Speaker 3 0:00

Welcome to Overcoming Anything, the podcast where we dive deep into stories of resilience, transformation, and growth. I'm your host, Anne and today we have an incredible guest who's going to talk about overcoming the identity shift from corporate marketer to artist. So joining me today is April page and she is proof. Then it's never too late to step into a more creative. Authentic chapter of your life, take the risk and welcome to the show.

Speaker 4 0:25

Thank you. Thanks for having me. I'm excited.

Speaker 3 0:27

Absolutely. So before we dive in, I always love to ask, what's one quote or mantra that keeps you going in tough times during this season of transformation?

Speaker 4 0:35

I am gonna say just do it. That's really been front and center for me right now. really to get over a lot of things that are either scary or you're not sure about, and you have to just do it to try it to figure it out. So I'm just jumping in with both feet right now and living spiritually almost to figure things out.

Speaker 3 0:55

That's great. So did you pack your parachute before you jumped?

Speaker 4 0:58

No, No. No. I kind of did. I mean, I had a strategy and I still do of. You know what my overall plans are, financially and also business wise. But, you have to prepare. I don't recommend anybody just jump without the resources, right? you have to, depending on what your life is and what you have going on around you, it's different for everybody, business wise, you really have to strategize for that too.

Speaker 3 1:23

I agree a hundred percent. So let's start at the beginning. What is the most difficult thing that you ever had to overcome?

Speaker 4 1:29

In life or in business?

Speaker 3 1:30

Maybe both. Maybe it's one and the same. You tell us.

Speaker 4 1:33

I think, most recently I'm going through such a transformation and I think the identity shift is really something that. Is front and center for me also is, having that identity as a senior corporate marketer was a badge I wore proudly, and I worked hard for that. I got a degree, I had 30 years of experience, won many awards and I. Really felt like this is part of who I am and where my value lies my worth. And, when I started to transition and decided,, because of everything that happened in the last six years, that I was gonna go all in on myself and, take my side hustle as my main gig. Now as an artist, a fine artist in particular, it didn't. have as much weight as the sound of senior digital marketing manager, Exactly. So I had to get over that. I really had to really, go within and say, that was then, and I'm very grateful and appreciative. But me as an artist is something I've always been as a child. I need to own that and own that identity and be proud of it. And I've gotten through that now in the last 10 months. And now I'm very proud to say that I am a full-time fine artist. Yeah.

Speaker 3 2:46

So how do you let go of the old identity and dissolve it as you transition into the new identity?

Speaker 4 2:54

I think it, took time,, and, me saying I'm a recovering senior corporate marketer and making a joke out of it helped. started saying that in the beginning just to say, I have this. Kind of weighty, hefty background, even though I'm a fine artist. So I felt the need to say I'm a recovering former senior corporate marketer. me some weight, which isn't needed by the way, but it helped me to transition. Owning that identity. Now, I don't say that anymore unless we get deeper conversation with somebody. But, I now am very proud to say I am a, full-time fine artist and I really don't care anymore what people think about that. 'cause I am who I am and I think it's. A wonderful thing that I have the mix of business and artistry and able to, what we were talking about before, balance that. So, very proud of that. So it doesn't happen for most people, usually people are one side or the other and, So that's how I did it in the beginning was just to ease in by still calling myself that identity and joking around with it a little bit, but then going into now being very proud of what I'm doing. Yeah,

Speaker 3 4:08

that's a great transition because a lot of people. Their self-worth is tied to their performance and their old jobs. So like you said, you were award-winning, you got that validation. Your boss, you're having these this incredible ROI on your marketing campaigns, and then all of a sudden when you're self-employed and you're an artist and you're creating art and maybe it's not their exact color scheme that they like or that pattern, and maybe you're not making the money. that's really tough. So I feel that for you.

Speaker 4 4:40

Yeah.

Speaker 3 4:41

But I like your gradual transition there. So what made this experience of, transitioning and the financial transition as well as the emotional transition, very challenging for you?

Speaker 4 4:52

Oh gosh. What? It's been very challenging because, I talk about this a lot on my own show is that, you have those programming and that record playing in your mind about, what you should be doing and. How you should be, preparing for the future and it's reckless to do something like this and et cetera, et cetera, and you have those old programs running. And I had a time of it probably a couple of months ago when wasn't getting the traction that I thought I should be, and I said. Am I doing the right thing? I started to question, even though I know in my bones that this is what I should be doing with my life for, the rest of the time that I'm here and. I had to have that fight. It was a struggle internally, I was struggling. And then what was the tipping point for me is a conversation I had with my mother about all of that, and just the mental stress I was putting on myself. She goes, it's not happening right now. You have a plan and you have this time, so use it. Use it for. doing what you can at this moment, at this time, and being in the present, and painting every day the way that you've always wanted to. And, having that freedom, having that play will get you outta your head and, see where things go then. But you have, I have a plan if things don't happen after a certain point, but, I didn't think of it that way. So it was so good to free myself mentally from thinking, okay, I am putting all this pressure on myself and this stress, which is why I got out of corporate America to begin with, and now I'm putting it on myself. No one's doing it to me. And so I was like, you're right. I am stressing myself out, like really badly. And now I have to. Learn balance and it's really hard for us type A to learn that balance. So I'm still playing around with it. I, had originally my painting time in the afternoon and now I've moved that to the morning and the admin in the afternoon. And I'm just playing around with what works for me and the timing and how much time I dedicate to each thing and still have life balance and. It's just, it's a juggling act and it, maybe it changes as I go along. I don't know. But right now, I'm getting there.

Speaker 3 7:05

Excellent. You're lucky that you have your mom in your corner supporting you. has she always been, your rock and your biggest fan? That's amazing.

Speaker 4 7:13

She is, and she's been a very much rock through this whole process, and she was the first one out of the three people I talked to about. I think this is what I'm gonna do. And she's yes, a hundred percent. Go do it. I agree with you. You should have been doing this a long time ago. anybody who sees my work is like, why are you here? you should be doing that. And you're just like, yeah, I know. You always, talk about that other programming about how you can't make a living as a creative, and I'm here to break that.

Speaker 3 7:41

I love it. so what was the turning point for you when you realized that you couldn't be in corporate America anymore? You couldn't be in the marketing, you couldn't just be in that world.

Speaker 4 7:51

It really started way before, in the last six years. When I think about it, I had a moment 'cause I was, Speaking nationally and, training large groups and smaller groups across the country. I had 30 offices that I,, covered and plus I was doing the national events for them and speaking on stage, and I was traveling every other week, like I literally was gone every other week, and I felt so ungrounded. I felt like I didn't know what was going on with my friends and family. They never saw me. And then when I was in the plane one day. I just had this moment, this breakdown of, I just started crying 'cause I was writing all the things down that I needed to do and all the apologies I needed to make for the things that I had missed. I was like, man, this is not a life, I am dedicating so much of myself towards this company and this job that. I don't have any other room for anything else, not even for me personally. So it just was not a way to live and my body was starting to, really show serious signs of stress and I had a crash and my body and, my doctor basically said, whatever you're doing, stop. And I said, what do you mean? And he is like, you're so stressed out, your body is shutting down. And I said, I can't just stop. This is like an you. You can't just stop this. You gotta back out slowly.? It's not something you can just end,

Speaker 3 9:15

right?

Speaker 4 9:16

I started to do the best that I could with that and. they expected a certain amount from me 'cause that's what I had done in the past and it started to slowly, get me to realize that I can't have balance in this particular position. I unfortunately got promoted so high that I was in such a high stress environment that I couldn. function reasonably there. At least not me. I'm sure maybe some other people can handle that stress, but it wasn't working. And then now that I've stopped, it's funny and ironic, it's almost like my body was begging for that, stress to go away. And now if I even get close to it, my body reminds me, Hey, we're not doing that. Remember? And I get. symptoms coming back and I'm like, okay, okay, okay.

Speaker 3 10:00

Right

Speaker 4 10:01

It's, almost like when you eat clean and then you try to cheat and it's worse than when you were eating bad all the time. It's like that. So now I'm really mindful of my electrical system and my energy. Yeah.

Speaker 3 10:13

Yeah, it sounds like you were at burnout, and I think so many people are guilty of that. Like you're not tuned into your body, you're not listening. There's more to do on the to-do list. I gotta keep going. I need that bonus. And everybody just pushes themselves until the body and the mind just breaks. So once you realized, okay, I need to make a change, what were the steps that you took to overcome the challenge and to create your exit plan?

Speaker 4 10:39

Yeah, I got laid off three times, which I told you before in the last six years, which was, nothing to do with my performance. But,, after that I did a couple of. short term contracts to fill in the gap after that happened because, senior level position takes a long time to the higher you are, the longer the. Job search processes. and it has to be exactly the right fit. And I had a couple of possibilities and got to,, me and another person in three different instances and then they weren't working. So I said, okay, I don't wanna go back because I don't wanna be on that stress level and that responsibility, but I know I'm a hard worker. I know I'm, really creative and I can use that gift that I've been given to, just build my business. And I sat down to say, okay, if I was really gonna do this, like what is my strategy going to be? And then what do I need to move around as far as resources to, make that a possibility to keep myself, in,, having, an income from what I've done for investments and things like that. And it's possible. It was possible. So I sat down with my agent, I have a district agent with the company I used to work with. And, I'm, I am also licensed financial planner, but, it's always good to have somebody there helping. But, so we sat down and talked about it, and we came up with a plan and we're sticking to the plan as of right now. but yeah, it took some planning.

Speaker 3 12:09

What life lessons did this experience teach you?

Speaker 4 12:11

Oh, gosh, so many. I learning about, being very mindful of where I spend my time and how that is the most precious resource I have, and not just time towards my business, time for me personally to take care of myself. Self care is something that. it's taught me big time and had I not gone through all of this, I don't think, I think I would still be pushing, if I not made that mental decision. This is not a way to live. And what am I gonna do about it and what can I do? What do I know that I can do? And I've always had my art as a side hustle. So I knew that it worked in Florida. and I knew it was gonna take a lot of effort to get that boulder up the mountain, so to speak. But, I knew that. I could go all in and double down on myself and, I learned about boundaries too. So that was, that's something really front and center in the last two months People testing my boundaries Many different ways and just really having to be kind but firm and say, yeah, I'm not open to that right now. because I really have a strategy and a plan I'm focusing in on. 'cause you gotta know when to say no 'cause people are bringing you ideas all over the place and yeah, I could spend a lot of time and energy and effort in doing that, but it's not the right fit right now. I have to get things going. The engine moving the way that I want to focus, so I can't focus on what everybody else wants me to focus on.

Speaker 3 13:35

So how did you transfer that belief in yourself that you had in corporate America over to your artistic business? Especially if you didn't really have other people celebrating your success.

Speaker 4 13:48

Yes. I just have a belief in myself. I have a trust in myself. I know that I'm a really good marketer and I know it's a whole different animal, doing B2C and B2B and corporate versus, the art world. it's just completely different. but I know that I can trust on the basics that I know I'll figure it out. Like I am that person that will get down in the weeds and say, okay, how does this work? How can I make it benefit what I'm trying to do? And. Where do we go from here? And I have some good people around me. I've hired a couple of part-time people. I have a social media person to help me part-time, and she's worth her weight in gold. And it's not that big of an expense. She maybe does 10 hours a week. And she'll set everything up for me and I, she does all the editing. and it takes away from me having to focus all my time in places where I shouldn't be., I need to be. Pushing forward to make sales and also pushing forward to create pieces. So if I'm, I can get something off my plate, then it's really important to be able to delegate. And even though I can do all of those things, the graphics design, the editing, the scheduling for social media, which sometimes, is type A, it's really hard for me not to do because I wanna get in there and do it. You have to learn to say, okay, my time is not a good spend there and I have to focus on where to spend it, that it's gonna get the most traction for the business. And that's not a place, that's a place I can let go. So I'm learning how to let go in different places like that.

Speaker 3 15:27

I love that. Keep the main thing. The main thing. and delegate.

Speaker 4 15:30

You have to

Speaker 3 15:31

everything else. so if someone listening is going through a similar situation right now and they wanna leave corporate America and they wanna start their, side hustle, maybe it's coming an artist, maybe it's something else. What advice would you give them?

Speaker 4 15:45

I would first say, find out about it, like research, talk to people, in the industry, find out what's really happening somebody who's doing the job that you wanna do. I don't know if it's interior designer, for example, if you've always loved interior designing, but you've never done it. You've never been a decorator or a designer. You don't know the ins and outs of what actually the day-to-day is for the business. You can go and ask somebody, start talking to your friends and family and see if anybody knows of anyone they can refer and say, I just wanna talk to 'em about what it means to be a designer every day, and what are the highs and the lows like. Be straight with me, is a budget that's always a problem and an argument or, control of the project and, what is the real deal when you're helping people design and how do you manage that? And, what do I need to do? What kind of certifications or, schooling, do I need to get started? What would be the best, easiest route for me to get up and running quickly, in the right trajectory? Because sometimes you can get the wrong advice and they tell you to go for a certain certification, and you're like, that was a waste of time. So you've gotta talk to several people, not just one, and find out the real deal and then. maybe even get them, if it is possible, whatever the industry is, to shadow them, if they'll allow it and say, I wanna see what the day in the life of a interior designer is like, let me see what that is. And it's like going to storage and getting, end tables out and putting them in the back of your car. It's not just the fun. storyboard of it all, In creating mockups, like you have to understand how hard it actually is and can your body take that? are you at an age where you can do things like that and you know, et cetera, et cetera. My first advice is to find out, what you don't know, and really get involved in maybe some groups, interior designer groups. Get online, start talking to people, meet people locally and say, I'm just trying to find out if this is something I wanna do. Yeah.

Speaker 3 17:50

I love that one thing that keeps coming through for me is this strong belief that you have in yourself. So have you always had a really strong belief in yourself?

Speaker 4 18:00

I think so. even as a child, you might find this funny, but I was an introvert as a child, so I didn't talk to anyone outside of my family until after I was eight years old. And I think it was just me observing and taking in the world and, I liked being in that position of not being expected to speak and like just taking it all in and observing what was going on around me. And I think that's helped create my creativity. Like I would create my own worlds my room and color and create characters. Landscapes and worlds. And, I just loved it. My family thought something was seriously wrong with me and they, were like, go outside and play. And they would force me to go outside and play with the kids. And I would cry because I was like, I don't want to, what's the problem? I was fully enjoying myself, in my room and, I think, having that, connection with myself when I was that age and to, perpetuate that creativity is a part of where that strength is from. But once I did get out in the world, I told you that, to tell you this. Is I had to learn how to have some tough skin because of all the industries I was in were so male dominated. you couldn't be a wallflower, you couldn't not speak up, you couldn't, you had to set boundaries even more so than I am now. But, it was difficult from being somebody who'd liked to be introverted and liked to blend in. Not create waves to somebody who had to learn how to be firm and kind. So I had to build that strength. And I think, our journey is, just so interesting that I think all of that is going to be used in my new, path and,, but yeah, that's where the strength comes from. 'cause I had to learn to get tough. Yeah.

Speaker 3 19:44

Wow. I love that. So looking back, what is one thing you learned about yourself having gone through all those layoffs?

Speaker 4 19:51

When I learned so many things, just how, resilient I can be. I always knew that, and resourceful, like I'm trying to be really creative with how I, get to where I wanna be. And, so it's shown me that, but it's also shown me. What I was saying before about boundaries and the lessons I'm learning about myself during this time, because like you were saying, I didn't have the quiet to even hear what I thought about anything. 'cause was so in the hamster wheel. And I think, when I was in that plane ride that was what was happening. I was finally quiet and able to. really get in touch with myself and realize, how sad it was. I was crying. 'cause I was just like, man, I don't get to check in with myself ever. And what is that? That's not right. I know that I never wanna go back there. So that's a lesson in and of itself. And I don't care if I have a lesser income or a lesser title in the future, wherever it takes me. that's not what's important to me now is my piece. And, no, no more chaos. Yeah.

Speaker 3 20:56

That's a powerful why I'm not going back there. I love that. love that. So for our listeners who maybe aren't ready to become an artist, a full-time artist, but maybe they're like,, I miss being creative like I was when I was a child. what would suggest to people if they wanna tap into their inner child, their creative side?

Speaker 4 21:16

There's so many cool stuff now, I, I've been watching this guy recently who, it's, called, I think it's on Instagram Sketchbook School, but it's, school with a k and so it's Sketchbook School and he comes on and, He talks about, journaling every day, every morning, which a lot of people already do, right? For self-care. And in that journaling, he just draws pictures around what he's journaling. Almost like in a magazine where you have a coffee cup and then you have the writing all around it or whatever,

Speaker 3 21:47

right?

Speaker 4 21:47

So whatever your thought is that day, that's a simple way to add it into your daily schedule if you're already journaling, which I think is, a really cool concept is just, and it doesn't matter. You don't have to be, a Picasso, No one's gonna you draw it for you. I really think that's important, but there's so many other things. You could go to classes, there's groups that meet that just, draw in their sketchbooks. and they're beginners. Everybody as an artist is a beginner. So at one point, so I just say, just jump in whatever it is, and there's so many different. Ways to be creative. All the creatives I talk to on my show, if you're a filmmaker, you learn about, filming and start to get in those groups and start talking to people and make it a, a daily habit or a weekly habit, or even if you don't have that time, like a monthly habit, but it fulfills the passion in your heart.

Speaker 3 22:38

Which

Speaker 4 22:39

what is going to give you some life fulfillment and not for nothing, but it gives you something to talk about with people other than the weather and politics career and job. you have something else That's interesting.

Speaker 3 22:51

Yeah.

Speaker 4 22:52

That makes you interesting to talk about. 'cause it's a hobby. Maybe you switch it later on. Maybe you're like, I went down this path and I don't like it. And move on to something else that you've always wanted to look into. But you gotta start. That's the thing.

Speaker 3 23:05

So insightful. So is there a book that helped you on your journey that you could recommend to our listeners?

Speaker 4 23:11

Yes. There's so many. the War of Art is, one of them. And, he just talks about, the most daunting thing is sitting and he's a writer, but it applies to any medium, sitting in front of the blank page or the blank canvas and the resistance you get and the procrastination. And, so he has a lot of really good tips about getting past that and moving forward. But another one I'm listening to right now is, Rick Rubin, the music producer. I don't know if you know who he is. He's pretty much produced everything we've ever listened to in the last 20 years, but, he doesn't know music, he doesn't play music, he can't read music. he goes in the studio with these artists to get their authentic self to come out. So he is really almost like a guru and, getting them to help, express themselves their authentic self. And he always talks about,, doing whatever your medium is and creativity, doing it for you and not the audience. Like whatever makes you happy, whatever feels right for you in your piece is what you should be doing. You can't. Create for the masses. It's never gonna work. It's never gonna feel authentic. And so that's what he tries to do. But he's got a book called Creativity, so it's Rick Rubin Creativity, and He's just amazing with his insights and, the creative brain and getting over some of those hurdles.

Speaker 3 24:33

I love it. We'll link that down below in show notes. So

Speaker 4 24:36

yeah,

Speaker 3 24:36

this has been such an inspiring conversation. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. Where can people connect with you and follow your work and find out more about what you do and find your artwork?

Speaker 4 24:47

Yes, so you can find me on my website. It's April page And page is with an I. So it's A-P-R-I-L-P-A-I-G-E, fine art.com. And my socials are all at the bottom in the footer. and then I'm also on YouTube. I have a YouTube show called Artist Antics with April. And, I'm looking for creatives to talk about how to be creative full-time and, really talk about the transition that, I'm going through and, their creative process, what inspires them. And I've had everybody on from, filmmakers, photographers, musicians. rappers, art therapists, ghost writers, poets, fine artists of course. But, I have a dancer that I'm talking to today,

Speaker 3 25:31

wow. I

Speaker 4 25:32

love it. So it's a lot of creatives, there's little pearls of wisdom in each one of those episodes and, if anybody knows a creative, please send them my way and I'd love to have them on the show.

Speaker 3 25:44

Excellent. Alright, we'll put all your links down below. Thank you so much. And if you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might be facing a similar challenge and needs to hear this message of hope, inspiration, and encouragement to take the risk. See you next time on overcoming Anything.