How creative businesses thrive through authentic relationships - Emily Cohen & Hunter Vargas (Casa Davka) 🇺🇸

In this episode of Mindful Creative Podcast, host Radim Malinic speaks with Emily Cohen and her daughter Hunter Vargas of Casa Davka, business consultants for creative professionals. They discuss how creative businesses can evolve and grow, focusing on the critical importance of relationship building over traditional "selling." Emily shares her journey from designer to consultant, while Hunter explains how she naturally found her way to the family business despite initially carving her own path.The conversation explores how creative business owners often struggle with business development, preferring to redesign websites or create marketing materials rather than building the personal relationships that truly drive business growth. Emily and Hunter emphasize that clients choose creative partners primarily because of relationships and trust ("building the love"), not just portfolios or pricing.They challenge common myths in the creative industry, particularly the idea that hiring salespeople is effective (it rarely works) and that business development brings immediate results (it typically takes two years from first meeting to becoming a client). The pair discusses how to help introverted creatives approach relationship building in ways that feel natural and authentic.Key takeaways Creative business owners should position themselves as business people first, designers secondEffective positioning requires identifying unique industry niches, services, and genuine differentiators"Building the love" through authentic relationships is more valuable than traditional sales approachesBusiness development is a daily habit that feeds the business engine continuouslyPatience is crucial - relationship building typically takes two years to convert contacts to clientsPrinciples/founders must do their own relationship building; salespeople rarely succeed in creative businessesCreatives should stop comparing themselves to others and focus on their unique strengthsDesigners should capture and communicate metrics and results, not just creative decisionsBeing ready for change is essential for creative businesses looking to evolveCreative business consultants should practice what they preach in their own business approach Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic Show questions or suggestions to [email protected] Latest books by Radim MalinicMindful Creative: How to understand and deal with the highs and lows of creative life, career and business Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFcFree audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobookSigned books https://novemberuniverse.co.ukLux Coffee Co. https://luxcoffee.co.uk/ (Use: PODCAST for 15% off)November Universe https://novemberuniverse.co.uk (Use: PODCAST for 10% off)

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