))
How exactly does someone with zero business or artistic training launch and grow a $900k business and build a life full of creativity and freedom? That’s exactly what The Shinah Show explores. Every week, I (Shinah Chang, a former corporate lawyer turned wildly successful calligrapher and calligraphy teacher) share a lesson that I learned along my journey. Maybe you feel like you’re stuck in a life that doesn’t light you up inside. Maybe you’re craving more creativity, but you don’t think yo ...
…
continue reading
Real talk with Nikki & Shinah about their relationship and real life issues.
…
continue reading
Brand activations (aka “Live Event Calligraphy”) can be a super fun & lucrative job in the calligraphy industry – if you’ve got the skills to deliver the goods! Brands frequently collaborate with calligraphers to personalize their products with everything from pointed pens & brush pens, to glass engraving, at live in-person events. As far as locati…
…
continue reading
Yep, you read that title right. If you thought the idea & success of Crooked Calligraphy just fell into my lap, you might wanna settle in for an eye-opening episode. In October of 2013, depressed and burnt out, I flat out quit my 6-figure job as a corporate lawyer and went from a completely independent & successful career woman, to living in my bes…
…
continue reading
“Us small business owners are over here thinking that if we make a mistake, if we have a failure, if something doesn’t go the way we wanted it to… it means something catastrophic about us.” Most businesses statistically fail. So how do the other businesses succeed you ask? Because most of them are products of business owners who have failed previou…
…
continue reading
This episode is a small preview of my full, in-depth "Calligraphy Business Made Simple Training" - CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT FOR FREE --- Starting a business isn’t necessarily hard because of the knowledge you need to run it. But rather because you need to look inside yourself and find the courage and strength to face the hard things. Let that sink i…
…
continue reading
Montine has been my life-coach for 10 years. She leads a magical, creative, laughter-filled, self-love-incuding practice called Intuition Painting. And she needs your help, because her beautiful studio in Asheville, North Carolina was recently decimated by Hurricane Helene. Montine has had to cancel nearly all of her retreats for the rest of the ye…
…
continue reading
“Even top ranked tennis players win barely more than half the points they play.” - Shinah In today’s episode, I’m going to totally transform the way you think about business “mistakes” and “failures.” ‘Cause way too many of us go into business thinking you’ve gotta be close to perfect. Even Roger Freakin’ Federer, a world-renowned tennis player, ba…
…
continue reading
"If you only measure business success in dollars... you'll never be satisfied, because you're never acknowledging the things that are actually making your life better." - Shinah I just got back from my honeymoon trip to Paris and had a realization about why my business feels like a slam-dunk SUCCESS to me right now... despite me not reaching my goa…
…
continue reading
“We’re not satisfied with the quality of your calligraphy, so we won’t be paying you.” Yes, that was actually said to me. And naïve, inexperienced Shinah hadn’t gotten payment upfront – so all my work ended up being for nothing. Sucks, right? I recently shared this experience with my Calligraphy Biz Inner Circle members. Not to teach them about pay…
…
continue reading
“My life is always crazy and I’m running all over the place. I do so much for everyone else but calligraphy is something to call my own….and that is a feeling I didn’t even know I needed.” Danielle Williams is a BUSY person. She’s a full-time caregiver to her mother who has dementia, and a part-time healthcare worker. She never considered herself a…
…
continue reading
Watch the video training here -- A concrete six-month PLAN you can follow to go from calligraphy beginner, to starting your own calligraphy business! This is the roadmap I wish I had when I first started, because it tells you 1) The crucial building blocks and priorities to focus on, and 2) What you can ignore (despite "experts" telling you otherwi…
…
continue reading
“I’m still afraid to put myself out there because now there are so many more experienced calligraphers than there were back then.” - Shinah Today I’m talking about one of the biggest fears that keeps calligraphers from putting themselves out there – competition. When you’re just starting out, you may think that NO ONE will want to pay you for your …
…
continue reading
“I’m no longer afraid to put myself out there... Because of my hearing loss, I’ve always been a little intimidated by new people. But calligraphy has given me a great deal of confidence. And I’m proud of my work.” - Amanda Nicole Borne Today, I’m talking to my student Amanda - a substitute teacher and calligraphy biz owner who is also dealing with …
…
continue reading
Life is ALWAYS going to get in the way of your dreams. There I said it. I recently hosted my 'Calligraphy Business Inner Circle', where I gathered with a small group of students for an 8-week intensive to set them on their path towards entrepreneurship. As we’re coming down the home stretch, one of the biggest roadblocks we hit was, “life is gettin…
…
continue reading
In a not-so-distant time ago, I was cowering under my fancy corporate lawyer desk praying no one would find me. I was miserable and dreaded waking up and going to work every day. So I quit, and started working for myself – and then completely burned out and quit that too for a while. So when someone asks me, “Do you regret entrepreneurship?”, that …
…
continue reading
Not many people realize calligraphy goes WAYYYY beyond weddings – and is growing exponentially in almost every place possible. From presidential (and royal) calligraphers, to highly specialized pieces for celebrities & T.V. shows (Bridgerton anyone?), simple “pen and paper” items only scratch the surface of this industry – as well as the things I’v…
…
continue reading
I’ve never told my whole story in one episode… so here it is. How I ended up as a successful but unhappy lawyer. How I got out. And how I hit the calligraphy business “jackpot”. Listen to hear: The REAL reason I decided to quit law (that I’ve never shared before) The humiliating thing I did as a third grader that held me back from becoming an entre…
…
continue reading
How I learned to accept my imperfect body… and how that went hand-in-hand with business growth. In this vulnerable episode, I share openly about: How growing up Korean-American in this jacked up culture led to seriously disordered eating patterns for most of my adult life What happened when I finally did lose a lot of weight in my 20s… and how it d…
…
continue reading
“Settling” for my husband has taught me SO MUCH about business… But letting go of the idea of my “perfect man” not only led me to the love of my life… but it taught me crucial business lessons, too. So, keep listening to hear: Everything I thought I wanted in a partner and why I was so wrong about most of it My husband’s numerous “disqualifications…
…
continue reading
As a recovering perfectionist, the idea of publishing “less than perfect” work felt totally wrong early on in my business. I would spend hours scrutinizing the tiniest of details, thinking no one would possibly take me seriously (much less buy anything from me!) otherwise. But all those hours spent overanalyzing weren’t getting me any further with …
…
continue reading
“I’m hopeful for the future now…” Jessica has been a middle-school teacher for 20 years, but the last six have been a real struggle. But CALLIGRAPHY has changed all of that. Jessica re-discovered the childhood hobby she had loved so much, then decided to enroll in my Calligraphy Biz Starter Guide Course - so she could finally do something more with…
…
continue reading
“What if it goes RIGHT?!?” Jana Ricci began her company “Fishtail Flourish” after stepping away from a 6-figure career as a Director of Marketing. Finally giving herself permission to do something for herself, she became immersed in my calligraphy courses during COVID - and never looked back. Jana spends a lot of her time in (go figure) the small t…
…
continue reading
I broke into the calligraphy industry at one of the most ideal times. Instagram videos were on the rise & local maker events were popping up everywhere, giving me the opportunity to network my business. Then COVID quarantined everyone, and people were looking for something to do amidst the stagnant, day-to-day monotony of being stuck inside – and c…
…
continue reading
So you want to start a calligraphy business – that’s awesome! But wait… are there too many calligraphers out there already that it’s going to be impossible to create your own space and stand out in this industry? This was an actual (and legitimate) question I got in my Instagram DM’s by a follower a few weeks ago. She was wondering if the market wa…
…
continue reading
Who has ever said, “I’d LOVE to do that – but I have no time!” We’ve ALL said it, felt it, and truly meant it. Time is fleeting in today’s world - we’re constantly running from point A to point B, being a slave to our to-do list of ‘highly important’ tasks. We’re “time famished” – constantly looking to squeeze a few more minutes out of our day. Wha…
…
continue reading
350 place cards, 110 welcome cards, 40 table cards, and 8 menu templates later… I just completed my first $10k corporate calligraphy job in quite some time - And I am TIRED… Trust me, I don’t say this to brag – I say it to show all of you aspiring creatives and calligraphers that these jobs ACTUALLY exist. It’s not uncommon to find big brands with …
…
continue reading
Imagine if listening to this podcast *right now*, could change the entire trajectory of your life?? That’s what happened when Magda - podcast listener turned calligrapher & businesswoman - tuned into the 1st episode of "The Shinah Show" after my 9-month hiatus… with no other intentions than having something to break up her day amidst working her co…
…
continue reading
Growing up as a first-generation Korean-American, I was raised to believe that meeting “perfect” milestones would make me happy. There was never any letter other than an A on my report cards, a number other than 1600 on my SATS (and PSATS), or a university I attended with a ranking less than #1 in the nation (ok, don’t hate me – I promise it’s not …
…
continue reading
I’m back for Season 3! “I’m realizing that this is my damn business, and I can take it in any direction I want.” - Shinah The theme for this season is ANTI-PERFECTIONISM Season 1 was launched at the peak of my “pandemic success” - million dollar years, thousands of students, so much exposure through ads and social media Season 2 was the year of “co…
…
continue reading
I’m taking a little break from the Podcast and here’s why… “This is the scariest thing I’ve ever done and I’m terrified.” - Shinah FIRST: Crooked Calligraphy is NOT going anywhere In fact, I’ve created a brand-new FREE CALLIGRAPHY STYLE MONTH for March 2024. ✍️ So, if you want free lessons on how to think about style BUILDING BLOCKS, so you can lev…
…
continue reading
Let’s get into part 2 of how to start a calligraphy business with arguably one of THE most important things – how to attract customers & keep them with the services you’re providing! There is a LOT that goes into starting a business – which might sound incredibly scary. But this is stuff though where you actually need to show up and courageously ke…
…
continue reading
I’m de-mystifying the legal & financial steps to officially setup your calligraphy or art business. “I promise, by the end of this episode, this stuff will feel less overwhelming and more DOABLE.” - Shinah If you’ve ever dreamed of making money with your art, but this scary logistical stuff is what’s stopping you, grab a notepad ‘cause we’re gettin…
…
continue reading
Betcha didn’t know I was a huge fantasy nerd🤓… and other (maybe) interesting facts In today’s light-hearted episode, I share 13 things you probably didn’t know about me! Including: The 21 countries I’ve traveled to The martial arts black belt I never use… What I do in my 40s that I would NEVER DARE to do in my 20s Hopefully you feel like you know m…
…
continue reading
What could you accomplish if you no longer feared failure? "I’m more open than ever to feeling it ALL… success, disappointment, shame, and extraordinary gratitude." - Shinah If you go after something brave and a little unusual… you WILL face failure and disappointment. Here’s what I do so that those feelings make me stronger, instead of crushing me…
…
continue reading
"I made more money than my husband, for the very first time in my life... with calligraphy!" - Priscilla Basilio, Crooked Calligraphy Student Today, I’m interviewing someone who went from: Not knowing anything about calligraphy... to Bringing in more money with her calligraphy business last December than her husband did with his full-time job! Pris…
…
continue reading
If you’re afraid to follow your creative dreams, I’m going to give you some perspective today that will totally DISARM your fear (and it’s not what you might think). I’ve been encouraging people to go after their creativity in the form of calligraphy for 8 years now. I’ve sold courses that cost $500 or more – and I’ve also heard EVERY excuse under …
…
continue reading
Genell of @speciallyinked is a BRUSH PEN calligrapher (yes, not all calligraphers use pointed pen!) who started her calligraphy journey as a fun venture - unaware of her savvy marketing skills at the time. She had never really thought of herself as “creative”. But after taking my Modern Calligraphy 201 course (and showing her friends her progress a…
…
continue reading
psst... Join our FREE 5-Day Calligraphy Challenge (starts Jan 14, 2024) If you’re hoping for more creative exploration and expression in 2024, I’m here to bust some myths about what it truly means to be “creative” and explain why as a society we need to re-think creativity just like we’re re-thinking SEX. Join me in this episode as I debunk some of…
…
continue reading
Clarity can only come from Action “There’s just no way to over-think yourself into true understanding. That’s why I’m walking away from this year with so many lessons.” - Shinah This year, I did NOT hit my financial goals. And I beat myself up constantly… all while creating new offers, trying new business ventures, and feeling like a failure most o…
…
continue reading
I’m officially back from Korea, and settling back into my CEO role as I break down how Crooked Calligraphy has fared in the 10 months since I’ve dismantled & rebuilt it once again! As I process my feelings and look back on the last year, I’ve had quite the love/hate relationship with its performance. While my revenue was almost spot on to my predic…
…
continue reading
Dani has always had a life-long love affair with fancy pens and inks. After discovering me through my sweary calligraphy greeting cards on Reddit (crazy right?!?), she began her calligraphy journey in 2018 with my Modern Calligraphy 101 course. When her mental health started to decline due to fertility issues, she made a promise to herself to focus…
…
continue reading
I recently hosted a “Launch Your Profitable Product” Bootcamp, and my students had SO many questions about Etsy. So much so that I added an entire unit to my “Biz Starter Course” walking you through how to sell on Etsy. There are a LOT of strong opinions when it comes to Etsy. And since I have technically sold products on it since 2015, I figured i…
…
continue reading
There are two ways to grow revenue “The calligraphers I see thriving often have a mix of revenue streams.” - Shinah This episode started when I got an email from someone asking, sincerely and thoughtfully, whether it’s possible to make a living as a calligrapher WITHOUT teaching calligraphy. So I answered her honestly… I myself make the vast majori…
…
continue reading
GROWTH CAN BE INCREDIBLY HARD “One of the most challenging parts of running a business is that it forces you to confront the parts of you that you’ve been AVOIDING your whole life.” - Shinah This is a deeply personal episode and warning, I get a unabshedly sniffly for the entire second half. I share REAL FINANCIAL NUMBERS from my latest course laun…
…
continue reading
Let's face it - the real reason most people don't start their own business is because of FEAR. Those paralyzing "what ifs" in your mind ignite your true fears - fear of the unknown, fear of the judgement from others, fear of failure.... But what if there was a way to overcome those? Last week. I held my very first "Launch Your Profitable Product" B…
…
continue reading
“Help, Shinah!! Someone wants to pay me to write their wedding song lyrics in calligraphy… is this allowed, or am I going to get in copyright trouble?!?” The Short Answer? You might be violating copyright law, buuuuuut you probably won’t get in trouble for this one job. The Long Answer? It’s complicated. I’ll try and explain it in easy terms (and k…
…
continue reading
What kind of person do you picture when you hear the word “entrepreneur”?? A lot of us (as I did for most of my life) pictured rich, powerful men full of generational wealth. They were venture capitalists, stock brokers, or heads of giant corporations who drove around one of their many sports cars when they weren’t vacationing on their yacht in the…
…
continue reading
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “CUD”?? Probably a cow chewing their cud (at least that’s what I think of). BUT, there is an entirely different definition of “CUD” that can help you jumpstart a profitable creative business (stick with me here!) In today’s episode, I define how to use the “CUD Method” (clear, unique, doabl…
…
continue reading
How many of you have ever begin an Instagram caption with “I loved creating _______!” Yeah, we’ve all been there. As creators, making things is what we LOVE to do! YOU’RE always going to love what you’re making… but are other people? As sellers, we have to remember that we aren’t selling ourselves on our products- you’re selling to an audience. Oft…
…
continue reading
If you have ever tried to price a good for sale that you created, or you have but feel like you can’t quite hit the sweet spot- this episode is for you! I find SO MANY of my students wondering “How the hell do I price my products??” I totally get it- thumbing through the pages of Etsy researching competitors prices can have you feeling a little, we…
…
continue reading
What NOT to do when launching a course. “Looking back, there are some definite reasons why this launch under-performed.” - Shinah Today, I’m getting both STRATEGIC and quite VULNERABLE. I’m looking at my latest launch of my Intermediate Calligraphy Course and analyzing why: A pre-launch runway is so important Too much content during a launch can be…
…
continue reading
