Letters From A Hopeful Creative

Sara Tasker & Jen Carrington

Letters From A Hopeful Creative is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Sara Tasker and Jen Carrington. In each episode they answer a letter from a hopeful creative who is looking for some guidance, support, and encouragement in their journey, and share some of the lessons they have learned along the way as creative coaches and online business owners. Each episode is like a mini coaching session and pep talk all rolled into one - tune in every Monday morning for brand new episodes.

  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    Q&A: marketing, routines, & designing your business to work best for you

    In today’s episode Jen dives into eighteen questions covering topics such as making space for the needs of your health in your business, moving from 1:1 to 1:many work, marketing and messaging, preparing your business for starting a family, aligning your offers with your capacity and more.

    If you’d prefer to watch a video with timestamps of each question you can find that here.

    And if you’d love to have guidance, encouragement, and support every step of the way in bringing more freedom, ease, and intentional growth into your business and never feel stuck or alone again in your journey you can join Jen inside her program Your Simple & Spacious Business before doors close soon on Friday 1st November.

    * Submit your letter for an upcoming episode

    Letters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    20 October 2024, 8:11 pm
  • 40 minutes 12 seconds
    My business was thriving and now it’s floundering - what do I do?

    In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:

    “I am a small business owner with chronic illnesses who loves your podcast tremendously. I've learned so much from you, and I come to you today with a question: what happens when you've deeply invested in a business that once did quite well, but is now floundering?

    How do I figure out my next steps? I run an online writing school that, in the flush years of 2020 and 2021, easily charged thousands of dollars for tuition that people happily paid. Over the years, fewer and fewer people were willing to pay such large amounts, until at this point we sell membership in the Academy for $67 when we used to charge $2200 for essentially the exact same thing, and even now we don't have many sign-ups anymore.

    Part of me tells myself that it's the economy, but I also see businesses doing quite well - usually businesses that help people make money, however, which mine does not do. I am bringing in less than a thousand dollars a month when I work harder than I ever did at a 9-to-5. But because I am chronically ill, I need to work for myself for the flexibility. I have built a beautiful offer suite organised around the online writing school. Objectively, it should bring in a healthy income. But the people are just not coming anymore, and I don't know what to do. I am burned out and don't know what to do.”

    In today’s episode Sara and Jen explore the questions we can ask ourselves when we feel like we’re stuck in a slow-down in our business and how to honour our capacity and needs in the process of supporting our business to thrive again too.

    Would you love some encouragement and support in your business? Submit your letter for an upcoming episode here.

    And Jen’s group program Your Simple & Spacious Business is opening for enrolment this month if you’d love to never do business alone again - find out more this way.

    More from Sara

    More from Jen

    Get Jen’s free 100 Hell Yes People Toolkit

    Letters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    10 October 2024, 7:37 am
  • 51 minutes 15 seconds
    How Jen rebuilt her business around her capacity

    Do you currently feel overstretched, burned out, or like there’s not enough space for your needs and your humanness in your business? If so, today’s episode is for you.

    We’re doing things a little differently today and sharing an interview Jen did on one of her favourite business podcasts, Off The Grid, where the wonderful host Amelia asks Jen some really insightful questions around reshaping her business to truly work best for her, how to stop building burnout into your business, plus why fluctuating income in business is so normal and Jen’s approach to gentle and human marketing too.

    Join Jen for her Revitalise Your Marketing workshop

    Get Jen’s free Simple & Spacious Deep Dive Kit sent straight to your inbox

    Listen to more Off The Grid episodes

    More from Sara

    More from Jen



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    3 September 2024, 11:17 am
  • 32 minutes 35 seconds
    Let’s talk about launching with intention & ease

    In today’s episode we’re switching things up a little and sharing a recap and debrief from Sara’s recent launch, the biggest lessons she learned, and our thoughts and experience on launching in our business and some encouragement for you if you have a launch you’re bringing to life soon too.

    Would you love some encouragement and support in your business? Submit your letter for an upcoming episode here.

    Find out more about Sara’s summer school

    Watch Jen’s behind the scenes planning video for her upcoming launch

    Jen’s 100 Hell Yes People toolkit (100% free for you to dive into!)

    Escaping the Attention Economy: Resonance Over Reach with Jay Acunzo on Off The Grid

    More from Sara

    More from Jen



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    6 August 2024, 5:21 pm
  • 51 minutes 53 seconds
    An Instagram deep dive

    In today’s episode we dive into listener questions all about Instagram - from building engagement up, feeling hopeful and excited about the platform again, coming back after a long break, adapting to creating more video content, whether to use hashtags anymore and lots more.

    Join Sara for her Instagram Summer School

    Would you love some encouragement and support in your business? Submit your letter for an upcoming episode here.

    More from Sara

    More from Jen



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    23 July 2024, 12:02 pm
  • 40 minutes 27 seconds
    How can I create more space for my non-client work in my business?

    In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:

    Lately, I've been inspired to grow my non-client work and my unpaid projects into a bigger part of my business. I have a published book, a podcast, and regular events - but they're not closely related to each other!

    This makes it really hard to grow any one of them, let alone all of them, when my client work is what pays the bills.

    I end up prioritizing client work above all these other projects, and I end up with very little time to spend on growing these other projects that I'd prefer to be the focus of my future. I have a gigantic list of ideas and dreams related to these projects, but it's felt like my paying client work is "getting in the way."

    Do you have any ideas on how I could create the time or space to grow my lesser-paying work when my client work isn't the dream?

    In today’s episode Sara and Jen explore how we can balance the work that pays the bills and the creative projects that truly light us up and create more space for all of the things we want to create, explore, and experience in this journey.

    Would you love some encouragement and support in your business? Submit your letter for an upcoming episode here.

    More from Sara

    More from Jen

    Looking for a podcast editor? Our editor currently has some space for new clients.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    9 July 2024, 1:32 pm
  • 37 minutes 32 seconds
    How can I pick myself up and move past failure in my business?

    In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:

    Please can you talk more about the failure/success connection and how we can pick ourselves up and move past the failures when we’re struggling with our confidence and self belief?

    In today’s episode Sara and Jen dig into their relationship with failure in their business, why highs and lows are normal in this journey, and how to hold ourselves through the emotional rollercoaster along the way.

    Would you love some encouragement and support in your business? Submit your letter for an upcoming episode here.

    Find out more about Sara’s The Insta Retreat

    Find out more about Jen’s gentle mastermind for small business owners: Steady

    More from Sara

    More from Jen



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    24 June 2024, 4:25 pm
  • 33 minutes 1 second
    How can I build my audience in a gentle way?

    In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:

    I am not great at the IG game, and I prefer to focus on sharing quality work versus creating reels that don't resonate with me and my style. Do you have any ideas on how to continue to build my audience without sacrificing my quieter style, "not in your face" approach, and build an email list?

    In this episode we dig into the question, share our experience with gently and sustainable growing and nurturing our audience, and our encouragement for doing so in your business too.

    Would you love some encouragement and support in your business? Submit your letter for an upcoming episode here.

    Find out more about Jen’s gentle mastermind for small business owners: Steady

    Get Jen’s Deep Dive Kit

    Get Jen’s 100 Hell Yes People toolkit

    More from Sara

    More from Jen

    Letters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    4 June 2024, 12:16 pm
  • 52 minutes 33 seconds
    A business bestie chat for Spring 🌸

    In this episode we catch up for spring and dive into what’s been going well in our businesses, what we’ve been finding challenging in this season, and what we’re working towards in our businesses right now too.

    If you’d love to listen to a really honest chat between two business besties, we recorded this episode for you.

    Links mentioned:

    Sara has some availability for 1:1 clients

    Get 100 Hell Yes People - Jen’s new free toolkit

    And Jen’s group program, Your Simple & Spacious Business, is open for enrolment until Friday 24th May if you’d love to never do business alone again

    And you can listen to Jen’s interview on the Off The Grid podcast

    What Jen’s simple and spacious workweek looks like

    What Jen’s learned about running a gently thriving group program

    Laurel Denise planners

    Dr Becky

    And our inbox is open for new letters for upcoming episodes if you’d love our encouragement and support in your business



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    19 May 2024, 8:17 am
  • 45 minutes 29 seconds
    An office hour + free toolkit for you and your business

    Jen here with two supportive resources for you today ✍🏻

    First up: I have made an awesome and free new toolkit called 100 Hell Yes People to support you to make a gentle, joyful, and sustainable plan for reaching 100 hell yes people at a time in your business.

    I have been fully booked and thriving in my business since 2015 all thanks to this approach to marketing, by opting out of the lie that we have to build as big an audience as possible, and you can have the toolkit sent straight to your inbox (for free!) this way.

    I also recently recorded a free office hour that I’m sharing in today’s episode covering topics such as clarifying the deliverables of our offers, what to do when our business is successful but we’re not happy, how to navigate a downturn in enquiries, navigating stress and anxiety in our work and more. If you’d rather watch the video with timestamps you can here.

    And my group program for business owners who want to bring more ease, joy, and intentional growth into your work and life is opening for enrolment again very soon on Monday 13th May and waitlist subscribers will get early access and an awesome 1:1 bonus and discount code too. You can find out more and join the waitlist this way.

    I hope these free resources can be supportive and encouraging for you in your business!

    Photo credit: Unsplash



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    6 May 2024, 11:26 am
  • 40 minutes 55 seconds
    How do you handle the grief of limitations holding you back in your business?

    In today’s episode we dive into this letter from a listener:

    How do you handle navigating the grief of feeling like your chronic illness has held you back in so many ways - and yet know that there's nothing else you'd rather do? I have so many ideas, so many things I want to create, and yet with my health recently being so challenging at times, I've found myself feeling stuck in the grief of not getting to do everything I want to in the timeline that I want to, and feeling like people often pip me to the post when it comes to creating new things. To the outside world I look like I create & do a lot - but in my messy internal world I often feel like I'm playing catch up and people around me are creating similar ideas to my own far quicker than I'm able to.

    In this episode we dig deep into this question, share our own lived experienced as chronically ill humans, and how we try and find peace, joy, and acceptance in taking our business journey slower and gentler along the way.

    This episode is for anyone who feels like you have to take your business journey slower than you sometimes wish you had to - whether that’s because of chronic illness, caregiving responsibilities, or just not being a human being who thrives at a go-go-go pace.

    Join us on Substack

    Would you love some encouragement and support in your business? Submit your letter for an upcoming episode here.

    More from Sara

    More from Jen

    Letters From A Hopeful Creative is produced by Sonics Podcasts



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com
    20 March 2024, 7:51 pm
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