Episode 7: Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones: Thriving as a Creative Entrepreneur
Introduction to Setbacks and Growth
In the world of creative entrepreneurship, setbacks are inevitable. Yet, they can be transformed into stepping stones for success.
This podcast episode, "Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones: Thriving as a Creative Entrepreneur," dives into the challenges creatives face and how these obstacles can be harnessed for growth.

With hosts Kaylie Edwards and myself Delores Naskrent at the helm, you are invited to explore how embracing a growth mindset can lead to transformative results.
Inspired by Carol Dweck's concept, the episode emphasizes that talent and capacity can be nurtured over time.
Maintaining a Positive Mindset
One of the key themes discussed is the importance of maintaining a positive mindset amidst daily chaos.
Kaylie shares her personal story of pivoting her candle business during pregnancy, highlighting the necessity of adaptability in navigating life's challenges.
I contribute by encouraging listeners to see setbacks as opportunities for growth, drawing parallels between overcoming obstacles and building resilience.
We also tackle common limiting beliefs like imposter syndrome and perfectionism, sharing strategies to overcome these hurdles.
Practical Takeaways for Resilience
A practical takeaway from the episode is the power of gratitude journals, positive feedback banks, and adaptable routines.
These tools are vital for staying grounded and resilient in the face of adversity.
By incorporating small moments of joy and mindfulness into daily routines, creatives can armor themselves against negativity and find strength in their journey.
The episode underscores the significance of flexibility, emphasizing that growth is a journey where even small steps are valuable.
The Role of Community Support
Community support emerges as a vital aspect of thriving as a creative entrepreneur.
Both of us share the role that supportive communities have played in our own journeys, underscoring the importance of finding or building a network of like-minded individuals.
These communities provide encouragement and perspective during tough times, offering a sense of belonging and shared experience.
Embracing Failures as Growth Opportunities
The episode concludes with a focus on embracing failures.
Both Kaylie and I share personal anecdotes of setbacks that initially felt like failures but ultimately led to growth and new opportunities.
This perspective shift—viewing failures as experiments rather than endpoints—is essential for creative entrepreneurs.
By embracing resilience and adaptability, setbacks can become catalysts for innovation and success.
Summary and Conclusion
In summary, "Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones: Thriving as a Creative Entrepreneur" offers valuable insights and practical strategies for creatives navigating the ups and downs of their journeys.
Through personal stories, mindset shifts, and community support, the episode encourages listeners to find joy in the process and transform challenges into triumphs.
Whether you're just starting out or seeking to elevate your craft, this episode provides the inspiration and tools to propel you forward in your creative endeavors.
Resources: Visibility Essentials Toolkit for Creatives
Transcript:
Kaylie Edwards:
Hey everyone, it's Kaylei and welcome back to the Creative Juggle Joy podcast. I'm here with my co-host, dolores, and today we're diving into a crucial topic for any creative entrepreneur mindset shifts for sustainable success. Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up your creative business, having the right mindset can make all the difference. We'll share our personal experiences, our struggles and the strategies that have helped us along the way, so let's jump in right To kick things off. Let's define what a growth mindset means to us. According to the Stanford psychologist, carol Dweck, a growth mindset is the belief that a person's capacities and talents can be improved over time.
Kaylie Edwards:
For me, having a growth mindset became essential when I had to pivot my handcrafted candle business. I remember being pregnant and dealing with severe heartburn and sickness, feeling like I was constantly fighting an uphill battle. I thought about how challenging it would be to manage a physical product business whilst caring for a newborn, especially with no support system nearby. The thought of giving up crossed my mind many times, especially when I heard people suggest I should just be a stay-at-home mum. But deep down I knew that was not the life I wanted for myself or for my family. I wanted to show my son, that pursuing your dreams is possible, no matter the challenges. I had to embrace the idea that it was okay to shift my focus and adapt my new circumstances. Dlores, how would you describe a growth mindset and why do you think it's important for creatives?
Delores Naskrent:
Well, first you have to remember that everyone starts as a beginner. It's totally normal to struggle when you're first learning something new. I have in so many different cases. We've all been there feeling awkward and unsure of ourselves. It's easy to compare ourselves to others and feel like we're falling behind.
Delores Naskrent:
But don't let that ever get you down, because a growth mindset means seeing challenges as chances to grow instead of things to avoid. It encourages us to step out of our comfort zones and face hurdles head-on. So instead of fearing failure, think of setbacks as opportunities to learn, just like how your muscles get stronger through workouts For creatives. This mindset is so super important. Embracing challenges helps us to improve and build our confidence. Remember, progress takes time and every small step is valuable. If things start feeling overwhelming, try setting smaller achievable goals. I like breaking my big tasks into little ones and that way I can keep motivated and help myself notice progress along the way. So if you hit a challenge, remind yourself it's part of the growth journey and be patient, stay curious and enjoy the process. You will totally get there.
Kaylie Edwards:
Thanks, dlores. Next, let's discuss limiting beliefs. I faced imposter syndrome still do, feeling like I didn't know enough to teach or help others because I lacked formal education in marketing and business or help others because I lacked formal education in marketing and business. Yes, I had courses under my belt, from marketing on social media to marketing traditionally, to even graphic design. I've done. I've done website design. I've done all of that, but I still felt like I lacked education that somebody might see as something you know.
Kaylie Edwards:
Credentials these days actually don't mean much and that's what used to hold me back quite a lot was I didn't do it in college or I didn't do it. I didn't go to university and did and had that as an education and I used to think that that was important, whereas actually it's not important at all. You can totally get by on the experience that you've received in other places and you can carry on learning through your life and pick up key skills and teach yourself how to do things that you need to create a creative business. Another belief that haunted me was whether my designs were truly good enough or my art. I would look at a finished piece and think would anyone really buy that? And it took a lot of inner work to remind myself that my creations actually had value.
Kaylie Edwards:
Perfectionism is something I've been stuck on a lot and I still get stuck on it now. If I'm creating a pdf for my audience and it's a workbook, or even if it's a guide and I'm packing a ton of information into it, and then I'm going, oh, actually that I could add that as well, or I feel like it's still lacking something. And then you end up with like this 50 to 100 page document and you're thinking no one's gonna want that because it's too long, it's not enough, it's too much to digest in one sitting. So then I have to go back to the drawing board and and start again, and that is something that I'm probably always gonna have is is that perfectionism? Wanting to tweak, wanting to change things, is it right? And I can spend hours tweaking projects.
Kaylie Edwards:
Sometimes I get stuck days doing it but I have to consciously pull myself back and ask myself can I really publish this as it is now? Is someone still going to find value the way it is? And if that's a yes, then I need to publish it and get it out there, because it's not helping anybody if I have got it on my hard drive and it's not out there, and no one's actually getting that information or even appreciating the art or the beauty that I've created. And it same goes for anybody listening to this who is struggling with perfectionism or doubts whether your art is good enough or your creations are good enough. I'm telling you they probably are, because someone will find some value in it, and there's. You've always got to start off somewhere, yeah, so, dlores, can you share your own experiences with limiting, limiting beliefs? How have you worked to overcome them?
Delores Naskrent:
well, I've had the benefit of being able to work with so many people, so I have now a really broad amount of experience just helping people to get over those limiting beliefs. And one of the most important things is something that you've you're you just exemplified, and that's noticing, Noticing and writing down your self-doubting thoughts. So you're noticing them. This is the most important thing is just acknowledging them. So you do that as your first step. Next, what you should do and I know you're already doing this, Kayle you you just have to challenge those beliefs. You ask yourself if there's any real evidence behind them or are you just assuming? So clear clarifying why they aren't true can really shift your perspective. Then try out, or try to find stories of others who faced similar fears and succeeded. This kind of helps you understand you're not alone and that success is possible.
Delores Naskrent:
And I find that one of the best ways is to be in a group of other people just like yourself, sharing these thoughts, and then just reframe all of those negative thoughts. So, instead of saying I'm not good enough, say I am growing and improving every day. Just this little bit of a mind shift can really change how you see yourself when negative thoughts come in, be kind to yourself, Remember that mistakes are part of learning. And the last thing I think is something that I waited way too long to do myself, and that was to surround myself with positivity. So I like connecting with inspiring people, both online or in person. I like having a supportive community, and I think that makes a big difference. And I think that if you find toxicity in your life or in your relationships of any kind honestly any kind you need to make a break. Just stay committed to redefining your beliefs and finding your support systems and then just embrace it. You're on a journey. You're more powerful than you think and you just got to just keep pushing through. You've got this.
Kaylie Edwards:
I know you do yes, I couldn't agree more with you, dlores. Um, I've had my fair share of toxic relationships, uh, in the past, and it was freeing to let go of some of them. Obviously, you can't let go of all of them, unfortunately, because sometimes even your inner circle can can be toxic, and it's just about limiting how much you give them, how much of your time you give them, and I think that a lot of that's where my creativity came in is it was a safe space for me to just express myself and able to just let my mind wander in creativity and see where it goes. And a community you can turn to is one of the best things you can do for yourself and help you through tough times as well, and creative communities are just a amazing, amazing place to go for inspiration and for help and support as well, if you ever needed it. So now let's get into some practical strategies that have worked for us.
Kaylie Edwards:
So setting realistic goals has been transformative for me, but I also recognise that I need to be more consistent with my daily routines. When I manage to stick to my morning routines drinking water, then my morning coffee obviously coffee that I which I never did before getting pregnant, just saying, after having my son, the coffee was a an essential part. After about three weeks in, two and a half hours sleep a night was not enough. So, yeah, that has definitely become a routine for me. Uh, reading affirmations, doing my gratitude journal.
Kaylie Edwards:
I feel more centered when I do them, but it can be a struggle with my son ston wakes up early or I'm trying to catch up on work after he goes to bed. I've learned to set contingency plans, like keeping my journal in a place where I can grab it quickly when I do have time. Another thing that has helped me is keeping a bank of positivity I have received over the years. So this is a folder for positive audience feedback, a folder for screenshots of positive comments I've received, or even comments I've had, even messages I've screenshotted that family have sent me or friends have sent me, business mentors have given positive feedback, and when I feel crappy and down, I will go to these folders and read all those positive things that have been said about me or my business, and this lifts me up and gives me that little boost I need to get myself through and get my head on straight. So, dolores, what strategies do you find effective for maintaining a positive mindset?
Delores Naskrent:
I find this fascinating just talking about this. I find this fascinating just talking about this, excuse me, because you and I actually do a lot of the same things. I definitely start my day off with that solid routine. I drink a huge like a liter of water before I do anything, before. Even my coffee and that really I think is the most important thing of all is coffee. So I agree with you there.
Delores Naskrent:
We have a new routine right now because we're now doing before and after school care for our grandson, so he's usually there, I'm still in my pajamas and I remember this morning I got up and I basically just had one eye open when I came out of the bedroom and he laughed. But that's part of our morning routine now is is actually just spending some time with him before he goes to school and I, you know it gives me actually a really happy feeling just spending that 15 or 20 minutes before his school bus arrives and that's. That's a really great way to start the day, personally, I think. But I do have a lot of the things that you do kind of tucked away in my back pocket too, I like in one of my calendars that I have, or my planner. Every month has little positive phrases that I can read before I start my day, because I always have to look at my day as soon as I get into my studios. I have to look at, okay, what is actually happening today, and then I get that little boost of positive energy.
Delores Naskrent:
So I think that's really a really great way for us to start our days. So a positive mindset, I think, gives me sort of like armor against negativity for the day, and I try to focus on all the things I'm grateful for and I remind myself of how far I've come. So if I, if I'm thinking, oh geez, I didn't get this done or I didn't get that done, I stop and just take a look around and honestly, like you wouldn't know it, but I am a very productive person and all these piles of stuff that are around me represent all of the progress that I've made. So I think really, we just have to remember that growth happens when we push through the really tough things and let's just embrace that journey and celebrate every little win, every little win along the way.
Kaylie Edwards:
I think it's important to find what works for you and be flexible when it. Life gets busy, as everyone knows that life transitions through each stage and whether you have kids or you don't have kids, there'll always be something that you're going through that keeps you busy, and if you don't set boundaries and set times for yourself and little routines that you can do, it can get super hard. So the key is to keep coming back to those practices that ground you. Life happens, especially as a parent. What about you, dlores? How do you adapt when things don't go as planned?
Delores Naskrent:
Yeah, I agree, and I know exactly what you're saying. Adapting when things go sideways is something that we all have to face at some point or another. For me, at this point, I'm not juggling kids, so I can tackle challenges head on with a bit of extra time. I spend time. I like to do it at the end of the day, making a checklist, and of course I love my sticky notes. They're almost like brainstorming buddies, but I like doing it at the end of the day so that when I come in in the morning, I've got you know three or four things that I can look at and go okay, yeah, that's what I was going to do, so then I can get started right away.
Delores Naskrent:
I do put a lot of things in my planner as well, and you know I use Airtable for a lot of my organizational stuff.
Delores Naskrent:
But sometimes what you really need is just sort of like like if it's in the middle of the day and you're feeling that way is just to get that tiny little break, just something. And when it's nice weather, when it's summer which right now we're still having a little bit of it I like going outside, just watering my plants or just sitting and soaking up the sun. I might take my phone and read my messages, but do it in a really nice spot where there's a lot of sun and the birds are singing and all that kind of stuff, and I think it just helps me to recenter and clear my mind. And you know, I totally agree, kell, we have to be flexible, especially when we're working for ourselves. So you know, we have to shift our perspective sometimes and it'll open up new paths and solutions. I know that if things don't go as planned, I just need to take a break for a second and take a moment to breathe and remember there's always a way to adapt and keep moving forward.
Kaylie Edwards:
Yes, it does the little things like taking breaks and that it's so important. My favorite thing is to have a cup of tea. If this is the day and I'm just not feeling it or I just need that, I just need that little bit of break, then I'll go make myself a cup of tea. Have a few biscuits. Aston, if he's here, he will want to dunk his biscuits in my tea, and sometimes he does that with my coffee as well, which is not obviously not good for a toddler, but that's his little thing as well. I think he was about a year old when he started doing that, because he was always watching me doing it, having my little tea breaks through the day with my little biscuit, and he'd see me dunking it in. And then he started having a biscuit and then one day he just came over and dunked it in my tea and I was like what?
Kaylie Edwards:
are you?
Kaylie Edwards:
doing. It's like just those little things. Even like if I'm not feeling it, sometimes I'll just sit and put on a tv show that I'm going through the moment. It's sons of anarchy. I love it. Just those little things that help boost you. Sometimes you just have to take that little break. I'm taking my son now to playgroup, which started a couple of weeks ago now, and there's a little grassy area where there's a little path that goes through to kind of cut across to the next road where we have to go down, and it's on the edges where you come in and where you go out there's lavender bushes and when it's not raining, that it's just that little waft of smell I get from the lavender bush when I go past it. Just it's like I really like that just gives you that little bit of a boost. I don't it's not much, but it's just that little boost. It's it's finding the joy in the little things.
Kaylie Edwards:
Yeah, that's what this podcast is all about finding the joy in the little things that you can, that you have around you. And your journey will be full of wonder and yes, ups and downs, but it's finding those little little things that you can do, and a community also plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy mindset. I've been part of several groups that uplift and inspire me, like my local women in business group I attend in my hometown, which started back in Jan, february time this year. The lady who hosts it, mma, she's amazing. I love her to bits.
Kaylie Edwards:
I only started speaking to her in ecember last year and we both in this other group for female entrepreneurs in our local area and it just wasn't putting it for us. It just didn't feel suitable for our lifestyles at the time. We're both small business um entrepreneurs. She has her own daughter, I have my son. She also had a job as well that she was working on and there just wasn't a group locally to us that we felt actually suited us, so I encouraged her to set up her own. So I have a hand in that.
Kaylie Edwards:
You might not be so grateful these days because it's quite a lot of work, but it's been amazing for our local community of women in business and it's just so helpful. And, yes, they're not all creatives but some of them are and I'm meeting and making new connections with people all the time and I've made some great friends by going, and I absolutely encourage anyone listening to find a community, whether that's online or offline. There's a couple of other communities I'm in obviously Dori's student community I'm in and that's fabulous. I love seeing all the inspiration on there with student work and it's like everybody's so helpful and lovely. And another community I'm in is the FEA, which is Carrie Green, who's the founder, is a significant influence since I read her book back in 2018 her book she Means Business. I found it in a London WH Smith shop in the train station there when I went to see Harry Potter Studios for my birthday back in 2018.
Kaylie Edwards:
And ever since reading that book, my life changed. That's what I'm going to say, because that's how my entrepreneurship journey started. It started not long after that, gathering all my supplies for my little business. I was going to do so. These connections have provided me with so much encouragement on tough days. I recall a moment when I felt completely overwhelmed, and just chatting with some fellow women in business and some other creatives helped me regain my perspective, and just speaking to Dlores about my challenges on a day when I'm stressing a bit also helped me. Dolores, how has your community supported you in your journey?
Delores Naskrent:
You know I really love this question about community support. I was recently chatting with some friends in one of my groups about how much our communities mean to us and for me, being part of a coaching program in a group has been a real game changer. We all face similar challenges. We're all in different kinds of businesses, so it's interesting. It's's not necessarily all artists, but we all face similar challenges in business and just hearing someone share their struggles can be so comforting and it reminds me that I'm not doing that alone. You know that there's there are other people that are doing the same thing as I am, and the feedback and encouragement we give each other lifts us all up. It's amazing how a little support from others can help you keep going, no matter what you're facing, and just knowing that there's somebody there that you could ask a question if you needed help. So I really believe that community is an incredible source of strength, definitely for me, and I appreciate every bit of it. I'm so thankful.
Kaylie Edwards:
Thank you, dlores. That's what makes our partnership so great as well. We both value the community and connection side. Finding supportive communities is invaluable. If you can't find one, consider building one. It can make a world of difference for you.
Kaylie Edwards:
Finally, let's talk about embracing failure. I remember when I let my etsy shop listings expire while I focused on another avenue for quick income after my maternity ended came around far too quick. Initially it felt like a massive failure. I had worked hard, really hard, to set up that shop with 135 listings of digital products and my designs on print-on-demand products, and seeing it slip away was so disheartening. But I knew at the time my focus needed to shift and I can always come back to it later when I can invest more time to it. It's a reminder that sometimes we have to let go of one thing and make space for something greater.
Kaylie Edwards:
Not long after this, I met Dlores. Without that pivot we may never have met. I am truly grateful to have found dolores and our friendship. It just blossoms every time and, yes, we've had challenges. Yes, it's been stressful sometimes, but I've just found so much joy in the connection and the ideas we bounce off each other and, yes, sometimes we both multi-passionate entrepreneurs can overflow with ideas, and sometimes we need to rein each other in. Yeah. So, dolores, can you share a time when you faced a setback and how it influenced your journey?
Delores Naskrent:
Well, thanks for sharing that. First of all, ayleigh, and I can completely relate to your experience. Once I had I just this one always sticks in my mind. But I had a significant setback in my career when a project I was really passionate about didn't go as planned and really the problem was that it was just not sustainable in a way that I could make money with while I was working full-time, you know. So I really I really get that whole thing of balancing a job and your passion and you know just all the different things that you have to do in life and and at first, just like you, it felt like a real failure and I was really hard on myself.
Delores Naskrent:
You know, when you set out to do something, you have such high hopes for it. I know for myself, when it didn't happen it really felt like a punch in the gut. But over time I did realize it was just part of my journey and looking back now I can't even think of why I thought it was such a big deal. I was eventually actually quite thankful that I had not continued on that particular project and I started to view these moments, because this is not the first time it's happened. So I started to view these moments not as failures, but more like experiments and really great learning opportunities to help me grow.
Delores Naskrent:
I think that's what's important. I really agree with you there, kayle. It's important that we adapt when things go wrong, and that particular setback pushed me to try new things, just like it did with you, and to explore different paths. I might never have considered otherwise. So, to anyone listening, I encourage you to embrace those setbacks. They're not the end of the road, not even close. They're just a little detour that can lead you to something even better. And just always remember it's part of the journey.
Kaylie Edwards:
Yes, I totally agree with that. I've had to pivot my business a few times over the years, obviously, first with my candle business, and then we had COVID, and then my son came along and then I had to really think, well, product business isn't going to work, I'm going to have to think about something else. And then my son came along, and then I had to really think, well, product business isn't going to work, I'm going to have to think about something else. That's when I went into the Etsy shop and then obviously that didn't pan out either, which is fine, because then I had to pivot again. And that's what helps, having resilience and determination, because I knew I wasn't going back to a job that was not on the cards for me. That's not how I wanted to live my life. I'd been made redundant a few times in my life from different jobs and that's scary, not having that control over your financial life yeah and that's why pivoting is important.
Kaylie Edwards:
You know, don't stay stagnant, and that's a great part of being creative is the innovation you know. Make all the changes should be embraced, because eventually you will find something that you hit, hit the nail on the head with and you can move forward with it. The key takeaway here is that failure isn't the end. It's often a stepping stone to greater success and a pursuit of your dreams.
Kaylie Edwards:
So, to wrap up, building a sustainable creative business requires a strong mindset, a willingness to learn from failure and to pivot, and the support of a community.
Delores Naskrent:
Thanks so much for joining us today on the Creative Juggle Joy podcast.
Kaylie Edwards:
If you found this episode helpful, we'd love it if you'd leave a review or share it with a friend who might need some encouragement on their creative journey. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Until next time. Keep creating, keep juggling and, most importantly, keep finding joy in the process. Remember there's joy in the journey, even on the craziest days.