EP052: Visualizing Success with Lisa Bolton

Subscriber-only episode

This was such a tough episode to record! I've had it swirling in my head for months and I did multiple takes at recording it (it's why I'm so late with it!). It's still a bit rambly but I think I got there in the end. AI does freak me out but it piques my curiosity at the same time. And I've learned that it doesn't make me replaceable - but I have had to adjust how I serve my customers and clients and that's what I talk about in this episode - how to double down on being a human creative with a business.

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

Gail Taylor left behind a successful career as an investment advisor to go all in with music - in her 50s! Now, as a Canadian songwriter, author, keynote speaker and entrepreneur, she's a passionate advocate for the power of music to inspire change.  Her new book, Curve Balls, is coming to shelves soon thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $10K.

In this episode, Gail shares her remarkable story and her tips for using Kickstarter. We talk about her journey from her early years using drugs as a form of escape, to becoming a successful investment advisor and then her pivot to music. She shares the behind the scenes of the Nashville music industry, how she uses music to help others, and the ins and outs of launching a creative project on Kickstarter.

This is a great episode for creatives who...

• feel a big change is out of reach
• are curious about getting their own music made
• have thought about using crowd-funding to launch their own creative projects
• are always curious for ways they can turn their creativity into multiple revenue streams
• would like to use their creative skills to foster positive change for others

This episode is brought to you by our Premium Subscriber Community on Patreon and Buzzsprout

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode151: Creative Canadian: Songwriter and Author Gail Taylor

You can find Gail at gailtaylormusic.com as well as @gailtaylormusic on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and TikTok. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn.

You can find Melissa at finelimedesigns.com, finelimeillustrations.com or on Instagram @finelimedesigns.

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

This week, Melissa and Heather do a brief recap of what they did in their creative businesses in 2023 and what they are focusing on for 2024. But at the heart of the episode we get into the trends we're paying attention to in our creative businesses - including a very frank (and possibly surprising?) discussion about generative AI and how we feel about it. 2024 has the potential to be a huge year of change for a lot of working creatives - whether we like it or not!

This is a great episode for creatives who...

• like to hear about what others are working on in their creative businesses (because we're both nosy parkers lol)
• are wondering what they need to focus on or be aware of in 2024
• are feeling very nervous and unsettled by the use of AI

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode150: Trends We're Paying Attention to in Our Creative Businesses in 2024

You can find Melissa at finelimedesigns.com, finelimeillustrations.com or on Instagram @finelimedesigns.

You can find Heather at heatherlynnetravis.com or on Instagram @heathertravis.

Support the show

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

Transformational Coach Geneviève Retzlaff joins the show this week as part of our short January series on staying optimistic and energized in a month that can be dull, cold and dreary. 

In this episode, Gen is here to help us lean into change in order to have fulfilling creative careers and lives. Whether you're thinking of leaving a traditional career to start a creative business or, you want to ramp up a side business or, you've already got a creative business but it's just not lighting your fire anymore, Gen helps us through the roadblocks we tend to put in place for ourselves!

This is a great episode for creatives who...

• are feeling change is in the works but are feeling fear and resistance
• need strategies and tools to help them embrace change
• struggle with self-awareness (which is needed to embrace change)
• need help instigating change even though they may not be in a position to make the leap right now
• are the bottleneck that stands in their way
• would like to learn how strategic planning, goal setting and hiring help can all help you set change in motion 

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode149: Leaning into Change for Creative Fulfillment with Geneviève Retzlaff

You can find Geneviève at genevieveretzlaff.com and grow-better-together.com. You can also connect with her on Instagram at @genretzlaff_career_coaching, or @grow_better_together, on  Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube

You can find Melissa at finelimedesigns.com, finelimeillustrations.com or on Instagram @finelimedesigns.

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

Inspirational speaker and certified life coach Sara Fisher joins the show this week to talk about the Law of Vibration and how we can use it to foster both personal growth and growth in our creative practices.

We all start January off with the best of intentions but when the winter blues set in, it can be easy to get sidetracked and and feel like nothing has changed and nothing is moving forward. Enter Sara and her fresh perspective to self-development. We talk about the Law of Vibration, the Law of Attraction and manifestation -  and how they all work together. And just as importantly we talk about why you still need to do the work in order to grow and create change in your business.

This is a great episode for creatives who:

• are curious about the Law of Attraction and manifestation 
• want to learn more about the Law of Vibration and why understanding how it works is critical to the Law of Attraction and manifestation
• need help forming new habits (and breaking habits that are not helpful)
• struggle with imposter syndrome and comparison-itis
• would like to learn how to reframe situations in order to foster growth
• need help quieting the ego and learning to embrace mistakes

Tune in to learn more!

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode148: The Law of Vibration and Your Creative Practice with Sara Fisher

You can connect with Sara Fisher on Instagram at @vibinhighclub

You can find Melissa at finelimedesigns.com, finelimeillustrations.com or on Instagram @finelimedesigns.

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

Subscriber-only episode

The year is 365 days long (366 this year because it's a leap year!). Here's your reminder that a year is a marathon. You don't have to sprint out the gate in January and do all the things or make all the changes - because guess what? That's not realistically feasible - and it's also not sustainable.  Let's talk about embracing your natural rhythms, your business's slow and busy periods and why you need to make it a priority to check in with your data regularly!

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

With so many of this season's guests asking me off air whether or not they should start a podcast and how to get started, I thought it might be time to do an episode on the ins and outs of podcasting for a creative business. So today, with 140+ episodes under my belt, I take a deep dive into the pros and cons of podcasting for creatives, and how to get started if 2024 is the year you give it a go!

This is a great episode for creatives who:

• have been thinking about starting a podcast
• are wondering about the pros and cons of podcasting
• want to know how much work it can be
• want to know what to look out for and consider before getting started
• want to know what they need to actually get started
• are curious about the different styles of podcasting
• want some interviewing tips

Tune in to find out everything you need to know about starting a podcast in 2024!

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode147: Starting a Podcast for Your Creative Business

You can find Melissa at finelimedesigns.com, finelimeillustrations.com or on Instagram @finelimedesigns.

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

Subscriber-only episode

It's the end of the year and that inevitably leads to a lot of podcasts and blog posts on reflection, planning and goal setting. I know that as creatives, a lot of us get very uncomfortable with making concrete plans or setting solid goals because... what if we fail? But planning is what allows us to build a business that reflects our values and the life we want to lead. Because as small business owners, our businesses are intertwined with our lives.  Planning gives us the opportunity to be intentional with how our life and our business come together - something that doesn't happen in a private sector or government job setting. So let's talk about that in this month's subscriber only episode!

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

We've all thought about how great it would be to have a piece of content go viral on social media. There's that whisper deep down that if we could just get a million eyeballs on our business, everything would change - for the better. But what really happens when you go viral? And are you - and your creative business - actually prepared for it if it happens? Melissa and Heather dive into "going viral" and share two very different case studies!

This is a great episode for creatives who:

• wonder what makes content go viral
• wonder what actually happens when a video or post goes viral - does it change everything?
• want to make sure they're prepared if content does go viral
• wonder if you need viral content for your business to succeed

We tackle all of these concerns and more! Tune in to find out how!

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode146: So You Think You're Ready to Go Viral?

You can find Melissa at finelimedesigns.com, finelimeillustrations.com or on Instagram @finelimedesigns.

You can find Heather at heatherlynnetravis.com or on Instagram @heathertravis.

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.

This week, healthy aging advocate Zanna Reza joins the show to talk about shaking up the system so we can grow older on our own terms. In a world where getting older (at any age) can come with a lot of stereotyping and discrimination, we talk about why we, as women, need to own our age - and the wisdom we've earned every day. In this conversation we discuss the importance of staying passionate, curious and creative at every stage in life - and why all humans need to feel a sense of purpose at any age!

Zannat Reza is a healthy aging advocate and the Director of the Future of Aging social impact team at SE Health, a not-for-profit, home health social enterprise.

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

This is a great episodes for creatives who:

• struggle with appreciating the wisdom they've accumulated - and sharing it with the world
• who worry it's too late to try the next thing
• need a confidence boost 
• are afraid of showing up as their true selves - especially as they get older
• dread the next milestone birthday - be it 30, 40, 50 and beyond.
• are afraid to own their age

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit the full show notes at:
Episode 145: Own Your Age and Your Wisdom with Zannat Reza

You can learn more about the work Zannat does at SE Health's Future of Aging website or through her podcast, The Future Age. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn.

You can find Melissa at finelimedesigns.com, finelimeillustrations.com or on Instagram @finelimedesigns.

You can connect with the podcast on:

• Instagram at @andshelookedup
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUp

For a list of all available episodes, please visit:
And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast

Each week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love.

Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.