Jj Fadaka is an artist, poet and writer in Edinburgh, and one of the most generous people I have spoken to about what it actually takes to feel safe enough to create. We talk about leaving academia behind during the pandemic, about the quiet signals the body sends when a space is truly safe, and about building community that reaches past the categories we are handed for who we are meant to be, whether that is our race or our queerness or something else entirely.

I caught up with Jj before the opening of The Masquerade, a new performance piece for the Made in Scotland Showcase at the Edinburgh Fringe. The name comes from Nigerian masquerades, the street performers who appear at festivals dressed head to toe in cloth and fibre, transforming themselves into otherworldly beings. This is Jj's first time performing at the Fringe, and we talk about what it takes to stay true to your voice as the audience changes.

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Connect with Jj: https://www.instagram.com/jfadaka

Connect with Lezanne: https://www.instagram.com/lezanne_scott_art

Curious about working with me? Let’s chat: https://tidycal.com/lezanne/lets-chat

I sit down with Liandri Fouché, founder of Frei Design Studio and Maximalist, to talk about leaving corporate for good, learning to trust her intuition, and the real cost of staying in situations that no longer feel right.

Liandri shares how she gave herself permission to build a creative business on her own terms, why community can be harder to find than expected as a solopreneur, and the self-care practices that keep her grounded. If you've ever stayed too long in something that wasn't right for you, this one's for you.

Connect with Liandri here.

Connect with Lezanne here.

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In this episode, recorded live in her beautifully curated shop, I sit down with Asta Petkunaite of Pascal & Co on Leith Walk.

We talk about building an authentic creative business from the ground up, the confidence it took her to call herself an artist, and how she navigates identity and creativity through the messier, honest realities of becoming a mother later in life.

• Building a business rooted in authenticity, not trends
• Creating a sensory brand experience through scent, sound, and curation
• Navigating creative identity through motherhood and major life transitions
• Learning to trust instinct and protect your energy and boundaries

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In this episode I'm joined by Erin Murray, a mixed media artist based in Ottawa, Canada, who stepped into life as a full time artist after becoming a mum. We talk about the courage it takes to finally call yourself an artist, the "why not me?" moment that shifted everything for Erin, and the way motherhood has reshaped how she creates and shows up in her work.Erin shares how she protects her creative time through a busy season of life, why she treats Instagram as a tool rather than a measure of her worth, and how letting go of pressure has brought play and joy back into her practice. If you're a creative business owner trying to carve out space for your own work, this one is full gentle encouragement.

Connect with Erin here.

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In this episode, the tables are turned.

Fellow artist Anuschka Barlas interviews Lezanne Scott about her upcoming solo exhibition, Löyly, and the month-long artist residency in Finland that inspired it. They talk about the Finnish sauna as a place of equality and deep connection, what it means to spend a month without digital distraction, and how stillness became central to this body of work.

Löyly brings together oil paintings, works on paper, and a short film, and opens at Whitespace Gallery in Edinburgh on 8 May 2026. Find out more and follow along here.

What happens when someone who has built an incredible creative career suddenly stops, not because they want to, but because they have to?

In this episode, I'm joined by Christine Meintjes, internationally acclaimed photographer and co-founder of some of South Africa's most loved creative brands. After years of building, launching, and leading, Christine hit a wall. In 2025, she took a sabbatical and used that time to reconnect with herself and her creativity.

We talk about burnout, freedom, learning to say no, and what it really means to come back to yourself as a creative.

You can connect with Christine here.

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Curious about working with me? ⁠Let's chat⁠.

Jacobi de Villiers is an opera singer, music teacher, and the creative force behind Jakop, a handmade product business she has been quietly building for six years in Cape Town. In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to keep going when things don't work out, how to build the right support team around you, and why knowing which season you're in matters so much as a creative.

Jacobi is currently in full harvest mode, and it is such a joy to witness. This conversation is full of warmth, honesty, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from years of perseverance. I hope it fills you up.

You can learn more about Jakop here.

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Curious about working with me? ⁠Let's chat⁠.

Topaz Pauls runs Reconfigure, Edinburgh's life drawing group celebrating 10 years this summer. In this conversation, we explore how she balances multiple creative practices, the power of community in sustaining creative work, and her approach to starting small when beginning something new. We talk about managing energy as a freelancer, following your intuition, and why one thing always leads to another.

The poem I refer to in the episode is called 'Start Close In', by David Whyte.

You can follow Topaz here and join Reconfigure here.

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Welcome back to the podcast! After taking a restorative break in South Africa over the festive season, I'm returning with new episodes and conversations with creative entrepreneurs from around the world.In this episode, we're talking about why finding balance feels so uncomfortable, especially as we move into February and the reality of those January intentions starts to hit.If you set out to create more balance this year but find yourself still overworking, still struggling with boundaries, and still finding it hard to rest, this episode is for you.In this episode:• Why our brains resist change, even when old patterns harm us• The unique challenge for creative entrepreneurs who've left corporate life• Understanding neuroplasticity and how we can rewire our patterns• Why discomfort doesn't mean you're doing it wrongYou don't have to navigate this alone. If you'd like support in creating sustainable rhythms in your creative business, book a call with me here.

In this episode, Lezanne breaks down what energy management really means for creative entrepreneurs and why it matters more than squeezing more tasks into your day.

If you're in Edinburgh and want to dive deeper into this work, Lezanne is running an Energy Mapping Workshop on 24 January where you'll map out your unique energy patterns together. Limited to 8 people. Book your ticket here.

This is Lezanne's last episode for 2025. She'll be taking a proper break over the holidays and will be back in January.

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