Claire who?
Designer, digital marketer, mother of 2, Irish expat in Spain (via France), lover of inky pens and passionate about communication and creativity.
Shiny ideas?
We got plenty…
The entrepreneur brain…
As business owners we have problem-solving, creative brains. When we step into the noisy online world, with all its potential, its advice and ideas, we get pulled in a bunch of different directions at a time! And often, we get pulled away from the work we set out to do in the first place.
I’m in the business of helping you show up. Not just online, but in a more meaningful way. I want to help you to show up as an act of service. Bring value to the people who need your services and support them in their decision to say “yes”. It’s the antidote to shiny idea syndrome.
Let’s strategically use your expertise and your unique voice to get a gut-level yes from your ideal clients. We want them saying;
“This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Looking for my origin story?
Let’s go all the way back…
I often felt like a bit of an outsider growing up, a wee bit different, weird even. I had some lovely friends growing up, but always felt I had to tone down my personality and my Monty Python-esque sense of humour.
Always doodling or up in a tree.
Loved Blur when everyone else liked Oasis.
Enjoyed being on my own a LOT.
Loved old sci-fi movies more than rom-coms.
Fascinated my quarries.
Deathly afraid of moths. (shudder)
Classic weirdo stuff.
Photo by my Dad, David circa 1985, Cavan, Ireland
Photo by my brother, Niall circa 1994, Clogherhead, Co. Louth, Ireland.
The introvert in the room
And don’t get me started about the blushing! If I had to read in class or talk to someone outside of my immediate circle, I’d blush, and blush, and blush some more.
Me mother told me I’d grow out of it. I’m still waiting for that to happen.
😳
Long story short, I wasn’t very confident and preferred to stay cosy in my own company.
From shy to showing up
During my design studies I met a wonderful bunch of weirdos who I could be my silly self with. I loved my course. I felt that finally there was a place for all my ideas and I learned the tools to articulate them.
Fast forward a bit, I moved to Paris. There was something about being the foreigner that pushed me out of my comfort zone. When you don’t speak the lingo you kinda have to 10X your personality to be understood. This made me change to how I present myself.
Speaking a new language made me more aware of body language, reading the room, listening, observing.
I shifted the focus from surviving to contributing.
Photo by Joe La Mela, 2011, Montmartre, Paris, France.
Selfie with J, 2013, Belleville, Paris, France.
Out of the comfort zone, into the fire
I started Claire Creative as a small business when we started our family. I wanted flexibility and freedom to be present and available for my children. But as you probably know a new business can be as demanding as a newborn!
But becoming a parent brought my values into sharp focus. Making meaningful, aligned decisions about a thousand things a day sharpens your connection to the important stuff.
The important stuff
Yeah, it’s cliché, but my family is top priority. Working on someone else’s schedule and putting work before my babies… it’s not happening.
I meet a lot of driven and inspiring people in my line of work. Showing up is such an important part of working for yourself and we all have our different struggles and fears. While showing up online looks different for everyone, one common element remains. Service.
Photo by my husband Thomas, 2021, on hols in Risoul, France.
Photo by Helena Staniszewska, 2023, Barcelona, Spain.
Showing up as an act of service
The individuals I’ve met in my line of work have shared stories of vulnerability, perseverance, and the transformative power of stepping out of our comfort zones. They share their stories and their hard-earned expertise with a vision of helping others. It never fails to inspire me.
I understand the challenges that come with showing up confidently online, especially when you may have once felt like an outsider. It’s a journey that requires authenticity, self-belief, and a willingness to share.
It’s such an incredible privilege that I get to help people share stories, knowledge and expertise. Over the years I keep coming back to this concept of Showing up. Yes as a way to get clients, but also to show up for yourself. To create, to support, to overcome.
Thanks for reading my story. Your turn!