If you’re overwhelmed thinking about your creative portfolio and don’t know where to begin, please know you ARE NOT ALONE!

Your portfolio isn’t a scrapbook of everything you’ve ever made. It’s a sales tool. And if it’s not bringing in inquiries, it’s probably not structured as well as it can be.

In this episode of Creative Biz Real Talk, I’m sharing:

• (2:50) How to make a portfolio if you don’t have any clients yet
• (4:25) What to I include (or NOT include) in your portfolio
• (8:35) How many photos, etc. to include 
• (12:25) Final tips & tricks that I have learned over the years!

Whether you’re a calligrapher, illustrator, designer, or service-based creative, this episode will help you create a portfolio that builds confidence and attracts the right type of clients for your business.

Remember - Your portfolio isn’t about proving your worth, it’s about showing clear photos of what you sell, building confidence, and making it easy (not overwhelming) for someone to say yes! Build from CLARITY, not fear.

🎧 Listen now to simplify your portfolio strategy. Because you CAN do this!

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

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If you’ve been putting off building your first website for your creative business because it feels overwhelming—you’re not lazy or behind. You’ve just been given advice meant for established businesses, not beginners.

In this episode of Creative Biz Real Talk, I’m breaking down what your first website actually needs, what you can safely skip, and how to get something live fast—without branding paralysis, tech overwhelm, or perfectionism.

I even Googled “your first website for creative business” and the AI-generated advice alone explains why so many creatives get stuck: value propositions, conversion funnels, mobile optimization, advanced SEO… none of that is where you should start.

Instead, this episode gives you a simple, realistic starter website framework you can build in a single afternoon.

If you're a calligrapher, creative business focused person (illustrator, graphic designer, copywriters, pattern designers, etc.), or a service-based creative who wants to feel legit & start getting clients, this episode is for you!

Highlights from this episode:

• (1:04) The importance of having a website for your business
• (3:35) THE K.I.S.S. website building method
• (11:39) Sections to add to your website later (NOT NOW!)
• (17:00) Summary of beginning business website must-do's
• (17:17) Website hosting platform recommendation 

REMEMBER - Your first website isn’t about impressing the internet. It’s about giving yourself a place to point people, a reason to show up confidently, and a foundation you can build on💪

🎧 Listen or watch now to stop overthinking and finally get your creative business website live.

The website hosting platform I use! 

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Lots of my students have become successful Pro Calligraphers, but WILL IT REALLY WORK FOR YOU?

I got some very good questions recently from a busy mom who wanted a reality check and asked me:

• What’s a realistic first-year income for a 5-10hr/week side hustle?
• Can a busy working mom really make this work?
• How can new calligraphers stand out and get clients?
• Should a new business start with local services or online?

My informal answers in this episode and a surprising result? 

My answer to questions two, three and four are the SAME ANSWER and it’s the key to you moving quickly & efficiently with the time you have, so you can start making money instead of spinning your wheels. 

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Pro Calligrapher Bundle open for enrollment through Feb 4, 2026

https://crookedcalligraphy.lpages.co/courses

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

What if your breakthrough was just two simple steps away?

This week on Creative Business Real Talk, you’ll meet Sophilia - a student who proves that you’re closer than you think.

She enrolled in our Modern Calligraphy 101 Program in January 2025. 

By October 2025, her calligraphy was pro-level. But she still felt stuck, unsure, and desperate for direction. So I gave her two clear action steps… and what happened next will blow your mind!!

In just 60 days, Sophilia booked her first calligraphy job, made $1,500, and even landed a better day job… all because she finally stopped overthinking and started showing up.

Inside this episode:

• (3:20) Sophilia's business journey (and if she even wanted to launch a business in the first place!)
• (4:50) Sophilia’s 2025 wrap up, and how her mentorship changed her mindset from “procrasti-learning” to putting herself out there and eliminating the static in her head
• (10:50) How calligraphy instilled the confidence in Sophilia to land a BETTER day job that leaves her more fulfilled and focused on her own happiness
• (12:20) Advice for others scared to start their own creative business & why “done is better than perfect”

I LOVE this inspiring story of how focusing on the important things can TRULY start you on your creative business journey sooner than you think!

I hope this episode will inspire you to move now, with what you have (because you really have WAY more than you think at your disposal).

Find Sophilia here:

https://www.instagram.com/sophiliamarcellestudios/

https://www.sophiliamarcellestudios.com/ 

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

There’s nothing “wrong” with you if you haven’t found your “creative passion” yet!

In fact, let’s stop thinking about creative passion in a romantic fantasy, fairytale prince kinda way and let’s actually make it HAPPEN for ourselves (‘cause women in our middle years know how to get shit done, right?)

In this episode of Creative Business Real Talk, I’m busting three myths that keep us from sticking to a creative hobby:

1. Myth #1: The LOVE of the craft itself should be enough
2. Myth #2: You should feel spontaneous bursts of creativity and desire to create, like all the time. 
3. Myth #3: Once you find your creative passion, it will just click, and you’ll love it happily ever after.

We’ll be exploring:
00:00 Introduction: Embracing Creativity in Midlife
01:13 Myth 1: Purpose-Driven Creativity
03:30 Myth 2: Spontaneous Passion
07:09 Myth 3: Instant Mastery
10:06 Finding My Creative Passion: Calligraphy
14:11 Join the Calligraphy Challenge
15:29 Conclusion: Your Creative Journey Awaits

And you''ll never guess what activity I have discovered is synonymous to building a woman-owned creative business 😉

There’s a reason calligraphy is MY creative passion, and it’s not because it rescued me. It’s because I MADE it into my passion with intention, structure, and purpose. I hope you can relate to this podcast and find inspiration to help you achieve your creative goals!

And don’t forget! The Newbie To Pro Calligrapher Challenge is happening RIGHT NOW - January 19-27, 2026! Register HERE!!

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Who makes more $$$? An accountant or a calligrapher?

In this inspiring episode of Creative Business Real Talk, I sit down with Laura Hess of Getrie’s Calligraphy - a former accountant who took our calligraphy courses in 2020 thinking, “I’m not even artistic.” 

Fast forward to today: she quit her 20-year corporate job, runs a thriving calligraphy business, and now earns way more PER HOUR for her calligraphy than for her accounting services!!

Here’s what you’ll learn from Laura’s journey:

• (1:15) Why Laura got into calligraphy & how those grad-school handwriting guidelines rooted her in her passions!
• (4:20) How Laura’s need for a ‘creative purpose’ perpetuated her business 
• (6:25) When Laura finally figured out she was ready to start moving her business forward (even if she was ‘doing it scared’!)
• (14:20) How calligraphy changed Laura, both personally & professionally, and how it's never too late to tap into a new skill & career
• (21:20) Laura shares how the investment in herself has paid off, the moment things “clicked” for her, and the perks of being your own boss

Never in a million years did Laura think she’d quit her accounting job, start her own biz, end up charging WAY MORE for calligraphy, & feel this much freedom and flexibility of not having a boss.

Tune in to see what can happen when you just “give it a try” and pursue your creative side!

Don't forget, the Pro Calligrapher Bundle opens for enrollment January 27th, 2026!

Follow Laura @gertiescalligraphy 

https://www.gertiescalligraphy.com/

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

FREE Calligraphy Classes start 1/19/2026 --> crookedcalligraphy.com/challenge

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Still waiting for your craft to be “perfect” before launching your biz? Big mistake.

I’m busting the myth that you need flawless technique to start making money as a creative.

When I launched Crooked Calligraphy, I’d only been practicing for three months. THREE. But I didn’t wait to be perfect. I shared my imperfect, beginner calligraphy and built a real, thriving business by learning in real life.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why waiting to “perfect” your craft is setting you back YEARS
• The real reason people buy your work… and it’s not just about skill
• A practical “Beta Business” strategy that lets you earn while you learn
• How starting imperfectly builds resilience, confidence, and income
• The truth about the calligraphy industry ecosystem - and where you can fit right now

Whether you're dreaming of side income, full-time creative freedom, or just want to stop waiting, this episode will help you see the real value of starting before you feel ready.

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Failure isn't the end! It’s a -requirement- for success.
But no one taught us that in school, right?

Most people don’t quit because they fail once…
They quit because they decide that failure means something is wrong with them.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why failure is essential to building a thriving creative business, and how learning to fail correctly is what separates people who succeed from people who stay stuck.

You’ll hear:

(1:30) The fear one of my students had before joining my business course... and how she landed her first paid calligraphy job within weeks

(3:05) Why school conditioned us to see failure as a stop sign instead of feedback

(5:30) The truth about my journey: two failed businesses before building Crooked Calligraphy

(7:50) A business mentee who believed she was a failure because her last business didn’t work — and how we reframed it as a “starter” business

(11:00) The story of my most painful launch: weeks of prep, nearly 1,000 people, and only ONE sale

(13:15) How that failure led to a $30K+ launch just weeks later

Here’s the key takeaway:
👉 You go through failures. You are NOT a failure.

Failure is only scary when you let it define you instead of teach you.

If you’ve ever thought:

-- “What if I try and still fail?”

-- “Maybe I’m just not cut out for this”

-- “I don’t trust myself to start again”

This episode is for you.

✨ And if you’re ready to stop letting failure hold you back, I’m opening a new challenge in January designed to help you build momentum, confidence, and clarity — even if you’ve failed before.

Stay tuned. Your next step might be closer than you think.

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Have you ever been too afraid to put yourself out there for fear of what people might say?

 Yeah…me too. Especially when I searched my own business on Reddit and found a thread calling me a snake (Word of advice -  DON’T do what I did, unless you have thick skin)....

In this episode of Creative Business Real Talk, I’m getting honest about the fear of criticism, how it’s shown up in my journey from lawyer to calligrapher, and the three powerful mindset shifts that changed everything.

Inside this episode:

(1:42) “Don’t take criticism from someone whose life you don’t want.” - why ‘doing something brave with your life’ holds more value than the opinion of bystanders

(4:14) “Are you going to let two minutes of gossip stop you from living your life?” - how to “zoom out” and be grounded in the decisions you make for YOUR life

(7:43) “Criticism says more about the person criticizing than the one being criticized” - why pointing the finger at someone, only results in 4 pointing back at yourself

(14:27) The most important thing I’ve gained from my entrepreneurial journey

Whether it’s strangers online or well-meaning family members, criticism is part of the deal when you’re doing something brave. But here’s what I’ve learned after 10+ years building Crooked Calligraphy: what people say about you says more about them than it does about you.

This episode is for any creative or entrepreneur who’s ever held back because of fear—especially the fear of being misunderstood, judged, or torn down.

🎧 Listen now to get grounded in your worth, filter out the noise, and move forward with courage.

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Think building a calligraphy business means you need a full-blown plan, a perfect brand portfolio, and a social media master? Think again.

In this video, I share two real stories—of students who started scared, took action, and booked their first gigs within weeks. I’ll tell you exactly what to focus on in order to get your business going with your very first paying clients.

In this episode, I’m sharing:

• (0:57) “I need all of the things!!” - Why this myth holds people back SO often
• (2:08) The two (NOT impossible) things I told my student she needed to do to take the first step & start your business
• (5:32) Pitching yourself - doing the hard things drives your overall success (even if you fail at first!)
• (7:49) The staircase - why stepping up to start a business isn’t as scary as you think
• (10:50) The BEST time to get started with calligraphy & how to book a job THIS WEEK

You’ll walk away believing that success might not be as far off as it seems, and that mountain of tasks isn’t quite as big as you think it is!!

FREE WORKSHOP:

• “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

• Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

• Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!