Curated Thoughts for Creatives
Notes from Anella
The Blog
The Myth of Being “Booked Out” & Why It’s Not My Goal
Everyone’s got their own idea of success.
For some it might be consistent work, for others it’s making a certain amount of money a month, the majority might have a certain clientele they want to work with.
Everyone’s chasing their own ‘I’ve made it!’ moment.
I would say 99% of business owners strive to be booked out & busy.
But as I fall more in love with how I’m creating my own path, It’s actually no longer my goal…. (the crowd gasps lol)
I want to share a different perspective, as it might just change your idea of what ‘success’ means to you.
Booked out doesn’t always feel good
Here’s an unpopular opinion - shouldn't the goal be working a job you not only enjoy, but being able to produce work you’re proud of????
In my opinion if I’m juggling 5 clients on my own:
I’m working late nights
I’m losing my spark
I’m saying yes to everything and then wondering why I’m feeling creatively drained and I’m mentally tapped out
.. Yikes.
Yeah okay cool, the whole world is looking at your successful career but to you? You’re now A. Exhausted, & B. Producing work that doesn’t reflect your potential because, let me reiterate, you’re -e x h a u s t e d-.
I didn't start my own business to feel like that.
I started it because I wanted creativity, freedom & space.
Why this matters for my clients
One of the MAIN reasons, I’m proud of this business is the connections I’m able to make and the relationships I build with my clients.
I’ve been told more than you can imagine how many other social media “gurus” “managements” “marketers” my current clients have gone through BECAUSE their services feel so impersonal!!!!!!!
It shocks me.
Like that should be the bare minimum right?! Listening, caring, actually tailoring your work to fit someone’s brand? Like, hello? Why else are they hiring you??
But I get it - if you’re juggling 10+ clients creativity turns into a checklist, and the goal is to pump out content, buy ads and convince your client that you’re doing your job because their followers are up………. biggest red flag ever.
Generic, rushed & surface-level.
That was not why I built Anella.
I want my clients to get clients, your success is my success.
I care because I have the time and space to.
& I create with intention, not from a one size fits all template.
This is why my clients stay.
That’s why they tell their friends.
That’s why the content connects.
Talking about that excites me, which is worth way more than being “booked out”
More clients = more success
Here’s what I’ve learnt:
You don’t have to fill every slot in your calendar to grow.
You don’t have to scale for the sake of it.
You don’t have to chase society’s idea of “success”
Growth can look like:
Raising your prices
Creating passive offers
Being fully booked at your pace
Saying no to projects that don’t align.
Sometimes growth means taking one client on at a time, giving them your full creative brain. Sometimes it means leaving space open… On purpose.
Anellas promise
Exclusivity!!! Yay!
What does this mean?
It means if your brand is in a specific industry: ie. Skincare, Interior Design, Clothing. I will only work with you in that industry during our contract.
I want to give my clients everything I’ve got, the best ideas, the strongest strategies and my full creative brain.
I never want to feel like I’m playing favourites.
Or holding back an idea because I already gave it to someone else. Or recycling the same concept for two clients who are technically competitors.
That doesn’t sit right with me.
When you work with Anella you get my full attention in your niche, just content that’s truly tailored to you.
Why Strategy Is Sexy: Yes, Even for Creatives
Let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t study marketing at uni.
I didn’t sit in lectures or write essays on content funnels.
When I first started this biz I honestly just rolled my eyes at the word strategy.. (I can feel those of you that did go to uni cringing over this.. sorry!!!)
But as a creative, the thought of being structured is really gross.. Creative expression should not be someone telling me to niche down until my brand felt like a box. Ew.
But with experience comes wisdom, at least that’s what they tell me.
So, let’s get into it!!!
The things that might save your life, from actual experience.
(PSA this is strategy based not first-aid based, lol)
Strategy gives your ideas a place to land
I used to wait for my creative flow to hit and bash out 50 posts & reels on whatever came to my brain (iykyk)
And yes okay, the content was GREAT, that’s why I do what I do, but there was no real plan behind it.
And what comes up, must come down.. So yes, the creative flow would stop, like it does, and then what?
Creative burn out.
And if you’re a perfectionist like me, that is not something you want when you’re running a business.
Worse than that?
My brand voice changed depending on what mood I was in.
I had no real clue who I was speaking to.
And the one thing that matters most in content *consistency* was nowhere to be seen.
Strategy isn’t restrictive, it’s actually really freeing
I used to think strategy would box me in.
Like, “Here’s your grid plan and here’s exactly what you’re allowed to say for the next 3 months.”
And I’m sorry, but no thank you. That’s not why I started a creative business.
But here’s what I’ve realised: strategy isn’t about restriction, Its basically your backbone to lean on and adapt as you grow.
It’s the Pinterest board you keep coming back to.
It’s knowing your content pillars without questioning them every time you post.
It’s having enough structure that you don’t spiral every time your creativity dips.
It’s the thing that keeps your brand running even when you’re not feeling it.
I don’t follow a “5-step content system” or plan every caption word-for-word. I’ve just built enough backbone into my content that I can still be creative without burning myself out.
This gave me more time to be creative!!! Without having to think ‘what the hell do I post now’
Strategy helps you attract your actual dream people
Before I had any kind of plan, I was literally just posting whatever sounded good in the moment.
One day I was writing like I was everyone's best friend.
The next, I sounded like I worked in HR.
No lie, I didn’t even know who I was trying to talk to.
And when you don’t know who you’re talking to, your audience definitely doesn’t either.
Clarity is magnetic and community matters.
You know those brands with thousands of followers and like… two comments per post?
Their content isn’t landing. It’s not aligned. It’s inconsistent.
And honestly? You can tell they haven’t put the effort into building real connection.
Your audience wants to feel seen, and they won’t without a strategy.
When my clients get consistent with their message and show up with intention?
That’s when the comments start rolling in. That’s when people care.
All because we stopped throwing spaghetti at the wall and started showing up with purpose.
You don’t need more content, you need more direction
If you’re constantly second-guessing what to post, changing your tone week to week, or just hoping your next reel will be the one that takes off…
I get it. I’ve been there.
But the thing that shifted everything for me wasn’t more content.
It was strategy.
Knowing what I stand for.
Knowing who I’m talking to.
Having a system that I can lean on when my creativity dips or life gets busy.
That’s what allows me (and my clients) to show up consistently, without it feeling forced.
When you have clarity behind your content, the ideas flow easier.
You’re not guessing. You’re building something.
And that’s what actually leads to growth.