Cat Rose Astrology

Latest Episodes:

How To Avoid Burnout As A Creative Introvert May 20, 2019

Show notes

Burnout is a topic I've been meaning to cover for some time on the Creative Introvert podcast, but I've been slightly cautious about it because I wanted to make sure I don't in any way glamorise it. This is something I've seen hints of in the online business world, with the entrepreneurs, infopreneurs or whatever-preneurs they want to call themselves. People acting like it's some sort of honour to work so hard you don't sleep or take care of yourself. To then have to take some sort of glamorous retreat in Bali or something, just to get their shit back together.

Well, hopefully that's NOT what this podcast will be about. I want to explain a bit about burnout (which is more tricksy than I had thought prior to researching this) and of course, some practical tips for avoiding burnout and how to un-burn yourself.

This podcast is made possible only by means of my generous supporters on Patreon. Thank you! Supporting the Creative Introvert podcast also gets you lots of goodies, from a Monthly Ask Me Anything to a copy of my new BOOK, The Creative Introvert: How to Build a Business You Love on Your Terms. Hitting milestones also funds future projects, and ideas guided by you, my supporters.

Georgie and Dörte on Collaboration for Creative Introverts May 13, 2019

Show notes

On today’s podcast I have two for the price of one! I have an amazing duo on, Dörte and Georgie of Social Pow Wow.

Georgie has worked in digital marketing since 2012 with a variety of clients including artists, interior designers, and lots of ethical and sustainable brands.

Dörte is co-owner and manager of an online business called Lewes Map Store. As well as their Lewes Map collection, they have a beautiful curated selection of gifts from UK designers & makers.

I really enjoyed talking to them both and it was lovely to see such a great example of effective collaboration.

Links mentioned:

Social Pow Wow

Cat Paterson podcast where we discussed Pinterest

Collaboration for Introverts

The League of Creative Introverts

The Social Pow Wow team have also offered you listeners 15% off their online course, Grow Your Creative Business With Pinterest. Just enter the coupon code ‘CATROSE15’ at checkout.

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Connection: How To Network Without Networking May 06, 2019

Show notes

"One genuine relationship is worth a fistful of business cards." ~ Susan Cain

Today's podcast is all about... Networking. Or, more accurately: connection.

I share my thoughts on how to network if you're an introvert, the four steps to genuine connection (online and offline methods included) as well as what to do with the connections you make.

Links mentioned:

Jennifer Corcoran's networking tip (the bathroom beeline)

Irish Exits

Acetylcholine

Laurie Helgoe - Introvert Power

Théa Anderson

Sarah Santacroce

The League of Creative Introverts

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If you leave a rating and review on iTunes (here's how to do that) I will be as happy as a kitten playing with a laser beam (or sob into my pillow, depending on what you write.)

Cat Paterson on Personality Profiling and Pinterest Apr 29, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Creative Introvert podcast we have fellow Cat, fellow ginger and fellow INTJ: Cat Paterson. Business strategist extraordinaire, Cat has a super interesting background, which includes heading up intelligence analysis for a covert agency… and it makes total sense as to why she’s a personality profiling geek, like me.

Apologies for the airplane sound effects - that was 100% my fault, it’s just one of the side effects of recording this podcast while I’m travelling...

What we discussed:

How different types of introvert deal with conflict
How Cat turned a health condition into an opportunity
How to lay down boundaries and stick with them
How Cat started her online business with no pre-existing client base
The value of collaboration and referrals in the online business space
Why Pinterest is the most introvert-friendly platform

What is Authentic Marketing, Anyway? Apr 22, 2019

Show notes

The biggest challenge the creative introverts face when it comes to marketing their work is… Fear of coming across as sleazy or gross or inauthentic.

Yep. That’s the number one obstacle. Not things like figuring out Facebook or Instagram, not worrying about paid advertising or email campaigns, not even having not enough time, though that is up there.

It’s having the confidence to go out there and share your work, the thing you love with all your heart - at least most days - and communicate what you do to people who may actually give you money for it.

OK. I’m not going to pretend there’s a simple 10-step guide to marketing that doesn’t feel sleazy, that actually feels good and normal and easy… At least, if there is one I don’t know about it.

But in today's podcast am going to attempt to share with you what I’ve come to see about marketing, and help you find a way that feels good to you - and helps you get your work in front of the very best clients or customers for you.

Morgan Stapp on Starting a Freelance Career as an Introvert Apr 15, 2019

Show notes

Today’s podcast guest, Morgan Stapp is the chief brand strategist at Specht + Co. She specialises in helping businesses communicate their message. We talk about her experience in starting to work for herself, how to handle being an introvert when going to conferences (something I also dived into in depth on the 99th episode) and why she decided to invest in a Mastermind group.

CIP100: 10 Lessons I’ve Learned from Recording 100+ Podcasts Apr 08, 2019

Show notes

Today I’m celebrating my 100th episode of the Creative Introvert Podcast!

Technically, I’ve recorded many more shows – nearly 50 ‘Year of Fun’ minisodes, plus two 10 episode series, one on Self-Knowledge and one on the Enneagram.

I know every podcaster who hits an arbitrary number with some 0’s on the end says this, but I really am surprised I’ve been going this long.

I’m a serial quitter. And I don’t mean that in a bad way, I’m actually really proud pf my ability to switch gear or to acknowledge when something isn’t for me any longer. I’m definitely not one for flogging dead horses.

And amazingly, this podcast has kept me entertained for over two years. And whilst I’d love to say it’s because I’ve got some knack for podcasting, I’m certain it’s 50% because of the awesome guests I’ve had the pleasure to chat to on the show, and 50% due to YOU the listener, who keeps my faith in humanity alive on a daily basis. The sweet emails I get, the comments on Instagram and Twitter – this is the stuff that fuels me when I have to scrape together my incoherent thoughts, and record something for you. So… thanks for that.

So before I get too mushy, I figure I’d share some of what I’ve learned from this podcast, the thing that started as an experiment way back in January 2017.

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CIP099: The Introvert's Survival Guide for Conferences Apr 01, 2019

Show notes

Let’s imagine your industry’s biggest conference is coming up. Three days of back-to-back presentations, workshops and panels, with endless opportunities to network, pitch influential people and evenings spent keeping the party going…

If you’re an introvert, this may sound about as appealing as a punch in the ribs. Unfortunately, conferences are generally not designed with the quiet-seeking, introspective and highly sensitive type.

Conferences are designed for the many, not the few. If a quiet meeting over tea with a friend is pole fishing, conferences are ocean-floor scraping. They prioritise mass engagement, not one-to-one connections.

Highly sensitive introverts have it even harder. A highly sensitive person tends to feel overstimulated with bright lights, lots of noise, lots of action and before long they burn out.

If you’ve ever been to a conference and felt like you’ve been run over for days afterwards, you’ll know how this feels.

If you haven’t attended a conference yet - don’t let this put you off! Remember introversion is not an excuse not to do something because it’s hard. If going to a conference aligns with your goals - and if getting your work out into the world and making a living from your creative pursuits is one of those goals - then it’s more than likely going to a conference is something worth considering.

I’m recording this just after my final day at one of these big conferences, with over 2000 attendees, Alt Summit. I travelled 20 hours to get here, gave two 90 minute presentations and spoke to more people than I have done in the past year or two combined.

Worth it? Well, the sunk cost fallacy, a cognitive bias we all have that leads us to judge things we’ve invested time or money in as positive regardless of whether they were or not, could be at play. But: objectively speaking, I can honestly say that even after my first day of the conference I had:

Met someone who I might collaborate in the near future with
Got some great advice for using video and guest blogging (which I will of course be sharing with you)
And got a real confidence boost from knowing I could speak to an audience of strangers without reading a script and without relying on slides

But as great as all that is for me, I was hyper aware of (1) my jetlag and (2) my need to conserve my energy. I already had a game plan mapped out to minimise the damage, and I really think it’s what has helped me keep my energy and enthusiasm up.

Regardless of your conference experience to date, I want to show you the simple strategies I mostly managed to apply over the past few days. So hopefully you can put these into place should you have a conference in mind and want to make sure it’s manageable, valuable and maybe even… enjoyable.

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CIP098: Nigel Twumasi on Quiet Leadership Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

CIP097: Mark McGuinness on Building a Successful Creative Career Mar 18, 2019

Show notes

Today’s podcast guest is someone I've wanted the chance to speak to even before I considered starting a podcast. Mark McGuinness of lateraction.com I think is best introduced through the words of another of my favourite authors and creativity mentors, Steven Pressfield. Here's what Steven says about Mark:

"Mark McGuinness is a rare cat - part poet, part coach for creative professionals, part old-time, overeducated Brit who thinks deeply about stuff you and I have never heard of... a man who has lived the life and who has watched and worked intimately with hundreds of others who've done the same."

How's that for an intro? I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did.

What we discussed: