Being authentic as a graphic designer

Episode 13: Club Cultivate – Brandy Buzzard

I have been listening to a podcast on my way to and from work called Club Cultivate. It features conversations with creatives in the agriculture industry, many of whom run their own businesses in one form or another.

In episode 13, Brandy Buzzard shares her experiences as an influencer and advocate for agriculture-centered businesses. What stood out most to me was her emphasis on authenticity. Her outlook aligned strongly with the goals and spirit of this collective.

Brandy talked about setting realistic expectations and goals. She mentioned Beyoncé’s philosophy about the 24 hours we all have in a day. Beyoncé believes that everyone has the same number of hours, and what we choose to do with those hours determines our success and happiness.

Brandy offered an important counterpoint. She pointed out that people have access to different levels of support, which shapes how much time they actually have to focus on what they enjoy. Beyoncé can outsource daily chores and upkeep. She has teams who manage her work, her life, and her appearance. As aspiring creative entrepreneurs, we have to recognize the roles we must fill ourselves and accept that our path may require more than 24 hours in Beyoncé time.

Seasons of your life; living in the now and setting yourself up for success

One of the most impactful ideas from this conversation is the concept of seasons of your life. Everyone breaks their years, weeks, and days into different segments of prioritized commitment.

Brandy is raising her kids, working rodeos, and running her freelance work. She knows that at certain times of the day, her kids come first. Whitney, the host of the podcast, shared the opposite situation. Because she does not have children, she can work longer and harder now, so that later she can enjoy more free time.

In the design and creative industry, we often try to do too much at once. Sometimes we need to accept that everything we are doing in our present life is setting our future self up for success or learning in some way.

This year I have definitely learned to slow down, unwind, and define my goals. Building this collective, while also creating a resource for other creatives, has helped me learn about marketing and business systems that once felt overwhelming. I hope this encourages you to digest the content here on your own terms and in alignment with your goals. Set short term milestones and accomplish them step by step.

Check out the Club Cultivate podcast for more advice from creative entrepreneurs.