Common questions for mums looking to enter the creator economy
My take on them.
As a result of the intro to the creator economy for mums guide that I put out last week, I was so happy to reconnect with a few mums I’ve known from previous jobs or hobbies. Some were bustling with so many ideas. Some sharing their quiz score! (28 and above!)
In case you are wondering what I am talking about, you can check out an introduction on how the creator economy can give working mums time and financial freedom here.
It includes a 30 second quiz at the end that will help you determine if the creator economy is for you.
The mums I spoke to were looking to move out from a conventional 9-5 job, or looking for alternate income streams to supplement what they already do.
There were some common questions on entering the creator economy that came up, so I thought I’d share them here.
There are no right or wrong answers as I believe it is different for everyone, however this is my take on them:
Q. I have so many ideas on what I could ‘create’, I don’t know which one to pick!?
Start with the idea that comes to you the easiest and that you will enjoy working on. One that you can develop fairly quickly and use to test waters in the creator economy as you learn about it.
For example, my idea is to create a community of like-minded creator mums who, like me, want to start their creator journey.
I believe so much in the potential of the creator economy for mums that I felt compelled to share what I know. However, I had no clue how to even define this interest. All I knew is that I like to write and that writing online builds networks. So, to begin my journey, I launched this newsletter and here I am, talking to a community of over 200 mums.
Q. Who is going to care about what I create?
Probably no-one. Unless what you create can solve a problem for someone. Focus on solving a problem.
The problems I am trying to solve for myself are:
I don’t want to rely on a 9-5 to make money
I want to have the freedom to plan my day
I want to make money doing something I love
Talking to a close knit group of mum friends, everyone seems to have similar problems. My answer to these problems is building something in the creator economy.
I have been researching the creator economy for the last 2 years, and have been a ‘creator’ myself since 2005. I have also been working in digital communications for the last 17 years. I understand the space well and I know I can pull together the resources to help other mums too.
With that context, the mission of Working Mums Club became to help busy mums find alternate ways of making an income by introducing them to the creator economy.
Q.Everything I know is so basic, what do I have to offer?
You might feel it is basic, but to someone else it is not so basic. Do not underestimate the power of your skillset, whatever that may be.
If you are not sure what you have to offer, as a starting point, think about what do people often come to you for?
— Is it your ability to plan your day meticulously?
— Is it your amazing low carb recipes?
— Is it your ability to design powerpoint presentations?
— Is it your ability of dressing perfectly for an evening out?
I came across this great image on Alex Llull’s twitter account that helps put this doubt we have to bay.
Q. Why would anyone come to me to solve their problem?
Because you are unique, and your audience can relate to you. If you can build trust with your audience, they will choose you to help them. I truly believe this.
Q. How do I know if my idea will work in the creator economy?
You won’t know until you put it out there, and that is the brutal truth. There is no one formula to success in the creator economy.
I don’t know if I will succeed in the creator economy, but what I do know is:
— I have the skillset: I have 17+ years experience working in digital communications; 3 years working as a full-time paid blogger; I have self-published a book using online tools, perhaps that can be considered my first ‘digital product’.
— I have the determination: I am fully aware that there is no quick-fix-overnight success story possible in the creator economy. Consistently taking action is only way and I’m willing to put in the effort and see what happens. Since I launched this newsletter in September 2021, I haven’t missed a week of publishing.
— I enjoy the creator economy: I really enjoy learning about the creator economy and all the tools it has to offer; I am left excited and intrigued about it on a daily basis.
Q. Can I share my idea openly? What if someone steals it?
I think it’s 100% okay to share your ideas! It will give you instant feedback. Someone might decide to do the same thing, but they will never be able to implement it the way YOU can. In that, your product / service / or whatever you create will always be different.
Q. There is so much free stuff available online, why would anyone pay me for what I create?
Great question. They will buy it because YOU created it. Which is why building an audience for what you want to create is step #1 into the creator economy.
I hope this answered some questions you may have had on the creator economy.
If you have any more, hit reply or comment here and I will try my best to answer them for you!
And, if you did reach all the way down here, please take 2 seconds to let me know:
Did you find this helpful? With your feedback, I can improve the information I share.
Thank you and have a great week!
Abha