How to Harness Your Creative Energy for Sustainable Business Growth

When the only way you dream is big, your brand strategy must encompass how you show up in the world.

*Please note: If you came here via our Brand Archetype Quiz, you may notice the wording in this article is slightly different from what you expected. I wrote this series on owner archetypes before deciding it would be more accurate to focus our messaging on the overall brand, which includes the habits and systems that support sales and marketing, distribution, operations, finance, and leadership of a business.

The tips and tools included in these articles remain the same, though our promotional messaging may have shifted: Your work in the world is unique and deserves a personalized approach. I hope the discovery of your brand archetype gives clarity and direction to your path and empowers your impact.

Are you the type of local business owner people find hard to pin down?

You seem to have a sixth sense about what people need or want to buy, and you’re uniquely suited to give it to them. And you don’t let a little thing like a niche slow you down — you’ve got your hands in various business opportunities at any given time. Product launches are your lifeblood, and nothing excites you like discovering a new offering that your raving fans will love.

But, if you were asked to summarize what your business is all about in a 30-second elevator pitch, could you do it?

Founders who identify as the Crossover Sensation have creative energy that is enviable among the local owner archetypes. But it takes the proper framework to bring out that energy’s true power.

The Crossover Sensation owner archetype, as modeled by one of our incredible clients.

For polymathic local founders, the key to sustainability is a framework that leaves room for innovation while supporting growth.

It’s not unusual for the Crossover Sensation to be told to focus on one thing and see it through. They can get the message that they expect too much — or maybe even that they are too much.

But any attempt at imposing structure on this type of owner tends to be met with resistance. Like throwing a blanket over a budding plant, limiting creativity can cause it to waste away.

At the same time, hopping continuously from one new idea to another does not lead to sustainability either.

For the Crossover Sensation to thrive, she needs a framework that creates consistency while leaving room for innovation.

Years ago, we transformed our backyard into a garden stocked with a smorgasbord of fruits and vegetables that thrive in the Florida climate. We’ve expanded our palates and menus to incorporate this constant supply of fresh produce. It’s been fun to discover all the ways we can use our little harvest, but nothing has been as versatile as our tomatoes.

(People can’t even decide if they are fruits or vegetables.)

You can puree or crush them, slice or dice them. They can be steamed, roasted, fried, or baked — or even eaten raw.

But if you want to have the chance to enjoy a flavorful, juicy tomato, there are two vital steps you can’t miss.

First, the tomato plant has to be grown correctly, with a stabilizing structure that allows it to flourish.

A vine of plump cherry tomatoes growing around a support structure. Photo by Lucie Douezi on Unsplash

If you’ve ever wondered, a tomato trellis is designed to keep the tomato plant away from pests while encouraging air circulation and access to sunlight so it can thrive. But the wildness of the plant is never stifled, and a full vine can look quite beautiful.

The right kind of framework can help this owner archetype reach her full potential as well.

The Crossover Sensation excels at thinking big, and a focused strategy can concentrate that energy into a powerful force for creation and growth.

But as with tomato plants, you reap what you sow.

Planting zucchini and peppers in anticipation of a tasty bruschetta will leave you disappointed at the dinner table.

In the same way, the Crossover Sensation must learn to focus on intentionally bringing one or two seeds to maturity to get the results she is looking for.

How do you know which seeds to plant?

The Crossover Sensation’s path to sustainability begins with this question: What most excites you about your work?

What is your favorite way to serve clients?

Is there any aspect of marketing that you love?

What kind of impact do you want to make in people’s lives?

Once you identify your driving passion, use it as the foundation for your brand strategy.

It is natural for the Crossover Sensation to get distracted by their natural ability to anticipate the needs and desires of those around them. But she will find greater satisfaction by using her expertise to focus on the people she can serve best, right now.

Venn Diagram demonstrating the magic that can happen with the Crossover Sensation finds that sweet spot between her passion and serving people who are looking for what she’s offering.

The key is to begin with some careful pruning. Use your creative spark in service to one or two products first, and bring them to maturity. Then you can focus on new offshoots from a place of stability and sustainability.

By containing your various projects under an overarching vision, you can more easily see what each project needs in order to shine.

This could look like an owner who is motivated to use her skill as an electrical contractor to keep buildings safe for their inhabitants. She could quickly find herself dividing her energy (and her team’s energy) between both new construction and residential and commercial work. If she were a client of Realign Consulting, we would recommend focusing on one of those services until she reaches a pre-determined benchmark.

That is not to say that this Crossover Sensation’s creative energy should be stifled.

Rather, she would have opportunities to exercise her visionary talent inside a disciplined number of products and/or services to help them establish deep roots.

Then, new projects can branch off from a healthy foundation and help sustain the entire company’s growth.

A defining brand strategy not only gives your company focus — it gives your audience focus and makes your brand more marketable.

My years of working with small and micro founders have taught me that every type of owner has the potential to become a Local Rockstar. (My name for locally-based businesses who are the default for their industry in their communities.)

The Local Business Owner Archetypes, based on our incredible clients. Each has her own business-generating style and a joy-filled path toward sustainable growth.

For the Crossover Sensation to find that kind of sustainable success, their customers need a centralizing message to share with friends and family when they’re raving about how you’ve impacted their lives.

Different types of local founders require different types of business support. When the Crossover Sensation learns to work with her strengths instead of against them, her impact can be exponential.

*Click here to learn more about how knowing your owner archetype can help guide your business on a path of sustainability and joy.