Hi there, I'm Greg Merrilees from Studio1 Design, and welcome to this episode of the Real Magic podcast. My co-host Alan Nunez and I are thrilled to have design and business expert Taki Moore joining us today.

Taki is known for taking an incredibly creative and strategic approach to his business, and we can't wait to unpack some of his insights and frameworks with you. As designers and business owners ourselves, Alan and I are always looking for ways to elevate the design process and make it more profitable. That's why we're so excited to dive into this conversation.

Taki has a unique way of viewing his business as a true work of art, pouring his heart and soul into every single touchpoint. From the way he answers the phone to the venues he chooses for his events, Taki is intentional about crafting a cohesive vibe and aesthetic that enhances his message.

One of the things that really stands out about Taki's approach is his use of frameworks. He has systems and structures in place for everything from ideation to execution, which allow him to be incredibly efficient and creative at the same time. We'll be exploring some of Taki's favorite frameworks today, including one that helps map out frustrations, fears, desires and aspirations - a tool that I know will be invaluable for any designer or business owner.

Beyond the tactical frameworks, we'll also dive into the importance of design as a competitive advantage, and how Taki collaborates with his design team to bring his vision to life. I have a feeling we're going to get some real gold nuggets that you can apply directly to your own business.

So sit back, get your pen and paper ready, and let's jump into this insightful conversation with the one and only Taki Moore.

• How Google advertising and remarketing can boost website traffic and conversions‍
• The power of treating every aspect of your business as a creative canvas to create a cohesive and impactful experience
• How using frameworks can help streamline tasks, boost creativity, and set clear, actionable goals for daily success
• How to tackle common business design frustrations and create a website that’s fresh, modern, and drives conversions
• The simplicity of the frameworks and how they can be used to teach creativity and gratitude to children
• The importance of design and creativity in business, with a focus on protecting the company's vibe and enhancing the message through great copy and design
• How aligned design, copy, and visuals can simplify complex ideas and boost your marketing results
• Creative ways to replace bullet points with illustrations while streamlining tasks for greater impact and efficiency

Unlock Your Business's Creative Potential with Frameworks and Design

As designers and business owners, we're always on the lookout for ways to elevate our work and make it more profitable. In a recent episode of the Real Magic podcast, we had the pleasure of chatting with Taki Moore - a design and business expert who has truly mastered the art of blending creativity and strategy.

Taki shared some incredibly valuable insights about his approach to running his business, and how he views it as a true work of art. Rather than seeing design as an afterthought or a necessary evil, Taki has made it a core part of his company's DNA.

"I think about my business as my art - the canvas I get to create on every day," Taki explained. "What if the whole business could be my art? What if the way we answer the phone was art? What if the venue we choose for our events and the place we go for dinner, everything, was a canvas we could pour our soul out onto?"

This mindset of infusing creativity and intentionality into every aspect of the business is what sets Taki apart. And it's a philosophy that we believe all designers and business owners should strive for.

One of the key ways Taki brings this vision to life is through the use of frameworks. As he put it, "a framework is like a shortcut, a recipe for getting a great result fast." And Taki has frameworks in place for everything from ideation to execution.

Take, for example, the framework he uses when creating a new webinar, training, or promotional email. Taki starts by drawing a simple quadrant with a vertical and horizontal line. On the left side, he identifies the "away from" motivations - the frustrations and pain points that his audience is trying to avoid. On the right side, he maps out the "towards" motivations - the desires and aspirations they're trying to achieve.

Then, on the top half, he focuses on the immediate concerns, while the bottom half covers the longer-term, imagined outcomes. This simple 2x2 matrix gives Taki a clear roadmap for crafting messaging that speaks directly to his audience's core motivations.

"If we've got a way in towards the immediate and imagine now, we've got, like, four different lenses to look at our, you know, our marketing and motivation for," Taki explained. "If we go to the top left, are things which you want to move away from right now? Well, let's call those frustrations. If you think about the bottom left, things you want to move away from in the future, things that you imagine will be bad sometime later. They're called fears."

By contrast, the top right quadrant represents the audience's immediate desires, or "wants," while the bottom right covers their longer-term "aspirations." Armed with this framework, Taki is able to craft messaging that resonates on a deep, emotional level - addressing both the pain points and the desired outcomes.

But Taki's use of frameworks doesn't stop there. He also has a simple "three wins" framework that he uses with his kids at bedtime, as well as a daily goal-setting system that involves writing down three big tasks on a Post-It note.

The beauty of these frameworks is that they provide structure and efficiency, without stifling creativity. As Taki put it, "If I can just have a framework, or, like, a step by step system for everything that I've got to do more than once, then what that allows me to do is it takes all the pressure off, and it allows me just to focus on on the creative bit, not on structure."

And this is where design comes into play. For Taki, design isn't just about making things look pretty - it's about enhancing the message and creating a cohesive, compelling brand experience. He works closely with his design team to ensure that every touchpoint, from his website to his event venues, aligns with the company's overall "vibe."

"If you think about the companies that we adore, that we aspire to, the things which kind of really make us feel that all of them have got, they're in the fashion business, they're in the design business," Taki said. "And so you want to think about your design and not as an afterthought. But how do you bake them into your business so that they are a competitive advantage?"

This is a lesson that all designers and business owners would do well to heed. By embracing design as a strategic asset rather than a necessary evil, you can unlock your business's true creative potential and stand out in