Pollen: For Creative Entrepreneurs with Diana Davis

Welcome to Pollen!

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 20:30:47 GMT

Welcome to Pollen, the podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs just like you. My name is Diana Davis and I am a multi-passionate creative business coach and the founder of Diana Davis Creative.

Are you ready to land your dream clients, make money running a business that lights you up and live a life that you love? Yes?! Then you are in the right place.

This show is the place to turn to for all of the best tips for running your successful creative business.

I am SO happy you're here. Press play here for a sneak peek of what to expect on the show!

Follow me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dianadaviscreative/

To learn more, check out my website here: https://dianadaviscreative.com/

S2 E6 Mindset Shifts and Simple Strategy to Build Your Business Your Way with Ben Easter ✨ ✅

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! I'm back with another exciting episode and this time, we get to talk to Ben Easter! This expert episode on mindset and growing your business is stacked full of powerful takeaways that you can apply to your business today.

Ben's story is a true testament to building a life and business that makes YOU happy and dropping the "shoulds" of society.

We discuss so many mindset shifts, strategies and ways to streamline everything in your business on this episode. You will leave this one with some actionable steps to take if you feel like things aren't quite moving for your business right now. Get ready to dive in!

S2 E21 Everything You Need to Know Before Hiring a VA or OBM for Your Business with Alexandra Smith 👩‍💻💻👀

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 15 May 2024 15:44:00 GMT

This episode is a long time coming! Alexandra Smith, my friend and my OBM (Online Business Manager) is joining us on the show. I've worked with Alexandra for a few years now and not only is she great at being the integrator in my business so I can focus on being the creative visionary, but she also has an incredible story of resilience, determination, and manifesting what you want in life. She's sharing some of her powerful story, but we're also talking about what the process of working together looks like, some things you need to know before you hire an OBM or VA (virtual assistant), and her thoughts on the importance of systems and how to know what to use. This is a packed episode, so be prepared to be both inspired and ready to make your next hire!

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Check out the show notes for this episode: dianadaviscreative.com/post/s2-e21-alexandra-smith

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Connect with Alexandra on Instagram @BloomAssistance

Check out The Passion Driven Process: A Three-Part Workshop on Client Management Systems

Check out The Greenhouse

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More Ways to Plug In:

DM me the word "COACH" to snag one of the 1:1 coaching spots with me this summer!
Join our FREE Recess for Creatives Mixer on May 22nd to connect and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs who understand your creative path.

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Connect with Diana:

Check out the Website
Follow along on Instagram

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Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

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Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

S2 E7 Being a Student of Life with Larry Davis (My Dad!) 📝 🌱

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! I'm back with another exciting episode and this time, we're joined by a very special guest — Larry Davis, my dad! This episode on art and trusting your path is such a treat.

We dive into my Dad's journey as a cowboy, father, and entrepreneur. He shares so much wisdom on learning from your mistakes and trusting your unique process. There are so many words of wisdom here to help inspire you to keep going and to remember the power of your art.

We chat a lot about how to get your art out into the world. The episode is perfect for all of you creative entrepreneurs who are looking to build a life and business doing what you love. Tune into this episode to hear from the man who inspired me!

E38 How to Rewrite Your Money Story for a Wealthy, Impactful Future with Meera Meyer 💸✨

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Be honest…how is your relationship with money? Do you crave wealth but feel a sense of unease around having a plethora of it? Is the idea of debt something you stuff away under your bed or in a closet and hope will go away? You might even feel guilty for wanting more when you already have everything you really need.

In this episode, Diana sits down with Money Mentor and Financial Advisor Meera Meyer of Life.Money.Balance., to get a close look at what stories are running the "money show" in your life and how to rewrite them for a prosperous and generous future.

"It's not just about moving money around or learning how to budget or being strict and not buying your lattes every morning. It's about like, what's your story around money? How can we shift this mindset, shine a flashlight on it or know where these tendencies are coming from, building a healthier relationship with it so we can have this holistic, beautiful, glowy relationship with money?"

Pull the money shadows out of the closet and gear up for an empowering and informative discussion on money mindset in both your business and life. Meera is here to help you unpack deeply-rooted childhood stories on worth and explore uncharted territory on wealth and powerful change. Bye destructive thought patterns and limiting beliefs, see you never!

[EPISODE EMBED]

Dream clients…check.✅ A steady stream of income…check.✅ Now it's time to elevate your business from "doing well" to "I can't believe this is my life."

Join ASCEND, a four-month, immersive experience mastermind with 1:1 support for elevated entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. You'll grow alongside a curated community of people like you to share in your successes, generate ideas together, and propel your business to new heights. Check it out.

🔥This episode will help you:

Unroot your money story and learn how to rewrite your mindset to build the future of your dreams.
Bust down the blockages holding you back from generating wealth for yourself, your business, and your community.
Discover how to reframe your mindset on debt within your business (and life!) to make a real impact.

📘Resources

Money and mindset reads: The Big Leap and Debt. 📚
Things aren't always as they seem. Listen to this episode to learn the inside scoop on money, business, and revenue → E13 What They Don't Always Tell You About Business and Money Wins 💰💯
Investing as an entrepreneur? You might need to hear this. → E30 Why the Best Investment for Your Business Is Sometimes… Taking Space 📔 🍃
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!
Want your creative business to go even further? Sign up for ASCEND, a four-month immersive mastermind experience for elevated entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. Join the waitlist here. ⛰️
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[02:49] Thriving and Ready to Elevate? Join Ascend

ASCEND is for you if you have steady clients/income and are ready to take your business to the next level.
Through a hybrid model of weekly group calls and 1-on-1 coaching, map out the next steps in elevating your business.
Do you need to network more? Build a new product or offering? Get publicity through podcasts, magazines, etc.? ASCEND will help you create your pathway of growth.
ASCEND helps you propel forward from wherever you are in your journey to ensure you get the most out of the program. After all, your biz is as unique as you are!
Starts in the next few days! This is your last chance to jump in.
Apply online or send Diana a DM!

[11:50] Meera's Money Story and Journey to Entrepreneurship

Meera was raised by immigrant parents in Boulder, Colorado.
Her father immigrated to America to start a practice after attending medical school in India.
Her mother grew up in India and moved to Colorado when she was twelve. Because of her background, her mother was very frugal, and her approach to money influenced Meera.
When Meera's father arrived in America, he was drowning in debt, but he built his career as a physician in Colorado and did really well for himself.
Growing up, Meera never knew what she wanted to be when she was older until she entered into entrepreneurship. Voila! Her mission and purpose became clear.

[15:46] Where Does Your Money Story Start? Go Way Back!

Your money story starts at a very young age.
The stories you pick up in childhood are not easy to shed. It takes a lot of work, and you have to keep reminding yourself of your new money story.
To tap into your childhood money stories, use the egg exercise.
Draw an egg, start at the top and write down your earliest money memory (i.e., your grandpa gave you a dollar).
Keep going chronologically and write down your memories.
Once you have them written out, look at what story it paints.
Reflect on how your story influences your actions and whether that represents what you want.

[00:18:56]

"Leaving behind a life that, you know, for something totally unfamiliar and new is a huge risk. And I think that as children of immigrant parents, some of that trickles down and you are more ready and willing to take risks, such as entrepreneurship."

[23:29]

"A lot of people look down on finance, but I like to think of it as you have a doctor for your physical health, you have a therapist for your mental health, and you need a financial planner for your financial health. And that's what we do. We help people with their financial health."

[30:13]

"Also just realizing that my clients are looking for a human. They're not looking for someone to kind of talk down and use jargon and lingo and all of these things. They're looking for a human being."

[32:43] Uncover Deeply Embedded Money Blockages

What you tell yourself about money can be tied to your worthiness, but it can also be because you have a negative association with money.
Do you feel like you're worthy of more? Do you assume others who have it are more deserving or aren't good people in some way?
Remember that money is here to support you.
Money is a tool to create a beautiful life. When you have more money, you can create more for everyone around you.
There's nothing wrong with desiring a beautiful life—you deserve it!
How you spend your money can create jobs and amplify the good in the world.
Strive to create more for all.
Wealth generation is part of reaching your full potential.
You don't have to self-sacrifice to be a good person.

[37:15] Align Your Biz and Create Wealth

You don't have to be good at everything.
When you outsource, you are helping other people create wealth for themselves.
Getting help frees up your time to do more impactful things with your skillset.
Shift your view from the idea that wealth requires hard work to the mindset that wealth is part of an expansive ecosystem.

[39:11] Advice on Wealth and Generosity

There's no strict metric because donating is a very personal thing.
If you feel called to donate, do your research to understand where your money is going.
You can invest in organizations that give you a social or environmental return and a financial return.
There are ways to put your money out there that can do a lot of good—it doesn't necessarily have to be donating to a specific organization.
Try and reframe your point of view on how you can make a positive impact.
Donating, hiring/creating jobs, and investing in people are all ways to spread the wealth and help others live beautiful lives.
You can also consider a donor-advised fund to put money into that counts as a tax-deductible donation. You can decide later how you want to allocate the money.
Make sure whatever you choose, it's a cause you care about. Make sure it is something that aligns with you.

[43:06] Release Debt Shame

Debt often leads people to think they have done something wrong (that they are a person or irresponsible with money).
Having debt doesn't mean you're irresponsible. Typically, it's a slow accumulation tied into your lifestyle, and you don't realize you are building an unsustainable lifestyle.
It's not something anyone has done wrong.
Most people have debt, but it's something that isn't really talked about.
Debt isn't something to be ashamed of. You're much less likely to address it when you're ashamed of it.
Remind yourself, hey, you did the best you could with the information you had at the time. And you are in debt because of that.
Now, make an empowered decision to change it.
It may take a long time, and that's okay. Give yourself grace and forgiveness.
Change your mindset and think of debt as something that has helped you (i.e., attend school, form relationships, get your first job, etc.).

[47:43] Money Mindset and Debt in Business

Personal brands and creative entrepreneurs often don't have capital like normal businesses. They usually don't get a big business loan to get started.
You make an empowered decision to borrow money to further your career. There's nothing wrong with that!
Have realistic expectations on when you'll be able to pay it back.
Make sure you don't take on more than you can handle based on your current circumstances.
Remind yourself that every single business out there has used debt in some way or another!
Going into debt might not be right for everyone when they start their business. It's an individual choice. Although, you can't create something from nothing. You have to start somewhere.
Most people and businesses have to borrow to get started and then pay it back.
Celebrate debt! It's available to help you in life.
Form a new, positive relationship with it.

[49:53] "The D Word"

Interested in working with Meera? The D Word is a self-paced course focused on mindset and tactical strategy to help you become debt-free.
Meera has a limited number of one-on-one spots, and new courses are launching soon!
Connect with Meera on IG or email Meera@lifemoneybalance.com.
Teasers for the new year: money mindset, one on money confidence, and Meera's investing unlocked program will get totally revamped. There's a good chance Meera will do quarterly cash flow calls for business owners and non-business owners who want to go through their cash flow regularly.

[00:52:27]

"Yeah, I mean, to me, creativity means looking at something from all the different possible angles instead of just like, this is the path. And especially in finance, I didn't realize that I was a creative entrepreneur, but I do things so differently than so many other financial planners. And what is that, if not creative?"

About Meera

Meera is a CFP® and founder and owner of Life.Money.Balance., a financial planning and investment advisory firm. She's been working in financial planning since 2012 and is passionate about helping female entrepreneurs feel on top of the freaking world when it comes to their money.

She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband Chris and her two small children. She loves being outside, cooking and eating good food, and being around people who light her up.

Learn more about Meera by visiting her website or Instagram.

💗Enjoyed This Podcast on Developing a Beautiful Relationship With Money?

Our connection to money starts at a young age, and most of the time, we don't even realize how it impacts our business and life.

Rewriting your money story isn't always easy, but it is SO worth it! You absolutely can be a creative, wealthy person who is also generous and kind. Use these tips to help you develop a rejuvenated and fruitful relationship with money, and never look back.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

S2 E19 How Life Design is Your Key to Happiness and a Full Life with Gaby Cevallos 😁☀️🔑

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 20:27:00 GMT

If you've ever felt like you needed a change, wanted more out of life, or had a desire to try more things in your small amount of time here, then this episode will really excite you. Gaby Cevallos is a life design strategist and is passionate about helping people create the roadmap that helps them live life to the absolute fullest and create the changes and shifts that they need when they need them. In this episode, she's sharing her own story of creating a life lived full out and how you can do it too. We'll talk all about what this life design framework looks like, how to know if you're ready for a change, and how to take the leap to create the happiness you're craving.

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Check out the show notes for this episode: dianadaviscreative.com/post/s2-e19-gaby-cevallos

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Connect with Gaby on Instagram @GabyCevallosh

Check out The Life Experiment

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More Ways to Plug In:

Connect and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs who get your creative path in the Recess for Creatives community.
Last chance to join Human and be part of a 4 week personal brand accelerator that will help you cultivate a community rooted in your true essence.

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Connect with Diana:

Check out the Website
Follow along on Instagram

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Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

‎

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

S2 Ep 37 180K Followers Later: The Truth About Being an OG Instagram Creator with Jera Bean 🎤💃

Diana Davis Creative — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 18:56:00 GMT

Some episodes feel like a warm, soul-honest hug—and this one with Jera is exactly that.

Jera is a social media strategist, content creator, and real-deal creative who's walked the wild path from fitness influencer to brand-builder and business owner. In this convo, we talk about what it really means to build a personal brand while staying true to yourself—especially in a space that can reward performative over personal. She opens up about separating your self from your business, how social trends shape our creativity, and the importance of setting boundaries in a career that lives on your phone.

We also go deep on her transition into this next season—becoming a mother, shifting her pace, and dreaming up a future that includes more art, more slowness, and more joy. There's plenty in here about growth, grit, and the identity shifts that come with doing the thing differently.

Whether you're craving a biz pivot, feel disconnected from your audience, or you're just ready to make your online presence feel more like you, this one's a must-listen.

Key Episode Takeaways

✅ Vulnerability in business isn't weakness—it's your superpower.
✅ It's okay to outgrow the version of yourself your audience first met.
✅ Authenticity > algorithms. Every. Single. Time.
✅ Boundaries are sacred—especially when your business is also your face.
✅ You get to change your mind and start fresh.
✅ Not all growth is visible—and not all success is measured in likes.
✅ Art, presence, and play are valid forms of productivity.
✅ The journey is allowed to evolve as you do.

Ways to Plug In

⛺️ Camp Clarity kicks off September 18th — we strip away the noise, get you clear on your story, your offers, your marketing, and your money — so you can finally run a thriving business that feels as creative and fun as the work you do. Apply here.

🛝 Recess is the creative community you've been looking for. Try it for 3 months for $55/month. You can sit with us.

☎️ Follow me on Instagram @dianadaviscreative for more behind-the-scenes

E22 Empowering Women Through Boudoir Photography with Devin Helen 📸💋

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 10:00:08 GMT

A healthy relationship with yourself comes from accepting and loving our bodies. It takes looking at yourself in the mirror or taking photos and wholly loving every part you see. The experience of boudoir photography has helped women embrace body confidence, sexuality, and inner beauty. It allows women to see themselves in a raw, transformative way.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Devin of Devin Helen Boudoir joins and shares her journey in empowering women through her craft. She imparts her experiences being a boudoir photographer, including the challenges of breaking the stigma around her work and surviving the pandemic. Devin encourages us to embrace this one life we have, and live well and fully in the body we are given.

Listen to this episode and be empowered by Devin's story and craft!

🔥 Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Understand how boudoir photography can reconnect you to your body confidence, sexuality, and inner beauty.
Debunk the stigmas and stereotypes surrounding boudoir photoshoots.
Learn how boudoir photography empowers women of all ages and walks of life.

📘 Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!
Join the waitlist for the ASCEND Mastermind, a four-month immersive mastermind for entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. ⛰️
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from Diana Davis Creative.
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram
Learn more about Devin and her work through her website or you can request to see her work on her private Instagram.
Book your boudoir photography session with Devin here!
Read Her Stories through the Devin Helen Boudoir blog.
You can also connect with Devin through her personal Instagram.

🎧 Episode Highlights

[04:57] Getting to Know Devin

Devin is a full-time boudoir photographer based in Bozeman, Montana.
She aims to make women feel strong and empowered in their bodies through photography.

Diana: "The purpose of [Devin's] photography is not for the private enjoyment of a romantic partner, but rather for each woman to view herself in a real, raw, and transformative way."

Devin loves moving her body in her work as a fitness instructor at Zephyr Cycling Studio.
She also loves camping, mountaineering, and traveling with his husband, Mark.
They have been married for 10 years and have two dogs: Santiago and Thor.

[07:24] Devin's Childhood

Devin's father worked in the Navy and was deployed to different places.
Her family moved a lot and she did not have a lot of friends growing up.
Devin describes herself as a self-sustaining child.
Even as a child, she felt strongly and gets defensive over women.

[10:09] Devin's Journey to Photography Business

Devin shares she never excelled in one thing as a child. She explored, did a lot of things, and gave it her 150%.
She has always been intrigued by magazines' layouts, images, and fonts.
She pursued graphic design at Montana State University and got a small business minor because she always felt like she should also learn about businesses.
Devin was also very interested in photography and explored the craft.
Throughout her college and for years after that, Devin worked with wedding photographers before deciding to get design agency experience.

[16:16] Getting into Boudoir Photography

Working in a design agency allowed her to wear multiple hats.
Her first encounter with boudoir photography was beautiful, artistic, and classy.
She decided to get one as a wedding gift for her husband and remembered feeling safe, powerful, and strong throughout the process.

Devin: "And it doesn't matter how many kids you've had, or what surgeries you've had, or scars or like health things that you've gone through. I just think every woman deserves to feel awesome. And even deserves to like work through emotions that come with the whole process."

Devin tried taking boudoir photos upon being encouraged by her sister-in-law.

[29:10] Expanding the Boudoir Photography Business

Devin's boudoir photography is mainly outdoor, which isn't the norm.
She keeps her boudoir photography on Instagram private to create a safe space and build camaraderie among women.
She currently advertises her work on her website to reach more people.
Her business thrives on word of mouth wherein she announces her next location and her clients respond and refer her to people.

[34:53] Breaking the Stigma Around Boudoir Photography

Devin wants people to know that boudoir photography is to empower women and not merely for the enjoyment of men.
Boudoir photography can also inspire women to see how their bodies have changed and look back on how empowered they felt throughout the process.
Women from different age ranges and walks of life can have boudoir photography.

[38:16] Surviving the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Devin's business quadrupled despite the pandemic.
She had to be flexible and reschedule many of her shoots during the early pandemic, but things still worked out.

[41:06] Religion and Boudoir Photography

One of the challenges in Devin's work as a boudoir photographer is dealing with the prejudice around it, especially with her husband's work as a youth pastor.
Mark has always been supportive of her, especially in efforts to empower women.
He even came up with Her Stories, a photo series that shares stories of why women booked their boudoir shoot and how it impacted them.
Still, Devin does her best to not cause harm or miscommunication, especially among middle school and high school moms who are involved in the church.
Visit Devin's blog for the Her Stories series.

[44:25] Empowering Women Through Boudoir Photography

Boudoir photography isn't necessarily red room, crazy leather, and whips; rather, it's about being in your body and yourself.
Part of her work is also debunking these stigmas and stereotypes.
Every woman needs empowerment.

Devin: "...Many facets of a Christian woman, that demographic of women, need a lot of empowerment. [They] really need to feel beautiful in their body and feel like they're not just serving all the time or not just a mom. Every single woman deserved to be able to feel and not be made to feel small because of their feelings."

[48:04] What's Next for Devin Helen Boudoir?

Boudoir photography can be highly emotional and taxing.
Her work is about supporting women along their journey, not counseling.
She is currently exploring design agency work, particularly branding photography.
She also wants to target the older generation of women from 45 to 65 years old. Devin does this through a friend who offers retreats to that audience.
Devin currently goes on retreats where she offers boudoir photography on the side.

About Devin

Devin Helen Archilla is the founder of Devin Helen Boudoir. She is passionate about holding space for her clients and capturing their unique presence individually & wholeheartedly through boudoir photography. Through her craft, Devin aims to make women feel empowered and strong with their bodies.

Outside photography, Devin spends her time camping with her husband, hiking, teaching fitness classes, running in the mountains with her dogs: Thor & Santiago, sharing good food with good people, driving dirt roads, traveling, and inhaling protein shakes.

Learn more about Devin and her work through her website or request to see her work on her babes-only private Instagram. Connect with Devin through her personal Instagram.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Women's Empowerment?

Empowerment comes from within. Boudoir photography is more than just a photoshoot; it's an empowering experience that can reconnect you to your body confidence, sexuality, and inner beauty. When all is said and done, what matters most is that you emerge from this experience realizing that you are brave and empowered.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs—just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E8 Heartbreak and Expansion 💔🕊️✨

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 31 May 2022 10:00:25 GMT

Change is not something we eagerly dive into as humans. Why alter the way things work when everything's running smoothly? And even if it isn't great, the patterns we have are comfortable.. But what do you do when you feel something isn't right and that voice in your head tells you that you need to move?

Listen to this voice. It's your higher self telling you to embrace change.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana talks about her recent breakup and the lessons she's learning. Life is always a winding road, and we need to accept and embrace change as a part of it. Trust in the process and learn to sit in the "voids" of change. You got this. 🤗

Listen to this episode to learn how to embrace change no matter how difficult it is!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Discover what Diana is learning as she goes through her breakup — how we can embrace change without fear and listen to our intuition on what needs to change.
Understand that life doesn't always go as planned. Your higher self will redirect you where you need to be.
Learn to sit in the "void" during times of change and let go of the need for control.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[02:53] Catching Up with Diana

Diana shares how the podcast has helped her tap into her power and stopped playing small, especially for her personal relationships.
She shares how her previous relationship was easy to leave because of its toxicity.
Leaving things when they're good is difficult. Diana is currently navigating the evolution of a six-year relationship.

[05:45] Embrace Change and Walk the Winding Road

We don't know what change is in store for us. Change can be a difficult challenge to overcome.
When we're in a "void," we usually don't know how to get out. The same can happen in business.
Diana shares how her oracle cards remind her to be present in the experience and be willing to walk a pathless path.
Things in life and business may seem good on paper, but we don't feel good about them when they're made real. We need to acknowledge these and learn to change.

[7:11] Diana Davis: "So when we think we know what our lives are going to look like, God laughs for a reason…if change is in store for you, if God, the universe, or whatever higher power you believe in, has change in store for you, you should be so fucking excited."

[12:46] Trust Yourself in Times of Change

Even though she's going through uncertainty, Diana feels safe and trusts that she'll be okay.
Are you stopping yourself from doing things because of others? If you are, you may need to consider a change.
Things don't always happen as we think they should, and that's okay.

[14:32] Diana Davis: "Ask yourself, in your business, in your partnership in your life: what are you not doing because of someone else?"

[17:57] How to Embrace Change

People need to know that things can be okay even if it doesn't feel like it. Allow yourself to be in a void and trust you'll get through it.
Learn to let go of control and allow situations to happen as they should.
Take the time to do the work needed, but when you make a decision, stick with it.
Clear out the resistance and things you need to let go of; allow abundance and opportunity to flow.
Diana wants to share her story because she wants to be authentic and help people also going through this kind of change.

[18:33] Diana Davis: "That place of the void — Let yourself sit there no matter how uncomfortable, if you're in a void in your business, in a void in your launch, trust, tune in, look around, pay attention, pull a card. What are you not paying attention to? Have you listened in a while? Let it be what it needs to be."

[24:08] What's Next for Diana?

Diana will be traveling a lot. She plans to go to New York, Montana, Colorado, Italy, and many more places.
Two years ago, she was burning out and barely scraping by, but now she can have the security and business that supports her dream life.
If you're going through change, be excited and lean into it.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Embracing Change?

Be bold in everything you do, not just in your business but also in your personal life. Embrace change and trust you'll be okay!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

S2 E26 Why I Hate Goals and What You Should Try Instead of Goal Setting 📆❌🤯

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 17:31:00 GMT

Goal setting is a well versed topic in the entrepreneurship space, but as a creative, do you ever feel like it's so restrictive? I do too, and that's why I actually hate goals, and don't worry about setting specific, ridiculously detailed goals and deadlines. Instead, I focus on something else and that's what this episode is all about. We're diving into what you should try instead of setting goals, how goal setting might actually be impacting your life in a negative way, and a little encouragement to remind you that your work and your purpose is so much deeper than those imaginary deadlines.

‎

Check out the show notes for this episode: dianadaviscreative.com/post/s2-e26

‎

More Ways to Plug In:

Camp Clarity is going evergreen! If you want to dive in right away and have a crystal clear creative business in only 90 days, then join the evergreen version of Camp Clarity before July 15th to get $800 off!
Register for SCALE ⚖️ The Free Masterclass - The three secrets you need to scale your creative business on your own terms without the burnout on July 18th
Connect and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs who understand your creative path in the Recess for Creatives community!

‎

Connect with Diana:

Check out the Website
Follow along on Instagram

‎

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

‎

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

S2 E32 Client Testimonials: "I manifested EVERYTHING on my list" with Caitie Corradino 🫶🌟💸

Diana Davis Creative — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 19:34:00 GMT

This episode is a little bit different from our usual, but so full of expansion! With the kickoff of Camp Clarity: Recalibration Edition right around the corner, we're bringing back an incredible repeat guest and past Camp Clarity success, Caitie Corradino. We're diving into Caitie's experience with Camp Clarity and the community and how it helped her quit a soul sucking job, dive fully into her business, and manifest all of her success. It's such a full episode to show you what's possible for you, and how Camp Clarity can be the missing puzzle piece to all of your desires.

‎

Apply now for Camp Clarity: Recalibration Edition to achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!) The next round has some fun and potent new surprises including expanding to 6 months. It kicks off January 16th!

‎

Check out the show notes for this episode: dianadaviscreative.com/post/s2-e32-caitie-corradino

‎

Connect with Caitie on Instagram

‎

More Ways to Plug In:

Get 2 weeks free to the Recess for Creatives community, where you can connect and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs who understand your creative path!
Want to make your offers sell like candy? Join Suite 🍭 for a 2 day product suite workshop that will bring in your dreamiest clients and give them exactly what they're craving!
Ready to attract a loyal community that is ready to buy whatever you sell? Join HUMAN: Your roadmap to attracting aligned clients by cultivating a community rooted in your true essence

‎

Connect with Diana:

Check out the Website
Follow along on Instagram

‎

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

‎

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

S2 E3 How Did We Market Our Businesses Before the Internet? 🛜 📈

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Social media can be draining. I get it. Most successful business owners and coaches will talk about the power of social media — me included! It's a very helpful tool to reach your people. But if it's becoming toxic and you find yourself scrolling endlessly, it may be time to cut back. Or time to remember why you're using social media in the first place!

And if you need some space from social media but are worried about your business, you may be focusing too much on one solution… Just think about all the other ways you can get creative with socials and marketing! So join me in this episode and let me help you find inspiration to stand out and get creative in how you market your business online.

My 90-day group course Camp Clarity is back and bigger than ever! Apply now to learn how to land dream clients, harness the power of social media, and make the money you deserve!

RETREAT WAITLIST

BIZ CLARITY SESSIONS

POLLEN PODCAST FULL SHOWNOTES AND RESOURCES

S2 E2 Expanding Beyond Instagram to Build Your Business with Jamie Ratermann 🤳🏼💡

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! I'm back with a new podcast episode and this time we're joined by one of my best friends in the world, Jamie Ratermann! You're in for a treat with this expert episode on social media marketing and touching base with your audience.

Here's the thing about social media — almost everyone uses it. I scroll every day; you scroll every day. Your target audience likely scrolls through their socials daily, too. But what platforms should you focus on to really build your business? How do you stand out on social media so that you make a real impact on your audience?

It's really all about using the right social media platforms, the right approach for each platform, and being consistent. And most importantly, meeting yourself where you're at. What matters is you take that first small step and grow. Tune in to the episode to gain some insights on the shifting social media landscape and whether or not Instagram is still important for growing your business.

My 90-day group course Camp Clarity is back and bigger than ever! Apply now to learn how to land dream clients, harness the power of social media, and make the money you deserve!

POLLEN PODCAST FULL SHOWNOTES AND RESOURCES

E39 5 Fulfilling Ways to Work With Diana in 2023 and Take Your Business to the Next Level 🙌🚀

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Ready to kick 2022 to the curb and sprint into the New Year? Not so fast, or you'll miss out on everything you accomplished in 2022. Relax into a comfy chair and pull out your phone's camera roll. You might be surprised at how far you've come since last January.

In this mini-episode, Diana takes a moment to thank the Pollen community and reminds you to slow down and reflect. After fully absorbing and appreciating the past, ask yourself… How do I want my business to look and feel this year? Diana has a few ideas on how to help you get there. Whether you're just starting in Camp Clarity, building on an already established foundation in ASCEND, taking a whirlwind trip to Greece (yes, please!), or sitting down for one-on-one coaching, there's an opportunity waiting for you.

[EPISODE EMBED]

Dream clients…check.✅ A steady stream of income…check.✅ Now it's time to elevate your business from "doing well" to "I can't believe this is my life."

🔥This episode will help you:

Slow down, pause, and reflect on how far you've come since last year. (You've probably done so much more than you realize!)
Fuel your passion and guide you on what options are available for you to work with Diana and kick ass in 2023.
Feel connected to a community of like-minded entrepreneurs so you can sustain and grow your business.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!
Want your creative business to go even further? Sign up for ASCEND, a four-month immersive mastermind experience for elevated entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. Join the waitlist here. ⛰️
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[02:48] Plug Into the Pollen Podcast for Free Coaching Inspo

There are always free ways to help grow and evolve your biz.
Listen to Pollen for free business coaching and inspiration as you navigate entrepreneurship.
Come say hi and connect with Diana on Instagram (and follow along on her nomadic journey).
The community around the podcast and Diana Davis Creative is such a supportive and warm collective. It's a great way to find like-minded creatives.
Join the upcoming free circle offerings. Show up, meet amazing people, and network.
Networking is essential to successful entrepreneurship (and the community is badass).
Stay tuned for more info on when the circle offerings will be available.

[03:57] Thriving and Ready to Elevate? Join Ascend

The ASCEND Mastermind is for you if you're a creative entrepreneur who has your foundations laid and are making income and getting clients. You know what you're about and you're ready for more…you're ready to expand, go deeper, + go higher!
ASCEND is a four-month container with a cohort meeting for two hours a week every week on Zoom. It's all about potent masterminding and coaching within a very intimate group.
There are only eight people per cohort to ensure that every single person gets to workshop every call.
You get access to Diana and the group through a Slack channel in between calls. Collective support is there to help you get feedback, bounce ideas, and share wins.
You also get to attend Camp Clarity and explore a variety of topics such as human design, astrology, mindset, social media, taxes, lawyers, contracts, etc.
ASCEND helps you propel forward from wherever you are in your journey to ensure you get the most out of the program. After all, your biz is as unique as you are!
We start in the next few days! This is your last chance to jump in.
Apply online or send Diana a DM.

[06:26] Travel to Greece With an Epic Community!

Join the community from May 4th - 9th for a trip to Greece. There are only a few spots left!
There will be daily business coaching, a cooking class, wine tasting, water activities, and hiking.
Check out the Pollen retreat episodes to get a feel for what they are all about.
You're sure to make a new best friend and gain powerful insights for your biz.

[07:13] Get Intimate Support: Coaching With Diana

If you're looking for very high-level one-on-one support, coaching might be for you.
Oftentimes clients looking for one-on-one coaching end up joining Camp Clarity or ASCEND because the community provides a fantastic networking opportunity.
If you're still interested in one-on-one coaching, apply HERE or DM Diana.
Diana promises not to put you into coaching if you're not a good fit. Talk it out and discover what program will best suit your needs.

[08:20] 2022 Reflections

If you've made it to the end of the year and think you didn't do as much as you intended, take a look back through your photos/memories from early last year as a reminder.
You might be surprised how far you've come and how much has actually happened.
A year ago Diana was engaged and traveling to New York to look at engagement rings. She was saving to buy a house, planning to launch the podcast and retreats, and working to create an incredible community.
In 2022, she went through a breakup and plugged back in her power to follow her intuition and take flight on her worldwide nomadic adventure.

[08:22]

"You know, we get to the end of the year sometimes and we think we haven't done anything. But then we reflect back—I actually recommend going through your camera roll and just looking at where you were in January, February, March all the way to now of 2022—realizing how fucking far you've come and how much has happened."

💗Enjoyed This Podcast on How You Can Work Diana and Grow Your Biz in 2023?

Pat yourself on the back because you've probably accomplished way more in 2022 than you realized! Now you can look ahead to the future with optimism. What's next? Where will you go from here? Join the community and get the support you need to propel forward with passion and purpose.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E37 The Ultimate Guide to Hiring a New Team ✍️🧑‍💼

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 11:00:00 GMT

As productive as it may sound, it's impossible to do everything by yourself when you're growing a business — and you really shouldn't. While it is ideal to be hands-on with all parts of the business, it can take a toll on your growth as an entrepreneur. This is where hiring a new team and learning how to delegate tasks come in.

But finding the right people is no easy task. It can take weeks, if not months, to find the perfect fit. But once you do, the rewards you'll reap will be well worth it.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana delves into all the things you need to know about hiring a new team. Firstly, how do you even know when you need a team? As an entrepreneur, you only have so much time in a day. You'll spend that time best by honing in on your zone of genius and leveraging a team to support you every step of the way. That's how you grow your business; that's how you grow into a great leader. 🌱

Listen to this episode to learn the best strategies for hiring a new team member!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

How to determine when its time to hire a team and the impact it will have on your business.
Get clear on who you want to bring on to your team.
Learn tactical strategies to implement when hiring a new team member.

📘Resources

Loom
Slack
MemberVault
E32 Leading with Connection to Attract Your Ideal Clients 🧲 ⚡
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!
Want your creative business to go even further? Sign up for ASCEND, a four-month immersive mastermind experience for elevated entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. Join the waitlist here. ⛰️
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[01:44] Who is Your Team?

Your team is people working directly with you, whether on a daily or weekly basis.
They know your mission and core values and take tasks off your hands.
Your team may include a virtual assistant, online business manager, web designer, copywriter, photographer, accountant, etc.
After having your foundation set, things get sticky when it comes to having the confidence and mindset to expand that business. This is where hiring a new team comes in.

[04:22] ASCEND Mastermind

The next cohort will start around the second week of January. It is a four-month mastermind container.
The ASCEND Mastermind is about helping you along your journey as you expand into the next corners of your business.
Each cohort has a maximum of eight women, making it a very intimate group.
Every participant will have three one-on-one calls with Diana during these four months.
BONUS: Apply for ASCEND before the end of 2022 and get a whopping $2000 OFF your application! 🤑

[08:09] What You Want in a Team

First and foremost, get clear on what you want in a team.

[08:20] Diana Davis: "I talk about scheduling your dream life, I talk about your cosmic shopping list, I tell you about your dream clients and how you need to know who they are before you go searching for them. That's the same with a team."

Write down a list of things you would like your team member to be. Leave room for the possibility that they'll learn some skills on their own along the way.
Getting clear on what you want is a manifestation situation in itself.

[11:17] What to Do When Hiring a New Team Member

Start recording your processes and SOPs (standard operating procedures) on a platform like Loom.
Record all the things you are going to do more than once. Talk out loud and walk through the process with whoever will watch it in the future.
Having a library of recordings of all your SOPs will help you save time when training new hires.
You don't waste any time recording because you're capturing it while doing the actual task.
Many people are averse to hiring a new team member because of the time it would take to train them.

[14:57] Diana Davis: "Now that I have a team, I cannot even believe I never had a team before this because they do so much — there's no way I would be doing everything I'm doing in my business without them."

[15:51] How to Find Your Person

Finding the perfect fit for your team is almost like finding your soulmate.
Some roadblocks along the journey of finding your person are prices, time zones, language differences, work setup, etc. It's all about your comfort level and mission.
Put out an application form to help you filter out applicants easily.
Doing a 30-day trial run is crucial in ensuring you're on the same page with someone you're hiring. It also sets expectations and checkpoints.

[23:47] Other Ways to Find Your Person

It's good to find someone who is connected to your world.
You can put special instructions to filter out applications. Following directions and attention to detail can be crucial.
Stop trying to search for a unicorn. Ask your people what they want and don't want to be doing.
Tune in to the full episode to hear how Diana hired her second VA!
Another way is to reach out to fellow entrepreneurs who have people they love working with.

[30:57] Hiring Full-Time vs. Part-Time

You don't necessarily have to hire someone full-time as a W2 employee.
Talk to an accountant to determine when it's beneficial to have someone as a full-time employee.
Many people eventually hire someone as a full-time employee to keep them to themselves versus working with different clients.
Putting someone onto your payroll is more expensive and involves way more commitment.
A contractor has the right to raise their rates whenever they want. And you have the right to not work with them anymore if their rates exceed your budget.

[33:05] Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

Delegate like crazy once you have a new team member. The only way for someone to learn your business is for them to do everything in it.
People won't understand what you want the next time if you just fix things by yourself. That's not leadership.
Allow your team to do things in your business so they can develop a deep understanding and start being proactive with your business.
It takes around 90 days to start understanding the inner workings of the business.
Don't be afraid to invest money and time in teaching your team skills they don't know.

[36:39] How to Know When You're Ready to Hire a New Team

The most common answer CEOs have when asked what they would've done different is hiring a team earlier.
Doing everything yourself instead of delegating responsibility is an opportunity cost. It's a loss.
If you don't have the income to delegate, you can trade as an energy exchange. You can always give energy and time versus cash dollars.

[39:13] Diana Davis: "You know when you're ready when you are spending time on tasks that you probably shouldn't be spending on."

Enjoyed this Podcast on Hiring the Right Person for Your New Team?

The hiring process involves a lot of nitty-gritty. It's not easy to find the right person in one go. After all, the person you hire will play a big part in the trajectory of your business moving forward. So remember these tips by heart so you'll know exactly what to look for in a new team member!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E36 From Corporate Career Woman to Full-Time Influencer with Melanie Phillips 🤳🤩

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 11:00:00 GMT

The influencer space has taken the world by storm in the past years. We are now consuming content at levels previously unimaginable, and we're seeing essentially no end to this momentum soon. But what does it mean to become an influencer? And how do you even become one?

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana talks to Melanie Phillips, founder of Headstands and Heels. She talks about her journey from being a corporate career woman to becoming a full-time blogger and influencer. She also shares her multi-ethnic background that has shaped her personal and entrepreneurial outlook. Your passion project will remain one unless you make the big leap — this is what Melanie learned from her journey.

Listen to this episode to discover what it means to be a full-time influencer!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn about Melanie's multi-ethnic background and how it contributed to her unique outlook on life.
What the transition from a corporate career to an Influencer looks and feels like.
What it actually means to be an Influencer and how to do it full-time.

📘Resources

Iconic Fox
Get a SPECIAL DISCOUNT for Melanie's Mindful Morning Planner!
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!
Want your creative business to go even further? Sign up for ASCEND, a four-month immersive mastermind experience for elevated entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. Join the waitlist here. ⛰️
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram
Connect with Melanie: Headstands and Heels | Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest

🎧Episode Highlights

[05:33] Getting to Know Melanie

Melanie created her health and lifestyle blog, Headstands and Heels, in 2015 while she was working as a PR firm digital strategist.
The blog has evolved from showcasing the duality of her life as a corporate career woman with a passion for yoga to becoming an overarching healthy lifestyle brand.
She got her yoga teacher certification in 2017 and took blogging full-time in 2018.
She's also been able to branch out to product development with her Mindful Morning Planner.

[06:43] Melanie: "I guess that's the beauty of being an entrepreneur, you wear a lot of different hats."

[08:00] Melanie's Childhood and Multi-Ethnic Background

Melanie was born in Utah. With her dad being in the Air Force, she grew up all over from South Korea to Germany to Oklahoma until settling down in Florida.
Her mother is Korean while her dad is part Swedish and part Ecuadorian. They met in South Korea and eventually moved back together to the US.
In childhood, she shied away from her multi-ethnic background. But as an adult, she has come to embrace it as a beautiful aspect of her life.
Having to move often as a child forced her to learn valuable life skills, such as becoming a chameleon in whatever culture she was in.
She has always been creative and artistic, which has translated well into the work she does now.

[10:52] Melanie: "I feel so fulfilled in a creative atmosphere and working for myself because I'm able to constantly innovate and change and be inspired and then re-inspired to try new things every day."

[12:16] Embracing Different Cultural Backgrounds

More than showing outwardly, embracing her different cultural backgrounds has been more of an internal shift.
Melanie has been able to embrace exactly who she is in her heritage and wants to pass that mentality down.
She tries to share more brands owned by women of color in her blog.
Unlike before, she doesn't shy away anymore when people ask about her ethnicity.

[14:22] The Bullet Points of Melanie's Life

Melanie went to college originally to be a veterinarian. After two years of doing science-based prerequisites, she realized that veterinary school wasn't for her.
She was working retail jobs at the time when her manager said something about marketing. She dug into it and eventually graduated with a degree in marketing.
At 24, she had her whole life planned out. But another major life change hit her when she had to break off her engagement after finding out her fiance cheated on her.
She went to New York City the weekend she was supposed to get married, where she met her now husband of over a decade.
After a year, she moved up to New York City, where she started her corporate career and blog.

[16:48] Starting Headstands and Heels

Six months before moving to NYC, she created an Instagram for her yoga journey.
She knew little about bloggers and the influencer world at that point.
One of her colleagues in the PR firm who was a blogger found out about her Instagram account. She gave her the idea to turn it into an actual blog.
She thought it was a great way to connect with the community and document the duality of her life.
Her husband was the one who came up with the blog's name. She started it in 2016 and hasn't looked back since.

[19:50] Deciding to Blog Full-Time

At first, the only idea she had about monetization was through putting advertisements on the website.
The turning point where she realized blogging could be lucrative was her first paid opportunity with Athleta. It was followed by a big paid partnership with Propel Water.
Initially, she only thought of it as a great side hustle. But after weighing the potential of dedicating all her time and energy to it, she decided to make the big leap.

[22:59] Melanie: "You never want to look back on life and wonder, 'What if?' and I kept thinking that. I was like, I don't want to be in my 30s and look back and be like, 'What would have happened if I had just taken this opportunity?'."

Three things aligned for her in deciding to blog full time: influencer marketing taking off, having a good nest egg saved up, being at a crossroads with her career.
One of the biggest hurdles she had to get over was what her family and friends would think. Thankfully, her parents were very supportive of her decision.

[28:39] The Misunderstood World of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is one of the most misunderstood fields, especially in the creative field.
It is a predominantly female-run industry. If it was a male-dominated industry, people would be taking it a lot more seriously.
At the core, an influencer is someone who inspires and influences you to do something. Being an influencer comes down to your brand message.
Some people have shied away from the term because of the negative connotation that came from people taking advantage of it.
We have always been influenced by someone. Before, it was celebrities, but now, the everyday human being can have influence.

[33:14] Moving from the Big City to Denver

The fitness and wellness influencer marketing scene was thriving from 2017 to 2019.
It was a scary experience for Melanie to leave that scene in New York City to move to Denver. But it was a personal decision for both her and her husband.
Upon moving, she started a women's fitness meetup group called Denver Fit Friends. It was her way of connecting with people in her community.
Earlier this year, her and her husband bought a house. It's her first time owning a house after living in apartments her whole life.

[39:06] What's Next for Headstands and Heels

Her next goal is to build out the Mindful Morning segment of her business. She already released the planner, but she wants to take it even further and explore different things.
With the help of her management, Melanie has partnered with nearly 40 well-known wellness and fitness brand leaders this year.
It's the first year she has made multiple six figures. She never dreamed it would be possible in her career, especially as a micro-influencer.
She wouldn't change anything in her journey if she could. But she would tell her younger self that it's okay to feel unsure and to lean on people for help and support.
Hear more about what to expect from the upgraded Mindful Morning Planner in the full episode!

[46:36] ⚡️ Rapid-Fire Questions with Melanie

Melanie's sun sign is Cancer, while her moon sign is Gemini.
For Melanie, creativity is the power of expression — the ability to think outside the box and uniquely tell a story.
Her entrepreneur crush is Taylor Swift for many reasons. She finds her ability to constantly innovate and stay relevant for over a decade empowering.
Rolanda's current read is Verity and Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. Colleen Hoover's rise in popularity is thanks to influencers.
If Melanie didn't have to think about money, time, and resources, she would create her own yoga studio or wellness facility for women in need as one of her passion projects.

About Melanie

Melanie Phillips is a certified yoga instructor and the founder of the healthy lifestyle blog, Headstands and Heels. She is also the creator of the Denver-based women's meetup group, Denver Fit Friends. Melanie shares a joyful approach to wellness and encourages women to put priority on their health. She is an advocate of cultivating attainable habits, a mindful morning routine, and practicing a balanced approach to diet and exercise.

Learn more about Melanie through her blog, Headstands and Heels. You can also follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Becoming a Full-Time Influencer?

Do you have a passion project that you've been keeping on the side? Imagine how life would be if you started to dedicate your time and energy to only your passions. Sometimes, you have to make the big leap and start choosing what you want.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates, exciting programs, and valuable resources.

E33 The Power of Community: Reflections from the Summit Retreat Part 3 ⛰️💞

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 11:00:00 GMT

We're capping off our three-part Summit Retreat series with reflections from our last few Summit Retreat attendees at Steamboat Springs, Colorado!

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, we discuss final reflections, experiences, and takeaways from the retreat. Alyssa, Katie, Tiffany, Tori, and Haley reflect on their favorite parts of the summit, the power of community, and the beautiful experience of connecting with fellow dreamers and creators. Each guest also shares their personal vision for future DDC retreats.

Tune in to this episode and see what it's like to experience the power of community in a Diana Davis Creative retreat!

🔥 Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

How the power of community helps you open up and move closer toward your goals.
Discover the timeless, multifaceted magic of attending retreats.
The importance of connecting with others on similar paths and how it expands the way you approach life.

📘 Resources

Join the waitlist for the Diana Davis Creative Spring Retreat on the island of Lefkada, Greece, from May 4 to 9, 2023! 🎁 Be the first to know when the doors open!
Here's another look at what happened during the retreat!

Connect with our guests!

Alyssa Renee: Instagram | Website
Katie Arpin: Instagram | Website
Tiffany Swan: Instagram | Website
Tori Kornhaas: Instagram | Website
Haley Midzor: Instagram

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!
Want your creative business to go even further? Sign up for ASCEND, a four-month immersive mastermind experience for elevated entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. Join the waitlist here.
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with Diana's free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with Diana: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧 Episode Highlights

[03:43] Alyssa's Thoughts on the Retreat

Alyssa is a photographer, designer, and nomad. She loves being a creative person and connecting with people.
Living as a nomad is the vehicle for what she wants out of life.
Her first thought from the retreat is, "When is the next?".
While there were people she didn't know, having something deep in common made it easier to be vulnerable and connect.
As a solo traveler, she sometimes wants a hug from someone who knows and loves her. Receiving that hug summed up the feeling of the closing circle for her.

[12:36] Katie, the Teacher at Heart

Katie is a born teacher. She helps students and teachers adopt skill-based strategies to build confident, independent learners.
She has been in the classroom for 11 years and has recently celebrated her own tutoring business' first year.
Katie led the yoga sessions in the retreat. Teaching and seeing the connection between people was a beautiful experience.
The best part of the retreat was feeling the power of community with other brilliant women.

Katie: "Being an entrepreneur is so empowering but also can be really lonely if you don't reach out for community."

Her favorite moment was the closing circle, where everyone was just honest. It opened up a whole part of something she needed to move forward.

[19:24] How Tiffany Nourishes People through Food

Tiffany is a retreat chef. She loves nourishing people and storytelling through food.

Tiffany: "It's like you forget what color your hair you have until you look in the mirror. So I think it's helpful to have that mirror."

The menu was a reflection of Diana's upbringing and travels. Diana is a rancher's daughter — keeping this in mind, she chose Colorado steak as the first meal.
Food tastes a lot better if it doesn't travel very far. It's also a way of telling a story.
People can taste the love you put in the food. Tiffany fuses the love farmers and ranchers put in their food with her own for people to enjoy them.
Cooking in the retreat was so much fun and didn't feel like work for her.

[29:13] Tori Experiencing the Power of Community and Retreats

As a person, Tori is striving to live an extraordinary life outside of the status quo.
She works with women in a functional nutrition setting because she wants them to feel empowered to do things differently.
Tori has attended and cooked for a lot of retreats. She didn't want to miss out on the magic that comes from it.
Going to retreats always ends up shaking her up in a good way. She went into the retreat wanting some clarity, and that's what she got.
Her favorite part of the trip was being in community with other women and having moments with people she would have never crossed paths with otherwise.

[37:24] Haley's Retreat Experience + Humanity

Haley's honest answer to the question, "Who are you as a human?", is that she doesn't know. But she believes that she is an expression of unconditional love and she knows she's an artist.
A lot of the suffering we experience comes from showing up in ways that we don't identify with. We're a blank canvas every second, and we can choose.
The most profound part of the retreat for her was the community and togetherness — swimming in each other's channels and creating a collective channel together.
Being in a space filled with dreamers, creators, and innovators made her see a version of herself in tune with that community. It changed her.

Haley: "It was such a gift to me to experience the power of community and the way that that actually influences our consciousness and the version of ourselves that shows up. And when we walk away, we can remember that—energy is timeless."

It's so powerful to be reminded of how much we need each other and show up in all different versions of ourselves.

About Our Guests

Alyssa Renee is a travel and brand designer and photographer. She helps create space for businesses to be seen, heard, and understood. She is also one of the brilliant retreat photographers who captured the magic of Summit Retreat! Check out her work on Instagram and her website.

Katie Arpin is a teacher and the founder of Katie Arpin Coaching. She helps students and teachers adopt skill-based strategies to build confident, independent learners. She also led Summit Retreat's beautiful yoga sessions. Check out her work on Instagram and her website.

Tiffany Swan is a retreat chef, food scientist, nutritionist, and the founder of Salt & Sage. She loves to nourish people's bellies and souls through food with thought and was one of Summit Retreat's epic chefs. Check out her work on Instagram and her website.

Tori Kornhaas is a functional nutritionist, retreat chef, event host, and lifestyle coach. She guides career-driven women in living a nourished life through functional nutrition and lifestyle support and was also one of Summit Retreat's amazing chefs. Check out her work on Instagram and her website.

Haley Midzor is a freelance illustrator, copywriter, and apprentice teacher. She creates digital graphics to tell meaningful stories and catalyze action. Check out her work on Instagram.

Enjoyed this Podcast on the Magic of Retreats and the Power of Community?

The retreat may have come to a close, but the magic it brought to the community will live forever. The Summit Retreat is the first of many Diana Davis Creative Retreats, so sign up for the waitlist to be one of the first on board for the next ones!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it! With the power of community at your back, you can do anything and achieve everything.

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates, exciting programs, and valuable resources.

E32 Leading with Connection to Attract Your Ideal Clients 🧲⚡️

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 11:00:00 GMT

Getting clients is hard work. But what do you do when no one seems to be coming through?

Perhaps the problem lies in your foundation — there could be cracks that are preventing potential clients from aligning with you and your offers. It all goes back to you realigning with your why. Why are you doing what you're doing? Why does it all matter? Once you do, everything will fall into place. It will cause a ripple effect in your business, pulling in the clients you want.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana talks about tactical ways to get your ideal clients, including reevaluating the cracks in your foundation. She delves into the power of realigning with your why and how it extends to your clients and offerings. When you lead with connection instead of transaction, you get back on your frequency and magnetize the right people naturally. 🙌

Listen to this episode to learn how to bridge the gaps in the foundation of your business and start attracting the clients you want!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn tactical ways to get clients and build your creative business.
Discover how realigning with your why can cause a ripple effect of clients coming through your door.
Understand why you should lead with connection versus transaction.

📘Resources

Check out these Pollen Episodes!

Lucid Shift Coaching - Ben Easter: Website | Instagram
Get access to Diana's FREE Aligned and Empowered Sales Call Training here!
Join the waitlist for the Diana Davis Creative Spring Retreat on the island of Lefkada, Greece, from May 4 to 9, 2023! 🎁 Be the first to know when the doors open!
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!
Want your creative business to go even further? Sign up for ASCEND, a four-month immersive mastermind experience for elevated entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. Join the waitlist here.
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with Diana's free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with Diana: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[01:42] Diana Davis Creative Spring Retreat in Greece

The retreat will be from May 4 to 9, 2023, in Greece.
The last Diana Davis Creative Retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, was the most magical experience.
Join the waitlist if you want to transform your business while experiencing the beauty of Lefkada, Greece, with a community of creative entrepreneurs like you.

[03:04] Stuck and Can't Get Clients?

You may find yourself unable to bring clients through the door, despite social media marketing and networking efforts.
The problem often lies in the core of things.

Diana: "Something is cracked in the foundation. You built your skyscraper too quickly, and it needs to be reevaluated."

[04:07] Realign with Your Why

Realigning with your why causes a ripple effect of clients coming through the door.
Your interactions with people are more than just transactional.
Go back to why you're doing what you're doing. This gets you back on the frequency to call the right people in.
Realigning with your ideal client comes after going back to your why. Pay attention to what people are asking you, and start showing up for them.

[07:58] Realign with Your Offerings

Do your offerings answer your ideal clients' questions and solve their problems?
Identify where the crack is. Then, evaluate how you can bridge the gap between your offers and ideal clients.
Can you adjust your audience to align with your offering? Or can you realign your offers to match your audience right now?

[10:27] Offer Something for "Free"

Nothing is free. Everything is an exchange of energy.
The exchange for doing a photoshoot for "free" might be a new connection, exposure, portfolio building, target market research, and experience.
Offering something for free gets people in your energy. They experience you with a low barrier to entry.
Tune in to the full episode to hear powerful examples of offering free coaching sessions!

Diana: "We start to have momentum. We start to have clients, and one after another, they start sharing, and the windshield cracks more. And those people start sharing, and the windshield cracks more, and we eventually have this big spiderweb."

[15:21] Raise Your Prices

You may have to start with a really low price to give you room to increase it, but not so low that you're "going to throw up."
When you start to fill up your client roster, it's time to raise your prices.
You will eventually find a price that calibrates with you for a long time.
Don't screw up your momentum by not charging enough.

[18:22] Offer Valuable Freebies

You can also offer freebies to attract clients and leads.
While offering freebies isn't an active approach like offering free sessions, people can opt in to your email list and still get a lot of value.
Diana offers a free 30-minute recorded sales call training in exchange for getting you on her email list.
It's a fun way to keep your pipeline filled with clients and connections.

[20:23] Leading with Connection vs. Transaction

Diana: "I never lead with transaction; I lead with connection."

Begin with the mindset of connecting instead of looking at people only as potential clients.
Diana likes to create connection and community.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Getting Your Ideal Clients?

Getting clients is hard enough work as it is, but attracting your ideal clients is double the challenge. When you find yourself in this position, it helps to go back to your why. Once you do, then you can also realign with your clients, offerings, and every decision you make in your business. As you continue with this mindset of connecting versus transacting, you're sure to thrive and attract the right people effortlessly.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E26 How to Use Pain Point Marketing the Right Way to Empower Your Clients 📈🤝⚡️

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Some entrepreneurs avoid pain point marketing, thinking that it takes advantage of clients. It can certainly be toxic, but that's not always true. When used conscientiously and with genuine consideration for your customers, it can be a wonderful tool to empower your clients. But how do you make sure you do that?

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana shares her insightful take on pain point marketing. She talks about the three important questions entrepreneurs like you should answer. Once you do, it will help you take your clients on a plane ride from their pain points to their paradise.

Join us in this episode and take part in Diana's short activity on empowerment. Empower yourself, and learn to empower others!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Discover how Diana leads her clients with effective and empowering marketing strategies so they can make more sales.
Why it's important to hold space for your most aligned clients in your containers and not say 'yes' to just anyone.
Learn about pain point marketing as an important tool for understanding your clients.

📘 Resources

The Pollen Podcast Ep. 16: How + Why You Should Detox Your Product Suite
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity! The 7th Round starts this October.
Join the waitlist for the ASCEND Mastermind, a four-month immersive mastermind for entrepreneurs ready to scale their next mountain. ⛰️
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from Diana Davis Creative.
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧 Episode Highlights

[05:23] Using Pain Point Marketing without Toxicity

Pain point marketing can be toxic when it paints your clients as broken people.
It manipulates them to purchase your product by presenting it as something that can fix them.
Instead, look at your clients as whole people and use pain point marketing to understand their motivations and struggles.

Diana: "Every client that I have is so whole and ready to roll, but they do have things that they need help with. I'm not going to ignore that and pretend that they're just like this perfect business owner who doesn't need any sort of help or transformation."

The starving healer mentality is a common pain point among business owners. They feel guilty putting a price tag on their products and end up not charging enough.
Another common pain point is the scarcity mindset. Entrepreneurs say yes to every client and deal, thinking that nothing else will come in otherwise.

[07:52] Dream Clients and the Empowered Yes

Dream clients are those who light you up and respect your boundaries.

Diana: "Start working with dream clients. That entails not only calling in your dream clients, being clear on who that is, but also being able to say no to the ones that aren't a good fit."

The job of a coach is not just about teaching their clients to say yes to every opportunity. They need to be confident when they say yes to something new.
You can only thrive in a container if you work with dream clients and only give empowered yeses.

[10:33] Workshop Activity: Three Questions

Think of one product or service you are currently offering to clients. Then, create three columns for three questions.
Where are they now? This question determines your client's pain points.
What are the details? This is the plane ride. What product, program, or service are you offering them?
Where are you taking them? This question identifies the goal — the paradise — you will reach after the plane ride.

[13:53] Where Are Your Clients?

Identify the pain points of your clients. Determine what they're good at and where they need help.
Knowing where they're currently at helps you pinpoint which product or service can help them.

[16:48] Where Are You Taking Your Clients?

Diana emphasizes the importance of visualizing your clients' paradise. What is their goal? What does it look like?
Empowerment is a common denominator in your clients' versions of paradise. At the end of the plane ride, they need to be more confident in what they have to offer.
Empowerment creates a ripple effect that eventually impacts the world.

[19:36] How to Attract Clients

Diana: "When we hit on those things that our clients are actually challenged by and we address them, that's something that brings them in."

Show your clients where you can take them by making your product clear.
Talk about your products and services like you are the one using them. What value do they bring?
Utilize your community. People talk about you and observe what you do, even when you do not know it.
Sometimes, clients come up out of nowhere. All you have to do is to be open to the opportunity.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Empowering Clients?

Through pain point marketing, you can boost your clients' confidence and also be more confident in yourself. Remember and utilize the three important questions we talked about today, and you'll always have an easy guide through the process!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.

Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E25 From Hobby to Business: How Poy Twitchsri-Granati Became a Paper Florist 🌷🌼

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 10:00:00 GMT

How often do you plan your life? If you're a high achiever, you may already be listing out things you want to do and milestones you want to achieve in life by a certain time. But, life never happens the way we want or plan. We'll have to face failures, missed opportunities, and even a lot of disappointment.

If you start comparing yourself to others and wondering where you're going, take the time to try something new.

In this episode, paper florist Poy Twitchsri-Granati joins us and shares how she went from advertising to UX designing to making paper flowers. She shares that paper crafting started out as a 100-day challenge that helped her relax during a 1½-year void in between her graduation and finding a job.

Success is never a straight line, it's often a winding road with twists and turns. No matter what, show up. Overcome your fears and eventually, you'll find yourself happy with where you are.

Listen to this episode and be inspired to keep working on your craft!

🔥 Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Discover Poy's career journey starting in Thailand to becoming a UX designer to becoming a paper florist.
Why failures are necessary for you to grow and learn.
How overcoming her fears led to Poy's success and how to apply this to your business and life.

📘 Resources

Connect with Poy: Website I Workshops I Instagram
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity! The 7th Round will start in October.
Join the waitlist for the ASCEND Mastermind, a four-month immersive mastermind for entrepreneurs ready to scale their next mountain. ⛰️
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from Diana Davis Creative.
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧 Episode Highlights

[07:26] Poy's Story

Poy was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and grew up in a big family.
Since her father worked for Thai Airways, Poy was able to travel a lot as a child.
Her father was also able to bring home Disney and Broadway videos, which made Poy dream of becoming a Broadway dancer.
Her parents were supportive of her and eventually, Poy got into an advertising program.
Poy is currently a paper florist and UX designer.

[13:36] Poy's Journey to the United States and New York

After getting her Bachelors in advertising, Poy worked for an American ad agency in Thailand.
She realized that she wanted to use her skills in both English and French. She then tried living in New York for six months and knew it was the right place for her.
In the full episode, Poy recounts her journey to study in the United States and become a UX designer for Estée Lauder.

[22:13] How Poy Started with Paper Crafts

Between her graduation at NYU and getting a job, Poy had a year and a half gap.
During this gap, Poy got into paper crafts and became consistent with the craft for 100 days. This helped her relax from checking her email for job interviews.
Around day 80 of her challenge, a friend paid her to make a bouquet of peonies.
She then took the initiative to visit pop-up shops and offer her paper flowers.
Her paper flower project actually helped her get hired with Estée Lauder.

Poy: I set my goal to…I'm just gonna make this flower with this color and then try it out. If it doesn't work or it doesn't look great, you have tomorrow to change it…if your day 50 looks like shit, you have a day 51 to turn it around…I was grateful that I have a lot of failures. You can learn from that, faillers doesn't mean that you are a failure. One direction didn't work so that you can go to another route.

[36:23] How to Always Learn from Experiences

In the full episode, Poy shares her first pop-up experience with West Elm.
Even if she didn't sell anything on her first day, she was noting down the kind of people who walked in.
Her experience taught her that what she loves to do may not be aligned with what people want to buy.
During the pandemic, she was laid off from Estée Lauder. Even though it was a painful experience, Poy was happy she was able to support her husband.
This time also helped her create Summer Space Studio.

Poy: When you're putting yourself out there, even though your goal is to like…I have to make money right away. But then the value of you showing up, it's probably not money. Maybe it's a lesson maybe you learn something more about your business or like marketing

[44:44] How Poy Moved Forward with Summer Space

Start wherever you are and do what you can. Everything is difficult and it takes energy to make things happen.
Poy put all her focus on building Summer Space and didn't apply for another UX job.
At some point, Poy learned to hire others to help her pack workshop kits.
Currently, Poy is outsourcing a video editor and writer.

Poy: Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can.

[51:57] Why Poy Built Summer Space

More than creating paper flowers, Poy was able to meet all kinds of people through her in-person workshops.
She realized how her workshops were able to help people take a break.

[54:23] How to Become Successful

Success is not overnight, it's often a long winding journey.
Even when nothing is happening, you can fill that void with something that can change your life.
Fear gets in the way most of the time. It's important to show up. You never know what can happen unless you put yourself out there.
Poy shares how her successes can always be linked to people's support.
She owes her Instagram success to becoming serious and consistent with showing up. In the full episode, Poy shares how she managed to partner with Adobe to celebrate AAPI month.

[1:09:48] Lightning Round with Poy

Poy is a Virgo and likes being perfect and organized.
For her, creativity is when you allow yourself to play with ideas.
Poy's ultimate goal as a paper florist is to have a window display in New York City.

About Poy

Poy Twitchsri-Granati is the founder of Summer Space Studio. Through a project called '100 days of making', she taught herself to make paper flowers and fell in love with them. After the project, she decided to keep making flowers.

She was working as a UX designer for Estée Lauder with this project on the side. Eventually, she would host workshops, go to pop-ups, and decorate stores with her flowers. When she was laid off during the pandemic, Poy switched her entire focus to Summer Space, and she has been waking up joyfully ever since! Poy now lives in Long Island, New York with her spouse and the studio's boss cat, Willy.

Want to learn more about Poy's work? Check out her Website and workshops.

You can also connect with her on Instagram.

Enjoyed this Podcast on the Power of Retreats?

Never underestimate the power of consistency, hard work, and trying something new! Commit to small acts of challenging yourself — who knows where you'll end up?

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs—just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E10 Quitting Your Job + Building Cheese Plates with Marissa Mullen 🧀🔪💼

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 10:00:24 GMT

I love this story about Marissa and creating her cheese plate company so much.

Following your passion, especially when it leads you off the beaten path, can be terrifying. But if where you are now doesn't spark your creativity, it may be time to listen to that.. Life is way too short to stay in a job that does not fulfill your soul.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, I bring on Marissa Mullen, founder of That Cheese Plate, to talk about her big leap from working in the music industry to chasing creativity and building her own brand. We also dive deep into the importance of human connection and how to let your creativity flow.

Listen to this episode to learn when it's time to quit your job and follow your passion! A happy and successful life is more than just money — choose to chase your creative impulses.

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn how pursuing your passion is the fast track to success.
How Marissa went from working in the music industry to building beautiful cheese plates that bring her so much joy.
Hear a real story about how following your creative impulses leads you to deeper alignment in your work and life.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
If you're an entrepreneur looking to fine-tune your business, hit us up at Ascend: the Elevated Entrepreneur Mastermind!
Access other courses from Diana Davis Creative
Song of Sparrows
Barefoot Contessa
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Diving In

Finding Peace Amongst Life's Hardest Hurdles with Ruthie Lindsey

That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life by Marissa Mullen
Connect with Marissa:

That Cheese Plate: Website | Instagram | TikTok
Cheese By Numbers: Instagram
That Cheese Class: Instagram
Marissa Mullen: Instagram

Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[08:34] Meet Marissa

Marissa has always been outspoken throughout her professional career.
Growing up with an interest in music, she made it her life's mission to work in the music industry.
Interning for the music department at the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon sparked her interest in working in the music department of a late-night show.
She worked as an assistant to Jon Batiste on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

[15:28] Starting Her Cheese Plate Journey

In her free time, Marissa started making cheese boards to destress and relax.
In 2014, she wanted to make a centralized location for inspiration and created a Tumblr called "The Art of Cheese."
She eventually rebranded it into "That Cheese Plate" and moved to Instagram.

[19:54] That Cheese Plate

After coming up with "cheese by numbers," Marissa decided she wanted to build on it.
When she started the brand, her dream was to write a cookbook. However, several publishers had rejected her, so she started another account called "Cheese by Numbers."
Eventually, she got an invitation to be on the Rachael Ray Show.
Listen to the full episode to find out how her brand blew up after guesting on the show!

[22:40] Quitting Her Day Job

Random House accepted Marissa's book proposal.
Since publishing the book was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, she decided to quit her personal assistant role with Jon in March 2019.
After that, she began to focus on her brand by writing and doing events.
When the pandemic struck, she connected with her community through Instagram.
The book's initial printing did well, and they have printed 225,000 copies today.

[26:01] Resparking Her Creativity

After moving into her own apartment, Marissa felt isolated and uninspired.
She started therapy and reflected on why she associated her self-worth with productivity.

[28:07] Marissa: "You need to take a break in order to feel inspired again. You can't just keep going like a machine."

Her second book, That Cheese Plate Wants to Party, is about how cheese plates are a form of self-care.

[29:03] The Importance of Human Connection

As a deep feeler, Marissa needs to channel her emotions in creative ways.
She started a podcast called Diving In with her friend Leslie, where they talk about the vulnerabilities of being in the entertainment and content creation industries.
Talking about her internal issues through the podcast helped her heal.

[30:28] Marissa: "[At] the core of all this, it's just human connection that is the most important, you know? It doesn't matter what you're building, what you're doing, it matters about how does it make people feel? And how does it bring people together in this way?"

[32:21] How to Create Content Without a Professional Camera

Marissa shot the photos for her books on her own using her iPhone.
The creative aspect, aesthetics, and vision were really important to her.
For her second book, her photos turned out better because she learned how to edit her photos on Lightroom.
All you need is a nice backdrop, indirect natural light, and your phone.

[35:48] Making Connections

Figure out who you want to email and be strategic.
Interact with other brands on social media.
In-person networking is also important to expand your network.
If you want to find out how Marissa and Diana met, tune in to the full episode!

[49:01] Diving Into Astrology

During the pandemic, Marissa started exploring astrology and doing birth chart readings.
Journaling and connecting with yourself takes practice and commitment.
Feminine energy is better transmitted through movement, while masculine energy is best transmitted through stillness.

[57:07] Marissa's Advice

Feel what your intuition is telling you about something.
Turning your passion into your work isn't easy, but hard work pays off.
Rest is important.

[59:48] Marissa: "It's the hustle that inspires you but it's not going to happen if you just put in an hour here and there and sit on the couch and wait for things to happen. You have to make that email, you have to reach out, you have to network. Do all these things that you're putting your energy out there so that it comes back to you."

[1:01:40] Letting Creativity Flow

Creativity is operating in that flow state where your fears and doubts disappear, almost like a spiritual moment and connecting to childlike joy.
Marissa's entrepreneurial crush is Ina Garten.
Lately, she's listened to the audiobook of Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Sofi Tukker's music.
She'd love to create flower arrangements, curated dinner parties, and a poetry book.

About the Guest

Marissa Mullen is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, food stylist, and podcast host. She is the founder of That Cheese Plate, a global community for cheese plate inspiration and creative food styling, and is known for pioneering the cheese and charcuterie trend. She is dedicated to bringing people together through cooking, creativity, and artistic expression.

She hosts a podcast called Diving In with Leslie Moser. Her debut book, That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life, focuses on crafting a cheese plate as a meditative activity. Her second cookbook, That Cheese Plate Wants to Party, is set to release in 2023.

Connect with Marissa: Website │ Instagram

Enjoyed this Podcast on Following Your Passion?

So many people get stuck in a job that does not bring them joy because they're expected to — or because they're afraid of change. Sometimes, the best course of action is to steer away from the beaten path and go where your creativity leads you!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Say hi on the 'gram @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E9 Inclusivity, Freedom and Changing your Career with Crystal Whiteaker 🤝💥

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 10:00:41 GMT

If you're not feeling like you in your job, it may be time to change careers. Take the leap: unlock your potential, experience growth, and come into the goodness of life. Stay true and be the best version of yourself. Be you, and people will love you for who you are!

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, I bring on Crystal Whiteaker, founder and CEO of Crystal Lily Creative, to talk about her transition from a wedding photographer to a successful brand inclusivity consultant. We also dive deep into adding a personal touch to your branding and showing up as genuine as possible on social media. Listen as we share how to empower others by empowering yourself through your brand!

Listen to this episode to learn when it's time to follow your heart and change careers! We all have a journey to walk, so let's make it the best we can.

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Discover how to change your career to one that you truly love.
Understand the importance of your core values as you establish your brand.
Learn to be fearless as you take leaps in your career.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
If you're an entrepreneur looking to fine-tune your business, hit us up at Ascend: the Elevated Entrepreneur Mastermind!
Access other courses from Diana Davis Creative
Access Brand Statement Guide and Core Values Guide by Crystal Lily Creative.
Access the following Introductory offers by Crystal Lily Creative: Core Values Challenge, Empowered Environments Workbook (Guided Workbook for Inclusive Leaders), and Inclusive Masterclass Bundle.
Get various free guides from Crystal Lily Creative!
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[10:13] Introducing Crystal

Crystal is a biracial Black woman and is passionate about her work. Relationships and a sense of belonging are two important things for her.

She only works with leaders who profoundly care about diversity, equity, and inclusion and with people across various industries, from creatives to consultants.

[14:57] Crystal: "My role is to help them get deeply rooted in their core values so that they can ensure that everything that they are doing as leaders is clear, connected, and that the experience that they provide is streamlined for the people that they are inviting into the environments they're creating."

Younger Crystal was a very girly and free-spirited child.

[23:58] Starting A Photography Company

Crystal has always been curious about photography but didn't realize it could be a career.
She left her corporate job in 2016 and got a corporate contract to travel with her partner.
Her photography business began to grow and snowball.
Crystal later built an inclusive photography brand with a broad, diverse representation of humans in her portfolio.

[27:15] Crystal: "I would really want people to feel like they could be themselves. Yeah. And you know, like, they don't have to be a model in order to be in front of the camera."

[29:51] Follow Your Beliefs, Change Careers

Crystal wants to work with people and brands who want to use their businesses for good.
Crystal later decided to change careers from wedding to brand photography. She later became a consultant.
People started reaching out to consult her regarding inclusivity — something important to Crystal.
One of the biggest drivers of Crystal's network was word of mouth, but she also got contacts from social media.

[36:56] Incorporating Core Values into Business

Crystal likes to revisit her core values to see how they evolve annually. She invites her clients to do the same.
Her values are freedom, empowerment, self-care, community, and trust.
She makes sure her clients align with and understand the values and mission of her business.
If someone comes in genuinely from your core values alone, the product you put out in the world won't matter, as people will be there for it if they resonate with the core values.

[40:58] Defining Success

She never imagined herself being a business owner.
Crystal found that she could do things she never expected, believing she lacked the skills to do it.

[42:37] Crystal: "I'm not worried about how I'm going to pay my bills. I'm not worried about where my meals are coming from, I'm not worried about whether or not the environment that I'm in is safe. I'm not worried about the people around me, you know, causing harm. I feel peace. And that, to me, is success."

[58:53] What's Next for Crystal

Crystal is looking to get her work into more college classrooms.
She wants to venture into thought leadership and public speaking.
She wants to be more creative and defines creativity as freedom of expression, resourcefulness, and experimentation.
She wants to incorporate supporting nonprofit organizations into her consulting business.

About the Guest

Crystal Whiteaker is a Leadership Development and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) Consultant specializing in inclusive coaching and consulting for brands and leaders that care deeply about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

She is from Los Angeles, California, and brings over 15 years of creative, relational, process-driven experience across multiple industries. Crystal is a known advocate for leaders and organizations that provide resources and support for trauma and sexual assault survivors, as she previously served on the Board of Survivor Lit. She launched Crystal Lily Creative in 2015 to offer inclusive brand consulting and coaching for leaders and businesses who want to disrupt the status quo to create inclusively empowered brands and social environments that are rooted in core values.

Fun fact: Crystal LOVES animals and will stop to show them affection any chance she gets. She is that person who will always ask to pet your fur-baby.

When you choose to work with Crystal Lily Creative, you're helping to support organizations that provide resources for women and the LGBTQ+ community, as a portion of profits and services are donated annually.

Connect with Crystal: Instagram │ Website │ LinkedIn | Crystal Lily Business

Enjoyed this Podcast on Changing Careers?

There's nothing wrong with thinking you need to change careers — sometimes, that's just the best course of action, especially if it means being true to yourself!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E7 Product Development + Thriving as a Multipassionate with Monica Grohne ✍️🧚

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 24 May 2022 10:00:29 GMT

Be bold and embrace every aspect of yourself. Turn your multi passions from something daunting into a source of empowerment in your creative entrepreneurship journey!

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, I bring on Monica Grohne, founder and CEO of Marea - and a Libra Sun, Cancer Moon, and Scorpio Rising - to talk about being multi-passionate, and how to utilize it as a creative entrepreneur. We also dive deep into adding a personal touch to your branding and showing up as genuine as possible on social media. Listen as we share how to empower others by empowering yourself through your brand!

Listen to this episode to learn how to use your multiple passions to the fullest!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Discover how to hone your multiple passions into a singular project you enjoy.
Understand the importance of personal branding, especially when selling a product.
Learn to leverage multiple social media platforms for support, building your brand, and reaching out to communities.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Marea Wellness
The Illusion of Money: Why Chasing Money Is Stopping You from Receiving It by Kyle Cease
Supermaker: Crafting Business on Your Own Terms by Jaime Schmidt
Do Cool Sh*t: Quit Your Day Job, Start Your Own Business, and Live Happily Ever After by Miki Agarwal
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[10:13] Introducing Monica

Monica always knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur, but it wasn't until she started working in-house at an e-commerce brand that she became truly passionate about it.

Finding a community on Twitter and creating a product for women, while diving deep into e-commerce, showed Monica that she could be passionate about multiple things at once.

Monica: "When I came to you, I [was] like, 'I always feel like I'm cheating on one [business] and I don't know how to balance both.' And I've learned it's just about seasons, and there are seasons for both. I can be both and."

Younger Monica was adventurous and creative. She was interested in magazines, media, and fashion, and would come up with her own product catalogs.

[23:33] Learning to Pitch Brand Deals

Monica's first foray into marketing was marketing herself as an athlete. She didn't know how to pitch herself at first.
With her experience and connections in the industry, Monica landed a digital content manager position, which, although low-paying, allowed her to grow as an entrepreneur.
Fascinated by the brand-side of things, Monica decided she wanted to create a brand with her own product.

[34:45] Monica and Marea

Marea is a menstrual wellness company that offers a drinkable multivitamin that provides all of the essential micronutrients that are necessary for hormone balance.
At 26, Monica realized she didn't know much about her menstrual cycle and that she had premenstrual dysphoric disorder. She realized how important this kind of information is and wondered why no one else knew or talked about it.
Monica considered becoming a health coach, but her passion for product and marketing led her to create Marea.

[41:01] Producing a Product

It was important to Monica that her product was a scientifically-backed supplement, so she sought out expert advice.

Monica: "Guess what, yes, someone might steal your idea, but if you don't go out and look for people to support you, and to put it out there, and to see what people think, you'll probably never start."

Market validity is important. Your product needs to be needed by people.
Find the right partners and manufacturers to help things take off. Find the right facility to create the finished product.
Having a physical product is different from businesses like coaching. Cash flow plays a big part.

[52:00] Being the Branding of Marea

Monica saw the biggest growth on TikTok. She attributes this to its virality and how content doesn't need to be as polished as it would be on Instagram.
Understand the importance of personal branding. Marea doesn't necessarily require Monica to show her face, but people resonated with her story and the idea behind the brand.

[53:01] Monica: "What makes us different, and why people trust us as a brand, is because I had the same problem that they have. And the reason the solution exists isn't because some man thought it up and knew it could make money; it's because it solved my problem. And so I'm doing a disservice by trying to hide behind my brand and not showcase that."

At first, Monica was afraid of coming off as too salesy but ultimately shifted her mindset to helping women out by sharing what she learned about how nutrition plays a huge role in our lives.
Our time and energy are limited so Monica prices her goods at a value where her energy and time are at an equal exchange.

[58:53] Diversifying Your Social Media Platforms

Share with openness and vulnerability. It doesn't have to be the right answer; just hope it can help someone else.
Twitter is 180 characters of stream of consciousness. If something's interesting or you think others will find it interesting, just tweet it.
Monica finds that redirecting people to explanations on YouTube instead of answering the same questions again and again is more intuitive.
Gauge what type of person you are and choose your platform from there. If you're into written word, try Twitter or LinkedIn.

About the Guest

Monica Grohne lives in Jackson, Wyoming, where her marketing experience began as an outdoor athlete. Prior to launching Marea, she was a marketing director in the DTC e-commerce space and has worked with tens of e-commerce brands to help them grow authentic, engaged communities of customers. She launched Marea in 2020 and is so excited to help free women from PMS and period symptoms with the support of nutrition.

Connect with Monica: Instagram │ Website │TikTok │ LinkedIn

Enjoyed this Podcast on Being Multi-passionate?

Turn your multi passions from something daunting into empowerment in your creative entrepreneurship journey!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E4 Betting on Yourself as a Creative Entrepreneur ✨💥

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:00:42 GMT

When was the last time you took a big leap of faith? And I don't mean the physical kind! I'm referring to bold moves like relocating to a new state or quitting your corporate job to pursue a side hustle. If you're a creative entrepreneur, you have probably made a couple of bold moves already. But it shouldn't stop there. Moving towards success requires taking leaps — even and especially the ones that seem big or scary.

In this short but sweet episode of the Pollen Podcast, I talk about the importance of making big leaps of faith — especially in creative entrepreneurship. Listen as I share my experiences, taking one leap to another, and how each move has contributed to my journey as a creative entrepreneur.

Listen to this episode to learn more about the importance of taking a leap of faith in your journey as a creative entrepreneur.

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Taking big leaps is the key to success in entrepreneurship. Learn from my leaps, and even from my stumbles, and how each experience contributed to my success as a creative entrepreneur.
Understand the importance of self-trust and self-love in making big, bold moves.
Recognize the importance of having a solid support system, may it be a partner, a coach, or a community of entrepreneurs.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[01:25] The Importance of Taking Big Leaps

Taking big leaps, in Diana's opinion, is the number one key to successful entrepreneurship.
It pays to not overthink everything. Make big leaps for yourself and your business.
These leaps can be as simple as confidently showing up for a client or hiring more people despite constraints.

If you're still hesitant, you can always take inspiration from other people.

Diana: "It's so empowering to hear what other people are doing. And when we're around people who are taking big leaps, we're more apt to take our own big leaps."

[03:54] Learning Risk Tolerance from Diana's Father

Diana was raised in a family of entrepreneurs who took big risks — including those that were less smart and more heartfelt.
She built her risk tolerance seeing her dad work in a high-paying corporate position, but decide to leave to be an entrepreneur.
Diana believes in the value of prioritizing "living" over security and wealth.

[06:47] Learning from Healthy and Unhealthy Leaps

Not all leaps are the same. Some are super healthy and some aren't.
Our relationships play into who we are as a people and how we show up as brands.
We should learn to appreciate both our successful and failed moves because they teach us valuable lessons.

[07:31] Self-Trust, Self-Love, and Betting on Yourself

After her divorce, Diana lived alone and started to journey within herself. She learned to stop seeking validation from other people.
Self-trust and self-love are big themes in taking leaps. You have to have both to succeed.

Diana: "When you get to the place where you are your favorite person to hang with, where you actually love yourself more than anyone else and honor your energy, boundaries, and life before anyone else… When that happens, it is magical."

[9:02] Diana's Bold Move to New York

Diana moved to New York without a job or a plan.
This is where she learned to trust herself. She knew that she had the skills and hard work ethic to succeed.
Know that you have navigated yourself to where you are today and that you can move forward and navigate yourself onto the coming path.

Diana: "You have to take the leap, and not just monkey bar [leap]. You have to have some hang time without anyone to catch you or anything to hold on to. And guess what? You're going to reach the other side or there will be a net beneath you."

[11:48] The Value of Full Commitment

Diana got laid off from her job in the magazine industry and decided to take her biggest leap yet: pursuing entrepreneurship.
She gave herself an ultimatum: if she hadn't progressed after 4 months, she was going to get a corporate job again.
She knows that it is relatively easier to get a job nowadays. That is her net.
Commit fully and you're going to make it. Stutter step and you're going to fall short.

[13:44] The Importance of Having a Solid Support System

Get yourself people who can cheer you on as you make the big leap. Believe that they will guide you down the best paths in life.
Your support can be your friends, a coach, or a community of other entrepreneurs.

[14:06] Diana's Latest Leap: Moving Back to Colorado

In terms of making big moves, Diana didn't realize she could go backwards.
It was a big leap for her to commit to someone and choose another person over herself.
Make conscious decisions based on self-trust.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Creative Entrepreneurship?

Now's the best time to bet on yourself! Take that leap and believe that no matter the outcome, it will move you further on your journey to success.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram @dianadaviscreative. You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E3 Taking the Leap and Pursuing Your Dream Career with Wini Lao 🏃‍♀️📸

Diana Davis Creative — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 12:00:00 GMT

How often have people told you to "get a real job?" Way too many times, I bet! It's not easy for creative entrepreneurs. We work hard for what we love but too many people out there don't see it that way. You know the feeling! Your career path can be nonlinear — and that's okay! If you're in a creative field, your niche may change over time. In this episode of the Pollen Podcast, Wini Lao talks about the ups and downs of creative entrepreneurship. She shares how she decided to change careers, from civil engineering to commercial photography. Wini also discusses her aspirations as a creative entrepreneur.

If you want to know how to take action and change your career trajectory, this episode is for you!

📣📣📣GIVEAWAY ALERT:

In honor of launching this show, I am giving all of you a chance to win a totally free 90-minute Biz Clarity session with me ($750 value)! Here is how to enter:

Listen to an episode or two!
Subscribe/Follow the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Rate the show + write a review on Apple Podcasts.
Share a takeaway or a screenshot of the show on Instagram and tag @dianadaviscreative, then DM me the word "pollen"

If we break the top 100 this week by all of you following these steps I will be giving away TWO private coaching sessions. LET'S DO THIS!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Careers don't always go as planned–and that is OK! We'll tell you why going off-road on your entrepreneurial journey isn't always a bad thing.
Be brave! Take the first leap. That first step is the path to getting what you want and achieving your dreams.
Learn healthy methods for dealing with toxic clients and stress management.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with Wini: Website I Instagram I Facebook I TikTok I Google Page

🎧Episode Highlights

[07:36] Introducing Wini

Wini is a photographer based in New York. Her work mostly consists of products, still life, and lifestyle.
Before becoming a photographer, Wini was a civil engineer.
Previously, photography was Wini's creative outlet. She would take photos "for Manhattan."

[13:04] Making the Leap to Change Careers

Wini thought she would work and retire as an engineer.
However, she was let go from her first company after three years.
She looked for different opportunities from Craigslist to Upwork. While building her network as a photographer, she also applied for engineering jobs.
Wini took the leap into photography because she didn't want to dismiss the idea without trying it first.
Seeing other photographers succeed inspired her to change careers.

[17:08] Wini's Career Transition

Diana shares that trying out different jobs is essential to see what you like and don't like.
Wini shares her biggest shocks were taxes and going from a corporate setting to a freelance setup.
After trying different photography work, Wini realized she likes commercial work.
The pandemic has forced Wini to shoot indoors, during which she became interested in product photography.

[21:34] A Non-Linear Path

Wini started photographing bloggers, then fitness and wellness influencers, and finally the commercial sphere.
Wini and Diana share that they both started in small apartment studios. Wini now has a beautiful studio in Dumbo.
You need to have room for play so that you can grow.
Wini shares how the new studio provided space for her clients. It also gave her space to play.

Wini: "In order to expand, to grow — having the room to order to play is really important."

[27:29] Take the Leap

Don't wait until you feel ready before you take the leap.
Wini shares that waiting may also be because of imposter syndrome—having peers and support helped her overcome this.
Don't look at step 12 when you're still at step two. Take things one step at a time, and it will happen.
Remember to believe in yourself.

[31:09] Getting Out of Despair

When Wini feels stuck and anxious, she calls her work bestie, Phoebe. A good friend will remind you of your value and keep cheering you on.
Similarly, Diana's work bestie and accountability buddy is Jamie. They have talked every Friday morning for the last three years.
You don't have to do this alone.
You also don't need to make everyone your work bestie. Your values should align.

[36:42] What To Do About Toxic Clients

Wini shares that if it's too late to turn away from a toxic client, just get it done and learn from it.
Listen to your intuition on what feels like a good fit.
There's no golden job. Every job will have its road bumps and missed opportunities.
Don't let the past dictate your future.
You can make a list of red flags and green flags.

Wini: "Realize that what we've done in the past does not necessarily set the tone for who we are in the future, because that could take up so much of my energy and my happiness if I just keep beating myself up for something I've done in the past."

[40:13] Wini's Upbringing

Wini was born and raised in New York.
Her parents immigrated around 30 years ago and had very little money. This made Wini want to avoid financial stress.
Since her parents worked physical jobs, Wini knew she needed to get a good job. This is why she chose engineering. It took time for Wini to tell her parents about her choice to change careers.
There will be a lot of naysayers who will tell you you're on the wrong path.
Find someone who can see your path and future.

Wini: "There are gonna be a lot of people who are telling you you're not on the right path, because they're only used to knowing, seeing, and hearing one way."

[48:33] What's Next for Wini?

Every new year, Wini thinks about what she doesn't want to do from the year before.
Her goal this year is to be able to step away from the business and enjoy life more.
She also wants to have her name more widely known in the commercial industry.
Wini shares you need to have a thrive mentality to get to a point where you can relax a bit more.

[55:29] Lightning Round

Wini is a Virgo, Sagittarius Moon, and Scorpio rising.
For Wini, creativity is looking at something in the world and re-creating it.
She looks up to the photographer Kren Rosalie, who paved the way for Asian American photographers.
She is passionate about achieving growth and is a member of The Luupe, a network of female commercial photographers.
If Wini didn't worry about money, she would travel and take more landscape photography.

About Wini

Wini Lao is a former engineer and self-taught lifestyle and still life photographer based in New York City. She has a technical eye for capturing color and joyful emotions that emulate her positive and upbeat personality. Her client roster boasts athleisure, beauty, and lifestyle brands including Elemis, Essie, Lululemon, Girl and Hair, Kingfield, and Target.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Creative Entrepreneurship?

Don't let what others say bring you down. Take that leap, whether it's the choice to change careers or any other decision.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E2 Breaking the Self-Imposed Glass Ceiling 👠👑👊

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 12:00:41 GMT

Entrepreneurship is one of the most creative and lucrative careers. As entrepreneurs, we know to think outside the box and innovate, yet we can become trapped under the glass ceilings we make for ourselves. Realizing that you have limitless potential is the key to breaking through this stumbling block. In this episode of the Pollen Podcast, we talk about the glass ceiling hindering you from reaching your full potential as a creative entrepreneur. We then get into how you can break free from this mentality rooted in the corporate mindset. Finally, we emphasize the importance of awareness and keeping an open mind in this journey.

If you're feeling ready to break through the "glass ceiling" and remove the mental blocks keeping you small, this episode is for YOU!

📣📣📣GIVEAWAY ALERT:

Follow these four steps and get a chance to win a FREE 90-minute Biz Clarity session with Diana ($750 value!)!

Listen to an episode or two!
Subscribe/Follow the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Rate the show + write a review on Apple Podcasts.
Share a takeaway or a screenshot of the show on Instagram and tag @dianadaviscreative, then DM me the word "pollen"

If we break the top 100 this week by all of you following these steps I will be giving away TWO private coaching sessions. LET'S DO THIS!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn your upper limits — your glass ceiling — and why creative entrepreneurs create them at all.
Realize your limitless potential and capabilities. The glass ceiling is just that: glass! You CAN break through it!
Learn how to manifest your desires into reality. Find out what's getting in your way and dismantle it!

📘Resources

Sign up for Diana's Ascend the Mastermind, a four-month, immersive experience mastermind with 1:1 support for entrepreneurs
Connect with Diana: Instagram | Website

🎧Episode Highlights

[02:18] The Glass Ceiling

Diana leads the Ascend Mastermind program, where she guides elevated entrepreneurs to expand in various ways.
They talk about money and abundance and what being a creative entrepreneur means.
Entrepreneurs often create their glass ceilings from a deeply ingrained corporate life culture and beliefs.
It takes a lot to unlearn ingrained societal systems and realize your capabilities as a creative entrepreneur.

[05:11] Breaking the Glass Ceiling

As entrepreneurs, we can make things out of thin air. We then get to charge what we want for what we create.

Diana: 'Instead of deciding, 'Oh, this is how I'm making money. This is how much money I'm making a month, and this is what my budget is,' we get to reframe that and say, 'Wow, I can actually make as much as I desire because magic comes out of my fingertips—because I can create anything out of thin air.'

Remember who you are and what you can create. The glass ceiling you've imposed on yourself or that's been imposed by others is not real.
You can create whatever you desire. Get out of the corporate mindset that says you have to work within boundaries.
Creative entrepreneurs don't have boundaries and limits — we're not stuck in a cage.

[09:09] Realize Your Limitless Potential

Take note of any limiting beliefs in your language. Adopt the belief that you have limitless possibilities.
Think of five different ways you could make $10k next week as an exercise. Be creative and open-minded.
Opening your mind and realizing what's possible is part of breaking free from the cage of societal norms.
Know what drives you. Tune into the full episode to hear Diana's experience as a full-time photographer!
The exercise on making $10k next week is not about putting in the work. There is abundance all around us.

[15:53] Manifesting Money

Diana: 'Breaking out of this glass ceiling mentality that is corporate life is letting your brain actually gather evidence that it's possible.'

Manifestation isn't just about hoping that things will fall in the right places. It's about getting clear about what you want so you can start looking for it.
Manifestation is letting your brain know that what you want is possible. You don't necessarily have to know the how or have the timeline.

[17:11] Creating Magic Out of Your Fingertips

What are people asking you that you have profound answers in your mind but dismiss?
Consider that people might be willing to pay you for the one thing you're good at.
Hiring a coach can help you adopt a "forest through the trees" mentality.
Listen to the full episode to hear about Diana's transition from being a photographer and graphic designer to a business coach!

Diana: "If I wouldn't have been open to seeing other possibilities and getting out of my own way and busting through my own self-imposed glass ceiling, I would never be here in this life that I am so beyond aligned with at this moment."

Remember: awareness is critical.

Enjoyed this Podcast?

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Post a review and share it! We'd love to hear your thoughts and takeaways. You can also share them to help other creative entrepreneurs help you on their entrepreneurial journey.

Want to win a FREE 90-minute business coaching session with me? Follow these steps: listen and subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share your takeaways from the show on Instagram. Don't forget to tag me on your post @dianadaviscreative and message me the word 'pollen' to get a chance to win!

Want to get in touch? Connect with me on Instagram or visit my website!

Thank you for listening! If you're ready to land your dream clients, make money running a business that lights you up, and live a life that you love, you're in the right place. Stay tuned for more podcast updates and other exciting programs from Diana Davis Creative!

Get ready for the inspiration and motivation you've been looking for!

E35 The Life + Business You Love Starts with Knowing Your Worth 💫💗

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 11:00:00 GMT

Is it possible to have both your dream life and a business you love? Can you have everything you want and still enjoy success at work? The answer is a full body yes! Whether it's a life of travel or spending your days happily at home, living your dream life is completely possible. Many people think you need to hustle 24/7 in your business to have enough freedom to live the way you want to. However, that's not the case — if you're living from a place of deep worthiness.

Diana is living proof that you can live a life you love and still run your dream business. In this solo episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana reflects on how you can connect your dream life with your real life. She dives into three things you need to do to nurture your dreams and goals. From setting boundaries to knowing what you want, work towards living a life you love.

Tune in to this episode and find out how and why you need to know your worth to attain the life of your dreams.

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Visualizing your day-to-day life and identifying what doesn't align with your big vision for the future.
How to anchor your prices in a way that feels deeply in line with your innate worthiness.
How setting boundaries with your time and schedule create space for abundance.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
Join the Spring Retreat this May in Greece. Get your slot and sign up before January 15, 2023 to get a bonus one-on-one coaching call with Diana!
Are you an entrepreneur who wants to create something new and take the next step forward? Join the Ascend Mastermind and keep thriving with Diana and the class!
Pollen Episodes to look back on:

Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with Diana: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[01:19] Diana's Days in Brisbane

Diana's recording this episode from Brisbane, Australia, after a tough week.
For a while now, she has been feeling lonely and lost. However, she's now on the upswing and getting back into the groove of work and life.

[02:52] The Connect and Disconnect Between Dream and Reality

Diana asks: can you build a life you love while running a business you enjoy? The resounding answer is yes, it's definitely possible!

[03:43] Diana: "You really can have a life you love and a business that supports it. And a business you love not just a business that makes you money, but also an actual business that you're excited to wake up and do in the morning."

Here's a little exercise for you. Picture the day ahead of you and how it might go. Think about how your day-to-day life goes.
Look for the disconnect between what you imagined and how your day goes.
You can also find out where it connects. These are the points in your day when what you're doing works for you.

[07:15] Setting Your Boundaries In Time

Set yourself up for success by setting boundaries in your calendar and time.
Don't be afraid to have hard conversations to enforce your boundaries. Take control of the hours in your day and how you spend them.
Know your worth, how much your time is worth, and how much your effort is worth.
Block your days and hours. When are your work times? When is your personal time?

[09:17] Know Your Worth

Pricing is another boundary. If you find yourself burnt out and still not making enough, maybe it's time to consider how much you charge.
Don't be afraid to charge more. Know your worth. Don't do yourself the disservice of undercharging yourself.

[13:34] Diana: "Make sure you're stepping into that sommelier avatar, that alter ego. Step into that high status and know your work is fucking worth it. And by making more money and working less, you are going to automatically start to have more of a life of your dreams because you have space and time to breathe."

Align your business and your pricing with the life of your dreams.
If you're new to the field, you might not be able to charge higher. But as you gain experience, you'll get to where you want to be.
Find ways to reach more people while spending less time and effort.

[12:19] A Clear Vision of Your Dream Life

Be clear about what your dream life and business look like. Know what you need and desire to have in your life.
Diana knew that she wanted to travel the world. She actively worked toward making it happen; now, she's living her dream life.

[18:03] Diana: "You can't just sit on the couch and expect it to happen. You can't complain that your bank account is empty, and be like, 'What the fuck, where's my dream.' You have to be smart and proactive and your own biggest advocate."

Know what you're worth and set your pricing and boundaries. Be clear on your dream and proactively work towards it.

[18:46] How Diana Made it Happen

Before traveling the world, Diana had plans to support herself while living her dream life.
Diana planned to hustle photoshoots and take jobs wherever she went to make her dream become reality.
Things didn't go exactly as planned, but everything happened as it did for a reason.
Everything will fall into place, but you can't just wait for it to happen. While waiting for your dream life, set your boundaries and prices. Keep on enjoying each day.
Let your business support you even if it's not yet the dream life you're looking for. In time, it's what will get you to your goal.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Cultivating a Life and Business You Love?

If you're pushing aside your dreams because you think achieving them is impossible, pause. Check that limiting belief. You may be closing yourself off to opportunities before they even come. If you know your worth, you can create boundaries and set prices that bring you closer to your dream life and a business that supports it.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates, exciting programs, and valuable resources.

S2 E27 From Fast-Paced Startup to Slowed Down Alignment: The Importance of Burnout and Trusting Your Intuition with Magali Matthieu 👩‍💻🤯⭐️

Diana Davis Creative — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:24:00 GMT

Burnout...a word we all know and hate and a symptom of being misaligned in our purpose. While avoiding and even overcoming burnout can be challenging, it's a necessary part of creating a life of alignment. Vitality coach Magali Matthieu is no stranger to burnout. After experiencing it herself at a startup she helped build successfully, she realized she needed a slower life, so she followed her intuition and created her wellness company. Now she's changing the world by helping women in transitions avoid burnout, increase vitality, and thrive. In this episode, we're diving into her story and some thoughts for you if you're in or on the edge of burnout.

‎

Check out the show notes for this episode: dianadaviscreative.com/post/s2-e27-magali-matthieu

‎

Connect with Magali on Instagram @MagaliOnAJourney

Check out the Nourish to Flourish Online Course

‎

More Ways to Plug In:

Connect and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs who understand your creative path in the Recess for Creatives community!
Want to make your offers sell like candy? Join Suite 🍭 for a 2 day product suite workshop that will bring in your dreamiest clients and give them exactly what they're craving!
Ready to attract a loyal community that is ready to buy whatever you sell? Join HUMAN: Your roadmap to attracting aligned clients by cultivating a community rooted in your true essence

‎

Connect with Diana:

Check out the Website
Follow along on Instagram

‎

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

‎

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

S2 E10 Millionaire Mother: Empowering Women and Mothers To Lead Successful Businesses with Cait Scudder 👑 👩‍👧‍👦

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! I'm back with a new episode with a special guest, Cait Scudder. She's a 7 Figure CEO, Business Mentor for Mom Entrepreneurs and my former coach! We're coming to you today with an interesting conversation about the wonders of motherhood and business.

We know that mothers are amazing, strong, and capable people. But did you know that motherhood and business can go hand in hand? Mothers get to be millionaires too.

There are lessons in being a mother that you'll find can make your business better and more true to yourself. Listen to Cait's story of how she is pivoting her business with the help of her experiences as a mother. Whether you're a mom as well or a creative entrepreneur who wants to bring your business to life, tune in to this episode!

JOIN CAIT IN HER UPCOMING WORKSHOP, MATRIARCH

CHECK OUT MILLIONAIRE MOTHER

LISTEN TO THE MILLIONAIRE MOTHER PODCAST

CONNECT WITH CAIT ON INSTAGRAM

S2 E9 Top 5 Things to Do When Starting a Business 💼 📝

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! I'm back with another solo episode where I break down the top 5 five things to do when you're starting your business or pivoting into a new direction.

We're only real people here: building a business isn't an easy task, and neither is pivoting your business. But here's the flip side: it might not be easy, but it's definitely simple.

So don't let the road ahead stop you before you even begin. Here are 5 simple things you can do to make it as a creative entrepreneur! These are things I wished I'd known when I first started and things I found along the way that brought me where I am today. So tune in to this episode to learn real lessons from my real life experiences.

USE THE FINANCIAL GYM REFERRAL CODE: DDC15

NEW WAY ACCOUNTING BLOG

S2 E1 Recap of Year One as a Nomad 🚙 ✈️

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! I know it's been a while since the last episode — six months and a bit more! But I'm back for a brand new season. I've been living as a nomad for a YEAR now, and I'm excited to share what that journey's been like with you.

I'll say it straight. Living as a nomad hasn't been easy, but it's 100% been worth it. Every day has been a new experience, new challenge, new love, and new thing to feel. Living your dream life is worth the effort and it's fully available to you.

It's not all hot air and empty inspirational quotes. It can happen, and if I've lived it, you can too. In this episode, I talk about the ins and outs of living alone, meeting new people, and reframing my life to be one that I can truly love. Tune in and find inspiration to push for your dreams.

To kick off the new season of the Pollen Podcast, Diana's 90-day group course Camp Clarity is back and bigger than ever. Apply now to learn how to land dream clients, harness the power of social media, and make the money you deserve.

POLLEN PODCAST FULL SHOWNOTES AND RESOURCES

S2 E11 Life and Love Update from the Road ❤️ 🚗

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! It's been a while but I'm back with a new solo episode that dives into the themes of life and love. A lot has been happening lately and I'm excited to share my journey with you.

What's next for me? That's a question I've been asking myself a lot lately. Moving forward can be difficult, but when we take one step at a time, we eventually figure out what's in store for us.

I know firsthand that the journey isn't always smooth and easy. But we can keep moving forward and embracing the future that's coming our way. Join me in this solo episode as we chat about trusting yourself and being in the present. We also dive into how communication is the key to romance and relationships. For anyone out there feeling lost about what to do next, this episode can help you figure things out!

JOIN ASCEND

JOIN US FOR THE NEXT DDC RETREAT IN ECUADOR

APPLY TO 90-MINUTE BIZ CLARITY SESSIONS

S2 E5 Affiliate Marketing and Referrals: How to Use Them in Your Creative Business 🗣️ 💰

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hi Pollen! I'm coming at you today with a solo episode on a topic we probably haven't thought about in years — if at all… What would our world be like without Instagram?

There are so many ways to grow your business and make a mark in the creative market outside of Instagram. Things like affiliate marketing, referral programs, collectives and so much more,

As creative entrepreneurs, Instagram — and social media in general — is ingrained into what we do, right? But some of us don't feel super aligned with it or are ready for something different. And that's alright! There are lots of ways to market ourselves. All we have to do is get creative.

So in this episode, we'll delve into the other tools we can use to burst into our preferred markets and build our empires. Social media is a tool, but it's not the only tool in our box!

The 90-minute Biz Clarity Sessions are back again to meet you where you're at! Apply now to secure one of the 10 spots in my 90-minute strategy sessions to get you on your way, ready to go to the next thing. Apply here!

JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR THE NEXT RETREAT

JOIN US FOR THE NEXT DDC RETREAT IN ECUADOR

S2 Ep 36 Breakups + Breadcrumbs: What it means for your business 💔 🍞

Diana Davis Creative — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:12:00 GMT

In this episode.

I get personal and raw as I share the behind-the-scenes of navigating a recent breakup—and how it's rippled through my life, mental health, and business. This isn't just about relationships. It's about the messy, beautiful recalibration that happens when you let go of something (or someone) that isn't aligned—and finally make space for something better. This is for anyone who's felt like their personal life is bleeding into their work and wondered if that's... actually a gift.

We talk about:

What grief and business have in common
The emotional toll of breakups (and why they hit so hard when you're a biz owner)
Why giving yourself grace is a strategy
The power of recalibrating your desires after heartbreak
Letting go of connections so new ones can find you
Setting boundaries with yourself (not just other people)
Avoidance patterns and the sneaky ways they block growth
How life's messiest moments can lead to the clearest business decisions

Ways to plug in

🧭 Camp Clarity kicks off again this September — This is the signature program for creatives ready to get clients, build clarity, and make cash in their business—with no blueprints required.

🛝 The Recess 30-Day Social Media Challenge is happening now inside The Playground — Come play, get visible, and sell your work without it feeling like a chore.

🎤 Our free masterclass, WORTH, is live on July 25th — We're talking about what's really blocking your creative biz income (and how to shift from crickets to cashflow this week).

🧘‍♀️ Our first-ever IRL Recess event is happening in LA on August 17th in collab with One Down Dog — FLOW & CONNECT. You in?

☎️ Follow me on Instagram @dianadaviscreative for more behind-the-scenes

Key Episode Takeaways
✅ Give yourself grace when life hits hard
✅ Your personal growth will shape your business (whether you like it or not)
✅ Boundaries with yourself are powerful healing tools
✅ Grieving is not weakness—it's recalibration
✅ Avoidance holds you back more than failure ever could
✅ Letting go creates space for aligned opportunities
✅ Your desires are worth honoring
✅ You don't have to compartmentalize to be successful

Episode Chapters
00:00 – Navigating Breakups and Personal Growth
07:47 – The Interconnection of Life and Business
16:08 – Lessons from Relationships and Grief
24:05 – Recalibration and Moving Forward

S2 E28 How I'm Recalibrating My Life and Biz 😮‍💨🧘‍♀️❤️

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 22:03:00 GMT

Time for another solo episode, and this one is FULL of so many updates on nomad life, personal and dating things, and business. It's definitely a cross-legged on the couch, grab your matcha and let's chat kind of episode. There's more to this that just an update though! This episode is all about Diana's recent experience through burnout, how that's been affecting her life and business, and what she's had to do to recalibrate. She'll share the journey with you, but also some mindset shifts, takeaways, and helpful ideas that will help you with your own issues with burnout, recalibrating your life, and starting to create a heart-centered life and business that lights you up.

‎

Check out the show notes for this episode: dianadaviscreative.com/post/s2-e28

‎

More Ways to Plug In:

Get 2 weeks free to the Recess for Creatives community, where you can connect and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs who understand your creative path!
Want to make your offers sell like candy? Join Suite 🍭 for a 2 day product suite workshop that will bring in your dreamiest clients and give them exactly what they're craving!
Ready to attract a loyal community that is ready to buy whatever you sell? Join HUMAN: Your roadmap to attracting aligned clients by cultivating a community rooted in your true essence

‎

Connect with Diana:

Check out the Website
Follow along on Instagram

‎

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

‎

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

S2 E17 How Recess Came to Be and Advice for Building Your Own Community 🤸‍♀️🪀🤝

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 18:24:00 GMT

The Recess community is finally open to the world! This wasn't an idea that was quickly launched though - there's a process to creating a space that actually makes a difference for the people that are a part of it. For this episode, you'll get a little peek behind the curtain of how the Recess community came to exist and what the process looked like to create it.

You'll also hear some questions that you should ask yourself when you start to build a community (or launch anything for that matter) and some tips to help you create a community that your people actually need and are excited to be a part of.

‎

Check out the show notes for this episode: dianadaviscreative.com/post/s2-e17

‎

More Ways to Plug In:

Connect and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs who get your creative path in the Recess for Creatives community.
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!

‎

Connect with Diana:

Check out the Website
Connect on LinkedIn
Follow along on Instagram

‎

Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

‎

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E24 Reflections from a Magical Week at the Summit Retreat 🏔🪞

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 10:00:53 GMT

In celebration of the culmination of the first of many Diana Davis Creative retreats, we share snippets from the Summit Retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, we discuss experiences, lessons, and personal and business reflections from the summit. Cait, Shelagh, Meera, Ani, and Caitie talk about their favorite parts of the retreat, overcoming dream achievement guilt, being one with nature, the power of making authentic connections, and much more!

Listen to this episode and be inspired to join the next Diana Davis Creative retreat!

🔥 Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn how to avoid feeling guilt for wanting more after reaching your goals so you can continue to grow and expand.
Embracing change as an inevitable sign of growth in your business and personal life.
How the DDC Creative Retreats call your fullest potential forward.

📘 Resources

Learn more about this episode's guests: Cait Cepeda | Shelagh Curran | Meera Meyer | Ani Paoletti | Caitie Corradino | Tiffany Swan
Connect with the wonderful team behind Diana Davis Creative Team: Alyssa Wible | Maria Herrera | Alexandra Smith
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity! The 7th Round will start in October.
Join the waitlist for the ASCEND Mastermind, a four-month immersive mastermind for entrepreneurs ready to scale their next mountain. ⛰️
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from Diana Davis Creative.
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧 Episode Highlights

[07:26] Cait's Mission & Mindfulness Yoga

Cait is one of Diana's first one-on-one clients.
She is the first Registered Children's Yoga Teacher in the New York public school district.
Her mission is to help people of all ages, sizes, and genders live their best lives through mindfulness and yoga.
She believes in the power of giving adults the mindfulness and mindset tools to share with their children.

[09:25] Dream Achievement Guilt

People often feel guilty for wanting more after achieving their goals and aspirations because they think they should be thankful.
It is okay to want more.
Change is a sign of growth. Embrace growth and expansion.
You can shift and evolve while following our desires — even in a different modality.
Tap into the feeling that you want, and you will be able to live to your fullest potential.

[12:07] Cait's 'Summit' Retreat Reflections

Cait finds the experience transformative through breakthroughs, healing, and authentic, meaningful connections.

Vulnerability and openness can lead you on a deeper path to your highest fulfillment.

Cait: "Life, in general, is like a hike up a mountain. You sometimes have to take that first step, and then you realize that it's super challenging once you start going, and altitude keeps picking up."

Take 'quantum leaps.'
Slow and steady does not win the race — be agile.
You have to move and go to the thing you know is waiting for you.

[18:27] Cait's Brand Photoshoot Experience

Cait always wanted to work with Ani, and the retreat made it possible for her.
She felt in the moment with herself during the shoot.
The shoot helped her reconnect with her body and appreciate existing in her skin.
It also made her see how beautiful the body is and how it works automatically without us even thinking about it.

[24:17] Shelagh and Her Clients

Shelagh is a registered dietitian specializing in hormone health and PCOS.
She finds joy in helping her clients heal hormonal imbalances and manage PCOS holistically with food freedom.
Shelagh believes that she is her clients.
She does not believe forging a great relationship with her clients is unprofessional.

[28:39] Shelagh's Nature Experience at 'Summit'

Shelagh finds the retreat to be a grounding experience with nature. She felt held by the Earth and the universe.
Her favorite part was plunging into the cold waterfalls and finding peace in the water.
She also loved the deep connections she made during the retreat.

[33:59] Meera's Love for Connection

Meera is a financial advisor and the CEO of her company, Life.Money.Balance.
She empowers women to feel excited about money and confidently grow in their wealth.
She is a people person, and the retreat reminded her of the interconnectedness of people.

[35:42] Meera's Reflections from 'Summit'

Meera's reflections during the retreat were about motherhood.
The retreat was Meera's first time being away from her child. It provided her the clarity of not constantly thinking about giving support to others.
It also reminded her of the importance of giving credit to her husband — that he is capable and can care for their children.
The retreat also taught Meera to listen to her body and not succumb to people-pleasing tendencies.
We do not owe it to anybody to stress our bodies.

[43:06] Ani as a Spiritual Brand Photographer

Ani is a spiritual brand photographer who helps her clients tap into their deepest spiritual beings.
The retreat allowed her to let her inner child and teenager come out and play after being suppressed by the world's demands.

[46:07] Ani's Cosmic Shopping List

Ani was able to revisit her cosmic shopping list during the retreat.
She learned to list the more important things in her life.

Diana: "Because we're doing [what we dream of], we don't give ourselves the credit for what we're already achieved."

Don't force change or transformation. Instead, aim for more of what you have.
Listen to the Pollen Podcast's episode on the cosmic shopping list here.

[46:07] Caitie's Retreat Reflections

Caitie and Diana started as each other's clients in photography and fitness businesses.
Caitie is a registered dietician, nutritionist, eating disorder recovery coach, Reiki practitioner, fitness instructor, and yoga instructor.
She is also the creator of Full Soul Nutrition and the host of the podcast Whole, Full, & Alive.
Watch out for Caitie's episode with Diana where they talk about their learnings from their 'crazy spiritual breakthrough breakups'.
The retreat taught Caitie to go full force into being herself — to have the freedom to incorporate everything she learned throughout her life.

Caitie: "[The retreat] has reminded me that I do need to embrace all of who I am — all of that stuff I talked about — because shying away from it isn't serving anyone. It's definitely not serving me to suppress any aspect of who I am."

Enjoyed this Podcast on the Power of Retreats?

Never underestimate the power of community and nature! Retreats are a great way to be one with nature and be in community with others. The 'Summit' retreat is the first of many to come, so be on the lookout for the next one if you're interested in being a part of this beautiful experience!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs—just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E23 The Power of Community: The Journey of Tia Meyers Grado and Freelancing Females 👩🏻‍💻🌎

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 10:00:33 GMT

Five years ago, freelancing was already a growing demographic. The pandemic only boosted freelancer numbers; now, there are more freelancers than ever! We won't sugarcoat it: freelancing can be tough. But we can learn so much from the people who've been where you are now — and succeeded.

Here's where our guest Tia Meyer Grado, and the Freelancing Females can help.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Tia, the founder of Freelancing Females, shares how she initially started the group as a resource and support for fellow female freelancers. Over time, the community grew to a point where she decided it could become a business to support freelancers further. She encourages freelancers to get paid what they're worth and finally have the time for themselves!

Listen to this episode and be empowered by Tia's journey and community.

🔥 Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Be inspired by Tia's journey to creating and growing her company, Freelancing Females.
Learn how to focus on a particular craft as a freelancer and how you don't need to get it right immediately.
Discover the future of Freelancing Females and how it can help you grow as a freelancer.

📘 Resources

I Fund Women
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia
Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business by Jenny Blake
For the Love of Freelance Podcast by Freelancing Females
Freelancing Females: Website | Instagram | Facebook Groups | LinkedIn
Connect with Tia: Website | Instagram
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity! The 7th Round will start in October.
Join the waitlist for the ASCEND Mastermind, a four-month immersive mastermind for entrepreneurs ready to scale their next mountain. ⛰️
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from Diana Davis Creative.
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧 Episode Highlights

[05:57] What Tia's Learned From Freelancing Females

Tia is the founder of Freelancing Females, For the Love of Freelance Podcast, and is soon opening a business called The Freelance Shop.
Freelancing Females is a global community. It now has over 300,000 members.
She shares a recent challenge in improving their membership system. The membership system requires more continuous work compared to previous one-off services.
Early on, she also hired an agency for branding but failed to ask the right questions. She eventually went to another person who redid the branding.

[15:02] How Freelancing Females Started

Freelancing Females started as a Facebook group where freelancers can ask questions and support each other.
Over 500 people joined the group during the first month. When Tia hosted their first event, more than 50 women showed up.
This made Tia realize how a community like this was needed and then proceeded to create a website.
Most companies create a product and build a community around it. Freelancing Females went the other way around.

[19:04] Freelancing Females' Growth

Despite being offered investments and acquisitions, Tia turned them down. She wanted to make all the decisions for the community's direction.
As the group grew, it demanded more resources and time than Tia could sustainably provide.
Through I Fund Women and fundraising, Tia got enough funds to create a website.
Freelancing Females currently earns money through their membership directory, job board, and partnership with companies.
The Freelancing Females' Facebook group is still free for anyone to join.

[26:17] How Freelancing is Different for Women

Five years ago, Tia observed how Facebook groups for freelancers tended to be harsher. Most women also don't feel comfortable posting there.
Companies tend to pay freelancing women 40% less than their male counterparts.
Tia wants to ensure women freelancers get fair pay and receive resources and support.

[28:24] The Culture of Sharing Pricing

Freelancers typically learn and do more than people working nine to five jobs.
Tia encouraged women to share their rates because it creates a ripple effect of everyone raising their rates.
Raising prices also helps clients realize the worth of their services and not expect the cheapest rates.

Tia: "We are freelancers and you're hiring us because our talents are very specific and very niched down and we worked very hard to educate ourselves and learn those talents….you have so many hats and you have to be your own lawyer, your consultant, your salesperson, et cetera. So I'd say freelancers have a lot to give and I do not want that to go to waste."

[32:48] What Made Tia Who She is Today

Tia was an only child and grew up in Connecticut. She was very independent for her age.
Her experiences and support allowed her to go out solo and create the life she wanted.
Every experience, both good and bad, shapes who you are. Permit yourself to make mistakes.
Tia entered college as a music student but shifted to PR and marketing. She eventually worked for a corporation and did event planning.
In the full episode, Tia shares how building communities and getting laid off helped her realize she could utilize her contacts and work with clients directly.

Tia: "All these small steps shape you into who you are. Sometimes it doesn't seem like it, but even the mistakes definitely help that."

[41:29] Tia's Advice for Struggling Freelancers

Freelancing is a world of possibilities. You can freelance in anything.
Ask yourself: what do I truly love, and what am I good at?
Be open to opportunities and services. You'll eventually get clarity on what you like and are good at.
You don't need to be in your dream situation immediately. Allow yourself to work on several things.
Give yourself grace and time.

Tia: "The one beauty about freelancing that I've learned is that there are jobs that you don't even know what's out there, you could pretty much freelance in anything. When you go to college, you have these certain degrees that you can get, freelancing gives you the ability to go beyond those bounds."

[45:31] Future of Freelancing Females

More people are freelancing because of the pandemic.
The next goal for Freelancing Females is to become the place for freelancers to access resources as individuals and businesses.
They'll soon launch season two of their podcast, and open The Freelance Shop.

[48:07] Tia's Lightning Round

Tia is a Pisces Sun, Capricorn Rising, and Capricorn Moon.
Everyone can be creative in many ways. For Tia, being creative is similar to curiosity, observation, and imagination.
Communities can be expansive. It helps you see different perspectives and how you can apply them to your own business and life.
Tia enjoys reading fun books aside from business-oriented ones. She's currently reading a book about free time and how it's more precious than money.
If money, time, and resources didn't matter, Tia would want to create a van coffee shop.

About Tia

Tia Meyers Grado is the founder of Freelancing Females, which started as a small group to discuss non-payment issues and has quickly grown into the world's largest community for freelancing women. Tia also started the For the Love of Freelancing Podcast.

Aside from Freelancing Females, Tia is a consultant for businesses focused on the freelance market and a coach to many freelancers. Previously, she was an events manager at JetBlue, then managed the community for the tech startup FiftyThree.

Want to learn more about Tia's work? Check out Freelancing Females, Instagram, Facebook Groups, and LinkedIn.

You can also connect with her on her website and Instagram.

Enjoyed this Podcast on the Power of Community?

We often think freelancers do everything themselves, and this is true to a large extent. However, freelancers cannot exist in isolation. They need an expansive community to continuously grow — from referrals to improving their network, mindset, and even pricing.

Many people enter freelancing without knowing how to get paid what they're worth and end up getting taken advantage of. Let's get paid what we're due and live a better life!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs—just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E21 Challenges and Lessons Learned from a Nomadic Lifestyle ✈️🎯

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 10:00:34 GMT

Our core values shift as our lives change. What are your values now? If you've been feeling misaligned recently, maybe it's time to revisit what you truly want to prioritize! Be honest with yourself. Give yourself permission to rest. Acknowledge what you really want and need to prioritize.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, we catch up with Diana's adventures in her nomadic lifestyle! She shares her lessons from her journey, including avoiding becoming a bottleneck to her team, plus her insights on time and energy management. Diana also reminds us to check our priorities and core values. Different stages of life will come with different values.

Listen to this episode and be encouraged to give yourself permission to listen to yourself!

🔥 Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn more about Diana's programs for creative entrepreneurs like yourself.
Get an inside scoop on what the nomadic lifestyle is really like for an entrepreneur.
Why a regular check-in on your core values is an amazing reset for you and your business.

📘 Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Join the waitlist for Camp Clarity!
Join the waitlist for the ASCEND Mastermind, a four-month immersive mastermind for entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their next mountain. ⛰️
Want to have one-on-one coaching support from Diana? Check out the brand new Voxer Coaching Container.
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧 Episode Highlights

[02:23] Catching Up with Diana

Waitlists for both Camp Clarity and Ascend Mastermind are currently open!
Camp Clarity is for entrepreneurs who need to align and find clarity on their workflow, social media, and boundaries.
Ascend Mastermind is for entrepreneurs who want to expand their business.
Diana is also opening a new one-on-one coaching container via Voxer. This coaching relies on messaging, and you'll be able to have daily support.

[05:03] Diana's Adventures

Diana had little expectations about the nomadic lifestyle. This kept her open-minded.
When she traveled to Rome, she felt overwhelmed with solo traveling. As with new experiences, it seemed impossible at first.
Diana loves meeting new people and getting to know their stories. Listen to the full episode to hear about her adventures in Paris, Rome, and Chamonix.
When people reach a certain level of success and freedom, others may assume they're just lucky and don't consider their hard work.

Diana: "There's luck and alignment, and I really believe the universe puts things in our path when we're supposed to receive them. But also, I worked really hard for this. I've worked really hard for this."

[15:05] Lesson on Being a Bottleneck

One lesson Diana learned from her nomadic lifestyle is how to not become a bottleneck for her team.
Living a nomad life allows Diana more freedom. Her mornings are for herself, since her clients and staff are asleep due to time zone differences.
However, she has difficulty working from 4 pm onwards.
The time zone differences limit scheduled calls and create communication delays.

[18:37] Time and Energy Management

Diana's current nomadic lifestyle challenges her energy between living on vacation and work.
Her lifestyle doesn't have a routine, and she never feels grounded.

[21:58] What are Your Core Values Now?

We don't always have the same core values throughout our lives.
For Diana, it's currently spontaneity, adventure, travel, fun, and connection.
Ask yourself: what are your core values and what do you want to prioritize?
Your answer may change next month — just reprioritize!

Diana: "Tap in, ask yourself — what are your core values right now personally, not even in business? […] Where am I at right now? And those core values can change a month from now."

[23:18] Diana's Takeaways

Be able to say yes but also be able to say no when necessary.
Be clear with your boundaries and let clients and teammates know.
Give yourself grace. Set aside time for yourself to recharge and rest.

Diana: "Customers are always right. But you can't pour into your customers and your clients unless you have the energy and you feel rejuvenated and you've stepped away from your business for a second to really see what it's like to come at it from a creative standpoint, to really come at it with a lit flame and be inspiring again."

Enjoyed this Podcast on How Your Values Shift?

We often think our core values will be the same throughout our lives. This is simply not true! There are stages in our lives where we need to prioritize certain things over others, and that's okay! Never feel guilty or ashamed of wanting something. You do you. Embrace what you want and need at this moment. Give yourself permission to take a break and do what you want!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E20 From Photographer to International Yoga Teacher: Nicole Wild's Winding Path🧘‍♀️🗺

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 10:00:20 GMT

Pursuing a new passion after building a career in something else bring up A LOT. Most people are hesitant to leave something because they think they've spent too much time on it. Here's the truth: if it's no longer for you, you're free to move on!

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Nicole Wild shares her winding life from pursuing writing, to music, to photography, and finally, being a yoga teacher! Everything comes together — even if you don't feel like it will just yet. Your past experiences will enrich how you shape your future like stepping stones. Keep walking, and who knows where you'll end up someday.

Assess and reflect. If there are things in your life that no longer serve you, it may be time to shed old leaves to make way for the new.

Listen to this episode and be encouraged to let go and try something new!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Understand how your life is a series of stepping stones and how past experiences will all come together to support your success.
Learn to shed your old leaves to make way for the new. 🍂
Remember that success takes time and that consistency is the path to getting there.

📘Resources

The Collective Kula
Connect with Nicole: Website | Instagram | YouTube | Email (hello@nicolewildcollective.com)
Jade Alectra
The Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda
Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Sri Swami Satchidananda
The Dhammapada: A New Translation of the Buddhist Classic with Annotations
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
Take a week off and join the first Diana Davis Creative Retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from August 29 to September 1!
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[01:58] Introducing Nicole

Nicole is an international retreat and yoga teacher. She holds both in-person and online yoga classes.
She describes herself as a feeler — everything affects her significantly. She used poetry and wrote music to express herself.
When she was in high school, she started nannying for a family. The mother encouraged her to start her own fitness and health journey, where she eventually found yoga.
While studying photography in college, Nicole was teaching yoga classes. When the pandemic hit, she started uploading yoga videos which launched her yoga business.
Nicole's life is a winding road. She was able to follow her intuition and let go. Even as her path changed, Nicole was able to utilize her past experiences to her benefit.

[15:36] How Nicole Built Her Instagram Following

Nicole's Instagram blew up because of her professional poses and photography.
These pictures started back when Nicole was studying photography. She often centered her assignments around yoga poses.
Nicole notes that most of her traction on her Instagram came from her YouTube channel.
Consistency in showing up is critical when building a social media following.
Live your own unique story.

Nicole Wild: "You are unprecedented and unrepeatable. So you've never been before, no one has ever been you before, and you will never be again exactly who you are and how you are. Because of that, you are incredibly unique, and then simultaneously [you] weave the same fabric as everyone else's. So there are both sides of the coin, like you should own your uniqueness and also, you should care for others because we're all in some ways the same too."

[20:57] Learn to Shed Your Leaves

Imagine if trees never shed their leaves and instead held onto their dead leaves season after season.
Like the image of a tree covered in dead leaves, we need to shed our old leaves to make space for new ones to grow.

Nicole Wild: "We need to shed the old layers and the old leaves and let them go so that we can make space for new things to grow."

[22:01] Nicole's Instagram

Nicole was inspired by Jade Alectra's Instagram account, where people need to request the page to be able to follow it.
Similarly, Nicole's Instagram account is free, although private. However, people can donate to her if they wish.
Every morning, she holds lives for meditation and journaling prompts. She has since added a segment she likes to call Bedtime Stories.

[24:48] How the Pandemic Slowed Us Down

Nicole shares that before the pandemic, she taught 20 yoga classes per week at around six different studios on top of doing photography.
Despite her hustle, she knew that this was not her end goal. However, she was hesitant about quitting.
The pandemic forced her to pause and assess what she wanted to do and what she had time for.

[27:15] Setting Boundaries

Nicole's boundaries are primarily emotional. She doesn't want to be in spaces where she does not feel wanted and welcomed.
She's also honoring her schedule by separating work and life. She goes to bed at 8 pm.
She also does not answer others immediately because she sets the time for herself.
Your life will have different seasons. You may prioritize one thing over others, but it's essential to have time to assess what you want besides your work.

[34:09] Nicole's Stepping Stone Process

Kula was started through a stepping-stone process. One significant stone was Nicole's meditation group.
When the meditation group finished their sessions, people asked Nicole what was next. That's when she launched Kula.
Nicole attributes her success on Instagram to a course about online media marketing. She spends 10% of her earnings every year on education and workshops.

[39:10] Nicole's Challenges and Learnings

Nicole shares that the most difficult challenge of launching the membership platform was pricing it. Some people tell her it's too expensive, while others say it's not enough.
She shares the value of planning. She usually records months in advance so unexpected injuries won't harm her posting schedule.
When deciding on a price point, go with your gut.
Not everything needs to have a cost. You can have free content to cater to those who think your services are too expensive and make your content accessible to a broader audience.
Among all the social media platforms, YouTube was the biggest driver for Nicole's success because it showed people a taste of who she is.

Nicole Wild: "In form of pricing, the person that is signing up for a $6 a month membership is a lot less likely to sign up for a retreat or a teacher training than someone who's paying the $40 that it costs. The…bigger question than just how do I price this one offering, it's how do I price this offering in the context of my long-term goals and in the context of the other things I'm putting out there?"

[46:44] What's Next for Nicole?

Nicole wants to pursue education for her yoga business. She'll be doing her first teacher training in Montenegro through the Yoga Alliance soon.
Moving forward, she wants to assess what to refine and how to improve her customer experience.
She hopes Kula can be an exploration of our inner and outer worlds. Kula is the Sanskrit word for tribe or family.
Nicole also wanted her brand to have a memorable scent. Since researching candle-making, she has put out two candles for the brand.
In the episode, Nicole shares going to a cadaver lab open to all industries, not just medical. She hopes to collaborate with the lab for a training module in the future.

[56:52] Rapid Fire Questions with Nicole

Nicole is a Gemini Sun, Cancer Rising, and Pisces Moon.
For Nicole, humans are meant to create; being human is being creative.
She feels aligned with what she's doing now. Her misalignments are typically about how much she's doing at once.

About Nicole

Nicole Wild is the founder and Creator of the Collective Kula, a space for yogis to deepen their practice physically and mentally. Nicole's approach is bringing lightheartedness and creativity to challenging sequences. Kula's membership includes yoga classes and first access to events and retreats. She also gives yoga flows through her Instagram and YouTube channels.

Want to learn more about Nicole's work? Check out The Collective Kula

You can also connect with her on her website, Instagram, YouTube, and by email (hello@nicolewildcollective.com).

Enjoyed this Podcast on Living Your Unique Winding Life?

It's hard to let go of narratives and labels we've long associated with or worked so hard for — but what happens when we realize our dreams have changed? Can we let go of past loves and move on, or do we cling to past dreams? Embrace your winding path. You don't need to stick to one thing for your whole life. Be free to live and grow.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E17 From Corporate CPA to Self-Made Entrepreneur with Candace Galiffa 👩🏻‍💻💯

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 10:00:46 GMT

Starting your own business can be intimidating - especially as a woman. You need someone on your team whose zone of genius is business finance so you can stay in your lane and focus on your craft. Instead of burning your time, money, and energy doing it yourself, find someone with the expertise to do it for you!

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Candace joins us to share her entrepreneurial experience as she moved from corporate accounting to building her own business. She shares her struggles from being a one-woman show to hiring her first full-time employee to earning seven figures. Listen as she shares trade know-how about your business' finances.

Listen to this episode and be inspired to jump from corporate to self-made boss!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn how Candace jumped from corporate worker to a seven-figure female entrepreneurship finance expert.
Understand the financial aspects of your business from an accountant's perspective.
Discover tips on how to build your brand and referral network.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
Take a week off and join the first Diana Davis Creative Retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from August 29 to September 1! 🎁 There will be tons of activities, plus you'll get a bonus one-on-one coaching session with Diana after the retreat.
Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead by Tara Mohr
Be inspired by Jenna Kutcher through her podcast, Goal Digger.
Save thousands in taxes through Candace's S Corp Tax Savings Calculator and 72 Tax Deductions.
Learn more about Candace's work with NewWay Accounting through their website or Instagram.
Listen to Pollen Episode 13: What They Don't Always Tell You About Business and Money Wins 💰💯
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Email
Connect with Candace through her LinkedIn.

🎧Episode Highlights

[02:01] Getting to Know Candace

Candace lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two kids.
She is a Certified Public Accountant with over a decade of experience.
She began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and then moved to different companies — holding various leadership roles in corporate accounting, finance, and investments.
In 2018, Candace founded NewWay Accounting, an accounting firm dedicated to serving small business owners and entrepreneurs and providing modern accounting solutions.
She firmly believes that female entrepreneurs should be open about finances and taxes.

[06:46] Candace's Female Entrepreneurship Journey

Candace started her firm as a one-woman show. As a stay-at-home mom, Candace did everything from home.
A year later, she made more than she did in her corporate job.
NewWay Accounting began to scale and hire full-time employees. Four years later, the company now has eight employees and serves over 100 clients monthly and over 300 clients annually.
The firm's clients are primarily female millennial entrepreneurs who need bookkeeping and proactive tax planning services.
NewWay also provides outsourced CFO services for small and scaling tech companies.

[14:40] Moving from Corporate to Independent Work

Candace initially found the transition from big corporations to independent female entrepreneurship intimidating — there was a lot to learn.

Her number one advice for women considering the big move is to read Tara Mohr's Playing Big.

Candace: "You don't have to do some crazy launch. You don't have to create this brand and have this logo and business cards and all these things. Just try it out. We are so lucky to live in an age where if you want to be a meteorologist, you can be a meteorologist on YouTube. Just go do it."

Take small leaps and learn from the experience. Know what works for you.
Learn and find out what your clients want.
Build your portfolio. Understand the power of energy exchange in getting exposure, referrals, and work.

[19:20] Understanding the Power of a Network

Candace recommends all first-time parents give themselves some grace. Do not try to build a business when you have your first newborn.
She also shares that listening to Jenna Kutcher gave her organic ways to gain traction in the female entrepreneur world.
Listen to trends and the people who pay you.
Around 65% of businesses come from word of mouth.

[25:50] How Hiring Full-Time Employees Helps Your Brand

Candace: "It is just a game changer when you have someone working 100% for your brand. Oh, magic happens because it's not like they're charging you hourly. They're not building their brands; they don't have other clients; they are focused on your brand because that's them now."

Candace shares that the scariest part about hiring a full-time person is the realization that that person is your responsibility now.
Know the current rates of full-time jobs. You can use Glassdoor as a reference.
Candace always tries to pay better than the industry average and provides other benefits, including health insurance.
If you're ready to make the leap and hire your first full-time employee, do not let the benefits side of it scare you.

[31:10] Embrace Your Achievements

Candace shares that she feels weird about sharing her achievements with people.
Learn to understand that you made your accomplishments happen.

Try all the things you want to do - nothing is stopping you from doing them!

[38:40] Breaking the Money Mindset

Listen to Episode 13 to learn more about business and money for entrepreneurs.
It is critical to have money knowledge available to the public.
For instance, ask your coach about their Profit & Loss Statement before you hire them. Are they actually making money?

Candace: "Why are we only ever defining success as money, right? Like, maybe your success is making net of $5,000 a year, every quarter, but you get to spend every afternoon at the park with your dog or every morning with your kids doing XYZ. That's also beautiful success."

[43:46] What's The Deal With Write-Offs?

Candace believes that no one should lose sleep over someone's books.
She also emphasizes that entertainment expenses are no longer tax deductions. For example, taking a client to talk business and play golf is no longer a tax deduction.
Candace shares that it is never okay to put more money in your pocket by writing off expenses that are not real. Female entrepreneurship should be ethical!

[49:55] Building Your Brand and Referral Network

Candace makes sure to listen to her clients' needs.
Business owners often do not know how to read P&L financial reports. In response to this, Candace's company develops client-friendly executive summaries.
Hire someone who is an advocate for you and your business.
Get someone on your team who can handle the fields outside your expertise. You'll feel more confident about those fields knowing an expert is handling them.

About Candace

Candace Galiffa has been a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for over a decade. After studying Accounting at the University of Pittsburgh, Candace traveled solo through much of Australia and Europe. She began her career in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and then held various leadership roles in corporate accounting, finance, and investments.

After nearly a decade in Corporate America, she decided to focus on her entrepreneurship roots. She founded NewWay Accounting to serve small business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as provide modern accounting solutions and outsourced CFO services to corporations.

Candace lives in Chadds Ford, PA with her husband Phil and their daughters Giavana, Layla and Sasha.

Learn more about Candace's work with NewWay Accounting through their website or Instagram. You can also connect with her via email at candace@newwayaccounting.com or via LinkedIn.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Understanding Finances for Entrepreneurs?

Do not lose sleep over the finances of your business! Find someone who can do it for you and trust them to do it.

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates, exciting programs, and valuable resources.

S2 E16 Challenging Your Beliefs about Money and Success with Townsend Wardlaw 💵💰🌅

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:28:00 GMT

What does success look like for you? What if you found out that most people that achieve the success they want and have all the money they need aren't actually fulfilled? This is the mindset challenge that Townsend is encouraging you to think about. Society tells us that we have to chase more money and that if we have money, we'll be safe, secure, and happy, but in this episode, we're challenging this narrative. Townsend shares some of the processes and mindset shifts that he takes his clients through, how his beliefs surrounding money were created, and why the concept of money and success are not tied to happiness and fulfillment.

Check out the show notes for this episode: dianadaviscreative.com/post/s2-e16-townsend-wardlaw

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Connect with Townsend on Instagram @CoachofBeing

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More Ways to Plug In:

Step into a space where you can thrive and transform your life when you join us at the Ecuador Retreat!
Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Doors are open for Camp Clarity!
Find your community with us when you join the waitlist for the DDC Community!

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Connect with Diana:

Check out the Website
Connect on LinkedIn
Follow along on Instagram

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Enjoyed this episode?

Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram, @dianadaviscreative! You can also subscribe to my newsletter for travel updates, learn about special projects, and get tips and tricks for the creative entrepreneur life!

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Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources!

E15 Live from a Lemon Farm: Making Your Living Abroad Dreams a Reality 🍋✈️🌊

Diana Davis Creative — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 10:00:04 GMT

Do you ever daydream about living abroad? Once the reality of paying the bills hits, most of us let that dream die. But that dream can happen — it's possible if you want it badly enough and you work for it. If you're committed to this dream, work towards it — and eventually, you'll find yourself in a new adventure!

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana joins two of her closest friends, Emily and Mike, in Italy and talks about their journey to living abroad in the Czech Republic. But it's not all fun and romance though! Emily and Mike share their struggles and some of the cultural barriers they've experienced living abroad. Remember: we won't get everything we dream of at first, but the more we work at it, the closer we'll get.

Listen to this episode to gain the insight and courage to live abroad!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn how my friends Emily and Mike found a way to live abroad and what they had to walk through to make it happen.
Who you become on the journey to making your dreams come true.
Discover the different perks and challenges of living abroad.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
Take a week off and join the first Diana Davis Creative Retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from August 29 to September 1! 🎁 There will be tons of activities, plus you'll get a bonus one-on-one coaching session with Diana after the retreat.
Learn to embrace change by listening to Episode 8: Heartbreak and Expansion 💔🕊️✨
G-Uld
Chef's Table: Season 2, Episode 5, Ana Roš
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram
Emily's knitting Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[01:16] Pollen Goes Rogue

Diana recorded this episode from a lemon farm in Sorrento, Italy.
She was there with Mike and Emily - the three of them have been friends since college and travel buddies for several years.

[06:47] Introducing Mike and Emily

Mike lives in Prague, Czech Republic. He has been a biology teacher at an international school for the past 6 years.
He chose his profession because he wanted to live abroad and travel a lot.
Emily, Mike's wife, works remotely for an American company. She also likes to craft, knit, and sew her own clothes.

[08:55] How Mike and Emily Made Living Abroad a Reality

Both Emily and Mike used to live in Red Lodge, Montana. They thought that living abroad was going to be a retirement goal.
However, when Mike saw a teaching opportunity in Prague, they decided to take it.
For Mike, the scary part of the journey was more about the process of getting to Prague than about Emily's reaction.
When people make big decisions like these, it's easy to be anxious. It's not easy to know the small steps to reach the goal, and it's a steep learning curve.

[12:19] The Challenges of Living Abroad

Emily shares that simple things, like furnishing their apartment, were challenging.
They couldn't find where pillows were sold and couldn't even ask people because of the language barrier.
It took a lot of effort to overcome the culture shock and language barriers.

[15:33] Mike: "It's not going to be romantic, it's not going to be easy, it's not going to be great at the beginning. It takes a lot of work, a lot of effort, lots of communication, lots of trial and error, and just keep on pushing until you get to where you want to go."

[15:46] How Mike Plans for the Future

People who work in international schools typically have a lot of mobility.
Mike shares they usually plan in 3 to 5-year increments.
He also shares the importance of being open to new opportunities.
Diana shares that planning for the future required setting deadlines for herself.
Give yourself that space to revisit your plans.

[18:30] What Emily's Remote Work is Like

Emily's work usually starts at noon, while her meetings are between 5 to 10 pm.
She shares how she's grown to love and embrace this schedule as it gives her time to herself in the morning.
Her job allows her to work anywhere she wants.

[20:36] Lessons from Remote Work and Living Abroad

When the pandemic began, Emily was already well-versed with remote work and noticed how Mike and his colleagues discussed experiences she already knew of.
Mike and Emily recommend setting boundaries if you're doing remote work.
Living abroad helped them gain a brand new perspective: there are more cultural opportunities and they realized that other countries have things America does not.

[26:33] The Perks and Challenges of Living in Europe

For Emily, the best thing about Europe is how easy it is to travel because flights are cheap.
However, the language barrier can make you feel isolated.
For Mike, he appreciates how healthcare is so much cheaper in Europe.
His challenge living in Europe was meeting and socializing with people outside his work circle.

[29:08] 🔥 Rapid Fire Question with Emily and Mike

Emily is an Aquarius and Mike is an Aries. Creativity for Emily means connecting with your true self. For Mike, it's being able to do whatever you want.
Emily's entrepreneur crush is Andrea Maori, a knitting pattern designer. Emily also shares her wool dyeing workshop experience in the full episode.
While Mike doesn't have a specific entrepreneur crush, he looks up to people who are not afraid of failure and keep bouncing back.
In the full episode, they talk about Ana Roš's restaurant and her journey to reach where she is.
If Emily didn't have to think about money, time, and resources, she would spend her time knitting. For Mike, it would be traveling and giving back to the community.

[37:39] Mike: "No one just wakes up one morning [and] becomes a Michelin star chef, that doesn't happen. I think everyone probably listening right now knows the struggle and the energy that goes into it. But just because you're not the two-star Michelin chef doesn't mean you've also failed either if you've met your goals or a goal that you've set, and you just might not be there yet."

[40:39] Enjoy Life!

Emily and Mike pair their hobbies and take advantage of their situation. For example, since they like running and traveling, they do marathons in different places.
Living abroad is not an escape from your current life. You will still have the same habits and interests no matter where you live.
If you want to enjoy life more abroad, take advantage of the new opportunities and get out of your comfort zone.

[41:30] Mike: "Your life just doesn't magically change because you live in a new place. You still keep the same habits, you still have the same interests…it doesn't really ever change because you live in a new place. You're still you; your place and your surroundings just changed. So I think that's also really important, to identify and come to grips with every day is not going to be a fairy tale."

About Mike and Emily

Mike and Emily are living the life of their dreams in Prague, Czech Republic. Mike is a biology teacher at an international school, while Emily works remotely for an American company. They used to live in Montana, but they finally took the opportunity to live abroad!

Unlike many of Pollen's guests, Mike and Emily choose to be difficult to find on social media. However, you can check out Emily's knitting Instagram account here. (Go support her designs!)

Enjoyed this Podcast on Making Living Abroad a Reality?

If you're pushing aside your dreams because you think it's impossible, stop and check this limiting mindset! You may be closing yourself off to opportunities before they even come. If it's something that you want, like living abroad, you can do it!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates, exciting programs, and valuable resources.

E12 Authenticity and Money Mindset in Creative Entrepreneurship with Lissette Calveiro 💵💰💫

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:00:46 GMT

Starting your creative entrepreneurship journey will require a lot of you and your leadership. The work, time and money (that you may not have in the bank just yet!!). Money is a big topic, even for those who have it in excess! However, the right money mindset will pull you out of debt to the career and life you dream of and deserve.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Lissette Calveiro shares her creative entrepreneurship journey from being a struggling Instagram influencer with debt to a thriving influencer marketing consultant. She talks about building a positive money mindset as an employee and an entrepreneur, including practical tips for asking for a raise (because you deserve it!).

Listen to this episode to learn how a positive money mindset can help your creative entrepreneurship journey!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn how rejection from your "dream job" might be a redirection to something better.
Get practical tips on how to request the raise you deserve.
Learn the money mindset that got Lissette out of debt — what she had to do, how she had to think, and how she leveraged her assets.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
Take a week off and join the first Diana Davis Creative Retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from August 29 to September 1!
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery by Brianna West
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Learn more about Lissette's work at Influence with Impact.
Read New York Post's article on Lissette: My quest for Instagram stardom left me in financial ruin.
Lissette's Influence with Impact: The Mastermind masterclass.
Try out the Financial Gym, just like Lissette!
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram
Connect with Lissette: Email | Website | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[05:06] Get to Know Lissette

Lissette describes herself as a lifelong learner full of energy and sunshine.
She loves human connection and communicating with people.
Lissette started her career in public relations out of her love for telling stories.
She has always worked in communications because she genuinely loves communicating with people.

[06:47] Lissette's Instagram Journey

[06:50] Lissette: 'People see [your] Day 10,005 and don't realize where you started.'

Lissette's Instagram journey was unintentional. She made content for her personal use.
She enjoyed the process of creating content.
In 2013, she started a blog called 'Don't Cry Over Spilled Green Tea.' It didn't have consistent themes, but she told stories about her life in New York.
Over time, Lissette wondered why no one wanted to pay her anything. She realized she did not have a personal brand. She didn't even know who she was.

[09:41] Building Lissette's Personal Brand

Lissette then decided to change her approach and create more personalized content. She spoke from her heart.
In 2018, she wrote an article about her struggle with spending more than she earns to keep up with an influencer's life. The story got picked up by The New York Post and went viral.
Afterward, Lissette's following began to grow from 10,000 to 30,000. As of this recording, she has 80,000 followers.
She believes this growth resulted from aligning herself and being clear on who she was.

[12:24] Authenticity is Everything

Be comfortable with taking control of your story.
Lissette recommends keeping a deep journal to write about who you think you are.
You will stand out by showing up as yourself. People will do business with you because they are attracted to your story.

[15:52] Rejection and Redirection

It is essential to recognize that events from your childhood come into who you are now.
Throughout the years, Lissette's plans have been rejected and redirected.
Rejection is redirection. You have to have a little bit of openness.

[23:10] Lissette: 'A lot of the things that we were doing, or that I was doing along the way of my career was just me constantly innovating with myself, but I definitely thought I had a plan.'

[25:17] The Science of Astrology

Lissette is obsessed with the atmospheric sciences and believes that it explains so much about how we live.
She believes that we are all energy balls of molecules.

[28:41] Moving Back to New York

Lissette first moved to New York in 2013 but moved again because she had difficulty juggling her savings and emergency fund.
Eventually, her agency asked her to set up their office in New York, so Lissette asked for a raise to offset costs. When she didn't get it, she looked for another job.
She moved to a job that offered $65,000.
This moment changed Lissette's money mindset. She pushed for the salary she knew she deserved, and asked for raises and bonuses.

[33:11] Asking for Raise

First of all, talk about it. If no one's talking about it, ask other people.
Remember that it is never about other people. It's about the management that does not equitably pay everyone.
Advocate for yourself. Know the value you bring to your companies and clients.
Do not fall trap to the idea of having to overdeliver. Be comfortable understanding that you deserve this amount of money.

[35:59] Starting as an Entrepreneur

Lissette never thought of becoming an entrepreneur. She thought it was too much work and liked being part of a system. Eventually, she decided to shift from side hustle to full-time.
She saved up three months of emergency savings just in case she had $0 coming in.
As a freelancer, she made sure she worked on her money mindset. She joined manifestation groups and constantly worked to keep a healthy perspective on money.
Lissette describes her first full year of entrepreneurship as a question mark. Then, the following years are about refining everything.

[41:14] Lissette: "But try things that feel good. And then you'll find the things that you actually want to spend your time doing."

[42:21] Getting Out of Debt

Lissette's initial money mindset was, 'make more money, spend less money.' However, she learned that there's more to it than that.
There are systemic things preventing people from getting out of debt.
Look at your finances. Build a spreadsheet stating all your monthly payments, your earnings, and where it's coming from.
You will not know the problems you're in with money if you do not have a system.
In 2018, Lissette finally hired a financial coach, The Financial Gym. She shares that it helped her become accountable for her budgeting and milestones.

[45:55] Building Your Money Mindset

Despite paying off her loans, Lissette still felt guilt around money. She started doing money manifestations, joining masterminds, and taking courses.
Money is energy, and people are energy.
As our energy evolves, so does our relationship with money. That relationship develops and never fully heals. It won't be perfect.
How you spend money changes once you think about your relationship with it.

[55:31] Lissette's Final Words

For Lissette, creativity is problem-solving. It is seeing things differently from a different perspective.
She is currently reading two books: The Mountain Is You and Untamed.
She would focus on wellness energy if she could create anything without thinking about anything else.
If she could create for others, she would make spaces where everyone could connect.

About the Guest

Lissette Calveiro is a New York-based influencer marketing consultant to Fortune 500 brands, social media content creator, and business coach for influencers & personal brands looking to master social media from "a more human lens." She is also the founder of Influence With Impact, a consultancy that supports influencers and personal brands in turning their social presence into a balanced business with community impact.

Before Influence with Impact, Lissette worked as the Director of Influencer Marketing at Ogilvy with more than nine years of experience across the industry and as an established influencer and content creator.

Connect with Lissette: Email | Website | Instagram

Enjoyed this Podcast on Starting a New Life Chapter?

Money matters can be scary, but they're nothing to be fear.💲💵 In fact, a good perspective on money brings more positive energy around it. So, start manifesting your way with money!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E11 Hitting the Road + Going Nomadic 🚗✈️

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 10:00:53 GMT

Entering a new chapter and leaving behind the things we thought were for us is always a daunting experience. But sometimes, the universe itself calls for us to start over and find a new life while carrying the lessons we've learned from our journey so far. To grow, we have to be willing to let go of the things that do nothing but hold us back.

So answer the call, trust yourself, and have the courage to make the big jump. It's never too late to live the life you truly want.

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana talks about day one of her true nomadic journey and what entering this new chapter means for her. It feels safe to stay in the comforts of the things we're used to doing and being around—we hold on to them. But sometimes, we need to just let life unfold. Like trees shedding their leaves, you've got to start anew and transition to a new life path when it's time. 🍂

Listen to this episode to learn why you should take the big leap toward the next chapter in your new life!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

How we can be excited for and embrace the life changes we don't expect versus resisting them.
Learn why you should say "F**k it" to your 5-year plan.
Be inspired to let go of anything that's making you feel stuck and enter a new life chapter.

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course now!
Take a week off and join the first Diana Davis Creative Retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from August 29 to September 1!
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[01:45] Diana Davis Creative Retreat

The first Diana Davis Creative Retreat will take place from August 29 to September 1.
Diana invites creative entrepreneurs to take a week off, lean into boundaries, and let go during the retreat.
The venue of the retreat is in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
The retreat involves exploring nature, live coaching, yoga, and meditation.

[04:17] Day 1 of Diana's True Nomadic Journey

The first stop of Diana's true nomadic journey is New York City.
New York has been the landing pad for Diana when things become solo. She moved there without any plans after her divorce.
The city is now holding her again after a six-year relationship.
Apart from being the city that never sleeps, New York is Diana's soul city.

[06:15] A New Chapter, A New Life Path

Diana turned 32 on the day of recording the episode.
The new chapter of her life is a blank slate that she wasn't expecting.

[06:41] Diana Davis: "We've been throwing this cliche around a lot but, 'When you make plans, God laughs.' But if we can be excited for those changes, then I think we're in a good spot."

As a Gemini, there's been a lot of chaotic energy around her.
Being on a nomadic journey is Diana saying "hell yes" to herself.

[08:00] Looking Back on Her Journey

Diana was lost when she first moved to New York. She hadn't found herself in any capacity yet.
She's grateful for the opportunity to be dating herself in the growth part of life she's in.
She's the same person today with layers shed from when she was 25.
Look back on your journey so far. Where were you physically and spiritually a year ago and five years ago?

[09:49] F the 5-Year Plan

80% of us didn't plan for where we are now. One of Diana's big things is to F the 5-year plan.
Getting divorced made her feel like she had received a second chance — a new life.
Moving to New York and getting divorced wasn't part of her 5-year plan, but she's grateful for them.

[11:06] Diana Davis: "Have some sort of idea and intention—maybe intention is the better word. Have some sort of plan but being very open to that plan changing. Because again, if the universe has something in store for you that's different from what you think, you can actually get really excited about it because it's going to be better than you could have ever imagined."

Tap into your desires and intentions, but let life unfold and make room for changing your mind.

[11:45] The Leaves You Need to Shed

The things we hold on to could be learning experiences for the next thing.
We have different stages in our lives. We're never entirely sure if we want to do something forever.
Compost and fertilize your past for the next chapter, along with the dead leaves you must let fall away for new life to grow.
Trees don't keep their leaves; they shed them when it's time. What do you need to shed? What do you want to start?

[13:21] Diana Davis: "There's amazing things in store for you. But you have to be willing to see them, willing to trust yourself, willing to take the jump—the leap—when the universe says jump."

Enjoyed this Podcast on Starting a New Life Chapter?

It's scary to take the leap and start a new life chapter. But sometimes, you just have to trust the universe, scream, and go for it. Here's to filling up a fresh slate! ✊

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

E1 Establishing Diana Davis Creative: My Entrepreneurial Journey 🎨🦄📷

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:00:07 GMT

The first episode of Pollen is HERE!! Get ready, Creative Entrepreneurs. We are diving right in! In honor of launching this brand new show, Diana is giving away a FREE 90 min Biz Clarity Session with her if you enter her giveaway this week. You definitely don't want to miss this. See below or press play for the full details on how to enter! Being a Creative Entrepreneur and building the business of your dreams is quite the journey. But stay grounded! Recognize if you're burnt out and overworked. Charge the rate that feels in integrity to you — don't just take any pay you can get. It'll be a long road, but one worth walking.

In this pilot episode of the Pollen Podcast, Diana Davis talks about her journey from growing up on a ranch, to moving to New York without a job, to developing her creative brand, Diana Davis Creative. She imparts how she picked herself up after being laid off from a corporate job and earned her first six-figure income as a full-time creative entrepreneur. Lastly, Diana shares how to recover from burnout and other struggles of a creative entrepreneur.

If you're interested in becoming a creative entrepreneur or are already building/growing you biz, this episode is for you!

Start your own creative entrepreneurship story and get on your path to clarity, taking action, and gaining professional confidence and profit in your creative pursuits. Join Diana's 90-day group course Camp Clarity and learn everything you wished you knew: how to land dream clients, harness the power of social media, and make the money you deserve. Learn more here.

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Understand the power of networking in building your personal brand.
Learn how you can bounce back from burnout and have FUN building the creative business and life of your dreams!
Discover why YOU are your brand's biggest and safest asset.

📣📣📣GIVEAWAY ALERT:

In honor of launching this show, I am giving all of you a chance to win a totally free 90-minute Biz Clarity session with me ($750 value)! Here is how to enter:

Listen to an episode or two!
Subscribe/Follow the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Rate the show + write a review on Apple Podcasts.
Share a takeaway or a screenshot of the show on Instagram and tag @dianadaviscreative, then DM me the word "pollen"

If we break the top 100 this week by all of you following these steps I will be giving away TWO private coaching sessions. LET'S DO THIS!

📘Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana's Camp Clarity Course
Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
Connect with Diana: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧Episode Highlights

[03:47] The Birth of the Pollen Podcast

The Pollen Podcast is Diana's creative outlet.
Creativity does not have to make sense to be beneficial to businesses.
Diana had reservations about naming it "Pollen Podcast" because it may be unclear and unsearchable.

Diana: "We are [like] pollen floating in the wind. We are not on a linear journey. It's something that takes a tiny little seed and blooms unexpectedly. That's what creative entrepreneurship is to me."

Like this podcast's name, your outlets do not have to be logical all the time.

[09:07] Humble Beginnings

Diana grew up on a cattle ranch in a town of 500 people.
She was greatly inspired by her hardworking parents, from whom she learned good entrepreneurship values such as work ethic, appreciation for life, and hard labor.

[16:31] Diana's Interest in Photography and Personal Life

Diana went to Montana State University and studied graphic design.
She was interested in photography but believed that there was no money in it. Despite this, she took a minor in photography.
Eventually, she got minor photography gigs and started making a profit.
Diana was married at age 20 and got divorced at age 24.

[18:51] The Move to New York

Diana relocated to New York without a job or a plan. She applied for a slew of jobs, all to no avail.
She went to LinkedIn upon her brother's advice and connected with people in companies she had a remote interest in, to which only 20% replied.
Diana invited those who responded to coffee dates and inquired how they got where they're at in their careers.

[22:28] Diana's Experience at Time Inc.

Diana met with Mike from Time Inc., who eventually offered her a freelancer job, on one of her coffee dates.
She learned about print production while working as a graphic designer in Time Inc.'s native advertising department.
Diana was eventually promoted to art director after two years.

[26:30] Leaving the Corporate Life

Salary used to be kept "hush-hush," and asking about it was considered inappropriate in the corporate world.
Diana asked for a raise when she became art director at Time Inc. However, there was a lot of "douchebaggery," including empty promises and misogyny. This was her deciding factor in leaving the company.
Another company hired her for twice as much. After four months, she was laid off. This began her journey as a creative entrepreneur.

[31:12] The Start of a Creative Entrepreneur's Journey

Diana was invited to a Six Degrees Society event, where she was encouraged to become a full-time entrepreneur.
She went all-in on photography and graphic design.
She started by networking with, and photographing, women in wellness.
Her initial clients were mainly collaborations to build her portfolio and establish her name in the industry.

Diana: "I do not believe in free work. This was not free work; this was an energy exchange, just like money is an energy exchange. I was getting something out of it that was worth it to me."

[34:43] Diana's First Six-Figure Income

In her first year as a full-time creative entrepreneur, she was already earning six figures.
Try out different jobs. Take on other jobs — even those you don't want. This allows you to see what you like and don't like.
After two years as a full-time creative entrepreneur, Diana was burnt out.
Many entrepreneurs don't talk about burnout because they do not want their clients to see that they don't have it all together and figured out.

[39:17] Seeking Coaches and Becoming One

Diana got herself a coach to deal with her struggles as a full-time entrepreneur.
She learned about other revenue streams like photography and mentoring in her coaching sessions.
Diana started providing mentorship to other entrepreneurs, and she was able to build her name as a coach.
As a result, people came to her even though she had yet to announce her programs.

[46:19] Creating Camp Clarity

She built her brand, Diana Davis Creative, where she created her first-course camp: Camp Clarity.
The camp is designed for entrepreneurs who have difficulty with entrepreneurship fundamentals like pricing their services, feeling guilty for charging for their services, and presenting their brand confidently on social media.
Creative entrepreneurs have heart-centered gifts that they want to offer the world – and make money while doing so.

The camp was a $39,000 launch.

[48:32] Knowing Your Worth as an Entrepreneur

You have to know and believe in your work for your clients to believe in you.
Everything has to do with the calibration of self — your vibration, belief, and strategy.

Diana: "That is my winding road — from ranch kid to divorced, to Manhattan entrepreneur, to Colorado business coach nomad. I'm so excited to see where it goes from there. I'm so excited to see where this goes from here because I know we're not solidified… There's so much more for me, and I truly believe that, and I believe that for you too."

Enjoyed this Podcast on Creative Entrepreneurship?

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed the pilot episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs help you on their entrepreneurial journey.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! If you're ready to land your dream clients, make money running a business that lights you up, and live a life that you love, you're in the right place. Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

Get ready for the inspiration and motivation you've been looking for!

E13 What They Don't Always Tell You About Business and Money Wins 💰💯

Diana Davis Creative — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 10:00:46 GMT

Do you compare yourself to other entrepreneurs? The grass always looks greener on the other side — if you've compared your business to a 100k or 200k business on social media, you are not alone!

What does it mean to have a 100k or 200k business?

In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, we'll talk about how money, business, and revenue are often portrayed online. Sometimes, how people frame their financial accomplishments can be misleading. But if you have a firm understanding of revenue, you can build a 100k or 200k business, as well.

Listen to this episode to learn the truth behind revenue and financial wins.

🔥 Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn more about money, business, and revenue.
Debunk the truth behind financial wins and why all revenue doesn't go into an entrepreneur's pocket.
Be empowered to celebrate your wins and stop comparing yourself to others.

📘 Resources

Achieve the life, career, and clients you've always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for my Camp Clarity Course now!
Take a week off and join the first Diana Davis Creative Retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from August 29 to September 1!
Attract your dream clients with my free masterclass!
Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎧 Episode Highlights

[01:36] Short Life Update

Diana landed in Denver and drove up to Steamboat Springs.
During the upcoming retreat, you can travel, explore, and connect with brilliant women.
Listen to the full episode to find out more about the retreat that will be held in Steamboat Springs!

[07:30] Becoming Money Literate

Often, we compare ourselves to people with six-figure businesses.
Just because someone has a 100k business does not mean that the 100k is going into that person's pocket.
Women should celebrate their accomplishments and empower themselves to create successful businesses.

Diana: "Because as women entrepreneurs, we don't celebrate this stuff enough. So I want to celebrate this and show you and be an expander for you that you can do it, too."

Pay attention to your triggers and learn more from them.

[14:40] What Goes Into Our Pockets

Diana Davis Creative makes at least 200k a year in revenue.
You can hire staff without using a payroll or providing health insurance.
For example, Diana's employees are paid by the hour, and are paid each week.
Rather than giving her hires a paycheck, they send her an invoice.
Her business expenses will come out of her yearly 200k.

Diana: "Saying, I have a six figure business, which I never thought I would have, I never thought I'd put six figures in my pocket, I'm really not. Because there's so many expenses coming out of it elsewhere."

[18:29] Final Advice

Be careful with comparing yourself to others.
Don't jump to conclusions.
Let it be easy to receive money.

Diana: "The more taxes you pay, that means the more money you're bringing in and your business, so we should be so stoked to pay more taxes."

Enjoyed this Podcast on Financial Wins and Business?

It's tempting to compare ourselves to other businesses that seem more successful than ours. But the money that a business makes isn't always the money that goes into the owner's pocket 💰. So, don't be discouraged by others that seem more successful; success is possible for you, too!

Pollen is a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs — just like you! If you enjoyed this episode of Pollen Podcast, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it!

Leave a review and share it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other creative entrepreneurs.

Connect with me on Linkedin: Diana Davis Creative.

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.

S2 E12 Intuition: How to Hear it, Feel it, and Trust it with Caitie Corradino 🦋🔮✨

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! How often do you listen to your intuition? Do you tend to ignore that feeling deep in your belly or do you boldly live according to it?

I'm so excited to share this episode with Caitie Corradino where we dive into how intuition can bust right through your fears. Intuition can sometimes sound a bit out there — woowoo, even — and people tend to misrepresent it as only gut instinct. Before you dismiss intuition, think about what's stopping you from tuning into it and following it in the first place.

Chances are, your intuition is trying to lead you to make changes and take risks. I know, it sounds terrifying — I've been there too. It's much easier to "be rational" and do things that seem like they make sense. But that just puts you right back on the hamster wheel. For anyone feeling the struggle, press play and find out what intuition really is and how you can follow it to make decisions!

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S2 E4 People Pleasing in Business and in Your Relationships with Dating Coach Clara Artschwager 🤝 🩷

Diana Davis Creative — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Hey Pollen! I'm back with another exciting episode and this time, we're joined by Clara Artschwager! This expert episode on people-pleasing and finding the right match for you will no doubt be a juicy treat for you.

So many of us are used to bending over backward to cater to the needs of others. Sometimes, it's the only way we know how to survive and keep a calm environment. Other times, we want to make other people comfortable so we can be comfortable. This people-pleasing tendency often shows up in both our businesses and relationships.

Once we realize we're engaging in people-pleasing behaviors, we have to accept the struggle, be patient with ourselves and grant ourselves grace. Only then can we work towards trusting the universe and finding what (or who) works best for us. Tune in to this episode to discover how you can take that first step!

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