Some conversations stay with you long after the recording stops, and this one with Claudia Squio is absolutely that kind of episode.

Claudia is the founder of ColorWay Arts, an online school and creative business built around Cartonnage, the beautiful art of crafting fabric-covered boxes, books, and heirloom pieces that hold memory, meaning, and love. But the real story here isn’t only about craft. It’s about starting over in a new country, learning a new language, finding joy in creativity, building a business without meaning to, facing burnout, navigating deep personal healing, and finding a way back to yourself. Her wisdom is so honest, so generous, and so full of heart. And it’s a powerful reminder that our businesses can support us (not consume us) when we align with our values, trust our intuition, and allow ourselves to be human. You’re going to love this one.

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What happens when living your truth means losing the community you thought was yours?

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, I sit down with Lisa Woolfork, founder of Black Women Stitch and host of the Stitch Please podcast, to discuss courage, integrity, and the cost of standing firmly by your values. Lisa shares her story of navigating racism in creative spaces, the heartbreak of rejection, and the freedom that followed when she chose to stop “auditioning her humanity” to belong. We talk about what it means to align your art, business, and voice with your values (even when it’s uncomfortable) and how creativity becomes a form of resistance, healing, and connection.

Lisa will return in a future episode to talk more about her sewing and community work, including the transformative impact of Black Women Stitch and Stitch Please. So stay tuned!

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This week on Creatives on Camera, I talk with Marcela Strasdas, a vibrant painter and art educator from Victoria, BC, whose creative journey proves that you don’t need perfection, you just need to start. Marcela shares how she built her first online course “one sticky note at a time,” testing her ideas in a backyard class before moving online. We discuss how to overcome tech fears, embrace imperfection, and cultivate confidence in front of the camera. Her story is full of practical advice for artists who want to teach online, from simple setups to authentic connections that keep students coming back. If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t do this,” or felt stuck by tech or perfectionism, this episode will remind you that action, no matter how small, is what creates success.

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Sometimes, life delivers the most powerful lessons in unexpected ways. My guest, Marianne Gargour, knows this intimately. A professional artist and certified life coach, Marianne transformed her cancer journey into a creative calling, helping others use art, mindfulness, and conversation to move from stress and overwhelm into joy and connection.

In this episode, Marianne shares her story of going from a fine artist focused on skill and performance to a creative mentor helping others embrace art as a tool for healing. We talk about building a coaching business with creativity at its core, listening deeply to your audience, hiring help before burnout hits, and trusting the slow, organic process of growth. Marianne reminds us that creativity doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be true, and that you don’t have to be good at art, because art itself is good for you.

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I love conversations that remind us how creativity thrives not just in big cities or fancy studios, but in small towns, small spaces, and close-knit communities.

In this episode, I talk with Beth Bluestein, owner of Sparrow Art Supply in Middlebury, Vermont. Beth shares how she turned a 750-square-foot art store into a vibrant creative hub, one that serves artists both in person and online. We talk about her journey from New York City to Vermont, how she launched her shop with a town grant, and why community became the heart of her business. Beth also shares practical wisdom for any creative entrepreneur, including how she uses a simple four-part newsletter system to stay consistent, how she built a thriving artist membership using Mighty Networks, and how she keeps going even when business feels challenging. This conversation is a beautiful reminder that creativity, connection, and courage are at the heart of every successful creative business.

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Let’s be honest, building a creative business isn’t always easy. There are days when the tech breaks, the sign-ups don’t come, or you just feel tired and overwhelmed. I’ve been there too.

In this episode, I talk about what keeps us going when it feels hard, the deeper why behind what we do, and how reconnecting with your core values can help you find steadiness again. I’ll walk you through simple, practical ways to stay grounded: writing down your values and keeping them visible, breaking big goals into small, doable steps, tracking your wins, and leaning on your community when you need it most. This is your reminder that struggle doesn’t mean failure. It means you’re doing work that matters. And the people who succeed in creative business? They’re simply the ones who don’t give up.

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If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your craft into a sustainable business without losing your soul, this conversation is for you. I sat down with Anne Fjeld, a Norwegian knitting designer who transformed burnout and struggle into a thriving teaching business rooted in tradition, culture, and community. Anne shares how she found her “niche inside a niche” by focusing on Norwegian colorwork knitting for North American audiences, why letting her students speak created her most successful launch, and how charging for transformation (not just tools) opened new doors. This episode is a reminder that when you lean into your passion, trust the process, and center your community, your craft can become so much more than patterns; it can change lives.

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When I think about what it really takes to grow a creative business, the story of Sarah Hurley always comes to mind. Sarah started her brand with just £40 and a dream, and within five years, built it into a multi-million-dollar company with licensing, retail, and global partnerships. But her path wasn’t all smooth; she faced burnout, realigned, and rebuilt her business to focus on what truly mattered.

In this episode, Sarah shares the lessons she’s learned about saying no to distractions, using creativity as a superpower in business, and creating a roadmap that fits you (not someone else’s template). We also talk about building systems that align with your goals, the importance of resilience, and why you don’t need anyone’s permission to succeed. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unfocused, or unsure whether you’re “business-minded” enough, Sarah’s story will inspire you to trust your instincts, focus your energy, and build a creative business on your own terms.

*Heads up there’s no full video version of this episode due to technical problems, but the full audio is still available for listening and you can check out clips from the show on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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