Welcome to Season 3 of The Creative Exponent Podcast!! We wanted to kick off 2021 with a bang, and today’s conversation stemmed from a session we taught our Mentoring group. A truth about productivity is this: It’s one thing to BE productive, and it is an entirely different thing to FEEL productive. You can be productive, accomplishing plenty, but if the obstacles in your way are making you feel unproductive, the tasks themselves can be irrelevant. This episode will hopefully give you some ideas...
Jan 26, 2021•44 min
Welcome to the Season Two Finale! While we will miss you guys, we also believe deeply in the value of downtime, and we’ll take a short break during the holidays. Don’t worry, we will be back in January with guests and more episodes lined up that will hopefully continue to help you discover, uphold, and share your creativity. Today we are chatting about a topic near and dear to both of us. We have both done it. We have both learned ways to avoid it. We have both learned the value in sharing what ...
Nov 17, 2020•31 min
When we set out to talk to Mariele, the founder and jewelry maker behind Young in the Mountains (and also the rockstar woman who created Shaunna’s wedding ring), we had no idea what a treasure trove our conversation would be. We knew she was talented, but listening to her talk we found ourselves furiously taking notes and getting so worked up we could hardly sit still. Mariele tells us the fascinating story of how Young in the Mountains came to be (even her business title has a beautiful backsto...
Nov 10, 2020•49 min
Join us today as we chat about all the things we had to learn to make The Creative Exponent Podcast. We really had to learn quite a few new skills to pull this venture off, and are still learning so much! We also chat about all the funny little moments that happen unseen, like our constant yawning battles that begin on days we record multiple episodes, what we think about comments and suggestions from listeners, and our thoughts on keeping this podcast casual and relatable for the long haul. We ...
Nov 03, 2020•40 min
This week we are joined by one of our friends and fellow bloggers, Michael Wurm, of the popular home decor and lifestyle blog, Inspired By Charm. If you haven’t heard of Michael, there is almost certainly a chance you’ve seen his work. His recipes and entertaining experiences are ALL over the internet, and his approach to what he shares is what draws us into his content over and over. We chat about his wonderful story of buying a Bed & Breakfast, Old Charm, and how creating experiences for h...
Oct 27, 2020•41 min
Neither of us would consider ourselves hyper-scheduled or ritually rigid. However, we both have learned the value in instilling little creative rituals that help us get started, or keep going, or get inspired. We chat about the importance of setting up a designated place for your creative practice, the time you choose to create, and the ambiance you surround yourself with. There is so much you can’t control in your environment, but setting some intention around these three areas can help move yo...
Oct 20, 2020•33 min
A picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, maybe Janelle’s photos aren’t worth a thousand words, but they do tell the story of how much she loves color and how it shaped the course of her now hand-dyed textile brand. And maybe the best part? This all started after her year abroad in Italy, as she searched for a refrigerator on Craigslist, and wound up buying a business instead. And the rest, as they say, is history. We chat about drive, adapting, funneling your energy into projects you r...
Oct 13, 2020•43 min
As creative entrepreneurs, it is pretty common to have seven plates spinning at once. Because our income relies on us consistently producing, we tend to tell ourselves we cannot take time off to rest, or to take a break from certain tasks. None of us ever begin our journey of creative entrepreneurship by telling ourselves we want a job where we can never take a day off. Because we don’t have employers, these fears and rules are self-imposed. BUT, bonus...this means these fears and habits can be ...
Oct 06, 2020•15 min
Today’s episode is such a treat. NYT Bestselling author Myquillyn Smith joins us today to talk about her new book, Welcome Home, her love of the generosity of women on the internet, how her business came to be and how she continues to shift and adapt to continue pursuing work she loves. We chat about her unapologetic attitude towards making a home that works for YOU, how to avoid falling into the trap of doing work that everyone else is doing, and how she hopes to continue evolving and all the w...
Sep 29, 2020•39 min
Talking to creatives is our favorite, and this one is a treat. Chloe of Boxwood Avenue joins us this week, and she is just as passionate about sharing value and insight with her audience as we are. While it isn’t our traditional podcast conversation, we were dying to hear the story of how this city girl came to live on a ranch and build such a unique life, all while building a creative business career around her passions and hobbies! We chat about the story of how Boxwood Avenue (the ranch life ...
Sep 22, 2020•46 min
We know. This topic can be one to scoff at. Defining success for yourself sounds like a really fluffy, cliche topic. The truth, though, is this: defining what success really looks like for you impacts the choices you make as a creative entrepreneur every single day. And the other truth is this: we have to continue defining what success looks like for us all along the way. With so much pressure coming at us through the lens of social media, and what perceived success looks like for others, we mus...
Sep 15, 2020•35 min
The Creative Exponent podcast returns this week with a bang, great conversation, and an incredible guest. Heather Bullard is an Editorial Prop Stylist, Creative Director, Producer, and Business Coach - with more than a decade of experience, and on top of all of that, she believes deeply in pursuing your own creative path & creating a rich, fulfilling, career built around the things you care about. Yes, she’s our kind of woman. We chat this week about styling and photography, creating classic...
Sep 08, 2020•37 min
How can we take care of ourselves creatively? Making time for it is a huge start. But how do we do that? How do we keep our creative time a priority and more importantly, how can we protect how we feel about our creative work? How can we avoid burnout and the angsty feelings of “not getting enough done?” What kinds of things can we do to promote creative self-care? This week, we’re talking about what works for us, talking about how we approach our schedules and grace, and how we try to invest in...
Jul 28, 2020•25 min
2.25 - Who Are You Creating For… by Marian Parsons & Shaunna West
Jul 21, 2020•35 min
You’re a creative entrepreneur. You wear a million different hats. And chances are, because you are opportunistic and optimistic or financially motivated, you wind up saying yes to everything. And while sometimes we have to say yes to more than we’d like, the goal is to move into the place where we can become discerning, and say no to the good to make room for the best. Saying no is golden. Saying no when something is not a “heck yes!” is essential to save room in our businesses and in our lives...
Jul 14, 2020•35 min
2.23 - Talent Vs. Creativity by Marian Parsons & Shaunna West
Jul 07, 2020•38 min
Once you have determined what matters to you and your brand, THEN we can begin to build a vision. So often, as solo entrepreneurs, it feels a little lofty to create a vision. But knowing where we are going matters. The unearthing of your vision matters. Your decisions, your yes’s, your no’s...will all stem from here. Dreams and ideas are singular, not necessarily tied to a holistic picture. A goal is trackable and actionable. A VISION is the picture of your true north. Where am I actually going,...
Jun 30, 2020•29 min
Ahh, growth and social media. You rarely hear a conversation about Instagram, or any other social media channel, that is not synonymous with growth. And while we know growth does matter as it relates to our creative businesses, this is not a “5 steps to grow your Instagram” podcast episode, but rather, a totally honest, exploratory conversation between friends, one with a large audience and one with a smaller audience. How it works for us, what the frustrations are, the good stuff...what matters...
Jun 23, 2020•46 min
Sometimes we launch a creative business by accident of sorts. Sometimes the business shifts drastically. Sometimes, as creative entrepreneurs, we long to change or further develop the vision of our business. This week, we talk through the first part of building your vision. Think of your vision as the “could’s and should’s.” We talk about setting up your core values, non-negotiables, and must-haves. Who are you? Where are you willing to go? What needs to be at the heart of your business? You can...
Jun 09, 2020•38 min
We would argue that everyone is creative, and we give you some more reasons to believe us this week. But just in case you’re still on the fence, we talk about practices for the “non-creatives” out there. What are some small, simple ways to shift your perspective or maybe open up the creative work or hobby you had to sideline some time ago? We chat about these this week, and talk about the ways we have used these exercises to stir up our creative juices again and again. You can find us, Marian an...
Jun 02, 2020•43 min
You’ve started this business. You’ve bought the domain, or rented the space or listed your products on Etsy. You are going to do this. Reality sets in and we begin the process of beginning our business, and often, we get bogged down in simple mistakes that shape the very nature of our creative work pursuit. We don’t promote our work because it feels a little too sales-centered. We isolate ourselves and keep ourselves alone and outside of a like-minded community. We don’t treat our businesses lik...
May 26, 2020•52 min
If there is one thing we have learned about creative work, it is this: You just don’t have to do it alone. Being the CEO, COO, CFO, Creative Director, and every employee can be a little difficult to juggle, and while we all might be capable of multitasking, the needs we have as a creative business owner reach further than the tasks. The other thing we know is this: It is good for you to have other voices speak into your business and to give you a fresh perspective. While your own voice should be...
May 12, 2020•40 min
Working from home. What a gift and a challenge. We certainly know all about it, as both of us have worked from home for the last ten years. It can be a complete joy and almost impossible, depending on the way you approach setting up your space. This week we talk about setting up your creative workspace at home: What does the space need to look and feel like to be conducive to creativity? What’s the top priority in the space? Does everything in the space give the space the chance to function for ...
May 05, 2020•38 min
Weddings and Happy Mail. Sometimes we just need to talk about the good stuff. This week Shaunna and Marian talk about two good things surrounding us right now. Shaunna gets married, quarantine-style, and talks about why they decided to move forward during this stay-at-home time, and what really matters. We also share some ways you can spread a little light around the world right now with the Happy Mail Movement. Marian began receiving happy mail from different friends and shops and is spreading ...
Apr 28, 2020•25 min
Right now, as a creative or a creative entrepreneur, it is really tempting to ask the question, “What do I need to be for people right now?” We would say resoundingly, be authentic. We owe it to honor ourselves first as creatives and what we choose to share can come forth from who we really are. To create is to share your humanity. Your experiences give you a unique perspective on universal needs, problems, and feelings. This week, we talk through how we can be trapped or liberated by what we ch...
Apr 21, 2020•25 min
How do we use inspiration without imitating? And how do we use this time we have right now at home to work for us. The language spoken in different art mediums often relates to what we do, and also brings with it fresh perspective and renewed inspiration. This week we’re talking about an article we both read by Stylist Heather Bullard, “How To Be Inspired.” We break down a few practical ideas for how to pull inspiration from many different sources, ways to play creatively to discover some new id...
Apr 14, 2020•23 min
This week the separation we are all feeling has hit us harder, as women and as creative business owners. Quite simply, while we have seen such pain, loss, and difficulty, we are continually amazed at the good we find in this world, today, amidst it all. We know that without finding this good, we will be lost and certainly less able to create and use our creative gifts for ourselves, our families, our customers, and this world. We talk about all the ways we are staying positive when we can and li...
Apr 07, 2020•48 min
2.11 How To Support Artists & Businesses by Marian Parsons & Shaunna West
Mar 31, 2020•35 min
We believe this to be true: creative work is beauty in the world. We are living in crazy times right now, and there is much fear, anxiety, and uncertainty around us. As creatives and creative business owners, how do we navigate through this fear and these circumstances? We do not have all the answers, but we hope to talk through this with you this week, because we need each other. Here’s what we do know: the work we do matters, and it matters right now more than ever. As fear and uncertainty sur...
Mar 24, 2020•38 min
Who doesn’t love a good brainstorming session? There is beauty in pursuing multiple avenues of creativity, but equally, there is power in learning to say no to yourself. Editing is one of the most important steps you will take in sharing your creative work with the world. What isn’t there is often what makes your work stand out and successful. Our creativity shifts and if you are into a whole lot, you may find yourself in more need of editing than those who hone a single craft their entire lives...
Mar 17, 2020•49 min
