Artists often ask, why do I need an email list when I already post on Instagram? Laura and Nikki share the answers: social media platforms can change their rules overnight, limit your reach, or even disappear entirely. Your email list belongs to you – nobody can take it away or stand between you and your audience. Listen in as we talk about how to get started and what to share with your email subscribers! You can also access a FREE pdf download with our email marketing tips + a template for your...
May 28, 2025•18 min•Ep. 129
The days when artists had to rely solely on galleries or craft fairs to get their work seen are long gone. Now we're all constantly wondering if we should be posting reels carousels or just give up and become hermits! Social media can feel like a full time job that none of us signed up for. In this episode, Laura and Nikki break down social media strategies that actually work for artists without eating up all of your creative time. READ SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/socialmedia/ JOIN THE START...
May 14, 2025•21 min•Ep. 128
In this episode, Nikki and Laura break down the most popular website platforms for artists and creatives. We’ll help you evaluate features, integrations, and costs to choose the best option for your needs, whether you want to sell your work online, create a stunning portfolio or manage your art business. Plus, we’ll share a handy comparison chart to simplify your decision-making process. READ SHOW NOTES & DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE ARTIST WEBSITE ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST: startistsociety.com/platforms/ ...
Apr 30, 2025•34 min•Ep. 127
In this episode, Nikki and Laura dive into the must-have elements for any artist's website. Whether you’re just starting out or revamping your online presence, we break down exactly what you need to showcase your work, connect with your audience and make sales! READ SHOW NOTES & DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE ARTIST WEBSITE ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST: startistsociety.com/websiteneeds/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/s...
Apr 16, 2025•42 min•Ep. 126
In this episode, Laura and Nikki talk about the importance of branding for artists - beyond just a logo. They provide some great practical tips for building a brand identity and take you through three different levels of branding investment: DIY, mid-tier, and professional - based on wherever you are at on your business journey. READ SHOW NOTES & ACCESS YOUR FREE BRANDING PDF DOWNLOAD: startistsociety.com/branding/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLL...
Apr 02, 2025•16 min•Ep. 125
In this episode Nikki and Laura tackle the ever-present temptation artists face—buying new supplies—and discuss why embracing the materials you already own can be a game-changer for your creativity and budget. We break down five compelling reasons why using your existing stash benefits both your art and your wallet, followed by ten practical tips to help you extend the life of you supplies, explore new creative possibilities, and stay focused. From mastering your tools to organizing your stash a...
Mar 19, 2025•17 min•Ep. 124
Technology can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to hold you back from growing your creative business. In this episode, Nikki and Laura share practical strategies and mindset shifts to help artists and creatives overcome their tech fears. From starting small and embracing imperfection to utilizing online resources and celebrating small wins, we break down simple ways to build confidence with technology. Whether you’re tackling a new tool, setting up an online shop, or automating tasks, this...
Mar 05, 2025•14 min•Ep. 123
We’re ridiculously excited to share this week’s episode with you. Why? Because we got to sit down with none other than Bonnie Christine—surface pattern designer extraordinaire, business powerhouse, and one of the best online educators out there. Bonnie is a completely self-taught designer who has created at least 16 fabric collections for Art Gallery Fabrics, built a thriving business, and helped thousands of creatives turn their art into a career. Basically, she’s the definition of a Startist. ...
Feb 18, 2025•43 min•Ep. 122
Thinking about taking an online course but not sure which ones are actually worth your time and money? We’ve taken a lot over the years—some amazing, some… not so much. In this episode, we break down the best online learning platforms, memberships, and in-depth courses that have truly helped us grow as artists and creative entrepreneurs. Be sure to listen until the end and hear about a special offer we have just for you! READ SHOW NOTES: https://startistsociety.com/immersion/ Sign up for Bonnie'...
Feb 05, 2025•24 min•Ep. 121
Money doesn’t have to be scary—or boring! In this episode, Nikki and Laura share practical, relatable tips to help creative entrepreneurs take control of their finances. From tracking expenses to maximizing income and tackling debt, we’re covering all the essentials to make managing your money feel less daunting and more empowering. STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & **FREE TIPS PDF DOWNLOAD**: https://startistsociety.com/money/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsoci...
Jan 22, 2025•38 min•Ep. 120
In this episode, Nikki and Laura kick off the new year with a deep dive into their planning process for 2025. We reflect on our personal and creative wins and struggles from 2024, share the lessons we’ve learned, and discuss our goals for the year ahead. From building habits to embracing the chaos of creative business, we outline actionable steps for balancing our personal lives, creative work, and podcast goals. We also discuss our Words of the Year—and explain how these intentions will shape o...
Jan 08, 2025•43 min•Ep. 119
In our last episode, we introduced you to Heather Bourque of Paper and Wings, an artist and illustrator that sells physical products via wholesale. Did we mention she does this all on her own while still having time to travel the world each year? Heather is back this week to share her five best tips on getting started with a wholesale art business. We know you'll be inspired to give wholesale a try after you hear Heather's great advice! STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & **FREE TIPS PDF DOWNLOAD*...
May 22, 2024•7 min•Season 1Ep. 118
In this episode, we continue our accountability group series by introducing you to Heather Bourque, an artist from Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada, who illustrates her love of coastal living and travel through her wholesale and retail online shop, Paper and Wings. We travel deep into Heather’s world of creating and distributing wholesale products alongside her online retail shop. We know you’ll love Heather’s Startist story – and Heather – as much as we do! Oh - and did we mention she created a s...
May 01, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 117
In episode 49, we introduced you to Elizabeth Silver, a surface pattern designer and educator who is the creator of a fantastic course called Start Your Surface Pattern Business. This week, Elizabeth is back to talk to us about reasons you might not be getting your art in front of potential paying clients. We know you'll love Elizabeth's frank, no fluff business advice as much as we do! STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/gettingseen/ CHECK OUT ELIZABETH'S COURSE: Start Your Surface...
Mar 27, 2024•47 min•Ep. 116
In this week’s episode, Laura and Nikki share 5 quick tips to help improve your artwork and take it to the next level. We discuss strategies that can help elevate your artwork and set you apart from the crowd and share some really fun tools, websites and products that can help with implementing these techniques! STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & FREE PDF TIPS DOWNLOAD: startistsociety.com/arttips/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON...
Feb 28, 2024•12 min•Ep. 115
In our last episode, we introduced you to Maria Brophy, an author, teacher, art consultant, agent and brand manager who wrote the incredible book Art Money Success . This week, Maria is back to share her 5 best tips for achieving success with your art. STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & FREE PDF TIPS DOWNLOAD: startistsociety.com/mariastips/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU H...
Feb 14, 2024•10 min•Ep. 114
In this week’s episode, Laura and Nikki interview Maria Brophy, the author of Art Money Success. Maria discusses her journey from corporate cubicle life to becoming a successful art business owner and coach. She is a proven expert at marketing, licensing, and selling artwork, having played a key role in growing husband Drew Brophy's successful art career. We chat about tangible and proven strategies you can use to network in-person, getting your artwork in front of potential buyers and how to ba...
Feb 07, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 113
In this week’s episode, Laura and Nikki explore the basics of professionally presenting your art business - both online and in person. We cover everything from communication etiquette to curating your portfolio, creating artist statements and a consistent brand identity, prepping physical artwork for galleries and more. We know you'll walk away with some great tips to put into action as you grow your art business. STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/presenting/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOC...
Jan 24, 2024•20 min•Ep. 112
This week, Laura and Nikki do a deep dive into getting professional high resolution images of your artwork. Do you need a fancy camera or will a phone camera do? How do you prep your space and art for the best images? What are key things you should know before hitting the shutter button to ensure you get clear, well-lit photos? When are scans useful and how do you properly scan artwork? We'll cover all of this and more in today's episode. STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/photogra...
Jan 10, 2024•30 min•Ep. 111
Grab a cup of coffee (or bourbon) and join Laura & Nikki as they review what went well last year, what could have gone better, and what their plans are for the upcoming year (both for their personal/professional lives and for the Startist Society podcast). STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/anewyear/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BO...
Jan 03, 2024•37 min•Ep. 110
In this episode, Laura and Nikki dive into the deep sea of art sales, but not in the way that you might think. They take you off the beaten path, exploring 12 unconventional, out-of-the-box methods to help you sell your art and turn your passion into profit. If you've ever felt stuck or unsure of how to get your art into the world, this episode is crafted just for you! STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/unconventional/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startis...
Dec 20, 2023•25 min•Ep. 109
We talk a lot about just getting started. But what about finishing? Do you have trouble finishing projects? Do you have a million half done or barely started projects lying around the studio? Today, Nikki and Laura dive deep into the world of unfinished projects, sharing their personal stories and advice to help you muster the inspiration and motivation to bring unfinished projects to a close (or release the ones that no longer serve you)! STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/finishi...
Dec 06, 2023•27 min•Ep. 108
In our last episode, we introduced you to Charly Clements, an illustrator and mentor who licenses her art to clients all around the world, is a top teacher on Skillshare, and has a great new course called Out of This World Portraits . She does all of this while traveling the world. This week she is back to give us her top tips on building an engaged audience. Listen to the episode and don't forget to download the free PDF with her tips! STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & FREE DOWNLOADABLE PDF: st...
Nov 22, 2023•15 min•Ep. 107
Charly Clements is an illustrator and mentor who has built a thriving illustration business, licensing her art to amazing clients all around the world, and has taught tens of thousands of students through her online classes as a top teacher on Skillshare and through her new course, Out of This World Portraits . She is the founder of Facetober and has built an incredible online community. And she's done all of this as a digital nomad, currently living and working in Thailand! Listen in as we lear...
Nov 08, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 106
In episode 104, we introduced you to Elli Milan, an artist, educator, speaker and founding owner of Milan Art Institute and Art Social. If you haven't had a chance to listen to that episode yet, definitely go back and check it out. Elli is back to share her 10 best tips on getting past perfectionism as an artist and entrepreneur. MILAN ART INSTITUTE: Milan Art Institute Mastery Program STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & FREE TIPS DOWNLOAD: startistsociety.com/perfectionismtips JOIN THE STARTIST S...
Oct 25, 2023•15 min•Ep. 105
Today's guest is Elli Milan, an artist, author, educator, and founding owner of Milan Art Institute and Art Social – an online art education program, social learning, and art patronage platform. She has been a successful artist since 1996, selling over 10,000 pieces of original art. She is passionate about empowering artists and has transformed the lives of thousands of artists worldwide, helping them find their voice and turn their passion for art into a profession. Aside from hearing all about...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 104
A lot of us become artists because we want to express ourselves, we have something to say and sometimes we want to stand out from the crowd. But we often see a lot of work in the art and design worlds that looks alike. Why is that? Are people following trends because they think they'll sell? Are they copying others because they don't have their own style yet? Do we need to think about these things if we want to have a career in art or design? Should we follow what's on trend – what we see that s...
Aug 23, 2023•23 min•Ep. 103
As artists who are putting ourselves and our work online hoping to make connections and sales, we can be really vulnerable to all kinds of scams, because we are being very optimistic in thinking that people are really interested in our art. It's important to be aware of the types of scams that exist and what you can do to avoid becoming a victim to one of them. From NFT and payment scams to art contests and vanity galleries... listen in as Laura and Nikki discuss the types of art scams you might...
Aug 02, 2023•20 min•Ep. 102
So why is it so hard for us to answer the question, "Oh, you're an artist. What do you do?" When that happens, do you freeze? Do you shrink and mumble under your breath something about how you're both an artist and you do other things and you're working on several projects right now but it's too hard to explain? Do you go on and on for about five minutes without actually answering the question? If you identify at all with this, it's time to learn how to talk about your art. If you can't describe...
Jun 14, 2023•16 min•Ep. 101
Join Nikki and Laura and help us celebrate the huge milestone of our 100th episode! Listen in as we have a very chatty episode about our lives in the last few months, our art practices, our jobs, and the future of the podcast. You'll hear lots of talk about bourbon (naturally) and hear a funny story about a recent episode upload faux pas! You won't want to miss our 100th episode! STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/100episodes/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups...
May 17, 2023•40 min•Ep. 100
