Does networking HAVE to give you the ick? In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire break down how to network outside your comfort zone by building genuine relationships. If you’ve ever found it hard to bridge the gap of relationship-building in a public setting, this is the episode for you!

What We Talked About

• How most creative jobs are passed through relationships instead of job boards
• The difference between networking and building real community
• How to stay top of mind without being annoying or transactional
• Sending “one scary email a day” and why rejection isn’t the worst outcome
• The power of genuine compliments, handwritten thank-you notes, and thoughtful follow-up
• How being a connector and hype person for others builds long-term reciprocity

Links & Resources:

• Show Biz Pod newsletter: The Direct Deposit
• Be a guest on our show!

Connect With Us:

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

In this episode, we sit down with actor, producer, and entrepreneur Makayla McIntosh to talk about building an entertainment company that started as a high school accident and now runs remotely across state lines as she pursues her art. From princess parties to producing films, Makayla shares how business ownership has funded her art, reduced industry pressure, and expanded her creative freedom.

What We Talked About

• How Makayla accidentally started her company in high school and turned it into a long-term, scalable business
• Why you can’t rely on the entertainment industry to be your “everything”
• Running a business remotely while living between Las Vegas, Vancouver, and beyond
• Hiring a team and learning to relinquish control as a creative founder
• The surprising overlap between producing films and running live events
• Why building a business can actually take pressure off your artistic career
• Tools and systems that make creative businesses sustainable
• Why AI will never replace live human connection (and why that matters for artists)

Links & Resources:

• HoneyBook (CRM platform Makayla uses to manage bookings and contracts)
• Castle on a Cloud Entertainment Website
• Castle on a Cloud Entertainment Instagram
• Show Biz Pod newsletter: The Direct Deposit
• Be a guest on our show!

Connect With Us:

• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/showbiz.pod
• TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@showbiz.pod
• Website – https://www.showbizpod.com

In this Ask Us Anything episode, Carissa and Emma Claire answer real listener questions about money, side hustles, entrepreneurship, burnout, and balancing creative careers in NYC. From budgeting and taxes to UGC, voiceover, and hustle culture, this is an honest conversation about building sustainable creative lives. If you’ve ever thought “am I doing this right?” this episode is for you.

What We Talked About

• Why we started Show Biz Pod and how our branding came together so intentionally

• Where to actually start with personal finance as a creative

• Saving money in NYC (buy nothing groups, Facebook Marketplace, and sneaky discounts)

• Doing your own taxes vs. outsourcing as a freelancer

• Balancing a day job, dream job, social life, and mental health

• When hustle culture goes too far

• How to get started as an entrepreneur when you don’t know what you’re doing

• Getting into voiceover and UGC in today’s market

• Why UGC is becoming the new commercial lane for actors

Links & Resources:

Rocket Money – https://www.rocketmoney.com

• Acorns – https://www.acorns.com

• Buy Nothing – https://buynothingproject.org

• FreeTaxUSA – https://www.freetaxusa.com

• Backstage – https://www.backstage.com

• Fiverr – https://www.fiverr.com

• Too Good To Go – https://www.toogoodtogo.com

• Canva – https://www.canva.com

Connect With Us:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showbiz.pod

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@showbiz.pod

• Website: https://www.showbizpod.com