114: Maria Brophy's 5 Tips for Achieving Success with your Art

Technology can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to hold you back from growing your creative business. In this episode, Nikki and Laura share practical strategies and mindset shifts to help artists and creatives overcome their tech fears. From starting small and embracing imperfection to utilizing online resources and celebrating small wins, we break down simple ways to build confidence with technology. Whether you’re tackling a new tool, setting up an online shop, or automating tasks, this conversation will help you take that first step with less fear and more curiosity. Tune in for an encouraging, lighthearted discussion—and a few laughs along the way! READ SHOW NOTES & READ TRANSCRIPT: https://startistsociety.com/techfears/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

We’re ridiculously excited to share this week’s episode with you. Why? Because we got to sit down with none other than Bonnie Christine—surface pattern designer extraordinaire, business powerhouse, and one of the best online educators out there. Bonnie is a completely self-taught designer who has created at least 16 fabric collections for Art Gallery Fabrics, built a thriving business, and helped thousands of creatives turn their art into a career. Basically, she’s the definition of a Startist. In this week’s episode, we got to pick her brain on everything: How she got started in surface design, the impact of AI on the design world, words of wisdom for anyone just getting started. We also chat about her free course that’s wrapping up soon, and of course, her signature Immersion course, which just opened for registration today. This is one you don’t want to miss. READ SHOW NOTES: https://startistsociety.com/bonniechristine/ Sign up for Bonnie's Free Pattern Design Playbook Mini-Course Learn about Bonnie Christine's Immersion Surface Design Course JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

Thinking about taking an online course but not sure which ones are actually worth your time and money? We’ve taken a lot over the years—some amazing, some… not so much. In this episode, we break down the best online learning platforms, memberships, and in-depth courses that have truly helped us grow as artists and creative entrepreneurs. Be sure to listen until the end and hear about a special offer we have just for you! READ SHOW NOTES: https://startistsociety.com/immersion/ Sign up for Bonnie's Free Pattern Design Playbook Mini-Course Learn more about Bonnie Christine's Immersion Surface Design Course JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

Money doesn’t have to be scary—or boring! In this episode, Nikki and Laura share practical, relatable tips to help creative entrepreneurs take control of their finances. From tracking expenses to maximizing income and tackling debt, we’re covering all the essentials to make managing your money feel less daunting and more empowering. STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & **FREE TIPS PDF DOWNLOAD**: https://startistsociety.com/money/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

In this episode, Nikki and Laura kick off the new year with a deep dive into their planning process for 2025. We reflect on our personal and creative wins and struggles from 2024, share the lessons we’ve learned, and discuss our goals for the year ahead. From building habits to embracing the chaos of creative business, we outline actionable steps for balancing our personal lives, creative work, and podcast goals. We also discuss our Words of the Year—and explain how these intentions will shape our year. Packed with humor, relatable challenges, and practical advice, this episode is a motivational guide for Startists looking to start the year strong. STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & **FREE TIPS PDF DOWNLOAD**: https://startistsociety.com/planning/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

In our last episode, we introduced you to Heather Bourque of Paper and Wings, an artist and illustrator that sells physical products via wholesale. Did we mention she does this all on her own while still having time to travel the world each year? Heather is back this week to share her five best tips on getting started with a wholesale art business. We know you'll be inspired to give wholesale a try after you hear Heather's great advice!  STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & **FREE TIPS PDF DOWNLOAD**: startistsociety.com/wholesaletips/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

In this episode, we continue our accountability group series by introducing you to Heather Bourque, an artist from Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada, who illustrates her love of coastal living and travel through her wholesale and retail online shop, Paper and Wings. We travel deep into Heather’s world of creating and distributing wholesale products alongside her online retail shop. We know you’ll love Heather’s Startist story – and Heather – as much as we do! Oh - and did we mention she created a solo-run wholesale business that still allows her to travel globally several months out of the year? We know you'll be inspired to give wholesale a try after you hear Heather's great advice!  STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/paperandwings/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

In episode 49, we introduced you to Elizabeth Silver, a surface pattern designer and educator who is the creator of a fantastic course called Start Your Surface Pattern Business. This week, Elizabeth is back to talk to us about reasons you might not be getting your art in front of potential paying clients. We know you'll love Elizabeth's frank, no fluff business advice as much as we do!  STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/gettingseen/ CHECK OUT ELIZABETH'S COURSE: Start Your Surface Pattern Design Business Course JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

In this week’s episode, Laura and Nikki share 5 quick tips to help improve your artwork and take it to the next level. We discuss strategies that can help elevate your artwork and set you apart from the crowd and share some really fun tools, websites and products that can help with implementing these techniques! STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & FREE PDF TIPS DOWNLOAD: startistsociety.com/arttips/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/  

In our last episode, we introduced you to Maria Brophy, an author, teacher, art consultant, agent and brand manager who wrote the incredible book Art Money Success. This week, Maria is back to share her 5 best tips for achieving success with your art. STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES & FREE PDF TIPS DOWNLOAD: startistsociety.com/mariastips/ JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/ FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/ LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? BUY US A COFFEE BOURBON: buymeacoffee.com/startistsociety/