Sustaining Creativity Podcast
Sustaining Creativity Podcast
Creative Listening with Maria-Katarina Johannesson
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Creativity through the lens of a link building specialist, marketing expert and brand growth
"I try to live and step into what is scarry. Feel the fear and do it anyway!"
Linksandmaria - or by her very Swedish name ”Maria-Katarina Johannesson” - is a people-first marketing expert who is currently navigating new motherhood and a plant obsession. She specializes in the art of getting brands not only seen but trusted, using link building to send out the right signals in a constantly evolving landscape. She is interested in patterns, and building bridges (but has a fear of walking on them). She tries to honor her creative side by always asking the question: “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”
Website/social media:
https://www.tiktok.com/@linksandmaria
Welcome to the Sustaining Creativity Podcast. I'm your host, Mari Riesberg. Over the past several years, I've combined my degrees in acting and somatic psychology to share my sustaining creativity techniques with performers. And now I've decided to share with a bigger audience that includes you. I believe we're all creative, and this podcast is all about that. I'll be interviewing people from all backgrounds, ages, and creativity experiences to share just how creative we all are. Today I'll be chatting with Maria Katarina Johannesson. She's a link building specialist, marketing, and brand growth expert. Please enjoy Maria Katarina Johanneson. Welcome to the Sustaining Creativity Podcast. Today I'm chatting with Maria Katrina Johanneson. Welcome to the show.
SPEAKER_02Thank you so much for having me. I'm so happy to be here.
MariI am so happy to have you joining me. I cannot wait to dive into creativity and learn more about the work you do. You're a link building specialist, a marketing expert, and you work with brand growth. I can't wait to dive into all the creativity that shows up there. But before we jump in, why don't you let our listeners know a little bit more about yourself and what it is you do?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. So I think you uh summarized what I do very, very well. And what I would like to add to that is perhaps that I have a very human-centered focus. And I think that matters because we talk so much about AI in uh in today's world, how we can become more effective. And you know, instead of doing something that takes uh five steps, uh AI can do it in one. And I think we just gotten a bit lost that, you know, just because it takes you a little a human a little bit longer, that doesn't mean it's that's uh necessarily wrong or the wrong method. Um so uh I like to see uh say a bit jokingly, but that I bring friendly plants because I'm also a very plant-oriented person to every link building campaign. And um it's just very, very important for me on a very like personal level to uh never forget that human perspective because SEO is so technical, and although I do like my data, I do like Excel sheets, not gonna lie, but I think that has more to do with my nerdy side when you when we talk, when you talk to a client, when you talk to another human being, it's about and I I know you of all people would know this, that it's about meeting people where they are.
MariYes, absolutely, yeah.
SPEAKER_01That was a very long answer, sorry.
MariNo, it was lovely. Um I appreciate all of the pieces that go into the work that you do, and and yeah, for individuals who may not know what link building is, would you mind sharing a little bit about that?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. So uh I would describe it like this for a non-tech person. Uh, think of it as a digital high-fives. Let's say, yeah. So that is the short version. If we are gonna go a little bit further without the technical jargon, it's basically like uh another website, ideally in a related field uh that you are operating in, who is giving you uh a link, a hyperlink that you can click on, and it takes you and it takes the user to your website. So it's in essence, it's actually like uh you are building a reputation. That's what it is. Somebody someone is giving you a part of their reputation and saying, Hey, I want to be associated with this website, I want to be associated with this brand.
MariGot it, got it. It's it's the networking, the virtual networking. Yes, absolutely, absolutely, yeah. Wonderful. Well, you live a creative life and work in creativity, and I'm curious what it means. What does it mean to you to be creative?
SPEAKER_01Many things. Uh the first thing that comes to mind, uh, just to give you a little bit of back uh backstory, uh English is obviously not my first language. Uh, I think your listeners can hear that. And uh with that comes uh that I yeah, if we move back into uh into the future, I was about to say, well, look who's tired. I mean, maybe we can one day.
SPEAKER_02Well, I was gonna I was gonna say we're gonna move back in history.
SPEAKER_01Uh uh, I used to run a Swedish agency and uh you know, only doing work in Swedish. And then I was like, I really want uh try to go international international and uh explore this opportunity. The Swedish, I mean let's face it, the Swedish market is it's it's comfortable, it's nice, it's very safe. Oh, I had so many, so much anxiety and just like I cannot do it. But then, and this is to answer your question, I try to really live and really step into what I just thought was really scary. So I really try to feel the fear and do it anyway. To me, that is what's being creative is all about, and it's really hard, but it's uh it makes you evolve.
MariYes, it does, and I love that feel the fear and do it anyway. Where did that come? Was that something you grew up with, or where where did you yeah, I just woke up one day and I have it all right?
SPEAKER_02No, don't worry, I'm not a superhuman.
SPEAKER_01Uh I uh my dad, uh he's always been uh an entrepreneur and he's always been self-employed. So I was on a from a very early age, I was introduced to this. He's also a copywriter. So, you know, I I remember going to his office and just like looking at the notes, and just like I was it was like I was breathing a create like creative air, even like uh from young age. Yeah, and he just showed me that not only that there are alternative ways to live your life, but also he's always told me that being creative is not about being right or wrong, it's just like we try this, you do this, we try this, throw out ideas. Some ideas are gonna be good, some idea ideas are gonna be bad. Just just throw out ideas, just try it. And that's been very, very valuable for me to um in order also to be able to feel the fear and do it anyway.
MariAbsolutely. I I love the just breathing creative air is uh it creates such a wonderful image in my mind of what that was like for you and navigating that in your life today. How do you bring the the creative air into what you do and into your life outside of work?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um I love spending time with children, talk to children, just talk to uh people in general. I am uh in Sweden we have an expression called logum, and this term means not too much and not too little. You should be logum, you should just be like in the safe space. I I I think you probably picked up I'm not very logom. Uh I uh I am this type of person who likes to. I actually just started this the other the other month. I I started to make like a big uh thermos with uh coffee, and then I go down to the local park and I'm I bring like some extra cups in in case some you know I meet some nice people and I just like it and they can be young, they can be older, it doesn't really matter. Um for me it's all about meeting people and and not only meeting people but actively listening to them. Oh does that make sense? Absolutely, yes. Um that really inspires me and nature, obviously. I'm a huge plant person, and um I think because I would in a way uh like a a part of Maria would like my life to be an excel. I would like to live in an Excel sheet, if I'm if I'm honest. Um and I just think that I have to balance that. So that's where the chill kids, that's where uh plants, that's where you know being spontaneous come in.
MariYeah, yeah, it's that's a a good balance. Challenging sometimes to engage with it, but yeah, a good good balance to have. Yeah, yeah. And so when you are, you know, what inspired you to take a thermos of coffee to the park? And where did that idea generate from?
SPEAKER_02That that is a very good question. Uh my partner asked me the same. Uh, he was like, You are you sure you're Swedish?
SPEAKER_01And I was like, No, but I I'm gonna do it anyway. Well, you know. Um I I I just want to uh you gotta be the change, right? You just have to take part and you know act. Uh and again, it goes back to the field of fear and doing do it anyway. Yes. I mean, it's not like I'm waiting to harass a random random person with a cup of coffee, but you you know what I mean. Yeah, uh but it's about these moments to moments, uh, because it's so and I talk about this and I write about it a lot about getting caught up in a maze or the maze that life is, you know, it's children, it's just day-to-day grind and uh you know, getting enough uh jobs and bookings and uh you know patients and clients or whatever, then parents and getting older, like and uh it's just finding these outlets. And uh I actually met my neighbor the other day and I was I was circling around. Uh actually it was a bit uh creepy, actually, but uh she was talking on the phone, so I I didn't want to obviously approach her then, but then I had spotted her, and then I I was like, Oh, are you here?
MariI love that. I'm I'm so curious. Being that you are Swedish and live in Sweden, what what is the Swedish culture relationship to creativity?
SPEAKER_01Um, but it's a very good question. I think we are in general a very uh creative uh people like pre-people. Um and I think that the fact or the reason for that is one big reason is that it's dark half time of the year. Sure. No, it I'm I'm being serious. So in the between like November to March, it varies, but it on uh average it gets dark around three, four uh in the evening. Yeah, um, so I think that not only does that allow people to sit inside and create whatever whatever that means for them, yeah. Uh, but also because we live in such there's so many like their seasons here when the spring and the summer arrives, you know. I mean you could spot a uh a suite miles away. I know the people are not be gonna be able to see me, but you can see you know, describe what I do. This is this is uh a suite that you you know just close close uh the eyes and just staring at the sun. That's that's who we are. And I just think the season really helped with it being uh the crea getting into the create creative mind.
MariI love hearing different cultures and experiences of creativity around the world because I think it's so it's such a value for others to hear what that experience is and to see where there's crossover or where things feel similar in that you know, that more inward time of year versus the outward expression of creative opportunity or just life and people in general. So thank you.
SPEAKER_02No worries. Yeah.
MariWell, in terms of uh, you know, the work you do working with people and navigating spreadsheets, uh when you find yourself coming up against challenges, or what are some of the challenges you find yourself facing and how do you navigate them?
SPEAKER_01One big thing for me in order uh to answer your question, how to navigate them. Um for me, it's a big a big one is to get caught up in this maze. Yeah, that I start to focus on the wrong things. Yeah, that I am uh and then you know all of a sudden three hours have just passed. And I'm just like, what exactly did I do? Well, nothing. It's so stupid. Uh and then you I you but then and then you can like really get down to it uh down in uh like a downward spiral with uh where you can feel resentment and and all those sort of things, like oh I'm so unprofessional, I shouldn't do it, blah blah blah blah. Um for me a big thing uh that has helped is to uh to pause and reflect. Uh I really like Tara Brach with the rain um uh model. I don't know if you're familiar with that um with her. It's um very much like it's basically like grounding work that you that you name uh that you first recognize what you are actually feeling, you you name it, you give it space, uh, you hold it, you try not to uh like label it as good or bad or whatever, you just let it exist, and um for me that has that is very helpful just because I am a very impatient and I am just like my my partner sometimes call me I'm a sergeant, like because I I am like what do you do with this and now you do and and I I mean it's not wrong. I have my moments for sure, and um but uh uh even the sergeant needs to um you know zoom out and uh really uh you know take that pause and uh reflect on what is actually happening inside of me. Right.
MariHow do you remind yourself to pause? Are you someone that does it at the same time every day or builds it in? Or how do you create that pause for yourself?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so uh actually I have a mindfulness uh teacher uh that I uh work with or um and that has helped me a lot. And uh where I when I come to her and I just uh I am in this Excel sheet uh brain state, uh and she's just like only this much. Can we allow it in an allowing space? And I'm just like you know, it's just it's just it's just it's like she just you know take the key and just unlocks the door, and I'm just like yes, uh sleep. Um so so so that's a it's a big thing, and uh another thing that now unfortunately they they're not my neighbors anymore, but uh I used to have um uh neighbors that they had two kids, and um uh I've known them since they were since they were like serious zero and I used to babysit them and uh uh so uh that would always have help. And that's why I say you know, children, they are they are just pure joy. They have uh whatever they discover is just like oh my god, I cannot believe this just happened to me. And it's just it's just it that is mindfulness, it's amazing, it's just it's beautiful, yeah, beautiful souls.
MariOh, I love that. I love the having someone to support the mindfulness that is important, and when we get to practice it so we can do it when we're not with our teacher. That's the win. Yes, absolutely. So in a in your typical day, when uh I guess what is my question? I'm curious how uh creativity shows up in your day-to-day life, whether it's particularly at work, are you someone who does, you know, color-coded things, or is that how your creativity shows up?
SPEAKER_01Uh that's a very good question. So um I do a lot of like video related things, uh audits and uh like just videos for like content creation and so forth. And uh actually, also is I have another motto that really comes in in hand when I do these sort of things, and it's when the the doubts kick in and so forth. Then I think, why not? Why shouldn't I do it? Just do it. Why not? Why not? Yeah, because uh again, you know, isn't that what creativity is? Like you want to push the boundaries, you want to expand, you want to add another color, or you want to go like hmm, maybe we can do it like this. Oh, maybe we should draw it like this. Oh, let's try out, let's see what happens.
MariI love that. Allowing your creative life force to come through in the work and and be willing to embrace it in a big way. That's so powerful, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I don't know if uh if I can just share another thing. Please. Um so uh I had I really like um when it makes sense. Uh I like to uh you know I like to talk into taxi drivers. So whenever I'm in a cab, I love speaking to the drivers. And uh just I just feel like they have fantastic often very like interesting stories and uh do you know wisdom. And I'm very intrigued again, going back to the people aspect.
MariYeah.
SPEAKER_01So last month I was talking to this taxi driver, and uh he all of a sudden, I mean, I haven't obviously asked his age or anything, but all of a sudden he was like, Do you know how old I am? And I told him, I have no idea. Please tell me. And he was like, I'm seventy six years old. And I I I I got shocked. I was like, Are you joking? He's like, No, I I'm not and then I then I of course, I mean he he I was like, You look so fresh. Like, what is the secret sauce? I was like, What have you done? Like, tell me everything And he's like, I'm gonna tell you. I don't watch the news. I just watch Donald Duck several hours per day. And I just thought that was the most hilarious.
MariYes. Oh my goodness. Like what a beautiful keeping yourself young.
SPEAKER_01And he's like, I just laugh. Just laugh. Watch like uh cartoons, and you're gonna look like me. So maybe we should try it out. I don't know.
MariYeah, I mean, it's it is a huge part of childhood and is important and in growth. And I love that. Uh thank you for sharing that. Yeah, thank you for giving me the opportunity. Well, for people who may feel like their creativity is heavy or lost, or how would you encourage them to find their creativity again?
SPEAKER_01Um I think as humans we are so wired to put labels on ourselves like who are you? I do this, I I am a woman and I do link building or I do this. Instead of thinking like that, because that's your current state, right? Think about who are you becoming. Or who do you would you like to become, and how would that person act? And if it's hard to see yourself, just think it think of it as in a like in third person.
MariThat's great advice. And yeah, who would you like to become? Okay. Or who would Mari like to become? Exactly. Yeah, okay. That's a great tool to play with and write about and all right. That's so fun. And and sounds like a like a fun project to do.
SPEAKER_01No, yes, because I I I try to apply it myself and whenever I feel uh uh you know, to go back to the uh to moving from the Swedish market to the international market, I I I detached myself from it and I started to think about like a person with me with a similar background and experience like like me. And then it was easier to make that transition to remove the shame because shame is such a complicated feeling.
MariIt is okay. Well, I hope listeners practice it or try try it out. Who who would you like to become? I think that's a wonderful piece. And this has been such a wonderful conversation. I have one last question for you. What does it feel like in your body to be creative?
SPEAKER_01It feels like warm and like bubbles. Bubbles.
MariI love it.
SPEAKER_01Because bubbles are playful.
MariYes, they absolutely are. I love that. Thank you for sharing all of this and taking the time to join me. If people want to learn more about the work you do and have out in the world, how could they go about doing that?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Thank you again for having me. I loved it. I could have talked for probably a few more hours. Yes. Maybe for another time, but um, so uh you can just google links and Maria in one word. Uh, if you feel up for the challenge to type my Swedish name, it's Maria Katarina Johanneson. Very confusing. I know. Just type in links to Maria. Email me Maria at linksamaria.com and uh, you know, just share what your create creative journey looks like, and I would happily answer.
MariLovely. Well, I will put links in show notes so people have very easy access. And thank you so much for taking the time to join me. This has been such a fantastic conversation. Thank you so much. Thanks for listening to the Sustaining Creativity Podcast. We'd love to keep in touch, so follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We are at Sustaining Creativity. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Tag your friends and family so they can listen too. We'd love to hear from you, so leave your reviews, comments, and questions. Check out our website, sustainingcreativity.com, for upcoming offerings and creativity coaching. Tune in Tuesdays for our next episode. And remember, with creativity, anything's possible.