EP119: When Loved Ones Don't Support Your Creative Business, What Can You Do?

Melissa and Heather tackle a big topic today: how to manage relationships that are… less than supportive of the work that you do. A dirty little secret of starting a small business that nobody talks about is the lack of support from loved ones. We’re led to believe that if we “follow our bliss” everything will be Instagram perfect. We’ll have a “lifestyle business” that let’s us balance our work and our home life. Friends will spread our praises, our parents will be so proud, our spouses will stand behind us smiling in rapturous support….This is where the needle gets ripped across the record!Whether it’s your parents, your partner or spouse or your friends, there will always be a handful of people in your life - often people you are very close to - who aren’t able to support what you do.  The reasons for that lack of support are all over the map but whatever they are, it can be very hurtful and very demoralizing.  At times, that lack of support might not even be obvious and that can be even more insidious. So how do you deal with it when the support you hoped for just isn’t there? Let's talk about it.This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Designs IllustrationsThis is a great episode for creatives who:are struggling to get the support they need from the people they’re closest toneed strategies for handling those relationships that aren’t supportivewant to find people who are supportive and who understand the challenges of running a small, creative business and bring them into their inner circle or network.For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned please visit:Episode119: What to do When You're Not Getting Support for Your Creative Business From Loved OnesYou can find Melissa at finelimedesigns.com, finelimeillustrations.com or on Instagram @mhchipmunk.You can find Heather at heatherlynnetravis.com or on Instagram @heathertravis.You can connect with the podcast  on:Instagram at @andshelookedup You can connect with the podcast  on:Instagram at @andshelookedup Facebook YouTube Tik Tok at @AndSheLookedUpFor a list of all available episodes, please visit:And She Looked Up Creative Hour PodcastEach week The And She Looked Up Podcast sits down with inspiring Canadian women who create for a living. We talk about their creative journeys and their best business tips, as well as the creative and business mindset issues all creative entrepreneurs struggle with. This podcast is for Canadian artists, makers and creators who want to find a way to make a living doing what they love. Your host, Melissa Hartfiel (@finelimedesigns), left a 20 year career in corporate retail and has been happily self-employed as a working creative since 2010. She's a graphic designer, writer and illustrator as well as the co-founder of a multi-six figure a year business in the digital content space. She resides just outside of Vancouver, BC.