Episode 2

Episode 2 of the Creative Jugglejoy Podcast

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In this heartfelt episode of The Creative JuggleJoy Podcast, co-host Kaylie Edwards takes listeners on an intimate journey through her life, detailing how she has navigated significant challenges through the transformative power of creativity.

From childhood bullying and the loss of a beloved grandparent to dealing with chronic illness and career pivots, Kaylie's story is a testament to resilience and the healing power of art.

Early Creative Roots and Overcoming Challenges

Kaylie's creative journey began in her early years. Despite a family background

devoid of artistic influence, she found solace in sketching and painting. These activities became her lifeline, especially during her years of being bullied and experiencing child abuse.

Art was more than a hobby; it was a means of survival, a way to express emotions and find comfort amid chaos. The heartbreak of losing her grandad at 13 was another significant blow, but once again, creativity provided a sanctuary where she could process her grief and find some semblance of peace.

Her passion for art led her to pursue a foundation in art and design in college, where she discovered a love for ceramics. Guided by a supportive tutor, Rachel, Kaylie created a portfolio that landed her a job at Craig Bragdy Design Limited, crafting bespoke pool tiles.Despite being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, she thrived in this physically demanding role until the company faced redundancy issues, forcing her to pivot once again.

Transitioning into Business and Marketing

Kaylie's journey took an unexpected turn when she transitioned into business and marketing roles after her redundancy. Over the next decade, she built a robust skill set in business administration, graphic design, and marketing.

This period was crucial in combining her love for creativity with practical business skills.

In 2019, she took the plunge and started her handcrafted candle business, a venture that was both exciting and challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic hit shortly after her launch, leading to canceled events and a significant impact on her mindset.

However, Kaylie's resilience shone through as she adapted and continued to push forward, even during a difficult pregnancy.

Learning from the Journey: Key Takeaways

One of the key lessons Kaylie learned from her candle business was the importance of focusing on the right things at the right time. She became so wrapped up in the legal aspects and ensuring her products were safe that she almost forgot why she started in the first place—her love for creating.

This focus on the wrong aspects held her back from building her business effectively.

Additionally, marketing to the wrong audience was another significant mistake. Local craft fairs did not attract her ideal customers, leading to frustration and doubt.

A New Direction: Embracing Digital Ventures

With the birth of her son, Kaylie had to pivot again. She opened an Etsy shop selling digital printables and designed products for print-on-demand. This new venture required a different kind of hustle, balancing a newborn with building a business.

Consistency in marketing was another challenge, but it taught her valuable lessons about perseverance and adaptability.

One of the most rewarding parts of her journey was partnering with Delores Naskrent, a client for whom she managed email marketing. This partnership highlighted the power of collaboration and the importance of community in business. It also led to a new path—teaching and creating digital resources for other creatives.

Creativity as a Guiding Light

Kaylie's story is a powerful reminder that creativity can be a guiding light through life's darkest times. Her journey is far from perfect, filled with twists, turns, and unexpected challenges. However, it is also filled with resilience, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of joy.

She emphasizes the importance of showing up, giving yourself grace, and taking one step at a time. Whether it's dealing with a toddler or navigating a global pandemic, the key is to find joy in the juggle and embrace the chaos.

Conclusion

This episode of The Creative JuggleJoy Podcast is a testament to the power of creativity in overcoming adversity. Kaylie Edwards' journey from bullying and loss to building a business amidst a pandemic is a story of resilience, adaptability, and the transformative power of art.

It serves as an inspiration for anyone navigating their own challenges, reminding us that we are not alone and that there is beauty to be found in the chaos.

So, tune in, connect, and share your own stories as we navigate this beautiful mess together. Remember, it's not about being perfect; it's about showing up, giving yourself grace, and finding joy in the journey.

Transcript

 Kaylie Edwards: 0:05

Hey everyone and welcome to the Creative Juggle Joy podcast. I'm Kaylie Edwards, your multi-passionate mompreneur from the UK, and today I want to take you on a little journey, my journey. It's been filled with creativity, lots of juggling and a fair share of ups and downs, but through it all I've learned so much and I'm here to share that with you today. Early creative roots and overcoming challenges. So creativity has always been a big part of my life. Ever since I was little, you'd find me sketching or painting in my sketchbooks or on canvases. My family would always say they didn't know where my creativity came from because no one else in the family was particularly arty. But for me, those creative projects were more than just hobbies. They were lifelines. They got me through some really tough times, from years of being bullied at school, child abuse and other traumatic events to the heartbreak of losing my grandad when I was just 13. He was someone I was incredibly close to and losing him was one of the hardest things I've ever gone through. Through all of that, art was my safe space. It was where I could express myself, find comfort and create something beautiful out of the chaos. I spent most of my breaks in school either in the art classroom creating projects, finishing things off, or I'd be in the product design classroom doing other projects, finishing off my really cool wardrobe that I created, and I think that's why my creativity is so close to my heart. It's more than just making things. It's about healing, connecting and finding joy even when life is hard.

Kaylie Edwards: 2:24

College and early career in art and design my passion for art led me to take art and design foundations in college, where I discovered my love for ceramics. I loved all art, but ceramics was just a love that I ended up with. I had an amazing tutor named Rachel, who was patient, funny and truly supportive. She helped me create a portfolio that I knew would land me a spot at Craig Bragdy Design Limited, the only creative place I could work in my small hometown of Denbigh. I applied as soon as there was an opening and I was thrilled that I got accepted for a trial day. I was up against a few people that I personally thought were better than me. I loved every moment of it and was over the moon when I got the job Working on the clay on the floor, carving and stamping the tiles to create beautiful bespoke pool tiles and murals. It was physically demanding, but I adored it, even after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia just six months before. I persevered, taking all the overtime I could to make up for six sick days. But then life threw me a curveball. The company was hit with a big fine for lead poisoning issues. That happened before I started and I was made redundant after six months. It was a shock and I had to quickly pivot. I ended up as an IT assistant on a business administration apprenticeship, which unexpectedly steered me into business and marketing roles over the next 10 years, building skills in business and marketing. Over those 10 years, I dove deep into the world of business and marketing. I completed graphic design course and took on various marketing courses and covered everything from email marketing and website building to advertising. I found myself enjoying the creative aspects of these roles and it felt like I was finally combining my love for creativity with a newfound business skills, starting my creative business and learning to pivot Fast forward to November 2019.

Kaylie Edwards: 4:56

I decided to take the plunge and start my handcrafted candle business. It took me two years prior that to gather all the supplies and equipment I needed, and to gather the courage as well, to actually start. I was so excited to launch and had my first craft fair lined up at the end of November, which I did, and it was great. I earned some money, gave me that little boost I needed. But, as we all know, life has a funny way of throwing curveballs and just a few months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. All the events I booked were cancelled and suddenly I was stuck, my mindset took a hit and the doubt started creeping in. I was questioning everything. Was I even cut out for this? Then, during lockdown, I ended a difficult relationship and found myself starting over in so many ways. But life also has a way of bringing beautiful beginnings and in 2021 I met my current partner. We conceived my son not long after and I remember being about six weeks pregnant at my last craft fair.

Kaylie Edwards: 6:23

The evening before into the early hours before the craft fair, I was obviously preparing and getting everything right and getting all the labels on everything, boxing up all my tea lights, and I was sat on the floor boxing up tea lights and finishing off cleaning them and I was hit with waves of sickness. I was so stressed I was I need to get this out, I can't feel. I can't feel sick now, and then, obviously knowing I was six weeks pregnant, realization hit. It was going to be really difficult if this pregnancy was going to be sick all the way through. How was I going to create my products? How is I going to work and do that? Sat there on that floor was so difficult and I knew that after this craft fair, that was going to have to be it. Running a product based candle business wasn't going to work. With a baby on the way, when was I going to have the time, once this baby was here, to go into my workspace and create candles enough to make a living? I had to pivot once again.

Kaylie Edwards: 7:48

Key lessons and mistakes from the candle business. One of the biggest lessons I learned from my candle business was the importance of focusing on the right things at the right time. I got so wrapped up on the legal aspects, making sure I had the correct CLP labels, that my candles were safe and that I had the right insurance. I almost forgot why I started in the first place my love for creating and wanting to move away from the boring hustle and bustle of employed work. I let those worries hold me back from just putting my products out there and building my business as I went. If I had just let go and focused on creating and promoting my candles. I would have figured out the rest along the way.

Kaylie Edwards: 8:39

Another big mistake was marketing to the wrong audience. I was trying to sell my handcrafted sustainable candles at local craft fairs in my town, but the people they were more interested in bargains than in supporting small businesses or buying quality products. I remember hearing comments like I can get cheaper candles at Asda, or why don't you make candles that smell like sweets, like the other vendor? It made me question everything I was doing when really the issue was that I wasn't in front of my ideal customers. The issue was that I wasn't in front of my ideal customers. If I had travelled just 20 miles to a more affluent area, I would have found the people who valued what I was offering. A lot of my customers came from my dad and family recommendations, my dad's friends, who set up a glamping site on their farm. A lot of my candles went to them.

Kaylie Edwards: 9:45

Pivoting to Etsy and freelance marketing With a newborn in my arms, I decided to open an Etsy shop selling digital printables and designing my designs for print-on-demand products. So t-shirts, mugs, cushions, you name it. I worked tirelessly to get my shop up to 135 listings by the time my maternity leave ended in April 2023. It was a hustle and, let me tell you, juggling a baby and building a business was no easy feat, but I was determined to make it work. However, another lesson I learned was the importance of consistency in marketing. With the pandemic in full swing, offline opportunities were limited, but I could have done more online to keep my shop thriving. Looking back, I wish I had been more consistent in my online marketing efforts and worked harder on my mindset during those tough times. These are lessons that have shaped my approach.

Kaylie Edwards: 10:47

Today, reality hit again and I realised I needed to bring in more immediate cash, so I pivoted to freelance email marketing to replace some of the lost income. This is where Delores comes in, one of my first clients and someone I've had the pleasure of working with on a monthly basis ever since. I manage her weekly emails, promotional campaigns and now I'm setting up all her funnels and automations. This partnership has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey, and being part of her community of students has been incredible. It's taught me so much about the power of collaboration and connection, finding my true path with teaching and digital resources.

Kaylie Edwards: 11:40

In February 2024, I did my first live email marketing training with one of my clients coaching groups and it lit a fire in me. This was what I was meant to do teach, guide and help other creatives navigate the complexities of marketing and business. My wonderful co-host, dolores, was a huge encouragement during this time, sparking the idea of creating courses and trainings for creatives. Since then, I've been creating digital resources, challenges, mini-courses and working on my business and marketing beta membership specifically for multi-passionate creatives like you. I'm passionate about helping you build a business that doesn't just survive but thrives and is sustainable, even with all the juggling you have to do.

Kaylie Edwards: 12:31

Why am I here? To support you? I know what it's like to feel overwhelmed, to question if you're doing the right thing and to wonder if you can really make it all work, but I also know the power of creativity and how it can transform your life in the most unexpected ways. I'm here because I want to share what I've learned and help you find the joy in your own journey, even when it's messy, chaotic and far from perfect. I've been in the trenches just like you. I've had to pivot, start over, find new ways to keep my dreams alive and, through it all, I've learned that it's not about being perfect or having it all figured out, because when you've got a toddler, that doesn doesn't happen. It's about showing up, giving yourself grace and taking one step at a time.

Kaylie Edwards: 13:24

Thank you so much for listening today. I'm really grateful to have you here, and I hope my story has resonated with you in some way. If you're on this creative journey, too, know that you're not alone and that together we can navigate this beautiful chaos and find joy in the juggle. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite platform so you never miss an episode. I'd also love to hear from you what's your story? What challenges are you facing? Reach out, connect and let's keep the conversation going, and if you found today's episode helpful, please share it with a friend who might need to hear it too. Your support means everything to me and I'm so excited to keep sharing this journey with you.