Breaking Free from Undervaluing:
Ivy Malik on Creative Confidence, Pricing with Purpose, and Business from the Inside Out
On this episode of the HeadSmack Podcast, host Paul Povolni talks with Ivy Malik—a former restaurateur turned business coach who helps creative entrepreneurs break free from fear, overthinking, and undercharging. With a background in psychology, 16+ years of business experience, and a deep passion for protecting undervalued creatives, Ivy blends mindset, marketing, and human design to help creatives build businesses that actually feel good to run.
From Film Dreams to Restaurateur Reality
Growing up in Sweden with a Pakistani father who urged her to get a “real degree,” Ivy set aside her filmmaking dreams and earned a master’s in psychology instead. Though she never pursued a formal psychology career, the principles would later inform everything from staff communication to customer experience in her 10-year run as the owner of a successful Swedish restaurant in London.
Her restaurant became her first real business education—teaching her the value of emotional intelligence, negotiation, and adaptability. Through it, she fed her creativity, mastered communication under pressure, and began helping her artist friends navigate pricing and client boundaries.
The Headsmack Question That Changed It All
After dreaming of opening a cozy cafe, Ivy’s plans were set in motion when someone simply asked: “Why haven’t you done it yet?” That single question became a catalyst. She built a plan, pitched it, secured funding (on the second try), and launched a business that would thrive for a decade.
Eventually, she sold the restaurant to start a family—and that transition opened the door to her second act: coaching.
Helping Creatives Value Themselves (and Get Paid Well for It)
Ivy began coaching the same types of creatives she’d protected for years: designers, stylists, illustrators, and photographers. She helps them:
- Price with confidence
- Get over the fear of selling
- Develop clear, compelling offers
- Position themselves strategically without losing authenticity
Her approach is individualistic, anti-cookie-cutter, and rooted in the reality that creative entrepreneurs are often deeply sensitive, self-critical, and avoidant when it comes to business decisions.
Where Creatives Get Stuck
Most of Ivy’s clients don’t struggle with talent—they struggle with:
- Pricing their services
- Asking for money
- Relying only on referrals
- Overthinking every business decision
And when things aren’t working, they often blame what’s easiest to control: visuals. Ivy’s job is to shift their focus from logos and color palettes to positioning, lead generation, sales strategy, and energetic alignment.
Energetic Alignment Over Hustle
While Ivy doesn’t market herself as a spiritual coach, she often helps clients reconnect with their intuition. She believes strategy alone can fall flat without emotional alignment. When your energy is off, your marketing feels forced. When you’re aligned, results flow naturally.
She teaches that your body knows before your mind does—and listening to your intuition is often the missing link between doing everything “right” and still not getting results.
Sales Without the Ick
Ivy specializes in making sales feel natural. Her tools include:
- Mirror work to get comfortable saying your price
- Sales roleplay to build conversational confidence
- Pricing frameworks rooted in skill, experience, and confidence
The result? Designers who once charged $1,500 for websites confidently charging $10K+.
Final Takeaway: Business That Feels Like Home
For Ivy, coaching creatives isn’t about pushing them to hustle harder. It’s about drawing out their desires, aligning their business with their values, and giving them permission to thrive without compromising who they are.
If you’re a creative entrepreneur who knows you’re undercharging, unsure how to grow, or just tired of feeling stuck, Ivy Malik’s insights offer a refreshing, compassionate path to building a business you love—without selling your soul to do it.
