The Art of Boundaries: Preventing Burnout in Your Creative Business

Many of my clients are independent creatives and they are some of my favorite people to work with. Ashley Lloyd, a multi-talented landscape designer had already experienced success in the high-end fashion industry before reinventing herself and starting her current business. She reached out to me to help her streamline and uncomplicate her offers, and her workflows to burnout-proof her business. This post is about how we did that, and the results we achieved.

A Journey Through Creativity and Career Transitions

Ashley Lloyd’s career path is a fascinating tapestry woven with experiences in the luxury fashion industry and fine arts. She transitioned into landscape design, a field allowing her to blend artistic skills with client service-a move that many creative souls can relate to. Seeking to realign her business to better fit her ADHD traits, Ashley discovered my work and decided to engage in a focused, six-week coaching program.

Leveraging ADHD Traits in Business

Ashley’s story beautifully illustrates how traits often associated with ADHD-like perfectionism and a multifaceted skill set-can be assets rather than liabilities. Ashley and I discussed the importance of harnessing creativity to prevent anxiety and depression, a vital strategy for maintaining mental well-being as a neurodivergent female entrepreneur.

One of the standout moments in our work together was addressing the issue of time blindness-an all-too-familiar challenge for those with ADHD. I emphasized the need for systems and structures to manage time effectively, ensuring that entrepreneurs can stay on track without feeling overwhelmed or losing direction.

Navigating Business Decisions with Confidence

A poignant part of Ashley’s journey involved turning down a project that wasn’t aligned with her core skills due to its open-ended nature and her upcoming wedding. This decision underscored the importance of setting clear boundaries-a critical lesson for any female entrepreneur. My insights on balancing capacity and opportunity, especially during slower business periods, were enlightening to Ashley and throughout our work together, decisions were made that highlighted the need to prioritize herself to avoid burnout.

Structuring Service Offerings and Building Boundaries

Throughout our coaching engagement, Ashley and I explored essential aspects of running a creative business. They discussed everything from client workflows and referrals to service offerings, pricing, and the intricacies of off-boarding and networking. Ashley shared how she restructured her services by limiting her offerings to three primary ones and making her contracts more explicit. This approach prevented her from over-delivering and enabled her to maintain healthier boundaries-a game-changer for preventing burnout and ensuring consistent service quality.

The Power of Strategic Partnerships

Another critical topic was the value of strategic partnerships and referrals. I helped Ashley create a partnership agreement, outlining the clientele she seeks and setting clear expectations for referrals. This strategic move not only aligned her brand but also ensured high standards and mutual understanding with her referral partners.

Managing Client Relationships and Rejection Sensitivity

Managing clients and partners who don’t align with her vision had its challenges, impacting Ashley’s creative energy and personal life. I offered valuable strategies for dealing with rejection sensitivity, a common experience among those with ADHD. Rejection sensitivity often leads us to accept clients who don’t fit our business model, causing stress and internal conflict. My guidance reinforced the importance of maintaining open communication to avoid these draining situations.

Building a Business Aligned with Personal Values

My empathetic approach helped Ashley to understand that realigning our businesses with our values and vision is not just professional but also personal. By fostering a business environment that embraces our unique traits and setting robust boundaries, we can thrive both professionally and personally.

Conclusion

My work with Ashley focused on harnessing creativity, establishing systems, and maintaining boundaries, offering a beacon of hope and practical guidance. Embracing who we are, crafting tailored systems, and maintaining robust boundaries are pivotal to ensuring our professional triumphs while nourishing our mental and emotional well-being. With the right support and strategies, we can navigate our entrepreneurial journeys with greater confidence and success.

Feel free to DM me on LinkedIn or Instagram @coachdiannwingert or send me an email at diann@diannwingertcoaching.com. I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’d like to hear the full episode on The Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast, you can do that here.

Originally published at https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com on September 5, 2024.