Welcome back to Seasons in Business with me, designer and printmaker Sarah Phelps.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing the story of how my love for letterpress printing grew from a hobby into a stationery business — and what happens when your passion becomes your full-time work. It can be thrilling, but it also brings challenges you might not expect. I’ll talk about the shifts I noticed in my own creative life, and share a few gentle reminders that help me stay connected to joy and inspiration along the way.

Episode themes:

• How a hobby can slowly grow into a business.

• Navigating the new pressures that come with doing what you love.

• Practical tips for prioritising joy, rest, and creativity.

• Balancing the mindset of an artist with the mindset of a CEO.

Episode highlights:

01:23 My journey from designer to business owner

03:53 From creating for passion to creating for profit

04:30 Expectation vs reality

05:50 When creativity starts to feel like a commodity

07:47 Five tips to help stay connected to your creativity

Thanks for listening. If today’s episode got you thinking, I’d love to hear from you — come and say hello over on Instagram or Threads.

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For more details about the podcast, visit the website sarahandmaude.com/seasons-in-business.

And if you have suggestions for topics or guests, please email me at podcast@sarahandmaude.com