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she makes

say hello to your new favorite podcast.

she makes is all about female makers + creative business owners. Here, we share stories, discuss hot topics in biz, and provide education on small biz tools, tricks, and life.

Expect chats on important lessons learned as women in business β€” and hear incredible stories from women who have paved their own paths. Listen to chats on hard topics like mental health, imposter syndrome, and self-care. And learn about how to run your own biz: with tips and tricks on topics like marketing + PR, local shows, pricing your products, finding funding, and more.

Listen to the Latest

Get to Know the Host

Katy Sensenig Schilthuis β€” Host of She Makes

Meet Katy
[Host-ess with the Mostest]

Hello! I'm @katyschilthuis. Serial entrepreneur and creative, fuzzy-animal obsessed, product-based business owner, lover of Broadway musicals + retail boutique founder. I'm SO FREAKIN' excited to host @shemakesapodcast.

I started my stationery company, @freshoutofink, in 2016. That became my launchpad for retail collective @mosaicmakersco in 2018. In 2021, I founded in-person and online community @fempowermentsessions with two dear friends, and started work on @make.her.story. And now β€” we're going big, bringing you @shemakesapodcast!

I'm passionate about women. About the maker community. About being open + vulnerable in business, and supporting one another along the way.

All Episodes

Three Seasons of Stories

Season One
01

she makes

Introducing the Podcast

Katy introduces She Makes β€” a podcast all about female makers and creative business owners. Hear what's coming, why this podcast exists, and what you can expect from the conversations ahead.

Dec 2021
02

she makes a [COMMUNITY]

Communities or lack thereof can make or break a small business, but what effect does 'community' have on the small business owner? And what happens when similar small companies are all vying for attention from the same community β€” does toxicity creep in amongst connectivity? Find out in this episode of SHE MAKES.

Season 1Guest: Trina Radel
03

she makes an [IMPOSTER]

We can be our best inspiration or our worst detractors and critics. A small business owner with Imposter Syndrome is an example of the latter. Tune in to hear how these makers managed their own imposter syndrome experiences for the betterment of themselves, their businesses, and their families.

Season 1Guest: Nathalie Lu
04

she makes a [MAMA]

Running any business while balancing home and family is a constant challenge. But what happens when that challenge falls upon the shoulders of MOM β€” who is the kick-ass business owner and the one person 'traditionally' tasked with keeping a home together? Find out how these fantastic makers manage everything day in and day out.

Season 1Guest: Nicole Hawthorne, Allyson Nickerson
05

she makes an [IMPACT]

Inclusivity and representation are more important than ever. Ruby, the maker behind 'Hand Picked by Ruby,' has taken it upon herself to make sure every child has a chance to feel unique beyond measure. Tune in to hear how she accomplishes this and much more on this episode of SHE MAKES!

Season 1Guest: Ruby, Hand Picked by Ruby
06

she makes [HOPE]

Sometimes in life, you can create something extraordinary from nothing. At various times, we are granted some deep drive to pick up all the broken pieces of tragic experiences and put them back together again β€” better than before. These are the stories of fantastic makers who did exactly that.

Season 1Guest: Vickie Mireles, Ashley Rogers, Taylor Milbauer
07

she makes a [FUTURE]

Starting a business is one thing, but keeping it going and thriving as an ethically sourced and sustainable business is a whole other story. Tune in to hear how these business owners manage the everyday process of maintaining and growing their sustainable businesses.

Season 1Guest: Frances Grace, Kelly Blue
08

she makes a [LEGACY]

Death as a part of life can be as painful an experience as one can endure. Tune in to hear how this incredible dance instructor is continuing to inspire and teach others from her own experience with death, grief, and a new outlook on life. This is Brecia's story on SHE MAKES.

Season 1Guest: Brecia
09

she makes an [IDENTITY]

Art is a beautiful creation made that much more impactful when created from a place of passion and the need to speak to broader themes of cultural representation and inclusion of all peoples. Tune in to hear how these amazing makers are doing just that with their artistic creations.

Season 1Guest: Kathy Phantastic, Ashlea Kiiing
Season Two
01

she makes [SEASON TWO]

Season Two Intro

Hey, Maker Nation! We're back for SEASON TWO! She Makes host Katy and co-host Taylor are ready to dive back into real talk about small business life for creative entrepreneurs and makers. Sit back and listen as we chat about what's coming, who's coming, and what we're most excited about in this second season.

Jun 2022Guest: Katy & Taylor
02

she makes a [DUO]: Running a Business as a Team

What does it look like to run a business with a partner? We dive into what it takes to run a creative small business as a DUO β€” the challenges, the positives, and where the boundaries lie. We talk to twins and owners of the Guilty Grape (Nicole and Nichelle) and friends behind Greenhouse Paper Goods (Kim and Angelique) about what partnership looks like to them.

Season 2Guest: Nicole & Nichelle (Guilty Grape), Kim & Angelique (Greenhouse Paper Goods)
03

she makes a [MARKET]

Join us as we talk with Madelon Juliano of Renegade Craft on all things 'craft fairs' β€” how to prepare, measure your ROI, what juries look for in applicants, and more. These bustling markets are a challenge for makers everywhere, especially at larger-scale national fairs. So what does it take to succeed?

Season 2Guest: Madelon Juliano, Renegade Craft
04

she makes a [STRATEGY]

Storytelling + Social Media Marketing

Pricing your product as a maker β€” and including 'pay' for yourself β€” is a complex formula to follow, as is knowing where to sell online. We dive into these topics with Sara Baggett of Lucky Franklin and Maya Modi of Maya x Kiwi. What's the best way to price products for wholesale and retail? And where should you open a shop on the web? We chat about labor costs, pricing models, Shopify vs. Etsy, and more.

Season 2Guest: Sara Baggett (Lucky Franklin), Maya Modi (Maya x Kiwi)Listen on Spotify
05

she makes a [LEADER]

What makes a great leader? How does a leader cultivate a great culture? Join Katy and Taylor as they talk to Jen Thornton of 304 Coaching β€” a leader and leadership coach with years of experience. Listen in as they chat through how to build a team, cultivate the best qualities within yourself as a leader, and more.

Season 2Guest: Jennifer Thornton, 304 Coaching
06

she makes a [TOUGH CALL]

Join Katy, Taylor, and guest Katie Mitchell of Saltbox as we talk about the emotional toll behind running a small biz and the difficult decisions that come with it. HOW do you wear all of the hats yourself and juggle it all?! Find out on this episode of SHE MAKES.

Season 2Guest: Katie Mitchell, Saltbox
07

she makes a [SUCCESSFUL SEASON]

We're under 100 days out from Christmas β€” the busiest time of year for handmade business owners. We're joined by Katie Hunt of Proof to Product, an expert in wholesale sales and marketing, to discuss how to set yourself up for a successful holiday season: increasing average transaction values, handling shipping delays, and so much more.

Season 2Guest: Katie Hunt, Proof to Product
08

she makes an [IMPOSTER] part 2

Imposter syndrome is one of the most common mental health struggles small business owners face. We're joined by Dani Ulstad of Ronny & RenΓ© to talk about working through self-doubt, daily self-care practices, the power of affirmations, and how to show up on social media without falling into a cycle of comparison.

Season 2Guest: Dani Ulstad, Ronny & RenΓ©
09

she makes a [SURVIVOR]

Highlighting Breast Cancer Awareness Month by chatting with small business owners and breast cancer survivors Sheri Mathis of Mammogram Poster Girls and Leslie Needleman of The Gem Organic Food & Juice. They take us back to the moment they were diagnosed and how being diagnosed lit their passion for providing space and community for other women.

Season 2Guest: Sheri Mathis (Mammogram Poster Girls), Leslie Needleman (The Gem)
10

she makes [CHANGE]: How and When to Pivot Your Creative Small Business

As makers and small business owners, knowing when to pivot and flow with transitional times is key. Maria Alquicira of The Abstract Journey and Collette Beregnuer of N.Y.M.F by Co join us to discuss experimentation, finding the balance between your vision and your customer's needs, and how to facilitate a successful rebrand.

Season 2Guest: Maria Alquicira (The Abstract Journey), Collette Beregnuer (N.Y.M.F by Co)
11

she makes [GOALS]

Retail business coach Kathy Cruz of Savvy Shopkeeper joins us to discuss year-end reviews, tracking metrics, and setting goals. Kathy breaks down how to get more visibility into your numbers, figure out a benchmark, and get clear on your expectations for the following year β€” plus tools for tracking and analyzing data points.

Season 2Guest: Kathy Cruz, Savvy Shopkeeper
12

she makes a [MAMA] part 2

We're joined by two mamas navigating new chapters in their businesses and motherhood. Nicole Hawthorne of NHCO Botanical Bodycare catches us up on her surprise 'stork drop' adoption, while Hannah Middleton of The Worthy Wild shares her experience as a mom of a neurodiverse teenager and her new business ideas.

Season 2Guest: Nicole Hawthorne (NHCO Botanical Bodycare), Hannah Middleton (The Worthy Wild)
Season Three
01

she makes [SEASON THREE]

Season Three Intro

To kick off a new season of She Makes, we're giving you a peek into what we're covering in upcoming episodes. Not only are we going to continue conversations on motherhood and creative business ownership, but we're also going to expand on themes related to leadership and representation.

Apr 17, 2023
02

she makes a [PERSONALITY TYPE]

Lynn McCracken of InTune Wellness Center β€” therapist, coach, and singer-songwriter β€” is an expert on personality types as a tool for supporting small business owners. We delve into enneagrams, archetypes at work, and archetypal preferences reports, and how they help you identify your gifts and where the gaps are in your organization.

Season 3Guest: Lynn McCracken, InTune Wellness Center
03

she makes [SELF-LOVE]

We've all heard 'You can't pour from an empty cup,' but what does it look like to truly take care of yourself? Megan Moore of The Love Within Us and Lau Machiavelli of Lifestyle with Lau dive into their self-love practices and how those rituals support their success as small business owners.

Season 3Guest: Megan Moore (The Love Within Us), Lau Machiavelli (Lifestyle with Lau)
04

she makes a [MAMA] part 3

We're joined by Taylor De La Fuente of Bigmouth Copy to talk about motherhood and specifically postpartum depression (PPD) β€” how it affects the work-life balance for small business owners, the hormonal changes that cause PPD, and why it's important for others to understand what postpartum really looks like.

Season 3Guest: Taylor De La Fuente, Bigmouth Copy
05

she makes an [IDENTITY] part 2

In this inspiring in-person episode with a live audience, we're joined by Ashlea Kiiing of Kiiing Creations, Kathy Phan of Kathy Phantastic, and Nicole Bernard of NB Makes. We discuss representation, discrimination, and race in the independent artist space, pandemic projects that went 'rogue,' and using your creations to empower others.

Season 3Guest: Ashlea Kiiing, Kathy Phan, Nicole Bernard
06

she makes a [MINDSET]

Unpacking the Power of the Subconscious Mind

When it comes to business, mindset matters β€” seriously matters. Sara Baggett of Lucky Franklin is back on the show, joined by her mindset coach Krista Cannon, to discuss all things coaching and mindset work. Krista describes what to expect from a mindset coach and how this framework can help you break through what's holding you back from building a fulfilling business.

Jun 26, 2023Guest: Sara Baggett (Lucky Franklin), Krista CannonListen on Spotify
07

she makes a [LEGACY] part 2

Navigating Grief and Finding Grace in Loss

What do you say to someone when they lose a loved one, but 'I'm sorry for your loss' doesn't begin to express what you're feeling? We're joined by Angie Hanson of Butterflies + Halos and Brecia Eubank of RISE Performing Arts Center to learn how they're navigating grief alongside their small businesses and why it's so important to give yourself grace to grow through grief.

Jul 10, 2023Guest: Angie Hanson (Butterflies + Halos), Brecia Eubank (RISE Performing Arts Center)
08

she makes a [CYCLE]

Leveraging the Power of Your Menstrual Phases as a Female Small Biz Owner

What if there was a way to utilize your menstrual cycle to optimize energy and productivity in life β€” specifically in entrepreneurship? We're joined by Briana Villegas, a Certified Menstrual Cycle Coach, to learn how cycle syncing and small business go hand in hand and how to work with your body rather than against it.

Jul 24, 2023Guest: Briana Villegas, Certified Menstrual Cycle Coach
09

she makes it [AUTHENTIC]

Celebrating Your Genuine Self in Life and Business

What if there was a way to appreciate and love all aspects of yourself, regardless of society's expectations? We're joined by Jenn Chow, an Authenticity + Joy Coach for Asian American and LGBTQIA+ communities, whose journey toward finding her authentic self inspired the creation of CHOW Coaching β€” in support of women removing the masks they wear for others.

Aug 7, 2023Guest: Jenn Chow, CHOW Coaching
10

she makes a [PATH]

Paving Your Way to Running a Business You Love

What if it was possible to recognize your story β€” what makes you different β€” and live a life of confidence? We're with Hannah Davis, television and online host, founder of Well Told Productions, and competence coach, where she helps clients grow into their confidence and realize their dreams are within reach.

Aug 21, 2023Guest: Hannah Davis, Well Told Productions
11

she makes a [PROFIT]

Utilizing Profit First to Succeed in Small Biz

What if there was a way to turn a profit without completely changing how you run your business? We're joined by Geeta Lalvani Hines, co-founder of Profit Comes First, a family-run business dedicated to teaching small business owners how to reduce overhead costs so they can pay themselves. Geeta shares steps to increase profit β€” starting with the book Profit First.

Sep 4, 2023Guest: Geeta Lalvani Hines, Profit Comes First
12

she makes a [STRATEGY]

Storytelling + Social Media Marketing as a Small Business

What if there was a way to grow your online presence and monetize your audience? We're with Emma Tessler, Founder + CEO of Ninety Five Media, a digital marketing agency that builds results-driven social media strategies. Emma shares her four-part marketing framework for growing your online presence and converting audience members into paying customers.

Sep 25, 2023Guest: Emma Tessler, Ninety Five MediaListen on Spotify

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