In this episode of Mugs & Marketing, Ashley and Alisha share their experiences transitioning from traditional employment into self-employment and the lessons they learned along the way.

From unexpected financial realities and productivity struggles to finding community and learning how to stay focused, we're talking about the real side of entrepreneurship that doesn't always show up on social media.

Whether you're dreaming about starting an art business, yoga business, online business, or creative side hustle, this episode will give you an honest look at what the transition can actually look like.

In This Episode

• Why building a business takes longer than most people expect
• The difference between busy work and money-making activities
• Social media pressure as a creative entrepreneur
• Learning to create your own deadlines
• The surprising realities of health insurance and self-employment
• Building friendships and community while working from home
• Why focus is more important than doing everything
• How mentors, books, podcasts, and courses helped us grow
• Advice we'd give someone considering the leap into entrepreneurship

Favorite Takeaway
"You overestimate what you can accomplish in a week and underestimate what you can accomplish in a year."

Building a business isn't usually about overnight success. It's about consistent action, learning, and staying in the game long enough to see results.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Ashley Hagen
• Website: https://ashesyoga.com
• Instagram: @ashesyoga
• Alisha Hagen Art
• Website: https://alishahagenart.com
• Instagram: @alishahagenart

Connect With Us

We'd love to hear from you!

Have you made the transition from employee to entrepreneur? Or are you thinking about it?

Send us a message on Instagram and let us know what's been the most surprising part of your journey.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and share it with a fellow creative entrepreneur.

What started as a degree in animation eventually led to a career in education, a free kiln, a classroom full of curious students, and an unexpected love for clay.

Alisha shares the twists and turns that led her to leave teaching, start selling pottery, join art markets, and build a handmade business from her backyard studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start something new, or if your creative path has taken a few unexpected turns, this episode is for you.

In This Episode

• Growing up as the "artsy twin"
• Attending art school for animation
• Why animation wasn't the right career fit
• Going back to school for art education
• Teaching high school and elementary art
• Learning pottery alongside her students
• The free kiln that changed everything
• Leaving a stable teaching career
• Starting a pottery business from scratch
• Selling at art markets and online
• Finding community as a creative entrepreneur

Favorite Takeaway

"You don't have to start doing the thing you're known for when you're five years old."

One of the biggest themes of this episode is that creative careers are rarely linear. Sometimes your future business comes from an unexpected hobby, opportunity, or curiosity that appears much later in life.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Alisha Hagen Art
• Website: https://alishahagenart.com
• Instagram: @alishahagenart
• Ashley Hagen
• Website: https://ashesyoga.com
• Instagram: @ashesyoga

Coming Up Next

Now that you've heard both of our stories, we're moving into more specific creative business topics, including schedules, productivity, multiple income streams, marketing, and the realities of running a business as a creative entrepreneur.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and share it with a fellow artist, maker, or creative business owner.

Ashley shares how an early interest in graphic design and marketing eventually combined with her love of yoga, teaching, and technology to create the business she runs today.

We talk about quitting a stable full-time job, becoming a full-time fitness instructor, moving across the country, navigating major life changes, and how building an online business gave her the flexibility she needed as a mom.

If you've ever wondered whether your previous experience "counts" or if you're capable of building something different for yourself, this episode is for you.

In This Episode

• Growing up in a small Minnesota town
• Studying graphic communications and marketing in college
• Working in a university marketing department
• Quitting a stable job to teach yoga full-time
• Teaching 10–20 fitness classes per week
• Moving to Washington and starting over
• Building an online business while becoming a mom
• The impact mentors and business coaching had on her growth
• How YouTube helped expand her reach
• Why marketing skills matter for creative entrepreneurs

A Favorite Takeaway

"You don't need the entire roadmap. You just need the next step."

One of the biggest themes of this episode is that entrepreneurship rarely follows a straight line. Many of the skills Ashley uses in her business today came from experiences that didn't seem connected at the time.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Ashley Hagen / Ashes Yoga
• Website: https://ashesyoga.com
• Free Morning Movement & Meditation Classes
• Ashes Academy Membership

Connect With Us

Ashley: @ashesyoga

Alisha: @alishahagenart

Coming Up Next

Next episode, we're flipping the script and sharing Alisha's story—from elementary art teacher to full-time pottery artist creating mugs, selling at art markets, and building a handmade business from her backyard studio.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and share it with a creative friend who might need a little encouragement on their business journey.

While both sisters run creative businesses, their paths look very different. Ashley is a digital entrepreneur, yoga teacher, and business coach who helps wellness professionals build online businesses through websites, courses, memberships, and marketing. Alisha is a full-time pottery artist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, creating handmade mugs and pottery from her backyard studio and selling through art markets, Etsy, and her online shop.

Together, they discuss the similarities and differences between physical product businesses and digital businesses, the realities of working from home, and why they believe creative entrepreneurs need both creativity and marketing to succeed.

This episode is the perfect starting point if you're a creative entrepreneur, artist, yoga teacher, maker, or small business owner looking for encouragement, honest conversations, and practical insights about building a business around your passions.

In This Episode

• Why Ashley and Alisha decided to start Mugs & Marketing
• The story behind the podcast name
• What Ashley does as a yoga teacher and online business coach
• How Alisha transitioned into full-time pottery and handmade products
• The biggest differences between digital and physical product businesses
• What a typical workday looks like for each of them
• Selling pottery through Etsy, art markets, consignment shops, and online stores
• Building an online business through courses, memberships, and coaching
• The importance of marketing for creative entrepreneurs
• Why flexibility and work-from-home lifestyles matter to both of them
• Their favorite hobbies outside of business
• What listeners can expect from future episodes

Resources Mentioned
Ashley Hagen
Website: https://ashesyoga.com
Instagram: @ashesyoga

Alisha Hagen Art
Website: https://alishahagenart.com
Instagram: @alishahagenart

What's Coming Next
In Episode 2, Ashley and Alisha dive deeper into their personal histories, how they got started in business, why they moved away from their hometown, and the winding path that led them to where they are today.

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