The Creative Business Community Podcast

Creative Business Community
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  • Entrepreneurship

The Creative Business Community Podcast, hosted by Erin Madeley, is all about giving creative business owners a platform to share their stories, insights, and lessons learned. Each episode dives into the realities of running a creative business, uncovering both the inspiring successes and the challenges behind the scenes. Alongside guest interviews, the podcast tackles common misconceptions in business—breaking them down with practical advice and clear answers to help creative entrepreneurs make informed decisions. The goal is to provide listeners with both relatable experiences and actionable takeaways they can apply in their own businesses. At its heart, the podcast reflects the Creative Business Community’s mission: to empower and support creative entrepreneurs by fostering collaboration, learning, and growth. It’s a space to nurture creativity, encourage business excellence, and build a sustainable community where business owners feel equipped, inspired, and connected.

  1. May 4

    Season One Wrap Up!

    It’s our Season One finale and 30th episode! In this episode, Erin and Ronnie look back at the moments that mattered most, from the unexpectedly powerful chat on creativity and mental health to the lessons learned from an incredible line-up of guests. They distil five big takeaways — why simple social media is worth it, how branding sets your foundation, the non‑negotiable admin, business plans that actually guide you, and why community always beats competition. You’ll also hear how structure creates space for creative play, why balance is a shared struggle, and how past life experience can supercharge your creative business. Go behind the scenes with honest confessions about batching, editing mishaps, tech hiccups and those days when the vibes just aren’t vibing (plus the eternal studio debate: coffee vs Diet Coke). Then, a sneak peek at Season Two: deeper dives into the Instagram algorithm, influencers and AI, working with friends and family, real talk on money and accounting with expert guests, and fresh voices from across creative industries—yes, even a spicy romance author (well, a girl can dream anyway!). We want your input to shape what’s next. Share your thoughts via the feedback form in the show notes for the chance to snag a free mini social media audit (or setup basics if you’re just starting out). Join the Creative Business Community Hub on Facebook and connect with us on socials.  Let us know your thoughts about the Creative Business Community Podcast! We are busy planning season 2 and want to make sure we are hitting the mark. As an added incentive, if you fill in the feedback form, you go in the draw to win a FREE social media audit! Don't have your social media set up? No worries, instead we can offer you a FREE consult to get them set up!   Let Us Know Your Thoughts Here: https://forms.monday.com/forms/6f29a91726408721cb7f4963f9731789?r=use1

    39 min

  2. Apr 27

    Going Viral - The Dream, The Myth, The Reality

    This week on the Creative Business Community Podcast, Erin is joined by our PR and marketing whiz, Renee, to unpack the hype around “going viral” — why it shouldn’t be your north star and what to focus on instead.   We dig into what viral really means across platforms (including the surprise rise of Facebook Reels), the metrics that matter most (views vs viewers, watch time and location), and the hidden downsides — trolls, admin blowouts and audiences that won’t convert. Renee shares a real-world case study from our client Women on the Tools, whose 1.6M-view reel delivered sold-out workshops, media attention and global enquiries — along with serious operational overwhelm. You’ll come away with practical ways to prepare and profit: set up auto-responses and funnels, balance awareness and sales content, write emotion-led hooks, caption for sound-off viewing, and know when to boost or back off.   Plus, our Creative Business Spotlight! Creative Business Spotlight: Seed Station Website: https://www.seedstation.com.au/  Instagram: @seed.station Facebook: Seed Station

    38 min

  3. Apr 20

    Creative Voice - What is it?

    This week on the Creative Business Community pod, Erin and Ronnie are chatting all things creative voice — what it is, how to find it, and why it shifts as you do. Think of it as your creative fingerprint: the style, tone and vibes that make people go, “yep, that’s yours.” They talk inspiration vs straight-up copying (and why credit matters), plus simple ways to sharpen your style — revisit old work, follow your curiosity, have a play in low-pressure mediums, and come back to your why. You’ll also hear how to navigate creative ruts, step away from the algorithm to protect your spark, and even build an “analogue bag” to reset when screens or sales pressure start to stifle your flow. Plus, the power of community feedback when friends and family don’t quite get it. And of course, our Creative Business Spotlight! Creative Business Spotlight: Master and Dame Website: https://www.masteranddame.com.au/  Instagram: @masteranddame Facebook: Master and Dame

    34 min

  4. Apr 13

    In Conversation with Fizz Ink

    This week on the Creative Business Community Podcast, Erin sits down with Perth tattoo icon Fizz of Fizz Ink — the artist behind most of Erin’s own ink and a well known name for colourful work, big heart and making clients feel safe in a vulnerable process. Fizz traces her path from sketching designs and selling on Facebook as a teen to landing an apprenticeship in 2010, and unpacks how social media has reshaped portfolios, apprenticeships and the people skills needed to thrive. We dive into the real cost of running a creative studio: navigating councils and health regs, commercial leases, tax, hiring friends, setting boundaries and protecting quality — plus the COVID surge of tattoo artists, today’s saturated market and skyrocketing insurance. Fizz gets candid about the physical toll of tattooing, the tough call to close her much-loved Midland studio in 2025, and how stepping back to focus on art at Hood Royals in Gosnells has rekindled her creativity. You’ll hear grounded advice for aspiring tattooists — build a brand, nurture your socials and your soft skills, look after your body, and don’t put all your eggs in one basket — along with a playful quickfire round and our Creative Business Spotlight. Connect with our guest! Find Fizz Ink: Website: https://fizzinktattoo.bigcartel.com/  TikTok: @fizzinktattoo Instagram: @fizzink Hood Royals Tattoo Studio Creative Business Spotlight: Ella Mobbs Website: https://ellamobbsart.com/  Instagram: @ella_mobbs_art TikTok: @ella_mobbs_art Facebook: Ella Mobbs Art Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/ella_mobbs_art/

    46 min

  5. Apr 6

    AI - You Can't Ignore It

    This week we’re chatting AI — what it actually looks like for creatives in 2026, beyond just ChatGPT. Renee’s back to talk about on where it’s popping up (Canva, Adobe, your inbox, schedulers, even Meta ads) and how to use it without losing your voice or your values. We swap easy, time-saving wins — turning brain-dumps into clean copy, brainstorming post ideas, softening tone, proofreading, planning content, and setting up auto-replies so you can actually have a weekend. We also call out the traps: dodgy “facts” and made-up quotes, US vs AU spelling, AI images that misrepresent your product, ad “enhancements” that burn budget, and those uncanny celeb-style voiceovers. Big picture: keep your creative muscles working — AI’s a tool, not the whole process. Be transparent when it helps, and flick off default AI settings that don’t serve you. Your ideal customers still want the real, human-made stuff (they can spot the AI ick a mile away). Plus, super simple, ethical prompt tips to get started today, and of course, our Creative Business Spotlight! Creative Business Spotlight: Earthbound Website: https://earthboundstudio.org/  Instagram: @earthbound_studio Facebook: Earthbound Studio

    46 min

  6. Mar 31

    In Conversation with Maple & Wren

    This week on the Creative Business Community Podcast, Erin chats with El from Maple and Wren — the Perth floral studio renowned for intentional, timeless floral moments — and the brains behind the Maple and Wren Floral Art Academy. El talks with us about her move swapping her government comms and corporate events job to running her own business, going from market‑stall flower crowns to luxe weddings, big‑deal installs and a buzzing education arm. We get into how she niched down and proved that what you show is what you attract, how she builds and trusts a team with clear briefs and mood boards (and lets go of the “my way” stuff when it doesn’t matter), and how she juggles being both creative and CEO — finding fresh spark in marketing, shop curation and new products. She also shares the real‑life rhythms keeping burnout at bay: crack‑of‑dawn walks, calendar blocking, Friday family movie night and the whole glass‑vs‑plastic balls mindset. Plus, she’s scaling with intention — acquiring Zest Flowers in Dunsborough and opening a new Beaufort Street store in Perth — and teaching the modern, on‑trend wedding design she wished existed when she started. It’s a fun, practical, heart‑led chat about building a luxury creative brand without losing the joy of making.    Connect with our guest! Find Maple and Wren: Website: https://mapleandwren.com.au/  Instagram: @mapleandwren Facebook: Maple and Wren Find Maple and Wren Floral Art Academy: Website: https://www.mwfloralartacademy.com.au/  Instagram: @mapleandwren_floralartacademy Facebook: Maple and Wren Floral Art Academy Find Zest Flowers: Website: https://www.zestflowers.com.au/  Instagram: @zestflowers Facebook: Zest Flowers   Creative Business Spotlight: The Dainty Co Website: https://www.thedaintyco.com.au/  Instagram: @thedainty_co Facebook: The Dainty Co YouTube: Coralie Carosin

    55 min

  7. Mar 23

    Social Media Scheduling: Tools, Not a Strategy

    This week we’re talking social media scheduling software — what it is, whether you really need it, and how to use it without losing the human touch. We’ll cover batching and auto‑publishing, planning with calendars and feed previews, and why scheduling is a tool (not a strategy). You’ll hear why you still need to keep showing up (think engagement), how platform nuances matter, and which metrics actually count now — think watch time, saves, shares and carousel swipes over likes. We touch on analytics, from native insights in Meta to when paid tools like Loomly make sense for multi‑brand workflows. You’ll learn how to align content to business goals with clear calls to action, write SEO‑friendly captions that can surface on Google, and free up headspace by setting a realistic posting rhythm. Plus, practical ways to start: use free options and trials, lean on tutorials, ask the community—and choose the platform you’ll actually use.  Creative Business Spotlight: Modern Homewares Instagram: @modernhomewares  Facebook: Modern Homewares

    29 min

  8. Mar 17

    In Conversation with Not Yet Perfect Studio

    This week, Erin sits down with Lucy, founder of Not Yet Perfect — a boutique pottery studio in Applecross known for soul‑soothing workshops and masterclasses — to explore how letting go can unlock your best creative and business work. Born in Norway, raised in WA’s southwest and forged in a decade of fashion, Lucy shares how a surprise stint teaching at‑risk teens led her to pottery as a grounding practice, first in her lounge room with wine and clay, then via Gumtree classes, and eventually into a thriving studio space of their own. We dive into separating creativity from business identity, building resilience by self‑educating (yes, even through boring books), growing organically, and getting radically honest — about money, motives and the mundane daily habits that actually move the wheel. You’ll hear how community shaped her systems during COVID, why becoming your own cheerleader matters, and Lucy’s beautiful “vessel” metaphor for holding space, creativity and business without losing yourself. Plus a quick‑fire round: weekly Ghost references, meditation as a must, green juice, sewing comebacks and big clay vessels. If you’re a creative wrestling with perfectionism, this conversation is a breath of fresh air. Connect with our guest! Find Not Yet Perfect: Website: https://www.notyetperfect.com/  Instagram: @nyperfect Facebook: Not Yet Perfect Creative Business Spotlight: Coralie Carosin of Coco Studio Website: https://www.cocostudio.com.au/  Instagram: @coralie.carosin YouTube: Coralie Carosin

    49 min
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About

The Creative Business Community Podcast, hosted by Erin Madeley, is all about giving creative business owners a platform to share their stories, insights, and lessons learned. Each episode dives into the realities of running a creative business, uncovering both the inspiring successes and the challenges behind the scenes. Alongside guest interviews, the podcast tackles common misconceptions in business—breaking them down with practical advice and clear answers to help creative entrepreneurs make informed decisions. The goal is to provide listeners with both relatable experiences and actionable takeaways they can apply in their own businesses. At its heart, the podcast reflects the Creative Business Community’s mission: to empower and support creative entrepreneurs by fostering collaboration, learning, and growth. It’s a space to nurture creativity, encourage business excellence, and build a sustainable community where business owners feel equipped, inspired, and connected.

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