Are you ready to break free from Creative Chaos?

Do these symptoms of Creative Chaos sound familiar?

★ You feel constantly busy but you’re not making any real progress in your business.

★ You yearn to focus on your great work but feel tied down by the details of making it happen.

★ It is easier to come up with ideas than to figure out how to take the next step on them.

★ You’re risking burnout by always juggling more ideas and possibilities than you have time to pursue.

If you relate to any of these (or maybe to all of them), you’re in the right place.

I turn creative chaos into rocket fuel for creative entrepreneurs.

When you’re a creative entrepreneur, the ideas usually are not the problem. You generate a lot of ideas and you get excited about them. You can see and feel them. You’ve probably been in the middle of telling a friend about an idea when you get distracted by another great idea.

Your creative side is lit up.

But even with all that creative energy, you’re spending a lot of time spinning your wheels and not really making any progress. You feel like there’s no good starting point. You’re constantly in reaction mode, never getting things under control. Even with all of those ideas, you often feel stuck, like you can’t get traction to move forward.

Creative entrepreneurs are often great at knowing where they want to go and how they want to change the world or help their people. But the nuts and bolts of actually doing it can feel stifling, overwhelming, depleting or downright unclear.

Imagine what it would feel like to be on fire with ideas, but to have clarity around which ideas you’re pursuing (and why). To have doable, non-overwhelming steps that you can take that will get you out of the wheel-spinning rut and into forward progress. To wake up feeling in control of your day instead of at the mercy of whatever comes up.

It’s doable. And you’re in the right place for getting some help.

Why we’re often like wind-up toys (and what to do about it)

Have you ever played with one of those little plastic wind-up toys? If you wind it up and hold it inches above the ground, it will move its little plastic legs as fast as it can… and will go absolutely nowhere. When we’re stuck in creative chaos, that’s how we end up spending our days (or months): all wound up with creative energy, yet not making the progress we want and our businesses need.

Or you can put the toy on the ground and press down a little too hard. When you do that, the toy tries to keep moving, but it just grinds to a halt because there’s too much pressure for it move forward. That’s how a lot of creative folks feel when they think of the “what exactly do I have to do” nuts and bolts of putting their ideas into action: stifled and unable to move.

What I do is help bring clarity and action-focused framework to that wound-up creative energy so that you can move forward, while helping you figure out how to build the right kind of connections, progress steps and support so that the nuts and bolts stuff won’t stifle your mojo.

How I Can Help You

• Do you have lots of idea fragments, chunks of inspiration and jigsaw puzzle pieces of your Great Work, but need some clarity around how it all fits together–or how to make progress even if it doesn’t? I can help you figure out how to start turning those ideas into services, products and content, and even how to use the pieces that seem like they just don’t fit anywhere.
  • Did you know: Those seemingly un-fit-able fragments are often some of your most valuable ideas.
• Are you overwhelmed by the “content shoulds”–you “should” be blogging, you “should” be making videos, you “should” be using social media (etc. etc. etc.)? I can help you develop a Right People Engagement plan, looking at your audience’s preferences and expectations as well as your own strengths and creative surges.
  • Did you know: You do not have to follow every “should” out there–in fact, you’re better off if you don’t!
• How many times have you wound up feeling guilty–or even like a failure–because you aren’t sure what to write about… or you feel like you’re bursting with ideas but no good blog topics? I can help you turn your knowledge, interests and expertise into article ideas and content for your website, newsletter or social media profiles, often through what feels like just a friendly conversation. (No forced journaling techniques or pricey mind-mapping software required!)
  • Did you know: You have probably thought of–and completely disregarded–the topics and article ideas your audience will find most helpful. Most likely several times!
• Are you dreaming of turning your close circle of supporters into legions of raving fans, but have no idea how? I’ll show you how to use clients’ or customers’ concerns, questions, feedback and trends to fix problem areas, strengthen and build on what’s already good, and ensure that you’re not just “managing customer expectations” but fully rocking your customer care.
  • Did you know: You can establish specific communication and connection strategies now so that when you do have legions of raving fans you’re not rutted by bad connection habits–some of the biggest names out there miss this step!
• Do you have a collection of sort-of-started projects that never quite seem to get wrapped up, either because you’re too busy to give them the attention they need, or you just don’t even know anymore what the next step should be? I can help you stop spinning your wheels and get (or regain) momentum with your projects, both those in progress and those not yet started. I’ll help you turn idea seedlings into full-bodied concepts, even help you name them, create action steps for them, and find the right support to bring them to completion.
  • Did you know: Your unfinished projects often tell you more about your Great Work and direction than your hot new ideas.

★ Ready to turn your creative chaos into rocket fuel for your business? Click here to get started.

Charlie Gilkey
ProductiveFlourishing.com

When it comes to helping people get creative and productive, I’m one of the best. That said, it’s still easy to get lost in your own world and not be able to apply the very medicine you teach others.

Marissa gets creative chaos, and being able to sort things out with her makes a huge difference to me and my business. She’s absolutely indispensable and I highly recommend her if you need somebody to guide you out of the creative labyrinths you’ve made for yourself.

Read more testimonials…

How I developed this Creative-Chaos-to-Creative-Clarity Secret Decoder ring

• Experience. With over fifteen years in offline and online customer service, administrative & tech assistant roles, I am intimately familiar with the process of moving from creative sparks to concrete steps to customer service. I’ve helped writers, coaches, artists, lawyers, and consultants move from the Just Got An Idea phase to the What The Hell Do We Do With This Idea conversations. I’ve helped them get from the I Want To Do This But I Have No Idea How brainstorming sessions to the How Best To Serve The Customer With This Idea detail-oriented know-how.
• Learned from the big name successes. As the right-hand (wo)man for many highly successful (and high profile) creative entrepreneurs, I’ve had a firsthand view of what works well when it comes to putting action behind ideas… and what tends to be a disaster (and how to avoid that–or recover from it if it’s already happened). It’s not just the new kids on the entrepreneur block who deal with creative chaos and chronic over-busy-ness! I can help you learn from the experience of some of the big name successes.
• Hands-on know-how. Having worked as a virtual assistant and tech savvy admin, I can help you figure out what it will really take to accomplish your vision. I’ve been behind the scenes and know what’s involved in launches, community building, customer service, and support team building (and maintenance).
• As a creative entrepreneur myself, I get where you’re coming from.

★ Want to put the Creative Chaos to Creative Clarity Secret Decoder Ring to work for you? Click here to get started.

Julie Stuart
MakingIdeasVisible.com

In one phone call, I came to Marissa with about twenty different questions and she helped me think through all of them in a really strategic way. She’s helped me strategize about how to run my business optimally, so that I’m focusing on the work that brings the highest value to my business and delegating other work to someone else. The questions she asked completely reoriented my thinking about my priorities and what work I really wanted to be doing.

I know when I call Marissa I can count on having a great strategy session, whether she’s brainstorming with me about upcoming products, helping me figure out where I can create systems or pointing me to useful resources. Working with Marissa helps my business and my life flow a little easier.

Read more testimonials…

We’ll work well together if:

• You’re a creative entrepreneur whose business is rooted in your desire to make a positive impact with your right people.
• Your business foundation is on engagement, truly caring about the people with whom you work, and a belief that there’s more to meaningful business than dollars and cents (though that’s definitely vital!).
• You realize (or perhaps just suspect) that “busy” doesn’t have to be a bad word, if you can get busy doing what you love with and for your right people.
• You don’t use avoidance as a strategy… or maybe you have, but you realize that avoidance isn’t a long-term solution and you’re ready for some meaningful change. You’re not looking for the “magic pill” that will make your challenges vanish, but you want effective ways to manage your own obstacles and challenges that will leave you feeling in control and free to follow your Great Work on a day to day basis.
• You sometimes get anxious, feel overwhelmed, or deal with stress (as entrepreneurs, we all do!). But you also know that your best work with your right people is centered in a place deeper than that, and you want your business to reflect and grow from that deeper center, rather than a frazzled surface.
• You’re not looking for permission to remain stuck. You’re ready to get support for your endeavor, take some forward steps, and most of all, focus on bringing your great work to the people who most need it.

Session Packages

Each of our calls will be about 60 minutes long (maybe a little longer if we’re in the groove–I won’t cut you off mid-sentence because 60 minutes has elapsed!). The Trio Package also includes between-session email support. Weekly or every other week appointments usually work best for most people, but we’ll figure out together what frequency will fit best for you when we have our first session.
★ Note: Sessions are booked on a first-come-first-served basis & session spots tend to fill very quickly.

Henri Junttila
WakeUpCloud.com

When I first bumped into Marissa’s consultation services, I wasn’t sure whether it was worth it or not to spend the money. Could one hour really make that big of a difference?

Well, I took the plunge, and the answer is a definitive yes. I came to Marissa with a cloud of confusion, and she helped me turn that into clarity. I don’t know about you, but clarity allows me to take massive action, so the session has paid for itself many times over.

Sometimes it takes someone else to point out the good and the bad, and that is what Marissa helped me do. I recommend you chat with Marissa if you feel like you have all the ideas in the world, but nothing is happening.

In the end I guess it all comes down to: would I hire Marissa again? Heck yeah!

Read more testimonials…

What if you’re not sure exactly what’s tripping you up?

You feel busy and overwhelmed. You relate to a lot of what’s on this page. But you’re not able to pinpoint exactly where things are stuck. Good news: That’s okay. We will figure that out together.

Sometimes the hardest part about getting the right help is figuring out what the heck that means for you. Being a creative entrepreneur involves wearing a lot of hats, playing a lot of roles to different people, and dealing with the peaks and valleys not only of your business’s sales but of your own creative cycle. It can get really tough to sort it all out and ask specifically for the right help at the right time.

I’ve been there. I’ve worked with others who have been there. You don’t have to be able to perfectly articulate the support you need in order for me to help you. Figuring out where you’re stuck, or where you’re spinning your wheels and using up extra energy and resources, is part of what I do best.

I value your trust. This is a Very Safe Zone.

One of the most terrifying parts of working with someone is anticipating having to share the rough or difficult parts of your situation and open up about your frustrations and worries–or those of your clients!

Part of my pre-entrepreneur life included working as an attorney, so confidentiality has always been a core principle of my work. What you say to me stays with me. What we work on together stays between us unless you tell me otherwise. Your trust matters to me, and I respect it accordingly.

Let’s get started!

★ Note: Sessions are booked on a first-come-first-served basis & session spots tend to fill very quickly.

Other Good To Know Bits

What happens after you sign up

After you sign up, I’ll email you with a link to schedule your first session and a Jumpstart Questionnaire to complete that will give me some more information about you, your business, and your Great Work & Big Vision. You’ll fill those out and email them back to me whenever you’d like, up to 24 hours before our call.

Refunds

When you buy a session or package of sessions with me, I commit to reserving that amount of time, energy and attention to serve you. That affects how many other clients I can take on. For that reason, I don’t offer refunds. If you want to be sure that my style jives with what you’re needing, I suggest booking an hour to start. If you decide you want a package, I’ll apply the fee for that hour towards the package price.

Session expirations

A single session may be used within four weeks from the date of purchase.
A trio package may be used within eight weeks from the date of purchase.

The process for working together

• You choose and purchase a package: The Solo is good for laser-focusing on a couple very specific questions or challenges. The Trio is good for working on broader issues and questions, for making more comprehensive shifts, and making progress on more ongoing projects and ideas.
• I’ll send you an email within 24 hours with a link to a Welcome Page. That welcome page will have a link to my online calendar so you can schedule your first session. There will also be a link for you to download the Jumpstart Questionnaire.
• You fill out the Jumpstart Questionnaire and send it back to me (please have it back to me no later than 24 hours before our first session so I have time to review it).

Got other questions?

You can send an email to marissa {at} marissabracke {dot} com, call me at 260.622.5001, or use the form below.

What people are saying about working with me

Star Monroe
GoddessStarMonroe.com

I am evolving my business and it’s a big task. Sometimes you just need help from someone who’s been there, has the contacts and is in the know. Marissa calmed me down and gave me clarity where there was none before.

I came off the call with Marissa feeling like I knew what to do. Make no mistake: no one is going to do the hard work for you, but it is so much easier when you have a coach who knows what she is talking about. I took notes a plenty during our call and I am referring to them as I put into place her slick strategies for expanding and moving my business forward.

Calm, steady, compassionate and wise are a few of the words I would use to describe Marissa. When the world seems like it is falling apart around your feet, there is one lady to call: Marissa Bracke. I’ll be contacting her again for more advice in the next few months.

Jeanne Demers
TheRubyBooks.org

Before we even began our sessions, working through the questions in Marissa’s Jumpstart Questionnaire got my juices flowing and helped me to see the scope of my life as a creative entrepreneur with fresh eyes. Consequently, our work together began with me in an empowered and clear space.

The “stuckness” we addressed in our sessions allowed me to identify (minus feelings of overwhelm and confusion) what needed to be done and, more importantly, in what order. The way Marissa held me accountable in a friendly yet firm way had me making enthusiastic, visible progress!

★ Ready for a little less “busy” and a little more real progress? Click here to get started!