And She Looked Up Creative Hour

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.

Subscriber-only episode

It feels like every day I see another announcement from a creator who is leaving social media. While some of the reasons they give are extremely valid, very often the conversation comes down to the fact that it's too much work for not enough new followers. The algorithm doesn't help them get seen. It's a popularity contest where only artists and creatives with big followings get noticed... But what if instead of using social media as a way to attract new followers, we instead used it to nurture the community we already have? 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.

Creativity shows up in many forms and this week Jacqueline Nicosia, the co-owner of Ardo Hospitality Group, joins the podcast to chat about the creativity that goes into crafting the perfect guest experience - and the perfect cocktail! This busy mom of two who co-owns her business (which includes 3 Toronto restaurants and a food import company) with her chef husband talks with us about:

• fostering creativity with her team in order to make magic for Toronto diners night after night
• separating work and family while running a family business
• how financial restraints can actually foster creativity 
• embracing making money
• the importance of giving back while lifting women up in an industry that's notoriously male dominated and her work with Let's Talk Womxn

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

This is a great episodes for creatives who:

• create in a field where women aren't highly visible
• work with (or are considering working with) their spouse or romantic partner
• are involved in a family business
• work with a team of creatives (or would like to start building a team)
• struggle with balancing creative work and family life
• ever think about how the art of running a business is just as creative as creating a painting or writing a novel

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode 144: Jacqueline Nicosia of Ardo Hospitality Group

You can connect with Jacqueline  via her instagram account: @jacqnicosia as well as checking out Ardo Restaurant, Dova Restaurant and the soon to open Bar Ardo.
For more information on Let's Talk Womxn in the Toronto area, reach out directly to Jacqueline.

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

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.

Toronto based registered social worker and psychotherapist, Yu Tong Hannah Lin, joins Melissa to explore how we, as working creatives, can manage and overcome the ongoing challenges perfectionism and burnout present to our work.  Hannah shares valuable insights that will help us understand and identify when perfectionism and/or burnout are creeping into our lives and businesses (and what to do when it's impacting our work).  And, she shares some of the proactive steps we can all take to protect our mental health, our creativity and our businesses.

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

This is a great episodes for creatives who:

• have, or are, struggling with either perfectionism or burnout (or both)
• need help identifying signs or patterns that might signal perfectionism or burnout are creeping in
• need help with breaking the cycle of burnout (it is often cyclical)
• are feeling challenged by societal and cultural expectations that push them to "get it right" or "do all the things and do them well" all the time
• need some actionable tips  and steps to take to manage perfectionism and burnout in their work and life
• would like to work with a mental health professional but aren't sure how to find the right person

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode 143: Overcoming Perfectionism & Burnout with Hannah Lim

You can learn more about Hannah and her practice at her website www.yutonghannahlin.com.  Follow her on Instagram  @hannahlin.therapy

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

Have you ever felt that prickling discomfort when you think about trying something new in your business of your creative practice? You're not alone. We've all been there - the nervous anticipation, the self-doubt, and the fear of the unknown. But, what if you sat with that discomfort? What if, instead of being a barrier, it could be your stepping stone towards personal growth and achievement? That's what the October premium subscriber episode is all about.

This is a Premium Subscriber Episode available to those who financially support the podcast on Buzzsprout and Patreon. If you'd like to listen, you can sign up too!  You'll get access to the full catalogue of Premium Subscriber Episodes!

Support on Buzzsprout
Support on Patreon

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.

Slow September sales and signs of a flagging economy have a lot of Canadian creatives worried about the upcoming holiday selling season. Even Etsy has made efforts to boost sales on behalf of shop owners! And, with no real relief in sight, what does 2024 have in store? Melissa and Heather tackle this head on with lots of practical strategies and tips to help you get focused and make a plan - both for the holiday season and next year!

This is a great episode for creatives who:

• are seeing a dip in sales compared to previous years
• have heard from customers that money is tight
• aren't getting the same level of sales or engagement when launching new work
• are worried about the ballooning costs of raw materials and other business related expenses
• need some ideas jump start sales

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:
Episode142: Navigate Holiday Selling and Future Planning in a Shaky Economy

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

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.

As working creatives, giving our audience, clients and supporters the opportunity to connect with us on a deeper level is so important to building a healthy business. But equally important, as women, we need to get past our fear of taking up space and instead, embrace being seen. Intimate portrait and personal branding photographer Michele Matues joins Melissa in this episode to share her journey as a photographer who empowers women and  to show us how much getting out from behind our work and in front of the camera can mean to our business... and to ourselves.

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

This is a great episodes for creatives who:

• struggle with putting themselves in front of the camera to promote their business
• prefer to take a backseat to the work they create
• need some DIY tips to get more comfortable in front of the camera and take their own photos and videos
• would like to hire a photographer but aren't sure where to start
• would like to have professional photos done but are intimidated by the process

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode 141: Stepping Out From Behind Your Work with Michele Mateus

You can find Michele's intimate portrait photography at  www.mateusstudios.com and her personal branding work at www.michelemateusphotography.com. Follow her on Instagram  @mateusstudios or @mateuscoaching.

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

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.

Subscriber-only episode

Listening to a podcast a few weeks ago, I got a slap in the face when the guest stated that most small businesses don't have a marketing plan, they have a marketing schedule.  (hello, it's me!)

To be fair, I usually start the year off with a plan and it just kind of... dissolves into a social media posting schedule - usually somewehre around June. 

So in this week's subscriber soundbite, I'm talking about how to get back on track for selling season with a marketing plan that supports your business goals. Yes, we'll also talk about execution of your plan and yes, that does include social media scheduling! But let's make sure the execution and the scheduled content supports those all important business goals!

PS: I mention lots of additional resources in this episode. Here they are:

• The Product Powerhouse Podcast
• EP 22: Promoting Your Work Outside of Social Media
• EP 33: Why You Need a Media Kit For Your Creative Small Business
• EP 36: How to Work with Influencers and Brand Ambassadors to Grow Your Business
• EP 45: How to Surprise and Delight Your Fans
• EP 92: 20 Email Newsletter Ideas for Creatives (That Aren't Too Sales-y)
• EP 122: An Easier Way to Market Your Creative Business on Social Media

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.

Have you ever wondered what goes into planning and executing an your own art exhibition? This week Heather Travis joins Melissa to talk about the behind the scenes journey to her upcoming, 3 month solo exhibition at Ontario's Bruce County Museum and Cultural Center.  She shares how the opportunity arose, how she developed her very personal exhibit theme, secured  grant funding and was able to take 9 months away from active client work to produce 35 large scale canvases! We also get into the very personal aspect of this exhibit as well as using creativity as a way to process events,  deal with grief and trauma and as a road to rebirth.

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs Illustrations

This is a great episodes for creatives who:

• have pondered having an exhibit of their work or creating a large body of work around a theme
• have wondered what would be involved in mounting their own exhibit - from marketing to logistics to finances to actually creating the work!
• are looking for some very fun marketing ideas for their work - exhibit or no exhibit
• need to hear how amazing things can come without social media
• have been listening to Heather on the show for the last 3 seasons and would love to hear a deep dive into her painting and her process and how she creates for a living.
• wants to be inspired 

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:
Episode 140: Behind the Scenes of a Solo Art Exhibition with Heather Travis

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

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

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.

Toronto based sisters Katrina and Lexie von Hahn have known for years that they wanted to create a business that reflected their Latin American roots and that has resulted in Gallola - a fashion and lifestyle brand they recently launched with their first product: a shoe they designed that's inspired by the timeless Argentine carpincho style and handmade in Mexico.  

In this episode we talk about:

• Lexie and Katrina's individual journeys that have taken them around the world
• starting a fashion and lifestyle brand from scratch 
• manufacturing your own designs
• how crucial building a network is for a young business
• not being afraid or too shy to reach out and ask other female business owners for help
• the importance of research
• working with family and being a new mom with a new business
• bootstrapping a creative business that manufactures product and much 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:
Episode120: Katrina and Lexie of Gallola: Starting a Fashion & Lifestyle Brand From Scratch

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

You can find Gallola at gallola.com or on Instagram @gallola.

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

Earlier this year, in May, I agreed to meet virtually meet up for a co-working session with one of the women in my small business mastermind group. Other members regularly join us now in what has quickly become a turning point in our businesses this year.

Find out how and why this all came about, what we do and how we do it and what I've accomplished in my business in just a few months as a result!

OH and PS: Here the link to Episode 44: Masterminds, Mentors and Coaches, Oh My!

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.