After sharing 20 Email Newsletter Ideas for Your Creative Business a few weeks ago, one question kept coming in... what the heck is a Forever Series? So this week, I'm sharing what it is, why you need one and why this might be the hardest working tool in your creative business toolbox (and one of the easiest to set up and keep going!).
Read MoreThere is a hidden gem - right in your neighbourhood - that's an astonishing wealth of inspiration, resources, and community building opportunities. And it's all FREE. University librarian, Dr. Christina Neigel stops by to help us navigate this amazing resource we all have access to!
Read MoreYou have an email list. You know you should be talking to your subscribers but... you have NO IDEA what to send them! Melissa & Heather give you 20 email newsletter ideas to help you engage with your subscribers, build a community around your work and... make money! You don't have to be sales-y all the time - the first four letters in newsletter are NEWS. But, remember, you can always ask for the sale. It just doesn't always have to be the prime focus of every newsletter!
Read MoreAs a multi-passionate creative herself, creativity coach and host of the Multi-Passionate Artists Podcast, Diane Foy understands how difficult it is for multi-passionate creative entrepreneurs to present themselves to the world. This week she joins the podcast to talk about the power of personal branding and showing the world all the wonderful things you do instead of trying to keep them under wraps!
Read MoreAlberta singer/songwriter Sharon Marie White talks about her deep roots as a musician and performer and how she let her music move to the background as she found other ways to contribute to her family. Now, after putting her music on hold for decades, she's back and she's just getting started - in an era where women are no longer willing to put up with ageism as working creatives!
Read MoreRaj Thandhi, the Creative Director and owner of Pink Chai Media as well as the blogger behind Pink Chai Living joins Melissa this week to talk about choosing a word of the year and why this has been such a beneficial exercise for both of them over the years - in their businesses and their personal lives.
Read MoreMelissa & Heather sit down and do an honest evaluation of their 2021 goals and look ahead to how they're approaching and setting goals for 2022. They include the good, the great, the bad and the really ugly. They all happened in 2021 but with that came some valuable lessons to be carried over into goal planning for 2022.
Read MoreAuthor, journalist and freelance writer Tiffany Mayer joins Melissa to talk about some of the biggest mistakes we tend to make as freelancers in the creative services. Are you making these mistakes?
Read MoreSaskatoon's Kristen Raney of Shifting Roots went from being a professional singer to an urban gardener, floral artist and content entrepreneur. In this episode, Kristen shares how she created a successful multi-revenue stream business. Operating from an abundance mindset with a belief in the power of collaboration and education, Kristen has not only brought her audience along for the ride, she's turned the power of growing that community into a revenue generating business strategy.
Read MoreAre you ready to quit your day job and take your creative business full time? Or maybe you have a creative business already but you're ready to try something new. Then this episode is for you! We walk you through the really big things you need to think about before making the leap!
Read MoreWhen perfectionism rears its head and brings you down, it’s important to remember that its the quirky imperfections in our work that make it perfect.
Read MoreMulti-passionate creative entrepreneur, nutritionist and 2x best selling author Meghan Telpner sits down with Melissa to talk about her creative & entrepreneurial journey, the importance of building community, experimenting & inspiration, and finding alignment and coherence through the heart-brain connection to foster happiness and creativity.
Read MoreIn Part 2 of our conversation on pricing models for creative businesses, Melissa and Heather talk about budget or value based pricing and hybrid pricing (where you offer a premium tier and a budget tier). Team that up with last week's episode on premium pricing and you have all three models to evaluate - which one is best for your business?
Read MoreIn Part 1 of a 2 part series on pricing models for your creative business, Melissa and Heather talk about premium pricing models for both creative services and physical products - and why this particular model is about so much more than just your price!
Louisa Hrennikoff is the designer and maker behind Vancouver based jewellery brand, Luli Designs and she's a craft market veteran. This week she shares her best tips for prepping for craft market season! Everything from how much inventory to stock to how to build your booth display (and much more!)
Read MoreBetty Shin Binon (aka Stems and Forks) has gone from being one of Toronto's most successful floral designers to now being highly sought after for her photography and video work in her distinct chiaroscuro style. We talk about the challenges and courage that go into making a creative career change a little later in life. And we discuss the power of education, the importance of continuous learning and how generously sharing our knowledge and creative process can take us far.
Read MoreAs Managing Director of Devour! The Food Film Festival, Lia Rinaldo and her team have grown a small, niche film festival in Wolfville, N.S into the largest film festival related to all things culinary in the world! She had to get small to go big and this week she shares her story with us. We talk about niching down, curating the work of other creatives, grass roots marketing, applying for grants and, of course, pivoting in a pandemic!
Read MoreAs the busiest season of the year for creative businesses approaches we talk about how to make time for self-care - and what self-care really is (it's not just a massage or spa appointment)! Hit the ground running and make this holiday season your best with a body and mind that are up to the challenges. And schedule in some downtime for the new year to rest and recuperate.
Read MoreWe pour an inordinate amount of time into social media for the benefit of our creative businesses. But is it financially, creatively or mentally worth it? Melissa & Heather get into the pros & cons of creating endless content to feed an insatiable beast.
Read MoreAs creative business owners, our creativity is our livelihood - which means it's so important we take steps to protect it. Attorney Andrea Henry shares some legal basics for our businesses and how to keep our valuable work safe and working hard for us.
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