January can feel heavy with pressure to set big goals and start fresh routines — but for many of us, the deepest, coldest part of the year is better suited to gentle beginnings. In this episode of Seasons in Business, I share why I don’t set business goals in January, how I ease into the new year with observation rather than action, and why choosing a single guiding word can be surprisingly powerful.

As the year winds down, it can feel like we’re expected to rush straight from December’s busyness into fresh goals and big plans. In this episode of Seasons in Business, I invite you to pause. We explore winter as a season for rest, reflection, and gentle noticing — with prompts to help you look back without judgement, honour what’s supported you, and consider what you might want to carry forward, all at your own pace.

Have you ever felt the pressure to discount your work, especially when everyone else doing it? In this episode, I explore the realities of discounting as a creative business: the benefits, the unseen costs, and how to make pricing decisions that feel intentional and aligned with your values.

Have you ever signed up for something — a course, guide, or download — with the best intentions, and then never followed through? In this episode I explore why it happens and share gentle strategies to notice patterns, prioritise and focus, and ease the guilt.

Not every slow season is one we choose. Sometimes business goes quiet without warning — and that can bring up uncertainty and self-doubt. In this episode, I’m sharing gentle, practical ways to navigate those quieter seasons, so you can stay grounded, creative, and ready for what comes next.

Discover what it really means to run a slow, seasonal business. In this episode, I share how embracing a gentle, intentional approach to work can protect your energy, nurture your creativity, and help your business move with — rather than against — your natural rhythm.

In this episode, I share three of my favourite mantras — simple phrases that help me stay grounded, keep perspective, and keep moving when running a creative business feels challenging. These little touchstones have helped me navigate comparison, perfectionism, and the isolation that can come from working alone.

In this episode, I explore what happens when a hobby grows into a full-time creative business. Using my own letterpress journey as an example, I reflect on the unexpected challenges of turning passion into profit and share gentle tips for staying connected to joy, creativity, and inspiration along the way.

Welcome to Seasons in Business! I’m Sarah Phelps, designer and printmaker at stationery studio Sarah and Maude. In this first episode I introduce myself and the podcast, share a little behind-the-scenes of how it came to be, and reflect on running a creative business at a gentler pace. I also give a glimpse of what’s coming in future episodes.

A short trailer for Seasons in Business, a new podcast for creative business owners who want to grow at a slower, more thoughtful pace.