Welcome to the very first episode of Mugs & Marketing!
In this introductory episode, twin sisters Ashley and Alisha share who they are, what they do, and why they decided to start a podcast together.
While both sisters run creative businesses, their paths look very different. Ashley is a digital entrepreneur, yoga teacher, and business coach who helps wellness professionals build online businesses through websites, courses, memberships, and marketing. Alisha is a full-time pottery artist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, creating handmade mugs and pottery from her backyard studio and selling through art markets, Etsy, and her online shop.
Together, they discuss the similarities and differences between physical product businesses and digital businesses, the realities of working from home, and why they believe creative entrepreneurs need both creativity and marketing to succeed.
This episode is the perfect starting point if you’re a creative entrepreneur, artist, yoga teacher, maker, or small business owner looking for encouragement, honest conversations, and practical insights about building a business around your passions.
In This Episode
- Why Ashley and Alisha decided to start Mugs & Marketing
- The story behind the podcast name
- What Ashley does as a yoga teacher and online business coach
- How Alisha transitioned into full-time pottery and handmade products
- The biggest differences between digital and physical product businesses
- What a typical workday looks like for each of them
- Selling pottery through Etsy, art markets, consignment shops, and online stores
- Building an online business through courses, memberships, and coaching
- The importance of marketing for creative entrepreneurs
- Why flexibility and work-from-home lifestyles matter to both of them
- Their favorite hobbies outside of business
- What listeners can expect from future episodes
Key Takeaways
Every creative business looks different
One of the biggest themes in this episode is that there is no single “right way” to build a creative business. Ashley’s business is built around digital products and online education, while Alisha creates physical products by hand. Both approaches can be successful.
Marketing matters no matter what you sell
Whether you’re teaching yoga online, selling pottery at art markets, creating digital products, or running a local service business, marketing plays a critical role in helping people discover what you offer.
Start before you’re ready
The sisters openly admit they’re new to podcasting and decided to stop overthinking and simply begin. Their philosophy? Just start, improve over time, and let the process teach you what comes next.
Creative businesses evolve
Neither Ashley nor Alisha planned their businesses exactly as they exist today. Both have adapted, experimented, and followed opportunities as they appeared.
Favorite Quote
“Start before you’re ready. This podcast is going to be a little crunchy, but we’ll get better as time goes on.”
Resources Mentioned
Ashley Hagen
Website: https://ashesyoga.com
Instagram: @ashesyoga
Alisha Hagen Art
Website: https://alishahagenart.com
Instagram: @alishahagenart
What’s Coming Next
In Episode 2, Ashley and Alisha dive deeper into their personal histories, how they got started in business, why they moved away from their hometown, and the winding path that led them to where they are today.
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