I Make a Living

A pivot can be a powerful thing. Tina Essmaker started as a social worker with a side project, a Kickstarted magazine she founded with her husband. But when her marriage ended, she had to re-evaluate: stay with the magazine, or start something new? She decided to tap into her skills as a social worker and her connection to the creative community to re-launch as a creative coach. In this week's episode, Damona talks with Essmaker about how she transitioned from publishing into a self-created role where she helps creative workers identify and stick with their goals.Essmaker offers concrete tips for people considering a shift from one path to another, and encourages listeners to consider the "emotional balance sheet" of their lives. (And Damona gets a gold star for her ability to describe her work concisely - would you get the same?) "It’s just a continual act of faith, that knowing what I’m doing is valuable and it’s needed, and then trusting that clients will come to me," says Essman, who now works as a coach,