In this episode, Lyric Kinard talks with watercolor artist and educator Madhu Srinivasan about what happens when we stop trying to control our creativity. Once driven by perfectionism, Madhu shares how watercolor taught her to slow down, trust the process, and create from a place of presence rather than pressure. This conversation explores how art can become a healing practice, especially for creatives who feel burned out, stuck, or disconnected from joy. Madhu reflects on how letting go transformed not only her painting style but also her sense of self, and how she now helps others rediscover creativity through gentle, playful watercolor.

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In this episode, Lyric Kinard talks with Kelly Feltault, an artist, social scientist, and certified therapeutic arts facilitator, about building a creative business that honors the realities of chronic illness rather than pushing against them. Kelly shares how living with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and sarcoidosis reshaped her identity, her relationship with art, and ultimately the way she teaches. She explains why most online courses are inaccessible to people with fluctuating energy, and how she designed Crooked Path Studios as a community-first, “spoon-friendly” creative space focused on presence, nervous system regulation, and connection, not productivity.

This conversation explores art as a tool for emotional processing, identity rebuilding, and social connection, as well as practical decisions around simple tech, community platforms like Substack, and sustainable online teaching for both creators and students.

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What if growing your creative business didn’t mean doing more, scaling bigger, or teaching everything you know?

In this episode, Lucy Jennings shares how she built a calm, sustainable online teaching business by simplifying her offers, focusing on beginner wins, and letting her content work smarter, not harder. From weaving kits paired with mini courses to using YouTube and Pinterest as long-term discovery tools, Lucy walks through the real decisions that helped her grow without burnout. This conversation is a reminder that small, focused, and intentional can be powerful and profitable.

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In this solo episode, I walk you through the real results of our first Workshop Pre-Sell Challenge at the Academy for Virtual Teaching. If you have ever delayed teaching because your course “isn’t ready yet,” this is your invitation to do things differently. I share what actually happened when a group of creative teachers launched their workshops before building a single lesson. We talk about market testing, momentum, student feedback, tiny daily tasks, and the magic of building inside a supportive cohort. If you want a smarter, more joyful way to launch your next workshop, this debrief will give you clarity and confidence.

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This episode brings back the radiant and powerful Lisa Woolfork, founder of Black Women Stitch and host of Stitch Please Podcast. We move beyond her origin story (go listen to Part 1!) and step into the how, the structure behind her community-centered creative business. Lisa shares how she built a mission-driven model using Patreon, why she intentionally rejects hustle culture, and why sustainable systems (not burnout) fuel her work. We also talk tech: starting with a phone, simple gear, accessible workflows, and learning one step at a time. This conversation is intimate, energizing, grounding, and a masterclass in aligning your values with your business.

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In this week’s episode, I sit down with Anastasia Williams, founder of the Fiber Business Collective, to talk about what really sustains creative entrepreneurs: community, collaboration, and connection. Anastasia shares how her membership grew from a simple Slack group into a thriving hub for fiber artists, makers, and small business owners. We talk honestly about the realities of running a creative business, the pivots, the loneliness, the identity shifts, and the power of being surrounded by people who understand your world. If you're building something you love and you’re tired of doing it alone, this episode will help you rethink how support, transparency, and shared values can change everything.

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In this episode, I sit down with quilting educator and YouTuber Beth Ann Williams, who has built a thriving online teaching business by doing something many creatives are afraid to do: learn in public.

When chronic illness made travel impossible, Beth Ann shifted from in-person workshops to Zoom classes… and eventually discovered that YouTube was the most sustainable, scalable path for her creativity and her income. We talk honestly about letting go of perfection, showing up on camera before you feel ready, and using YouTube as a long-term platform to reach more students without burning out. Beth Ann shares what she’s learned about building community on YouTube, what analytics actually matter, and why this platform gives creatives more freedom than any social feed ever could.

She’ll also be teaching a brand-new YouTube for Creatives course with the Academy for Virtual Teaching in early 2026; sign up for our newsletter so you hear about it when it comes out.

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Some artists teach. Some artists build community. But Kimberley Pierce Cartwright does both with a depth of soul that you can feel the moment she starts speaking.

In this episode, Kimberley shares her remarkable journey, from sewing childhood dolls on a treadle machine with no electricity to becoming a textile artist, teacher, ceramic artist, conference founder, and creative force in her community. We talk about what it means to begin before you’re “ready,” how imperfect studios still serve thousands, and why showing up with love matters more than having the perfect equipment. Kimberley walks us through building the Kindred Spirits Quilt Conference, how she went from a raw warehouse space to a full convention center, and why bravery always begins with one small step. Her story is honest, funny, deeply human, and an incredible reminder that you don’t need perfection to make a powerful impact.

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This week, I’m talking with Alicia Díaz-Blevins, a fluid-art instructor, creative wellness mentor, and business consultant who turned her decades of corporate leadership experience into something beautiful, helping busy professionals decompress and reconnect with joy through art.

Alicia shares how painting became her sanctuary during years of high-pressure corporate work, and how she now blends mindfulness, breathwork, and creative play to help her students feel calmer, grounded, and restored. She walks us through how she teaches online with multi-camera setups, how she niches to high-achieving professionals, and why your voice (not your resume) is what draws students to you. If you’ve ever wondered whether your art could do more (heal more, reach more, transform more), Alicia’s story is your reminder that creativity is a powerful tool for emotional well-being.

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Some conversations stay with you long after the recording stops, and this one with Claudia Squio is absolutely that kind of episode.

Claudia is the founder of ColorWay Arts, an online school and creative business built around Cartonnage, the beautiful art of crafting fabric-covered boxes, books, and heirloom pieces that hold memory, meaning, and love. But the real story here isn’t only about craft. It’s about starting over in a new country, learning a new language, finding joy in creativity, building a business without meaning to, facing burnout, navigating deep personal healing, and finding a way back to yourself. Her wisdom is so honest, so generous, and so full of heart. And it’s a powerful reminder that our businesses can support us (not consume us) when we align with our values, trust our intuition, and allow ourselves to be human. You’re going to love this one.

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