Big Leaps. Gently.
Build a creative career strategy that fits your ambition and your life.
For artists, leaders and creatives. Creating genuine momentum.
Movement versus Momentum
Many of our daily creative activities involve movement. But movement is not momentum. When you're moving it feels like progress. The boxes get ticked and it feels productive. But when you reflect on recent months, not much has really leapt forward. This is junk movement. Feels good, but only has a flat, linear 2D trajectory.
Momentum works on different principles and each choice makes the next decision or action easier. It gets you closer to the impact you want.
Junk Movement
Genuine Momentum
Transitions that drain
Change happens on the outside. Transition is what happens inside. Transitions often feel clunky and take longer than expected. Even small, daily transitions feel draining or lonely.
Transitions that build capacity
Not needing as much recovery time from daily and life transitions.
Deciding under pressure
A feeling of being torn between priorities, making snap decisions or letting time/inertia make the decision for you.
Clear, aligned decisions
Decisions that are made from strategy, knowing what you would and wouldn't say yes to before a decision is required.
Watering down your message
Softening the message to the point of being unclear which is easier to say but not helpful for those listening.
Being clear in your communication
Being clear even if you're not sure how the other person might respond to what you say.
Taking what comes along
Filling your time with what others offer even though it looks like a busy schedule, it's haphazard and not reaching towards where you really want to be.
Choosing what you take on
Because you know what you are building and where you're headed, you make deliberate choices that steer you precisely toward your goals.
How we work together
A strategy you have to force yourself to follow won't last long.
You want a compelling strategy you'll be drawn to implement.
Creative strategy development is often a one-size-fits-all approach that implies ticking the right boxes, will create the movement you are seeking.
This is Junk Movement: movement that looks and feels like real momentum but is not.
Catapult Conversations starts with your practice and your life, not with what a strategy is supposed to look like.
Artists, creatives and leaders carry genuine complexity. Together, we hold the complexity and find the practical next step inside it.
Catapult Conversations' focus is on building on a momentum that is self-sustaining, not on haphazard-feel-good junk-activity.
What people say
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Katy hears what is being said beneath the words.
CATAPULT Artist
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My capacity has increased through my work and conversations with Katy.
CATAPULT Artist
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I have improved decision-making and the ability to think strategically.
CATAPULT Artist
About Katy Abbott
Dr Katy Abbott is a composer, educator and mentor with thirty years' experience. Her music is performed around the world, and she was the Composer-In-Residence for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2024. Her education and mentoring work spans decades including Senior Lecturer at Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and more recently, mentoring 60+ artists through her CATAPULT: 6-month Mentoring Residency Program.
More about Katy's music at katyabbott.com
Ways to work together on your career strategy →
The Collaboration Agreement Checklist
Start here
Momentum is built out of small deliberate decisions made before you need them.
Conversations you have prior to the start of a collaboration are important for the health of the project, the people and the outcome. Who owns what? Who gets credited? What happens when the scope changes? What will you do if it is going pear-shaped?
One, gentle, clear conversation can set you all up for success.
You also find out early on if this is a collaboration you really want, and the often awkward conversations (like money) get decided while everything is calm.
Nothing is left to be assumed, resented or remembered.
The Collaboration Agreement Checklist gives you questions to ask, points to clarify or discuss and language you can borrow.
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Catapult Conversations is the mentoring practice of Dr Katy Abbott · katyabbott.com