and she looked up

If you need a good dose of hope and inspiration this week, then Episode 177 is for you. Canadian writer and author Beka Shane Denter joins the show to talk about her latest book, Bloom Across Canada - an inspirational collection of conversations with 50 diverse women and non-binary creatives entrepreneurs from all across Canada.  

Melissa and Heather explore the transformative power of intentional rituals in our creative practices. Rituals are different from habits. And, there's real science behind them and how they affect our brains. They can help shape our creative mindset, help us achieve a state of flow, quite our inner critic and much more!

Classically trained fashion designer Rebecca Rowe talks about how she pivoted her business (and how a disaster pushed her to embrace that pivot full force!) from a designer to a stylist who helps other women find confidence in their wardrobe. And then, she took on what, at first glance, appeared to be a surprising collaboration to expand her business even further. Take a listen and it will all make sense!

Increasing Average Order Value (AOV) can have a big impact on your bottom line! I share 15 ideas for you to try in your creative business that will help you grow your revenue without growing your customer base (but you should work on both!). You’ll learn how this simple shift can transform your business, no matter what you sell or what creative services you offer. It also happens to be kinda fun!

In the Season 6 opener of the podcast, Melissa and Heather jump into the deep end to talk about creating our creative process. When was the last time you questioned why you create the way you do? Are you in a rut - or too comfortable? Have you mixed things up lately? So here's your reminder that we, as creatives, get to CREATE - or RECREATE our own creative process! Here's how...

With the Season 5 finale, Melissa and Heather talk about rest and why it's so critical for self-employed creatives.  What does rest look like (no it's not sleep - but that's critical too!)? It's not a "one size fits all" concept. It may be a two week vacation but what if a "leave the house" vacation isn't possible?  We dig deep into ways we can ensure rest is part of our creative cycle - whether you're an introvert, extrovert, parent, caregiver, managing multiple roles, financially strapped or somebody who needs movement or somebody who needs stillness.

Canadian photographer, recipe developer and blogger Heidi Richter talks about her work as both a commercial and editorial food and nature photographer as well as the challenges of being a small, creative business owner, juggling multiple roles, mom guilt, creative burnout and why we need to be both assertive, human and adaptable in an age of technological change and generative AI.  

This episode is all about the risks of building your creative business on the backs of other businesses - namely social media platforms and marketplaces - like Etsy.  These are platforms where the customers and users are not yours, where you can be removed at any time and where algorithms are created to support the platform's goals - not yours. So, what can you do instead?

Alexandra Newbould is an artist who's work you know. As a Toronto based freelance courtroom sketch artist and fashion and architecture illustrator, her work has appeared all across North America on newscasts, in newspapers and print, online and in brand marketing campaigns. She joins us to talk about the challenges and rewards of being a freelance illustrator, tattoo artist and, her newest venture,  working as an event artist who captures special moments in people's lives.  

You’ve made or created the thing. You’ve put it on social media and your website or Etsy. But nobody has bought it. So how the heck are you supposed to find your customers?? Melissa and Heather do a deep dive into how to find your people - and how to sell to them without it being weird or uncomfortable - even if you’re an introvert or shy (or both).