneur, I’m always seeking to build business relationships and establish positive rapport with the people I want to work with. If I can keep my clients happy, I know they’ll want to work with me again, and I’ll want to work with them too! So I like to under-promise and over-deliver as often as possible.
What Are Your Best Communication Tips?
And there you have it! Those are my top five tips to help any creative entrepreneur communicate clearly, establish expectations, and have a much smoother experience working on projects with clients. I guarantee you that these tips will help you have more positive experiences on future jobs and help give you a jumpstart on your Creative Alchemy!
Alchemy is defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained.
With that being said, I define Creative Alchemy as using the process of creativity to create a lens of which to perform alchemy. These principles not only apply to artists and creatives in their own creative processes, but to anyone who wants to create an extraordinary life in color for themselves. I’ve found that 80% of creating is alchemizing the thoughts, emotions, and other inner blocks that keep you from putting the pen to the paper. Navigating to the act of creation takes alchemical processes.
I’m also curious — what are your best tips for setting expectations and communication with clients? If you have any good advice that I haven’t mentioned here, please share them with me on Instagram. Share this episode and tag me, @nickonken, with your best tips — I’d love to hear from you! And don’t forget to leave me a five-star review over on Apple Podcasts. Every review helps this show reach more listeners!
Thanks for joining me today, guys. Until next time — keep creating your life by creating every moment.
Nick Onken
“I like to set expectations that I can exceed as much as I can.”
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- Get clear on what all parties want [2:25]
- Find your sweet spot [2:45]
- You have to be careful of jobs where people say they’ll promote you [3:30]
- Get clear on what you’re going to give [4:30]
- Make sure you get it everyone’s expectations in writing [5:40]
- Get written confirmation of receipt [6:50]
- Under promise and over deliver [7:55]
Links mentioned:
- Music Credit: Wonder by Finding Hope
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[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/80-five-tips-on-setting-expectations” title=”Five Tips on Setting Expectations” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/80_SettingExpectations_NIONradio_02.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
“You’ve got to decide what makes sense for you and that you feel good going into it.”
Hey guys, welcome back to ONKEN RADIO — I’ve got a quick little mini-episode for you today with some practical tips I’ve picked up in my work as a creative freelancer, and the details are all outlined in this post.
Over the last few years of my career, I’ve learned a lot of lessons. I’ve become a better photographer and a better businessman. But I think the number one thing I’ve learned is that clear communication is essential. I’m still learning how to be better about this, but clear, upfront communication between creative entrepreneurs and clients can prevent so much headache and unnecessary conflict.
If you’re a creative entrepreneur working to grow your business, you must ensure that you and your client have set clear expectations before you start a job. And those expectations must be set by you or by someone who is more educated than you are and knows how your business needs to work.
I recently had a project turn into a disaster because the party negotiating the deal didn’t communicate their expectations — which meant that I couldn’t meet those expectations — and the whole thing became a mess. I learned a lot from that project, and I want to offer my practical advice to you so that you don’t have to learn it the hard way as I did!
So today, I’m taking you through my top five tips to help you communicate and set clear expectations. They’re short and sweet, and I hope they help you communicate more clearly and have a smoother experience with your next client. Let’s get started.
Tip #1: Get Clear on What You Want
My first tip for setting expectations is that you must get clear on what you want out of a particular project. It’s important to understand what you hope to get out of the experience so you can clearly negotiate with the client and maximize your value.
For me, with most jobs I take, there is a sweet spot somewhere between creativity, exposure, and money. Of course, the ideal job would maximize all three, but most of the time, jobs tend to lean more heavily into one or two of those factors, and that’s okay. For example, some jobs offer a lot of opportunities to be creative and develop my craft, and I’m okay taking those for a smaller fee or even for free. The opportunity to grow as an artist and do something new and creative is worth the reduced profit. Other jobs, however, might offer more money, but they aren’t as creatively fulfilling. That’s okay, too — as long as I know what to expect up front.
So before you accept a job, make sure you know what you’re hoping to get out of it. If you need this job to provide you with more exposure in your field, make sure that your name will be credited with the work. If you want to have absolute creative freedom, make sure that you won’t have demanding clients imposing their vision for the art, and be prepared to compromise a little on the fee you charge. If you’re clear on what you hope to get out of a project, you can communicate your desires clearly and avoid taking jobs that don’t provide value to you and your career.
Tip #2: Get Clear on What You’re Going to Give
You need to get clear on what you want to get out of a job, but you also need clarity on what you are able to put into it. This is when you need to think about the job’s practical elements — from actual deliverables to usage, timeline, and anything else along those lines. You need to clearly communicate to your client the timeline for rendering the actual product or service they’re paying for.
When you clearly define what you’re going to deliver and when, you give yourself the freedom of negotiation in the event that the client comes to you with additional requests. If the client asks you for something outside the scope of what you defined and agreed upon, you can then negotiate for an additional fee or other compensation for the extra work. But if you haven’t clearly established the scope of the project, you lose the right to do that, and the project can become a disaster when the client repeatedly requests new and altered tasks.
It’s so important here to sit down with the client so that you all can genuinely listen to each other. When both sides can openly and respectfully present their wants and needs, everyone has the opportunity to have a positive experience on the project. Just make sure to enter that conversation with clarity about what you can bring to the table and what you need to get out of the experience so that you’re upholding your responsibility to communicate as efficiently as possible.
Tip #3: Outline Everything in Writing
Once you and your client have successfully communicated your expectations for the project, it’s essential to get everything in writing. What form that piece of writing takes is up to you. I generally communicate all of this via email. But, if it’s a bigger client and a bigger project, a more formal contract with details about everything from the timeline to the fees charged may be necessary and helpful.
The idea here is to have a written record of both sides’ expectations. That way, if there’s any dispute or discrepancy when you’re already in the process of completing the job, both parties may refer to the written agreement to negotiate.
This is where agents can be enormously helpful. If I’m working with a big corporation, there are typically more factors at play. I’m working with longer timelines, a higher quantity of deliverables, and a bigger team. I’m also expecting more costs associated with the job and higher pay at the end. In cases like that, my agent will draft a contract estimate that the client actually has to sign before we can proceed with the project.
Written documents protect all parties. If there’s a written contract that all parties have agreed upon and signed, the client can’t present any unexpected demands or refuse payment. And if they try to present me with something unexpected after the project officially starts, I can refer them back to the written contract to clarify what I will and won’t deliver.
And it works in reverse too — if I fail to produce what the client expected of me, the client can refer to the contract to ask for more work from me and ensure they get what they need. Written documents hold everyone equally accountable, and so they’re incredibly helpful to have on hand!
Tip #4: Get Written Confirmation of Receipt
This tip is a little more critical if you’re not requiring a signed contract, but no matter what kind of agreement you’re using, you need to get written confirmation that your client has received the documents. You never know what happens to your emails if you haven’t received written confirmation — sometimes they end up in spam or just get lost in the shuffle. But you never want to start a job without ensuring that all parties are clear on the expectations, so make sure to get written confirmation that your client has received and read the relevant documents.
This is another area where more formal contracts can be helpful. Contracts require signatures from all parties involved — usually, you have to sign the document by hand with ink or submit a digital signature, which is just as legally binding. That signature can serve as proof of receipt and help prevent headaches from discrepancies further into the project.
Again, this protects all parties involved. If a dispute arises, both you and the client can refer to the document without anyone trying to claim they did not receive adequate communication. Written confirmation of receipt keeps everyone honest and above board, and that makes dealing with discrepancies much more cut and dry.
Tip #5: Under-Promise, Over-Deliver
My final tip for you today is that you should always under-promise and over-deliver. By that, I mean that you should go above and beyond what you promise the client you will deliver them when you can. If you can produce even more high-quality work than they expect of you, they’re much more likely to have a positive experience and return to you for more the next time they’re in need of your creativity.
This is especially important when it comes to working with friends and building relationships. If you can consistently over-deliver and give the client more value than they were expecting, they’ll have a higher appreciation for you, right?
Think about a time when someone gave you more than you were expecting to receive from them. You were probably grateful and extra willing to partner with them again, right? So as often as you’re able, promise only the minimum of what you can deliver, and they go above and beyond to ensure the client’s total satisfaction.
I don’t always get to over-deliver on my promises, but I try to do it as often as I can. As a creative entrepreneur, I’m always seeking to build business relationships and establish positive rapport with the people I want to work with. If I can keep my clients happy, I know they’ll want to work with me again, and I’ll want to work with them too! So I like to under-promise and over-deliver as often as possible.
What Are Your Best Communication Tips?
And there you have it! Those are my top five tips to help any creative entrepreneur communicate clearly, establish expectations, and have a much smoother experience working on projects with clients. I guarantee you that these tips will help you have more positive experiences on future jobs and help give you a jumpstart on your Creative Alchemy!
Alchemy is defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained.
With that being said, I define Creative Alchemy as using the process of creativity to create a lens of which to perform alchemy. These principles not only apply to artists and creatives in their own creative processes, but to anyone who wants to create an extraordinary life in color for themselves. I’ve found that 80% of creating is alchemizing the thoughts, emotions, and other inner blocks that keep you from putting the pen to the paper. Navigating to the act of creation takes alchemical processes.
I’m also curious — what are your best tips for setting expectations and communication with clients? If you have any good advice that I haven’t mentioned here, please share them with me on Instagram. Share this episode and tag me, @nickonken, with your best tips — I’d love to hear from you! And don’t forget to leave me a five-star review over on Apple Podcasts. Every review helps this show reach more listeners!
Thanks for joining me today, guys. Until next time — keep creating your life by creating every moment.
Nick Onken
“I like to set expectations that I can exceed as much as I can.”
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- Get clear on what all parties want [2:25]
- Find your sweet spot [2:45]
- You have to be careful of jobs where people say they’ll promote you [3:30]
- Get clear on what you’re going to give [4:30]
- Make sure you get it everyone’s expectations in writing [5:40]
- Get written confirmation of receipt [6:50]
- Under promise and over deliver [7:55]
Links mentioned:
- Music Credit: Wonder by Finding Hope
3/02/16
80: Nick Onken – Five Tips on Setting Expectations
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[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/80-five-tips-on-setting-expectations” title=”Five Tips on Setting Expectations” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/80_SettingExpectations_NIONradio_02.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
“You’ve got to decide what makes sense for you and that you feel good going into it.”
Hey guys, welcome back to ONKEN RADIO — I’ve got a quick little mini-episode for you today with some practical tips I’ve picked up in my work as a creative freelancer, and the details are all outlined in this post.
Over the last few years of my career, I’ve learned a lot of lessons. I’ve become a better photographer and a better businessman. But I think the number one thing I’ve learned is that clear communication is essential. I’m still learning how to be better about this, but clear, upfront communication between creative entrepreneurs and clients can prevent so much headache and unnecessary conflict.
If you’re a creative entrepreneur working to grow your business, you must ensure that you and your client have set clear expectations before you start a job. And those expectations must be set by you or by someone who is more educated than you are and knows how your business needs to work.
I recently had a project turn into a disaster because the party negotiating the deal didn’t communicate their expectations — which meant that I couldn’t meet those expectations — and the whole thing became a mess. I learned a lot from that project, and I want to offer my practical advice to you so that you don’t have to learn it the hard way as I did!
So today, I’m taking you through my top five tips to help you communicate and set clear expectations. They’re short and sweet, and I hope they help you communicate more clearly and have a smoother experience with your next client. Let’s get started.
Tip #1: Get Clear on What You Want
My first tip for setting expectations is that you must get clear on what you want out of a particular project. It’s important to understand what you hope to get out of the experience so you can clearly negotiate with the client and maximize your value.
For me, with most jobs I take, there is a sweet spot somewhere between creativity, exposure, and money. Of course, the ideal job would maximize all three, but most of the time, jobs tend to lean more heavily into one or two of those factors, and that’s okay. For example, some jobs offer a lot of opportunities to be creative and develop my craft, and I’m okay taking those for a smaller fee or even for free. The opportunity to grow as an artist and do something new and creative is worth the reduced profit. Other jobs, however, might offer more money, but they aren’t as creatively fulfilling. That’s okay, too — as long as I know what to expect up front.
So before you accept a job, make sure you know what you’re hoping to get out of it. If you need this job to provide you with more exposure in your field, make sure that your name will be credited with the work. If you want to have absolute creative freedom, make sure that you won’t have demanding clients imposing their vision for the art, and be prepared to compromise a little on the fee you charge. If you’re clear on what you hope to get out of a project, you can communicate your desires clearly and avoid taking jobs that don’t provide value to you and your career.
Tip #2: Get Clear on What You’re Going to Give
You need to get clear on what you want to get out of a job, but you also need clarity on what you are able to put into it. This is when you need to think about the job’s practical elements — from actual deliverables to usage, timeline, and anything else along those lines. You need to clearly communicate to your client the timeline for rendering the actual product or service they’re paying for.
When you clearly define what you’re going to deliver and when, you give yourself the freedom of negotiation in the event that the client comes to you with additional requests. If the client asks you for something outside the scope of what you defined and agreed upon, you can then negotiate for an additional fee or other compensation for the extra work. But if you haven’t clearly established the scope of the project, you lose the right to do that, and the project can become a disaster when the client repeatedly requests new and altered tasks.
It’s so important here to sit down with the client so that you all can genuinely listen to each other. When both sides can openly and respectfully present their wants and needs, everyone has the opportunity to have a positive experience on the project. Just make sure to enter that conversation with clarity about what you can bring to the table and what you need to get out of the experience so that you’re upholding your responsibility to communicate as efficiently as possible.
Tip #3: Outline Everything in Writing
Once you and your client have successfully communicated your expectations for the project, it’s essential to get everything in writing. What form that piece of writing takes is up to you. I generally communicate all of this via email. But, if it’s a bigger client and a bigger project, a more formal contract with details about everything from the timeline to the fees charged may be necessary and helpful.
The idea here is to have a written record of both sides’ expectations. That way, if there’s any dispute or discrepancy when you’re already in the process of completing the job, both parties may refer to the written agreement to negotiate.
This is where agents can be enormously helpful. If I’m working with a big corporation, there are typically more factors at play. I’m working with longer timelines, a higher quantity of deliverables, and a bigger team. I’m also expecting more costs associated with the job and higher pay at the end. In cases like that, my agent will draft a contract estimate that the client actually has to sign before we can proceed with the project.
Written documents protect all parties. If there’s a written contract that all parties have agreed upon and signed, the client can’t present any unexpected demands or refuse payment. And if they try to present me with something unexpected after the project officially starts, I can refer them back to the written contract to clarify what I will and won’t deliver.
And it works in reverse too — if I fail to produce what the client expected of me, the client can refer to the contract to ask for more work from me and ensure they get what they need. Written documents hold everyone equally accountable, and so they’re incredibly helpful to have on hand!
Tip #4: Get Written Confirmation of Receipt
This tip is a little more critical if you’re not requiring a signed contract, but no matter what kind of agreement you’re using, you need to get written confirmation that your client has received the documents. You never know what happens to your emails if you haven’t received written confirmation — sometimes they end up in spam or just get lost in the shuffle. But you never want to start a job without ensuring that all parties are clear on the expectations, so make sure to get written confirmation that your client has received and read the relevant documents.
This is another area where more formal contracts can be helpful. Contracts require signatures from all parties involved — usually, you have to sign the document by hand with ink or submit a digital signature, which is just as legally binding. That signature can serve as proof of receipt and help prevent headaches from discrepancies further into the project.
Again, this protects all parties involved. If a dispute arises, both you and the client can refer to the document without anyone trying to claim they did not receive adequate communication. Written confirmation of receipt keeps everyone honest and above board, and that makes dealing with discrepancies much more cut and dry.
Tip #5: Under-Promise, Over-Deliver
My final tip for you today is that you should always under-promise and over-deliver. By that, I mean that you should go above and beyond what you promise the client you will deliver them when you can. If you can produce even more high-quality work than they expect of you, they’re much more likely to have a positive experience and return to you for more the next time they’re in need of your creativity.
This is especially important when it comes to working with friends and building relationships. If you can consistently over-deliver and give the client more value than they were expecting, they’ll have a higher appreciation for you, right?
Think about a time when someone gave you more than you were expecting to receive from them. You were probably grateful and extra willing to partner with them again, right? So as often as you’re able, promise only the minimum of what you can deliver, and they go above and beyond to ensure the client’s total satisfaction.
I don’t always get to over-deliver on my promises, but I try to do it as often as I can. As a creative entrepreneur, I’m always seeking to build business relationships and establish positive rapport with the people I want to work with. If I can keep my clients happy, I know they’ll want to work with me again, and I’ll want to work with them too! So I like to under-promise and over-deliver as often as possible.
What Are Your Best Communication Tips?
And there you have it! Those are my top five tips to help any creative entrepreneur communicate clearly, establish expectations, and have a much smoother experience working on projects with clients. I guarantee you that these tips will help you have more positive experiences on future jobs and help give you a jumpstart on your Creative Alchemy!
Alchemy is defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained.
With that being said, I define Creative Alchemy as using the process of creativity to create a lens of which to perform alchemy. These principles not only apply to artists and creatives in their own creative processes, but to anyone who wants to create an extraordinary life in color for themselves. I’ve found that 80% of creating is alchemizing the thoughts, emotions, and other inner blocks that keep you from putting the pen to the paper. Navigating to the act of creation takes alchemical processes.
I’m also curious — what are your best tips for setting expectations and communication with clients? If you have any good advice that I haven’t mentioned here, please share them with me on Instagram. Share this episode and tag me, @nickonken, with your best tips — I’d love to hear from you! And don’t forget to leave me a five-star review over on Apple Podcasts. Every review helps this show reach more listeners!
Thanks for joining me today, guys. Until next time — keep creating your life by creating every moment.
Nick Onken
“I like to set expectations that I can exceed as much as I can.”
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- Get clear on what all parties want [2:25]
- Find your sweet spot [2:45]
- You have to be careful of jobs where people say they’ll promote you [3:30]
- Get clear on what you’re going to give [4:30]
- Make sure you get it everyone’s expectations in writing [5:40]
- Get written confirmation of receipt [6:50]
- Under promise and over deliver [7:55]
Links mentioned:
- Music Credit: Wonder by Finding Hope
3/02/16
80: Nick Onken – Five Tips on Setting Expectations
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It’s an ongoing creative partnership focused on bringing your personal brand identity to life.
Your brand. Your website. Your visuals.
All shaped as a direct extension of who you are. The work also includes a bespoke process of identifying and aligning the right experts when needed, so nothing gets built out of sync with your core.
Explore the Partnership
Quiet. Precise. Highly Selective.
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I spent 20 years photographing personal brands. I watched brilliant people stay invisible because they skipped the layers nobody talks about. So I built the Brand Intelligence Engine to fix it. Here’s the full story.
Your AI content sounds generic because the AI doesn’t know who you are. It’s not a tool problem. It’s an input problem. Without your identity, voice, and brand intelligence loaded, every AI produces the same bland output. Here’s how to fix it.
Creativity as intelligence is the idea that creative work isn’t about expressing who you already are. It’s about constructing who you’re becoming. Most people treat creativity as output. It’s actually architecture. Here’s why that changes everything.
The personal brand identity gap is the distance between your expertise and your visibility. When who you are doesn’t match how you’re seen online, it’s not a marketing problem. It’s a coherence problem. Here’s how to close it.
Most personal brands skip visual translation entirely. They jump from identity straight to content. But brand identity before website, before content, before the sales page is the order that actually works. Here’s the layer you’re missing.
Most personal brand strategy frameworks skip the foundation. Brand intelligence is built in four layers: Identity, Visual Translation, Content, and Business. Here’s why starting at layer three is the reason your brand feels off.
Your personal brand feels off but you can’t explain why. It’s not your logo or colors. It’s a coherence problem, a structural gap between who you are and how you’re seen. Here’s what to do.
Authority isn’t binary. You’re not either an authority or not an authority. Authority exists in levels, stages, and progressions. Each level has distinct characteristics, distinct positioning, distinct challenges, and distinct requirements for advancement. Most people get stuck at Level One. They’re visible, active, creating content, showing up regularly. But they’re not building actual authority. They’re […]
You had the insight. The breakthrough moment, the realization, the epiphany, the profound understanding. Deep knowing about who you are, what you offer, and how you’re different. Life-changing clarity about your positioning, your value, and your authority. Then what changed? Actually changed? Behaviorally, practically, visibly? In how you show up, how you speak, how you […]
You are established. Actually established. Years in business, real results created, genuine expertise developed, actual clients served, tangible transformations delivered, proven value demonstrated. You’ve built real authority through real work over real time with real outcomes. But you don’t look established. Your brand doesn’t show it, your presence doesn’t reflect it, your positioning doesn’t communicate […]
Connor Beaton leads men into their shadows. Not the surface-level masculinity work. Not the “alpha male” performance. Not the toxic patterns disguised as strength. Shadow work. Carl Jung. Integration. The parts men hide. The parts they fear. The parts that control them when unexamined. His brand needed to reflect that depth. That willingness to look […]
You keep rebuilding. New brand, new colors, new photos, new messaging, new positioning, new website, new everything. Every six months, every year, every time it feels wrong and stops working. Hoping this time fixes it, this time solves it, this time creates the authority and positioning you need. It doesn’t. It never does. Because you’re […]
You know things. Real things. Earned through years of experience. Patterns most people miss. Insights that could transform how your audience operates. But nobody knows you know them. You’re the hidden expert. Competent. Skilled. Valuable. Invisible. The shift from hidden expert to recognized authority doesn’t start where most people think. Not with better marketing. Not […]
About the Blogger
I was born in a low middle class conservative religious family in the suburbs of Seattle. Art was and always has been my passion, and more than that a way of life. Starting as a graphic designer, I taught myself photography, built a commercial/editorial business shooting for the worlds biggest brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas and more. I've also had the opportunity to photograph the world's biggest celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Jessica Alba and more. I've curated a lifestyle around creativity and have learned a lot along the way which I get to share here.
I was born in a low middle class conservative religious family in the suburbs of Seattle. Art was and always has been my passion, and more than that a way of life. Starting as a graphic designer, I taught myself photography, built a commercial/editorial business shooting for the worlds biggest brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas and more. I've also had the opportunity to photograph the world's biggest celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Jessica Alba and more. I've curated a lifestyle around creativity and have learned a lot along the way which I get to share here.
