Listen in as I open up about my own personal experience of moving away from hustle culture towards a more balanced approach to work and life. In this heart-to-heart, I reflect on how the pursuit of success can cost us our inspiration and mental health, and why I now see embracing stillness as a vital ingredient in sustaining creativity. 🎨 

In this episode I share exactly how I have started to slow down in my creative journey, from getting rid of ridiculous personal deadlines to replacing the weekend hustle with much needed pauses. Together we explore my biggest learnings, including how it's perfectly okay to fill your time with things such as impromptu trips to aimlessly walk around B&M or an evening on the couch watching your favourite movie with a pie... or two. 😉 

This journey isn't just mine. It's reflected in the stories that I share from listeners, each with their unique testimonies to the richness that comes from stepping away from the relentless grind. 

So join me for a candid conversation that challenges our perception of hustle culture and celebrates a less hasty way of working! 🙌 

Join me as I welcome the incredibly talented Fee Sheal, a seasoned freelance motion designer who gives us a peek into her vibrant life, from crafting captivating visuals for international brands to empowering the next generation of creatives.

Today's episode is a little different because instead of a hot topic, Fee will be sitting in the freelance hot seat to share with us her invaluable insights as a female entrepreneur. We cover everything from Fee's early days transitioning from graphic to motion design, to the pivotal moment she chose the freelance path. 

Fee opens up about the challenges and triumphs she's faced, sharing personal anecdotes that shed light on the delicate dance of work-life balance, the nuances of finding and retaining clients, top tips for navigating freelance life and the joy of starting a new business venture. 

Fee also emphasises the importance of community, mentorship, and transparency. She speaks passionately about her role in providing a supportive environment for young creatives and gives us an uplifting perspective on empowering women in industry.

If you're a fellow creative or someone who's ever considered going freelance , Fee's colourful narrative is sure to fuel your motivation and maybe even spark a little courage to take the leap. Join us for a hefty slice of honesty and laughter—it's an episode you won't want to miss!

Join me in this episode as I chat with the incredible Tara Mac, a freelance designer from Edinburgh with 10 years of industry experience who is helping female founders to grow and succeed through impactful brands and websites. 🤩

Today Tara has chosen to shed a light on the stark reality of elitism within the creative sector. We begin by exploring Tara's creative story, from her roots in a childhood brimming with imagination to her pivotal role in crafting brand identities and websites that empower women in business.

Moving onto our hot topic, we confront unsettling statistics and shared personal encounters that highlight the true issues of elitism not only within creative agencies but also the creative industry as a whole. This episode isn't just about laying out the issues, though. We pivot to practical solutions that are challenging the status quo, aiming to reshape the creative industry into one that is truly reflective and inclusive of the society it serves.

Wrapping up, we discuss Tara's future endeavours to cultivate a support network for women in the entrepreneurial sphere. So tune in, get inspired, and join myself and Tara in causing a bit of a ruckus 😉

If you want to connect with Tara you can do so here on Linkedin and Instagram

Hey all you beautiful creatives! Today we are kicking off Series 3 with the talented Asa Rodger! 🤩

Asa, founder of Page, is a one-man design studio that helps people build successful storied brands that get traction. With a portfolio of work with major brands like SkyScanner, Willo, and House of Gods, Asa has stepped out of the industry after a decade working with top agencies, now focusing on doing good work with good people. 🤝

Join myself and Asa as we explore the creative process in all its chaotic glory and reflect on how chaos can be harnessed as a positive force in the design world. Asa candidly shares with us his honest experiences of managing chaos and we discuss the often-neglected topic of mental health, shedding a light on the importance of self-care practices that are as much about personal well-being as they are about nurturing our creative spark. ⚡️

This episode is not only an exploration of managing chaos but also a reminder to engage with fellow creatives and stay grounded in the face of uncertainty. So, grab your headphones and get ready for an episode filled with insights, advice, and the shared experiences of the freelance lifestyle. 💡

If you want to connect with Asa you can do so here on Linkedin
Visit his studio page to see more of his awesome work! https://workbypage.com/

Today I am getting chatty with the wonderfully talented Emily Wylde!
 
Emily is a freelance Illustrator and designer who brings the weird and colourful to life! Emily’s mission is to help brands, businesses and individuals thrive with confidence and clarity in order to attract their dream audience and create positive impact. When Emily isn’t designing for a variety of clients she is adventuring in nature, playing video games and enjoying the simplicities of a good flat white in her favourite coffee shop.
 
Today Emily has chosen to chat about all things introspection and personal growth! We discuss everything from the power of self reflection and working on your creative identity as a freelancer to the metaphorical beauty of cracked pottery. Trust me it will all make sense once you give this incredibly vulnerable, humble and enlightening episode a listen! 
 
Thank you Emily for sharing your refreshing perspective to the freelance lifestyle and for gracing us with your insightful knowledge! I can confidently say that introspection is my new favourite word 😆

Want to know more about Emily? You can find her on instagram ! 

In today's episode I am getting chatty with the wonderful Ceels Lockley about niching, simplifying and selling your services with confidence!
 
 Ceels is a business mentor and strategist who is on a mission to help freelancers and service providers discover how to work in a way that feels expansive, exciting and sustainable. With 20 years of marketing experience and a varied career in the online space, Ceels has helped hundreds of women worldwide find PEACE and PROFIT.

Ceels is also the host of the successful fiercely freelance podcast. A podcast that delivers bitesized, bingeable and honest advice for anyone interested in the freelance lifestyle!
 
To niche or not to niche is a question that comes to my mind a lot as a freelancer but after chatting with Ceels, I now have a lot more clarity about how I can finesse my services to better deliver for my clients.

So, if like me, you are someone who can feel overwhelmed when it comes to your services and you are thinking about niching, then this episode is definitely for you!

If you want learn more about Ceels then you can follow her on instagram @ceels.lockley and don't forget to listen to her awesome podcast Fiercely Freelance!

Grab your tickets for my podcast workshop here!

In today's episode of the chatty freelancer podcast I get chatty with the bloody wonderful Ashleigh Robertson! 

Ashleigh is a freelance motion designer & animator who helps brands tell their stories with keyframe magic! She has worked with some of the top creative agencies in the business and worked with brands such as STV, Tennents, and most recently the University of the West of Scotland. Ashleigh’s endeavours have led her to doing talks at events such as GAB, lecturing at Glasgow Caledonian University and she was previously 1/2 of Ladies, Wine and Design Glasgow! It’s safe to say that she is one talented lass with a cracking personality to match!
 
Today Ashleigh has chosen to chat about freelance truths and when things go wrong. We discuss everything from setting your freelance rates to finding and keeping clients. We also deep dive into some client horror stories and have a right good laugh doing so. Because if you can't laugh you'll cry right? 

All jokes aside, Ashleigh really opens up and talks to us about the tougher side to freelancing and how to overcome the not so glamorous side to this complex but rewarding lifestyle. I am so thankful for her honesty, vulnerability, wisdom and infectious energy she brought to this episode!

You guys are in for a real treat!

This time I am getting chatty with the fantastic Adam Stevenson! Adam is a recent design graduate from the digital design course at Glasgow Caledonian University! But Adams GCU journey is not over, after the summer Adam will be returning to campus to study 3d design for virtual environments!

But before he does that Adam has chosen to chat to us about his experience as a design student and give his honest perspective on embarking into industry as a graduate. He shares some great tips for all you design student newbies and tells a wonderfully inspiring story about defying the odds on his journey towards University!

If you want to connect with Adam you can do so here on LinkedIn

In this episode I get chatty with the magnificent Lorraine Smith! Lorraine is a freelance graphic designer, illustrator and drinks nerd based in beautiful Glasgow. But when Lorraine isn’t designing she is the host of ladies, wine and design Glasgow! A global initiative that brings together creative women to connect, inspire, and empower each other in a relaxed and supportive setting.
Today Lorraine has chosen to chat about the lack women in the design industry and the ongoing challenges we face. We get super real with some staggering facts, chat honestly about how we feel on this reoccurring issue and discuss how the industry as a whole can make a conscious effort towards more female representation! Oh and of course, as always, we share a few giggles as we do so.

It was incredible to sit down and have this very important chat with Lorraine. She continues to inspire me with all she is doing for the women in the design community and she's just an all round class lass. So if you have a spare moment of your day give this episode a listen, it's one you won't want to miss!

If you want to connect with Lorraine you can on instagram @smithygraphics and be sure to follow @lwdglasgow to keep up to date with all the exciting events!