From hobby to business — without losing your passion

Welcome back to Seasons in Business with me, designer and printmaker Sarah Phelps.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing the story of how my love for letterpress printing grew from a hobby into a stationery business — and what happens when your passion becomes your full-time work. It can be thrilling, but it also brings challenges you might not expect. I’ll talk about the shifts I noticed in my own creative life, and share a few gentle reminders that help me stay connected to joy and inspiration along the way.

Episode themes:

• How a hobby can slowly grow into a business.
• Navigating the new pressures that come with doing what you love.
• Practical tips for prioritising joy, rest, and creativity.
• Balancing the mindset of an artist with the mindset of a CEO.

Episode highlights:

• 01:23 My journey from designer to business owner
• 03:53 From creating for passion to creating for profit
• 04:30 Expectation vs reality
• 05:50 When creativity starts to feel like a commodity
• 07:47 Five tips to help stay connected to your creativity

Thanks for listening. If today’s episode got you thinking, I’d love to hear from you — come and say hello over on Instagram or Threads.

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For more details about the podcast, visit the website sarahandmaude.com/seasons-in-business.

And if you have suggestions for topics or guests, please email me at [e-mail]