Retirement might feel like a problem for later in life...especially if you’re freelancing, auditioning, or stacking side hustles just to make rent right now. But planning for retirement is one of the most powerful things a creative person can do to protect themselves. In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire break down retirement in a clear, approachable way and explain how artists can start building security even without a 401k or consistent income.

• What a retirement account actually is
• Why creatives need to care about retirement
• The difference between Roth IRAs, 401ks, and brokerage accounts
• Why Roth IRAs are especially powerful for freelancers, performers, and self-employed creatives
• How compound interest works and why starting early matters
• The order of operations for saving if you have access to multiple accounts
• How to automate retirement contributions so saving happens without extra effort

• Helpful Nerd Wallet Articles!
• The best index funds and how to start investing
• Investing 101
• Retirement 101
• Brokerages mentioned: Fidelity, Schwab, and Vanguard
• Break Your Budget with Michela Allocca

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That’s all for now. See you next week! Xoxo

Why does money feel so emotional for creatives? In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire sit down with licensed therapist and lifelong creative Amy Dykes (MS, APC, NCC, E-YRT) to unpack financial anxiety, avoidance, and the deeply ingrained starving artist narrative.

• Why so many creatives struggle with fear, shame, and avoidance around money
• How family upbringing and cultural narratives shape our relationship with finances
• The emotional toll of rejection and inconsistent income on self-worth
• Why avoidance is often a nervous system response, not laziness or failure
• The damaging impact of the “starving artist” myth
• How perfectionism shows up in financial habits
• Practical ways to identify limiting money beliefs
• Journaling prompts and mindfulness tools to build financial self-awareness

• Find more about Amy’s counseling here.
• Download Amy’s Money Mindset Mini Journal here!
• Sign up for The Direct Deposit, our free weekly recap newsletter
• Download the 5 Things Financial Checklist and other free tools
• Explore more about us at www.showbizpod.com

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That’s all for now. See you next week! Xoxo

College is often framed as the finish line before a creative career begins, but for most artists, it’s actually the starting point. In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire sit down with current BFA student Ruby Wolter to talk about what school doesn’t teach artists about money, business, and long-term sustainability.

• Why college is the beginning of your career, not a waiting room
• How Ruby turned her own college audition experience into a coaching business
• When a “fun Instagram account” becomes a real income stream
• The reality that auditioning is unpaid labor and how to financially plan for it
• Why being a multi-hyphenate is a strategic choice, not a fallback
• Letting go of the starving artist mentality early and building sustainability from the start

• Follow Ruby Wolter and RubyInRehearsal
• Ruby’s book: The Audition Chronicles
• Sign up for The Direct Deposit, our free weekly recap newsletter
• Download the 5 Things Financial Checklist and other free tools
• Explore more episodes at www.showbizpod.com

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

Do you actually need extreme budgets and perfectly curated New Year’s resolutions to “be good with money”? Or is there another way to reset your finances that actually works for creatives?

In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire break down how to approach money in the New Year without shame, pressure, or unrealistic expectations. For a mindset reset + tangible steps you can actually stick to, give it a listen.

• How to reflect on last year’s spending without guilt or shame
• What a “financial reset” really means (and what it doesn’t)
• Realistic budgeting strategies for freelancers and artists
• How to save money with inconsistent or seasonal income
• Setting financial goals that fit your lifestyle - not TikTok’s
• Why progress over perfection is the key to better money habits

• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money
• Free Budget Tracker Spreadsheet
• Be sure to check out our budgeting & savings episodes!
• Submit a topic idea or guest pitch at www.showbizpod.com

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That’s all for now. See you next week! Xoxo

Most creatives don’t have just one job, and while this may feel chaotic, multiple income streams is the most strategic way to set yourself up for success in 2026 & beyond in most creative industries. In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire break down the concept of portfolio careers and why most artists are already living them (whether they realize it or not).

• What a portfolio career actually is (and how it’s different from just side hustling)
• The Gen Z shift toward income stacking and contract-based work
• How artists have a competitive advantage in today’s freelance economy
• The three layers of a portfolio career: anchor income, creative gigs, and scalable income
• The reality of health insurance, seasonal income, and long-term planning as a creative
• Why the language you use to describe your work matters more than you think

• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• The Multi-Hyphen Life by Emma Gannon
• Follow Anna McKenzie for portfolio career inspo
• Tools for building your portfolio: Canva & Wix
• Platforms mentioned: Fiverr, Cohley, Billo, Vidovo, Backstage Creator Profiles
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money
• Submit a topic idea or guest pitch at www.showbizpod.com

CONNECT WITH US:

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That’s all for now. See you next week! Xoxo

Wearing suits by day & attending shoots at night, Alyssa Ferreone is living proof that you don’t have to choose between your practical and creative dreams. In this episode, we talk with the New York City-based attorney, model, and content creator about how she decided to take agency of her own life & start creating content and modeling on her terms. She balances a demanding legal career with a rapidly growing online presence, so we decided to ask how she does it & how negotiation, boundaries, and embracing the “cringe” are the key the making it work.

WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:

• How Alyssa balances being a construction litigation attorney with modeling and content creation
• The overlap between law and creative work
• How she built a modeling career by posting online
• Red flags to watch for in content contracts
• Tips for burnout, boundaries, and staying in your creative flow
• How her newsletter “Gloss Briefing” blends legal structure with lifestyle content
• The power of networking with other women in business and making your own seat at the table

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Follow Alyssa on TikTok and Instagram:
• Read her newsletter, Gloss Briefing: glossbriefing.substack.com
• Alyssa’s firm: Cohen Seglias
• Creator Conference Mentioned: Create & Cultivate
• Alyssa’s inspo: Eli Rallo
• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money
• Submit a topic idea or guest pitch at www.showbizpod.com

CONNECT WITH US:

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That’s all for now. See you next week! Xoxo

Unpaid gigs with “great exposure,” a passion project with no budget, or a student film that might lead somewhere (but also... might not). In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire break down how to make smart, strategic choices about work that doesn’t offer monetary compensation, and how to know when it’s actually worth your time.

WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:

• The moments when working for free is actually valuable
• The biggest red flags you should look out for before accepting a free gig
• Why time, money, and energy are limited resources and how to protect them
• Our personal stories of unpaid gigs that helped us (and ones we regret)
• How to evaluate opportunity cost
• Why “busy” doesn’t always mean “productive”
• The rule of résumé, wallet, and soul and how to use it when weighing unpaid work



LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money

CONNECT WITH US:

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That's all for now. See you next week! Xoxo

In this episode, we sit down with actor and career coach Spencer Glass to talk about one of the most difficult and overlooked creative skills - negotiation and knowing your worth. Spencer shares real stories, mindset shifts, and tangible tools that help artists stop apologizing and start asking for what they really need in their career. This episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt uncomfortable asking for more or you’re worried that speaking up would make you seem “difficult” in your creative industry.

WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:

• Why taking off the “actor hat” and putting on the “business hat” is essential
• How Spencer started coaching actors out of NYC coffee shops and scaled it into a thriving business
• The myth that negotiation is rude and how to reframe it as clarity and leadership
• Real-world negotiation language & email advice from Spencer’s own acting career
• What you can negotiate in contracts besides just your paycheck
• The concept of confident confrontation and building “I know I’m enough” energy
• How small wins (like saying hi in an elevator) can train your brain to advocate for yourself

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Spencer’s website and coaching: www.spencerglass.com
• Follow Spencer on Instagram: @hispencerglass
• Follow Spencer on TikTok: @spencer.glass
• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money

CONNECT WITH US:

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That's all for now. See you next week! xoxo