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 begin...
May 01, 2023•1 hr 1 min
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...
Apr 17, 2023•44 min
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-47 You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters From A Hopeful Creative is pr...
May 11, 2020•48 min
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...
Apr 27, 2020•1 hr 5 min
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 an...
Apr 13, 2020•1 hr
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...
Mar 30, 2020•55 min
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/episod...
Mar 30, 2020•57 min
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-42 You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters From A Hopeful Creative is pr...
Dec 02, 2019•39 min
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-41 You can write ...
Nov 18, 2019•46 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is battling with burnout in their business and is struggling to show up and run her business in this season. Sara and Jen share their own experiences with burnout, the lessons they’ve learned, and their advice and encouragement for today’s letter writer too. Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-40 You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters Fro...
Nov 04, 2019•47 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling to find focus in their work and is curious as to whether or not they can still build a business on Instagram. Sara and Jen encourage today’s letter writer to think bigger than just Instagram when it comes to building their business, and share how they encourage them to get moving forward too. Today’s letter writer also shares that they live with ADHD, something Sara has recently been diagnosed with too so she shares her...
Oct 21, 2019•33 min
We’re coming back from our break with another ask us anything episode, diving into topics like how to deal with a bad client experience, how to prepare for starting a family when you’re self employed, whether or not to put your prices on your website and lots more! Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-38 You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts This...
Oct 21, 2019•52 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling to decide what to automate, eliminate, and delegate in their business. Sara and Jen share their own approach to this in their business, the lessons they’ve learned, and their advice for anyone else struggling with this too. Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-37 You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters From A Hopeful Creative ...
Jun 24, 2019•29 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling with their work being copied online. Copycats is such a tricky subject that so many of us have to navigate along the way, and in this episode Sara and Jen share their own experiences of being copied, how they deal with it, and the mindset they embrace when it comes to the inevitability of being copied too. Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-36 You can write us a...
Jun 10, 2019•35 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen are diving into more listener questions, from our thoughts on Instagram potentially hiding like counts, our advice for being organised, how we motivate ourselves when we don’t feel like doing the work, navigating trolls online and more. Links to the pages and articles mentioned are at: https://www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-35 You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Po...
May 20, 2019•30 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen are answering listener questions, from our advice for starting something new, navigating quiet seasons in business, how we approach setting short and long term goals, how to deal with people who don’t understand your business and more. Links to everything we mentioned will be on our website https://www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-34 You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Soni...
May 06, 2019•30 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is curious about what it actually looks like to build a community online. Together they explore the biggest lessons they’ve learned about building community online, why they don’t believe in trying to hack your way to audience growth, and why they believe the most important part of building a community online is the connection you create and find within it. Links to everything we mentioned will be on the website at www.lettersfromaho...
Mar 25, 2019•46 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen are talking all things mailing lists and newsletters. Together they dive into building a mailing list, opt-in incentives, subject lines, how to decide what content belongs on your newsletter and more. If you’re thinking of starting a newsletter or want to be more intentional with the one you’ve already built this episode is for you. We have a just a few spaces left for The Inner Circle now! Find out more about Jen’s new guided journal, Homecoming . Links to everyt...
Mar 18, 2019•51 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is unsure as to whether or not to invest any money into their business before it makes a profit. They share their own experience of choosing when and when not to invest in their business, why they believe all investments in business are a leap of faith, and their advice for how to make this decision for your own business too. Links to the pages mentioned are at: www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-31 We still have spaces avai...
Mar 11, 2019•42 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is hoping to build her creative business during her upcoming maternity leave. Sara shares her own experience of starting her business while on maternity leave, and Jen shares the lessons she's learned from seeing many of her clients go on this journey too. Together they explore why showing yourself a whole lot of patience, compassion, and grace is the most important thing and their advice and encouragement for today's letter writer m...
Mar 04, 2019•38 min
In this episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is feeling anxious about becoming self employed because of the financial uncertainty that comes with this path. Sara and Jen share their own experiences of navigating financial uncertainty in their business, why we need to talk more about the financial reality of being self employed, and their advice for today’s letter writer moving forward too. We still have spaces available for The Inner Circle . Click through to our website to find o...
Feb 25, 2019•36 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen are celebrating the launch of Sara's first book, Hashtag Authentic , by diving into listener questions all about Instagram. Together they explore topics such as losing followers, the new rules for sharing ads and gifted products, whether a consistent style and grid is actually important, having clearer boundaries online and more. Hashtag Authentic will be available this coming Thursday February 21st from all good bookstores and we may be a little biased but we rea...
Feb 18, 2019•49 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling to build their dream business because they're so busy doing the work that currently pays the bills and provides for their family. Sara and Jen explore why we need to stop believing the lie that building a business is quick and easy, why we need more advice that recognises that not everyone starts this journey from the same entry point, and how to redefine what it looks like for you to move forward in your business too. ...
Feb 04, 2019•30 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is asking whether or not they have to be authentic and deep on Instagram if they want to grow their community and achieve their goals online. They share whether or not they believe that you have to share intimate and vulnerable stories to succeed on Instagram (spoiler alert: you don’t), how to uncover what it is you really want to share online, and they also explore how to find the confidence and courage to share more vulnerable stor...
Jan 28, 2019•43 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is feeling burned out with blogging and is unsure of what they want to next. Together they explore how to deal with losing followers when you start to make a change, why we have to give ourselves permission to evolve and change, and their advice for how to uncover what it is you truly want next. They also share why it's okay if you don't know what it is you want to do next and how we sometimes have to trust that we'll figure it out w...
Jan 21, 2019•33 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling to decide whether or not their business should be more niche. Together they explore why they don't believe in forcing yourself to find a niche, and instead why they believe in leaning into what makes you and your work special and unique. They share their own approach to niching in their business and their encouragement for anyone listening who is unsure of how to approach this in their own business moving forward too. Y...
Jan 14, 2019•33 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is afraid that they'll never actually make their business happen. Sara and Jen explore why so many of us can get stuck in that fear, why embracing being a beginner is the key to moving forward, and why they don't recommend falling into the trap of buying all of the courses and books and not actually doing any of the work yourself. They also share advice for how to uncover what it is you actually want to do next, and how to find the c...
Jan 07, 2019•37 min
In today’s episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who isn’t enjoying working from home as much as they first thought that they would. Sara and Jen share what they’ve learned over the years about how to make working from home truly work for you, why they believe giving yourself permission to work from home in whatever way works best for you is so important, and their advice and encouragement for anyone struggling with working from home right now too. You can write us a letter at our webs...
Nov 19, 2018•44 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who is struggling with comparing herself to other people in her industry, even though her business is thriving. Sara and Jen share their own relationship with comparison, why they don't believe it can ever serve us as business owners, and their advice and encouragement for moving past it too. You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics This is a public episod...
Nov 12, 2018•38 min
In today's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer who has been offered an exciting in-house role and now has to decide between that and her thriving business. Sara and Jen share their thoughts on how they would navigate this choice, their suggestions for how today's letter writer can make an intentional decision, and why there is never a right or wrong answer but just the one that works best for you. You can write us a letter at our website More from Sara More from Jen Letters From A Ho...
Nov 05, 2018•28 min
