Real Talk on Business, Creativity, and Parenting with Stacy Spangler
[00:00:00] Made Remarkable Episode Intro: Welcome back. And thanks for tuning into the made remarkable podcast, hosted by Kellee Wynne. Joining Kellee today is the charming and talented Stacy Spangler. Stacy shares her journey of starting her own art business. Finding the balance between being a parent and an artist and the lessons she has learned along the way. Stacy emphasizes the importance of overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome to share your talents and bring a positive impact to the community around you. Kellee and Stacy delve into the challenges of marketing oneself. The value of building a community and the power of serving customers and providing value.
Stacy shares how even being an established business owner. Being a part of Kellee's Remarkable League has brought her the clarity and confidence to minimize her offers and how offering less has actually brought her one of her most profitable seasons. Check out the show notes and transcripts for more information about Stacey exclusive promotional offers and any special links mentioned during the episode. Kellee loves connecting with listeners.
So don't be shy. Reach out on social media and together let's build a community that celebrates the remarkable. If you want to be notified every time a new episode hits the airwaves, just hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcast platform. Thank you for joining us today and always remember that you are made remarkable destined to achieve the unimaginable. Now let's get to the good part. Introducing Kellee Wynne and Stacy Spangler.
[00:01:26] Kellee Wynne: Well, hello. Hello. I'm Kellee Wynne, artist, author, mentor, fiercely independent mother and wife, and the founder of a multiple six figure creative business. And I love my life, but I've been where you're at. I was slogging away at this art business thing for more than a decade. Once I finally connected with my true calling, unlock the magic of marketing and built a system that could scale, while I realize I can make an impact and make a substantial income, I'm finally running a business that I love and it makes all the.
Difference in the world. My biggest dream is to help you do the same. Let this podcast be the catalyst to your biggest success. You already have it in you because you are made remarkable.
We have Stacy on the podcast and we were just chatting and chatting and chatting for like a half hour. And I'm finally like, we should have just been recording all of this, but it's not a parenting podcast. This is an art business podcast. Parenting has a lot to do with the decisions we make in our business and who we become even as we're, we're, you know, in that kind of second big phase of our.
Our lives both, both Stacy and I, so sure. That's how we got down that rabbit hole. So rather just have you introduce yourself and then we'll carry on with the conversation. I mean, I know enough about you, but there's still things that I'm learning.
Like, what was your career before you became a parent and then transitioned into making art?
[00:02:59] Stacy Spangler: Okay. Yeah. Well, so I'm Stacy Spangler and I'm from Arkansas, which a lot of people. Don't meet many Arkansas girls, but yeah, I've lived here my whole life. I'm Southern. I know I have an accent, but anyway, I've been practicing my own art since about 2015, like you say, I love, I love doing art just in my job in the art world, because it is flexible with being a mom and it's kind of taking me through my kids growing up, but.
Before that, I was in corporate America and I was a PR and ad person, but I worked in a marketing department for a couple of different large corporations. And 1 of them was banking and banking had a lot of transitions. So I saw. I've worked for Bank of America now, but I saw them through a lot of transitions and, more on the creative side.
So, I've always kind of been in that creative realm and used to love to write and do a lot of things with writing and, started staying home after I had my first and it was the, just the full time kind of stay at home. Mom, my husband traveled a lot and I loved that role, which I never really thought I would.
But then when the housing market. Crash started in 2008, 2007, 2008. I kind of found myself like needing to go back to work. So that's kind of where I've, where I've been and how I got started. So
[00:04:19] Kellee Wynne: what pulled you into painting?,
[00:04:22] Stacy Spangler: it's so funny, people ask me that. 'cause people that knew me when I was young, they were like, I never even knew you were artistic.
But I was always creative. Like I grew up in a really creative family. My grandmother was a. Amazing, like homemaker and creative person. Every time I'd go to her house, we would do like cook and she had a big sewing machine that she, sewing room that she would let me just go through her scraps. And I would create like Barbie quilts and things like that.
And we'd make sugar molds and cookies and we would paint. And so I've always had a lot of creative influences throughout my life. My aunt also was one of those. And so I guess, I kind of did that with my kids. Like I was always out in the driveway with, you know, the chalk paints and the big chalks.
And we were coloring our whole driveway and all the neighborhood kids would come over and, you know, I'd have the watercolor paints out within the driveway with the big pieces of paper. And, a lot of moms don't really do that. And so it was always kind of the popular driveway because it was like, we want to come paint.
And so. I just started doing that with my kids and then I started framing their art because I didn't have money to buy original art and I love the colorful, you know, stuff with kids. And so, started doing that and started painting kids furniture. And that's kind of, how I got back into art or, you know, started doing it for myself.
Yeah, mainly revolving around kids. It's like we were saying,
[00:05:48] Kellee Wynne: then going back to the basics of our, you said that. Your friends didn't know you were creative, but if we go back to the basics, we are all born creative. And then you see that again in your children as you play with them, as you raise them. And like, that's how it was for me with my boys too.
I wasn't painting at the time, but we had every craft project under the sun. Like I, I was sewing their costumes. I was giving them all the paper and glue and glitter and watercolor. And what else can we build? when we're all together, that creativity is I think innate in us.
[00:06:26] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, it is. I truly believe that.
And I tell people that all the time when they say. I don't have a creative bone in my body. And I'm like, you do. God created. It's all creative. I mean, we're in his image is what I believe. And so, you can't deny that we're creative. it looks different for different people, I think. But yeah, I was never the one though, that was.
The best artist at school, or, you know, I think my self confidence always kept me from creating or like, really pursuing that as I got older because I wasn't good at drawing or I, you know, you hear people say that all the time. I wasn't
[00:07:02] Kellee Wynne: can't even draw a straight line.
[00:07:04] Stacy Spangler: And you just kind of, like, start comparing yourself to the people who are, like, naturally artistic.
We're all creative, but that maybe the artistic part comes. And so you kind of just shut down and stop doing it. And then I think for me, my kids really brought that back out in me. So,
[00:07:22] Kellee Wynne: That's great. And it's great for everybody else, because that means we get to see your work and learn from you. What took you in the direction of turning it into a business?
Really? Honestly, there's a lot of us that will create for the sake of creating, which I think is amazing. And if that's all you ever choose to do, all of you out in podcast land, if you're creating for the sake of creating, that's beautiful. Not everyone needs to turn it into a business.
[00:07:50] Stacy Spangler: Exactly.
[00:07:51] Kellee Wynne: Somewhere along the line, you decided to start selling. And even eventually making art courses,
[00:07:58] Stacy Spangler: right? Well, so necessity was the very 1st thing, because when that housing market hit, and I was kind of looking at having to go back to work, I had a 2 year old at home and I didn't want to go back to work and I had a really good friend that she said, why don't you teach art to kids?
And I was like, thought she was crazy. I just. Why would you say that? Like, I don't, first of all, I'm not a teacher. I don't have a teaching degree. And second of all, I'm not an artist. And she was like, well, I would have you teach my daughter. And she goes, I want you to pray about it. And so I prayed about it and I sent out an email and three days later, I had like 16 students and we had a little house, a little room under our house that was kind of my husband's storage area.
And he. It was heated and cooled. And he said, we'll turn this into an art room. And so I was kind of forced into doing it as a job then, and did that and loved it from about 2007 until about 2014. And then I was asked to teach school, for my kids private school for fifth and sixth grade art. And I did that for a year and I was really, really thankful for that opportunity.
It was amazing, but it burned me out so bad. Because I was not equipped. I mean, teachers are amazing because they know how to manage a classroom. And when I was teaching at home, it was students that wanted to be there. And it was small groups of like eight to 10 students. And then when you get in a classroom setting, it's completely different.
So we moved and I just, I told my husband, I was like, you know, instead of me, like getting a real job, I want to just try my art. I want to give it a try. And so I really just started painting for myself. Cause I'd never really given myself. The opportunity to paint just for myself and so I did that for about a year and then I just had to be brave and start putting it out there because otherwise I needed to get some sort of employment that, you know,
[00:09:53] Kellee Wynne: a real job. Let's be honest. We're, we're using our finger here.
[00:09:58] Stacy Spangler: Exactly. I hate saying that now because it is a real job now, but I had to make it that way. And I think just being in that classroom setting and I did, I worked in the library at their school for two years also and like being taken out of that flexible environment where I could make my own schedule and do what I wanted to do back into where I had to be there a certain time and be there all day.
And I had to get someone to come relieve me in the library so I could take a bathroom break. I just saw that that was not where. That was not the best fit for me at this point.
[00:10:35] Kellee Wynne: I'm pretty sure most of the artists that are like, choosing to make a career out of it are nodding their heads right now because how many of us really choose this path because we weren't. Equipped to make it in that corporate environment.
[00:10:50] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. Yeah. Well, you're not happy. I mean, I wasn't happy doing that. I was thankful I had a job and I, I loved the people that I worked with and the environment I worked in, but I wasn't happy. I mean, I wasn't happy there doing that. So. I think I've always been a really goal oriented and driven person.
And so that kind of gave me a goal. It was like, I'm going to make this work. And so I just started, I didn't really know what to do, but I started posting on Instagram and selling my works. And I started just kind of getting out into the local community and doing like little pop up art shows. I've partnered with some retail partners that would sell my art.
I live in a college town, and it's a very amazing environment. They're very supportive of creatives and makers and a lot of creative just vibes here. So everybody was really welcoming and doing that. And so I started selling my art and and then. You know, once you kind of put yourself out there, it's, I think being a marketing background and marketing and knowing kind of the basics of marketing.
Of course, everything's changed a lot since I did it as a profession. You know, this was before the computers and social media and all that, but still, you know, marketing your. Yourself and your own product is really hard and it feels braggy sometimes. , but you just kind of got to get past it.
If you want to, if you want to keep doing it, it's kind of this, this balancing act of like, Do it on my own and have my own job and my own business or go work for somebody else and promote, you know, so you just kind of got to do that balancing act of how bad you want something.
[00:12:27] Kellee Wynne: I think this is a really good point to make too, because I do hear complaints.
Like, I don't want to have to be on social media on the, all the time. I don't want to have to talk about myself or my work or whatever. And I have to stop and say, then maybe this is not the right business for you because there's really no way. To build a profitable creative business without marketing and social media is our first line of marketing.
And previously, like you said, there wasn't. Easy email marketing and social media, you had to pay money for radio, TV, print, you know, mailers to go out. Like, this is a prime opportunity to be able to build a business without having to have a huge, you know, upfront cash to get your name out there.
[00:13:14] Stacy Spangler: Well, and even now, I mean, back 2016 ish.
And still to, to be in an art show, I mean, it's expensive to rent those booths and you have to have a lot of inventory and it's a lot of time and to be able to just do it for free on social media, I mean, I know I dog social media a lot too. And you can complain about it, but for my business, it's been a huge blessing.
[00:13:41] Kellee Wynne: Yeah, absolutely. Me too. I would say, you know, as I've. Really been analyzing how I got to where I'm at and as I'm helping guide other people, my first line of real growth was Facebook and Instagram without a doubt. Yeah. And so, you know, where it goes from now, it is still ever evolving and changing. And there's a lot that we need to do to be, you know, create systems to make, help us grow and actually make more.
Right. It's not easy. Even once you learn how to do it, it's not easy. But from there, you know, you have a head start where, I mean, I know that in the eighties and nineties, it was either a gallery or nothing.
[00:14:23] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. For sure,
[00:14:24] Kellee Wynne: There was really not much other ways in which you could. Make money as an artist, other than a gallery or doing art fairs, or if you were lucky enough to get licensed by somebody who would pick you up and sell prints of your work, there wasn't even something as such as print on demand.
Yeah, how amazing things really build, like, very little investment. We can really build our own business.
[00:14:51] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. When I started painting, and then I started with the printing of my art. Because I, I live in Arkansas, where the Razorbacks, the pigs, everyone here is crazy about pigs. And so I was painting pigs all the time.
in fact, I have this little pig right here is my little pig. But I swear for like six months, that's all I did was people were like, paint me a pig and I just got so tired of it. And so I thought. I'm going to find a printer and I'm going to get a good, you know, print of this. But even back then, I mean, that was just what, 2016.
I mean, you couldn't find things online like you can now. And so I went out and found the local printer and found someone to help me with the photography and kind of started that process. But that was a huge game changer for my business because it gave me another stream of revenue, you know, and then I could go to stores and sell my pig.
Prints and my pick note cards and and so it was like work. I'd already done, but I could maximize that. And so, that's even changed really quick here. So,
[00:15:58] Kellee Wynne: yeah, absolutely. And of course, if you're like me, if you have to do one more pig painting, and in my case, it's like one more little mini seascape, so I'd much rather turn certain things into a digitized version, and then focus on the work that I want to make.
And our artwork is always evolving, like our business, like everything else. Exactly. Where are you moving? Like just talking the art part, we'll talk business in a bit. Right. Okay. Where are you moving with your art? Like, I know that you made a lot of florals. I love, you know, I'm, I'm drawn to bright florals, but you're also moving more into an abstract era for yourself.
[00:16:36] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. I am, every year I try to challenge myself and just take. An art course of something that I don't feel strong in. I did that a couple of years ago with faces. I was like, I can't draw a face and I took a face course with a local artist here and it just changed my world for about 2 years.
All I painted was faces. Love it. Yeah. Abstract is something right now that I really love, because I love color and I love texture. And I've always considered myself, excuse me, a mixed media artist because I can't just stick with one, you know, just with acrylic paints. I've always got to have more in it.
And so that is really an area that's, that's what I want to do this year is take an abstract, you know, somebody that's. Specializes in abstract and take a course with them and learn a little bit more about that because it is something that I'm enjoying right now.
[00:17:28] Kellee Wynne: Yeah, push you into new zones of creativity.
[00:17:31] Stacy Spangler: I just think as creatives, if you really love it, it's not about the money. I mean, it's gotta be some, but. It's about growing as a creative and pushing those boundaries and continue to learn and grow. And just kind of see where that process takes you.
[00:17:46] Kellee Wynne: Well, I love the fact that when I watch artists who find their voice and their style, as their work evolves, you can still see them in it.
And that's the same thing with you. You really do have a continuity, even as you change and evolve into different subjects or different. You know, even types of brush strokes, there's still this like texture and color that that vibrancy that comes through with your work. So that consistency is still really cool to see that thread through everything that you're doing.
[00:18:17] Stacy Spangler: Well, thank you. Thank you. I sometimes question myself on that, but. But as I think when you've created long enough, they're always kind of your go to things. And I've always been a touchy feely person. So like, you know, if I go to buy clothes, I got to feel it and touch it or run my hand over, you know, I have 10 million blankets in my house because every time I find a soft blanket, I've got to buy it.
And so I think that's always going to be a part of my art. Like to me, that's one of. My best compliments if somebody says, can I touch your art, you know, and they just want to run their hand across it. So I think that's probably going to be maybe always the identifying factor in my work will be the texture part of it.
Hopefully.
[00:18:58] Kellee Wynne: Yeah, well, so so. At some point, you decided to start making art courses, and I'm going to guess if I remember. Yeah. 2020 did it, huh?
[00:19:08] Stacy Spangler: Yes, kicking and screaming because I did not want to be on camera. It's very awkward for me. And so I, I actually have really felt. You know, I pray every year about my business and kind of plan ahead.
And I had ended 2019 saying, I'm going to do some courses this year, but, you know, kept using the, the excuse of like research. Well, I'm still researching and I'm trying to figure out how to do it. But I really just didn't want to do it. I mean, I, I didn't like going live. I didn't like being on camera.
It's just a painful process for me, but I had to do it.
[00:19:44] Kellee Wynne: Why did you want to do it? Was it because you saw a pathway to making more income or were you being asked to do more courses? Like what was the reason to switch into doing courses over selling your work?
[00:19:57] Stacy Spangler: Well, I mean, I think it was. For one, I had a lot of people asking me questions when I would post my artwork, like, how did you do this?
And I was always sending emails to people. And so I was doing some workshops, I would do quarterly workshops or collaboration workshops here and there, but I didn't really have a space to teach. And so that's, that's a lot of work to pack everything up and go somewhere. And so I kind of started doing a little Facebook group.
It was a private group. But it was a free group just where I could kind of address some of the questions I was having, for artists. And I really enjoyed doing that. And I'd never, you know, kind of talking about limiting beliefs. I'd never thought, well, I've taught kids for so long, but I can't really teach adults because I'm not really, you know, it's the same thing, you know, got to get past those hurdles.
But, kind of started doing that there. And I loved working with adults because it just brought me back to when I started painting and. You just have all these expectations of like, I don't know, I started painting with oils and I did a lot of work of like learning shadows and lighting and how to paint still lives.
And I do have that background, but. It never really fit for me and I'm too much of a perfectionist in some ways to where like that drove me crazy because I could never get it to look like the picture or look exactly like that. And so then I just didn't like it. And so I kind of had to work through some of that, but I love.
Helping adults that are in that mindset of like, oh, I'm not artistic. I'm not creative. Or no, I can't draw. So I can't paint. And it's like, that's not true.
[00:21:35] Kellee Wynne: And then you show them we're all naturally born this way. Let's just find. Yeah, I was curious about that because it took me a long time to do it as well.
And I didn't mind the getting on camera part. I love the teaching part, but it took me a long time under the guise of research as well, thinking that it was the equipment that was holding me back. Maybe I didn't know which platform to use, like, I didn't realize the bigger picture was. maKing sure that I was creating the product that my audience wanted and marketing it. Well, we get so hung up on, like, very easy to solve problems. Like, get your phone out, use your phone film with. Good lighting and clear sound at it on a easy app. Like iMovie or InShot. It's like that part's super easy.
Pick a platform. Everyone else is using Teachable, Kajabi, whatever. Like it doesn't have to be complicated in that. But the part that a lot of people don't realize is that all the behind the scenes part of building a business, understanding your market, understanding your client, understanding how to sell your product.
And knowing also like how to keep yourself from overwhelm in the process of doing it all. Yeah. And you put together quite a few courses as you were ramping up your course creation, part of your business.
[00:23:05] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. And I think too, I mean, going back to like your audience and building your business, I think because maybe the style of my art or, You know, my art's not real high price point either.
I've always tried to make it affordable and started out that way. But I think I had a lot of artists that were my customers too. And so. They were kind of watching my journey and like, how are you doing this? And I love, uh, I mean, I've had so many people that have been so generous to me along the way, like with sharing that I love to share and tell people, so I think just that, that was something I really, really wanted to do.
And then COVID really. Forced me to do it because everything shut down and I definitely couldn't teach. I definitely. Wasn't being able to do art shows or and so I was like, well, this will give me something to focus on for the next year or, you know, how 2 years. And so I just kind of buckle down and started doing that.
[00:24:01] Kellee Wynne: All right, let's fast forward from you starting it to the time where you. Made the decision to join the remarkable league earlier this year because. I feel like as I approach creatives who are in business, they usually fit into very similar categories. They're either, struggling to make a decision and build up the business and their followers, or they're more like you, which probably any of them that have been in business a while, they have a bunch of different offers.
They're spinning their wheels, they're not sure which way to go, and they're overwhelmed with too much to do. And you were that person who was like, I have a membership, I have courses, I'm selling my art, and I feel like I've worked my butt off for very little, right?
[00:24:48] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, well, yeah, and I think the message to us all as artists for a while there was like, Streams of revenue, right?
[00:24:56] Kellee Wynne: I think it's the biggest lie that we've been told.
[00:24:59] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, I will say you do have to have multiple streams of revenue. You can't just do 1 thing. I don't think, but you can't do it all. And I was like. Kept adding more streams and not being able to juggle it all. And I think too, with age, you know, I used to be great at juggling all the balls and I had the energy to do it and the desire to do it.
And you kind of refocus and like we talked about earlier, I'd kind of lost my, why, like, why am I doing this? It's not about making all the money for me. And I'd kind of gotten into that mindset about like. The challenge of growing it for the monetary, I think was one of my things. And it's like, no, that's really not why I'm doing this.
I mean, yes, I need to make a living off of it and it is my business, but I also want to enjoy it and I want to help others and be able to give generously back. with my money, but then also with my time and what I've learned. So, you took us through a great process that really kind of helped me refocus and take a look at all that I was doing.
And I think when I looked at all I was doing and was like, well, what, what do I like? What do I love? What brings me life? What brings me joy and what drains me? And I started taking a look at all that. There were definitely some things I knew I wanted to drop and you know, my membership. It, I loved it because I love the women in there and I loved being able to work with them, but the back end of it, I could not sustain.
And I didn't want to at this point in my life. So
[00:26:32] Kellee Wynne: memberships are not for the faint of heart. Yeah. They're really good for someone who wants to make that their. Pretty much their primary, program and leave everything else behind.
[00:26:44] Stacy Spangler: Right. Right.
[00:26:46] Kellee Wynne: But you have that and you had courses and you had a signature offer plus your printed products plus selling your art and.
I don't think that an artist needs multiple streams of income, or they should have very narrow focus on it. And the reason why is because you have to create marketing pathways and systems for each and everything that you do. And that takes a lot of energy. So when you can narrow it down to just the, you know.
Less than what you can count on one hand to do you have the energy to fulfill and make it better and bigger. And also, you know, I don't ever like seeing anyone who's like, in that exhausted, overwhelmed, ready to quit phase
[00:27:34] Stacy Spangler: that what is it? The 7 streams of income, like, throw that out the window,
[00:27:37] Kellee Wynne: throw it out the window.
Yeah, because. You can have one or two and go all in and not exhaust yourself and build it better. And that's what we work on in the Remarkable League is like narrowing down our focus to really what we want to keep building and you don't need to create anything new. And that's what we discovered. What was like, you were the opposite of everyone else who was like, I need to create this thing.
I need to have a really good offer in order to build my business. Well, you were like, I have all these offers and I'm like, you're opposite. What are you going to let go of? And you have, and I think it's wonderful because you're still in the process of getting clarity, but you are making decisions so that the years coming in front of you are going to be easier.
Not harder.
[00:28:22] Stacy Spangler: Right? Yeah. And I think just the focus is the big thing. We've got all gotta have focus and I think I used to have that running my business and I think because in this industry, which is amazing, now there are so many opportunities, so, Mm-Hmm,, if you're like me, I kind of had that mentality of like, well, I'll try something new because I'm, I'm very, the squirrel mentality kind of all over the place.
I get bored with things easy and so I probably will always have. To have more than one thing, but all the things just don't work and I found that out the hard way last year.
[00:28:58] Kellee Wynne: Right. I actually am teaching this from experience as well, because I am queen of trying to do all the things as I, I try to make a merchandise business.
I try to make a product line business, you know, like. Courses, coaching, like all the things. And then you're like, why am I getting nowhere fast? And it's because if you can narrow it down to just the one or two things that you know, for sure, you're passionate about, I prefer just like one good thing. But I understand as artists we're creative, we're never going to really fully give up the selling of our art and whatnot, but as far as the online space of creating.
Some sort of information for your customer, if you're doing too many things, it's like, it'll burn you out.
[00:29:47] Stacy Spangler: Well, and not to mention what it does to your creativity. I mean, you dry up and you can't create. And I've kind of been in that space this year. It's like not giving Myself time to play and to like, just explore and, you know, not to have a finished work or something that I'm going to record to put on here or right.
And so, yeah, it, your, your creativity is what suffers. And then when you don't have that, you don't have anything.
[00:30:16] Kellee Wynne: You know, So it's so perfectly well, I've struggled with my creativity as well. And the more I let go of other things, creativity can fill that space again. So, I do have customers that come to me and say, or clients who want to work with me and they're like, but I don't want to have to give up my art time.
And I'm like, then let's not do all the things. Let's pick something and go all in and build it. Right. Because once you've built it, you can put it on repeat. And that's what you're working on now is right. You don't need to build a new course, which is a big fallacy I watch. The big pitfall for those who are in course creation mode is every time they want more of a cash infusion into their business.
Yeah, they make another course. Yeah, you did that a whole lot of the people in my program have done that before and when you finally realize that you don't have to make a new course every 2 or 3 months or every 6 months, then, and I did it too. Like I'm speaking from experience when you start realizing make what you have the very best it can be and then grow your marketing efforts for it.
Then that's it. And then you can just continue to grow the business and make a good income without having to start from scratch every time. That's the problem. Every single time you add something new, you have to go back to square one. Right.
[00:31:37] Stacy Spangler: Right. Right. Well, and I think too, what you've pointed out, like.
I was relying 100 percent on social media. Well, then, you know, the algorithms changed. And I, I've realized this a lot just from us meeting together and the things that we've learned, but I need to nurture that in other ways with my newsletter and just other avenues because I can put something out a course out from a year ago that I think everybody's already seen and I'll have like Sign up in one day.
It's never even seen it because they haven't seen that in my feed. So, when you're just relying on social media, kind of like I have for the last two years to get the word out, there's still a lot of. Potential customers there or, you know, or people who want to learn.
[00:32:29] Kellee Wynne: Exactly it's still so untapped.
There's 8 billion people on this planet. So it's awesome when you have 10, 20, 200, a thousand people sign up, but there's still thousands more. So instead of going back to, to the beginning and starting over, we just keep nurturing those who are there and keep bringing more into. Before basically, you know, your newsletter, your, your circles, your community support them.
And I love seeing that these systems have been put in place with everyone in the remarkable league and everyone's growing without having to like stress over whether the algorithm works anymore. Right.
[00:33:12] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. Yeah. and I think this month, I had my largest month ever, monetarily, and I haven't worked hard this month at all.
I almost hate saying that, but it's like, I've worked hard all year, but yeah, but it just feels weird. You know?
[00:33:31] Kellee Wynne: I mean, you have decades of working hard.
[00:33:34] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, always this time of year, which we're recording this in November when this will go out, but normally this is my busiest time because I always paint Christmas and ship Christmas.
And that's like my biggest sales of the year, but I'm not doing that this year, but as I'm still making income, I don't know. It's just, it's a really,
[00:33:53] Kellee Wynne: you have your calendars. You didn't give up. I did do my calendars. Yeah, but you have, a couple of really great courses. You didn't have to invent anything new.
You did spruce up your signature offer though, which is your paint to product, which I think is genius because that's what artists want. Yeah. And if you're going to do multiple streams within the same line, which is I sell my artwork and I sell products with my artwork on it that that's harmonious that goes together.
But so many artists are stuck. Like, how do I do that? And there are simple solutions, but I love that the way that you created this program. Is that they can go step by step on photographing, editing, uploading, formatting, print on demand, creating a shop, what kind of a collection would sell how to market it.
And it's a ridiculously low price in my opinion. So we're working on that part, but you've got this amazing program that you're. Only releasing a couple times a year so that you can be there and support the people who choose to join. But if anyone's interested in learning how to do that, you should go and sign up for Stacy's free, introduction to it.
We'll put that link in the podcast notes for sure. Plus, of course, to all the other courses. But I love that you can. Use what you've already done and just put it out there. Also, you've been still selling artwork, which I think is wonderful.
[00:35:20] Stacy Spangler: Well, you know, I've kind of gone away from the model of painting, painting, painting all the time and putting it on my website and selling it.
So I do have some retail partners. Because I said, I live in a great community where they really support local art. And so I've kind of took a look at the things I didn't like doing me like shipping and listing things on my website. Now, I know you can pay someone to do that, but my thought kind of is if you have these.
People that want to support local artists and they can make money and keep their small business going With my art and then I could make money from it too. Like that's a win win And so i've kind of started i've had a lot of people actually email me this year and like when is your christmas stuff coming out and i'm like I don't have any christmas stuff this year.
You can go to this store this store or like You can buy my prints.
[00:36:11] Kellee Wynne: Oh, do you see doing less? You made more and you stress.
[00:36:15] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. Yeah. But that is hard, you know, to let go of that of like, okay, this is a big revenue producer for me every year, but, Oh, it's so nice to not have to mess with that right now.
Cause not only my house was just in disarray, I had every table in my house filled with art and packing and all kinds of stuff. And, that was all the way into like. After Thanksgiving. So this year it's really nice.
[00:36:40] Kellee Wynne: And I know that it's hard to let go from the point of view that you don't want to disappoint the customers or let anybody down, but if you burn out, then you won't be making anything at all.
Yeah. Yeah. So, it's a process to get to that point where we. Take care of ourselves in our business and in our dreams and our goals to also do it at a pace that keeps us from quitting completely.
[00:37:06] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. Or like you say, draining your creativity where you don't really have any new ideas that you can give.
I mean, right.,
[00:37:13] Kellee Wynne: well, you've made a lot of progress. What would you say are some of the biggest ahas you've had over the last, well, it's been since April that we've been working together.
[00:37:23] Stacy Spangler: Well, I think, which I knew this, but to be reminded and really to work on it, like, having a plan is critical, evaluating and having those goals and having somebody to keep you accountable. I did that when I first started off I had a friend She's a local watercolor artist and we would meet once a week and kind of talk about our goals and our plans and share best Practices so I'd kind of forgotten like how helpful that is so to be a part of a community where we are Sharing best practices, sharing ideas, holding each other accountable, supporting each other, encouraging each other.
That is huge. And I'd kind of forgotten that component of it because you just get busy working on your own and you kind of forget how important that is.
[00:38:05] Kellee Wynne: And you feel lonely and all of your ideas are bouncing off your own brain and then none of it makes sense. Yeah. It's so much nicer when there's like a good sounding board of other people who are doing the same thing as you.
[00:38:18] Stacy Spangler: Well, it's inspiring and it's It gets you excited about it again, you know.
[00:38:22] Kellee Wynne: Yeah, for sure. You've also worked on some of the basic principles. Like, I only have a few requirements for the people I work with. I feel like there's so many different paths we can go down, but there are 2 things that I really insist on 1.
Is to have a simplified business model so that you don't burn out, right? The other one is the email list. There is no business without the email list.
[00:38:51] Stacy Spangler: And that's kind of another one I've, I've kind of drug my feet on, but I see that it's important. I know that it's important. And so, yeah, that's something I'm definitely implementing this year.
Right now I've already started twice a month. I've committed to putting out an email twice a month and putting more energy into creating and putting my content there instead of on Instagram and Facebook. And that makes sense, it makes more sense. So hopefully people will read it.
[00:39:20] Kellee Wynne: Yes. More from your heart than of course people will want.
[00:39:23] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. And, and I've always kind of been one too, where I don't share a lot of personal like my, my personal Instagram and Facebook. I hardly ever get on because I'm on it so much for business. But then I don't share a whole lot about my personal life.
On there, it just doesn't feel like a real safe place for me all the time, but a newsletter or a private group or something like that. I can do that. So that that is a good space to share for me.
[00:39:53] Kellee Wynne: Nice. Where are you going with the future of your business? And I'm kind of excited because I know and I think that you have a really good plan, but I want you to share like how everything is evolving and transforming and what you see going into the new year.
We've been working on a lot of planning for the, like, I love to look out a whole year and then plan backwards. And so you've been working on some of that.
[00:40:15] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, I mean, I'm going to take a little step back for myself, but I'm going to share that with my audience. And you gave me that idea and I think it's wonderful.
It's authentic, which what I always want my stuff to be authentic. And so I'm going to really start looking to YouTube and creating. I'm going to try to create once a week for myself. But I'm going to try to document it with YouTube. And so it may not end up being every week, but that's my goal.
I want to just kind of get back to basics and get back to creating myself and just that journey of how I find inspiration and document my inspiration. I'm working on a free course, that's my inspiration book, which is kind of something I do personally. So I'm going to share that with the audience and it'll be free.
So it'll be coming up. And yeah, that's just kind of where I am this year.
[00:41:08] Kellee Wynne: I love it. I'm so excited because I, I think, man, how much it would have made a difference when I was. Coming back to art and like it was the, and it was like around 2010, maybe that I started picking up a brush again and painting after taking a hiatus, having a family and whatnot.
And there were some YouTube videos, but there were so many artists that I would see on Pinterest or Facebook. I didn't have Instagram yet. And it would be like, if I could just be a fly on the wall and see how they make that choice, make that brushstroke, why are they picking those colors? I don't need to be taught step by step.
I just want to see and watch the process. And since you're in a phase of discovery for yourself, a re discovery with the desire to learn more about how to paint abstract and like, It's almost like it's fresh and new for you. I love the thought of being able to be that fly on the wall and watch you in that process and feel like we're there as you go along all the bumps and bruises of figuring things out again.
[00:42:16] Stacy Spangler: And just, I know you've kind of emphasized this before too, but I was right there with you when you were doing it, just going back to play in your creativity. Yeah. And that's like we talked about with kids. I mean, even if you can't. You don't have time to paint a painting. I mean, there's ways you can be creative.
So I'm going to be sharing some of that on YouTube. Just little things that I do that I've always done of like, if I don't have time to sit in my studio and paint, like what are other ways you can be creative that just feel that creativity? Cause there are so many things you can do. And just little short things.
Like I love your deck of dreams, just small format art. I've been talking about small format art a lot and just making. 15 minutes or 20 minutes to sit down and do something creative can make a huge impact and lead to more creativity later when you do have time to sit down that's when those things start coming to you.
It's like, Oh yeah.
[00:43:12] Kellee Wynne: Yeah. So I've been trying to do it myself because it's almost like, I mean, I have more than a full time job running my own business, which that full time doesn't include any of the art making. So now I get to use art as my hobby and my release. I do exactly what you're saying.
I look for little pockets of creativity that I can sit down with markers or I can just, my grid journal's been a great outlet when I can't. Muster up, sometimes it's mustering up the energy to do something. It's like, uh, I don't want to do anything big, but to have an easy way to just play. So it'll be really fun to see how you bring that to life for everyone to watch.
So that being said, everybody, Stacey is going to start up her YouTube channel. Hopefully by the new year, she'll be sharing with us her own personal journey of just re exploring the art practice. Like there's nothing. Bigger to it than that. And that is the most powerful thing in my mind to watch somebody's experience through that camera lens.
[00:44:19] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, and you know, just like I know, and I hear it all the time when I tell somebody I'm an artist, I usually get like one of four responses like, oh, I can't draw a stick figure or, oh, I used to love art, but I don't have time for it. And. Like, I just want to go, Oh, come to my studio with me and come create, because it does bring you so much joy.
You don't have to like sell it or have anyone even see it. But I think just the process helps us process our emotions. It helps us get in touch with ourself and, just gives you that time downtime. It's. It's, uh, worthy downtime versus, you know, worthy sitting and binging on net Netflix. And I think that might,
[00:45:02] Kellee Wynne: or as we both confess to each other, that somehow we went down a real hole this week.
[00:45:07] Stacy Spangler: Real hole. Yes. Yeah. But, but making reels is also creative, right? Yes.
[00:45:12] Kellee Wynne: Making the reels is Yes.
[00:45:14] Stacy Spangler: Not as much get ideas that way, right? Yes, yes, yes. And that is a mindset I had to struggle with is like, art is so fun for me, and I know you agree with that? Yeah. Like when I first started doing it, I kind of felt like it was sitting on the couch eating bonbons.
It's like, Oh, is this wasting my time? Like, is this a worthy pursuit? You know? And so I really had to kind of get over that mindset before I could allow myself the time to start creating.
[00:45:43] Kellee Wynne: Not only that, but I think as women and mothers and, and you and I were both stay at home moms before we made a full time career out of our art is the guilt factor.
Like. I should be spending all my extra time with my family, but we forget that we are better parents. We are better spouses. We are better even if we're, employed and where we have a job, whatever, better friends when we nurture some of the most, inspiring aspects of ourselves. I'm not talking about pedicures and, and you know, the spa day, I'm talking about the actual expression of our heart mole.
When we take the time to do that, we're so much better at everything else. But for some reason we still have all this guilt around it. And then when we finally get over the guilt, for some reason we feel guilty to sell it for a reasonable price because it was fun for us because we enjoyed it. That that is that mean it's not worth.
Being paid properly for we have a lot of mental emotional hurdles. Yeah, being creative. And what that means, as artists. And the value of putting a higher value on it. We really need to put a higher value On what we're putting out into the world.
[00:46:55] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, and I think you're great at that as a coach Because you've been there done that and gone through those hurdles and so like reminding us of that stuff I mean some of us i've worked through those things, but you forget really easily.
So Yeah, that's also a big part of that group is just like the reminders of and you reminding us like It's worth it. You've worked really hard and it's a worthy job. It's a worthy Activity if you don't have it as a job, it's a worthy pursuit. I think creativity is a very worthy pursuit
[00:47:27] Kellee Wynne: And I really love emphasizing the word worthy
[00:47:31] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, I love it.
I mean, I get that from my faith. I think we are all created in the image of a God who's creative, and so we're creating in his image, and so therefore when we create, we're bringing Him glory, whether it's cooking, sewing, gardening, I mean anything creative where we're making something out of the things he's given us and being a good steward of those, like that's a worthy pursuit.
[00:47:56] Kellee Wynne: I have the same. Belief I don't come from a religious point of view, but I have a very spiritual point of view, which is very similar, which is why I called the podcast made remarkable because I believe that we are made. Remarkable, we don't have to become it's not like we have this big challenge to overcome and we have to earn our way into being worthy of the gifts and and whatnot that we've been given that we are made this way.
And it is almost our duty and responsibility to bring it out into the world. And share it with others because it's beautiful. Think about how much more the world lights up when we share our creativity.
[00:48:38] Stacy Spangler: Yeah. And think of like all the amazing inventions that would have never been possible if people stifled their creativity and just decided you know, I'm not going to.
I spend two hours in my basement, like researching electricity because I've got work I've got to do. I've got to clean the kitchen, right?
[00:48:58] Kellee Wynne: Right. And there's so many examples of that to think about when we spend time with our family and we're traveling about and when we take on pleasurable activities, which is.
The whole reason why we work so hard is so that we can enjoy life in those moments. If it's not naturally created as part of the earth, the creativity came through a human, whether it's a beautiful architecture, it's an experience. We have a movie, a book we read, you know, the art that we get to see, like there's so much in this world.
That's the reason we have a purpose to live. Yeah, is this beauty that we keep creating? Otherwise, what's the point? Yeah. Yeah. I think this is it.
[00:49:40] Stacy Spangler: I agree.
[00:49:41] Kellee Wynne: We have a very similar point of view, even if we come from a different like theological background and why we came to the same conclusion, but you and I, our hearts are connected both very much on this belief.
Yeah,
[00:49:56] Stacy Spangler: it's the importance of it. The importance of it. And why people should. If you're saying, I don't have time for that, or I don't know where to start or, oh, I wish I could do that. Like. Just do it. You know, it's worth doing
[00:50:10] Kellee Wynne: fight the little demons in your head when you're trying to take that next step, because we're always going to hear that you should, you shouldn't, you must the guilt or whatever.
And I think it is our responsibility to fight through that and still keep on going.
[00:50:29] Stacy Spangler: Yeah, and like you said be a good steward of the gifts we were given. Because we were made creative. Yeah, we were made a couple. I love that saying too.
[00:50:36] Kellee Wynne: Yeah, that's where it came from because I really felt it deep down.
And that's why I changed the name of the podcast and took my business in that direction because my goal with helping people in their business is to bring more of that into this world. And I wanted to hide from it myself, because I was scared, like you said, you were scared at first to start your courses to put your face online.
I was scared to put myself in this position of leadership of mentorship or coaching and saying, who am I to do this? But the push to it was so great because every time I. Sat down with a friend and I helped a friend or I helped an artist, I could see results. I could see people lighting up. I could see them finding the value, the worth and all of that in themselves as they did something remarkable that I was like, okay, I have been called to do something I shouldn't be denying.
[00:51:35] Stacy Spangler: That's your gift is you're good at doing that for people. You're good at getting the best out of people and helping them see that. So that's your gift. So that's great. And you're also very artistic. So that makes it a perk.
[00:51:48] Kellee Wynne: Well, I mean, that's the part, the point that I put the two together is because I understand the artist's plight.
I've been through all of that. So it's nice to be able to help with both sides of it because it is, it is. It's a challenge and we aren't usually, I mean, even with your marketing background, not knowing exactly how to do it in this new phase of your life. And even just the decision making, having help for decision making makes such a big difference.
[00:52:14] Stacy Spangler: Well, and even a market as a marketing person, it's totally different because when you're marketing yourself, that's hard. You gotta have somebody give you an extra push there, you know, I mean, really, it's just for me. It's not the same as trying to market somebody else. I can cheer for you all day long, but like for myself, it's just hard.
[00:52:33] Kellee Wynne: So, yeah, I get it. And that's why I try to help people over that imposter syndrome. Yeah. And I put that in quotes because it's really just. If you have something beautiful, you're putting into this world, whether it's artwork, it's a product, it's coaching, it's courses, and you want to help people have.
A chance to enjoy what you've done. It comes back to the made remarkable philosophy. It's almost selfish that you haven't offered it. So don't think of marketing as, Oh, look at me. It's more like, how can I serve you by sharing the thing that you're looking for?
[00:53:11] Stacy Spangler: Right. And I love that. That is one thing that I always come back to that you say all the time is.
How are we serving our, our customers, you know, like benefiting them. And that's, to me, that brings it back to my, why and why I'm doing it, you know? So, yeah, I think that's great.
[00:53:28] Kellee Wynne: I love it. I love being able to work with you. And I want to know one question. I always ask everybody. Yeah. And you might be
[00:53:38] Stacy Spangler: prepared because I listened to your podcast all the time, but I had it anyway.
I had it before you asked me. Good. I have to. I want to know your big, audacious dream. Okay, so my first one, which don't ask me what on, but this is just a dream I've always had since I've been a little kid is I want to write a book someday. dOn't know if it'll be about art or what it'll be about.
And then my second dream is I have this dream of having an art barn. And a place where I can create and have people come in, but, you know, I want it to have the Arkansas feel like the cows and the chickens and the garden and the, just the relaxing place where you can come and enjoy, the mountains and have the workshop there too.
And that's kind of my dream.
[00:54:28] Kellee Wynne: I think that's an amazing dream. And I actually, I know Arkansas isn't really. One of the list of states that people put at the top, but it's actually at the top for me, because I think there's so much natural beauty and I would love to see. That with my own eyes, like for me, I said,
[00:54:47] Stacy Spangler: I would
[00:54:49] Kellee Wynne: love to thank you.
And thank you so much for being on the podcast and just being part of my life. Stacy mentioned she has a guest in my deck of dreams program. So we'll link that this whole year. I've been inviting different points of view and different voices. So thank you so much for contributing to that. And then just generally.
Being an amazing person and contributing to the league.
[00:55:14] Stacy Spangler: Thank you. And ditto, ditto to you. I enjoyed being here. So thanks Kellee.
[00:55:18] Kellee Wynne: No problem. Talk to you soon. Bye bye.
If you'd like to listen to or learn more about the podcast visit https://www.maderemarkable.com/blog for our show notes and links to the main players.