Creative Business Spark

SHOW NOTES: Why does the From Doodles to Dollars® Coaching Week cost just $10? I get real about the intentional philosophy behind the price — and what's actually waiting for you inside. If you've ever wondered whether a $10 course can really be worth your time, this episode is for you. 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn The honest question one student emailed me about the $10 price — and my full answer What's actually included in From Doodles to Dollars® Coaching Week (hint: it's not a PDF and nothing else) Why I've made the very intentional decision to keep this t...

Show Notes: Have you ever stood in a fabric store aisle and thought — why can't I ever find exactly what I need? In this episode, I'm sharing the story of a season when I nearly walked away from my creative business entirely — and the one skill that changed everything. We'll talk about the social media treadmill that exhausts so many creative entrepreneurs, the myth that more products equals more income, and the moment I realized that doing one thing really well will always outperform doing everything halfway. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, scattered, or like all your effo...

SHOW NOTES Kyle Young sold over $1,000 in products at a church craft fair in just three hours — and she'd only recently started exploring surface pattern design. In this episode, Anne walks through seven real ways creative women are earning income from their simple doodles, featuring nine students from her community who are doing it right now. Whether you're drawn to print-on-demand, licensing, craft fairs, teaching, or something you haven't even considered yet, this episode will show you what's possible.  🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn The 7 income paths available to surface pattern designers (and why most...

SHOW NOTES: Did you wonder why you received so many emails during Bonnie Christine's Immersion launch? Today I'm pulling back the curtain on affiliate marketing. What it is, how I approach it, and why it can become an important part of your creative business. I break affiliate marketing into three simple buckets and share exactly how I think about recommending tools and programs to my community. Whether you're curious about affiliate marketing for your own business or just want to know why you got so many emails, this episode is for you.  🔑 In This E...

SHOW NOTES What's really standing between you and the creative life you want? It's not your age, your talent, or your tech skills — it's a collection of lies you've been carrying around for years. In this episode, let’s gets honest about the five mindset traps that keep creative women stuck. I share the moment I almost let fear win after getting laid off, and I’ll give you permission to throw those old stories in the trash. It’s spring cleaning for the mind! 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn: The 5 lies that keep cre...

Show Notes. This year marks my eighth year blocking off my calendar for Bonnie Christine's Surface Design Immersion program, but this year feels completely different. Bonnie has reimagined her signature program from the ground up, and I'm excited to tell you this new approach is exactly what we need right now. In this special podcast episode, I share why this course matters so much—not just for learning surface pattern design, but for reclaiming tangible creativity in our increasingly digital world. UNBOXING VIDEO! Head over to my YouTube channel to watch the video wher...

SHOW NOTES: Eight years ago, I discovered Bonnie Christine and surface pattern design—and it changed everything. Today I'm inviting you to join Bonnie's free Print & Pattern Revival workshop (Feb 11-16) where she'll teach you how to create seamless repeating patterns and understand how the surface design industry really works. No experience needed—just a pencil and paper. This workshop is perfect whether you've grabbed my surface pattern design ebook or my Doodles workbook and want to go deeper, or you're completely new to pattern design. Learn from the GOAT herself! 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn...

Episode Description: Seventeen browser tabs open. Three YouTube tutorials playing at once. Four courses in your cart. And yet... you still haven't finished that one pattern you started three weeks ago. Sound familiar? In this episode, Anne shares why her Creative Business Mastermind is spending an entire quarter studying The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan—and how this one book is changing the way her students approach their creative businesses. If you've been feeling scattered, overwhelmed, or stuck in busy-ness instead of progress, this episode is your permission to go small so you can fi...

Episode Description What if you discovered a creative career path that lets you see your designs on fabric, wrapping paper, and products worldwide? Listen to how I accidentally discovered surface pattern design in 2018 and how it transformed from a curiosity into a six-figure business. Whether you're exploring a creative second chapter or looking for a way to turn your artistic side into income, this episode reveals one of the best-kept secrets in the creative world. 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn: How I made my first repeating pattern What surface pattern desig...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION Feeling like you didn't make enough progress last year? Struggling with January's "fresh start" energy when you're just plain tired? This episode is for you. I'm sharing the story of Janet Hild, a textile designer and Creative Business Mastermind member who accomplished three major business milestones in 2025—while raising three kids, teaching at the master's level, and working part-time jobs. Her story will help you reframe what progress actually looks like and recognize the wins you might be overlooking in your own creative journey. What You'll Learn: Why we're measuring pr...

Show Notes: January often comes with pressure to feel motivated, organized, and ready to charge ahead. But what if that’s not the season you’re in? In this episode, I’m sharing a more honest start to the year. I talk about entering my eighth year of business, navigating caregiving and health challenges, and noticing what happens when energy feels low instead of abundant. Rather than pushing through exhaustion, this episode explores what it looks like to listen — to your body, your life, and the season you’re in — and how adjusting doesn’t mean...

Show Notes Start messy! I want you to think about your first pattern like your first pancake. You know how the first pancake is always wonky? Too thick, too thin, weird shape, probably stuck to the pan? But you don't stop making breakfast. You adjust the heat, perfect your pour, and by the third pancake, you're flipping like a pro. Your first pattern is just information gathering. It tells you: What tools feel comfortable Which design elements you're drawn to Where you need more practice What comes naturally to you Every "mistake" is...

Show Notes Ready for an embarrassing story that relates to my birthday? How about demanding to celebrate my birthday on my Saint's Day in July (because December 30th felt lost between holidays). What You'll Learn Why the shame we carry about our younger selves (wanting "too much," starting "too late") is actually evidence of someone who knew their worth and deserves forgiveness The permission slips every creative needs for 2026: to take up space, to start at any age, to be imperfect, and to believe your voice matters even if "it's all been done before" How...

Show Notes It’s two days before Christmas. Let’s celebrate and talk about Pantone's perfectly timed announcement of Cloud Dancer as the 2026 Color of the Year. You may thinking, it’s just… WHITE! But I explore why this softest shade of white represents exactly what we need right now – not empty space, but possibility space. Space for space which we all need.  What You'll Learn Why Pantone's choice of white (Cloud Dancer) after years of bold colors signals our collective craving for peace, and how this connects to the natural whites of the holiday sea...

Show Notes Publishing this podcast on a Sunday perfectly captures the challenge: As entrepreneurs, we work a lot! Entrepreneurial exhaustion is real and sometimes it's actually harder to rest as a creative business owner because there is always something to do. In this episode, I share how my walks transformed from restoration time into mobile strategy sessions with AI, and why I had to learn the hard way that creativity without rest leads to creative bankruptcy. What You'll Learn The paradox of creative freedom: why entrepreneurial exhaustion is sneakier than corporate burnout because it c...

Show Notes. After learning the hard way during a disastrous Paris trip where I was stuck on late-night Zoom calls instead of enjoying family dinners, let’s dive into my favorite way to plan for the year ahead. I’ll share why starting with life first and building business goals second actually leads to greater success, not less. 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn: The backwards planning method that flips traditional goal-setting on its head – why blocking family trips, personal health, and creative restoration time FIRST actually increases your business success Why limitin...

Show Notes. In this episode, I share my 8-year journey of learning how to effectively review and plan for business growth. I’ll reveal why skipping your year-end review is the biggest mistake you can make, even when your tracking wasn't perfect, and I’ll share my game-changing Post-it note system that makes both reviewing and planning visual, flexible, and actually doable. 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn: The simple Post-it note and wall calendar system that revolutionized how I track my business (and why it's superior to any digital tool for creative entrepren...

Show Notes: In this Thanksgiving week episode, I share the story of how my mother and I used to alternate hosting family holidays, and what I learned from her warm and inviting approach to hospitality. My mother was a fabulous hostess who had an incredible gift for making people feel completely at ease, using formal elegance that somehow felt completely welcoming. She was always my biggest cheerleader and supported the exploration of my own unique perspective. What You'll Learn How learning from teachers whose styles differ from yours expands rather than limits your creative de...

Show Notes In this episode, I share my personal journey from corporate employee to creative entrepreneur, and the overwhelming feeling of facing a dream that seemed impossibly large compared to my starting point. After 30 years of following someone else's strategic vision, I found myself wantin to create something completely from scratch, and I had no idea where to begin. I explore the crucial question that changed everything for me – what am I actually seeking underneath this dream? – and how clarifying whether you want a creative hobby or creative business helps guide every decision you make moving...

Show Notes: In this episode, I share my journey from corporate job loss and creative isolation to discovering the transformative power of a creative community through a local co-working space. I explore why the myth of the solitary artist is actually harmful to working creatives and how an authentic community provides perspective, solutions, and accountability that you simply cannot achieve alone. As we approach 2026, I discuss the importance of both online communities and in-person connection, address the current "trust recession", and explain how a community can support you when you’re feeling lost or isolated. Wh...