The Art of Creative Business

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 ro...

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 crea...

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. Löy...

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 a...

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 c...

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 an...

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 cr...

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...

Ever feel like you're supposed to have it all figured out? Like admitting you're struggling means you're doing something wrong? In this episode, I sit down with Pirita Tuisku, a Finnish dance artist and aerial yoga teacher based in Edinburgh, who's spent 20 years building her creative practice. Pirita shares her journey from building her first dance company at 20 to navigating burnout and realisin...

Lezanne discusses the pervasive issue of comparison among creative business owners. She explores the psychological effects of social media on self-perception and offers practical tools to combat feelings of inadequacy. By emphasising the importance of mindfulness, gratitude, and creativity, Lezanne encourages listeners to reconnect with their own journeys and find agency in their creative processe...

What happens when the life you’ve built no longer feels like a fit? In this episode, I talk to Karen Bennett, a brand strategist and designer who left a corporate career to rediscover her creativity and build a business that truly reflects who she is. We talk about reconnecting with creative purpose, designing a business around your values, and finding the right support along the way. It’s a remin...

In this episode, Lezanne talks about the quiet feeling of resentment that can build up when running a creative business starts to feel heavy. She explains how it shows up, why it matters to name it, and what you can do to start shifting it. If you’ve been feeling disconnected from your work or stuck in frustration, this episode will help you recognise what’s really going on, and remind you that yo...

In this episode, Lezanne speaks with artist and muralist Suzanne Baxter , based in San Francisco. Suzanne shares her journey of leaving behind a corporate career in finance and project management to embrace her creative path, one that now includes large-scale murals, paintings, and a thriving art practice. Together, they reflect on the pivotal moments that helped Suzanne claim the title of “artist...

This episode is a little different from usual. Rather than asking the questions, I’ll be the one answering them! My friend and fellow artist, Lené Ehlers, joins me to talk about my recent artist residency in Finland. We explore what it was like to spend a month without digital distractions, how the sauna experience became central to my work, and why time away from everyday life is so valuable for...

In this conversation, contemporary artist Kyle shares his journey from musical theatre to becoming a full-time artist in Cape Town. He discusses the challenges he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the influence of his theatre background on his art, and the importance of discipline and routine in his creative practice. Kyle emphasizes the joy and purpose he finds in his work, the significance of...

In this conversation, Lezanne discusses the challenges of restarting creative work after a break. She emphasizes the importance of starting where you are, taking small steps, and understanding that losing momentum is a natural part of the creative process. Lezanne encourages listeners to reconnect with their motivations and to view pauses not as failures but as opportunities for rest and reflectio...

In this conversation, Cheryl Lessels shares her journey from being a primary school teacher to launching her subscription box business, Happy Thought Squad, aimed at supporting the emotional well-being of girls. She discusses her creative process, the challenges of starting a business, the importance of networking, and her self-care practices. Cheryl emphasises the significance of community suppor...

In this episode, Lezanne reflects on the quiet pressure many creative business owners feel to always be accommodating, helpful, and easy to work with. She explores how this expectation, especially common among women, can gradually lead to burnout, resentment, and a disconnect from the work that once felt meaningful. Rather than pushing back with rigid boundaries or dramatic shifts, Lezanne invites...

In this episode, Lezanne speaks with Emma Donovan, co-founder of Dapper, a company helping entrepreneurs develop their personal brand stories. Emma shares her winding journey from Zimbabwe to Cape Town, how she discovered her creative energy, and why building a business that lights you up is just as important as building one that pays the bills. We explore: • How to sustain your creative energy wh...

If your business has started to feel like the job you walked away from, with long hours, constant pressure, and very little joy, this episode is for you. Lezanne explores why that happens and how the habits and patterns we carry with us can shape the way we work. She shares what it means to upgrade your entrepreneurial operating system and start building a business that feels more sustainable, spa...

In this episode, Lezanne sits down with live wedding painter Danielle Jordaan. Known for capturing heartfelt moments on canvas, Danielle shares how her creative path evolved from early coffee painting workshops to building a team of wedding artists working across South Africa and abroad. Their conversation covers the messy middle of building something new, why emotional resilience matters as much...

Are you creating just to keep up, or creating from a place that feels true to you? In this solo episode, I talk about artist dates: what they are, why they matter, and how they can help you reconnect with your creativity when things start to feel flat or forced. If your creative spark is flickering, this might be the gentle reminder you need. Enjoyed this episode? Click subscribe and connect with...

In this episode, I speak with my dear friend, Bibi Slippers. Bibi is first and foremost a poet, but she wears many other hats, as you’ll hear in her introduction. Since turning 40, she’s made some deliberate choices to create more space for her writing. We talk about the importance of protecting your creative energy, what it means to scale down intentionally, and why she now says yes more selectiv...

Traditional productivity advice often focuses on managing time — but for creative entrepreneurs, and especially those who are neurodivergent, time isn’t the real challenge. In this episode, I’m exploring why managing your energy matters more than squeezing every minute, and how noticing your natural rhythms can help you create a sustainable, supportive way of working. We’ll talk about how to map y...

In this episode, I speak with Jovanitha, who transformed her life from being a lawyer to becoming a full-time artist after a near-death experience during childbirth. Jovanitha shares her inspiring journey of self-discovery, embracing neurodiversity, and finding joy through creative expression. We explore: ✨ Navigating the art world as someone with no prior art background ✨ How being neurodiverge...