CreaVision Studio Blog

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Introduction

Welcome to the blog of CreaVision Studio. We help businesses and brands turning their ideas into reality. With innovative designs and visionary solutions we are fostering innovation, creativity, and problem-solving, and we are passionate about sharing our insights and experiences with you. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or a curious observer, you will find valuable content on this blog that covers various entrepreneurial topics.

Kindly note that this blog is not made by a professional writer.

We believe that entrepreneurship is not only a way of doing business, but also a way of thinking, learning, and growing. We hope that this blog will inspire you to pursue your entrepreneurial dreams and challenges, and to design the future you want. Stay tuned for our upcoming posts and feel free to share your feedback and questions with us. Thank you for joining us on this journey!

Why Don't We Notice That Products Keep Losing Quality While Getting More Expensive?

As promised, here is the fiull post about products that lose quality while getting more expensive. It’s a trend we’ve all experienced: Products we once trusted and loved seem to get worse over time, yet their prices keep climbing. Whether it’s clothing that wears out faster, tech gadgets with shorter lifespans or lack of innovation (hello iPhone camera button🤡), or food packages mysteriously shrinking, the pattern is hard to ignore. So why don’t we notice,or act, sooner? Here are some reasons:

Gradual Changes Go Unnoticed: Companies often reduce quality incrementally. A shirt that was 100% cotton last year may now be 80% cotton and 20% synthetic, but the design and branding stay the same. These small changes are subtle enough to escape immediate attention, but over time, they accumulate.
The Illusion of Innovation: Manufacturers often pair quality reductions with “upgrades” or new features. A smartphone might feel revolutionary because of a new camera, distracting us from the fact that the battery life has gotten worse (hello again, iPhone🤡). Marketing is designed to make us focus on the shiny new thing, not what’s been lost.
Shrinking Packages, Not Prices: Instead of raising prices directly, many companies reduce the size or quantity of their products, a tactic known as shrinkflation. A 500g box of cereal becomes 450g, but the packaging stays the same, making it easy to overlook.
Normalization Through Market Trends: When all competitors in a market adopt similar practices, it creates a new “normal.” If every washing machine lasts only 5 years instead of 10, we stop expecting durability, even though it used to be standard.
Consumer Overload: Nowadays, people rarely have the time or energy to calculate every purchase. We rely on habits, convenience, and brand loyalty, which can blind us to slow declines in quality. You still drive your Audi while competitors offer better cars for half the price!
A Cultural Shift Toward Disposability: Our culture increasingly prioritizes convenience over durability. Why repair something when we can replace it? This mindset reinforces a cycle where lower-quality products are tolerated because they’re seen as temporary anyway. Guys, we only have one planet!
Inflation as a Distraction: With inflation driving prices up across the board, we often attribute rising costs to economic factors rather than questioning whether we’re paying more for less.

This brings up a question: What can we do? Here are some ideas:

Be Observant: Compare older and newer versions of products. Are you getting the same value for your money?
Support Transparent Brands: Some companies prioritize quality and transparency, seek them out and reward them with your loyalty.
Advocate for Longevity: Push back against the disposable culture by repairing, reusing, and demanding products that last. This would be a thing for politicians… once they stop obeying the lobbyists that own them as pets.
Share Knowledge: When you notice a decline in quality, talk about it. Reviews, forums, and social media are powerful tools to hold companies accountable. Hope for group dynamics instead of social media teams removing your comments.

Ultimately, noticing and addressing these trends is a step toward regaining control as consumers. Quality should matter and it’s up to all of us to make sure it does. Do you feel addressed and want to change your brand strategy? We are here for you, let’s talk!

And in the meantime? In a world where costs keep climbing, and quality often declines, consumers should be eager for an alternative: Businesses that prioritize fairness and value without cutting corners. But how can ethically good businesses reduce their prices while staying true to their values?

Reduce Waste in Operations: Adopting lean practices and cutting unnecessary steps or materials can lower costs without impacting quality.
Sell Directly to Customers: By removing intermediaries, businesses save on distribution costs and can offer better prices.
Focus on Customer Loyalty: Lowering prices builds trust and encourages repeat business, reducing the need for costly marketing.
Use Local and Sustainable Resources: Working with local suppliers or using recycled materials reduces costs while supporting sustainability.
Partner with Other Ethical Brands: Collaborating with like-minded companies can reduce expenses through shared resources and efforts.
Design Products to Last: Durable, repairable products save customers money over time and create long-term brand loyalty.
Be Transparent About Costs: Educating customers on how pricing is determined builds trust and strengthens your brand.
Involve the Community: Collaborative models like cooperatives or local partnerships can lower costs and benefit all stakeholders.

Ethically good businesses have the power to reshape consumer expectations by offering high-quality products at fair prices. This is good for the bottom line and builds a loyal customer base and contributes to a more equitable, sustainable economy. It all depends on mindset!

Are you one of these businesses and would like to have our support in any field? We will offer you special deals, additionally to our provisional black month deals. Let's do some business together!

13.12.2024

Why Our Business is 100% Online: Lessons from a Wasted Meeting

Today, I spent two hours sitting in a potential client’s office, waiting for a meeting that never happened. They claimed to have had an emergency come up, and while I completely understood their situation, it reminded me exactly why I decided to run the business entirely online.

The experience also served as a turning point for me because this was the last time I’ll go to someone’s office for a meeting. That realization didn’t come from frustration alone; it’s rooted in the lessons I’ve learned about how to deliver the best value to my clients while respecting time. Mine and theirs. Here’s why this approach works better for everyone involved:

Efficiency & Flexibility: Face-to-face meetings in traditional office settings are often riddled with inefficiencies—commuting through traffic, waiting in a reception area, and dealing with last-minute reschedules. When meetings happen online, all of that time is instantly freed up. Whether you’re working from home, your office, or even while traveling, online consulting provides the flexibility to connect without the constraints of physical locations. Meetings can happen on time, with fewer interruptions, and with zero commutes. For me, it’s also about delivering a more efficient client experience. When I’m not sitting in traffic or waiting, I’m focused on analyzing your challenges, crafting strategies, or providing feedback that moves the needle for your business.
Faster Results: Online collaboration tools have revolutionized how we work together. With screen sharing, shared documents, and instant messaging, we can review data, discuss insights, and finalize strategies in real time. This means we can accomplish in a few days what might take weeks if we relied on in-person meetings. Need me to review your team’s performance metrics? Share them online. Have questions about a new strategy? Let’s hop on a call and hash it out immediately, no travel required.
Global Reach: One of the biggest limitations of in-person consulting is geography. You can only work with clients who are close enough to meet physically, which severely restricts the scope of what you can achieve. By transitioning my business online, I’ve been able to break down those barriers. Now, I work with clients from across the country—and even internationally. It’s opened up opportunities for businesses who might not otherwise have access to the type of consulting I offer. And for me, it means collaborating with a more diverse range of industries and challenges, which ultimately benefits everyone.
Focus on What Matters: Time is our most valuable resource, and spending it stuck in traffic or waiting in an office simply isn’t the best use of it—for either of us. When I save time by working online, I can use that time to focus on what truly matters: creating tailored strategies, delivering results, and helping you achieve your goals.

And honestly? Even if I were to use that extra time fooling around or staring at the ceiling, it would still be more productive than spending hours sitting in an office waiting for a meeting that might never happen.

The Big Picture: Creating a Win-Win Situation

Running my consulting business online is about creating a win-win situation. My clients get faster, more flexible, and more focused support, and I get to spend my time where it matters most, helping them succeed. Experiences like today remind me of the importance of this approach. They also give me the chance to reflect and write blog posts while sitting in an empty waiting room, staring at a ceiling. So, if you’re looking for a consulting partner who values your time as much as their own, let’s connect. Online! No waiting required.

11.12.2024

Growth Doesn’t Always Require Leaving Comfort; Sometimes It’s About Expanding It

When we think of growth, whether personal or professional, the popular wisdom is clear: step outside your comfort zone. “Growth begins where comfort ends,” we’re told. While this narrative has its validity, it doesn’t paint the full picture. Growth doesn’t always require leaving your comfort zone entirely. Sometimes, the key to real, sustainable growth lies in expanding your comfort zone instead of abandoning it.

This perspective shifts the narrative from forcing discomfort to building on stability and strength. It’s not about avoiding challenges but about creating an environment where challenges feel approachable and growth becomes sustainable. Here’s why the idea of expanding comfort rather than leaving it deserves more attention:

1. Building on Strengths

Growth isn’t always about starting over or leaping into the unknown. Sometimes, the most significant progress comes from building on what you already do well. Your comfort zone is often a reflection of your core strengths, skills, habits, and routines that support your success.

Expanding your comfort zone doesn’t mean staying stagnant; it means stretching your current strengths into new opportunities. For example:

A professional public speaker might expand their comfort zone by exploring new topics or speaking to larger audiences rather than switching to an entirely different field.
A company with expertise in a niche market might expand by innovating within that niche, instead of diversifying into unfamiliar industries.

This approach builds on momentum rather than disrupting it.

2. Reducing Burnout

We live in a world that glorifies hustle and discomfort as prerequisites for success. However, constantly pushing yourself to operate outside your comfort zone can lead to stress, fatigue, and ultimately burnout.

Expanding comfort zones provides a gentler path. By gradually introducing new challenges while maintaining familiar routines, you’re able to grow without overwhelming yourself. For example:

Instead of jumping into a leadership role overnight, you might take on small leadership responsibilities within your existing role, allowing yourself time to adapt.
A company might introduce incremental changes to its processes rather than adopting a disruptive overhaul, giving employees time to adjust and thrive.

This gradual approach not only supports growth but also sustains well-being, ensuring long-term success.

3. Encouraging Innovation

Comfort doesn’t have to mean stagnation. When you’re in a state of comfort, you have the mental and emotional bandwidth to reflect, ideate, and innovate. In contrast, operating in constant discomfort can leave little room for creativity as your focus shifts to survival mode.

Expanding your comfort zone allows you to take calculated risks and experiment from a place of stability. For example:

A software company might rely on its core expertise while exploring adjacent technologies, creating innovative solutions that feel achievable rather than overwhelming.
An artist might start with familiar mediums and slowly incorporate new techniques or tools, expanding their creative boundaries over time.

4. Creating Resilience Through Sustainable Growth

Sustainable growth is about making progress that lasts. Abruptly forcing yourself outside your comfort zone can lead to quick wins, but it may not build the resilience needed for long-term success. Expanding your comfort zone, however, fosters a gradual adaptation to new challenges, making you stronger with each step.

For instance:

A new manager who takes on leadership tasks one project at a time is more likely to develop confidence and skills than one who is suddenly thrust into a high-stakes leadership position.
A company that grows by scaling its existing systems will be better equipped to handle future challenges than one that rapidly diversifies without a clear foundation.

By stretching your boundaries instead of breaking them, you create a growth process that’s not only manageable but also sustainable.

How to Expand Your Comfort Zone

If the idea of expanding your comfort zone resonates, here are a few ways to apply this mindset:

Identify Your Core Strengths: Start with what you’re good at and find ways to stretch those skills into new opportunities.
Set Gradual Goals: Instead of making drastic changes, set incremental goals that push your limits without overwhelming you.
Build Confidence Along the Way: Acknowledge your progress and let each small win boost your confidence to take on the next challenge.
Reflect and Adjust: Regularly evaluate your growth journey. If something feels too overwhelming, it’s okay to scale back and reapproach.

Shifting the Growth Narrative

Growth doesn’t have to mean abandoning comfort entirely. Sometimes, it’s about recognizing that comfort can be a foundation, not a limitation. By expanding your comfort zone, you create a pathway to growth that feels natural, empowering, and sustainable.

So, the next time you’re told to “step outside your comfort zone,” consider this alternative: don’t step out—step up. Expand your comfort zone to meet new challenges without losing sight of the strengths that got you this far.

Growth is not a one-size-fits-all journey. While leaving your comfort zone may work for some, expanding it can be an equally powerful, and often more sustainable, approach. How have you experienced growth by expanding your comfort zone? Share your thoughts, I’d love to hear your story.

29.11.2024

A Letter To Lead Gen Companies

Dear Lead Gen Companies,

I hope this message finds you well (hahah 🤡). As someone who works closely with companies, I understand the power of a strong first impression. That’s why I wanted to post about the quality of your sales outreach messages.

Your team’s efforts in generating leads are commendable, but the messaging we receive often falls short of the impact it could make. When an outreach message lacks clarity, personalization, or finesse, it can unintentionally signal a lack of professionalism.

Jokes aside… When you reach out to pitch lead gen services but your pitch is just awful, it shows me the quality of your service. You might notice that in your response and conversion rates.

In this case, I want to talk about a specific thing. Being pushy is the worst thing you can do. And I don’t want my name or CreaVision’s name linked to pushy sales methods. Some reasons are:

Damage to Customer Trust: When customers feel pressured, they may start to distrust your intentions, viewing you as focused solely on making a sale rather than genuinely addressing their needs.
Higher Risk of Customer Attrition: A pushy approach can lead to immediate sales resistance and increase the chances of customers avoiding you in the future. This is especially critical in industries that rely on repeat business and long-term relationships.
Negative Word of Mouth: Unsatisfied or uncomfortable customers are more likely to share their experiences with others. Word-of-mouth and online reviews can spread quickly, potentially damaging your reputation and deterring new customers.
Lost Sales Opportunities: Sometimes, people need time to consider a decision, especially if it involves a significant investment. Overly assertive tactics can interrupt this process and discourage potential customers from making a purchase altogether.

And now the worst. These lead generation companies often go bankrupt and are created again with a new name but the same strategy. You pay, they don’t deliver desired results because of their terrible sales processes, and their money-back guarantee has exceptions.

There are ways to recognize a trustworthy lead generation company. You might not see client references and testimonials in that list. Simply because it can be bought. Here are a few:

Transparency in Processes: A trustworthy company will explain its lead generation methods, the platforms they use, and how they qualify leads. Avoid any company that is vague or dismissive when you ask about their methods or targeting strategy.
Quality of Leads Provided: Ensure they emphasize lead quality over quantity. Some companies deliver a high volume of unqualified leads, which can waste your time. Ask how they qualify leads and, if possible, request sample leads before committing.
Contracts & Flexibility: Review the contract terms carefully. Some lead gen companies lock clients into long-term contracts with no exit options, while reputable ones may offer flexible terms or performance-based pricing models.
Support and Communication: Test their customer service before signing. A trustworthy company will have accessible, responsive support, whether it's through a dedicated account manager or reliable customer service. If you’re talking to chatbots, it’s a red flag.
Their Outreach To You: Check whether their outreach looks AI generated, pushy, or suspicious in any other way. They’re not giving you any leads, if their sales skills are lacking.

What is an alternative to lead get companies? Our sales process consulting service. We create a sales process together and train your team from outreach to retention. How does that sound to you? Let’s get something started.

11.11.2024

Internal Recruitment - Don't Waste Time and Money

Going through job portals, looking for some potential HR customers, left me quite stunned. There are many decision-maker positions to fill and many companies look for new people. Does that make sense? Not always…

When it comes to filling roles, the best candidates might already be part of your team. Internal recruitment (promoting or transferring employees from within the organization) can bring significant advantages for businesses of all sizes.

Increased Employee Retention and Engagement: Offering growth opportunities shows employees that they have a future with your company. This can boost morale, reduce turnover, and foster a stronger company culture.
Cost and Time Efficiency: External recruitment can be time-consuming and costly. With internal candidates, you save on advertising, screening, and onboarding costs, while also cutting down the time it takes to fill the role.
Reduced Risk: Current employees already understand your company’s culture, values, and workflows. They’re also a known quantity, meaning you have a track record of their performance and commitment, making them less risky hires.
Quicker Onboarding and Transition: Since internal recruits are already familiar with the company, they typically require less training and adapt more quickly to their new roles. This means productivity can start almost immediately.

Take the example of a construction firm that’s looking for a project manager. Should they invest in hiring someone new, someone who doesn’t know the company culture and team? It should be the last option. There are internal people, like experienced supervisors, that would be ideal for the role.

Long story short: If you’re looking to fill a position, consider looking internally first. It could be the smartest move for your team and your bottom line.

And of course, I can give you some tips for the process. The full process is only available for our customers. Become one and there will be more than these:

Publicize Openings: Use internal channels to spread awareness of job openings.
Maintain Skills Database: Keep an updated record of employee skills and aspirations.
Transparent Process: Ensure the recruitment process is clear and fair.
Manager Support: Get managers involved in identifying and encouraging candidates.
Career Development: Offer programs to help employees develop relevant skills.
Employee Referrals: Encourage employees to refer suitable colleagues.
Leverage Technology: Use HR tools to streamline the recruitment process.

Wanna know more? Book a call! Wanna have an exchange? Send me a message! Enjoy your day and see you soon.

05.11.2024

Management Style - A Gamechanger

Are you owning a mid-sized company with around 200 employees with concerns about high employee turnover? Then you feel like one of our first customers. They were facing difficulties retaining skilled workers, which led to project delays, increased costs, and low team morale. Their management approach was highly transactional, which resulted in a lack of employee engagement. Besides this, their performance-based pay model contained unreachable goals (😮‍💨Hello Amazon 😮‍💨) and some other leftovers from their early days.

To identify challenges and roots, we did surveys and asked former employees. Our surveys and talks have shown the following points:

High turnover rate, particularly among skilled labor. They simply found better work places.
Low employee engagement and morale. Who would try hard without feeling valued? This worked 30 years ago but not anymore.
A rigid, transactional management style focused only on tasks and performance metrics. Their logic: Work outside was not possible because of bad weather, the management blamed the employees.
Lack of team cohesion, pay model created competition, and a lack of long-term employee development. You do your job well for years just to watch the son of the owner become your supervisor. How does it feel?
Limited trust between management and employees. The hate former employees had towards the management was unlimited.

Explaining the reasons would require 100 posts. Let’s just say, what worked 30 years ago is outdated. The good thing is, fixing that problem is easier than it seems. The root of the problem is just outdated management. We simply proposed a shift from the company’s existing transactional management style to a transformative leadership approach, which focuses on employee development, empowerment, and motivation.

We organized workshops for the company’s management team to learn leadership.
To enhance engagement, we implemented one-on-one meetings between managers and employees to discuss personal career goals.
We created feedback loops, where employees could provide suggestions for improving workplace culture and processes.
We facilitated team-building activities and created a team-performance-based pay model.
We introduced mentorship programs and internal career growth opportunities to help employees see a future with the company. A victim of this was the son of the owner, having to step down from his position.

Besides short term satisfaction boost, there have been various long-term effects:

Turnover Reduction: Employee turnover decreased by 35%, with a marked reduction in the loss of skilled workers.
Improved Engagement: Employee satisfaction surveys indicated a 60% improvement in engagement levels. Workers felt more valued and connected to the company’s mission.
Higher Satisfaction: Employee satisfaction score went from 2 to 7.
Higher Productivity: With increased motivation and trust, teams were more productive, leading to the completion of projects ahead of schedule.
Leadership Development: Managers reported feeling more confident in their leadership abilities and noticed stronger relationships with their teams. The CEO apologized to former employees.

Our job here is done and we will just return to say hi. Unless something doesn't continue as planned but that was never the case in our history. Sharing KPIs without asking is inappropriate, we better don’t do that. This is an extreme example of underperforming due to outdated management. The fix is simple: Modernisation! Are you struggling with leftovers from the past? You know where to find and contact us!

23.10.2024

Tracking Employee Happiness - Do You Do It?

Tracking employee happiness/satisfaction (whatever you want to call it) is important but often neglected. The reason is simple, in the past no one cared and many employers are sticking to the past. Spoiler: That's not going to help them in the future. Tradition is nothing but an outdated practice, in business. We want to ATTRACT and RETAIN top talent for our customers. That means, we have to make our customers top employers. How to be top employers without tracking employee happiness and aiming to improve that? Another spoiler: That's not possible!

We use simple anonymous surveys, consisting of 1-10 scales, Yes/No questions, and open ended questions. What we ask about:

Job Satisfaction
Work-Life Balance
Resources and Tools
Career Growth
Recognition and Reward
Stress Levels
Manager Support
Relationships with Colleagues
Organizational Culture
Overall Happiness
Feedback Consideration
Stress Management
Suggestions for Improvement
Additional Comments

With this scheme we get a detailed overview of employee happiness inside a company. Instead of spending hours investigating and researching, the employees give us all we need. It helps us to tailor solutions, saves the company time/money, and the employees feel a sense of ownership. All sides benefit from the survey itself and the solutions.

Why 1-10 Scales? Because there are many options to rate, giving us very precise information about how good and bad the company performs in these points. Example: How happy are you with your salary?

Why Yes/No Questions? Because to some questions the only possible answer is yes or no. Example: Do you feel supported by your direct manager?

Why Open-Ended Questions? Because the answers to these questions give us the context. Data are useless without context. 1-10 scales and Yes/No questions tell us what's wrong, open-ended questions tell us the reasons, making it easier to address the problems without playing a guessing game.

Example: An employee is having low work morale because of salaries while the amount is good. Using rating systems only will trap you in a guessing game. Is it because of the gaps between positions? Is it because others do less but earn more? Is it something completely different?

Are you struggling with employee happiness? Or are you looking to implement a functioning scheme to track? Let us know, book a call, and we can have a talk about some results. HR is the base of every company and we will help you to future-proof it.

21.10.2024

How I Integrate Work In My Free Time Without Losing Life Quality

Autumn season is here, rain is falling, wind is blowing, temperature is falling, and my daily cycling gets relocated to my home gym. Cycling 2-3 hours while staring at a white wall is depressing. Now there’s a way to be productive and make the time pass quicker. I can write posts, outreach messages, follow ups, or text people to build relationships while cycling indoors. While I do low intensity training, I can easily do that the entire training. While I do VO2 Max intervals of 5 minutes, I have the recovery intervals to text.

A longer list of benefits for work and training:

1. Productivity

Multitasking: Zone 2 training is typically done at a moderate intensity, allowing athletes to multitask without significantly impacting their workout quality. This means you can handle emails or chat without compromising your training.
Time Management: By combining low-intensity training with administrative tasks, you can make better use of your time, especially if you have a busy schedule.

2. Mental Engagement

Reduced Monotony: Engaging in light tasks such as emailing or chatting can break the monotony of long endurance sessions, making the workout feel shorter and more enjoyable.
Mental Stimulation: Keeping your mind active with light tasks can help maintain focus and prevent boredom during extended training periods.

3. Better Communication

Real-Time Updates: Staying connected allows for real-time communication with coaches, teammates, or colleagues, ensuring you don’t miss important updates or decisions.
Immediate Feedback: You can receive instant feedback on your training or work-related tasks, allowing for quick adjustments and improvements.

4. Stress Reduction

Work-Life Balance: Integrating work tasks into your training can help balance your professional and personal life, reducing stress from feeling overwhelmed by pending tasks.
Efficient Task Management: Completing small tasks during training can reduce your overall workload, leading to a more relaxed and focused mindset.

5. Training Consistency

Flexibility: Being able to handle work tasks during training can make it easier to stick to your training schedule, as you won’t need to choose between work and exercise.
Reduced Missed Sessions: This integration can help ensure you don’t skip training sessions due to work commitments.

See this blog post as a tip to improve time management. Do you do sports while you work? Or work while you do sports? What is your experience, did it distract you? Let's have a chat!

14.10.2024