Creating Your Own Path

Creating Your Own Path is a weekly interview series featuring inspiring individuals and change-makers from various creative industries.In asking others about their journeys, I've found that we creatives often veer off course, forge our own paths and don't always fit a particular mold. We tend to be a multifaceted bunch and this interview series seeks to find common ground among us all. Prepare to be challenged, inspired and motivated.

Rank #1: CYOP #46 - The Benefits of Practice + Creating a Diverse Body of Work with Fine Artist + Illustrator Lisa Congdon.
Today's show brings me to the Portland home of Lisa Congdon and Clay Walsh to chat with Lisa about everything—from her late start as a fine artist and illustrator to how she and Clay are managing all of the opportunities coming their way these days. In this incredibly honest interview, we chat about the strange concept of legitimacy when it comes to a creative career, why Lisa has purposefully chosen not to heed the “pick one thing and get really good at it” advice she’s heard over the years and the benefits of maintaining a daily creative practice. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Rank #2: CYOP #3 - Quieting Your Inner Critic + Lifting Others Up with Melissa Camilleri of Compliment.
Melissa Camilleri of  Compliment // Photo courtesy of  Meredith Carty. In this episode I chat with Melissa Camilleri, the founder and creative director of the incredibly popular Sacramento-based jewelry and stationery business,  Compliment. Listen in as Melissa discusses her journey from educator to jewelry designer, why she thinks everyone deserves to receive a compliment, her passion for giving back to the community and what she's learning as she continues to grow her business. You can also read the full story and listen to the episode on _ The Journal._ _ Creating Your Own Path  episodes are also available for download on  iTunes _and  The Stitcher App. Permalink

Make It Happen

Make It Happen is a podcast for big-hearted creatives who are ready to build an impactful, fulfilling, and sustainable creative life. Brought to you by Jen Carrington, a creative coach, this podcast is for you if you're ready to make things happen in your creative work and life on your own terms, in your own way, and by your own rules every step of the way.

Rank #1: Show up as if you're already where you want to be.
In this episode I share with you my mantra of “showing up as if you’re already where you want to be in your creative work and life” and explore the ways you can honour this along the way in your journey.

Rank #2: Evolving With Your Personal Brand & Work vs Rest with Estée Lalonde.
In this episode of Make It Happen I’m joined by YouTuber, blogger, & soon-to-be author Estée Lalonde. We talk about the evolution of her personal brand, her rebrand last year, and her approach to work/life balance and creativity. 

Explore Your Enthusiasm, with Tara Swiger | Craft | Art | Business

Let's explore what it takes to craft a sustainable, profitable, FUN business, while staying enthusiastic and motivated. Whether you just opened your first Etsy shop, or you've been selling your art, design or writing full-time for years - you struggle with doubt, loneliness, motivation and getting it all done. In this podcast we'll explore what you REALLY want from your small business so that you can follow your enthusiasm, make your art and make money. Each episode is a mini-lesson in exploring what you want out of your OWN business, so that you can craft a life and business that fills your life with enthusiasm. Find more lessons at http://taraswiger.com

Rank #1: 221: Foundations of a healthy business: What you truly need to succeed.
Where should you spend in your business? What actually matters for a profitable, thriving business? And how in the world do you get there? Today we’re going to discuss the foundations of a healthy business. Today we’re going to talk about what really matters in your business. Now, these are the foundations, but this isn’t just for new business owners. In fact, if you’ve got your business together and you’re wondering how you can scale it, or make it more profitable, or make more sales, the answer is almost always in these foundations. But before we go into foundations, I want to remind you that Starship is open right now. The Starship was just overhauled and GOOD NEWS, when you join, you are walked through these foundations, in a series of classes that serve as deep dives into your business. Over the course of three months, you’ll be guided with weekly lessons in these foundations, plus you’ll get access to our community, where you can ask your questions 24/7, our weekly check-in to hold you accountable, and monthly group coaching calls with me - where I will go deep on whatever your question is. In the past, I’ve just given you access to the classes and told you “take what you need”, but I’ve learned over the last 6 years that the biggest transformation happens when work on your foundations in a specific order, and when you have access to ask your questions, when you’re held accountable and when you get coaching help as you go. And now, when you’re done with the 3 month program, you can choose to stay inside the community at an affordable price. As I mentioned, we go through the foundations, but the Starship is for a business that’s set up - that knows what it sells and know how it will sell it. Maybe you don’t have sales yet, but you’re committed to this business and to doing the work to make it thrive. Now, let’s talk about what those foundations actually ARE! There's so much you *could* focus on, but there are a few areas where, if you focus, you can dramatically improve your results. They are: Clarity of your own biz dreams (as opposed to what other people have or want) Honesty about where you ARE Breaking down the gap into goals, and the goals down into actions Profitability (you gotta know your products will make money) Marketing (someone's gotta buy your work - marketing is how you communicate with those buyers) These can be split up into 4 main areas: Mission and Mapping (everything from big-picture to this-month goals) Profitability Marketing Effectiveness (not just doing things quickly, but doing the right things, and feeling good about your workday) Here’s the good news: Just knowing that these are the areas that matter can help you defeat the “OMG WHAT DO I FOCUS ON” overwhelm. You can just come back to this list: Which area needs work? And then work on it! (Not sure HOW to work on it? Or where to start with each area? This is what I teach in the Starship.) What’s super cool is that these areas actually all build on each other - you can’t get a clear picture of your marketing if you don’t what your mission is and you don’t want to do marketing until you KNOW your item is profitable. And you can’t reach your number goals (which we talk about with profitability) unless you actually, ya know, share your work with the right people, using the right language. In other words, working on ONE area is working on ALL areas. It’s like a fractal. Everything you do is reflected around your business. When you work on how you want to communicate with your people, you’ll see the same words and feelings show up in your Mission. Or… exponential:   working on one area improves that area (and often improves sales), then improves the other areas, which improves sales. When I got really clear about my Mission - what I wanted to do in the lives and businesses of makers and artists, my marketing became so much more clear. From the words I use, to the topics I talk about, to the images I use. I suddenly know what to say, because I know what the end goal is; I know what I want my work to do in the person’s life. And that has improved my sales - it doubled within a year of getting ultra-clear! So how about you? Which foundation of your business needs work right now? As you think about that, you may feel really frustrated that you’ve wasted your time on other things, that you didn’t focus on the main foundations and instead got swept up in figuring out the perfect hashtag for your photo - that is ok! We all do it. We all read a blog post or listen to a podcast that is about a specific tactic and without asking “is this what matters to my biz right now?”, we dive into learning about it and trying to implement it. A while ago a few friends started talking about  Facebook ads. So they’ve been talking about it in our group and I have to admit, even though I KNOW advertising isn’t where I want to spend my energy right now, it was tempting! It’s so tempting to work on something that’s outside of my strategy. On the other hand, a lot of makers tell me that they’ve avoided thinking about ANY of this. They just make their thing, put it in their shop… and hope it turns into a business. And you know what? If that’s you, you’re not alone either. That is absolutely where to start. You haven’t done anything wrong if you haven’t started working on profitability or marketing yet. There is a tiny tiny percentage of artists who just make their work available and it all sells out. They don’t have to do any marketing and the numbers magically work out. But those are the unicorns. And you may be a unicorn, but if you have big dreams for your business, I don’t want you to waste your precious life waiting around to find out. Instead, I want you to do the work that makes your biz successful, so that you KNOW it will be. So that you don’t have to rely on outside circumstances, or being “discovered” or wait for someone else’s approval before you build the business you want. And how do you do that? You build each of your foundations. Here’s a few things that each foundation needs. For the foundation of Mission and Mapping, you may need to: Define your dream biz Get clear on your Mission Identify your assets and support Choose a goal Create a plan to reach that goal. For Profitability, you may need to: Know your numbers and how to get them.                    Identify the profit margin for each item and your Break Even Point Variables to experiment with For Marketing, you may need to: Improve how you talk about your work Make it easier for strangers to find you Look at how you build a relationship with potential customers Identify how customers buy + make it easier for them Work to keep customers happy and coming back For Effectiveness, you may need to be: Doing what matters each day Keeping track of all your tasks Streamlining all of your recurring tasks Getting the level of accountability you need in order to get it all done So which one of these, in your business, needs your focus? Which one of these matters MOST for you right now? If you want to work through each one of these and discover everything I listed for each one, join us in the Starship, it’s open now and it closes in a week. Learn more at taraswiger.com/starshipbiz In the new Starship, we cover every one of these foundations, and we explore your answers to these questions: What are your goals? Who are your people? What is your ideal workday like? And instead of feeling overwhelmed about figuring it all out at once, you work on each area, one at a time, over the course of three months. And all along the way you have support, encouragement, group coaching with me, and accountability. Listen in at TaraSwiger.com/podcast221

Rank #2: 226: Why you self-sabotage.
I did not want to talk about this. I have been avoiding this topic for years, even though it's something my listeners and clients as ask all the time: WHY do I keep sabotaging myself? If you feel like you sabotage your own success, today’s episode is for you. So last week I put up 5 different podcast ideas for the Starship to vote on what they most wanted me to talk about...and you know what got the most votes? Self Sabotage! Even though I've been asked this a lot, I've avoided talking about it because...I think it's possible you are NOT sabotaging yourself. Sometimes the things that look like self-sabotage are actually just you taking care of yourself! For example, if you wake up with a headache, like I did last Friday, and you decide NOT to work on your To Do list, even though it's very big and you have a deadline...is that self-sabotage? Or self-care? Now, since we're talking about ME, I bet you'd say: Tara! You have a headache, take the day off, your business will be OK! But if we are talking about YOU, you'd say: Oh, I really should have worked, I have things I know I am supposed to do! I totally sabotaged my list by not working! And girl, that's just wrong. So before we talk about REAL self-sabotage, we gotta get clear that every time you don't work, every time you take a break, every time you decide NOT to show up for something, it's not necessarily ruining everything - sometimes it is you taking care of yourself, or giving yourself what you need. When I asked you (on instagram) for your examples of self-sabotage you told me: When I get an opportunity, but believe I can’t do it, so I don’t follow through. Setting a big goal and then getting sidetracked or not planning, and deciding: “well, all hope is lost!” When I’m scared. I plan a big thing, and then don’t follow through (like a big launch, where then I only send a couple emails instead of doing everything I had planned). Why you self-sabotage You are experiencing more success than your set point is comfortable with (Upper Limit Problem. This is the book about it.) You don't think you deserve it. (Imposter Syndrome) You actually don't want what you're working towards. You'll notice that each of these reasons is actually...self-care! You're protecting yourself from what you think you can't handle or don't want. What you can do about it: 1. Get really specific about what the self-sabotaging activity is and why you did it. Ask yourself: What am I trying to protect? What am I afraid of? This is important because a lot of women TELL me they are sabotaging themselves and when I ask for specifics, they hem and haw, "Well, all the time. I'm just never following through, I never do." Girl, that is a belief you have about yourself. It's a belief, not because it's true, but because you keep saying it to yourself. As long as you keep repeating this and believing it, you're never going to be able to move forward. Until you can believe the opposite ("I show up for what matters. I can do what it takes"), replace it with the truth, "I'm not sure what's up, but I'm doing my best. I'm protecting myself." Move towards trusting yourself to show up by getting clear on exactly what you do and when you do it. Get clear on why you're doing it (what you're protecting yourself from). 2. Let go of the fear. The next step, after you know what you're afraid of, is to look at that fear head on. I like to do fear-setting (from Tim Ferris): What's the worst that can happen? Do you think you can handle that? If not, how likely is that to happen? (Usually, not very likely, or at least not for very long.) What is the much more likely (smaller) thing that may happen? Can you handle THAT? This is the time to use all the tools you have to release fears - therapy, journaling, essential oils, tapping - whatever works for you! 3. Notice all the ways you DO show up for yourself. Do you buy groceries and cook meals? Do you read sometimes? Do you spend some time crafting? Or doing anything you love? THAT is showing up for yourself. YOU ARE DOING IT. And it's transferrable! If you show up in this way you can show up in others. 4. Show up for yourself, even more. And make note of it when you do. Self-sabotage isn’t something to beat yourself up about. It’s something to take care of yourself in the face of. Listen in at TaraSwiger.com/podcast226

ELISE GETS CRAFTY

small business knowledge & thoughts on goal-setting, motivation and creativity.

Rank #1: on using instagram / ep 98.
elise chats with lifestyle blogger Allie Seidel about using Instagram as a platform to promote your work, but also as a tool for connection and engagement. shownotes for this episode can be found at elisejoy.com/podcast/shownotes98

Rank #2: putting yourself out there / ep 75.
elise chats with creative coach, Tiffany Han, about the power of rejection and what can happen when you put yourself out there. shownotes for this episode can be found at elisejoy.com/podcast/shownotes75

She Percolates with Jen Hatzung & Danielle Spurge

Serving up a fresh perspective on success. Our mission is to introduce you to interesting and inspiring women who live all different versions of success. We believe success is an ever evolving concept - it is different for everyone. We believe life is about finding happiness despite detours and imperfections. Embracing the reality that you aren’t always going to have it together and quieting the voice in your head that says you haven’t “made it yet.” Appearing to have it all is not as important as feeling fulfilled for the day, week, month or year. Accepting and celebrating that what will make you feel fulfilled can and will change over time - and it's not the same for everyone.We believe that authenticity is more important than perfection. Our most meaningful relationships and connections are created based on authenticity.

Rank #1: 087: Melyssa Griffin of The Nectar Collective.
As a former web designer and blog coach, Melyssa also has experience working one-on-one with over 150 creatives. And if we're being honest, she’s also obsessed with almond milk lattes and her crazy corgi, Monja.Find Melyssa of The Nectar Collective here:Website & Courses // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // Google+ We had a great time chatting with Melyssa! We jump right in and chat with Melyssa about what success means to her."My definition of success, I would say is - something that brings me joy, I want to do something that I love doing and also something that helps other people in the biggest way possible. I really want to involve as many people and build a strong community for other people. kind of on top of that, i feel like also, it's a taboo thing to say but I worry sometimes about money so having enough money to feel financially stable is something that makes me feel more successful. ... It's easy for me to feel insecure when money is tight so I would say that overall, my definition of success are things that bring me joy, that help people and that also make me feel like money is not an insecurity in my life."We talk with Melyssa about her career teaching English in Japan, and how teaching has always been a corner stone to what she does. Melyssa truly has a heart for teaching and building community. She shares with us how The Nectar Collective shifted over the years, and why she wants to help others feel safe, heard, and empowered."here i was able to create this business pretty much on accident where it wasn't just about the paycheck anymore, now it was about doing something that i really love and involving other people in this dream of mine too."

Rank #2: 038: Tips for Using Instagram, Coffee Talk with Danielle & Jen.
Our Friday Coffee Talk episodes are a time for Danielle and I chat about anything and everything. We are so happy this community enjoys hearing us talk about things that often get discussed at a coffee shop, the things you tell your girlfriends. Today we are sipping coffee and sharing some tips for using Instagram. If you didn't know Danielle and I met via Instagram and a hashtag, and then the Navy god's were in our favor because her husband got stationed in Norfolk, VA and now we are IRL friends and business partners! We share 9 apps we love to use for our instagram photos. {links below} I share my love of using dropbox to back up my phone photos and finally Danielle shares s wealth of knowledge about using hashtags if you are using instagram for business. Danielle's posts about hashtags can be found here and sign up here for even more! We discussed this hilarious bit from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.Apps we love:1. Afterlight 2. Camera+ 3. Picfx 4. Party party app 5. Phonto 6. Instasize 7. A Beautiful Mess 8. Rhonna Designs 9. Aviary For scheduling instagram posts {helpful for businesses} we love schedugr.am. p.s If you would be so kind as to leave us a review on iTunes, we would be forever appreciative. If you are unsure about how leave us a review you can watch this quick tutorial that Danielle put together!

After the Jump

Wednesdays at 1:00PM EST The theme song for After the Jump is "Bell" by Screaming Females Design blogger Grace Bonney of Design\*Sponge takes her love art and design from the web to radio. Through a series of interviews with designers, store owners and up-and-coming members of the creative community, Grace will delve deeper into the world of independent artists. From exploring the day-to-day lives of contemporary makers to discussing the challenges they face, After the Jump will take the conversation off the screen and into real life. Design\*Sponge founder Grace Bonney has a unique angle on the industry, having worked as a contributing editor at Domino, House & Garden and Craft magazines, and as a freelancer with top publications like New York Home, Food and Wine, In Style, Better Homes and Gardens, New York Magazine, CITY Magazine, Time Out New York Kids, Archinect, The New York Post, Everyday with Rachael Ray and others. In addition, she wrote a weekly design column for the Philadelphia Inquirer for two years and has worked as Style Editor of HGTV’s Ideas Magazine. She is also the author of "Design Sponge at Home." Heritage Radio Network. All Rights Reserved.

Rank #1: Episode 50: Organize & Simplify.
Learn how to simplify your life on this week’s installment of After the Jump! Grace Bonney is joined by Design*Sponge’s Amy Azzarito and Max Tielman to discuss daily routines, stress reducers, and more! Find out how daily rituals help keep these Design*Sponge staffers sane, and how repeated actions can help curb decision fatigue. Learn how to delegate tasks in your small business in order to maintain quality control and relieve individual pressures. Tune in to find out what recommendations Grace, Amy, and Max suggest in order to stay organized and efficient! This program has been brought to you by BluePrint Cleanse. “Once it’s on my calendar, my brain doesn’t have to keep track of it.” [16:00] “Being a visual person, I always try to reduce visual clutter.” [25:10] — Max Tielman on After the Jump

Rank #2: Episode 20: Becoming Your Brand.
On today’s episode of After the Jump, Grace Bonney is once again joined by Design*Sponge’s managing editor Amy Azzarito to discuss becoming your own brand. Tune in to hear Grace and Amy list some of the the “dos & don’ts” of branding yourself. Learn about the different steps to take in order to personalize and get visibility for your business. Create a mission statement and work on your elevator pitch! Hear about the importance of focus and expertise to make your creative work stand out! Learn to navigate the tricky world of self-promotion; how can you get the word out about your business without seeming self-absorbed? Grace and Amy help you stay organized and work on the logistics of your own personal business image! This episode has been brought to you by Clarkson Potter Publishers. One of the most important things about being an expert is that you never want to stop learning. Even if this is your field of expertise, you’re always going to want to work to better yourself.” [8:25] — Amy Azzarito on After the Jump “Be who you are, own who you are. There’s a real value in being relate-able.” [25:51] — Grace Bonney on After the Jump

Dear Handmade Life

Dear Handmade Life is all about intimate stories and practical advice for living a creative life filled with purpose. The show’s host, Nicole Stevenson, is the co-founder of Patchwork Show: A Modern Makers Festival and Craftcation: A Business and Makers Conference. Along with expert guests, she uses decades of experience in the handmade community, owning businesses, and the highs-and-lows of living creatively to tackle bi-weekly topics that any artist can relate to.

Rank #1: Episode 10: Wheels to Bricks.
Taco Maria is a food truck turned brick-and-mortar in Costa Mesa, Calif., and in less than two years they've become home to one of LA Time's Pultizer Prize winning food critic's, Jonathan Gold's, top 10 dishes. Then, chef Carlos Salgado was named one of Food & Wine's Best Chefs of 2015. Delilah and Nicole chat with Carlos about what it took to turn his food truck into one of the best restaurants in Southern California.

Rank #2: Episode 67: Making Etsy Work for You in 2018.
Delilah and Nicole talk to Danielle Spurge of The Merriweather Council about how to make Etsy work for your business. They discuss the relevance of Etsy in 2018, the role of trends on the platform, tips for standing out in a sea of competition and more!  Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

The Creative Empire™ Podcast

Each week, Reina + Christina bring you up close with the influencers you dream of meeting at conferences and workshops, but maybe don't have a budget to attend yet. Sprinkled in between these are teaching episodes, and mentoring that walks show listeners through common problems with solutions during their early days of business.

Rank #1: Episode 198: How To Turn Your Passion Into A Profitable Endeavor, with Cathy Heller - the Creative Empire podcast.
Today, Reina and Christina are joined today by Cathy Heller of the Don't Keep Your Day Job Podcast. Outside of building a huge podcasting following, Cathy is also a song writer and her music has been featured in places like Walmart, McDonald's, Crate and Barrel, and many tv shows. At the beginning of the episode, we learn more about Cathy and how she has landed where she is today. She shares more about why personal relationships are important in business and how you can use your passion without being salesy.  The trio discuss what being in hustle mode is and how to align yourself with it. Lastly, Cathy shares getting feedback from your audience and being quiet for yourself. Main Takeaways:How she has landed where she is today [0:02:52]Why personal relationships are so important + caring for others [0:15:45]How to be passionate about your business without being salesy [0:22:59]What offerings she has to serve you [0:28:36]Why you have to align yourself with the hustle [0:29:22]Why you should get feedback from your friends + audience [34:10]How to be quiet + figuring out what you are really good at [0:36:!3]What aligning with your thing feels like + having courage [0:43:04] “What you seek is seeking you.” — Cathy Heller Show Notes:Ron FairLady GagaAtlanticCraig KallmanVarietyBillboardJulie Solomon - Her Creative Empire EpisodeJustin Timberlake6-Figures SongwritingDannie FountainOprahTim FerrissTony RobbinsAlli Webb “There is a game plan if you want to understand how to make something that someone else needs.” — Cathy Heller Bio:As the creator and host of the popular podcast Don’t Keep Your Day Job, Cathy Heller is growing one of the biggest, most engaged audiences in the podcast world.  In just a few short months, Cathy’s podcast has climbed high up on the iTunes charts, is sponsored by world class brands, and draws thousands of listeners to feast upon each inspiring episode. Heller’s mission is to offer real tools and insight to help others find a sense of purpose and newfound fulfillment in their work. Far too many people live lives of quiet desperation and never find a way to express their unique gift. Heller is driven to see more people happily making a living doing what they love. Despite the cynics, the evidence is there that many have made careers from what they most enjoy. Whether it’s baking, screenwriting, sewing, painting or dance, it’s certainly attainable to turn your passion into profit. Heller’s listeners are already writing in about the steps her show has inspired them to take. As Heller’s following has grown, she’s created an online course based on the demand of her fans. She's created an active Facebook community, where listeners post about their career ambitions, support one another and share their challenges as they go through the process of building their business. Those who want the full step by step guide to reaching their goals, enroll for Cathy’s course. Prior to her podcast, Cathy was known for having hand crafted a career as a songwriter, licensing her music to Film/TV and Advertising. Songs of hers have been featured in ads for Mcdonald's, Walmart, Kellogs and many TV shows, films and even a few theme songs. Her journey has been documented in magazines and newspapers, like Variety, Billboard and the LA Weekly. After earning multi-six figures each year with her own songs, she started an agency, helping other artists to do the same. She has spoken on the DIY hustle and how to reverse engineer your dream job at countless places such as UCLA, the Grammy Museum, Billboard Film/TV conference, ASCAP Expo, Berklee School of music and more. A graduate from Florida State University, Heller currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters. When not podcasting, teaching or speaking, Cathy is still songwriting. Most recently, she wrote the main title theme song to a show called Llama Llama, soon to be out on Netflix, starring Jennifer Garner. In her free time she’s busy playing dress up with her little girls (5 and 3 years old) and enjoying the youngest, Madeleine, who is only 5 months old.Social Handles:WebsiteFacebookTwitterPodcast Do you love what you've heard? Add this graphic to your Insta Story!

Rank #2: Episode 234: Why Pinterest Should Be A Priority In Your Business, with Cara Chace - the Creative Empire podcast.
Today, Reina and Chrisina are joined today by Cara Chace, who is a Pinterest Marketing and Squarespace design expert. Cara is sharing all about Pinterest and how it can be used in your business. At the beginning of the episode, Cara shares how she got started in the creative industry and how she has niched her business down into Pinterest. We learn about why we should be using Pinterest as business owners and learn what a promoted pin is. Towards the end of the episode we hear how to start with Pinterest and what some of the best practices are for the platform! Main Takeaways:How Cara got started + where her business is now [0:01:53]Why Pinterest should be a priority in your business [0:08:19]What promoted pins are  + why you should use them [0:15:30]What a "tripwire" is [0:23:18]Where to start with Pinterest [0:25:09]How to create keyword optimized descriptions + best practices [0:27:24]What the most important things are for Pinterest [0:33:43] “Keywords get you found, graphics get you clicked.” — Cara Chace Show Notes:MegadethMelyssa Griffin's Pinfinite Growth CourseShopifyBig CommerceTailwindPinterest PowerUpCara's Freebies + Resources “As far as ad dollars, my minimum threshold is there’s got to be an e-mail exchange for it.” — Cara Chace Bio:Meet Cara Chace - Pinterest Marketing + Squarespace Design are her JAM. She started in social media marketing in 2011 by managing 13 million fans across 17 social media accounts for a worldwide band. Since then, she's gone on to create hashtag campaigns for cities and their tourism boards, websites for entertainers and small businesses, and online courses to help online entrepreneurs like YOU figure out this whole digital marketing puzzle for their business. When she's not geeking out on Pinterest and Squarespace, she's listening to music, reading in fuzzy slippers, or entertaining her kiddo with dance parties and doing the "funny faces" on Snapchat.Social Handles:WebsiteFacebookPinterestInstagramLinkedIn Do you love what you've heard? Add this graphic to your Insta Story!

Creative Start

Weekly interviews with your favorite creative entreprenuers about their journey to success. New episodes every Tuesday morning.

Rank #1: 005. Kate Bieschke.
Artist & Weaver

Rank #2: 006. Diliana Deltcheva.

Creative Living with Jamie

Coach Jamie Ridler talks to creative, independent spirits in order to bring you inspiration, stories and strategies for bringing creativity to life.

Rank #1: What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do.
Don't know what to do? Creative living coach Jamie Ridler talks about what to do when you just don't know what to do. Visit Jamie Ridler Studios: www.openthedoor.ca

Rank #2: Jamie talks to Danny Gregory.
Creative living coach Jamie Ridler talks about creative uncertainty and then chats with artist and author Danny Gregory about failure, monkeys and remembering how to draw. Visit Jamie Ridler Studios: www.openthedoor.ca

How She Creates Podcast

Learn to live a creative lifestyle, tell your story and explore your world through conversations with artists, adventurers, and people creating good in the world.

Rank #1: Ep 006 - Watercolour with Nina Christensen and Yao Cheng.
This episode is the most requested one we had, and we're so excited to bring it to you. Today we are talking about watercolours. We're with two of our absolute favourite watercolour artists, and the ones who made us fall in love with the medium - Nina Christensen and Yao Cheng. We're pretty excited about getting to talk to them. In the episode we discuss their creative stories, where they find inspiration, their best tips for practising, material recommendations, and how awesome they are.Show notes http://www.lauren-likes.com/how-she-creates-ep-006-watercolour-with-nina-christensen-and-yao-cheng/

Rank #2: How Interior Design Can Create Good with Kim Lewis Ep 323.
What heals and resurrects you from the mundane? For Kim Lewis it’s the powerful tool of creativity. In this interview, Kim explains her work with ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and her many other community projects where she has used her gifts of interior design for good. Kim gives tips for you to use your creativity to do good, encouraging you not to be overwhelmed, but rather to focus on connecting and giving through your service and time. She claims our hands are meant to serve people and that we need to break out of our comfort zones to do so. She explains her own trials of getting out of her comfort zones, including her tiny home living. She tells you to let go of your fear of failure, and just have fun with your creative instincts. For full shownotes, links and to connect with our guest visit: http://www.lauren-likes.com/how-she-creates-good:-ep-323-how-interior-design-can-create-good/

Creative Biz Rebellion

Kelly from Hello World Paper Co. & Stamps and Caroline from Caroline Creates are two product based biz owners who want to connect with and help other product based business owners. The product based business world is shrouded in mystery... why? Why is it so easy to get information about starting a service based business, but when you ask people questions about their product based business they run and hide. That's dumb. When we lift each other up we not only help someone else's business, we learn things along the way, and we help the industry grow! There is plenty of room for everyone! So come and join us as we help you filter through the crap to help you totally rock your product based business! After all, creativity is the ultimate rebellion!

Rank #1: Episode 4 - Online Tools for a Seriously Creative Business.
Are you overwhelmed by all the online tools there are to choose from to help you be more productive and run your shop smoothly?  From productivity tools to shipping tools and everything in between Kelly and Caroline break down what they love and why so that you can save a ton of time trying out #allthethings. Here are our favorite online tools. Trello We had a Trello love fest.Kelly and Caroline talk all things Trello and why it works so well for them.  Keeping everything in one place keeps us on track while organizing our businesses and working on the Creative Biz Rebellion Podcasts. It was love at first sight - Caroline Resources for Learning Trello: Get Trello - Think Creative Collective - Trello for Business CourseDana Malstaf - Boss Mom - Free Trello Course ShipstationShipstation works will many platforms including Shopify, Etsy, and Squarespace.  You can print labels directly from their website and they will even alert you when you can combine orders. Etsy RankAnalyzes your Etsy shop and helps you to optimize your Etsy listings including your photos, tags, titles, and a calendar of upcoming holidays and events that could affect your online biz. I love free-Caroline Email File Management: Drop Box: Oh My God your life will change-Kelly Worried about having to delete files on your computer? With dropbox you can keep all your files on your computer in one spot and never worry again about not having enough space.  No matter what program you are using, your computer will automatically save your files in dropbox.  Caroline and Kelly talk about how important dropbox is for your business and how easily you can share folders and files with others. Google: There are so many different ways you can use google for your business.  Within google you have email, google docs, google sheets and calendar. Google for Work is also a great option. Kelly talks about how she loves using google sheets and docs to keep her business organized. Another bonus with using google is you do not have to worry about space on your computer. Design: Creative Cloud Caroline and Kelly talk all things adobe and the different aspects of the software you can purchase based on your business needs for a small monthly fee. Investing in technology is important and can change and grow your business. Listen for the special way you could get a discount for this software! We love illustrator - Caroline Illustrator: That’s my work wife - Kelly Your computers and tools make a difference - Caroline MailchimpNeed a game changer for your business??? Learn how to reach out to your customers by using mailchimp.  Caroline talks about how the automation setup will email your customers for you and keep them update to date on your latest products.  Learn what automations in mailchimp can do for and your business and all about email marketing for your biz. The automations have been game changing-Caroline Accounting: It’s kinda like that beast that you just have to deal with-Kelly The one component of our biz we all are faced with but dread…..Crunching numbers and staying on top of your money.  We all want this process to be as easy as possible. Learn about the different programs/resources that Caroline and Kelly use to keep their businesses on track and make their lives less stressful! Go DaddyWave Accounting Don’t fear the IRS, they are super helpful-Kelly If you have a second please jump over to iTunes and leave us a review!  You can find Kelly online at: www.helloworldpaperco.comwww.kellyparkersmith.com www.helloworldstamps.etsy.comwww.helloworldpaperco.etsy.com You can find Caroline online at: www.carolinecreates.comwww.carolinecreates.etsy.com www.creatingbizness.com

Rank #2: Episode 129 - PR For Makers: Intro to PR & Why You Should Be Using it As A Creative Entrepreneur.
We are so excited to be starting a new series on the podcast! We will be featuring tips on PR for Makers from our good friend Brittney Lynn. In this first episode, she breaks down what exactly PR is and why you should be using it. Be sure to tune in to the next episodes as we continue this series! About Brittney Brittney Lynn is a PR & Online Marketing Strategist for online entrepreneurs worldwide. She has nearly 10 years of experience working in the online marketing industry and has a passion for helping others grow their reach, revenue, and impact through strategic PR. She's also the host of the Day in the Life podcast, which gives a glimpse into the daily lives of people from across the world who work in a variety of industries. Stepping into the lives of these fascinating guests will encourage, inspire and challenge listeners as they share in each guest's trials and triumphs, learning that we are all connected and are more alike than we realize. She's based in Dallas, Texas with her husband and pup. Connect with Brittney Website: http://brittneyllynn.com Free pitch templates: http://brittneyllynn.com/creativebizrebellion Instagram: http://instagram.com/brittneyllynn Become a supporter of the podcast today! Head to www.patreon.com/creativebizrebellion for more information! Introducing the Creative Rebel Base: THE place for Creative Rebels to collaborate, learn, and support each other! THE place to go online if you want to connect with, learn from, and support other product-based business owners, artists, and makers. We created this community to help you along your journey, but also to give you a safe place to learn and interact with other like-minded business owners whether you are just starting your biz or have been doing this a while, let's all move forward TOGETHER! For more info and to join today, head to www.creativerebelbase.com WANT TO CONNECT WITH CREATIVE BIZ REBELLION? SUPPORT the podcast. Become a Patron today! JOIN our Facebook Group! FOLLOW us on Instagram and use #creativebizrebellion. Tag us in a photo of you listening! LEAVE us a review on Itunes or on your favorite podcast app. We will give you all the virtual fistbumps! SIGN UP for our email list and be the first to learn about workshops, rebel sessions and more CONNECT WITH KELLY on her websites here, here, and her Etsy shop. CONNECT WITH CAROLINE on her website

What Works

Candid Conversations About Running & Growing A Small Business

Rank #1: EP 236: Leveraging Your Special Sauce With Speaking Your Brand Founder Carol Cox.
Carol is the founder of Speaking Your Brand, a speech coaching agency that helps women entrepreneurs and executives craft their signature talks. I wanted to ask Carol how she worked out the recipe to her own special sauce so she could start training the first speech coach she brought on board. Carol and I talk about the time and energy she put into working with clients 1:1, paying attention to exactly how she worked her magic. We also chat about how she knew it was time to hire, what have been her biggest fears throughout the process, and how her mindset about the business she's building has shifted. The post EP 236: Leveraging Your Special Sauce With Speaking Your Brand Founder Carol Cox appeared first on What Works.

Rank #2: Episode 101 – Starting a New Business with a Bang–and Clear Priorities–with Edios Media Founders Elizabeth Madariaga & Michael Karsh.
For our 101st episode, we’ve got something pretty special. This week, Tara talks with two former producers of this podcast, who are now former CreativeLive employees. In January of this year, just nine months ago, they started a production agency and consultancy called Edios Media and have rocketed to small business success in an incredibly […] The post Episode 101 – Starting a New Business with a Bang–and Clear Priorities–with Edios Media Founders Elizabeth Madariaga & Michael Karsh appeared first on What Works.

Jump Start Your Joy

Jump Start Your Joy is a podcast by Paula Jenkins, a business coach and podcast producer living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inspired by the quote “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day (Henri Nouwen),” this lively show looks at the inspiration, intention, and action that lead to joy in your life, the world, and other people's lives.

Rank #1: Ep115: How to Stop Feeling Like Shit and Live a Kickass Life with guest Andrea Owen.
Andrea Owen of Your Kickass Life joins to talk about her new book, How to Stop Feeling Like Shit. Andrea is an author, mentor, & certified life coach who helps high-achieving women let go of perfectionism, control & isolation & choose courage & confidence.

Rank #2: Ep158: Nourish & Nurture Series: Following your Intuition with Emily Ann Peterson.
Emily Ann Peterson joins to share about how to follow your heart, tap into "Bare Naked Bravery," and nourish and nurture yourself while living with an illness. What we talk about in this episode: Her early joy of music as a child, and taking inspiration from pieces like “Night on Bald Mountain.” How Rob Bell talks about grief – that as a society we have difficulty with it being wide, and deep, and we are uncomfortable with grief being a public emotion That music often expresses emotions for us the way that words can not The three main ways to express bravery: vulnerability, creativity / imagination, and improvisation How having defiant expectations can impact the outcome of anything you face The art of letting go as an act of faith Her community and podcast at Bare Naked Bravery Her new book of the same name Resistance as a necessary part of life Ways to jump start your joy: writing, finding community, and finding connection Resources: Emily Ann Peterson’s website  Bare Naked Bravery (the book) by Emily Ann Peterson (pre-order the bravery bundle) Bare Naked Bravery the podcast The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (on Amazon)

The Strategy Hour Podcast: Online Business | Blogging | Productivity - with Think Creative Collective

Get actionable strategies and killer marketing tips to grow your creative business inside The Strategy Hour podcast. Say goodbye to the “side-hustle” mindset and hello to getting paid (and paid well) to do what you love. Your hosts Abagail Pumphrey and Emylee Williams from Think Creative Collective share all the ins and outs of their experience growing a successful 6-figure online business. You’ll hear from some pretty amazing entrepreneurs like David Siteman Garland of the Rise to the Top, Nathan Barry of ConvertKit, Natalie Franke of the Rising Tide Society, and Ankur Nagpal of Teachable. These in depth interviews go straight to the meat and potatoes (a.k.a. Actionable steps you can take away and use in your business today). Our episodes cover a wide range of topics, including growing an online audience, email automation, diversifying your products and offers, generating more sales online, social media, outsourcing, affiliate marketing, productivity, systems, and how to treat your passion like the real business it is. It’s time to become a total creative BOSS! Find show notes and resources at thestrategyhour.com.

Rank #1: 204: Goal Crusher Club - Part 1: 7 Habits for Productivity.
In this episode we dive into seven habits that we believe lead to a more productive life and a more productive business. These seven habits will ultimately help you achieve the goals and dreams you are seeking – whether those are personal or financial. You are one person, with multiple facets, and you can’t play blind to the fact that you have a life outside of work! We want to incorporate that into living a lifestyle that gets you where you want to go. These seven habits have been monitored over time in our own business. Whenever we are incredibly productive, we take a look at everything that we were doing over that time and ask, “What was a constant? What habits combined aided our productivity?” A lot of people ask us what is it that makes us so productive, and everyone seems to be waiting for that miracle answer. But the reason why we are covering seven habits is because it is never just one thing. It’s never just one thing you do that helps you sell more, or get more people on your list, or land more clients. It is a combination of things that helps to create a successful business and a successful human being. So take a listen and learn more about the seven habits we focus on that have led to more productivity in our lives and how it can lead to more productivity in your life too. Thank you for listening! Please subscribe, rate and review The Strategy Hour Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. For show notes go to thestrategyhour.com. To download the transcript of this episode head to: thestrategyhour.com.

Rank #2: 014: Going from 0 to 272k Blog Readers.
Today we’re getting real with blogging. For a lot of people, blogging is not their favorite thing. Perhaps you don’t like it either. That is A-okay. We are going to talk to you about why it is important, how it has been super incremental to our personal growth, and our business growth and some hints and tips for you to make it a little bit easier on yourself so maybe you can enjoy it a little bit more. People get caught up on wanting to see quick results. Like anything else, they think blogging is the quick way to see financial gain. However, blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. Blogging does not even look like it used to look even five or 10 years ago. It’s an entirely different strategy with an entirely different marketing game plan, and in order to get paid from your blog, you have to have a different mindset. This mindset is that blogging is 100%, straight up, no joke a long-term game. So if you are looking for some guidance and motivation to grow your blog, then this is the episode for you! Thank you for listening! Please subscribe, rate and review The Strategy Hour Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. For show notes go to thestrategyhour.com. To download the transcript of this episode head to: thestrategyhour.com.