How Laura Higgins Helps Creatives Scale Without Burning Out

“Most creatives are undercharging and don’t even realize it.” – Laura Higgins

If you’re a designer, photographer, or creative agency owner wondering how to grow your business without selling your soul, Laura Higgins wants you to know two things: scaling is possible — and it doesn’t have to mean burnout.

In her conversation on The Story Brand Podcast with Donald Miller and Kyle Reed, Higgins breaks down how she helps creative entrepreneurs move beyond word-of-mouth referrals and finally take control of their client pipeline, pricing, and mindset.

And it all started with a coin toss.

The Power of Picking a Niche and Sticking to It

Before Laura Higgins became a go-to business coach for creatives, she was running her own web design studio. When she launched her coaching program, she served all kinds of service-based businesses — from fitness studios to interior designers. But things didn’t really take off until a coach asked her to narrow down.

“He flipped a coin on a Zoom call and asked me, ‘Which one don’t you want it to be?’ And I said, ‘I don’t want it to be the fitness people.’ That’s when I knew — it had to be creatives.”

That moment of clarity transformed everything. Her messaging got sharper, her brand resonated more deeply, and the right clients began showing up.

“If you're speaking to too broad of an audience, you dilute the problem you're solving,” she explains. “The narrower you get, the more magnetic your brand becomes.”

The 2 Engines That Drive Creative Growth: Marketing and Conversion

Higgins helps creatives build scalable systems by focusing on two “engines”: marketing and conversion.

Here’s the key: most creatives rely on referrals, but referrals can’t be scaled. To build sustainable momentum, Higgins walks clients through:

• Marketing Engine: Paid ads, lead generation strategies, funnel optimization, and, crucially, creating content that stops the scroll.
• Conversion Engine: Refining the offer, pricing it for transformation (not just time), and optimizing sales channels — whether that’s in the DMs, on a call, or through a webinar.

“Most of my clients come in undercharging. They don’t realize the value of the transformation they offer,” says Higgins.

Selling in the DMs: The Underrated Skill Creatives Need

One of the most tactical and actionable parts of the episode was Higgins’ breakdown of how to sell through Instagram DMs — a strategy she swears by for early-stage scaling.

Her funnel is simple, but intentional:

1. Content that connects. Use posts to speak directly to the problems your ideal client faces.
2. Conversation starters. Create posts and Stories with clear CTAs like: “DM me ‘next level’ to chat about how I can help you.”
3. DM sales process. Don’t pitch. Start a real conversation. Qualify them. Ask permission. Then — and only then — guide them toward the next step.

“Most people don’t need another sales page,” she explains. “They need to feel seen, understood, and guided. That starts in the DMs.”

Bonus tip? Rename your sales calls. Instead of “book a sales call,” use something more inviting like a “Clarity Call” — it feels outcome-oriented and less transactional.

Why Strategy Isn’t Enough… You Need Mindset Mastery

While Higgins is a master tactician, she’s quick to point out that strategy alone doesn’t build a business.

“People can have all the tools and still not implement,” she says. “That’s where mindset comes in.”

Many of her creative clients struggle with people-pleasing, perfectionism, and fears around money. As a fellow creative, Higgins gets it. But her job as a coach is to guide them beyond it.

“I see my role as helping people understand the tactic — and making it really hard not to implement it.”

A New Kind of Promise: Scaling Without Losing Your Soul

Initially, Higgins marketed her coaching program as a path to “grow your business.” Later, as more clients hit consistent 30K months, she changed the promise: “Scale to 30K months.” But even that felt limiting.

Now, her program is built around a deeper promise: “Scale your creative business without losing your freedom or your soul.”

Why?

“If someone’s at 10K/month, promising them $1M/year might feel too big. We want our message to stretch people — not scare them.”

It’s a masterclass in messaging: lead with empathy, back it with proof, and never lose sight of who you're speaking to.

Laura Higgins’ Quickstart Tips for Creatives Ready to Sell

Feeling inspired? Here’s how to implement Higgins’ advice today:

• Update your Instagram bio. Add a call-to-action like: “DM me [keyword] to learn how I can help you.”
• Create content that speaks to a specific problem. Don’t sell in the post — start conversations.
• Test the DM process. Reach out to 5 warm leads using her framework: qualify → connect → ask for permission → guide to call.

And most importantly? Niche down. The clarity will unlock everything.

Final Thoughts

Laura Higgins isn’t just helping creatives make more money — she’s helping them reclaim their power as business owners. With the right messaging, systems, and support, even the most artistic, people-pleasing, perfectionist founder can learn to lead.

“You can have all the ideas, all the podcasts, and not do anything. Execution is everything.”