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. 5d ago

    193. My dream failed... now what?

    A potential student asked me something recently that struck me DEEP: "What if you've already chased so many dreams and they've all failed… a voice inside says don’t even try again, it won't work." I’m so glad she asked because this is a feeling a lot of people are quietly carrying around. So I wanted to answer her out loud (and my response is a lot more nuanced than just “GO FOR IT!”) Instead, I want you to ask yourself two questions:  What does "failure" actually mean? I had two creative businesses that didn't work out, and what I got from them wasn't failure, it was the whole foundation of what I built next.What’s the alternative to trying? If it’s pause and learn and heal myself… wonderful! But if it’s “do nothing for fear of failing” … then we gotta re-examine that. Because "not trying" has a cost too. Staying in the dreaming phase can feel really pleasurable and comfortable. But actually going for it gets you so much more satisfaction, joy, growth, confidence, and self-discovery. That's what your fear is actually costing you She joined. I can't wait to watch what happens next. 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 30

    192. Slow Build to a $50K Calligraphy Side Business

    This is a story about what's possible when you just don't give up - even when life gets in the way, even when progress is slow, even when you're still figuring it out. And finding a passion that funds the kind of lifestyle you want. Jasmine learned calligraphy with us in 2020. She spent years dabbling - charging $50 for friend's weddings, putting her business on the back burner through grad school, her behavioral analyst career, and all the usual life stuff. Then she went all in on live events, invested in community and coaching, and built something that now genuinely changes the math of her life. What we get into: (3:34) The slow build - how she went from chalkboard creations and rewriting college notes to pointed pen calligraphy and a real business (in her downtime!)(6:25) How she got her first live event jobs - community, calligrapher connections, and how polynesian dancing parlayed into gaining clients - despite the imposter syndrome a new business brings(13:27) The Super Bowl story and why persistence pays off -  being rejected by the 49ers committee, but still ending up doing four events that weekend for the LA Rams(16:44) The numbers - $48K in revenue last year, and potentially doubling it this year? Why multiple streams of income is KEY(22:05) Her advice for anyone in the doubt spiral - you don't need it all figured out, and you don't have to do it alone(23:30) HOLY MOLY - The confidence build from learning a talent you KNOW is nicheYou don’t have to have a perfect plan. You just need to KEEP GOING and not give up on yourself.  Our Courses were Jasmine’s “first and best investment” in her calligraphy journey. Could they be yours, too? Doors close Sept 30, 2026.  🔗 crookedcalligraphy.com/courses Follow Jasmine’s Journey HERE 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 23

    191. How she got $9K of client work in just two years (w/ Melissa Ferrell)

    Pro Calligrapher Bundle open through Sept 30 → https://crookedcalligraphy.lpages.co/courses/ --- In 2024, Melissa emailed me excited... she was two months into learning calligraphy from me and had just landed her first PAID JOB:  $140 for wedding envelopes. She was loving calligraphy, but felt a little nervous about competing with other, more established calligraphers in South Florida. Two years later... her calligraphy side business looks completely different. She's made over $9000 (!!) from all sorts of clients, and somehow, she turned her biggest competition into her greatest business joy. Join me as I share Melissa’s powerful update, how calligraphy has continued to shape her life a few years later, and what has driven her to build a successful business that she loves and continues to be proud of - all while STILL maintaining her full time job! (2:00) Melissa’s intro and how she found herself drawn to calligraphy (3:40) New calligraphers BIGGEST struggles & insecurities (10:45) Where Melissa sees her business going in the future (12:35) How Melissa has utilized her courses and how they have helped her (16:00) Update on Melissa and her business in 2026 (spoiler alert! Her jobs this year have  totaled over $5k and included Montblanc, luxury boutiques, and Christmas event calligraphy booked!) (17:30) Melissa’s update in her own words, and how coaching, staying the course, and networking have become invaluable to her Melissa's best advice? “Stay the course, it's a slow start sometimes… Even in this tech heavy AI world, there is nothing more special than a human made item because people really appreciate the tender loving care that it took to personalize something special just for them.” Even if calligraphy is just a side job for you, it can create multiple streams of income in your life. It can set you up to retire, stay home with your kids, or just have the time freedom you desire. Don’t underestimate your gusto and drive - it can TRULY change your life, imperfectly. ***Find Melissa At: https://www.sunshinecalligraphy.com/ 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. Sep 16

    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/  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. 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! 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. 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 againFREE 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 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!

  8. 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!

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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
    195
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Creative Business Real Talk
  • Show Website
    Creative Business Real Talk

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