I signed up for a free trial of a tool that promised to write my blog posts for me. First thing it handed back was a confident list of "top AI platforms for 2026." Problem was, I'd only ever used two of them. Here's the honest version.

I packed my laptop 'in case of a client emergency,' then realised, somewhere around the departure gate, that I was having one myself. A short reflection on freelancing, boundaries, and why the oxygen mask rule applies to your business too.

Leaving a situation that wasn't working for me taught me more about myself than staying ever could. In this post I share what I learned about boundaries, thriving, and building something that actually fits who you are.

Every creative learns it in art school. Less is more. Negative space is intentional. Noise is the enemy of meaning. We nod along in the studio, apply it to our work and then build our businesses in the exact opposite way.

If you are starting from scratch and building a service-based business site, here is a realistic picture of year one on the Core plan, paid annually

Your website cost you money. Is it making you any back? It will — it just needs a little love. Here's how small business owners can get their website working harder in under 40 minutes a month.

If you've ever spent an hour trying to make something look consistent across your website, your emails and your Instagram, you'll understand why I use Canva for almost everything visual in my business.

A simple seasonal check up: Creative Boost. If you know your site needs attention but do not want to hand the whole thing over to a designer and start again.

I am not here to tell you Instagram is useless. It has its place. But I want to talk to you about something that works harder, lasts longer, and does not disappear the moment you stop feeding the algorithm. I want to talk about a newsletter.

My photographer father tilted a camera and I ended up swinging through the clouds. Nobody saw the painted backdrop. They just saw a little girl flying. That's exactly what good marketing does.

Not every business begins with a plan. This is a reflection on building something real from curiosity, necessity, and learning as you go — and why your brand story matters more than you think.

Values are the foundation of any heart-led business. They shape how you make decisions, set boundaries, and build a brand that feels authentic, sustainable, and aligned with who you truly are.

Jo has now developed a fantastic range of creative courses at her studio in Kemps Quay, Southampton. She has become such an inspiring example of confidence, determination, and generosity in sharing her talents. There is parking on site or you can get a train to Bitterne Station which is a 5 minute walk from the studio.

Not selling enough workshop tickets? Ask yourself if you are doing enough of the right things to get it seen! - Sometimes, it’s not your event that’s the problem — it’s just that not enough people have seen it yet.

And with small tweaks, your next booking could be just around the corner.

Let's be honest, websites can get a bit outdated overtime. Outdated content and confusing navigation can make visitors leave quicker than you want, resulting an a red flag for Google when it comes to decide how helpful your website is and where to rank you in its index.

Keeping your website engaging and effective is more straightforward that you imagine, with a few simple tweaks, you can remove those website cobwebs and start to attract more visitors…

I’m Emily Jagger, I have been designing websites since 2017 and have created over 50 websites. Mostly for small local businesses, but many of my clients are creatives or in the wellness industry. I’ve created Portfolio websites for Artists, Websites for Yoga Teachers, Holistic Therapies, Reiki and traditional healing, Nutritionists, Interior Designer Websites, Author websites, even a Chocolatier and a Driving School!

A CEO day is when you take a whole day, turn off your notifications, and focus on your own business. its definitely not for doing housework!

What is a Domain name? Your domain name is unique to you, just like a fingerprint. When someone types it into a browser, they’re taken directly to your space on the Internet where they can view your website.  

With these few tips, we can hope to bring your time spent on marketing to about 6 hours a week or 25 hours a month that’s out of 120 hours in a month if you work 6 hours a day 5 days a week. That’s around 20% spent on marketing. I would also recommend that you learn to enjoy the process as the secret is- this will show in your content that you are happy and enjoying yourself in your work!

It’s very important for a creative business owner to remember to check your own website regularly. Simple, regular checks on your Squarespace website can determine things like: Is your Instagram gallery still connected? are any of your prices out of date? Have you got new services to add?