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revisiting one of my most popular chats over the school holidays - part one of mt chat with my husband, tune in for part two next week and an all new part three the week after.
Behind the Scenes of Oleander & Finch: Real Talk on Business, Marriage, and Boundaries (with Aidan)
Host Rhiannon Lee replays a candid 2023 conversation with her husband, Aidan, about the behind-the-scenes realities of growing Oleander & Finch from a COVID-era side hustle into a larger design and education business. They discuss her early imposter syndrome and underpricing (including obsessing over a cushion-styling job), building confidence and a clearer pricing structure, and the patience and trust required from a partner when income is inconsistent in the first year. They unpack the relentless logistics of running a business with three young kids, boundary-setting with clients across time zones, burnout that prompted a business reassessment, and how creating “the framework” course reduced stress by shifting away from high-volume one-on-one client work. They also touch on social media frustrations, transparency as a strategy, and the benefits of building a dedicated home studio.
00:00 Show Intro
00:38 Holiday Chaos Update
00:50 Replaying Aidan Chats
02:55 Why Share This
04:19 Side Hustle Origins
04:48 COVID Going All In
07:51 Early Imposter Syndrome
09:31 Growth and Confidence
11:14 Money Pressure and Trust
16:13 Juggling Kids and Work
19:15 Partner Support Reality
21:38 Boundaries and Time Zones
24:27 After Hours Boundaries
25:36 Nocturnal Work Burnout
26:50 Building The Framework
27:50 Ambition And Work Ethic
28:41 Industry Osmosis Lessons
29:47 Social Media Copycats
33:08 Radical Transparency Shift
36:07 Course Creator Tradeoffs
39:23 Creative Sponge Ran Dry
41:21 Home Studio Build Reality
43:37 Closing Reflections And Outro
Thanks for listening to this episode of "Designing Success: From Study to Studio"! Connect with me on social media for more business tips, and a real look behind the scenes of my own practicing design business.
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