Marilena Madio didn't start with a business plan. She didn't register her company name for years. She raised three kids while building WallWear into a 20+ year mural powerhouse, and she did it by simply saying yes to work and showing up consistently. In this episode, she walks through how she grew incrementally around her family, priced her work fairly from day one, built a thriving membership community for other muralists, and watched 22 years of daily social media posting finally explode into 75,000 new Facebook followers in a matter of months. She also reveals the unexpected 5-year journey with Zibra behind creating the 1-inch angled brush… the most requested product the brand has ever made.


Marilena Madio is a Toronto-based muralist and founder of WallWear Inc Murals, a 20+ year mural business spanning residential, commercial, and large-scale installations. She built the business while raising three children, grew it incrementally without formal business registration for years, and has since expanded into a membership community for muralists, live masterclasses, and one-on-one business consultations. Her collaboration with Zibra on the 1-inch angled brush has become one of the most requested products in the brand's history.


Connect with Marilena:


Creative finds:


🖌️ Grab your brushes and creative tools at enjoyzibra.com and use code BANTER10 for 10% off.


In this episode, we discuss:

  • You don't need a business plan to start, sometimes slow and steady actually wins
  • How raising three kids while building a business forced her to make smarter decisions
  • What happens when you post on social media for 22 years and then suddenly get 75,000 new followers
  • The day Property Brothers called and changed everything
  • Why one high-profile project can shift how an entire market perceives your work
  • Client communication skills matter just as much as your paintbrush
  • Building a membership community that generates recurring revenue and helps other muralists avoid costly mistakes
  • The 5-year story behind creating one of Zibra's most requested brushes

Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

Connect with Zibra: 

Rss Apple Podcaster
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör Brie Hansen, Annie Bolding, & Lauren Cooper. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Brie Hansen, Annie Bolding, & Lauren Cooper och inte av, eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.