Pattern Design Circle Podcast

Sometimes it feels like AI (artificial intelligence) is taking over everything, including the business world, with platforms like Chat GPT being utilized by so many businesses; and it doesn't look like it will be disappearing anytime soon. So, how do we take advantage of these new tools and the benefits that they offer without losing ourselves and our brand identity in the middle of it? That's exactly what we're diving into with this episode with Kinsey of Feel Good Social and Authentic AI for Entrepreneurs. Kinsey is passionate about using AI in a way that supports your business, to build your brand, without losing your voice or brand personality. She truly believes it's possible to amplify your business with AI and keep authentic in your business. AI can be such a wonderful tool for increasing efficiency, overcoming creative ruts, and taking care of tasks that can feel mundane and frustrating. So let's use AI for what it's good at - allowing us to spend more time on the parts of our business that we're good at and love. Unlock the balance between authenticity and AI in this podcast episode. Check out Kinsey on Instagram at Feel Good Social and Authentic AI for Entrepreneurs. Check out Pattern Design Circle for resources and community for knitting and crochet pattern designers.

We are each on our own journey, and we love to hear about other's journeys: what inspires them, how they got to where they are, if they have any secrets, and more. Last year I hosted a featured pattern designer every month on my Instagram account to talk about all the details that we don't usually see online. Join us for our tenth featured designer, Natalie Warner, the knitting pattern designer behind Natalie in Stitches. In this live chat, we talk all about Natalie's journey to knitwear design, slower and more intentional knitting and designing, technical and nerdy aspects of designing, embracing and accepting our humanness, and more. We hope you enjoy getting this deeper look behind her design work! You can find her work on Instagram (@natalieinstitches), on her website, and on Ravelry. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

We all get caught in the trap of buying solutions with the hopes that they'll magically fix everything in our business - and life. And while there are so many valuable resources and products - courses, webinars, workshops, classes, memberships, etc - that are SO valuable, there comes a point when it's time to stop buying all the things... at least for the time being. Perhaps you've heard of "shiny object syndrome" (getting excited about the next new, exciting product) and "course collectors" (folks that buy lots of courses/classes but don't consume and implement the material). These are both symptoms of what I'm talking about in this podcast: times when we have the materials and the answers, and it's time to just do the work. This podcast episode is a rant and a pep talk at the same time. But I promise it's not a personal attack; sometimes this is the rant I have to listen to myself as well. And it's for you if you have aren't seeing results from the products that you have already invested in previously. In episode 47, I talked about knowing when to seek outside help (like through coaching, courses, and memberships) and when not to. In this episode, I share a pep talk about why NOT to buy the next new thing and what to do instead. I talk about what's holding you back (since we've established it's not the lack of knowledge or resources) and the questions to ask yourself so you can finally do the work. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

http://www.pipandpin.ca/marketingfordesigners

You are a wonderful, beautiful, kind human. You care about other people. You're a nice person. Did you know that you can use this to your business's advantage to make more money? Not in a gross, manipulative way, but to lean in deeper to who you are. By creating and cultivating genuine connections as a thoughtful human, you build the like-know-trust factor not only among your audience and customers, but with your networking connections. The folks around you will enjoy working with you and will be more likely to recommend you, invite you to opportunities, and continue to purchase from you. So, being your nice, kind human self really can pay off... and monetarily, too! It won't be an immediate return on investment, but it's the kind of investment that builds a solid business foundation for life-long customers and community. In this podcast episode, I talk about some different places you might choose to really lean into the fact that you're a nice human (rather than hiding it in the corner). I also talk about this not meaning you should be a pushover or get walked over; you can be a nice human and have boundaries! Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

Life is made up of journeys, and understanding your ideal customer's journey can be so valuable for several reasons, including: There are several customer journeys that you can examine and learn from. I'm co-hosting a free workshop with Megan of Pip & Pin this Friday, June 2, 2023; to talk about why the customer journey is important, how to map out your customers' journey, and how to apply this information in your business. We will primarily discuss your customers' journey with your products, but we will also touch on the customer buying journey. To join us for the free workshop, just sign up here.

We are each on our own journey, and we love to hear about other's journeys: what inspires them, how they got to where they are, if they have any secrets, and more. Last year I hosted a featured pattern designer every month on my Instagram account to talk about all the details that we don't usually see online. Join us for our ninth featured designer, Meghan Jones, the knitting pattern designer behind Little NutMeg Productions. In this live chat, we talk all about Meghan’s journey to knitwear design, third party publishing, painting, and more — and we get to meet Meghan’s helper 😄 We hope you enjoy getting this deeper peek behind her design work! You can find her work on Instagram (@meghanjoneslnmp), on her website, on Ravelry, and on Facebook. You can find the 2023 Knitter’s Planner here. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

Whether you're "just curious" to learn how designing knit and crochet patterns works, you've decided you'd like to design knit or crochet patterns but you aren't sure where to begin, or you've started designing and you're getting stuck; I'm teaching a class just for you! In my new class, Intro to Knitting and Crochet Pattern Designing, I'm covering: Join me for class virtually this Saturday, May 27! Learn more and sign up here. Listening to this minisode after the live class took place? Don't worry; just click the link above to gain access to the next class (or, perhaps, I'll have an on-demand version available by the time you're reading this!).

Maybe things in your business are feeling hard, or maybe things don't quite feel right. Maybe you're struggling to get in touch with your creativity again, or maybe you can't find any time to stop and rest. Maybe you have a feeling that things are meant to be different, or maybe you're struggling to see how anything could work out in the future. And maybe, if you're in any of those situations, the answer is to make some space in your life or your business. It can be so easy to get attached to the path that we're currently on, our hopes and ambitions we had for the goals we're working toward. It can feel like we have to prove to the world, prove to ourselves, that we can do it. We can do the impossible. But at what cost? By holding onto things that no longer serve us - beliefs of hustle culture, projects we've fallen out of love with, beliefs around our value being tied to our busyness - we don't have the space to reach out and grasp the better things that are waiting for us. New beliefs, answers, opportunities, perspectives, ideas, creativity, learnings... we must make room for them. And in order to make room for them, we have to let go of the things that are filling the place that's meant for them. In this podcast episode, I talk all about this idea of making space for creativity and new opportunities in business. As some examples, I share about times when I discovered something greater was waiting for me - but first I had to let go. If you're struggling, lost, confused, frustrated, or unmotivated, I hope this episode will be an inspiration to you to look within yourself and observe the spaces where you can let go in order to receive more, to receive better. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

Did you know the way you interact with the world in one part of your life can be indicative of how you handle other parts of your life as well? Apparently that applies to playing mindless games on your phone as well. Ask me how I know! You see, I've been sick for the last two weeks, with not a whole lot of energy and minimal brain capacity for getting work done. Naturally, when I haven't been sleeping, I've turned to playing mindless games on my phone. When I'm not feeling up to much of anything, I don't feel guilty about it. But now that I'm feeling a bit better and it's become more of a time wasting, addicting, and procrastinating habit... well, I feel a bit different about it. However, now that my brain is functioning somewhat normally and I've been getting back to work... I've started thinking a lot while playing this specific mindless game. And what I started thinking about was how I interacted with, perceived, and responded to the game.... And light bulbs (or perhaps, alarm bells) started going off in my brain when I realized: I've been approaching my business (and sometimes other parts of my life) the same way I've been approaching this little, pointless, time-wasting game. And thus I share with you, in this episode of the Pattern Design Circle Podcast, seven lessons I've learned this week about my business and myself as a business owner, from a mindless, time wasting game that I've spent too much time (in my estimation) playing recently. Who knew a matching game and a knitting pattern design business could hold so many things in common?! I hope this episode sheds some lights on behaviors that you might have in your business as well, and maybe you'll even find some things you want to change around a bit. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

Struggling with putting the pieces together in your business, marketing or designing? Trying to sort out why things are feeling misaligned, or how to get a marketing strategy to work for you? I would love to work with you 1-on-1 to get you on the path of clarity and confidence in your knitting or crochet pattern design business! I always offer 1-on-1 coaching calls, but for this month only (May 2023), I'm offering for the first time a Coaching Bundle, where you receive 3 calls for optimum support.. and it's 25% off. Tune into this episode to learn more about the Coaching Bundle and my style of coaching knit and crochet pattern designers. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

Have you ever purchased a course, expecting it to make your business or life complete, and been upset because you feel like you didn't learn anything new? Have you ever received some advice and thought to yourself "that doesn't feel right at all?" Have you ever felt like you should just stop asking for advice because it's never actually helpful? In this episode, I want to address all of those scenarios and more. I discuss why we often end up feeling so frustrated and upset... and how sometimes it's actually our own fault. How sometimes, perhaps, we shouldn't be looking for outside help. Not because that help isn't valuable or "right," but because you already have the answers within you, and asking around isn't going to help you. Sometimes we have to just listen to ourselves. Sometimes we have to just do the work we already need to do. To stop looking for excuses or a different, easier solution. And, of course, there are times when it's so extremely valuable to receive outside help, whether that's from a coaching call, a workshop, a membership community, a course, or a trusted friend. So how do you know when to ask for outside help and when not to? Tune into this episode of Pattern Design Circle for all the deets! And if you're looking for some outside help with your knitting or crochet pattern design business, whether it's with your marketing, business, or designing, you can book a 1:1 coaching call with me! On the website, you'll also see I'm currently offering a limited time Coaching Bundle for 25% off for the month of May (2023). For more information on my coaching style and the Coaching Bundle, you can also listen to the next podcast episode (Minisode 7). Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

I tend to talk a lot about authenticity and alignment in business, but recently I've been wanting to dive deeper into what that actually means. What does it really mean to have authenticity in your business? What does it really mean to have an aligned business? In this episode of the Pattern Design Circle Podcast, I propose that perhaps, authenticity in your business equates to having a sense of belonging in your business. Let me explain. Take a listen to this podcast episode, and let me know what you think. Does this feel like it aligns with your definition of authenticity in your business? Send me a DM on Instagram and let me know! Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

If you're not familiar with the idea of Hustle Culture, it's this idea that we have to constantly be working hard, constantly working to achieve the next thing, constantly grinding, in order to be successful. And while I absolutely believe that we can have healthy spurts of hustle, I don't believe it's healthy to live in a Hustle Culture mentality. In this episode I talk a bit about Hustle Culture and how it can lead us to focusing on busy work rather than productive work, but more importantly in my opinion, I talk about ways that we can overcome this mentality. How we can have focus and intentionality so we can spend less time doing more impactful work, and still have time for family, relationships, and life outside of work. I hope this podcast episode inspires you to have an honest look at your currently work mentality: are you just hustling and keeping busy, or are you doing meaningful, intentional work? Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

Whether you recognize it or not, we all go through different seasons throughout life. If you don't like the term season, you might also think about it as themes or phases. Times when things just aren't the same as they once were. It can be for a variety of reasons: something changing within us emotionally, physically, or mentally; or something that's happened or happening around us. Whatever the reason, we tend to bring a different sense of priorities and energy in these different time periods. And this is true not only for life, but also for business. In this episode of Pattern Design Circle, I discuss honoring those seasons such that we lean into them rather than working against them. There's something about this society that we live in that can make us feel as if we always have to show up in a certain way, but I don't believe that's true. I believe that we can acknowledge the seasons, the cycles, the ups and the downs; to honor them; and to work with them instead of against them. They can teach us so much about ourselves and about the world. They can show us new perspectives. They can help us to grow and learn. But only if we lean into them. I believe we're trained to work against them, but I encourage you to work with them, to learn from them, and to grow alongside them. I hope you enjoy this listen, and if you aren't already, that you start paying attention to the seasons of your own life. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

In March I posted on my Instagram account asking what folks wanted to hear about on the podcast, and someone asked to hear how I created the Creative Thought Journey... so here you are! It's a process that I created to replicate the process my brain naturally went through to create several of my own knitting pattern designers. When I wanted to share it with other pattern designers, I transformed it into a step by step process that any creative (knit or crochet pattern designer or otherwise) could use to develop new ideas. The power of it is that it gets you away from the prompt, onto a personal journey influenced by your lived experiences, and at a design that's different from other folks working with the same prompt. Tune into this episode of the Pattern Design Circle Podcast to get the full story of how and why I developed my signature Creative Thought Journey process. Want to try it out for yourself? Join 52 Weeks of Creativity to get a weekly creative prompt along with the Creative Thought Journey steps, and end with 52+ new design ideas one year from now. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

Well, this "minisode" didn't end up so "mini," but in this episode, I chat about the launch strategy that I have been using for Pattern Design Circle - and why I'm changing it! Doors will be closing to Pattern Design Circle on April 5, and I will be returning to a cart open/close method - meaning that folks can only join the membership during certain launch periods. This is how Pattern Design Circle started, and then I moved to the open cart strategy about a year ago. In this podcast episode, I talk about the pros and cons of both methods and why I've chose to change the launch strategy (again). I also share a bit about what Pattern Design Circle is in case you are a knit or crochet pattern designer looking for community support, resources, and strategies to amplify your business - what all I offer inside - and how it can support you with your goals. Doors to Pattern Design Circle will close Wednesday, April 5; learn more about it here!

We are each on our own journey, and we love to hear about other's journeys: what inspires them, how they got to where they are, if they have any secrets, and more. Last year I hosted a featured pattern designer every month on my Instagram account to talk about all the details that we don't usually see online. Join us for our eighth featured designer, Julie Ann Lebouthillier, the knitting pattern designer behind Twin Stitches Designs. In this live chat, we talk all about Julie's creative journey, design process, business tips, and more. There's socks, sweaters, designing tips and journeys, Patreon, reading, sewing, yarn, an more... We hope you enjoy getting this deeper peek behind her design work! You can find her work on Instagram (@julieannknitter), on her website, and on Ravelry. Join the Pattern Design Circle for community support and help elevating your designs and business.

Are you feeling lost or frustrated when it comes to marketing your knit or crochet patterns? Do you struggle with marketing feeling hard, sales-y, or confusing? Are you tired of hearing "have to's" and "should's" that don't align with your personality and goals? If you answered "yes" to any of the above, I created a FREE Marketing Challenge just for you. It's focused on helping knit and crochet pattern designers uncover their customized feel-good marketing strategy. Tune into this podcast episode to learn why I'm hosting the Free Marketing Challenge for Pattern Designers and what you'll learn inside the challenge. Join the Free Marketing Challenge here.

You've self-diagnosed your marketing as "failing." First of all, I hope you aren't being too hard on yourself. Are your expectations realistic for your experience and past results that you've seen? Is your marketing actually failing, or are your expectations higher than reality? (If this is you, I 100% get you. I love to dream big, imagine the impossible -- at least in terms of business goals -- and expect the best. But, unfortunately, that's also a good recipe for disappointment and frustration. So let's be realistic for starters.) Beyond that, let's talk about three of the possible reasons your marketing is failing, or in other terms, three reasons your marketing is underperforming. Is it possible that you aren't clear, you don't have a plan, or you aren't actually marketing? If you're ready to get brutally honest and open with yourself about your own marketing, tune into this episode of the Pattern Design Circle Podcast. Remember, it's by being honest and vulnerable that we are best able to learn and grow. You've got this, and I'm here to support you! If you're struggling with clarity, intentions, or your marketing in general, join me for the FREE Pattern Design Marketing Challenge happening March 29-31, 2023. Book a 1-on-1 coaching call to dive deep into your business with me. Join the Pattern Design Circle now for additional guidance, resources, and support for your pattern design business.