Letters From A Hopeful Creative

In today’s episode, for our last episode of 2023, we’re diving into four listener questions covering stepping into a new arena in our work, feeling lonely in our business, structuring our days with intention, and the main challenges we’ve seen others and ourselves overcome in our business journey too. And today is the last day to join The Substack Soirée for the Christmas class!* Letters From A Hopeful Creative Substack* Submit your letter* More from Sara* Sara’s Substack* More from Jen* Jen’s Substack* Get Jen’s Deep Dive KitLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/subscribe

Is selling something that you feel overwhelmed by and often shy away from in your business? If so this episode is for you.In today’s episode Jen is sharing with you a sneak peak of one of the coaching sessions inside her group program, Your Simple & Spacious Business on Gentle & Joyful Sales Experiments To Generate Cashflow In Your Business.I’ll be walking you through the five gentle guideposts for intentional selling, ten gentle and joyful sales experiments, and how to make a gentle plan for generating cashflow too.My hope is that this coaching session can support you to take intentional action to generate sales in your business without burning out and without compromising your magic and your values in the process too.You can also dive into the video and workbook of this coaching session this way.And if you’d love to have guidance, encouragement, and support every step of the way in bringing more freedom, ease, and intentional growth into your business and never feel stuck or alone again in your jour

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:Despite having a chronic illness, I show up fully to my clients - so how can I explain that I am 100% there for my clients at the times I make for them - but also be real about the reality of days where I can't even muster to have a shower? How can I share, in my communications - that I can be both of these things, all at once?- BoIn today’s episode we dive into this question, share the lessons we’ve learned about putting our needs on the table in our business, and our encouragement for anyone who fears their humanness is an inconvenience in their work.And Jen’s group coaching program to support you to bring more freedom, ease, and intentional growth into your work and life, Your Simple & Spacious Business, is now open for enrolment if you’d love to never do business alone again. And there’s also an awesome 1:1 coaching bonus available if you join by Wednesday 11th October - you can find out more this way. And Sara’s The Substack Soirée will be o

As I gear up for the next enrolment of my flagship group program, Your Simple & Spacious Business, I’m sharing a behind the scenes launch diary over on my solo podcast so that I can bring you along the journey with me and share all of the messy middle that comes with embarking on a launch in our business. I’m sharing the first episode of this launch diary with you today on the LFAHC feed if it can be supportive and encouraging for you in your business journey right now too.In this episode I share:* Why I’m doing this launch diary* Some behind the scenes on what I’m launching, how I’ve launched it in the past, and how it usually sells too* The gap between traditional launch advice and our capacity for that workload* How a 5th launch of a program feels very different to the first* How and why this is going to be a very simple and low-key launch* How I’m feeling as I’m about to embark on this launch* The things I will be prioritising most* What you can expect from this launch diaryA new episode of this launc

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:I am writing you from probably the lowest point I have encountered in my creative journey.This year has been hard for me. I feel a bit lost in my business and so so tired. I have been making pottery for over a decade, selling for about 6 years and working full time as an artist for 2. And the struggle just never ends. I feel like I am pushing a rock up a hill and I keep waiting for the incline to level out so I can coast a little. I keep waiting for that break: for that post or feature that brings thousands of new people to my page, for the grant to be approved, for the gallery show to happen, for my community to establish… I am just desperately needing some ease from the grind. I am so grateful for the growth I have had. I am grateful to be selling my work after years and years of building that confidence, I so grateful for the kind words and support from my customers. I am also very privileged that I am partnered with a wonderful supportive husband

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:I am hanging on your every word about Substack. I just can't seem to shake this question: Is Substack really right for my business? And if so, am I doing it right? How should I think about it and prioritize it among the many other things I could be doing with my limited time and energy? But I keep getting tangled up in this question: is substack _marketing_ for my business, a _product_ for my business, or simply an on-the-side creative outlet?If I'm being honest, I want it to be all three! I love the simplicity of it being everything at once. But let's get real. It seems like there's not much hope of Substack becoming a meaningful source of revenue, unless you've got a massive audience to begin with that you are transferring over from somewhere else. The typical price point is just too low to make the numbers make a real difference with a small audience.I wonder if you could help put Substack into perspective, in the context of a service-based busine

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:I'm an artist and graphic designer and I run a one-woman creative studio. Like Jen, I'm very intentional about not hiring staff. If/when I get to a certain stage I would like to hire a VA or studio manager, but for now it's just me. I've raised my rates over the last year, and I have a steady stream of work coming in, which is great and I'm very grateful for it. However being a service-based business, especially a one-woman show, there is a very clear cap on how much I'm able to earn providing services. I plan to keep raising my rates gradually, and I'm slowly starting to gain slightly higher-paying clients and am, getting better at saying no to low-paying jobs. But this feels like quite a slow strategy, at least just now when it's still just me. I also plan to set some time aside this year to make stock (vectors, illustrations and textures) to hopefully set up some passive income streams, although I know this can be tricky to get going.Do you have a

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:Over the last year, I’ve found myself becoming less and less engaged and connected to Instagram as a form of marketing. I don’t enjoy creating videos. I don’t like being pressured into buying a blue tick just to stop my work being copied.But more importantly, it doesn’t align with my values of a soul-centred approach to business and life, and honestly, it has been quite detrimental to my mental health as I’ve struggled with my physical health over the last year, comparing my reality to everyone else’s highlight reel.My question to you Jen and Sara is, how else would you reach your audience in this current landscape if you moved away from Instagram? I’m not saying imagine it’s gone all together, but more how would you create a business that is PURPOSELY not on Instagram, when it feels like everyone else is.I think we’re told that Instagram ‘needs’ to be integral and that ‘businesses can’t survive without it’ but businesses were thriving long before pi

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:I'm building a supportive platform on Substack for therapists in private practice called 'Therapists Corner'. Therapists often work alone and I hope to create a space where they can find support, advice and guidance whenever they need to and have a genuine community.In part it will be educational around building up a private practice but i'd also like it to feel like their staff room, where they can take a five minute break or like they have a business best friend online. So as well as asking for support they might also answer questions for others too.It's hard to get going while it's being built up and theres not too much engagement I'm sure once it gets going it will be great it's just these early days.Also the problem with humans, even ones that are therapists is that we all have tricky brains and when you put us in groups we can become problematic and you could have an amazing group then it only takes one person to make you want to shut the whole

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:Right now I’m taking a good hard look at what I can outsource in my business so that I can be free to do the stuff that I really love. Sara, you mentioned that you have an executive assistant, Jen do you ? If not, I’m really curious to know why not. I genuinely wonder whether it can potentially complicate the goal of a simple and spacious business when we employ people? On the other hand, thinking we can do everything ourselves more easily than outsourcing it can be a trap. I also wondered whether you both have ongoing sessions with your own business coaches or do you feel your work business buddies are enough?- DeniseIn today’s episode we explore why Sara has intentionally built a team in her business and why Jen intentionally hasn’t, the pros and cons of each path, and why the most important thing when it comes to outsourcing is making the most intentional decision for you and your business.* Letters From A Hopeful Creative Substack* Submit your le

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:I’m so happy you two are back! I listened to your podcast a few years ago when I was dreaming about creating a business, and now I’m actually starting one, so it’s perfect timing for me.  I have a chronic illness that only allows me to work about 2 hours a day most days (although it fluctuates often from 0-4 hours). I just finished creating my website a few weeks ago, so I’m starting from scratch, and I’m trying to figure out how to manage the marketing side of things because I find social media extremely draining.   Realistically, I think I can dedicate one day a week to marketing without it taking away too much creative time, so I’m wondering, where should I focus my energy? Are there any social platforms or tools where it’s possible to just show up once a week and actually connect with people? I am a pretty extreme introvert, so anytime I try to do more than that, or a little each day instead, I just can’t function. I need fully uninterrupted days

In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:I am 6 years into running my business and I feel like I’m running out of steam. The beginning was hard, but then came the “Instagram high” with dozens of thousands of engaged followers. Everything felt so exciting and spacious, I felt like people wanted to see what I’m up to, follow my work and buy from me. Then the pandemic happened and it left me burnt out. For the past two years I was running on the momentum I generated at the beginning of my journey. But the momentum seems to have stopped.Now slowly coming back to myself and my business I can’t help to feel like it’s almost dead. For the past few months I’m working on different ideas to get it all back up and running but I noticed no one cares. I set up a Substack but the engagement is very low, sales are low and so is my mood. Long story short, my main concern is: did they only like me because they didn’t know real me before and now that they do, they checked out and there’s no hope left? How do

After a three year hiatus we are so excited to be coming back into your podcast feed today.In today’s episode we re-introduce this show after our 3 year break, share why we’re hosting this podcast on Substack this time around, share some updates from our own businesses since we last recorded, and invite you to submit a letter that you’d love us to dive into in a future episode too.* Letters From A Hopeful Creative Substack* Submit your letter* More from Sara* Sara’s Substack* More from Jen* Jen’s SubstackLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lettersfromahopefulcreative.substack.com

In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling to feel confident in their new business. Together they dive into the different ways we can all find courage and confidence in our own journeys, and share some encouragement for today’s letter writer moving forward too.Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-47You can write us a letter at our websiteMore from SaraMore from JenLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lettersfromahopefulcreative.substack.com

In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is finding more joy, ease, and freedom in their business and life during this time of forced lockdown and is wondering how they can bring this into their daily life when they’re back to business as usual. Sara and Jen dive into how we can bring more freedom, ease, and joy into our businesses and lives and how we can navigate the fears and beliefs that can hold us back from doing this too.Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-46You can write us a letter at our websiteMore from SaraMore from JenLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lettersfromahopefulcreative.substack.com

In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling to decide whether to focus on creating products or building a community first. Today’s letter writer also shares a whole lot of fears that are holding them back at the moment too, so Sara and Jen dive into how today’s letter writer can feel confident and courageous in the pursuit of their business goals while also exploring how best to approach balancing product creation and community building too.Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-45You can write us a letter at our websiteMore from SaraMore from JenLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lettersfromahopefulcreative.substack.com

In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is wondering how best they can refocus and adjust in their business during this world health crisis. Sara and Jen explore how we can feel grounded in this time, how to re-route some of the goals and intentions that we set for ourselves this year, and why they believe we all still have permission to remain optimistic in our business in this time too.Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-44You can write us a letter at our websiteMore from SaraMore from JenLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lettersfromahopefulcreative.substack.com

In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is wondering how (and if) they should sell in this time while we all navigate this world health crisis. Together they explore how to make business decisions from a place of integrity in this season, how to navigate any feelings of fear and shame that comes with selling, and how they’re both approaching running their business in this time too.Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-43You can write us a letter at our websiteMore from SaraMore from JenLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lettersfromahopefulcreative.substack.com

In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling to decide where to focus next in their business. Together they dive into the lessons they’ve learned about finding focus in their own businesses and explore their advice and encouragement for today’s letter writer too.Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-42You can write us a letter at our websiteMore from SaraMore from JenLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lettersfromahopefulcreative.substack.com

In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who wants to take the freelance career they’ve built and turn it into a thriving business instead. Sara and Jen explore the difference between being a freelancer and a business owner, how you can start to develop a vision and a plan for your business, and the mindset shifts necessary to go from freelancer to business owner too.Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-41You can write us a letter at our websiteMore from SaraMore from JenLetters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lettersfromahopefulcreative.substack.com