The Creative Flight with Ivy Malik

Newsletters Are Not Dead

Most people think newsletters are outdated.
Lucy Werner thinks they’re one of the most powerful creative platforms on the internet.
In this episode of The Creative Flight, Lucy Werner: PR expert, author of Hype Yourself, shares why newsletters are having a quiet renaissance and why creators who ignore them may be missing a huge opportunity.
Spoiler: it’s not about email marketing.
It’s about building your own media platform.
What you’ll learn:
✔ Why newsletters convert better than social media even when people say they “hate emails”
✔ How Lucy built a paid newsletter community of 450+ subscribers
✔ Why the best newsletters focus on conversation, not selling
✔ The mistake most creators make when they treat newsletters like sales funnels
✔ How transparency and sharing the behind-the-scenes builds real audience loyalty
✔ Why newsletters can be a creative craft, not just a marketing tool
Who this episode is for:
📌 Creators who feel trapped by algorithms and want to own their audience
📌 Entrepreneurs building communities through content
📌 Writers, designers, and makers exploring newsletter-based businesses
📌 Anyone curious about turning ideas into a paid community
Lucy doesn’t treat her newsletter like a marketing channel. She treats it like her own media company.
If you’ve ever wondered whether newsletters are still worth it, this conversation will change how you think about them.
Drop a 📩 in the comments if you’re building a newsletter right now.
And subscribe for more conversations about creativity, business, and building your own platform.
Ready to work with Ivy?
🔹 Flight Club — full business growth from model to marketing to conversion
https://ivymalik.com/flightclub/
🔹 Sales Gym — close higher-paying clients on repeat
https://ivymalik.com/sales-gym-million/
🔹 Private Coaching — tailored support
https://ivymalik.com
Connect with Lucy Werner
📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucywernerpr

How to Stop Escaping Your Life | The Psychology Behind Spending Habits

Most conversations about money stop at budgets and savings. This one goes somewhere most people never do.
In this episode of The Creative Flight, Christina Theo, who is a coaching Psychologist and executive burnout specialist. She shares what's really behind our relationship with money.
Spoiler: it has very little to do with money itself.
What you'll learn:
✔ Why your childhood relationship with money is still running your financial decisions today
✔ How spending can become a coping mechanism and what it takes to recognise it
✔ What it actually means to feel neutral about money and why that's more powerful than positive thinking
✔ How trauma, self-worth, and the need to "look the part" can shape how we earn, spend, and hold on
✔ Why detaching from possessions isn't about minimalism. It's about healing
✔ How to move from surviving financially to designing a life you actually want to live
Who this is for:
📌 High achievers who earn well but still feel financially anxious or out of control
📌 Executive leaders and entrepreneurs whose spending habits are tied to stress, identity, or people-pleasing
📌 Anyone who grew up hearing "money doesn't grow on trees" and is still carrying that story
Your money mindset isn't a budgeting problem. It's a healing one. If you've ever spent to escape, held back to feel safe, or tied your self-worth to what you earn, because this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.
Drop your biggest money story in the comments below. The one you've never said out loud. And subscribe for more honest conversations about building a life on your own terms.
Ready to work with Ivy?
🔹 Flight Club — full business growth from model to marketing to conversion: https://ivymalik.com/flightclub/ 🔹 Sales Gym — close higher-paying clients on repeat: https://ivymalik.com/sales-gym-million/ 🔹 Private Coaching — Tailored to your needs https://ivymalik.com
Connect with Christina Theo: 📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_christinatheo_/

How to Stop Undercharging | The Psychology Behind Confident Pricing

Most conversations about money in business stay surface-level. This one doesn't.
In this episode of The Creative Flight, we go deeper into the psychology of money, self-worth, and what it actually takes to charge confidently for the value you create, especially if you're someone who tends to shrink rather than self-promote.
The conversation weaves together insights on visibility, personal branding, and the identity shifts required to build a business that feels authentic and commercially strong.
What you'll learn:
✔ Why money should be viewed as a vehicle, not a goal and how that reframe changes everything about how you price and sell ✔ How your money story (comfort, hardship, or both) silently shapes your business decisions today ✔ What "neutrality around money" actually means and why it's more powerful than traditional mindset work ✔ The connection between visibility, confidence, and your ability to charge what you're worth ✔ How introverted entrepreneurs and creatives can show up with authority online without feeling performative ✔ The identity work behind building a personal brand that attracts the right clients consistently
Who this is for:
📌 Creatives, designers, and founders who struggle to price their work with confidence 📌 Introverted entrepreneurs who want to be seen and recognised in their field without burning out 📌 Service providers ready to move beyond self-doubt and build a brand that converts
Charging for your value isn't just a pricing conversation. It's an identity one. If you've ever second-guessed what you're worth, this episode will give you a new way to think about it.
Drop your biggest challenge around money or visibility in the comments below, and subscribe for more honest conversations about building a business on your own terms.
Ready to work with Ivy?
🔹 Flight Club — full business growth from model to marketing to conversion: https://ivymalik.com/flightclub/ 🔹 Sales Gym — close higher-paying clients on repeat: https://ivymalik.com/sales-gym-million/ 🔹 Private Coaching — Tailored to your needs https://ivymalik.com
Connect with Seema Batavia: 📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seemabatavia/

Experienced choices

In this episode of The Creative Flight, I’m joined by Sophie O’Connor, a strategic brand designer with over two decades of experience across advertising, branding, and studio life.
We talk about what really shapes good work over time, not trends, not platforms, but perspective. How lived experience changes the way you design, who you choose to work with, and what you no longer tolerate in business. Sophie reflects on craft, integrity, trust, and why many wellness brands struggle to communicate what they actually stand for.
This is a conversation about design maturity, discernment, and building brands that aren’t trying to shout their way into relevance.About Sophie:
Founder and Brand Designer, Sophie O’Connor, has spent the last 20 years working with global creative powerhouses – Landor, Saatchi & Saatchi, Mother London, and the BBC – where big budgets demanded even bigger ideas. That experience wired her to create brands that are anything but ordinary.
Since 2016, Sophie has specialised in strategic branding for founders and innovators, building brands that are confident, distinctive and built to last. Working with start-ups to global businesses across health, tech, property and media, every project begins with clarity, strategy and a deep understanding of your story.www.sophieoconnor.ukInstagram.com/sophieoconnorltd linkedin.com/in/sophieoc
 
About Ivy Malik Ivy Malik is a business and sales coach for creatives obsessed with sunglasses. She helps designers, content creators, and founders understand the psychology behind money, pricing, and decision-making, so they can build commercially viable work without pressure, performance, or losing themselves in the process. How to work with Ivy. Ivy’s signature programme is Flight Club. It helps with the full business growth from business model, marketing to conversion. https://ivymalik.com/flightclub/ If you have most of that already established and only want to work on your sales, you can join the Sales Gym only which helps you close higher paying clients on repeat. https://ivymalik.com/sales-gym-million/ Want to work with Ivy privately. The most popular way to work with her is a no-zoom, unlimited access support that starts at £6K per quarter. Each package is individually created to suit each client’s personalised needs.
 

What’s the Budget

Ever noticed how sales conversations suddenly stall the moment you ask, “What’s the budget?”
 
Clients go vague, dodge the question, or change the subject entirely.
 
This isn’t usually a negotiation tactic.
It’s a psychological response.
 
In this video, Ivy Malik, business coach and creator of the Co-Creative Selling Model, breaks down why budget questions trigger discomfort, silence, and avoidance, and what’s actually happening in the brain when money feels emotionally risky.
 
You’ll learn why budget questions are often experienced as status threats, not financial ones. How fear of judgment, reputation loss, and self-protection drive avoidance. When budget resistance is emotional protection rather than manipulation.
 
This episode is especially relevant for designers, coaches, consultants, and service-based business owners
 
Especially for Creatives who struggle with pricing conversations
Anyone selling high-trust or high-value services
Founders navigating awkward or stalled sales calls
 
If you’ve ever felt tension, resistance, or discomfort around money conversations, this video reframes budget discussions through psychology, neuroscience, and leadership rather than pressure or persuasion.
 
Sales doesn’t work when it’s forced.
It works when it’s co-created.
 
 
About Ivy Malik:
Ivy Malik is a business and sales coach for creatives. She’s obsessed with sunglasses and helps designers, content creators, and founders understand the psychology behind money, pricing, and decision-making, so they can build commercially viable work without pressure, performance, or losing themselves in the process.
 
How to work with Ivy.
 
Ivy’s signature programme is Flight Club.
It helps with the full business growth from business model, marketing to conversion. https://ivymalik.com/flightclub/
 
If you have most of that already established and only want to work on your sales, you can join the Sales Gym which helps you close higher paying clients on repeat. https://ivymalik.com/sales-gym-million/
 
Want to work with Ivy privately. The most popular way to work with her is a no-zoom, unlimited access support that starts at £6K per quarter. Each package is individually created to suit each client’s personalised needs.

Money follows value

In this episode of The Creative Flight, I sit down with Zina Ajlouny for a wide-ranging conversation about ambition, money, creativity, and what really sits underneath success once you’ve lived a few different lives.Zina has built and co-founded multiple companies across San Francisco, Hong Kong, the Middle East, and Europe, worked inside venture-backed startups and global consultancies, and now advises leaders and founders on how they actually move forward when growth stops being theoretical and starts becoming personal.
 
We talk about:
 
- What people really mean when they say “startup” and why scaling is often misunderstood
- Why doing things that don’t scale is sometimes the smartest move
- The role of storytelling and design in pitching, and where it genuinely matters
- Money as an enabler, not an identity
- Why so many women struggle to ask for what their work is worth
- The  mental blocks that stop capable people from taking the next step
 
It’s a conversation that looks at value creation, leadership, and the internal work required to build something sustainable without losing yourself in the process.
 
About The Creative Flight podcast:
It is for creatives, founders, and multi-hyphenates navigating the tension between meaningful work and making money.
 
Each episode explores the psychological, emotional, and practical realities of creative business owners from all walks of life. How did their business take flight. From ambition and identity to sales, confidence, and sustainability.
 
 
 
About Ivy Malik
Ivy Malik is a business and sales coach for creatives obsessed with sunglasses.
She helps designers, content creators, and founders understand the psychology behind money, pricing, and decision-making, so they can build commercially viable work without pressure, performance, or losing themselves in the process.
 
How to work with Ivy.
Ivy’s signature programme is Flight Club. It helps with the full business growth from business model, marketing to conversion. https://ivymalik.com/flightclub/
 
If you have most of that already established and only want to work on your sales, you can join the Sales Gym only which helps you close higher paying clients on repeat. https://ivymalik.com/sales-gym-million/
Want to work with Ivy privately. The most popular way to work with her is a no-zoom, unlimited access support that starts at £6K per quarter. Each package is individually created to suit each client’s personalised needs.

Money Mindset: The beliefs that set me back (solo episode)

If you want to transform your freelancing to beyond a 6 figure business, DM Ivy or visit https://ivymalik.com/
 
In this solo episode of The Creative Flight Podcast I touch upon:
 
- Why not talking about money keeps people underpaid
- How silence around price removes leverage
- The hidden cost of being “generous” when it comes from obligation
- Cultural conditioning, reputation, and self-monitoring
- How unexamined beliefs show up in pricing, sales, and confidence
- What happens when you stop interpreting other people’s behaviour through your own emotional lens
 
This is about bringing awareness to the beliefs that still influence how we make decisions today.
 
If you’ve ever felt awkward talking about money, hesitant around pricing, or unsure whether you’re being fair or undercharging, this episode will
 
The Creative Flight is a space for honest conversations about business, identity, and the inner mechanics that shape how we show up in our work.
 
If this episode lands, feel free to share it with someone who might need it. And if you’re willing, I’d love to hear which beliefs you’re ready to let go of.
 
Subscribe or follow for future episodes.
 
About Ivy Malik
Ivy Malik is a business and sales coach for creatives obsessed with sunglasses.
 
She helps designers, content creators, coaches and consultants understand the psychology behind money, pricing, and decision-making, so they can build commercially viable work without pressure, performance, or losing themselves in the process.
 
How to work with Ivy.
 
Ivy’s signature programme is Flight Club. It helps with the full business growth from business model, marketing to conversion.
https://ivymalik.com/flightclub/
 
If you have most of that already established and only want to work on your sales, you can join the Sales Gym only which helps you close higher paying clients on repeat.
https://ivymalik.com/sales-gym-million/
 
Want to work with Ivy privately. The most popular way to work with her is a no-zoom, unlimited access support that starts at £6K per quarter. Each package is individually created to suit each client’s personalised needs.

The dark side of being multi-passionate with Gabriella Killeen

What happens when a highly creative, multi-passionate person starts questioning their identity, their relationship with money, and their own sense of worth? In this episode of The Creative Flight, Ivy Malik sits down with Gabriella Killeen for an honest conversation about creativity, ambition, money, and the inner narratives that shape how we show up in our work. Gabriella shares openly about: - Growing up multi-lingual and multi-passionate - Loving money for the freedom it brings and struggling when it goes quiet - The self-attack loops that appear during low periods - Imposter syndrome, bitterness, and the “anyone could do this” story - Why pleasure, presence, and creativity are deeply connected - How sexology, intimacy, and play influence fulfilment beyond work This episode touches upon the inner mechanics behind motivation, confidence, and creative energy, especially for people who don’t fit neatly into one job title. If you’ve ever felt driven by curiosity and play, but unsettled when things slow down, this conversation will resonate.About Gabriella Killeen:
Gabriella Killeen is a Malmö-based marketeer and multi-hyphen creative with over a decade of experience building brands and communities across beauty, lifestyle, wellness, and tech. As Chief Marketing Officer at Headon Products, she’s leading the company’s next phase of growth while also exploring identity, culture, and modern womanhood through her Swedish Substack newsletter The Sunday Edit.
With a Brazilian background and a European upbringing, Gabriella speaks four languages and often draws on her multicultural background in how she works and tells stories. Her career has never followed a straight line, guided by curiosity, intuition, and lust for life, she trusts that when something feels exciting, it’s worth pursuing. Her work bridges strategy and storytelling, blending warmth, wit, and a sharp eye for culture, and she refuses to let professional labels define her life.
Instagram: @gabriellakilleens About The Creative Flight podcast: It is for creatives, founders, and multi-hyphenates navigating the tension between meaningful work and making money. Each episode explores the psychological, emotional, and practical realities of creative business owners from all walks of life. How did their business take flight. From ambition and identity to sales, confidence, and sustainability. About Ivy Malik:Ivy Malik is a business and sales coach for creatives obsessed with sunglasses. She helps designers, content creators, and founders understand the psychology behind money, pricing, and decision-making, so they can build commercially viable work without pressure, performance, or losing themselves in the process. How to work with Ivy:Ivy’s signature programme is Flight Club. It helps with the full business growth from business model, marketing to conversion. https://ivymalik.com/flightclub/ If you have most of that already established and only want to work on your sales, you can join the Sales Gym only which helps you close higher paying clients on repeat. https://ivymalik.com/sales-gym-million/ Want to work with Ivy privately? The most popular way to work with her is a no-zoom, unlimited access support that starts at £6K per quarter. Each package is individually created to suit each client’s personalised needs.(Prices quoted may be subject to change as they were true during the time of publishing the episode).

Marketing Misfires Through a Projector Lens

You’ve heard the advice: post more, start a Telegram group, run a masterclass, DM everyone who votes on your poll. But what if none of it works, not because you’re bad at business, but because it was never meant for you?
In this episode, Ivy sits down with energy strategist and projector Ieva Drazniece to unpack the real cost of following strategies designed for someone else’s wiring. They share the flops, the burnout, and the quiet power of doing less—but in alignment. Expect Human Design truth bombs, behind-the-scenes marketing confessions, and a refreshing reminder that being magnetic isn’t about doing more. It’s about being more you.
About Ivy:Ivy Malik helps creatives and coaches step into premium pricing, high-value sales, and effortless business growth. All without overworking, undercharging, or second-guessing their worth. With 19+ years of business experience, she combines pricing psychology, sales strategy, and intuitive coaching to help her clients raise their rates, attract premium clients, and scale with confidence. Through Ivy Malik Coaching, she teaches entrepreneurs how to sell with ease, align their business with their energy, and multiply their revenue without force or burnout
If you enjoyed this conversation, please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating and review, it really helps more people discover the show.
Thanks for tuning in, and I hope you enjoyed the flight.Find me on:
Website: https://ivymalik.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivymalikofficial/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivymalik/ 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ivymalikofficial
You can also tag the show and share your thoughts, I always love hearing what resonated with you. 
 
About Ieva Drazniece:Ieva Drazniece is a speaker and coach with over 25 years in communications, she empowers executives and business owners to grow their influence on LinkedIn and beyond, by aligning strategy with authenticity. As a guest on this episode, she shares how Human Design, empathic leadership, and authentic personal branding can help you scale inbound trust.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ieva-drazniece/
https://www.instagram.com/ieva_drazniece/

The Cost of Being ‘Nice’

In this refreshingly candid conversation, Ivy Malik sits down with Conrad Ford, fintech founder and C-suite exec at Allica Bank, to explore the money truths that creatives often avoid. From building one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies to hiring bold creatives over bloated agencies, Conrad shares brutally honest advice on financial literacy, pricing, and what it actually takes to land big clients. They discuss why understanding the difference between profit and cash is life or death for a business, how creatives sabotage their own growth by avoiding uncomfortable money conversations, and what companies like Allica look for when hiring talent. I
About Ivy:Ivy Malik helps creatives and coaches step into premium pricing, high-value sales, and effortless business growth. All without overworking, undercharging, or second-guessing their worth. With 19+ years of business experience, she combines pricing psychology, sales strategy, and intuitive coaching to help her clients raise their rates, attract premium clients, and scale with confidence. Through Ivy Malik Coaching, she teaches entrepreneurs how to sell with ease, align their business with their energy, and multiply their revenue without force or burnout
If you enjoyed this conversation, please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating and review, it really helps more people discover the show.
Thanks for tuning in, and I hope you enjoyed the flight.Find me on:
Website: https://ivymalik.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivymalikofficial/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivymalik/ 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ivymalikofficial
You can also tag the show and share your thoughts, I always love hearing what resonated with you. 
 
About Conrad Ford:Conrad Ford is a fintech entrepreneur and business leader with a rare blend of corporate strategy and startup grit. After an early career in banking and a leadership role at a Deloitte Fast 500 tech firm, he founded Funding Options—named one of the Financial Times' fastest-growing companies in Europe and loved by customers with a 95%+ Trustpilot rating. Today, he’s helping scale Allica Bank, the UK’s fastest-growing company, while drawing on deep experience in building high-performing teams, direct and partner-led growth, and leading through disruption.