The Creative Business Community Podcast

Scams are getting more prevalent in the market community. Not only that, they are unfortunately getting smarter — and stallholders are paying the price. This week, we talk scams targeted at the market stallholder community. We unpack the latest cons targeting makers and market traders, from Facebook impersonation and “DM me for details” comments to dodgy emails selling databases and fake event invites. We're chatting about what some of the key red flags to look out for are, how to verify if a market is real (think official channels, council permits and event listings), what legitimate comms and invoicing should look like, and the three things we at the MarketLife team will never do. We’ll talk about how to spot AI-heavy promos, keep payments safe, and exactly what to do if you suspect a scam — so you can protect your money and your fellow stallholders. Share this episode with your creative business community so they can know what to look out for too!
Creative Business Spotlight:
Crochet by BrewerWebsite: https://www.crochetbybrewer.com.au/ Instagram: @crochetbybrewerFacebook: Crochet by Brewer

This week on the Creative Business Community Podcast, Erin sit's down with Perth-based branding photographer and videographer Steph White, founder of Stef Spills Ink - our very first guest of season two!
We chat about how a life changing injury helped spark Steph's creative career, how she scaled by thinking like an operator, and why her next chapter blends creative with strategy through high-performing Meta ads. In this conversation, Steph unpacks what brand photography really is (and why it’s not just pretty pictures), the questions a real brand photographer should ask before a shoot, and the strategic imagery every business needs across websites, socials and ads. We talk common mistakes — from having no photos to leaning too hard on AI — the current trust recession, why showing your face matters, and how to stand out in a red ocean. If you want imagery that converts and a business you love running, this one’s for you.
Connect with our guest! Find Stef Spills Ink:Website: https://www.stefspillsink.com.auInstagram: @stefspillsinkFacebook: Stephanie WhitePinerest: Stef Spills Ink
Creative Business Spotlight:
Sol Tank StudioWebsite: https://www.soltankstudio.com.au/ Instagram: @soltankstudioFacebook: Sol Tank Studio

This week on the Creative Business Community Podcast, we’re digging into what to actually post on social media as a small creative business. We break down reels vs carousels — when to use each — and why authenticity and showing the real human behind the work beats AI every time.
You’ll get niche-specific tips for food trucks (mouth‑watering video, share locations in Stories), clothing (show movement on real bodies, style with intention), jewellery (close-ups, strong branding, educate on care), workshops (sell the experience and community), and ceramics (why simple image carousels still win). We share an easy posting rhythm, how to choose growth vs depth, and quick wins you can action today: film your process, create a pinned “about me” carousel, and try a “facts that’ll make you follow/unfollow” post.
Plus, our Creative Business Spotlight!Creative Business Spotlight:
Just DumplingsWebsite: https://www.justdumplings.com.au/ Instagram: @justdumplingswaFacebook: Just Dumplings
 

Welcome back to the Creative Business Community podcast!
 
After a longer-than-planned break, we are kicking off Season 2 with a fresh, sharper focus: expect deep dives into marketing and social media for creative small businesses as well as our conversation with creative business owners. In this short welcome-back episode, we reflect on how fast everything’s shifting — from the economy to ever-changing social platforms and the creeping presence of AI in our tools.
This season, expect practical, nitty-gritty guidance across:
Social media
PR, promotion and in-person marketing
Real-world strategies that suit creatives working solo or in small studios
Great chats with fellow creative entrepreneurs
You’ll still hear candid stories from fellow creatives, plus plans for a roundtable episode featuring multiple voices. If you’d like to share your journey (whether you’re in Perth or anywhere in the world) we would love to hear from you.
Grab a cuppa and settle in. We’re here to help you feel less isolated, more informed, and ready to market the business you love. Follow/subscribe and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or via our website—just search Creative Business Community.

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

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

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

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

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

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