Ivy Malik – Sales and Business Coach

Ivy Malik helps creatives to secure high paying clients by offering business and sales coaching. She discusses social media, problems in the creative industry, and her advice for those looking to start their own business.

1. Can you tell us a bit about you, and the coaching service that you provide?

I was told to get a real degree, a classic sentiment from my Asian father. If you ask him, he would say that he never made me do anything. He‘d be right. He presented the options in such a way that I had no choice but to do as I did.

Little did I know that this was foreshadowing the choice of business that I have today where I coach creatives and one of the primary things that we tackle is negotiation and communication (in other words, sales).

While I had success with my own restaurant business, I helped my creative friends for fun. It pained me to see them undervalued and taken advantage of.  When it was time to shake things up again some 5 years ago, it was they who suggested I help more creatives the way I had helped them.

Back then I didn’t know what to call what I did, business therapy? Empowerment? Consulting? I later discovered coaching. 

So I took the plunge.

I officially started something I had been already doing all my life.

I help creatives bring back the fun in business so they can do what they love while having financial success. I do this through business and sales coaching.

2. How do you stand out from other business coaches in your field?

My Psychology background and extensive business experience and puts me in a unique position to support the creatives. I also am married to a creative, award winning designer turned film maker. I do think that provides me with unprecedented insight.

Most importantly, I understand the creative mind.

3. What would you say is the biggest problem that Creatives are facing at the moment?

Creatives feel and are perpetually undervalued. Their skill is viewed as being on par to having a hobby that anyone can master. It is actually a problem that stems from the school age.

Think about it, all the arts are optional whereas the sciences are compulsory. What message does that convey to everyone?

If we are to undervalue the creative endeavours from such an early age why would we expect people to behave any differently in adulthood. Not only do people value the creatives less but we condition them to feel less worthy.

To help the creatives recognise themselves as being worthy is one of the primary tasks I have at hand whenever I work with my clients.

4. We love your engaging social presence, how do you find inspiration for your posts?

My posts are inspired by the needs of the audience and my clients. I like to think of myself as being in conversation with my audience. We chat in the DMs, I see a recurring problem they need support with, I try to solve said problem with my content.

I am forever moved by the messages that I receive from people around the globe who have implemented the teachings and made a difference in their lives.

Needless to say, books and conversations amongst my peers are inspiration of equal measure.

5. What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own business?

I would have to write a book so here goes the mini version. It will be the most fulfilling thing you will do if you allow it to be.

Don’t be fooled thought, it will also be the hardest things you will ever do. Here are my 5 tips that are relevant for any business owner at any stage:

1. Make decisions. Don’t stay stuck in overthinking, procrastination or the unknown. Decisions lead to action, and these will move the needle forward in your business.
2. Rest. You’re no good to anyone burnt out.
3. Believe. If you don’t believe in yourself, and your concept, who else will? The strangest things can be a success if you let it. Visualising what you want and how you want it will impact the result. Especially if you follow through with step 1 and 2.
4. Ask for help. Success is not a solo journey. My first mentor was my father who I am eternally grateful for and I almost always have a mentor or coach alongside me on my journey.
5. Keep a Success Circle. Your business friends are key. Are they dragging you down? Propping you up? Inspiring you? Motivating you? Who they are and how they think matters. Be mindful of who you let in and seek out those that inspire. 

Here’s a bonus tip which can get tiresome as it has become too fashionable to talk about. Failure is your friend, it is your teacher. Don’t fear it. If you haven’t failed, you haven’t tasted success. Walk fearlessly into the unknown and be sure to learn from your mistakes. Fail fast and fail forward.