ICP 297 Artists Kira McCoy and Ilysa Ginsburg on Creating a Thriving Business and Community From Scratch

Inspirational Creatives

Artists, Kira McCoy, and Ilysa Ginsburg, love what they do.

In this insightful and revealing chat, interviewed by Sandra Lawrence, Ilysa and Kira share how they’ve have grown their business and what it means to them to create an environment where people love to work; and fans love to learn with them.

As artists, they have a love for polymer clay; having created an online global community of followers, hear how they teach through online classrooms and retreats.

You’ll also hear how having grown a business around their art from scratch, today they have a growing number of employees, which is allowing the two to grow further.

Hear their story and ideas on how you, too, could create a business around a passion you have.

Items mentioned in this episode (quick access):

New beginnings

[00:55] A new beginning for Inspirational Creatives?

[01:35] Rob shares some of the current challenges with the podcast.

[02:30] More than just a podcast?

[03:25] Another branch on the Inspirational Creatives tree.

[04:39] Sandra’s live interview featuring Kira and Ilya.

Kira and Ilysa

[05:51] Sandra introducing Kira McCoy and Ilysa Ginsburg.

[06:22] Ilysa shares how the business got started from humble beginnings!

[07:12] Kira shares her side of the story of when they both met.

[09:06] Creating a podcast and a YouTube channel.

[10:00] A multitude of products, 3D-printing, laser printers.

[10:25] Online retreats. Podcasting for 7 years. Creating an online classroom.

Learning and growing

[11:10] How the two artists have created an environment of learning and growing.

[12:04] How Ilysa and Kira have grown and created a team.

[13:35] Creating fans. Teaching a medium they love so much.

[15:10] Big equipment. Laser engraver.

[17:40] The importance of backing yourself first.

[18:00] Podfading.

Success in 2020?

[18:31] The number one thing Ilysa and Kira have always done that they attribute their success to.

[19:05] Being creative in business.

[19:56] Succeeding and how fear can hold you back.

[21:20] Creative and innovation.

[22:21] How 2020 has affected their creative business.

[25:05] Investing in hobbies.

[26:16] Fears around marketing in 2020.

Community, creativity and collaboration

[27:25] Including everyone.

[27:40] Retreats and a full year experience.

[29:44] The joy of polymer clay.

[30:55] Kira shares how she started out as an art teacher.

[32:08] Meeting Ilysa on Etsy. What Kira was making at the time.

[33:09] Subscription boxes.

Inspiration

[35:44] Advice on starting your own creative business.

[37:00] The importance of showing up.

[37:49] Owning lots of domain names.

[39:27] What’s inspired Kira and Ilysa recently.

[40:35] Giving back.

https://www.createalong.com

https://www.inspirationalcreatives.com