OC T OBE R 2 0 2 0 I S S UE N O . 0 9 FREE
F92RPEAGEE
e v o Mfor the S P E C IA L IS S U E
Culture Ta ckl i n g d ive r sit y i n we l l n ess wit h t ra i l b l a ze r I A NTH E M E LLO R S PLUS
Hook point
S ta n d o u t i n a 3 -se co n d wo r l d B r e n d a n Ka n e
Podcasts
5 th i n g s to l o o k o u t fo r w h e n sta r ti n g o u t
CREATIVE IMPACT AWARDS 2020
It's awards season! The inside scoop on this year's judges and shortlisted nominees
FOREWORD
CHAM PION
CHANG E Less than 100 days to the end of 2020, and what are some of your achievements? Go on, I am sure you can think of at least 10 good ones. We never spend enough time celebrating our hard work. Yet, 2020 has been such a learning curve for us all. This issue is also a celebration of some of our shortlisted and judges from Creative Impact Awards, because everyone really needs something to look forward to towards the end of the year. Look out for our special badge to find out more about some of the amazing people involved this year. Are you looking to refresh your content ahead of the new year? From podcasts and apps to products, we look at some of the most common ways to grow your brand online in 2020 and beyond. When it comes to content, we equip you with some tools to stand out in a busy online world with
author and digital strategist Brendan Kane. As part of this month’s issue, we also headed New York (albeit virtually) to hear more about the work our cover star Ianthe Mellors has been doing through her #MovefortheCulture movement, some of her achievements and lessons along the way. She also shares with us how we can support Black History Month. From championing change to facilitating uncomfortable conversations, Ianthe is truly a force to be reckoned with, and overall an incredible human, which I am so grateful you’ll get to meet in these pages. To quote our cover star: “Take the time to do the work. Take away the notion that you have to be a good or a bad person, step away from the guilt and into the uncomfortable and focus on the mission.”
FAB’S FAVES
Fab Giovanetti
Parker exploring how we
Editor in Chief
GBBO
Bake off is back, and the national can now rejoice in watching sponges rise together. Plus bet on how many handshakes Paul will dispense this year.
BLACK ARCHIVES
Recommended to me a few months back, @blackarchives is an amazing collection of pictures and visual storytelling from the past few decades.
ART OF GATHERING An amazing book by Priya
can bring people together more meaningfully.
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 03
CREATIVE IMPACT
EDITORIAL
MAGAZINE
Editor-in-Chief Fab Giovanetti Contribution Editor Amy Lanza
CONTRIBUTORS Columnist Charlotte Willis; Hannah Wallace Special thanks to Ianthe Mellors, Alexandra Taylor, Brendan Kane, Ovie Soko, Eleanor Coales, Jasmine Harsono, Ceren Tosun as well as judges and nominees for this year's awards
Did you know our members get FREE issues every month?
BACK ISSUES Creative Impact is the ultimate tool and resource for creatives and conscious entrepreneurs. Current members of the Collective will be able to download each issue directly for free as well as back issues on the online platform.
CLICK HERE
Website creativeimpact.group/collective
VISUALS & MORE Lead Designer Michael Cavalli Stock photography Pexels; Rawpixel; Unsplash Affiliate links Amazon Associates
Creative Impact Mag
is part of Creative Impact group For inquiries or suggestions, contact us at: Website creativeimpact.group Email info@creativeimpact.group Advertising brands@creativeimpact.group
FOLLOW US Facebook Facebook.com/creativeimpactc Instagram Instagram.com/creativeimpactco TikTok Tiktok.com/@creativeimpactco Twitter Twitter.com/creativeimpactc
04 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
FIND OUT MORE AT
creativeimpact.group/online-magazine
CONTENTS
18
I N TH I S I SSU E AWA R D S S E A S O N
|
OCTOBER 2020
32
ISSUE NO. 09
48
ESSENTIALS 03
|
68
FEATURES
WELLBEING
18
Cover feature
66
Best Brands
05 Contents
26
Standing out online
68
An Introduction to Reiki
06 Good news
34
Dopeness with Ovie Soko
70
Best Books
09
Monthly calendar
40 Befriend the inner critic
72
Promo: One Planet Pizza
10
Awards calendar
74
Hannah Wallace column
13
Mission statement
PRO SECTION
76
What is intuitive eating?
14
Best podcast
48
Upgrade your podcast
78
Sage smudging
16
Expert profile
55 Irresistible products
32
Founder series
58 Promo: Pivot with Press
38
Charlotte Sophie column
60
Coaching Tips
82
62
Promo: Pitch and Plant
86 Recipes
Editor's note
44 Behind the content
FOODIE Awards Special Intro
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 05
Good
IN THE NEWS
NEWS As we are consuming news more than ever, we thought we’d bring you our very own special roundup of happy news.
Otter love NATURE | UK
Asian short clawed otter Harris had been left single after his partner of four years Apricot recently passed away. His keepers desperately wanted to find him a new partner, so they set him up on “Fishing for Love,” a website created just for him. Staff at Cornish Seal Sanctuary made the dating profile for Harris, highlighting all he has to offer and sent it out in the hope of finding his new perfect match. The team were delighted to receive photos back from a female otter called Pumpkin who was also looking for love at Scarborough SEA LIFE after recently losing her elderly partner Eric. Harris will be moving up to Pumpkin’s enclosure to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible. We have our fingers crossed that it’ll be love at first sight (or should that be sniff?) for the furry pair. YOU CAN HELP This month, you guessed it. We are highlighting the Otter. Search online to find more information from WWF, and many zoos around the world that need your help. ADOPT A RIVER OTTER FROM WWF
06 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
IN THE NEWS
Sustainable deliveries
TikTok and body positivity
A new startup is rising, and is called Dispatch Goods. The concept behind it is to provide reusable takeout containers that can be given to customers, returned for cleaning, and then used again by the restaurant hundreds of times. Get your food delivered in a metal container. They’ll come pick it up, clean it, and bring it back to the restaurant.
TikTok said it's banning advertisements for fasting apps and weight loss supplements. It will also restrict ads that "promote a harmful and negative body image." TikTok also said it's partnering with the National Eating Disorder Association to connect users with resources directly from the app. "These types of ads do not support the positive, inclusive, and safe experience we strive for on TikTok," TikTok said in a statement.
FOOD | SAN FRANCISCO
HEALTH | GLOBAL
How to break a Guinness world record RECORD BREAKER | GLOBAL
The advent of Pinterest stories SOCIAL | US
Pinterest is announcing its spin on the increasingly popular stories format — Story Pins, which combine multiple pages of images, videos, voiceover and overlaid text. The Stories will not disappear after 24 hours, making them heavily different from their counterparts. Story Pins are being rolled out to select U.S. creators, while the new analytics features are available to all Pinterest users with business accounts.
Move aside Jennifer Aniston, there’s a new Instagram record-breaker in town. Sir David Attenborough has broken the record for the fastest time to reach one million followers on Instagram, reaching the milestone in just over four hours, according to the Guinness World Records. That means the 94-year-old naturalist has surpassed the previous record set by Aniston, who reached the one million mark in 5 hours and 16 minutes. Before that, the record was five hours and 45 minutes, set by none other than Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
A kinder social media app SOCIAL | US
The rules of the new social network Telepath are simple: Be kind. Don't be mean. No harassment, and no fake news. The existential question for Telepath will be whether that's easier said than done. Anyone who signs up for Telepath has to agree to a set of community rules. Be kind is the first one. But Telepath also specifically bans identity-based attacks, doxxing, harassment, porn and violence, be it in links, images or words. Telepath will also lock threads if they're deemed to be circling the drain or if people keep trying to get the last word.
Black pound day in the UK BUSINESS | UK
As a way to support Black-owned businesses in the UK, Black Pound Day is an initiative happening this Saturday, just as Black History Month is starting (today) in the UK. A bit more info from the website: “Black Pound Day is a solution-based approach to support the growth of the UK Black economy. As a direct and peaceful response to the systematic racism that creates un-equality for the Black community in the United Kingdom.” Black Pound Day encourages everyone to replace their usual purchases with products from Black-owned businesses, once a month and create lasting changes in our consumers’ habits - which is such a big part of why we spend time online.
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 07
Try Canva Pro for Free
08 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
COMING UP
OCTOBER10 CALENDAR
October | BLACK HISTORY MONTH A month long celebration of Black history, as well as the movers, shakers and players in bringing awareness around equality.
1 2
Fri 2nd | WORLD SMILE DAY #WorldSmileDay
3 4
Mon 5th | WORLD TEACHERS DAY
5 6
CREATIVE IMPACT MASTERCLASS: Goal setting and targets Tue 6th October | 1pm FIND OUT MORE HERE
8
Sat 10th | WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY
10
Sun 11th | INT DAY OF THE GIRL #DayOfTheGirl
11
7 9
12 13 LIVE EVENT - THE URBAN KITCHEN PRESENTS Breast cancer and diet: reducing risk and addressing inequalities Wed 14th October | 8pm REGISTER HERE
Wed 21st | APPLE DAY
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WEBINAR WITH LUCY WHEELER Legal Protection and Advice for your Business Thur 22nd October | 11am FIND OUT MORE HERE Thur 29th | WORLD ONLINE NETWORKING DAY Join the ultimate networking experience by turning to the next page. Join us for the Awards conference LIVE PODCAST SESSION WITH MAI OLIPHANT Thur 29th October | 5pm FIND OUT MORE HERE
14 15 16 17
LIVE EVENT - THE URBAN KITCHEN PRESENTS Identifying and addressing racial disparities in diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the UK Tue 6th October | 8pm REGISTER HERE LIVE MEMBERS SOCIAL Money Mindset Roundtable & Networking Thur 8th October | 5pm FIND OUT MORE HERE CREATIVE IMPACT MASTERCLASS: How to tap into Reels and encourage growth Tue 13th October | 4pm FIND OUT MORE HERE
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
WEBINAR WITH TAILWIND Instagram Stories Strategy Tue 20th October | 4pm FIND OUT MORE HERE Sat 24th | UNITED NATIONS DAY
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
CREATIVE IMPACT MASTERCLASS: Co-working: Step-by-step social media audit Tue 27th October | 1pm FIND OUT MORE HERE Sat 31st | HALLOWEEN
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CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 09
NOVEMBER11 SPECIAL CALENDAR - SUBJECT TO CHANGE
1
2 3 4 5 6
Creative Impact Awards 2020 The awards provide a unique opportunity to celebrate creatives from the UK and Ireland (and this year open also to Europe!). Celebrating the best creatives who make a positive impact in the world representing the epitome of all digital content platforms.
For our fifth year anniversary, we are looking to test a new way to create a whole inclusive experience at scale by connecting with talented creatives to bring the whole experience online – without losing out personal touch.
7 8
WEDNESDAY 11 th
9
November
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
THURSDAY 12 th November
11:00
Networking and welcome
11:00
Networking and goal setting
11:30
ow to write from the Heart H with Greta Solomon
11:30
Member workshop
Early afternoon
Early afternoon 12:30
Member workshop
13:00
ow to create urgency when H going evergreen with Deadline Funnel
12:30
Member workshop
13:00
riting better emails W with Convertkit
13:30
ow to use podcasts H to grow your brand
13:30
rganise your social media O content calendar
14:00
elling a story through T visual content
14:00
mpowering women in fitness E and on social media
Mid-afternoon break
Mid-afternoon break
23
15:00
Integration + networking session
15:00
Integration + networking session
24
15:30
Member workshop
15:30
Member Workshop
25
15:30
ey steps to create an engaged K community with Mighty Networks
15:30
ow to nail your next H online meeting
16:00
ow to successfully H build an expert brand
16:00
ow to empower a healthier H society in the online world
26 27 28 29 30
End of day
End of day
17:00
ioneering the plant-based P space and industry
17:00
ow to build long-lasting habits H for yourself and your health
18:00
Closing day + meditation
18:00
Closing day + meditation
AWARDS CALENDAR
FRIDAY 13 th November
12:00
Networking and goal setting
14:00
n creating viral content and O engaging online through video
Mid-afternoon break
Wellbeing
ow to create effective sales H funnels
• • • •
The shakers
ow to hack your mindset to H manifest business growth
Mindful living
Best of the best
15:00
e-thinking PR and fostering R relationships with the media
15:00 16:00 17:00
THE AWARD CATEGORIES
teps to creating a more inclusive S and accessible brand
End of day 17:45
Conference mini-warm up
18:00
Ceremony: 20-min sponsor panel
18:30
Ceremony: winners
• • • •
Best Vegan and Plant-Based Lifestyle Best Allergy and Free From Best Nutrition and Science Best Chronic Illness
Best Fitness and Movement Best Sustainability and Zero Waste Best Mental Health Awareness Best Recipe and Food
• • • •
• • • •
Best Campaign Best Book Best Conscious Brand Best Wellbeing Event
Best Podcast Best Instagram account Best Blog Best Coach or Mentor
Get your tickets today to avoid disappointment
ON SALE WEDNESDAY 7 th OCTOBER Click here to find out more or go to
creativeimpact.group/awardsconference
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 11
COVER FEATURE
START MONETISING YOUR EXPERTISE
Teachable Create and sell online courses and coaching services with the best online business platform
Used by the entrepreneurs to sell $500m+ to over 18 million students
FIND OUT MORE
MISSION STATEMENTS
WHAT’S YOUR MISSION? We asked our collective members what’s their mission and how they are looking to make a positive impact on other people and the planet, and here’s what Alexandra had to say.
About Alexandra aka aegle.mind
Transformational
Life Coach and Yoga
& Meditation Teacher
Jersey, Channel Islands
We are told on a daily basis what we should do, how we should do it. How we should behave, what we should wear and how we should look. It can sometimes feel impossible to live up to the unreal standards expected of us. As a teenager, I struggled with depression and anxiety, always feeling like I needed to better myself, work harder, faster. Be anyone other than me. After my first yoga class, a recommendation from my beautiful mum, I felt whole for the first time. I tapped into this inner quiet and stillness that I never knew existed inside of me. It was an experience I had never felt before. Ever since I’ve been exploring various practices, traditions and philosophies, learning techniques to calm my mind and bring peace to my heart. As my practice evolves, I find myself resting more and more daily in the present moment, with this unconditional loving acceptance for where I am and who I am. These are the teachings that I bring to my class and humbly offer to my students.
H EL P I NG Y O U T O F I ND A P H Y S I CAL AND M ENT AL STILLN E S S I N T H I S O VER HE C TIC W O R L D T H R O UG H THE PHILO S O P H Y O F Y OGA A N D M ED I T AT I O N. ” Alexandra Taylor www.aeglemind.co.uk
C lic k h er e to se e m o re a b o ut A le xa n d ra o n In st a
I believe there ought to be more celebration of how wonderfully unique we are, just as we are. My hope is to share the tools that I continue to learn with the people around me who are weighed down by beliefs of unworthiness. CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 13
AWARDS NOMINATION SPECIAL
BEST PODCAST T H E S H O RT L I S T A S N O M I N AT E D BY YO U
THE CURIOSITY CLUB Catri Barrett 65+ EPISODES
O
ur thirst for podcasts is insatiable with a new show opening up every day, it seems. From food and fitness to mental health and wellbeing, business and careers advice, female health.... There is something for everyone to whet their appetite. We could not be more excited to share with you the very best of the best as nominated for in our Creative Impact Awards 2020. Here are the 5 podcasts you C li c k o n ast need to listen to... any podc a rt w o rk to nk g e t th e li
14 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
In this educational and motivational podcast, host Catri Barrett, life and Business Coach, teaches us the real-life lessons we didn’t get taught in school. She explores how to better navigate modern living through the seven peaks of curiosity: the mind and the body, the environment, money, social change and self-awareness.
THE MINDSTYLING PODCAST Dr Becky Sage & Amy Armstrong 15+ EPISODES
Pushing the boundaries and giving you the tools to start “Mindstyling” for yourself, hosts Dr Becky Sage and Amy Armstrong interview a diverse range of entrepreneurs. Showing us how to cut our own path to success, they draw on practices employed by top business owners as well as drawing on their challenges and their successes.
WHAT WE’RE FOLLOWING
DID YOU KNOW We have a podcast of our own! The Make an Impact show is now back for its third season. Expect more interviews, inspiring stories and insightful hacks on how to grow your brand online whilst making a positive impact on other people and the planet. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE
CHRONIC BUT ICONIC Sophie Ward 50+ EPISODES
Sophie Ward, a Lyme Disease campaigner, blogger, author, radio presenter shines light on adapting to life with chronic illness. She discusses the challenges we face and learn from them through her experiences and fellow sufferers. This is an uplifting listen where she encourages everyone to keep chasing their dreams.
THE GOOD LIFE UNRAVELLED Elizabeth Dokia 35+ EPISODES
The Good Life Unravelled is the podcast hosted by Elizabeth Dokia, uncovering with it truly means to live a fulfilling and interesting life. With expert guests from all walks of life, she explores key topics including self care, wellbeing, mental health, zero waste living, diversity, manifestation and so much more.
PERIOD STORY PODCAST Le’Nise Brothers 30+ EPISODES
Period Story is the podcast from Le’Nise Brothers where she talks honestly with a new guest each week about their own period story. They debunk common myths and misconceptions and offer advice for those struggling with their own menstrual health. Guests include Tamu Thomas, Kat Horrocks and Sarah Greenidge.
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 15
IN PROFILE
EXPERT PROFILE
CV
Dr Tosin
Job title: Doctor
(Mind Body Doctor) My name’s Dr Tosin Sotubo, I’m a medical doctor working as a NHS and private General Practitioner. I have a huge passion for spreading health awareness and education. From this passion, I created Mind Body Doctor, a friendly and accessible platform to educate and inspire as many people as possible to take care of their health whilst busting fads, myths and talking facts! To me health is education and having the tools and the knowledge to know how to look after your mind and body. I strive to make this available for all people from all backgrounds and walks of life. How can people feel more confident about improving in your field of expertise? I think people often forget that the human body is complex and we are all uniquely
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY Be intentional about focusing on your health and listen to your body. Our bodies and minds are pretty remarkable at giving us warning signs that we should to pay attention to.
(General Practitioner) Skills that help you:
Medical school, my day to day practice and experiences as a doctor Expertise: Health INSTAGRAM WEBSITE
different. When it comes to our health it’s important to remember to focus on your own journey which can often be difficult these days with so much information available at your finger tips. Remember what may be right for someone else may not be the answer for you and if ever in doubt always speak to a healthcare professional.
MOVE MORE! Physical activity is so important not just for your physical health but just as much for your mental health too. Exercise comes in so many shapes and forms, find what you enjoy and what works for you.
16 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
MENTAL CHECK-UP Take time to focus on your mind and how you’re feeling. With all the daily non-stop activity, it can be so easy to ignore when we need time to relax and take care of our mental health.
What is the biggest mistake people make when it comes to your field? I think people often forget that health as we know is not just physical. It also includes our mental, emotional and social wellbeing and how we live our day to day lives. I call it ‘the health puzzle’ and all of these aspects and more make up our health as a whole. We can’t talk about health without looking at every part of the puzzle. What is your favourite thing about being part of Creative Impact? Being part of Creative impact gives me a platform and community where I can share my passion whilst educating and hopefully inspiring people to want to learn more about their health. Even if just one person is inspired or learns something new I’m a happy doctor! I’ve met some amazing people through this space and I’m loving sharing, learning and hopefully inspiring some of you on this journey.
Free monthly training
Click to view calendar
Email marketing for online creators CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 17
COVER FEATURE
Be a
champion r fo
change
with Ianthe Mellors Interview by Fab Giovanetti
18 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
COVER FEATURE
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 19
a
COVER FEATURE
gigantic mug of water, exposed brick and the crispy New York Autumn breeze. This is how the conversation with Ianthe Mellor starts. We bonded over our love for movement and the ‘good days of MTV’, truly showing our age. She has now been living in New York on and off since 2013, and loves the vibe and what she calls ‘electric energy’ in Brooklyn. “We had dance parties happening in Brooklyn, from five to eight. There's no alcohol, and everything's actually distance, Friday to Sunday. It's just people that want to move, celebrate with their buddies and dance”. Mellors, a dancer and fitness professional with 10+ years in the industry in the US and UK, has been incredibly active in the past 6 months on social media, being the initiative known as #MoveForTheCulture. She created this international initiative following a conversation with her brother discussing how the body reacts to trauma
20 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
COVER FEATURE
Ways to celebrate Black History Month "Everything I've learnt about my heritage and Black history I've taught myself. There are so many incredible black people that contributed to English history but they were omitted from the curriculum. It's great to have a Month focusing on Black History. But what happens all the other 11 Months of the year? I was given the task of suggesting three ways to celebrate Black History Month
but to me every day is Black history day as I am always proud of my heritage so it’s omnipresent in everything I do. So like every day I'm going to celebrate black cultures the best way I know how- through the arts and especially movement! I encourage you to join me and watch films, listen to music and dance and learn the history and culture behind these artforms. Learn about the black people that has created the work and who and what has inspired them."
and stress and the importance of celebrating the rich and empowering cultures within the black communities: “It never started as a one-off event. #MoveForTheCulture is the starting point for companies and individuals to celebrate black cultures, support the black community and announce how they plan to make change.” If companies are already actively working towards change within the industry and then this is a chance for them to unite and celebrate the black cultures. For fitness individuals, it became a chance to stand up and say specifically what they will be doing to instigate change in the industry, so we can all hold ourselves accountable. The campaign, which took formally place on August 20th, has seen UK-based brands including Gymbox, Barry’s, Frame, The Pilates PT, 1REBEL and Sweaty Betty join, as well as fitness professionals from across the globe: “on the day, the campaign took place throughout America, in England, in Germany, in Turkey, and there was another country, oh yes, Russia!” Ianthe explains how for #MoveForTheCulture some white instructors shared the mic
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 21
COVER FEATURE
10
powerful questions
for wellness brands, studios and individuals 1. When you invite wellness professional, beauty professionals to provide services to your members/clients do they serve a diverse range of people? 2. How diverse are the panels that you are invited to talk on? 3. How diverse are the Wellness and Fitness Festivals that you participate in? 4. Are your social media channels diverse? 5. Do you do outreach work within your community? 6. Have you considered the access to your wellness/fitness services/ product minority groups have? 7. Am I or have I been guilty of tokenism for content? Have I been tokenized for content? 8. Are your staff, board members, instructors and/ambassadors diverse? 9. On your social channels - Who do you follow? Does everyone look like you? 10. Do you understand the need for equity over equality?
22 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
COVER FEATURE
It ne ve r s tart ed t. as a one-off e ve n #MoveForTheCulture is the starting point for companies and individuals to
celebrate black cultures, plan to make change.
support the black community and announce how they
with black instructors to amplify their voices. Others taught alone and celebrated black cultures and educated their participants. It opened up dialogue and caused people to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
provide hair straighteners but rarely a diffuser attachment for hair dryers. If you asked me which straightener is best for my hair, I would not know, I just do not use them really”.
“It opened opportunities for people wanting to celebrate their own culture” she recalls during the heat of the campaign. “If you want to do a hip hop boxing class and talk about the culture of hip hop, make sure you're educating people so that you're not just taking something and using it for your own benefit.”
Some of the questions she collated throughout the campaign are sparked from observations she made as Black woman existing in the fitness industry, attending events, studios and gyms over the past decade. Some are questions she has been asking herself to work out what she can do to create long term change. “(the campaign) encouraged us to ask questions such as ‘who else you're hiring’, or ‘why you want me to talk on this panel?’. We need to feel comfortable to actually say ‘who else is on the panel? Why have you chosen me? Am I the token person? What questions are you going to ask me?’ What question you're gonna ask someone else?’”
During our chat, she mentioned Luvvie Ajayi as a great inspiration of hers. In her TED Talk, Ajayi explains why staying comfortable has maintained the status quo: “We all need to speak up, take action and inspire others to do the same”. As part of her work, she focused on opening new ways of communication, as well as shedding a light to some overlooked questions showing a lack of diversity in the industry. She points out as gift bags, product giveaways and ‘gym bag essentials lists’ often contain products that she can’t use, as a very clear example: “studio facilities
This showed how things could shift once we stopped taking things at face value, “what we take as gospel because that's someone who set things up in this way”. She recalls how this amazing thing started to happen as everyone started to question it, and be comfortable, or uncomfortable questioning it.
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 23
Take the time to do the work. Take away the notion that you have to be a good or a bad person, step away from the guilt and into the uncomfortable and Despite the plethora of benefits that fitness and exercise can bring, the fitness industry has for many reasons been exclusive and inaccessible. Racial diversity is poor; tokenism and appropriation are rife. There is disparity in the ways people of colour (PoC) are treated compared to non-PoC colleagues. In addition, PoC are often excluded from opportunities to teach or participate in practices that originated within their own cultures: “as freelancers, we've all been
24 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG
focus on the mission
talking about what we want from companies that we work with, and we're setting standards for the future”. Starting those kinds of conversations, has truly allowed people to feel comfortable advocating for themselves. It’s Ianthe’s mission to ensure inclusivity should be at the heart of all of our brands and companies: “for too long, the fitness industry has been noticeable in its inaction in combating racism and achieving diversity. Black Out Tuesday, was indicative of this, with many brands simply just posting a
black square but failing to take any decisive action.” Companies put together huge campaigns for PRIDE, and get behind other great causes but never acknowledge or celebrate black history month: “posting a black square with little to no caption is not enough” she wrote in an open letter published in August. Soon after that, she made the conscious decision to take a break to reset and take care of her mental health, as well as work through the trauma she experienced “The
one thing that helped me was movement, but when I was kind of unpacking all the microaggressions, and racism I experienced, and I realized that for me to 13 to 18 in dance, there was just so much racism and it was never explained to me properly that it was racism”. She found, in movement, a safe space during those hard months : “I always want to move my body, the reason I think I was able to run and workout during the time of the campaign was because people used to say to me ‘You're only fast because you're Black’. So I'd be like, yeah, watch me - to me, that's not an insult. I'm proud of my Trinidadian genes. That was a safe space for me, but then I realized that this isn't healthy.” As she took three weeks off, she started prioritising her health again and making more space: “my mindset was absolutely
fight or flight. I'm just really lucky that I'm in this industry as I am used to moving my body, and I'm really well connected to my body.” She used her skills to work on a nutrition and workout plan, and start listening more intently to what her body needed. “I learned that taking a step back, even if you're one of those people that just need to go go. And literally spending a day just doing nothing, or breathing or analyzing how you felt over the past month, or three months, is so important.” There is such an important lesson in here, on how, even when the world is spinning around like crazy and it’s hard to attain some form of control, being able to take a step back and reclaim that space can do wonders. “On those days, I wake up and I ask: what does my body say that it wants to do? What do I want to do? I think that's been my saving grace.”
About Ianthe You can stay up to date with Ianthe on her Instagram here and find out more about #movefortheculture and follow it's hashtag here.
More than ever, now is the time to make that space, and look for the support that you need to be able to show up to be able to live your life. This is a powerful reminder that to show up we have to give from the overflow in order to be the champions of change in our everyday lives.
CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 25
HOOK POINT
STANDING OUT IN THE ONLINE WORLD with Brendan Kane Written by Fab Giovanetti
H
ow can we tell better stories in a world where attention is the most sought-after currency? Is storytelling really dead? As creatives, we constantly push ourselves to stand out from the crowd by telling our unique story.
message truly stand out from the rest. As a marketer myself, I ask Kane what, in his opinion, really helps people within our field get a better understanding of social media and content despite the constant and never-ending changes.
Yet, sometimes it feels easier said than done: “no longer are you just fighting against your direct competition here. It's every piece of content”, admitted digital strategist, speaker and author Brendan Kane.
“We're students of it. We're constantly consuming content. And it's amazing how many people want to get into social media, but don't actually study social media. Sure, maybe they use Instagram or YouTube or Facebook, but are they really trying to dissect it? Why is this content working versus other content not working. As marketers, we're very much eager to learn. And even after being in this space for 15 years, we're constantly learning we're constantly improving our understanding.”
Brendan Kane is an outside of the box thinker, speaker and author who empowers brands to scale by helping them stand out and beat competition in crowded and over-saturated markets. He is the author of the international best-selling book One Million Followers and the newly released Hook Point: How To Stand Out In A 3 Second World, as well as the founder and CEO of the Hook Point agency. When it comes to understanding the fast-changing world of marketing and content, Kane has been studying the field for years: “I started building my own set of testing methodologies I used to help celebrities, journalists, musicians scale their social following. I then set out to run an experiment on myself of building a million followers in 100 countries in 30 days, which led to my first book, One Million Followers”. Yet, today we are not here to talk about quick fixes. We are here to discuss how we can make our content and
Before you start blaming algorithms and robots, remember that you have more power than you think on social media. Algorithms are rules that help users find the content they would love and engage with the most, which means your job is truly to understand what your audience is looking for. “At the end of the day, the algorithms have one job and one job only. And that's to keep you on their platforms longer” points out Kane. “ If you create content that engages people that retains people, you're always going to win.” If you continuously follow that structure of how to create content that retains people (meaning consuming it for longer periods of time), you're going to generate higher reach.
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Thousands of books to inspire you
CREATING STORIES THAT MOVE YOU Click to get started
HOOK POINT
“At the end of the day, the
algorithms have one job and one job only. And that's to keep you
on their platforms longer. And if
you create content that engages people that retains people,
you're always going to win”
What are the algorithms looking for? They're looking for that retention. What does a story do? If you think back to childhood, or if you think about the last time you sat down on your couch or went to a movie theater and a story starts. What happens when that story starts? You want to find out what happens at the end. “We all know a story has a beginning, middle and an end to it, which builds to what the algorithms are looking for. It builds towards those retention metrics that they're going after. When you're presented with a story on social media that triggers your subconscious desire to know what's going to happen next, you’ll stick until the end.” There is a caveat though (of course there is). You have to hook people in with the story because if you don't get them in that first three seconds, people will scroll past. “One of the things that was said when I was working in the film industry is that you had to be exposed to a movie six or seven times before the actual transaction happens. I think that applies to every business.”
HOOK POINT He is the author of the international best-selling book One Million Followers and now the newly released Hook Point: How To Stand Out In A 3 Second World Whether you’re promoting a brand, product, or service this book is the essential guide Click here to get more information
You need to understand that the audience you are talking to may not remember you or you may not be top of mind. You need to refresh that and keep refreshing it. If you look at the biggest brands in the world, they're constantly doing this: “the Nikes, the Netflix's of the world, look at how much they invest to continuously stay top of mind and find new ways to communicate with their preexisting audience and hook in audiences that haven't yet converted to a loyal customer.”
The formula for creating better hooks How can people start creating the right hook? So many people may have something great to say, but they don't know how to get their audience’s attention straight away.
Let's say you are a meditation coach, or you launched a meditation app. Kane points out how most people are going to construct that ad or social piece of content with the same messaging that has been said that thousands, if not 10,000 times. Messages like meditation is the key to success, or meditation
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HOOK POINT
relieves stress and anxiety. “If I see a headline like that, I already know what the video is going to be about, like I don't need to stop. It's not to say that your perspective isn't valuable. It's just me as the consumer, I can see what this video is going to be about.” This is where you can tap into a valuable strategy to break your audience out of the typical mindset by subverting expectations. By flipping things on its head you’ll cause pattern interruption and stand out from the crowd. We live in a world where there's 60 billion messages sent out on digital platforms each day, so you're no longer competing against your direct competition. Going back to meditation, you're no longer competing
“We all know a story has a
beginning, middle and an end to it, which builds to what the algorithms are looking for. It
builds towards those retention
metrics that they're going after.” against other people in the meditation space. You're competing against LeBron James, Kim Kardashian, Netflix, the latest news story, all these different things. And as people are scrolling, and they watch a Kim Kardashian video, and they come to your video, what's going to cause them to stop? “Subverting expectations is one of those tools. One way you could do it is have a headline that says meditation is a scam. You can then structure the video by saying how you have met so many people in the world that feel meditation is a scam because there's so much misinformation in the marketplace.” You can use the video as a way to break down the misconceptions about meditation, and how to think about meditation differently if you failed with it in the past. So what have you done? You've subverted that expectation: “ When I see meditations and scam, I'm like, ‘Well, I haven't seen this type of video before about meditation’. So I'm going to listen to it. And then I'm easing my way into the real valuable information I want to give. So there's a big difference.”
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How can you create a hook that truly delivers, and does not sound clickbait, or misleading? In order to construct a powerful hook that's effective, there are three core pillars. The first is the hook itself, which is designed to capture the attention. The second is a story. And then the third, which is just as important, is authenticity and credibility, do people believe what you are telling them. First, you need to find a way to capture your audience’s attention. If you can't capture attention, you'll never get to the story. If you capture attention with a poor story, you're going to lose people. And then if you capture attention with a powerful story, but it doesn't feel authentic, then it falls apart. “If you look at the holistic picture of your business, maybe you're amazing at grabbing attention, but you're not a great storyteller or your stories are falling short. Or maybe you're great at grabbing attention telling stories, but there's something often the way that you're delivering it that's turning people off.”
FIND OUT MORE Brendan Kane is an outside of the box thinker, speaker and author who empowers brands to scale by helping them stand out and beat competition in crowded and oversaturated markets. Find out more by visiting his Website
HOOK POINT
Getting someone to look at your content is a challenge. But captivating them enough to stay and give it their full attention? Unheard of. In his first book, One Million Followers, Kane challenged himself to building a million followers in 100 countries in 30 days. In the book he discussed something known as process communication, a communication framework he works with to this date. The core concept revolves around the idea that people perceive the world in different ways. That means that the way that you express your product or brand or service needs to understand how different people perceive it. According to the Process Communication Model, each of us represents a unique combination of six different types of personality, including the thinker, the persister, the harmoniser, the rebel, the imaginer and the promoter. Below you can find an example of each personality type.
Being able to understand your weaknesses is the first step to know what you should focus on next. Either way, spending time looking at what other people in the space are doing well goes back to the idea of being a student of marketing. “I’m such an experiential learner that I just like to experiment and test things and then share that information with my clients and other people that I'm speaking to” admits Kane. By becoming better listeners and investigators, we can all find ways to more create powerful hooks. Whether it’s by saving interesting videos in our Instagram collections, testing new types of content or spending more time looking at our analytics, as creatives we have the responsibility to understand what our audience wants and needs. Only by doing this we’ll be able to generate new opportunities, create a compelling brand - both online and off - and thrive in the new micro-attention world in which we live.
Thinkers
Rebels
Persisters
Imaginers
Thinkers are what we know as the planners who’ll take on responsibility, and are looking for structure and clarity. They tend to structure their ideas logically and explain them quickly and clearly to others.
Persisters see the world through the filter of values, standards and beliefs, which makes them interested in personal development. They are keen to give their opinion and to hear others.
Harmonisers
Harmonisers see the world through the filter of feelings. They value emotions and bring empathy and harmony into relationships. They have very specific sensory needs.
Rebels are very creative and tend to find solutions in situations when others see only problems. They are spontaneous, playful and enthusiastic, and look for human contact and community.
Imaginers are introspective and imaginative people. They often need to be alone, and prefer to discuss hypotheses and options before reaching a conclusion.
Promoters
Promoters are charming and likeable. They see the world through the filter of action and need dynamic environments to feel comfortable and alive. They are very direct and focused problem-solvers.
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DAMIAN SOONG
FOUNDER SERIES
Plant based with purpose
M
With Damian Soong
y name’s Damian, CEO and cofounder of Form, a plant-based brand built around the belief that you can be the best version of yourself while being mindful of others. We have a range of plant-based proteins for your body and nootropic cognitive supplements for your mind. We’re a B Corporation, the first UK protein brand to achieve that so joining the likes of Patagonia and TOMS in being committed to using business as a force for good. With every product we sell we support those in need via the Form Feeding Fund at Bansang Hospital in The Gambia. You can find us online in UK and US and also at cool stockists like Planet Organic, Selfridges, Net a Porter and Equinox in the US. My eureka moment There are probably two, one was reading The China Study and realising how big the plant-based movement would become and the other was trying what must have been the 20th vegan protein on the market and realising they all tasted terrible. I didn’t realise then how hard it would be to do better though!
Validating the idea In terms of opportunity it was our own planning and research that we used to validate. In terms of product, we did about 18 months R&D and during that time built a good following on Instagram, we used some of the most engaged followers to test and taste product.
CV
Form Founded: 2017 Job title: Co-founder
A MBA educated entrepreneur, focused on businesses driven by social purpose INSTAGRAM WEBSITE
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3 TOP TIPS FOR...
ANYONE STARTING A BUSINESS FOCUS ON THE CONSUMER Be close to your consumer and do everything with them or a segment of them in mind.
The failure I am glad I experienced In developing formulations and products there are more failures during development than successes. Every failure informs the next iteration however and ultimately that’s what leads to a success. I think this is the way you have to look at all failures – they’re valuable learning experiences.
The role of social media Social media has played a large role, particularly Instagram. We have never done paid posts but have tried to nurture community and real customer advocacy. I still believe word of mouth is the best form of marketing and that is what we try to encourage – it just happens to be on social media these days.
Going against the tide I’m quite contrarian so there is probably a lot – but I tend to stay in my own lane. Everyone is trying their best and I try to respect that. The only thing I would speak up about in our industry is products, branding and advertising that preys on insecurities, I find that distasteful.
Biggest advice you’d give to someone Continuing and increasing our work with the Form Feeding Fund in The Gambia, in this time of covid developing economies need our help more than ever. On the Form front our recent US launch with Equinox has been exciting and I’m looking forward to growing our US business.
COMPETITION IS GOOD Understand a crowded space can be an opportunity – often they are crowded with sheep which can make it easy to stand out DON'T DELAY
Take the first step and keep failing forwards. It’s easy to find reasons to delay, harder to start.
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V I
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S
O K
O
How the power of positive energy can improve your life Interview by Fab Giovanetti ith a huge smile on his face, Ovie Soko is most renowned for his skills on the basketball court, but 2019 saw him take his chance at love. The North Londoner captured the nation’s hearts as one of the 2019 Love Island contestants whilst inspiring his fellow islanders with motivational words of wisdom and his positive mental attitude. 2020 saw the beginning of another big chapter in Ovie’s life, as he’s turned his hand to writing his first book: You Are Dope. Exploring his own journey which has seen him live in multiple countries, Ovie pours his heart and energy into this book - soon to become your own personal road map to dopeness. He encourages us to lean into our vulnerabilities, take chances and be ready for what life has to offer in search of ultimate happiness and fulfillment. “I hope that this book will be the beginning of a journey for a lot of people. I know from experience that it’s only once you start to
PIC: ELLIS PARRINDER
O
DOPENESS
"Don’t drown out the sound of your hopes and dreams... Amplify them instead." OVIE SOKO
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DOPENESS
Y O U A R E
D O P E
value yourself and the power you have in being yourself and embarking on that journey that you see the necessity of taking the leap of faith and starting to live to the beat of your own drum.”
So where did the idea from the book come from? What inspired Ovie to create such an open guide to positive mental health? After all his support on and off the court and TV screens, Ovie wanted to “give something of value... that can hopefully help the reader whatever situation they’re in ''. He also saw
the huge gap in the market for such a book to inspire individuals in this age of social media and remind them of their own "superpower". When "what we don’t have is often pushed in front of us and held up as our measuring bar", don't we all deserve a little loving boost from this 6ft something professional?
That's exactly what you get while turning the bright pages of You Are Dope. The book explores his travels overseas and draws on his own experiences of living in numerous countries, their cultures and their viewports which have helped him "grow as a person". The toolkit provides all the tricks we need to be dope - a word he uses a lot. "I wanted to let the reader know from looking at the cover, this is about you, your being unique, you being dope exactly how you are." “Don’t drown out the sound of your hopes and dreams — amplify them instead.” Being authentically you isn’t always easy and, as he points out, “it’s important to be inspired
YOU ARE DOPE
Published 1 October 2020 (27 Oct for the US) Available Hardcover; Audiobook; Kindle and other digital platforms FIND MORE INFORMATION HERE
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by but not empowered by people who you find dope”. Ovie admits to having struggled with being his authentic self in the past and it's something a lot of us also battle with each day. He notes that it is often out of fear of "not being accepted for who they are, [that] can ultimately drive people into professions and jobs they hate, relationships they don’t want, and just a world of lies ultimately." A life in which "ultimately the juice isn’t worth the squeeze." “I didn’t know whether being myself would result in success in life. That’s a scary place to be in when you don’t know whether your genuine thoughts, your genuine feelings, your genuine outlook on things, are good enough to be accepted.” Finding fulfilment is one step on your journey to acceptance and positivity is key. So how does Ovie stay positive in trying times? He believes that it is a mindset - one that you choose each morning to "find the light in all situations". Yet he is realistic about it and admits to also having off days
DOPENESS
"It’s important to be inspired by but not empowered by people who you find dope"
PIC: ELLIS PARRINDER
We can't talk about our everyday lives without talking about social media - and one way to sky-rocket your following is being the nation's heart-throb on reality TV. Despite never being "a huge social media guy", he learned to adapt after leaving the villa. Albeit overwhelming at first, he shares the "same kind of quirky habits most of us probably have" on his channels and he is pretty mindblown that we are all so interested.
“where I’m in a mood, or not positive, but it allows me to work out of that state of mind and get back into a productive one much faster." He pulls on the common cliche to get him through: “It’s not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you can stand up again”. You Are Dope is full of similar motivational messages (Love Island fans will remember his catchphrases) and the one piece of advice that sticks with him is how "comparison is the thief of joy". He reminds us to not compare our current situation to someone else's as we don't know their own journey: "you could be comparing your level 3 to their level 10." Which serves as a great reminder to be open and honest with our mental health.
He talks openly about his own battles with mental health and reminds us, and men in particular, that we are not alone. "One of the silliest assumptions is that men don’t need help, we all do, and the help is there. Trying to always do things yourself is like giving yourself an extra handicap in life that you can choose otherwise. Life is hard, and there are so many challenges we already face, don’t make it even harder for yourself." Hardship often brings with it lessons of hope, every cloud has its' silver lining after all. Ovie draws on his past to teach him to count his blessings, and appreciate that life is the biggest gift you have, as he reminds us that we should try to love our lives and those in it to the best of our ability.
"I tend to take a break from it every so often to make sure I don’t confuse filtered reality and the life that is in front of me", he admits. This time away allows him to take a step back and avoid falling into the comparison trap that is oh-so-easy to do "when you become obsessed with what is happening in everyone else’s life" even when you are in a mentally good place. And there has been plenty of time for soulsearching over the last few months in quarantine! Ovie believes that this time off has been a "much-needed break" and has allowed him to "hit the reset button, spend some quality alone time, and refocus for the journey ahead." This leads Ovie back to his passion and calling. While this last year has been a whirlwind of opportunities, appearances and new work , he believes true fulfilment "comes from things I work for and skills I have acquired over time such as Basketball" . Who knows where we will see him pop up next. One thing is for sure, whether Ovie is shooting hoops, finding love, working hard or taking part in celebrity Bake Offs, You Are Dope will, for a long time to come, lead us all down our personal paths to dopeness.
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COLUMNIST
CONTEMPLATING WITH CHARLOTTE
Menstrual cycle charts In the following contemplation, I will make reference to someone who menstruates – not women, not females, not girls. Someone who menstruates. After all, not all menstruators are women, female or girls, and not all women, females and girls menstruate.
H
ere’s something your gynecologist might not tell you: having a menstrual cycle is a full time job. If you happen to be someone who menstruates, re-read over that sentence one more time. Why a full time job? The cyclical fluctuations in reproductive hormones are something which the majority of menstruators, in-particular those who do not use a hormonal contraceptive, will experience during the most influential, move-making years of life. Us menstruators juggle the spotting, the bleeds, the being caught off guard without period products – and we deal with it with finesse. We also have to take note of our cervical fluid (not just because Cardi B told us to), take charge of our fertility and address negative symptoms associated with our bleeds. But what if menstrual cycles could offer us far more than simply being an inconvenience for 7 days of the month? According to menstrual health experts and educators, such as Alisa Vitti (Woman Code), Jessie Brebner (@fertilitycharting) and Vianney Leigh (@statusflow.co) to name a few, the different phases of the menstrual cycle present unique opportunities for optimising our working lives. During these four phases, progesterone and estrogen vary in their activity and circulation, which directly impacts upon our productivity. Synchronising our monthly working schedules and productivity planners to our menstrual cycle, a process known as cycle-syncing, may just be the natural productivity hack you’ve been searching for.
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During menstruation, your hormones are at the lowest level, encouraging restful activities, reflection on the past working month and setting intentions for the month to come. Menstruation often sparks deep creative insight, and can be a time for curating lifelong plans. Post-menstruation, prior to ovulation, the increase in estrogen activity brings creative experimental energy, encouraging us to play around with new and unusual ideas. Over ovulation, we note a spike in energy, confidence and sociability – an ideal time to network, meet with clients, launch new ideas. Hormones begin to fall “Once you begin to take post-ovulation, and we note of your cyclic energy find our focus shifting and hormones, the towards the finer details in a more critical power is all yours" headspace. Every cycle is unique, and everyone will experience productivity fluctuations individually based on their experiences. Mastering cycle-syncing can be achieved by reading fertility books, consulting with a menstrual health professional and tracking your cycle. By tapping into these fluctuations we can finally quash the idea that having a menstrual cycle is inconvenient and draining. Instead, we are free to utilize our body’s internal productivity tracker, celebrating the natural gifts of our cycles, and ride our boss-mode ebbs and flows with empowered acceptance. @charlottesophiewrites
BEFRIEND THE INNER CRITIC Written by Alexandra Taylor
W
e all have inner critics. They get in the way of our aspirations and potential. They evaluate and comment upon everything we do, every choice we make. They judge our behaviours, our thoughts and feelings. They even judge us as a person. The inner critic is satisfied with nothing less that perfect and mistakes are an absolute no-no. This voice tells us we won’t succeed, shames us and tells us to quit before we’ve even begun.
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INNER CRITIC
"Befriending our inner critic is a life-long journey but one that is rewarding on so many levels." Basically, the inner critic can talk you out of things that could have been brilliant. The inner critic is a convincing and compelling component. It can feel like you’re engaged in a constant losing dialogue in your mind, one that you cannot win. But perhaps you have been going about the battle in the wrong way. Maybe there doesn’t need to be a winner? What if instead, you befriended the inner critic? Often it is our struggle with difficult thoughts that causes our suffering. Imagine you’re stuck in quicksand; the immediate impulse is
to struggle and fight to get out. But that’s exactly what you mustn’t do – because as you put weight down on one part of your body (your foot), it goes deeper. So the more you struggle, the deeper you sink – and the more you struggle. Very much a no-win situation. With quicksand, there’s only one option for survival. Spread the weight of your body over a large surface area – lay down. It goes against all our instincts to lay down and really be with the quicksand, but that’s exactly what we have to do. So it is with the critic. Sounds strange and counterintuitive, I know, but trust me. Or at least give it a go.
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INNER CRITIC
Meditation 01
Relax the body and mind with your breath
ring to mind the character of your inner 02 B critic, see it’s form, hear it’s voice ecome aware of the feelings and 03 B sensations that arise in the body. What does this thought bring up for you? otice any desire to get rid of the 04 N experience and the thought ome back to acknowledging your thought 05 C without judgement 06 I f your mind wanders or resists, gently guide it back to the thought, character ring a gesture of self-compassion to 07 B yourself – a hand placed gently on your heart centre or your solar-plexus. cknowledge and thank your thought for 08 A the advice it offers and kindly, but firmly tell it that you are okay, you got this! emind yourself that what you bring to 09 R the planet is your unique self 10 11
F eel a sense of calm and inner peace enter the body as your critic fades eturn to your breath as you gently become R aware of the room around you and open your eyes whenever you are ready
Give your critic a character
Trying to stop or ignore the voices in your head is not going to make them go away; it’s only going to make them stronger. By giving the inner critic a character, you are recognising that the voices are separate from who you are. So give your inner critic a name, form, personality. Where does it come from? What does it do? How does it sound? This makes it easy to have a conversation with it and bring lightness to the interaction.
Recognise the inner critic is your guide, not your enemy
This can be tough, especially when the torrent of abuse can be so cruel and unkind. But the inner critic really is your guide, not your enemy. The voice is coming from a place of past experiences, of trauma and fear. Rather than wanting to sabotage you, it really only wants to keep you safe and protected. And this is the only way it knows how.
Thank the inner critic
Yes, I really mean it. Remember, the critic simply wants to keep you safe – maybe too safe, but it is coming from a space of
protection. Acknowledge these needs of the inner critic. Thank the voice for the advice it is sharing with you, and gently tell it, you’re okay, you got this. Show it compassion and kindness. Listen to it instead of shunning it or fighting it. It’s like ignoring a screaming child, he isn’t going to get any quieter. But when you acknowledge him, the tantrum softens. When we acknowledge the voice that tells us we can’t or that we’re not good enough, it softens too.
Author bio
Alexandra is a transformational life coach and yoga and meditation teacher, hosting classes online and live www.aeglemind.co.uk
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INTERVIEW
BEHIND THE CONTENT
@ stephelswood AKA STEPH ELSWOOD
My name is Stephanie Elswood. I try to share my honest and authentic self online by posting my entire journey - whether that’s fitness, food or sustainability. I believe in sharing my lifestyle in the hope that I can empower women so they can live healthier and happier lives. Behind the content I write myself a schedule for the month, trying to get a balance of lifestyle posts, workouts, recipes and mental health topics. I like to share honest content in the hope that others can relate to the topics I mention! On making a bigger impact I try to be as honest and open as I can talking about important topics that I’m really passionate about like veganism, eating disorder recovery, sustainability and fitness. I don’t know if it’s making a huge impact to the world, but I love to get conversations and
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(Clockwise) Steph taking a break from promoting her Sasstainable products; Instagram posts on baking and life style.
thought processes starting! Also when launching my brand Sasstainable, I really underestimated the support from people online. I genuinely believed that I had enough stock to last me until Christmas but we sold out after 2 weeks!
INTERVIEW
Lessons and achievements I don’t like to think of anything as a ‘mistake’ really. I think every slip up I've had has been a huge lesson that has made me adapt and change to being more careful with what I share online today! However, I think when I first started, I used to try to post things that I thought the online world would want to see, rather than things that were close to my heart. Any lessons you learned from your brand, Sasstainable I think the most challenging thing was imposter syndrome. Telling myself that I am good and capable enough of being a businesswoman and owning my own business! I have a habit of downplaying my abilities and not backing myself.
Nuggets of gratitude My parents have been very involved in my social media journey! They are so supportive and have really helped me stay true to my message. When launching my brand, I arranged for samples to be sent to me before I ordered stock. I trial them out to make sure I like the look and feel of them. I also order enough for my mum and boyfriend to use too. My Mum even spell checks and proof reads my captions and helps me to articulate things in the best way possible aha!
FUN FACT I have a white patch of hair on the right side of my head. It doesn't grow and even if I dye it jet black it doesn’t change colour!
What excites you about being a judge for Creative Impact I love the inclusivity of Creative Impact! As a team, they are all so supportive and just want to celebrate everyone’s achievements whilst sharing such valuable information!
CLICK HERE... Find out more about Steph and her work on her Website here
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FIVE THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE LAUNCHING OUR PODCAST SHOW Written by Fab Giovanetti
B
ack in September 2019, we launched a podcast called Make an Impact Show, a podcast for creatives looking to make a positive impact on other people and the planet. In total honesty, I thought I had it all figured out at the time. I have had podcasts before, how hard can this be? I am not proud to admit I was rather cocky, but I guess without that confidence coming from a few podcast shows under my belt, I would have not learned what I discovered in the process. For context sake, the previous shows I worked on were released between 5 and 6 years ago. Needless to say, the industry has changed massively. That has changed in 2019 when there was a dramatic jump. Compared with 2018 figures, the number of people who have listened to at least one podcast in their lives increased by 20 million, and an additional 14 million people described themselves as weekly listeners.
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PRO SECTION
01 T AKE TIME TO DRAFT CLEAR GOALS If you have read my pieces before, you may know I love talking about purpose and intention. All successful podcasts have clearly defined goals, and that’s something your show should have too. Your podcast should support your business, but this doesn’t happen by accident. If you want to produce a great show, you have to be clear about what it is that you’re trying to achieve. Are you looking to generate direct income from online sales, for example? Or are you playing the long game and looking for leads toward future sales? Perhaps you simply want to promote your brand without any direct, measurable financial benefit.
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To help you further, here are three macro goals I tend to come back to when in doubt (as a marketer of ten years I am highly goals driven, yet I appreciate not everyone is like me). 1. B rand awareness (discovery by a new audience) 2. Consideration (further engagement from your current audience) 3. Conversions (sales or sponsorships) Content and goals go hand in hand. A podcast with great content and no clear goal isn’t going to achieve anything. A podcast with a goal but no value, on the other hand, won’t help you build a loyal audience. People don’t want to subscribe to a neverending commercial — they want value.
PRO SECTION
02 D EFINE YOUR PODCAST BASED ON YOUR LISTENERS Let’s get back to your audience - your listeners, those old friends. You may be like “but Fab, I have no listeners yet, I just got started!” Understanding who you are looking to attract is key. The first thing they’ll want to know about any podcast is the same: “Why should I spend my time listening to this show?” If we believe in the idea that the world goes by via an exchange of value, the time your listeners will put into your podcast is one part of this exchange. What value are you looking to bring back to them? If you want people to listen, you need to add value to their lives. What’s the benefit to them? Is it to learn? To be entertained? To feel a social connection? The value is what keeps them connected. Yet, the deeper you can go in understanding who your audience is, the deeper connection you’ll create with them. Let’s give them a fictional name. Say hello to Becky. Becky is a Creative who just came across the Make an Impact Show. She is a creative looking to kick off her brand and business, she is a side hustler,
commuting into London every morning for about 45 minutes. Becky loves the fact she can listen to a variety of episodes, mixing audio lessons and interviews, all in less than 1 hour. When it came to Make an Impact Show, we came up with the idea in the second season to alternate solo episodes and interviews to add an element of education to the podcast, since this is what our audience comes back to us for. We had to adapt to ensure we’d give our audience what they wanted and keep it fresh This leads me to the topic of consistency. A podcast can choose solo delivery, two-host banter, roundtable discussions, fiction, live recordings, and interviews. It can even mix them into a fairly predictable pattern. Maybe it’s a weekly show, but once a month there’s an interview instead of the usual roundtable discussion. Start by thinking up a number of different types of people to represent your own audience. Now give them names and ask yourself: What are their goals? Schedules? Social media choices? If you don’t understand this, there’s a good chance you’ll end up alienating potential listeners. If your podcast is longer than the average commute, for example, lots of commuters aren’t going to listen to it.
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PRO SECTION
03 THE TRUTH ABOUT DISCOVERABILITY Let’s talk about discoverability, or how easy it is for folks to find you. Discovery depends on factors like keywords and search engine optimisation.
For that to happen, you’ll need a good page on your website that can be used to create a collection of your episodes and great SEO.
Some people will check listings on their podcatcher — a program for downloading podcasts — iTunes, Soundcloud, Pocket Casts are some examples.
If a potential audience searches for the name of your podcast, you want to show up near the top of their list.
This will overall keep Google very happy. There is something to be said about optimising your podcast for podcatchers.
To reach these listeners, you’ll need to add professional and enticing artwork and descriptions for these services.
04 T HE RIGHT TOOLS AND BRANDING Great branding is not just a matter of discoverability. The title, artwork, and a polished audio introduction will provide a clear explanation of what the show is about from the get-go. Another great tool for podcasts based on an interview format is the interviewer themselves. We feature 12 interviews per season, and they definitely enhance the podcast in a variety of ways.
feel at ease. Happy guests will spread the word after you’re done. Make it about them. There is something to be said about choosing the right guests too. Every topic and interview should fit the vision for your show. Your content is your value, and quality beats quantity.
Now, I was a journalist in my past life (over 12 years ago), which means I had time to practice my interviewing skills.
A listener can switch to another podcast at any time. If you’ve crafted your episodes well, your audience will stay engaged and happy. The end of each episode can be thought of as a branding opportunity. Listeners could be left hearing a familiar tune and perhaps a teaser for the next episode.
How can you make your guests comfortable? Do you prefer following a rigid script, or be flexible in your interview style?
Think of your favourite podcasts. You probably could recognise the jingles out of a hundred.
Whichever way works for you, remember to make your guests
That consistency is key to loyal listeners.
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05 T EST, ANALYSE AND REPEAT After we finished season one of the Make an Impact Show, I took a long break to rebrand (yes both the company and the podcast rebranded). This allowed me to think about what worked and didn’t, and look at our audience overall. We use Open Acast to host our podcast — it’s easy to distribute and upload, yet, the statistics it provides are incredibly valuable. Knowing your audience will help you stay on topic and engaged. Statistics tell you not only how many people downloaded your show, but where they’re from and what app or distribution platform they’re using. How large is your audience? Is it growing? Shrinking? In what countries? On what devices? Did certain topics or guests lead to a spike in traffic? I love having a look at the most successful episodes, as it helps me understand what people are looking for from our show. Some services track not just downloads, but how far into individual episodes listeners made it. Obviously social media traction is yet another great way to see the traction your show got from your audience. Making it easy for your audience to share key learnings and their favourite episodes help with virality. Time of reflection is also a great time to come up with new ideas. If you want to be the go-to source for your niche, you need to keep your finger on the pulse. That means searches, social engagement, and analytics. Knowing your audience means listening to them. Knowing your area means studying and learning. Is the new topic a bit over your head? Bring in an expert to talk about it.
FINALLY.. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER As I said, the first season of the Make an Impact Show was great, but I felt I was missing something. By taking the time to look at our audience’s behaviour I was able to truly head back to the key goal of our podcast, which falls into the category of brand awareness and discoverability. Once I knew that I could make sure the podcast would attract similar people to our current audience, that it would have the right mix of content to keep listeners coming back.
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BCast
PODCAST HOSTING
REDEFINED GROW SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT, TRAFFIC REVENUE WITH YOUR PODCAST
CLICK TO FIND OUT MORE
PRO SECTION
Why you should create painkillers not vitamins
Written by Fab Giovanetti
B
efore you start asking, this isn't an article about the pharmaceutical industry. The whole piece relies on a clever analogy - one that starts with digital products, to be exact.
I have been in the online course business for over five years now. I have created loads of courses for our creatives and supported clients launching their own. I also took a lot of courses myself, which taught me so much about the best way to interact with my students: “in learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” (Phil Collins).
This is very true indeed. I learned more by taking courses, especially the poorly organized ones than I would have by simply teaching hours of lectures. One of the things I did not realize until quite recently about courses is that they are a great product to teach you a big business lesson — your product solving a problem may not just be enough. I am sorry to be the one breaking this to you, I really am. Yet, it’s true. I have a very simple analogy to prove it. It all starts with a very simple headache.
Let’s say one day you wake up with a terrible headache — you have a long day ahead, you need to get to work, open your emails, interact with people, get the proverbial wheel spinning. You are at a crossroads: what does 99% percent of the population which access to a pharmacy do, in a case like this? Head to your local pharmacy and get a painkiller. Would you really head to the pharmacy and get a multivitamin? Unless you are me, you probably won’t. You won’t just wait it out.
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“What you can do, however, is let go of
any idea as soon as it has gone out in the world. Simply put, you have no control of the outcome once it’s out there. It’s the nature of ideas in themselves.” You want it gone, and you want it gone fast. Where does this analogy come from? The “sell-pain-killers-no-vitamins” phrase is an investor colloquialism for what motivates people to buy. Just like people are much more likely to take an aspirin for a headache than a vitamin to improve their health, customers are much more likely to buy something that solves a painful problem than something that’s a nice improvement. Now, you’d imagine that since this saying is pretty old and well-known, most people know about this. Yet, the amount of clients I talk to about this exact topic is countless. This is where my experience with courses comes handy again. Most courses and digital products are vitamins. Potential customers will delay purchases of “vitamins” to another day, or allocate their spending to other things. They can’t and won’t delay purchases of things that get rid of a true pain point. When asked how we can cut to the chase and get people hooked, key pain points tend to be the following: money, time or health.
You’ll find products that promise more money, more time and better health are the ones that people easily buy into. When it comes to digital products, for example, these are products focusing on features or functionalities, and not major platforms. Painkillers help customers to materially drive more revenue or lower current costs (including loss of time). Most times, the difference between a vitamin and a painkiller comes down to semantics and clear messaging. Can you turn your product into a painkiller? Yes. Yet, it’s imperative you truly understand the biggest pain points your potential customers are looking to overcome. However, if you cannot sell the pain point you are trying to fix, your product is bound to fail. This is when you should be always driving in the daylight. After one of our events, I was walking back with one of our attendees: we were talking a bit about the company, goals, challenges, hurdles. She looked at me and she asked: “How does one manage to keep on going when things do not work out? You always seem to do so well.”
RE-FOCUS TIPS
Next time a product does not work for you, this is what I’d recommend you focus on:
01
Keep track of your projects, and assess their overall performance. If something is not working anymore, ask yourself what has changed and assess whether it’s time to adapt or let it go.
02
Once you decide to let go, give yourself some time to have a little wiggle, a cry or a tub of ice-cream (or even having a friend on call) and accept that it’s time to move on.
03
What have you learned from this experience: what will you repeat, and what should you not do again?
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What’s next for you? That, only the future will tell.
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I explained how a lot of the time things do not go well. Being your own boss is like being on PMS every single day of the year; probably one of my most quoted lines ever. “What you can do" I replied "is let go of any idea as soon as it has gone out in the world. Simply put, you have no control of the outcome once it’s out there. It’s the nature of ideas in themselves.” It can be incredibly frustrating at times, but it is the way you can sustain in business. You have to accept what does not work, and let it go if it’s not working anymore. As I mentioned, I created a LOT of courses in my time. One of them, probably my favorite,
was a marketing course for yoga teachers (at a time when, sadly, the market was not right). I launched my first (and only) round and had to accept it was just not going to fly. The idea and execution were very good, but the timing was wrong.
I do believe that looking back to assess why a product did not work is essential to learn and grow, however, mulling over what did not work is what has a lot of businesses fail. Most startups and small businesses are putting a lot of yourself in your work, this is when driving for daylight is even more paramour.
The idea of focusing on the idea, not the outcome is at the base of what author Amy Wilkinson calls ‘drive for daylight’ in her book “Creators Code”. Whether you are moving forwards or staying still, being clear about your values, strengths, and weaknesses is a key part of your brand identity.
The attitude of focusing on the road ahead is what has supported me wasting less time mulling over what did not work, and take action to proactively solve problems and move past failed ideas. Ultimately, most of your ideas may not turn into painkiller products, yet learning from the experience is what truly makes you an entrepreneur.
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
ADAPT AND PIVOT TO OVERCOME CHANGES
I
t’s safe to say that 2020 turned everyone’s world upside down. Despite being a really tough time for PRESS (and so many other businesses), we acted quick and changed a few things to help us survive Coronavirus and the many challenges that came with it. We are a plantbased and wellness brand, specialising in cold-pressed juices, vegan meals and soups. However, during the lockdown we pivoted and we took on a new venture. Ed Foy, CEO & Co-founder of PRESS London, speaks openly about his experience with the pandemic and how the team pulled together to help them cope in the best way possible.
How was PRESS affected by the initial stages of lockdown? Well we basically lost 60-70% of our business over night when lock down was announced, which was, to say the least.. a little brutal. How did PRESS adapt and pivot to overcome their challenges? We moved our focus to online. We spent 3 days creating and launching a total home grocery delivery business. We called all of the wholesalers we work with and basically started buying products to create our online grocery store. We re-prioritised the team to focus on key areas that would help our e-com business and shifted everyone to doing anything and everything, whether that was packing bags of carrots in our fulfilment warehouse, or doubling down on our influencer campaign. Despite it being the hardest time it actually was a real moment of us all pulling together and doing everything in our power to manage the pandemic.
P R E SS-LO N D O N.C OM G E T YO U R F I R S T W E E K F R E E ON ANY SUBSCRIPTION U S E C O D E : DA I LYM E
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What were the 3 biggest lessons learnt from the last 6 months? Diversify your revenue channels and always stress test the concept of one of them dropping to zero. It's a good contingency planning habit to get into. Communicate with your team! When things are uncertain it's key that you talk daily to everyone to let them know that a) you have a plan and b) what they need to be focusing on. Video calls were key throughout that
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
period. When macro level challenges occur in a market place, providing the appetite for consumption hasn’t changed, then there are always opportunities created. Spend time looking for them, keep hustling (those who last longest in hard times win in the end) and stay positive. Retrospective fatalism is a great life philosophy to live with as an entrepreneur.
Should there be a similar situation in the future, what would PRESS do differently? I think as a team I couldn’t imagine things going better and people pulling together more! We were quick to make decisions and we talked to our investors throughout. Everyone was always up to date and in the loop. We did use the furlough scheme where necessary, our retail business for
example, but again we made sure there was lots of communication. If we could have avoided using the furlough scheme I would try to do that.
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AWARDS NOMINATION SPECIAL
BEST COACH AND MENTOR T H E S H O RT L I S T A S N O M I N AT E D BY YO U
TIPS FROM OUR SHORTLISTED COACHES It’s got to be money. When I started my business I’d just spent 5 years living on income support as a single mum with cancer (there’s a story to be told there!) and we were really poor. I couldn’t imagine charging any more than £15 an hour. I literally cried when a coach told me people were charging £3k a day. It took a lot of mindset work to realise money isn’t evil and it’s ok to be comfortable and be able to afford things.
The biggest mindset shift that helped me grow my business was believing I could help people. If you don’t fundamentally believe you can get someone a result or a transformation when they work with you, all the systems and marketing in the world won’t get you clients. You have to totally believe in your abilities, your products and services – that energy and mindset is what people buy into. It’s sometimes a big job because many of us feel unsure, unworthy, unqualified or play small, but the mindset has to be there in order to be successful.
Debbie Clarke
Vicky Shilling
”
debbiedooodah.co.uk
”
vickyshilling.com
Debbie and Vicky join our amassing group of nominees that also includes Nicola Rae-Wickham, Phoebe Greenacre and Simon Alexander Ong. All going head to head in the category of Best coach and mentor, Best of luck to them all!
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INSPIRATION
"Do one thing every day that scares you." ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
WHAT IS PITCH AND PLANT?
C
reated in 2016 Vevolution has built a community of startups and investors and people coming together to change the world. In 2020 Vevolution partnered with former tech entrepreneur and leading plant based investor Michiel van Deursen to build a new technology platform for plant based innovators. This platform combines Michiel’s vision and experience as an investor and entrepreneur with the Vevolution name and community. . 2020 also sees the return of Pitch & Plant 2020 the global investment competition by Vevolution for plantbased and animal free startups has
gone live. Speaking about the launch of this platform, Vevolution Founders Damien Clarkson and Judy Nadel said:“Pitch & Plant 2020 is our first global investment competition and we are proud to have partnered with such a great group of investors who are responsible for backing some of the plant-based startup movement's biggest success stories. We are excited that all the startups who apply this year will go onto the BETA of the new Vevolution platform and will be seen by investors from all across the globe. Hopefully Pitch & Plant will lead to many businesses finding the community support and investment they need to reach their business goals and positively change the world.”
The virtual global competition is open for startups from pre-seed up to Series A that are looking to raise investment from some of the world’s leading plant-based investors. This year each investor has committed to invest a minimum of £20,000 as part of the Pitch & Plant competition making a minimum total of £100,000 on offer to finalists. Although they may invest higher sums if the right startup takes their eye. Finalists will be selected to pitch at the live virtual event, which will take place on the 10th December to a global audience. Applications are open from Monday September 28th 2020 until 8th November 2020.
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CREATIVE IMPACT
WELLBEING DID YOU KNOW?
Reiki, in its current form, was first developed in 1922 by a Japanese Buddhist called Mikao Usui, who reportedly taught 2,000 people the Reiki method during his lifetime.
Healing THIS ISSUE
WELLBEING
BEST CONSCIOUS BRAND T H E S H O R T L I S T A S N O M I N AT E D B Y Y O U
W
hat sets the best brand apart from the rest? With everincreasing pressure to be more sustainable, to support diversity and to be seen to be doing good for the planet, brands have a tough job to stand out. We have seen the rise of value-based messaging and marketing as a way for younger brands to share how they are willing to positively impact the world every single day. With hundreds of brands out there shaking up the wellness industry (and new popping up every single day) it can be hard to choose. The following five names shave been shortlisted for the Creative Impact Awards 2020 as Best Conscious Brand go above and beyond. Read on to learn why they made our top picks and what they stand for.
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SHE’S LOST CONTROL Jill Urwin She’s Lost Control prides itself on being the “conscious lifestyle brand for modern soul seekers”. Not only do they offer an exquisite online range of crystals, jewellery and books, but they focus on sustainable homeware options, healthcare, skincare, healing aids and tarot cards. They are also working to create the Crystal Clear Project to support miners to ensure safety, fairtrade and sustainability.
OATSU Lauren O’Donnell Lauren is the founder of dairy-free, gut-friendly overnight oats brand, Oatsu. Oatsu help you save time, stay full, and look after your gut, as well as the planet. Oatsu's range is infused with amazake, a traditional Japanese probiotic-rich elixir, and is packaged in reusable glass jars. With flavours like Banana Biscoff and Rhubarb Crumble, we challenge you to pick just one favourite.
C li c k o n a ny p ic tu re a rt w o rk to g e t th e li n k s
UPCIRCLE BEAUTY Anna and William Brightman
SARA DA SILVA ACTIVEWEAR Sara and Simon Da Silva
UpCircle elevates leftover natural ingredients, bringing them back to life as beauty products your skin will love. Their products are natural, organic, vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil-free, sustainable, handmade in the UK and housed in 100% recyclable packaging. Each of the products is made with a core repurposed ingredient – so they go a step further with wastefighting formulations.
Brazilian-born Sara's personal foundations in fashion were an exploration of Brazilian women finding pride in their shapely bodies and are encouraged to express their personality through clothing. Sustainable fashion is also a way of life in Brazil, clothing is built to last. The unique designs also encourage a little expression of the personality - bringing to life some of that Brazilian vibrancy we all know and love.
WILDWOMAN Donna Louise A lifelong reader and passionate about the world of self-care, Donna wants to bring together women from across the world with the help of books filled with inspiring words and courage women to have valuable time for themselves to reconnect with body, soul and mind. In August 2018, Donna launched WILDWOMAN, the UK’s first non-fiction, self care subscription box for women.
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WELLBEING
AN INTRO TO REIKI Written by Jasmin Harsono
R
eiki pronounced 'ray-key' translated from Japanese to English means 'Universal Energy' or 'Spiritual Energy'. 'Reiki' is broken down into two parts Rei and Ki. Rei translates to 'spirit.' Ki 'the energy of the ‘universe.'
What is universal energy?
There is a consciousness that animates and connects to all life. We tend to perceive the world and everything within it to be physical or material; Quantum Physics tells us that
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everything that exists in the whole universe is made up of energy that continuously flows and changes form.
The system of reiki
The system of reiki (a Reiki practitioner would usually be taught and practice this system) is a Japanese ancient healing art and spiritual practice founded by Mikao Usui born in Southern Japan in 1865. The system consists of 5 elements, meditation, handson healing, reiki principles, attunements and mantra/symbols. Most people have
heard of or are familiar with hands-on healing which is commonly shared. The elements are taught over three stages, level 1, 2 and 3. When we first awaken to reiki, we begin to remember what was part of us, the unification of the mind-body-spirit, and the universe. Through life force energy and consistent practice of the elements, we start to create this flow that helps us to stay balanced, grounded and centred in our physical,
WELLBEING
Reiki exercise
Try the following grounding exercise for 5-10 minutes. • Take a deep breath into your hara and say, “Breathing in”. On the out-breath, exhale any stagnant energy and say, “Breathing out”. • Visualise yourself firmly rooted into the ground, with a cord that runs from your hara into the earth below. Sense the grounding of your body, mind and soul. • Feel grounded and connected in the moment, just as you are. To end, take a deep breath into your hara, then fully breathe out. This exercise is on page 88 of A little book of self-care, Self Reiki by Jasmin Harsono
Take a deep breath into your hara and say
BREATHING IN Visualise yourself firmly rooted
Exhale any stagnant energy and say
BREATHING OUT Feel grounded and connected
REPEAT
Author bio
Jasmin Harsono is a Reiki Master Teacher, Sonic Artist, Speaker, and Intuitive Wellbeing Guide. She is the author of ‘Self Reiki’ published by DK and founder of Emerald and Tiger a conscious lifestyle brand promoting positive awareness through vibrant connection to body, mind and spirit. For more information, please visit emeraldandtiger.com
mental, emotional and spiritual body. Reiki is transformative, creating shifts with our mindset, deepening our intuition and supporting our overall wellbeing and health. We learn to listen deeply and discover the vast and profound intelligence that lies within us, letting go of the external and lasting imprints from the outside world. There is a misconception that this means we will always be 100% well, and never have to face any problems in life. The truth is we probably will have too, but we can diligently
work through what arises in our life, in the present moment when we have this profound awareness of what is happening within and around us.
How do I start to practice?
You may want to book in a reiki session with a practitioner or learn the system of reiki yourself. It is essential to have your own direct experience for words can never explain what it is to feel. Grounding exercise This reiki grounding
Repeat this cycle for at least 5 minutes, but there really is no limit as to how long you can go
practice (above) is excellent to do in the morning or whenever you want to feel centred. When you are feeling unbalanced, grounding helps you to feel rooted in your body, helping you to feel calm and focused. Guidance Find a comfortable seated position, close your eyes and start to bring your attention inwards. Hara means belly and is the central axis point in the body to access ki, life force energy. You may want to rest the palms of your hands on your belly to help bring focus to this area.
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AWARDS NOMINATION SPECIAL
BEST BOOK
T
here is nothing we love more than getting stuck into a good book. As avid readers, we are always on the lookout for our next favourite read and thanks to our upcoming Creative Impact Awards, we now have 5 brand new books to inspire your reading habits! From business mindset to veganism, social media and reiki, there’s one for you right here...
T H E S H O RT L I S T A S N O M I N AT E D BY YO U
THINK AND GROW VEGAN Glen Jones Think and Grow Vegan is the self-published book from plantbased fanatic and personal trainer, Glen Jones. Glen takes us on his journey from avid meat-eater to vegan through five stages: reduce, pescatarian, vegetarian, mostly vegan and 100% vegan. He highlights misconceptions around food backed up with scientific research. A great read for anyone curious about meat consumption and veganism.
e C li c k o n th t e g to s k boo k n li s le sa
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WELLBEING
POSITIVELY WEALTHY EMMA MUMFORD Grab the Amazon number 1 bestseller from Emma Mumford to learn all about the Law of Attraction. Positively Wealthy is a spiritual and practical guide for the new age woman to redefine their version of wealth with 33 daily challenges and shift their money mindset. Through spiritual guidance, this book aims at improving financial and emotional wellness.
SELF REIKI BOOK Jasmin Harsono, Emerald and Tiger Tune in to your life force to achieve harmony and balance, is the reiki handbook sharing at-home techniques to harmonise and heal common ailments. Jasmin shares her story with Reiki and explains how it promotes inner balance while exploring over 40 stepby-step practices to tune into your internal life force.
HEART, SASS & SOUL Greta Solomon Heart Sass & Soul takes you on a journey to discover the life-changing powder of freewriting and journaling. Greta’s book is a new and inspirational approach to find happiness and develop a method for writing freely with practical tips to overcome self-doubt, become empowered with selfexpression and use journaling as a creative outlet.
THE INSTA-FOOD DIET Pixie Turner Nutritionist Pixie Turner is back with her latest book about food and the world of dieting with this eyeopening analysis of social media and how it shapes the way we eat. This no-nonsense approach tracks the various ways in which social media affects our everyday food choices, restaurants and food policies to give you back control.
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
O T N I GIV E PLANT-BAS ED
MASALA TEMPEH-TATION
J
ust when you had finally gotten used to having pickles and baked beans on your pizza, One Planet Pizza are shaking up the ordinary for a new and delicious dough-based creation with tempeh brand Better Nature. The purposedriven pizza brand’s latest collaborative pizza sees chickpeas and a Masala-spiced sauce, alongside Better Nature Masala Tempeh Bites, green peppers, red onions, plenty of cheeze and a handful of coriander, top a classic base to create the Masala Tempehtation. A feast for the senses using a Masala-spiced sauce, which itself is steeped in an interesting history!
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One Planet Pizza wanted to provide a cultural background to the Masala-spiced sauce on their new Masala Tempehtation pizza. This led them to reach out to the culinary history advocate, recipe creator and educator Analida from @ethnicspoon. Analida describes the origins of the Masala sauce as “curious!”, and reading the story of the Masala Sauce, you can see why! A Tikka Masala is the national dish of the UK (who knew!?) but the dish we know and love today is a modern spin of Punjabi cuisine, with a rather intriguing creation story. The word “Masala” means “mixture” or “spices”. Tikka masala as we know it is a fairly modern invention, but its origins date back roughly 5,000 years to the tandoor oven, whilst Tandoor is said to come from various ancient languages such as Persian, Babylonian and Sanskrit. The dish we know today is said / alleged to have evolved one evening at an Indian restaurant in the UK, when a diner was displeased with their chicken tikka masala. He found the dish dry
and demanded a sauce. The chef, annoyed or perhaps distraught, opened up a can of soup, added some spices and topped it with yogurt. Voila, masala sauce was born. curious indeed! One Planet Pizza only created 500 of these limited-edition Masala Tempehtation pizzas, a flavour which can’t be missed! Head on over to One Planet Pizza to secure your pizza, and receive it direct to your front door in 100% recyclable or compostable packaging.
WELLBEING
FINDING GRACE WITH HANNAH
Making time for the little things Why making time to encourage more appreciation and gratitude in our lives is key, especially when our calendars get busier and busier
H
ow often do you celebrate yourself and your achievements? The answer is probably not that often. No one wants to seem like they are bragging and showing off. Next month is the awards ceremony, and it reminds us of the importance of recognising and celebrating the amazing things people are achieving. Life is tricky enough so having a celebration event where we take the time to celebrate things is a powerful thing to get us in the present to recognise this. There is a deeper facet to this; we often associate celebrations for only the bigger things, which of course is great and really wonderful when someone’s hard work is recognised. But what about the little things along the way? We need to be celebrating these too, in my opinion, as these are as important and are great ways to let us see how far we’ve come and to cheer ourselves on for the little things that we are achieving day to day. This could be anything from getting into a new routine, finishing a small project, sticking to a new exercise regime, having a consistent meditation practise, trying a new recipe, having a really good self care regime or even something as simple as a regular gratitude practice. I’ve just mentioned a few things here but I’m sure you get where I’m coming from... we start celebrating these things we create a more positive shift in our lives, and it brings into greater alignment with ourselves.
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When we stop and pause and celebrate the little wins regularly, it breaks things up. It creates positive rhythms and it allows us to gain perspective; as we all know perspective is great as it allows us to see things more clearly. The power of pausing is never to be underestimated, too, as it allows us to be present. How can we bring more of this into our lives? I suggest tracking it: make a celebration jar and place regularly in there the little things you’re achieving and then once a month or even weekly empty it and celebrate yourself. Alternatively you could write a list and keep track of it this way. Or, another way is, if you like working with others, to start a small whats app group with a friend can share your small wins together with each “Life can get very other on a regular basis. monotonous when we What’s important most keep pushing through, of all is really making sure you do get into the only waiting for the present and celebrate bigger things to happen, yourself on a regular and we can get lost basis in the best way that works for you. along the way with this..." All of these ways will create a positive shift in your life and be a springboard into helping you achieve the bigger things you are working towards. Let this give you some food for thought, and never underestimate the magic of something like this. No matter how small the things you are celebrating are, it all has a positive effect on your life and your wellbeing. @thehannahwallace
WELLBEING
AFFIRMATION
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." ROBERT BRAULT
Author bio
Find out more about Hannah, writer, blogger, and podcaster at @thehannahwallace or head to Hannah’s website to download her free meditation. CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 75
WELLBEING
Understanding and myth-busting Intuitive Eating Written by Eleanor Coales
W
ith the push-back against diet culture, non-diet approaches such as Intuitive Eating have begun to get more airtime across social media and blogs. Intuitive Eating is a specific framework with 10 principles that underpin it. You don’t need to work through these principles in a set order, and you may well find it helpful to revisit older principles as you go along. Weight loss is removed as the primary outcome in non-diet approaches. Intuitive Eaters have improved blood glucose control and report a better relationship with food and their bodies than dieters.
Intuitive Eating doesn’t mean we encourage face-planting a box of doughnuts. Sure, if you come to an Intuitive Eating session and tell us you’ve had a doughnut filled afternoon, we’re not going to make you feel guilty. But by removing the pedestal that treat foods are often put on, and instead giving unconditional permission to eat all foods, we’re levelling the playing field. If you’ve restricted certain foods for a long time, it may well be that you initially eat more of these foods. The analogy of a pendulum can be helpful here: the more tightly you hold your dietary habits in one direction, the further you’ll swing the other
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way after letting go. Give it time, and you’ll find equilibrium in the middle. The research actually indicates that intuitive eaters consume a more diverse variety of foods, so whilst those doughnuts may feature, it is just one part of the dietary picture.
Intuitive Eating isn’t a hunger-fullness diet One of the earliest principles of Intuitive Eating focuses on recognising and honouring hunger, with later principles exploring fullness, satiation and mindful eating. One of
the key tools for understanding hunger and fullness is a simple 1-10 scale, where 1 has you at your most ravenous hunger, and 10 is full-to-burst, uncomfortable fullness like you get after a Christmas or holiday meal, plus dessert and all the nibbles. 5 is perfectly neutral. This tool can be helpful for understanding hunger and fullness, especially when these cues have been ignored. Many people won’t describe themselves as hungry until they’re around a 2 on the scale, which would really be over-hungry, and can lead to feelings of uncontrolled eating. However, this is only one tool in the Intuitive Eating toolbox. It ignores satiation, social meals and occasions, emotional eating, extra-delicious meals, grabbing a snack on the road, and all the other reasons we eat beyond simple hunger. In many ways, the aim is to work towards not needing the hunger-fullness scale as you become more innately in-tune with hunger and fullness, to the point you don’t have to categorise it. Sticking too rigidly to the hunger-fullness scale can lead to restriction.
Intuitive Eating can be applied to managing conditions Gentle nutrition is one of the last principles and involves applying balanced eating and nutrition to the non-diet framework that
WELLBEING
WHO TO SPEAK TO? For Intuitive Eating consultations, the most important thing is to look for a Registered Nutritionist or Dietitian who has done additional training in Intuitive Eating (such as the one from LCIE), or a certified Intuitive Eating counselor. Note: When it comes to working with a nutritionist, make sure they are qualified and registered with a professional body www.associationfornutrition.org
Intuitive Eating has built. Often, clinicians won’t introduce clients to this principle until fairly late on in their sessions to avoid diet culture sneaking back in. For an otherwise healthy person, gentle nutrition may include choosing high-fibre foods to avoid bathroom discomfort, and to support long-term cardiovascular health. It might mean aiming to eat an evening meal neither too early nor too late for a good night’s sleep. For someone with a health condition, gentle nutrition may include the management of this. For someone with type 1 or 2 diabetes, this will likely involve understanding the macronutrient balance and regularity of meals to support blood glucose levels. But by using the Intuitive Eating principles, the removal of weight as an outcome, and freedom of choice within the gentle nutrition guidelines allows for a healthy relationship with food and diet.
Author bio
Elle is a MSc nutrition student (graduating autumn 2020) and yoga teacher with a special interest in gentle and non-diet approach to working with women, and educating on sustainable nutrition. Her website provides free evidence-based articles and tips to help enliven your life. @enliveningelle
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WELLNESS 101
SAGE SMUDGING Written by Ceren Tosun
WELLBEING
M
y name is Ceren, and I am a dentist, yoga teacher, aromatherapist and the founder of Spicy Health.
While studying in dental school, the more I advanced in the human body, the more I realised that it is a more perfect system that we knew. Thus I studied Herbal Medicine and Aromatherapy while exploring different traditions of yoga & meditation practices, healing therapies and wellness modalities in NYC. In this piece I introduce you to the practice of smudging. You may be used to seeing sage in herbal teas or in pasta sauces but actually there is another way to use sage and it’s not related to food & beverage. Sage has been used in Native American cultures for hundreds of years as a smudge. Smudging is defined as “the process of burning dried plants or other natural elements and then using the smoke to cleanse the body, objects, or even places,” by Rosalyn LaPier, Ph.D., an award-winning Indigenous writer and ethnobotanist.
on your body when you feel moody or lack energy. Sage will uplift your mood and bring you to the moment with it’s lovely aroma.
Before rituals and spiritual practices tribal people burned sage to neutralise the energy of the space. What sage actually does is purifying the air. Sage has antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal properties, these molecules can kill the bacteria, microbes, fungi and even the little insects, chemicals from wall paint or toxins from the cleaning products that are polluting the air.
Smell is the only sense that does not directly go to thalamus, where the information is processed in the conscious mind, instead it first visits the areas in our brain about memory and emotion. That’s how we can get easily influenced by a smell and remind of a moment or a space in an instant and that’s why it’s usually burnt before meditations and mindfulness practices. I especially use sage before my daily morning meditations as a cue to calm my mind and it really helps. You can also give your objects or new furniture a fresh start by smudging them and especially when you buy some crystal stone such as amethyst or rose quartz smudging the easiest way to neutralise their energy too.
Smudging is also practiced with objects and on yourself, but for pets it’s not really recommended. You can have a little sage bath
If you’d like to get started with sage smudging, here are some guidelines for you to follow.
Author bio
Ceren is a dentist, yoga teacher, aromatherapist and the founder of Spicy Health. She offers health coaching for individuals & organisations and curates custom made wellbeing focused events for groups where she combines different aspects of wellness in a day @spicyhealth.uk
First we want to make sure that negative energy or bacteria has a way out so open your windows. Then, set your intention. Hold the end of the smudge stick in the flame of a burning candle, or use a matchstick. Allow the flame to sit for a few seconds, then blow it out gently. Let the fume flow and spread around the space, and prepare for a fresh start and positive vibes. If you are smudging an object move it through the smoke make sure the fume touches every part. Once done with your ritual or space cleansing be sure to stub out the burning end of the sage and do not leave unattended. Finally, if the smell of sage is your favourite or if you want to spice it a little bit, there are other herbs such as lavender, pine, rosemary, thyme and rose which are great for smudging and with different healing properties. You can combine them and even make your own smudge according to your intention. You can smudge your space especially when you’re starting a new project, moving to a new house or after your closet cleaning. Even after someone that you do not really like visited your place, it’s great to clear their energy off the room by burning some sage when they leave.
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Authentic vegan-friendly family recipe
100% natural & certified organic
CREATIVE IMPACT
FOODIE FUN FACT Pound cake got its name from its recipe. The early recipes of pound cake called for one pound of butter, one pound of eggs, and one pound of sugar.
THIS ISSUE
Creativity
FOODIE
TOP RECIPES
FROM OUR SHORTLISTED This month we have so much goodness to share with you, it’s hard to cram it into just a few pages, so be sure that there’s plenty more tasty treats to go around. To celebrate the Creative Impact Awards 2020 returning next month, we are showing off some of the best of the best in the Food & Recipe category. From healthy plant-based creations to beautiful showstopper desserts, quick and easy midweek winners and everything in between. We are so proud of all our shortlisted accounts and the inspiration they provide every single day. But this is not all! We also have the creative talents in the Allergy & Freefrom category showing us a thing or two about accessible cooking for all and our Vegan & Plant-based shortlisted highlighting just how amazing and versatile the vegan scene is in 2020. Sit back, flick through the next few recipe pages and take a look at all the foodie categories to get you in the mood!
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FOODIE
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FOODIE
Calum Harris
2020 Shortlist nominated @madebyblitz
Calum, otherwise known as Made by Blitz, is a 21 year old cook aiming to show people that you can make simple and gorgeous food out of purely vegetables. The recipes take care of the protein aspect of a plant based diet, and all the while, he’s there to actually give you a minute's worth of entertainment.
SERVES 1 PORTIONS
Lazy Boy Oats PREP TIME 10 mins | EQUIPMENT Bowl, spoon (optional)
This idea is undeniably a great one. Born out of being lazy one morning, I essentially wanted a bowl of overnight oats but didn’t want to wait the whole 8 hours for breakfast. And so, this beautiful LAZY BOY bowl of oats was created, and can be made in 10 minutes. INGREDIENTS • 40g porridge oats • 150ml plant milk (oat, almond, soy, whatever you want) • 30g protein powder (please use macros from Form Nutrition) • Blueberries • Strawberries • Pecans • Flaxseed, hemp seeds • Biscoff spread (or almond butter)
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DIRECTIONS 1 | Mix the oats, milk and protein powder together in a bowl. The consistency should be like a bowl of cereal, but ensure the oats aren’t drowning in the milk. Leave to the side for 10 minutes. 2 | Once the oats have soaked up the milk, top with any toppings you like. On this bowl are blueberries, strawberries, pecans, flax & hemp seeds and some Biscoff spread (cheeky I know). 3 | Eat before someone asks if they “can try a bit”.
FOODIE
SERVES 1 PORTIONS
Creamy Tomato Pasta PREP TIME 10 mins | EQUIPMENT Bowl, spoon (optional)
A firm favourite of mine, it’s a classic dish, made by anyone and everyone, but better. INGREDIENTS • 300g silken tofu • Olive oil • 5 tbsp “nooch” (a.k.a. nutritional yeast) • salt & pepper • 250g any pasta (ideally macaroni or orecchiette) • 1 shallot • 14 cherry tomatoes • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar • 3 tbsp tomato paste • 3 garlic cloves
DIRECTIONS 1 | Blitz the tofu & nooch together and season to taste. That’s your sauce. 2 | Chop your shallot and half the cherry tomatoes. Fry the shallot in a tablespoon of olive oil and cook until golden. Add the white wine vinegar and cook until the vinegar has fully reduced. 3 | Chuck in your cherry tomatoes and fry until soft.
4 | Boil your pasta according to the packet instructions. 5 | Add the “cream” sauce you made earlier to the tomatoes and continue stirring until the sauce thickens. 6 | Once your pasta is cooked, drain it and mix it with the tomato sauce. Top with some basil and extra nooch and you’re done. Go eat.
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FOODIE
Delicia Bale
2020 Shortlist nominated @nutritiouslydelicia
Delicia currently studies Nutrition at the University of Surrey and created her blog to share healthy recipe ideas. She has been interested in science and food since she was little and I started her Instagram account about a year ago to share healthy recipes, nutrition advice and tips for living a healthier life.
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FOODIE
SERVES 2 PORTIONS
Sweet Potato and Quinoa Bowl PREP TIME 50 mins | EQUIPMENT Wooden board, Jar, Frying pan
INGREDIENTS • 1 large sweet potato • 1 tbsp garlic olive oil • 2 sprigs of rosemary • 100g canned chickpea drained • 2 handfuls of chopped kale • 250g pre-cooked quinoa • 4 tbsp of hummus • 1 avocado • Sesame seeds • Chilli flakes • Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS 1 | Preheat your oven to 200ºC and peel and chop the sweet potato into bite-size pieces.
4 | Then add in the chickpeas and mix to coat in the oil and then place the kale on top.
2 | Drizzle over garlic olive oil and sprinkle over salt and pepper and the rosemary.
5 | Return to the oven for another 10 minutes or so until the kale has slightly softened.
3 | Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are soft and golden brown.
6 | Place the quinoa, sweet potato, and chickpeas, and kale in a bowl.
6 | Slice the avocado in half and peel off the skin and add that to the bowl with a dollop of hummus and then sprinkle over sesame seeds and chilli flakes to serve.
GIVE IT A GO
Share creations on Instagram by tagging @creativeimpactco as well as our shortlisted nominees
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FOODIE
Tajda Ferko
2020 Shortlist nominated @myveganminimalist
Tajda is an award-winning food and product photographer and author of the blog, My Vegan Minimalist. Through her platforms, she creates and shares beginner-friendly vegan recipes to inspire people to discover healthy versions of all their favourite dishes. SERVES 1 PORTION
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes PREP TIME 40 mins | EQUIPMENT Bowls, cupcake tray, oven, paper cupcake cases, piping bag, spoons
INGREDIENTS For the cupcake • 150 ml plant milk • 2 tsp white wine vinegar or other vinegar • 75 g dairy-free butter • 45 g caster sugar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 85 g plain white flour • 2 tsp baking powder • 3 tbsp cocoa powder • 1 tbsp peanut butter • 6 tsp peanut butter 1 tsp to go in each separate cupcake
DIRECTIONS 1 | Combine plant milk and vinegar to create vegan sour milk. Stir and set aside. 2 | Mix melted dairy-free butter and sugar until smooth using a fork/spoon. 3 | Add the butter mixture and vanilla to your sour milk. Mix well. 4 | Sift all your remaining dry ingredients (cocoa, flour, baking soda). 5 | Mix, then slowly pour your wet ingredients over your dry ingredients
whilst stirring the mixture. 6 | Mix until no more flour specks can be seen but do not overmix. 7 | Add your peanut butter on top of the mixture and stir very gently. 8 | Pour your cupcake batter into your lined cupcake tin filling them almost all the way to the top (about 4/5 full). 9 | Bake at 180°C / 356°F (fan oven) for 20 minutes, 10 | In the meantime, prepare your icing (instructions right). 11 | After baking, leave your cupcakes to cool on a cooling rack. 12 | Once cool, fill a piping bag with your icing and start icing. Drizzle with sauce if desired.
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FOODIE
DECORATING • 120 g dairy-free butter • 200 g icing sugar • 8 tbsp peanut butter (smooth) DIRECTIONS 1 | Mix dairy-free butter, sugar and peanut butter using a fork (or an electric mixer if preferred - but not necessary). 2 | Place in the fridge to set for about 10-15 minutes.
FOODIE
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FOODIE
Sarah Hancox 2020 Shortlist nominated @sarahshealthykitchen
Sarah’s healthy kitchen vegan as a way to document my healthier approach to baking recipes. Today it has grown into a highly engaged platform where I share not only bakes but healthy balanced meals too. There are no right or wrong ingredients at Sarah’s healthy kitchen, just a passion for creating mindful, balanced recipes for her audience to enjoy. SERVES 16 PORTION
Rolo Caramel Brownies PREP TIME 40 mins | EQUIPMENT Baking tin, bowls, oven, spoons
DIRECTIONS 1 | Preheat oven to 170c and like a 20x20cm tin with parchment. 2 | Mash the bananas, then add the melted coconut oil and sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes until really well combined. 3 | In a separate large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder and stir through. 4 | Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredient bowl, followed by the milk and fold everything together (this will take a few minutes)
INGREDIENTS • 180g ripe banana • 200g light brown sugar • 50g cocoa powder • 1 tsp baking powder • 100g Carnation caramel • 100g coconut oil, melted • 300g plain all purpose flour • 1 tsp salt • 100ml unsweetened almond milk • 100g Rolos
5 | Spoon 3/4 of the mixture into the prepared tin, then scatter the Rolos over, followed by teaspoons on caramel so they’re evenly distributed. 6 | Spoon over the remaining mixture so it just covers the Rolos and caramel. 7 | Bake for 25 minutes until just baked through. Allow to cool fully in the tin before removing for the fridge. Then refrigerate for 1 hour so they cut neatly or tuck in once cool
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