Shirlee Fisher

The Tillage Podcast

Arts EN ↓ 158 episodes

The Tillage Podcast is a space I've created to help you gain clarity on your creative journey. Being a creative entrepreneur comes with its ups and downs, and sometimes it can feel like you're all on your own. I’m passionate about digging deep with you, asking the tough questions, and encouraging action that transforms your creative business and life into something you truly love. In each guest episode, you’ll hear from fellow artists who have shifted their mindsets on their path to success and gain actionable advice and strategies to move forward with purpose. Thanks for listening! 🧡🌿

Author

Shirlee Fisher

Category

Arts

Podcast website

www.thetillagepodcast.com

Latest episode

Mar 10, 2026

Where to listen?

Podcasts in the app Replaio Radio Coming soon

Podcasts are coming to the app soon. Install now and be the first to see a whole new take on podcasts

Get it on Google Play Install for free Android 5M+ downloads · 4.8 rating iOS soon

Episodes

157: The Perspective of Time & Rethinking How We Use It with Bella Boss 10.03.2026

In this episode of The Tillage Podcast, I’m joined by artist and creative entrepreneur Bella Boss to talk about time, creativity, and building a creative business in real life. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t have enough time to pursue your art, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective. Together we explore: How creatives can make progress in small pockets of time Why busy seasons of li...

156: Search for the Opposite: How Confirmation Bias Is Shaping Your Creative Business 17.02.2026

In this episode, I’m unpacking the powerful mindset shift I learned in therapy that’s changing how I view sales, growth, and identity as an entrepreneur. We’re talking about the tendency to collect proof that our limiting beliefs are true and how that impacts confidence, risk-taking, and business decisions. If you’ve ever thought “I’m bad at selling,” “I’m behind,” or “this just isn’t working,” th...

155: When Life Feels Heavy: Choosing Care, Margin, and What You Need 03.02.2026

In this episode, I’m sharing honestly about the heaviness I have been feeling for months and the choices I’ve been making to care for my mind and creativity. We’ll talk about listening to yourself, creating margin without quitting, and protecting your most precious asset, your mind. I also share updates on changes to the podcast schedule and introduce The Tillage Patreon: The Green Room , a place...

154: A Different Kind of January: Releasing & Honoring Your Season with Stacie Martinez 20.01.2026

January often comes with pressure to start fresh, set big goals, and move fast, but what if this season is asking you to slow down instead? In this episode, Stacie Martinez of The Lucky Bandana opens up about honoring your season when your body, energy, or circumstances require a gentler pace. Together, we chat about releasing unrealistic timelines, redefining productivity, and letting go of compa...

153: Learning to Love Yourself in the Push and the Pause 02.12.2025

In this heartfelt episode, I explore one of the hardest questions creative entrepreneurs face: When do I push myself, and when do I pause? After walking through a personally challenging season, I am opening up about what it really means to practice s elf-love with discernment—the delicate balance between following through on your commitments and giving yourself permission to rest. You’ll learn how...

152: From The Archives | Discovering Your Inner Child with Meg Indy 11.11.2025

In this inspiring episode, New York–based abstract artist Meg Indy shares her journey from watercolor beginnings in a college dorm to painting large-scale works that now grace homes and galleries across the city. Meg opens up about how rediscovering her childlike wonder has shaped her creative process and how you can do the same. Together, we explore the importance of reconnecting with your inner...

151: Be the Person Your Future Self and Business Can Trust 04.11.2025

Do you have big ideas but struggle to follow through? In this episode of The Tillage Podcast , we’re talking about what it really takes to become the kind of person your creative dreams can depend on. Not more motivation. Not another planner. But learning how to show up for your goals the way you would show up for a boss, a deadline, or anyone else who’s counting on you. We dive into why so many c...

150: When Hard Work Turns into Overwork with Amy Frazer of Keller Design Co. 28.10.2025

If you’ve ever pushed yourself past your limits because you love what you do, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. In this episode, I sit down with Amy Frazer of Keller Design Co . to talk about the realities of overworking, burnout, and finding balance in your creative business. Amy shares her journey from corporate design roles at Old Navy and Nike to building a slower, more intentional li...

149: The Return to Self-Trust: Listening, Learning, and Leading from Within 21.10.2025

If you’ve ever felt unsure of yourself, constantly second-guessed your decisions, or searched outside for answers you already held within, this episode is for you. In this episode I share a heartfelt reflection on what it means to rebuild self-trust and reconnect with your own inner wisdom. Through personal stories and gentle guidance, I explore why we lose trust with ourselves and how we can begi...

148: When “Good Enough” Isn’t Serving You Anymore: Getting Out of Survival Mode 14.10.2025

Are you stuck in survival mode? Just getting by, telling yourself “it’s good enough” when deep down, you know it’s not? In this episode, I share a simple but powerful story about a small fix that changed everything and how it mirrors the quiet ways we tolerate stress, clutter, and exhaustion in our lives. You’ll learn how to recognize the signs of survival mode, shift your mindset toward ease, and...

147: How to Break Free from the Stories That Keep You Stuck 07.10.2025

If you’ve ever felt stuck, unmotivated, or unable to follow through on the goals you deeply care about, this episode will speak to you. We often think the problem is procrastination or lack of willpower but the truth runs much deeper. Beneath the surface lies an old story you’ve been carrying for years, one that’s been quietly shaping your beliefs, your confidence, and your sense of safety in chan...

146: The Power of Connection: Rethinking Networking in Business with Deanna Seymour 30.09.2025

Networking doesn’t have to feel gross, transactional, or overwhelming. In this episode, I sit down with Deanna Seymour to reimagine networking as simple, authentic connection. Together we unpack how creatives can grow their businesses without burnout by focusing on joy, alignment, and community. Deanna shares her powerful SHARE framework —a practical guide to building relationships that feel good...

145: The Sacredness of an Idea: How to Protect and Nurture Your Creative Dreams 23.09.2025

Have you ever held onto a dream so big it felt almost too fragile to share? In this episode of The Tillage Podcast , we’re talking about the sacredness of an idea—how to protect your creative dreams in their earliest stages and why declaring them matters. You’ll learn: Why new ideas feel so tender and fragile The first step to protecting your dream by truly owning it How declaring your ideas makes...

144: From Dark Night of the Soul to Creative Renewal with Leah Guzman 16.09.2025

What happens when life looks “perfect” on the outside: healthy kids, a loving partner, a meaningful career, but inside you feel like you’re withering away? In this powerful episode, I sit down with art therapist and creative entrepreneur Leah Guzman to talk about her dark night of the soul and the transformation it sparked. Leah shares how overwhelm, anxiety, and depression led her to rediscover h...

143: What Will It Cost You? The Hidden Price of Staying Stuck vs. Choosing Change 09.09.2025

Are you stuck in old patterns that keep holding you back? In this episode, we dive into the real question behind change: What will it cost you to stay the same? You’ll learn why lasting change isn’t just about willpower or habit trackers, but it’s about facing discomfort, rewriting old stories, and aligning emotion, belief, and action. Discover: The hidden cost of not changing (and what you may al...

142: Your Business Will Only Grow as Deeply as You Do with Michelle Rohr of The Secret O.W.L. Society 02.09.2025

What if the key to growing your business was healing? In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Rohr of The Secret OWL Society to explore why your business can only grow as deeply as you do. Michelle shares her powerful journey of moving from fear and self-protection into a life built on self-devotion and personal growth. Together, we talk about the hidden patterns that hold entrepreneurs back and...

141: Celebrating 3 Years of The Tillage Podcast: Why Looking Back Matters 26.08.2025

Three years, 141 episodes, and countless lessons later— The Tillage Podcast is officially celebrating its 3rd birthday! 🎉 In this episode, I’m reflecting on what looking back can teach us as creatives and entrepreneurs. From noticing patterns in our energy and mindset, to gaining clarity on what’s working and what isn’t, and even recognizing how our hopes and desires shift over time...reflection...

140: Embracing Being Scrappy in Your Creative Business 19.08.2025

When life and business feel messy, do you wait for the perfect conditions or push through? In this episode, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes reality of "making it work" this summer like taking meetings from a YMCA bench and even recording this episode from my car. We’ll talk about why shifting from perfection to progress is so hard for creatives, how embracing scrappy seasons can actual...

139: Balancing Household Labor and Business Growth with Audra King of She Loves Her Biz 12.08.2025

In this empowering conversation, business coach Audra King joins us to explore how the division of household labor directly impacts women entrepreneurs and their ability to thrive creatively and financially. We unpack the concepts of mental load, invisible labor, and why so many women feel like the “default” parent or household manager...even while running full-time businesses. Audra shares practi...

138: From The Archives | Encouragement When Starting is Difficult with Kristi Westberg of At The Dot Design 05.08.2025

Starting something new can feel overwhelming, whether it's launching a creative business, diving into surface pattern design, or simply beginning a passion project. There is a whole lot that goes on in our minds and hearts that can create some stall. In this episode, artist and educator Kristi Westberg of At The Dot Design shares her journey from graphic design to rare book conservation to bec...

137: From The Archives | Rebooting Your Rhythm and Routine 29.07.2025

Enjoy this episode that first aired in September of 2023, to assist you in getting back to your rhythm and routine. 🧡 In this episode, I am diving into strategies to reboot your rhythm and routine, determining what has gotten you off course, finding your anchors for stability, and embracing the power of persistence. Also, if you are a planner lover I am getting into various planning techniques th...

136: From The Archives | Combating the Shame of False Starts and Getting Up Again 22.07.2025

Enjoy this episode from the archives that first aired April 2024. This episode covers paralyzing effects of shame following unsuccessful attempts in creative endeavors. In this conversation I share personal stories of false starts, from a dormant Instagram account to a short-lived Patreon, and provide practical steps for overcoming the internal struggles and negative self-talk that often accompany...

135: From The Archives | Overwhelm and Shiny Object Syndrome with Elizabeth Silver 15.07.2025

Join me as I ease back into life after vacation with this special episode from the archives. 😌 In this episode, artist and surface pattern designer Elizabeth Silver shares powerful strategies for staying focused and avoiding burnout in the creative industry. We explore how to overcome shiny object syndrome, narrow your niche, and make aligned decisions that support both your business growth and p...

134: From The Archives | The Plague of the 3 P’s-Perfectionism, Performance, and Productivity 08.07.2025

Join me and revisit one of my highest ranked solo episodes first aired in October 2023—while I spend much needed time with family on vacation. 🌴🧡 In this episode, I explore something I call the “Plague of the 3 P’s” – the toxic trio that keeps so many creatives stuck in cycles of burnout, shame, and self-doubt. I share personal stories about how these pressures have shaped my journey, along with...

133: Burnout, Sabbaticals, and the Art of Deep Rest with Maegan Megginson 01.07.2025

Feeling burnt out, creatively drained, or stuck in hustle mode? In this powerful episode, I am joined by Maegan Megginson, a holistic business coach and host of the Deeply Rested podcast, to explore how intentional rest, sabbaticals, and slowing down can actually fuel your creativity and business growth. Maegan shares her personal journey from therapist to entrepreneur, her experience with burnout...

Listen to the The Tillage Podcast podcast in Replaio

Radio and podcasts in one app - free, with no sign-up. Install today and do not miss the launch

Get it on Google Play

Replaio is not a podcast publisher; show names, artwork and audio belong to their authors and are distributed through public RSS feeds.