Creative Business Real Talk

Shinah Chang
  • 4.9 (156)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

A weekly kick-in-the-pants to go after your creative dreams. From a former Harvard corporate lawyer who built a million-dollar calligraphy education business… and then scaled it down intentionally to create a life full of creativity and freedom. Every week, I share a tactical business lesson + powerful brain reframe that will help you get unstuck. The perfect mix of strategy and warmth that never shies away from the truth. Welcome to Creative Business Real Talk - Shinah, Founder of Crooked Calligraphy

  1. 1d ago

    190. From Beginner Student To $1500 In Just 4 Months

    What if your breakthrough is just two simple steps away? This week on the podcast, you’ll meet Sophilia - a student who proves that you’re closer than you think. She enrolled in our Modern Calligraphy 101 Program in January 2025.  By October 2025, her calligraphy was pro-level. But she still felt stuck, unsure, and desperate for direction. So I gave her two clear action steps… and what happened next will blow your mind!! In just 60 days, Sophilia booked her first calligraphy job, made $1,500, and even landed a better day job… all because she finally stopped overthinking and started showing up. Inside this episode: (7:59) Sophilia's business journey (and if she even wanted to launch a business in the first place given her intimidation!)(11:50) How gaining strength from calligraphy spills over to other areas of your life(15:45) Recap of Sophilia's journey and how courses have changed her life(18:00) You don’t need to do as much as you think to gain clients (simple websites still gain traction!)(19:20) You’re never 100% ready - procrasti-learning is real!I LOVE sharing this inspiring story of how focusing on the important things can TRULY start you on your creative business journey sooner than you think! I hope this episode will inspire you to move now, with what you have (because you really have WAY more than you think at your disposal). Find Sophilia here: https://www.instagram.com/sophiliamarcellestudios/ https://www.sophiliamarcellestudios.com/  Sign up for our FREE 5-day "Newbie to Pro Calligrapher" Challenge. It's five days of free lessons, worksheets, daily assignments, and prizes to help you try out calligraphy (you might just fall in love with it). We start Sept 14 -  Sign up at crookedcalligraphy.com/challenge FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational WorkshopFOLLOW SHINAH:  Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram:  @crookedcalligraphySUBSCRIBE: Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

  2. Sep 9

    189. Calligraphy Pricing Evolution: From $1 Placecards to $10K Events

    I’ve watched calligraphers go from $1 place cards to $10,000+ events, all in the past decade… and in this episode I break down exactly why. This will help YOU better understand the psychology behind sophisticated, luxury pricing. We cover 3 Pricing Mindsets I’ve seen since I started my business in 2016: Per-piece pricing: The “starving artist turned grateful business owner” mindsetHourly pricing: Starting to value our time with hourly rates, minimums, setup + rush feesPackage pricing: Why clients are now paying five figures for event strategy + experience…not just lettering I explain the psychology behind package pricing, why per-piece/per-hour can make you feel interchangeable, when hourly still makes sense, and the key shift that changes everything: pricing based on **value to the client**, not how long it takes. 00:56 Per Piece Pricing Era (2012–2016) 03:38 Hourly Pricing Era (2016–2019) 05:48 Package Pricing Era (Post-COVID) 15:22 The Key Mindset Shift Listen now so you can take your creative business to the next level and generating profits NOW! Sign up for our FREE 5-day "Newbie to Pro Calligrapher" Challenge. It's five days of free lessons, worksheets, daily assignments, and prizes to help you try out calligraphy (you might just fall in love with it). We start Sept 14 -  Sign up at crookedcalligraphy.com/challenge FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational WorkshopFOLLOW SHINAH:  Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram:  @crookedcalligraphySUBSCRIBE: Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

  3. Sep 2

    188: Become a Live Calligraphy Artist (how to get hired, set rates & do an awesome job)

    LEARN CALLIGRAPHY FOR FREE: https://crookedcalligraphy.lpages.co/challenge/ -- Live events are one of the most fun and lucrative things you can do as a calligrapher.  In this tactical episode, I’ll tell you everything you need to know: who to pitch, what to charge, and how to show up so brands actually hire you again. What I cover: (2:57) What live calligraphy looks like — engraving, bottle painting, hot foiling, paper calligraphy, at everything from luxury boutiques to pop-up markets(6:33) What you can charge — how I went from $75/hr at a small jewelry store to $150–$250/hr working directly with brands like Jo Malone, Anthropologie, and Mont Blanc(12:22) How to get the jobs — agencies, inbound SEO, and exactly how to pitch boutiques, flower shops, liquor stores, and wedding venues(19:37) How to be great at it — the skill level you need, what to wear, how to prep, and how to show up as an expert so you get hired again and againSign up for our FREE 5-day "Newbie to Pro Calligrapher" Challenge. It's five days of free lessons, worksheets, daily assignments, and prizes to help you try out calligraphy (you might just fall in love with it). We start Sept 14 -  Sign up at crookedcalligraphy.com/challenge FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational WorkshopFOLLOW SHINAH:  Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram:  @crookedcalligraphySUBSCRIBE: Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

  4. Aug 26

    187: Turning 45. 3 Best and 3 Worst Business Moments EVER

    Free Calligraphy Challenge: crookedcalligraphy.com/challenge I turn 45 today, so I'm looking back at the moments that shaped this decade of entrepreneurship: the highs that taught me the joys of business, and the lows that taught me even more. 3 FAVORITE MOMENTS Buzzfeed Listicle Feature! Just 8 months into my biz, I got featured in list of Sweary Stationery… but I learned the hard way that exposure and real business growth are not the same thingGlenomorangie Live Calligraphy. A year later, I got flown up to San Francisco to do live calligraphy on whisky bottles and I got the job by sending on “thank you” card to the right person Summit Success. Ten years in, I watched my first Summit come together and realized the power of being a connector, not just a lone wolf3 HARDEST MOMENTS: Cheated by a Trusted Client. 80 massive signs, an impossible deadline, months of being strung along, and a client who ultimately didn't pay me and said my work wasn't good enoughLosing 4 Employees. After massive growth, I made the hard decision to scale way down and go on an indefinite sabbatical. Turns out, bigger is not always better.My Abysmal Launch Failure. I wanted to sell 30 spots. I sold 2. What I learned from analyzing exactly why it happened.The through-line in all of it: failure doesn't mean you are a failure. Rejection doesn't mean something is wrong with you. And the life you didn't plan for might be the one that makes you the most free, most resilient version of yourself. FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational WorkshopFOLLOW SHINAH:  Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram:  @crookedcalligraphySUBSCRIBE: Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

  5. Aug 19

    186: The Calligraphy Elitism Debate (let's say the quiet part out loud)

    There’s been a dark divide whispered in the calligraphy community for years.  This summer, a single Instagram post brought it into the light. And I have thoughts. The post argued that calligraphy is "suffering" - that the rapid popularization of calligraphy has led to aesthetics over discipline, too much commercialization, and a dilution of standards. It got 400+ comments, divided the community, and made a lot of beginners feel like they'd never be good enough. I posted a response Reel,  but now I'm doing a deeper analysis. In this episode: (0:52) Summary of the original post - what it actually said, why it resonated with some calligraphers, and why it landed so badly for so many others(7:51) Is Calligraphy really suffering? - It’s more popular than ever. But is there too much of the "wrong kind"?(10:51) The Legitimate Concerns - about people mis-representing their skills during the hiring process and what we calligraphers can do about that.(16:56) The Human Fear and Selfishness Underneath - the quiet part that everyone’s afraid to say out loud, but that would lead to a more honest conversation and actual solutions And finally, why it’s so important to me that calligraphy can be fun AND serious, welcoming AND disciplined, easily accessible and deep, all at the same time This is one of the most nuanced, invigorating debates I've had in this space and I’m so thankful we get to have it in this wonderful, respectful community, with brave people starting the conversation.  THE ORIGINAL POST: https://www.instagram.com/p/DY7GWSlDFAM/?img_index=2 MY RESPONSE REEL: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZGB9GVvnzT/ FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational WorkshopFOLLOW SHINAH:  Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram:  @crookedcalligraphySUBSCRIBE: Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

  6. Aug 12

    185: Launching a Biz without feeling like a FRAUD (Callifest excerpt)

    I asked over 5,000 calligraphers: “What's ONE QUESTION you would ask your favorite calligraphy business owner?” The result surprised me because one theme kept coming up again and again. And it wasn’t permits or portfolios or pricing or websites… The question that kept getting asked is:  “When did you know you were READY to go from hobby to business?”“What was the a-ha moment when you realized your passion could become a business?”“When did you feel confident enough to actually go for it?”Most aspiring business owners aren’t worried about the nitty-gritty. What’s stopping them is PERMISSION.  So if you’re waiting for a light-bulb, burning-bush moment where you suddenly realize you’re worthy enough… you’re gonna wait forever.  In today’s episode, I’m bringing you an excerpt from an hour-long, brand-new training I’m teaching called “Launching a Calligraphy Business without Feeling like a Fraud” I created it for The Manuscript Pen Company’s Callifest 2026. It’s 3 days of juicy workshops from beloved calligraphy instructors… completely for free. You don’t even need to enter your email address to sign up! All you have to do is join this Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themanuscriptpenclub My workshop will be airing on Friday, August 14… so if you like this excerpt, make sure to sign up to join the full 3 Days of Callifest! But mostly, I hope you walk away from this episode believing that there is room for you in the calligraphy industry.  There’s always a demand for newer, up-and-coming artists, You don’t need to be perfect before you start putting yourself out there, and You can create a calligraphy business that suits your personality and desires… it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s!FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational WorkshopFOLLOW SHINAH:  Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram:  @crookedcalligraphySUBSCRIBE: Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

  7. Aug 5

    184: Summer Confessional - The "slump" no one talks about

    I took 2 allergy pills, passed out for most of the day... and it was still good for my business. This episode is my honest, unfiltered check-in on where I'm at after a hectic year and a wildly successful Summit - and why I'm choosing rest over hustle right now, even with a Challenge coming up in September. In this episode: The unglamorous truth about my "day off" - mosquito bites, allergy pills, and a nap that turned into an entire day My "Permission Slip" philosophy - motivation goes up and down, business goes up and down, and none of it means something's broken"Regenerative Business" - why fallow seasons are doing just as much work as busy onesDoes turning calligraphy into a business change your relationship with it? My real answer If you're in your own summer slump (or regenerative season) right now, this one's for you. -- FRIDAY PRACTICE PROMPTS: https://www.instagram.com/crookedcalligraphy FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational WorkshopFOLLOW SHINAH:  Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram:  @crookedcalligraphySUBSCRIBE: Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

  8. Jul 29

    183: Lawyer, Burnout, Calligraphy, and the Business Jackpot - My Story in One Episode

    I've never told my whole story in one episode. Until now. This is the one where I go all the way back - the Korean American kid who peed her seat in third grade rather than raise her hand, the Harvard grad who didn't know what to do once she got there, the corporate lawyer who hit a health scare at 31 and finally started asking the question she'd been avoiding for years. And then: calligraphy. And what happened after that. The four eras: 3:10 - The "Should" Years (ages 5–30) — straight A's, classical piano, Harvard, NYU Law, corporate law in New York. Doing everything right. Feeling nothing.12:54 - The Questioning (30–34) — a health scare that changed everything, a leave of absence, two years of trying blogging, knitting, cooking, and creative classes before finally finding calligraphy18:30 - The Business Jackpot (35–40) — starting Crooked Calligraphy with $0 profit in year one, hitting six figures by year three, landing Dom Perignon and Apolis, going viral on Instagram, and building a course business during the pandemic23:05 - The Second Questioning (41–now) — burnout, stepping away, coming back, and figuring out what a leaner, more creative, more life-serving business actually looks like at 42Plus - 20:00 the year-by-year revenue breakdown from 2016–2022. Because I believe in showing the actual numbers. My mission has always been to give people a sense of what's possible — that a more creative, unconventional life is real and reachable. It's hard and risky and requires confronting every uncomfortable thing about yourself. But it's worth it. This episode is proof. FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational WorkshopFOLLOW SHINAH:  Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram:  @crookedcalligraphySUBSCRIBE: Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

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About

A weekly kick-in-the-pants to go after your creative dreams. From a former Harvard corporate lawyer who built a million-dollar calligraphy education business… and then scaled it down intentionally to create a life full of creativity and freedom. Every week, I share a tactical business lesson + powerful brain reframe that will help you get unstuck. The perfect mix of strategy and warmth that never shies away from the truth. Welcome to Creative Business Real Talk - Shinah, Founder of Crooked Calligraphy

Information

  • Creator
    Shinah Chang
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    192
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Creative Business Real Talk
  • Show Website
    Creative Business Real Talk