The world is facing a loneliness epidemic. Studies show chronic loneliness can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Governments are searching for solutions. But here’s the truth: loneliness is very hard to fight, unless we create more spaces for genuine connection. And this is where artists come in. Selling art is beautiful, but selling workshops is transformative. You give people a space to belong. You let them do something together. You create community around creativity. The European craft & hobby market is worth hundreds of billions. Artists only need the tiniest slice of it to move from Jobcenter poverty or corporate burnout to stability and joy. But more importantly, you help solve one of society’s deepest problems: isolation. 👉 Artists: stop hustling only to sell your work. Start creating spaces where others can discover their own creativity. That’s how you change lives, including your own.

Before you hand in that resignation letter, you can make the leap smarter — and with way less stress. Here are 7 moves that will set you up for success: 1️⃣ Negotiate a raise or free day – Imagine getting one day off a week (same pay!) to work on your dream business. 2️⃣ Boost your job happiness – Tiny tweaks can make your current role more bearable while you prepare. 3️⃣ Sort out your finances – Pay off debt, build that emergency fund. 4️⃣ Find a coach or mentor – Learn from people who’ve already made the leap. 5️⃣ Audit your relationships – Keep close the ones who fuel your energy. 6️⃣ Make a plan, not a panic move – Strategy beats stress every time. 7️⃣ Share your ideas now – Start building your audience before you quit. ✨ Quitting doesn’t have to be messy. You can leave in a way that feels empowering, strategic, and intentional. 💬 I’d love to hear from you: What’s one thing you need in place before you’d feel ready to quit?

Let’s talk about the shame around sales. I see it all the time. I used to feel it myself. The truth is, I’ve always been good at sales. But for years, I was ashamed of it. As if being “good at sales” was something a creative or intellectual person shouldn’t admit. So I denied it. I made excuses: “It’s just the product.” “It’s just good timing.” “It’s not really me.” But deep down, it was me. As a teenager, I worked at a sushi restaurant as a door girl. My job was simple: stand outside, smile, and invite people in. For each guest I brought in, I got extra pay. One day, my boss pulled me aside and said: “I don’t understand. You’re not even that good looking, and yet you get the most people to come in.” (It was meant as a compliment — I think ) But it made me realize something: I wasn’t doing anything special. I was just being myself. Talking to strangers as if they were old friends. And that’s the key to sales. You don’t have to be “salesy.” You don’t have to trick people. You don’t have to be the prettiest person in the room. You just have to: Notice people Listen to them Make an honest offer “Maybe you’d like some sushi today?” It took me years to understand this is actually my superpower. And there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Now, it’s what I teach my students in The Workshop Way: That selling isn’t about pushing, it’s about connecting. That they already have what it takes to sell their workshops. That their creativity deserves to get paid. And when I see them light up, the moment they realize “I can do this”, I think back to that sushi restaurant. To that boss who accidentally gave me the best lesson of all. By the way, that’s me in the front row, third from right Back then I had no idea that “inviting strangers in for sushi” would one day become the foundation of how I teach creatives to sell their workshops. How is your relationship with sales?

Now, sketch your first offer using this simple formula: I help [WHO] go from [BEFORE] to [AFTER] in a [FORMAT] workshop. Examples: - I help total beginners go from nervous to proud as they sew their first tote bag in a 2-hour hands-on workshop. - I help creative women go from stuck to inspired by teaching intuitive watercolor painting in a 90-minute session. You don’t need all the details. Just this first version is enough to start sharing or testing. Share your idea in the group using this sentence: “I help [WHO] go from [BEFORE] to [AFTER] in a [FORMAT] workshop.” Share your workshop idea with the community. Who knows, you might even find your first customers ;)

A lot of creatives I talk to hesitate when it comes to teaching their craft. They say things like: “I’m not ready yet.” “I’d rather just focus on making.” “If I teach, I’ll give away my secrets.” But here’s what I’ve seen again and again: 👉 Teaching your craft is one of the smartest business strategies you can add. Why? Because teaching doesn’t just share your skills — it grows your business in ways you might not expect. Here are 5 reasons why: 1️⃣ You build authority. The moment you start teaching, you position yourself as the go-to person in your field. 2️⃣ You create trust. Sharing your process and knowledge shows transparency and builds strong relationships with your audience. 3️⃣ You open a new income stream. Workshops, courses, and training can bring reliable revenue alongside your main work. 4️⃣ You attract opportunities. Speaking engagements, collaborations, and partnerships often come to those who teach. 5️⃣ You expand visibility. Teaching puts you in front of people who may later become your customers, collectors, or biggest supporters. And about that “secret” fear? ✨ The truth is: people don’t just come for your techniques — they come for you, your perspective, your way of guiding them. Teaching doesn’t take away your uniqueness, it highlights it. That’s why I created The Workshop Way™: a step-by-step method that helps artists and makers turn their craft into profitable workshops. It’s not just about teaching — it’s about creating a business model that supports your creativity and your income. Pleasw share with us: If you could teach one thing from your craft tomorrow, what would it be? 👇This is me, mid-workshop — and proof that people are eager to learn what you already know.