This week's replay episode on the Artist Academy Podcast features California-based muralist Morgan Bricca. 

I have stumbled upon the more experienced version of myself in Morgan. I could talk to her for hours. She has the confidence and positivity of an experienced artist—one who has dealt with the past trials of owning a business but happily perseveres because she knows, from years of experience, how the profits far surpass the struggles.

For example, her project minimum nowadays is $7,500. Yep, I said minimum. Granted, she lives in one of the wealthier parts of the United States, where customers are happy to pay. Still, she knows her worth, sticks to what she’s good at, and has built up a wealth of knowledge about murals—so much so that she wrote a book on it: The Mural Artist’s Handbook. This woman needs no further introduction.

Let me know what you think of this week’s episode with Morgan Bricca.

Morgan's Website: https://www.morganmurals.com

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m discussing a significant $8,000 investment I made in my art business and how it’s set to help me 5x that amount in just six months. In this episode, I’ll break down exactly what I invested in and why it’s crucial for growth in 2025.

I’ll also explore the question of whether it’s time for you to invest in external support. Whether it’s a VA, coach, video editor, outreach specialist, or someone to help you create a strategic plan, I’ll share how making the right investment can set you on the path to success.

We’ll discuss how to identify areas where you might be dropping the ball, and whether it’s time to adjust your habits or bring in help to stay on track.

While investing large amounts of money can be intimidating, this $8,000 commitment has been a catalyst for progress, providing the assurance that I’ll stay focused and accountable to my goals.

Tune in for practical insights on how investing in your business can drive real growth and elevate your art career.

Join Mural Money Bootcamp (small group coaching) TODAY before spots fill up: www.artistacademy.co/mmb 

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m bringing back a replay episode with Marilena Madio from 2021. It was so memorable that I had to share it again—now, over three years later. I originally reached out to Marilena to chat about her wall decal product she began creating for customers but was caught off guard by how much mural wisdom she had to share.

Marilena has been in the mural game longer than I have and is such a joy to talk shop with. Last year, I watched as she had a video go mega-viral, gaining tens of thousands of followers as a result. It was so well-deserved!

Lately, she’s partnered with Zibra, a mural brush company, to create her own branded set of mural brushes, which she kindly sent me to try out recently. They are worth all the hype!

I hope you’re enjoying these old interviews I’m bringing back for the fourth quarter to give you some extra audio motivation as we all work through what’s usually the busiest time of year for artists. Let me know what you think of this week’s episode with Marilena Madio!

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, we’re diving into an exciting challenge: the goal of making $100,000 in 100 days, starting January 1st. It’s a bold plan designed to push boundaries and inspire growth in your art business.

In this episode, we’ll discuss how consistent, small actions can lead to big results and explore the value of making intentional investments to boost your business. You’ll hear strategies for managing your energy by focusing on tasks that inspire you and learning to delegate the ones that don’t. Plus, we’ll talk about recognizing areas where you can improve and finding the right support to help you grow.

Tune in for fresh insights and motivation to help you take your art career to the next level.

ArtistAcademy.co/coach
https://www.artistacademy.co

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, we’re featuring a replay episode from back in 2020 with Australian oil painter Wanda Comrie. Wanda shared some amazing tips for Instagram during our chat, and one that stood out to me was her practice of privately messaging potential buyers with a video of her newly completed paintings.

She talks about avoiding automation and instead keeping excellent customer service at the forefront of her art business. She has full conversations with everyone who buys from her. There’s no automatic checkout system or computer saying, “Thanks for your order.” It’s Wanda personally typing and saying, “Thank you,” to her buyers.

I love this and wanted to highlight it at the beginning of the interview because I think it’s a testament to who she is as an artist and reflects the care she puts into her paintings as well. Wanda makes all of her sales through Instagram and gives us a peek into exactly how she does it. Take notes, and let me know what you think of this week’s episode with Wanda Comrie.

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, we’re exploring how dealing with challenges and criticism is an essential part of growing as an artist and business owner. It’s not about the situation itself but how you choose to respond to it that defines your path forward.

In this episode, we’ll dive into personal stories about navigating tough customer interactions, learning from mistakes, and improving processes to prepare for bigger opportunities.

Tune in for insights on embracing the good and the bad, strengthening communication, and making the most of every experience to grow your art business. Listen to hear how riding the waves of a challenging year can ultimately lead to success! 

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast is an interview with artist John Foster, all about his lifelong career in custom lettering, pinstriping, and graphic design.

I love chatting with artists who have lived through decades of the evolving art industry because they offer a completely different perspective compared to those who are just starting out. The evolution required to survive in this industry demands an open mind, constant learning, and the ability to adapt.

There are so many differences between today’s art world and that of 20+ years ago, and John has both lived through and thrived in those changes. We discuss how he got his start as an employee, eventually transitioned to being his own boss, and moved across multiple states—even to Europe—as a freelance artist.

Let me know your thoughts on this interview with John Foster!

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, we're exploring how small jobs can lead to big opportunities. I’m sharing my experience working on a mural for a local Mexican restaurant and how taking on a lower-paying project turned out to be a smart move for gaining exposure and expanding my portfolio.

In this episode, I’ll explain how shifting my mindset about these smaller gigs helped me view them as stepping stones to larger, more rewarding projects. If you’re an artist wondering whether to take on lower-budget jobs, this episode is for you! Discover how approaching these opportunities with the right perspective can unlock growth and future success.

Tune in for tips on how to leverage smaller jobs to build your career, gain exposure, and position yourself for bigger opportunities in the future. Listen to find out how I turned the Mexican restaurant mural into a strategic win!

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast is an interview with muralist Tony Castillo. Like most of us, Tony entered the art world thinking he would go in a certain direction but ended up turning, learning, and diving into murals headfirst.

I love a good chat about large-scale painting, pricing, and the hurdles that only exterior painters have to face. Topics like heights, wind, and strict deadlines are just a few of the challenges covered with Tony. His story is yet another that really began in the 2020 dip and has quickly grown into a profitable career.

Listen to hear how Tony is landing these big mural jobs in today’s episode!

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, we're diving deep into the subtle but powerful ways shame can prevent us from reaching our full potential as artists. We often don’t realize how feelings of inadequacy or fear of judgment can sneak into our creative process, holding us back from taking bold steps, experimenting with new ideas, or putting ourselves out there fully.

Through this episode, we’ll uncover how acknowledging and working through shame can actually unlock new levels of growth, both personally and professionally. From facing impostor syndrome to understanding how our inner critic influences our decisions, the conversation covers how these hidden barriers impact our work and our confidence as artists.

Tune in for insights on shifting your mindset, embracing vulnerability, and using self-compassion to grow without letting shame stand in your way! Listen to hear the shameful secret that held me back for several years!