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This summer, we are revisiting a small handful of episodes we love the most, the ones we feel need to be heard again and again. Each one gets a brand new intro plus highlights from the reflection session recorded the week the original episode aired. Old favorites, fresh context, one combined listen. Grab a sun chair, or an umbrella if it is raining where you are, and settle in.
You hit publish. You finish the project. You finally complete that thing you have been working on for weeks, and then, silence. No confetti. No applause. Just you, your laptop, and the quiet that follows doing something brave.
In this Summer Rewind, Maria and Karina revisit the art and science of small wins, why they matter, how to celebrate them, and how tiny victories build real creative momentum. Along the way, they share a personal update: podcast, community, and platform now share one name, Big Dreams and Little Things.
You will hear the story behind Phoebe Waller-Bridge's private rituals while writing Fleabag, Karina's golden stars coaching story, and why solopreneurs especially need to become their own hype person. Plus the science of dopamine, visual momentum, and why celebrating a win protects your mental health as much as it fuels your next one.
00:00 Intro: a quiet solo celebration after publishing an episode 01:02 Welcome and episode theme, small wins nobody claps for 02:07 Check-ins: Karina's "reload," Maria's school submission 03:37 Announcement: podcast, community, and platform all named Big Dreams and Little Things 04:48 Small wins can be invisible, leading into the Phoebe Waller-Bridge story 05:22 Feature story: Phoebe Waller-Bridge's private rituals while writing Fleabag 08:09 Karina's "golden stars" coaching story 09:47 Karina's birthday celebration, a recharge weekend at a boutique hotel in Visby 11:37 Why celebration matters, and why not to wait for big milestones 12:29 Building a personal list of small, medium, and large celebrations 14:08 Listener prompt: what deserves celebration today, and what are you proud of this week 15:00 Personal celebration styles: pampering, small luxuries, Charlotte's tea and Netflix ritual from Episode 9 16:04 Free ways to celebrate: music and dance, artist dates, solo movies 16:44 The science of celebrating: dopamine, visual momentum, stress reduction, growth, feedback loops 19:52 Tiny Experiments: Maria's hum reset (with a handwashing-song duet), Karina's one-win-a-day practice 25:53 Closing thoughts: make your own confetti list, don't wait for validation 26:32 Sign-off: Instagram, newsletter, and Ignite 27:19 Outro song
Ignite waitlist: ectahub.net/ecta-ignite Instagram: instagram.com/bigdreamsandlittlethings Newsletter: ectahub.net/weekletter Referenced, Episode 9, "How to Stay Creative, Clear, and Connected" (Charlotte's celebration ritual): Spotify episode
Full show notes at: ectahub.net/victory-dance
Website: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This summer, we are revisiting a small handful of episodes we love the most, the ones we feel need to be heard again and again. Each one gets a brand new intro plus highlights from the reflection session recorded the week the original episode aired. Old favorites, fresh context, one combined listen. Grab a sun chair, or an umbrella if it is raining where you are, and settle in.
What if the best chapter of your life… hasn’t even started yet?
In this warm, inspiring, and truth-telling episode, Karina and Maria crack open the myth that success has an age limit. Whether you’ve been dreaming of starting something new or quietly wondering “Is this all there is?” this conversation is your invitation to tune in, turn toward the whisper, and start (or restart) with purpose.
You’ll hear stories of late bloomers who made magic well past their “prime,” personal reflections from your hosts (with all the real-life messiness), and a mini science deep dive into how your brain actually supports reinvention. Plus, we’re launching a brand-new segment: Tiny Experiments! Small actions, big shifts. Let’s go.
“Big changes don’t have to start big. They can begin with a whisper, a sketch, a 20-minute experiment.” – Karina
“You are not behind. You are not expired. You are arriving—right on time.” – Maria
“I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering what might’ve happened if I hadn’t.” – Vera Wang (featured story)
“Your brain might say ‘this is scary,’ but your spirit is saying, ‘this is true.’” – Maria
“Show up, speak up, and never skip the victory dance!” – Karina & Maria
Book rec: You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay – the classic that changed Karina's path.
Sign up for Backstage, our weekly newsletter: ectahub.net/weekletter
Find us on Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Did this episode resonate? Share it with a musician, writer, or fellow freelancer who needs to hear it.
Website: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the second episode of Big Dreams & Little Things, hosts Maria and Karina explore that nagging feeling that you don't belong, that your success is just luck, or that any moment now, someone will find out you're a fraud. From J.K. Rowling to Paul McCartney, we discover how even the world's most successful creators battle with feeling like imposters - and what you can do when that voice in your head says you're not good enough.
MORE SHOWNOTES: https://ectahub.net/episode-2-imposter-syndrome-feeling-like-a-fraud-when-youre-actually-not/
Sign up for Backstage, our weekly newsletter: ectahub.net/weekletter
Find us on Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Did this episode resonate? Share it with a musician, writer, or fellow freelancer who needs to hear it.
Website: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This summer, on the Big Dreams and Little Things podcast, we are revisiting a small handful of episodes we love the most, the ones we feel need to be heard again and again. Each one gets a brand new intro plus highlights from the reflection session recorded the week the original episode aired. Old favorites, fresh context, one combined listen. Grab a sun chair, or an umbrella if it is raining where you are, and settle in.
This week's Summer Rewind takes you back to Episode 22, one of our absolute favorites. It travels to London in 1905 and the Thursday night gatherings that formed the Bloomsbury Group, a small circle of friends who went on to shape art, literature, and economics. From Virginia Woolf's courage to break literary rules to Vanessa Bell's fearless creativity, this episode explores how a supportive community fuels autonomy, creativity, resilience, and wellbeing.
You will hear the science behind why community is biologically essential for creative people, not simply a nice extra, and how isolation affects health, motivation, and creative output. Karina and Maria also share personal stories about moving abroad and rebuilding community from scratch. This summer edition weaves in moments from the original reflection session, so the story and the science play as one combined conversation.
Join the Big Dreams community, free until October 2026 big-dreams-little-things-no885w.subscribepage.io
Apply for Ignite and get things done with creative peers ectahub.net/ecta-ignite
For full link list see: https://ectahub.net/community/
Connect With UsWebsite: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to a revisit to the very first episode of Big Dreams & Little Things! Hosts Karina Kampe (certified transformational coach, artist, creative entrepreneur, and songwriter) and Maria Wronski-Ellis (artist, songwriter, educator, and author of The Mindful Songwriter dive into why allowing yourself to "start scrappy" might be the most powerful approach to achieving your dreams. They explore the trap of waiting for perfect conditions instead of taking action, share personal stories and inspirational examples from both literature and real life, and provide practical challenges to help you get moving on your goals—even when everything isn't perfectly aligned.
Ready to put what you've learned into action? We've created a special Starting Scrappy Challenge to help you begin your journey!
MORE SHOWNOTES: https://ectahub.net/episode-1-starting-scrappy-overcoming-perfectionism-2/
Sign up for Backstage, our weekly newsletter: ectahub.net/weekletter
Find us on Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Did this episode resonate? Share it with a musician, writer, or fellow freelancer who needs to hear it.
Website: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dreams rarely stay the same.
The dream you had at twenty may not be the dream you carry today—and that's not failure. It's growth.
In this Season 3 finale, Maria and Karina reflect on how our creative dreams evolve as life changes. Parenthood, travel, career shifts, unexpected detours, and simply becoming who we're meant to be all shape the dreams we pursue.
Together, they explore why dreams matter, how they give our creativity direction, and why letting a dream change can be one of the healthiest things we ever do.
The episode also looks back on an incredible third season of conversations about creativity, courage, purpose, community, and showing up—one small step at a time.
This week's creative story features Louise Bourgeois.
From repairing tapestries as a child in Paris to becoming one of the world's most celebrated artists decades later, Louise Bourgeois reminds us that meaningful creative work isn't about overnight success.
She spent over seventy years following her curiosity, making the work, and returning to the studio long before the world took notice.
Her story is a powerful reminder that the dream isn't waiting for recognition.
The dream is the work itself.
Research in psychology suggests that humans are future-oriented by nature.
Having a meaningful dream gives us purpose, builds resilience, and helps us navigate setbacks. Imagining a meaningful future also activates dopamine—the brain chemical involved in motivation and pursuing goals.
We also explore the concept of adaptive persistence—the ability to stay true to your deeper purpose while allowing the shape of your dream to evolve as you grow.
Sometimes the dream changes.
The calling doesn't.
We're delighted to feature Belinda Robles—a musician, songwriter, producer, and music director with more than 30 years of experience in the music industry, including music supervision and sync for film and television.
We'll be taking a short break over the summer, but we're not disappearing.
Throughout the coming weeks we'll be revisiting some of our favourite episodes from previous seasons, with fresh introductions and reflections on why these conversations still matter today.
Whether you're listening for the first time or returning to an old favourite, we hope they'll keep you inspired all summer long.
We'll be back after the break with a brand-new season of Big Dreams & Little Things.
Links and resources:
Sign up for Backstage, our weekly newsletter: ectahub.net/weekletter
Find us on Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Did this episode resonate? Share it with a musician, writer, or fellow freelancer who needs to hear it.
What's your creative dream today?
Has it changed over the years?
And what's your win this week—even the tiniest one?
Share it with us on Instagram @bigdreamsandlittlethings.
If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love it if you followed the podcast, left a review, and shared it with a fellow creative. Every recommendation helps us reach more dreamers, makers, freelancers, and solo entrepreneurs around the world.
Until next season—
Keep dreaming big. Remember the little things.
Connect With UsWebsite: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What if the thing standing between you and your creative momentum is not a lack of discipline — but a lack of visibility?
In this special midsummer episode, Karina shares the findings from her completed research study on the ECtA accountability method — 14 creative entrepreneurs, six countries, 12 weeks. What she found surprised even her.
We also sit down with one of Sweden's most celebrated musicians, Merit Hemmingsson — inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame in 2017, and at 85 still recording and performing. Her story of going from a tiny village in Jämtland to sitting in with Miles Davis at Birdland in New York to a new album in September, What a third act!
The five themes Karina found before the study
— fleeting momentum, the popcorn brain, the lone wolf, the glass lid, and higher purpose — and what shifted after 12 weeks of structured accountability meetings with the ECtA Study.
Why momentum feels invisible when you work alone, and how speaking your progress out loud in front of people who truly understand changes everything.
Merit Hemmingsson on six decades of creative life, following her inner voice, the all-female jazz band she took from New York to Sweden in the 1960s, the music that became her medicine, and what it really means to keep choosing your work, decade after decade.
The science behind why it works — self-determination theory, the progress principle (Amabile and Kramer), and what it means when the group makes the invisible visible.
00:00 Intro · 02:07 Groundwork for ECtA · 02:57 What the study examined · 03:18 The participants · 04:08 Karina as participant · 05:03 Study design · 05:34 Theme 1: Fleeting momentum · 07:41 Theme 2: Popcorn brain · 08:46 Theme 3: Lone wolf · 09:50 Three functions of others · 11:48 Theme 4: Glass lid · 12:58 Theme 5: Higher purpose · 16:12 Introducing Merit · 18:01 Who Merit is · 21:33 New York and Girl Stars · 22:29 Playing with Miles Davis · 27:00 Forming the band · 33:18 The Hammond B3 · 36:02 Becoming a mother · 38:00 The second act · 39:04 Move to Gotland · 43:01 Music as medicine · 44:01 Celebrating wins · 47:51 What happened after 12 weeks · 49:09 Participants' voices · 01:01:00 Momentum becomes visible · 01:02:46 Choosing your own train · 01:03:14 The wolf finds her pack · 01:05:50 Mirroring courage and identity · 01:08:37 Higher purpose grows · 01:09:42 Self-Determination Theory · 01:14:30 Progress Principle · 01:17:30 Takeaways · 01:18:33 Ignite course in September · 01:19:30 Outro
Merit Hemmingsson, Hammond organist, composer and singer, Swedish Music Hall of Fame 2017
Website: www.meritone.se
Instagram: @mmmmerit
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5xoFJP7qzaMcSAghFZXI4a?si=AqCJM96VR0emKW1LTFE5kw
Merit Sommarprat: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5jgGIWQiuo4gDscYxBEVbw?si=52abfbb9eb5d4e30
Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan): selfdeterminationtheory.org
The Progress Principle (Amabile & Kramer), Harvard Business Review: hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins
Sense of Coherence (Antonovsky): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sense_of_coherence
Links and resources:
Sign up for Backstage, our weekly newsletter: ectahub.net/weekletter
Find us on Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Did this episode resonate? Share it with a musician, writer, or fellow freelancer who needs to hear it.
Website: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
You're talented. You know you are.
But talent doesn't pay the rent.
In this honest and deeply relatable conversation, hosts Karina Kampe (certified transformational coach, artist, creative entrepreneur, and songwriter) and Maria Wronski-Ellis (artist, songwriter, educator, and author of the upcoming The Mindful Songwriter) explore the hidden reality that so many creatives face: balancing artistic dreams with side hustles, day jobs, and the guilt that comes with not creating as much as you'd like.
Why do so many artists feel ashamed of having a day job? Why do we glorify struggle? And who benefits from the belief that "real artists" should suffer for their craft?
Through personal stories, neuroscience, creative coaching insights, and the fascinating journey of Debbie Harry before Blondie became famous, Karina and Maria unpack what success really means when you're trying to make art and survive at the same time.
If you've ever wondered whether you're still a "real creative" while working 40+ hours a week, this episode is for you.
Topics Covered
Creative Identity vs Employment
The Myth of the Full-Time Artist
The Hidden Cost of Side Hustles
Debbie Harry Before Blondie
The Science of Creativity & Energy
The Authenticity Tax
Looking for creative support, accountability, and a place where people actually understand what it's like to balance art and life?
Explore https://ectahub.net
And don't forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletter:
https://ectahub.net/weekletter
Connect With Us
Instagram, Facebook, Youtube:
@bigdreamsandlittlethings
Connect With UsWebsite: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode is the money conversation every creative needs to have. Why pricing feels impossible when what you are selling is so personal.
What happens when you sign a deal before you understand what it means. And how to walk into any pricing conversation and feel good about what you are doing.
We tell the full story of Taylor Swift — from a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania to buying back every note she ever recorded. We look at TLC, Prince, Billy Joel and Dolly Parton. We dig into the psychology of pricing and what it really means to sell results, not hours. And we share concrete tools for the cold call, the negotiation, and the contract.
Plus Backstage Community with singer-songwriter and producer Elin Ruth Sigvardsson — on self-doubt, stage fright, the break from music that taught her everything, and how she learned to celebrate her wins.
And a free Pricing Conversation Guide to download — something to have in front of you during your next sales call.
• Taylor Swift and the re-recording of her masters
• TLC and the 360 deal — CrazySexyCool (1994)
• Prince — writing “Slave” on his face during the Warner Brothers dispute
• Billy Joel — the accountant story and Elton John taking him on tour
• Dolly Parton — saying no to Elvis on I Will Always Love You to keep her rights
• Robbie Williams — hearing a hit single made with his voice that he had nothing to do with
• Rachel Zoe — “get equity” (Instagram reel)
• Dan Ariely, Predictably Irrational — behavioral economics and pricing psychology
Elin Ruth Sigvardsson
Instagram: @elinruthmusic Facebook: Elin Ruth Sigvardsson
Spotify
Website: ectahub.net Newsletter: ectahub.net/weekletter Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings YouTube: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
#creativepodcast #creativelife #accountability #podcastforcreatives #independentartists #knowyourworth #pricingforfreelancers #creativemotivation
Connect With UsWebsite: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted by Karina Kampe and Maria Wronski-Ellis, Big Dreams & Little Things is the podcast for creatives, freelancers, and solo entrepreneurs who want to move forward one small step at a time.
This week, Maria and Karina dive into a deeply human question:
Why do we sometimes disappear right when things are finally starting to work?
From procrastination and perfectionism to the fear of being fully seen, this episode explores how the nervous system responds to visibility — and why holding back doesn’t always mean failure or laziness. Sometimes, it means we’re protecting something deeply personal.
Through the story of Emily Dickinson, reflections on creativity and identity, and insights from psychology and neuroscience, Maria and Karina unpack:
“Your nervous system is wired for safety — not success.”
“Maybe she chose to keep her work whole, even if it meant keeping it hidden.”
“Fear doesn’t disappear when you grow. New level, new fear.”
“It’s not fearlessness. It’s fear + presence instead of fear + avoidance.”
“You don’t have to go from private to public overnight.”
📖 Emily Dickinson’s Poem
“Tell all the Truth but tell it slant —”
If you’ve never read Emily Dickinson before, this poem is such a beautiful doorway into her inner world (and honestly… painfully relatable for creatives trying to share their work gently).
📚 Susan Jeffers
Karina references the idea that fear doesn’t disappear as we grow — we simply expand our capacity to move with it.
A good starting point:
Our creative in focus this week is the illustrator and painter Jenny Svenberg.
Picture a dark jazz club in Stockholm. In the back, a woman is sketching fast. Bold colours and pen lines. Quick pencil strokes to capture the music and the faces on stage. This is Jenny at work.
Come say hello and share your win of the week — even the tiniest one.
Instagram:
@bigdreamsandlittlethings
Website: ectahub.net Newsletter: ectahub.net/weekletter Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings YouTube: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
#creativepodcast #creativelife #accountability #podcastforcreatives #independentartists #knowyourworth #pricingforfreelancers #creativemotivation
Website: www.ectahub.net
Podcast Instagram: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Podcast Facebook: @bigdreamsandlittlethings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From the publisher's feed
The podcast for independent artists, writers, freelancers and creatives. We talk about the real creative life, the mess and the magic -
with accountability, a supportive community,…
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.