How to be a Savvy Creative

About How to be a Savvy Creative

How to be a Savvy Creative is a podcast for anyone who is living and breathing a creative pursuit but perhaps lacks a little of the business know how that is essential for building a sustainable career. Nell Nakkan, failed actress turned entrepreneur interviews experts in different fields to uncover if there is anything to be borrowed and applied to the life of a freelancer. This season offers the foundations like Marketing 101, the importance of building an online presence, getting good at managing your finances and how to write a killer grant application. To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Nell Nakkan

Category

business · business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 May 2026

Latest episode

6 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Jul 2026

   10. AI - A blessing or a curse for creativity?

   For our season one finale we have done a mash up of all our experts’ opinions about the tool on everyone’s lips this year - A.I. It’s not all doom and gloom - everyone has their own take on it. But like it or not, it’s here and when used effectively this can be a game changer for your creative business. See you next season. To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   29 Jun 2026

   9. Marketing 101 for a Creative

   For our final interview for Season one, we talk with marketing guru Alison Dean about marketing foundations for any creative, freelancer and small business owner. Alison explains marketing so simply and has practical advice to get started, taking what can be an overwhelming subject into bite sized digestible tips. The Peppermint Group (https://www.thepeppermintgroup.com.au) Building a Brand Story (https://www.amazon.com.au/Building-Story-Brand-Clarify-Customers/dp/0718033329) Alison Dean: LinkedIn (https://au.linkedin.com/in/alisonldean) https://www.instagram.com/thepeppermint_group (https://www.instagram.com/thepeppermint_group) To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   22 Jun 2026

   8. How to write a killer grant application

   Applying for grants and funding can be intimidating, but in this episode Olivia Everitt pulls back the curtain on how to put your best foot forward when preparing your application. And she is very equipped to have this conversation. She has been a professional grant writer, project coordinator and workshop facilitator working across the arts, economic development and not-for-profit sectors since 2010. Olivia is incredibly generous with her knowledge of how these funding bodies work and what a strong, competitive application looks like. Olivia Everitt (https://www.oliviaeveritt.com) Barefoot Investor (https://www.barefootinvestor.com) Creative Australia (https://creative.gov.au) Arts Projects (https://www.artsprojects.com.au) Arts Queensland (https://www.arts.qld.gov.au) Regional Arts Development Fund (https://www.arts.qld.gov.au/regional-arts/radf) Regional Arts Fund (https://regionalarts.com.au/regional-arts-fund) Olivia Everitt: LinkedIn (https://au.linkedin.com/in/olivia-everitt-b0368467)https://www.instagram.com/oliviaeverittprojects (https://www.instagram.com/oliviaeverittprojects) To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

4. 

   15 Jun 2026

   7. Changing Lanes

   This episode is about changing lanes or pivoting from one career to another and I’m joined by the incredible Anna Mackenzie - Portfolio Career Mentor and Writer of the popular newsletter Anna Mack’s Stack. Often a creative’s bank account is supplemented by another source of income or as I like to call it “The day job”. Realistically a gig career is going to have ebbs and flows and so it makes sense to stack your skill set and monetise in a way that creates freedom and flexibility. We discuss the practicalities of working this way, how to get started and the biggest hurdles to overcome before taking any kind of career leap. Anna Mackenzie (https://www.annamackenzie.com.au) Tiny Beautiful Things (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63193458-tiny-beautiful-things) Dear Sugar (https://cherylstrayed.substack.com) Ladybrains (https://open.spotify.com/show/1xPrpnDEgPmIGpiedUS8d2) Big Magic (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24453082-big-magic) Ikigai (https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrismyers/2018/02/23/how-to-find-your-ikigai-and-transform-your-outlook-on-life-and-business/) Anna Mackenzie: LinkedIn (https://au.linkedin.com/in/annaclmack) https://www.instagram.com/annaclmack (https://www.instagram.com/annaclmack) To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

5. 

   8 Jun 2026

   6. Identifying your customer

   In this episode I chat with Natalie Lynch, Digital Producer and Founder of Cinch Media. It’s so important to understand your target market and we look at both understanding and crafting strategy to reach both your product/film’s target audience and also your own customer - ie. Who is going to give you work and opportunities? We talk a lot about content in the episode and it directly relates to the prior episode with Carmel so if you haven’t listened chronologically - go back and listen to episode 5 first. Legally Blonde (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250494/) Cinch Media (https://www.cinch-media.com.au) A Company of One (https://www.amazon.com.au/Company-One-Staying-Small-Business/dp/1328972356) Screen Vixens (https://www.screenvixens.com/offers/mRr2wsSC/checkout?coupon_code=BACKSTAGEFIRSTMONTHFREE) Natalie Lynch: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-lynch-335a1790/) https://www.instagram.com/nat_cinch_media (https://www.instagram.com/nat_cinch_media) To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

6. 

   1 Jun 2026

   5. The Power of Personal Brand

   A powerful thing you can do for yourself to increase opportunities coming your way is to actively build your personal brand online. In this episode I chat with marketing genius and founder Carmel Zein who is an expert in this arena. We talk about the dollar value that a strong brand brings for companies but also how you can do this for your own personal brand and why you should. Humble Brags (https://www.humblebrags.com.au) Staje (https://staje.co/?srsltid=AfmBOopAgf8fRlUVkp4msEtejSCVbLcxm9Wvlr7-p4MsJDlYWmLaRlar) Carmel Zein: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmelzein/) https://www.instagram.com/humblebrags (https://www.instagram.com/humblebrags) To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

7. 

   25 May 2026

   4. Financial foundations for a sustainable creative career

   In this episode I chat with Pascale Helyar-Moray OAM, Director, Founder and Advisor about a topic that she and I are both incredibly passionate about… money. This can be a sensitive subject for some creatives, however my goal with this podcast and The Savvy Creative in general is to demystify and make personal finance relatable and dare I say - fun or at the very least, interesting. We discuss what led her to create start up Grow My Money (now Finder Shopping (https://www.findershopping.com.au)), her exit from the business and her top tips on how anyone can approach personal finance. *Pascale contacted me after the record to let me know she confused her quotes! The quote was “a life lived in fear is a life half lived” and it was from the film Strictly Ballroom (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105488/). Dead Poets Society (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_6_nm_2_in_0_q_dead%20poets%20society) “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary”. BNP (https://group.bnpparibas/en/) Rich Dad Poor Dad (https://www.amazon.com.au/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1612680194) Australian Gender Equality Council (https://www.agec.org.au) Pascale Website (https://pascalehm.com.au) Moneysmart.gov.au (http://moneysmart.gov.au) Pascale Helyer-Moray: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascale-helyar/) https://www.instagram.com/dare.to.be_rich (https://www.instagram.com/dare.to.be_rich) To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

8. 

   18 May 2026

   3. Planning for success

   In this episode with Dr David Sharpe of Sharpe advisory I wanted to see if we could draw up a business plan for your creative career the same way you would when starting a business. What would that look like? How can we best strategise and mitigate risk whilst remaining in a creative state. Turns out risk is a crucial part of any business journey. Without it you cannot have the stepping out of your comfort zone and for entrepreneurs the more times you take a risk the stronger that muscle becomes. Can we borrow this for creative pursuits? Gary Larson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Larson) Sharpe Advisory (https://sharpeadvisory.com.au) Simon Sinek (https://simonsinek.com/product/the-art-of-presenting?utm_term=&utm_campaign=&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=6968735945&hsa_cam=22203731911&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22203735358&gbraid=0AAAAAojL0XvGkw7KqG670F3WlxhckPKw1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzqXQBhD2ARIsAKrIeU9N87UPQWCv3L0v0_dfzwU0HGqZ6FtQNDRw3LbpUHMYlAdCv6Ooj4AaAhFkEALw_wcB) SMART goals (https://business.gov.au/planning/business-plans/set-goals-for-your-business) ATO (https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/contact-us?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22717615122&gbraid=0AAAAAolERwSIXmQlRmTdts79KjVxh2RcH&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzqXQBhD2ARIsAKrIeU_NwDXE3kFCO7jOutNed9B4D9nX3DHYTYquZcPkeF-B53juwWNEk3gaAkGdEALw_wcB) Arts Law (https://www.artslaw.com.au) Duck for Cover (https://www.duckforcover.com.au/html/) How we learn (https://www.amazon.com.au/How-We-Learn-Surprising-Happens/dp/0812984293) - Book Dr. David Sharpe: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharped/) To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

9. 

   11 May 2026

   2. Traditional Business vs Creative Business

   In this episode I talk to the brilliant Matt Taylor and we dive into the comparison of traditional business models and creative business models. Do they differ? Can we learn anything from traditional and apply it to the creative? Matt takes us through his first business which he successfully exited and sold to Deloitte, what he learned through that process and then applied to his next business. Inception (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/) Mighty Nice (https://mightynice.com.au) Hello Developers (https://hello-developers.com) Alex Grigg (https://www.alexgrigg.com/portfolio/phantom-limb) Matt Taylor: LinkedIn (https://au.linkedin.com/in/that-matt-taylor) https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/mjtaylor_esq/ To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

10. 

    11 May 2026

    1. The missing ingredient in arts education…

    This is our introduction to season one with the incredible Dr Gerard Reed. Our conversation is around fostering entrepreneurialism and innovation within creative people. Gerard has taught this subject for many years, really living and breathing this idea through his work and experiences. We discuss creative partnerships, what does success look like and if the end goal of creating something is purely for self or is it for a marketability factor? We also touch on how failure and painful experiences can actually be incredibly informative and life changing. All growth comes from discomfort - so it is in fact an inevitability for anyone testing outputs into a market. This American Life podcast (https://www.thisamericanlife.org) Design thinking - UK council double diamond (https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/resources/the-double-diamond/) Maslow’s taxonomy of needs (https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-the-5-levels-of-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs) American Academy Awards (https://www.oscars.org) Blue ocean strategy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ocean_Strategy) (Kim & Mauborgne) Bruce Jeffreys (https://www.goget.com.au/about-us) (Go get cars) Dr Gerard Reed: LinkedIn (https://au.linkedin.com/in/dr-gerard-reed-bb1b77a7) To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by Sam Blacker: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Recorded with: Pivotal Conversations Music by Gen Patrick: https://www.instagram.com (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/)/genpatrick.wav/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

11. 

    5 May 2026

    Introducing: How to be a Savvy Creative

    Introducing, 'How to be a Savvy Creative', the podcast for anyone who is living and breathing a creative pursuit but perhaps lacks a little of the business know how that is essential for building a sustainable career. Nell Nakkan, failed actress turned entrepreneur interviews experts in different fields to uncover if there is anything to be borrowed and applied to the life of a freelancer. This season offers the foundations like Marketing 101, the importance of building an online presence, getting good at managing your finances and how to write a killer grant application. To learn more visit the website: https://thesavvycreative.com.au/ (https://thesavvycreative.com.au/) Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/ (https://www.instagram.com/the_savvycreative/) Watch this chat: https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial (https://www.youtube.com/@MaidenMediaOfficial) Produced by: https://thepodcastbutler.com/ (https://thepodcastbutler.com/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Contact How to be a Savvy Creative

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.