The And She Looked Up Podcast

In Episode 32 of the podcast, Gabby Peyton and I talk about the challenges and advantages of being a multi-passionate creative - especially when it's your career! Whether it’s fending off negative stereotypes of being flaky or lacking focus or dealing with the challenges of branding yourself or not being afraid to showcase your multiple skills, we talk about trying to figure out how to make i...

In Episode 31,  Gabby shares all her pitching secrets both as a writer and journalist and as an editor on the receiving end of pitches. Whether you're pitching newspapers, magazines,  websites or your dream publication, this episode is packed with pitching tips. For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: EP031: The Best Pitching Tips for Writers with Gabby Peyton...

In this episode Melissa and Gabby Peyton talk about taking advantage of the unique opportunities that are available when you build your creative business in a smaller urban or even rural centre (and how you can leverage those into big city opportunities if you choose too!) For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: EP030: Small Town Success For Your Creative Business...

As part of our ongoing series profiling creative Canadian women, this week we sit down with Newfoundlander, Gabby Peyton. Hailing from St. John's, Gabby is a freelance writer, journalist, archaeological dig illustrator and food photographer with feet itching to travel.  Find out how this multi-passionate creative has built a life she loves that celebrates all her creative callings. For a summ...

In this episode Ayngelina Brogan and I dive into why it's so important to know your key numbers, regardless of what kind of creative business you run, and how knowing those numbers can help you increase your productivity, time management and profitability! It can be easy for creative businesses to get caught up in vanity numbers that don't actually mean anything to the health of their bu...

In this episode Melissa and Ayngelina Brogan have a conversation that revolves around how mindset and business are interconnected and why what you call yourself really matters. When Ayngelina decided to stop calling herself a blogger and instead refer to herself as a publisher, it gave her the mindset she needed to take the next big growth leap in her business. When Melissa got up the courage to f...

The global pandemic has wreaked havoc on many businesses but, it has also triggered a lot of ingenuity as women have figured out how to pivot their creative businesses and continue to find success. But there are many times outside of a pandemic when you may be faced with the thought of pivoting your business. Today Melissa and Ayngelina Brogan talk about how to pivot your business in times of chan...

Today I'm spending the hour getting to know Nova Scotia creative (and my September co-host!) Ayngelina Brogan. Ayngelina is the publisher behind the culinary travel website Bacon is Magic where she publishes written and video content to help travelers find the best food around the world - and even make some of it at home. When we're not in the midst of a global pandemic, Ayngelina splits...

In Episode 24 we're talking about pitching. At some point we're all faced with pitching ourselves - be it to an editor, a gallery, a future client, a craft market, or a wholesaler. The times where we have to pitch ourselves and our businesses are endless. Melissa and Heather have years of experience pitching and being pitched and they let you in on the keys to making your pitch stand out...

In Episode 23 we tackle a topic a lot of women and a lot of working creatives really don't like to face: negotiation. But negotiation is a critical part of life and business and without learning some simple negotiation techniques, we often wind up settling for things we're not really happy about. We're flipping negotiation on its head today and getting rid of the stress that goes wi...

In Episode 22 we talk about how to promote yourself and your work without relying so much on social media and fighting with algorithms. Heather puts on her PR hat to give us tips and tricks to DIY your own press and marketing and have success with it!  This episode is jam packed with all kind of grass roots marketing ideas to help you move your business forward in your community - even if you&apos...

This week we launch Season 2 of The And She Looked Up Creative Hour! Today I'm spending the hour getting to know Ontario artist (and my August co-host!) Heather Travis better. Heather is a communications professional as well as a painter known for her large scale canvases and mural work. Recently, she has also gone mini with several old dollhouse restoration projects! We talk about the art co...

This week we wrap up Season 1 of the And She Looked Up Podcast and talk about some of the changes coming for Season 2! For a list of all available episodes, please visit: And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast And She Looked Up was born from the creative minds of Melissa Hartfiel and Lisa Bolton who both knew creating for a living takes a special kind of person: one part artist and one part busin...

This week Lisa and Melissa talk about releasing the need to feel busy all the time and why it's important for us to not just embrace being bored but to actually cultivate time in our day for it! Giving our brains the chance to wander and process the constant stream of stimulation we feed them every day can generate tremendous creative energy! For a summary of this episode and all the links me...

Ever thought about writing a book but feel you don't have a big enough platform? In Episode 18, Melissa interviews Lisa on how she wrote a national best seller with a major publisher with virtually no platform. For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: ASLU EP 18: How To Get a Book Deal When Nobody Knows Who You Are For a list of all available episodes, please v...

Have you ever thought about going into a creative business with a partner? Are you currently in a partnership and looking for some help?  Episode 17 is all about creative partnerships - the good, the bad and the great! For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: ASLU EP017: Tips For A Successful Partnership When You're A Creative For a list of all available episod...

For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: ASLU EP016 Prepping Your Creative Business For Time Off For a list of all available episodes, please visit: And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast And She Looked Up was born from the creative minds of Melissa Hartfiel and Lisa Bolton who both knew creating for a living takes a special kind of person: one part artist and one...

Episode 15 is part two of our discussion about pricing your work as a creative.  This is the continuation of a stimulating conversation all about pricing your work as a creator, maker and artist.  For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: Episode 14 & 15: How To Price Your Work In Your Creative Business For a list of all available episodes, please visit: And She...

Episode 14 is a two part episode all about pricing your work as a creative.  This is a robust discussion covering the basics of margins, to discounting, to premium pricing to pricing for nonprofits and friends.   For a list of all available episodes, please visit: And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast And She Looked Up was born from the creative minds of Melissa Hartfiel and Lisa Bolton who both...

This week we are talking all about the advantages of batching and time blocking as creatives.  For Episode 13, Melissa and Lisa bring you an energetic and passionate conversation on the benefits of protecting blocks of time and how to maintain control of your workweek for ultimate productivity as an artist. For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: Episode 13: Batchi...

Whether you currently work from home or are considering making the move to a home based studio,  this episode is for you!  It is packed full of tips on how ensure you stay productive and focused all while maintaining healthy mental balance. For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: Episode 12: Our Best Tips For Working From Home For a list of all available episodes,...

With all the joys and perks that come from being a creative entrepreneur at home, also comes all the distractions too.  In this week's episode, Melissa and Lisa share their best tips and strategies for staying on task, productive, and staying distraction free. For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: Episode 011: How To Manage Distractions When You Run Your Bus...

We are kicking off May with a focus on everything it means to be a creative who works from home.  This month we will talk about setting up your space, how to stay focused and distraction free, and some tips of batching and productivity hacks.  For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: ASLU 010: Tips For Creating a Home Work Space For Your Business For a list of all a...

How Working Creatives Can Inspire Others By Giving Back In Episode 9 of the And She Looked Up Creative Hour , we wrap up our April theme of Inspiration by talking about the ways we, as working creatives, can give back to our communities by inspiring others. And, how that in turn, can result in an extra dose of inspiration for us! If you have ever wondered if your work matters or if you have ever s...

In Episode 8 of the And She Looked Up Creative Hour, we continue on with our April theme of Inspiration.   For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit: ASLU 008: Navigating Inspiration, Imitation and Plagiarism as a Creative For Hire For a list of all available episodes, please visit: And She Looked Up Creative Hour Podcast And She Looked Up was born from the creative m...