Home Podcasts Creative Courage: The Creative Business Podcast
Creative Courage: The Creative Business Podcast

Creative Courage: The Creative Business Podcast

Matt Essam 114 Episodes Oct 7, 2026

Creative Courage is a creative business podcast hosted by award-winning coach, author, and speaker Matt Essam. It explores the internal battles creative business owners face, from fear of launching to anxiety about life purpose. Each week, the show provides expert insights and proven strategies from inspiring entrepreneurs and thought leaders. The podcast aims to help listeners elevate their creative journey, win better clients, and make a bigger impact.

Episodes

How To Stay Relevant As A Designer In 2026 and Beyond (Solo Episode)
How To Stay Relevant As A Designer In 2026 and Beyond (Solo Episode) Oct 7, 2026 1172 I believe the future of design is shifting away from phones toward wearables, voice agents, and more physical, tactile experiences. This episode breaks down what that could look like and why it matters for your career. I talk about the macro trends I'm noticing in design and consumer behaviour in general, and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve.  If you found this episode valuable, please h
Create a new reality by moving through 'the gap'
Create a new reality by moving through 'the gap' Sep 29, 2026 1134 Have you ever found yourself in that weird in-between space between familiarity and a new compelling future? You know there is more available to you, but it's difficult to let go of the comfort and familiarity of your current reality.  In this episode I explore “the gap”. The scary space between the life you know and the one you want. I then break down three key principles for closing the gap and
Dominate LinkedIn in 2026 with Maria Ledentsova
Dominate LinkedIn in 2026 with Maria Ledentsova Sep 23, 2026 2363 If LinkedIn still feels like an enigma, this episode is for you. I sit down with Maria Ledenstova in Hyde Park to unpack how she grew 40k+ followers and now gets steady inbound clients and brand opportunities. We break down exactly how she has done it and how you can aply it to your business.  We cover:  How to show up authentically without being cringe  What to post and when  The importance of
Be The Top 1%: Two Simple Moves Every Founder Must Make
Be The Top 1%: Two Simple Moves Every Founder Must Make Sep 16, 2026 1014 If you are still pitching with your experience and portfolio, you need to listen to this episode. I had a crazy experience the other day. I posted on LinkedIn asking for help writing some case studies, and I was inundated with DM's. What blew my mind was that not a single person led with any value. They all just shared their experience and portfolio. In 2026, this only gets you drowned out in t
Stop sending proposals - do this instead
Stop sending proposals - do this instead Sep 9, 2026 854 Do you remember the feeling of sending the proposal and then patiently waiting to see if you won the project? What if you never had to feel like that again, and there was a better way... In this episode, I break down why PDF proposals lose projects and what to do instead. I talk about framing, uncovering the real objections and moving people from "let me think about it" to "When do we start?"  You
Finally Eliminate Procrastination By Making Friends With Your Inner Child
Finally Eliminate Procrastination By Making Friends With Your Inner Child Sep 2, 2026 2218 What would it be like if you could eliminate procrastination by improving the relationship with your inner child? Sounds like  a strange concept right? That's exactly what happened to Lucio in this session. This episode pulls back the curtain on a real coaching session. What starts as business stress quickly becomes something deeper: a childhood wound, a lonely 6‑year‑old, and a surprisingly sim
Stop playing it safe and unlock your true potential
Stop playing it safe and unlock your true potential Aug 27, 2026 970 If you’ve ever found yourself choosing the "safe" path over the one you really want to pursue, this episode is for you. I break down why security is actually an illusion and how to avoid falling into the trap.  I've personally found that the energy you bring to what you do, is far more important than what you actually do. When you choose work that lights you up, you’ll find that challenges are jus
When Life Works: Build Your Personal 'Flow' List
When Life Works: Build Your Personal 'Flow' List Aug 19, 2026 668 Imagine feeling like every day is one of your best days. In this episode, I walk you through my “When Life Works” list: a handful of controllable habits and inputs that reliably make your days feel more energized, grounded, and joyful. No long rituals or 5am fads just practical, personal things you can use to see subtle but real shifts in how you feel day to day. Give it a go and see what change
How to find out what really makes you happy
How to find out what really makes you happy Aug 12, 2026 897 Humans are terrible at predicting what will actually make them happy. So how do we avoid wasting years of our life chasing things that won't give us what we are actually looking for. Today I'm breaking down "goal renting", which involves deliberately testing a goal in real life before committing years of sacrifice to it. I walk through my own experiment as well as many other examples. Ultimately c
Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?
Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? Aug 5, 2026 1408 If you’ve ever felt stuck in your business or life and didn’t know why, this episode might be worth a listen. This week I threw thousands of hours of coaching calls into Claude and one common pattern came up... The one thing that keeps most founders stuck is waiting for permission. Most of us know what to do but we have subconscious patterns that keep us stuck, often waiting for permission from s
Do this if you're struggling to decide
Do this if you're struggling to decide Jul 29, 2026 1815 Are you struggling to make a decision or simply feel overwhelmed with options?  In this episode, I discuss my own struggles with decision making and break down four principles that have helped me to make decisions faster.  Whether you are at a crossroads or just feel overwhelmed with options, these principles might get you unstuck and making better decisions.  If you found the episode valuable,
Why I Closed My Business (Solo Episode)
Why I Closed My Business (Solo Episode) Jul 22, 2026 1712 I'm back with another episode of the Creative Courage Podcast. Today I'm talking about why I closed my business, what freedom means and how to build a financial buffer in your business.   If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you are subscribed and share it with a friend. Connect with me on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattessam/ 

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