The Freak Show5 Aug 2025

030. From Hotel Intern To Brand Ringleader

Something about rags-to-riches stories always rubbed me the wrong way. ‘Cause most online business journeys don’t fit that shiny (and predictable) arc. They’re pretty… normal.

Take my own story for example: I followed everyone’s expectations until I said “f*ck it” on Christmas Eve 2019. That was over 6 years ago, and in honour of my 6th Brandversary, I wanted to tell you the real story. From a nightmare internship that had me designing menus in PowerPoint (yes, really) to building a business that lets me own my weird, I’m taking a trip down memory lane. Whether you’ve been here since the very beginning or just started tagging along, here are two big reminders:

1) Sometimes all you have to do when you want something is send a DM.

2) It takes a village to build a business & keep it running for 6+ years.

SPOTLIGHT MOMENTS

✦ How regular beginnings get lost in rags-to-riches funnels

✦ When a nightmare internship led to starting freelancing

✦ Making less than an orange juice an hour (and other corporate red flags)

✦ Why it takes a village to build a business that lasts

✦ Redefining what "professional" looks like

——

Mentioned in this episode:

✦ B-SCHOOL: Online course for for entrepreneurs who want to build a meaningful, profitable business, by Marie Forleo

✦ THE BREAKTHROUGH DESIGNER: 3-month coaching program to take you from frantic freelancer to badass business owner, by One6Creative (*affiliate link)

✦ ON IT: Cast vision, set goals, track progress & finally work ON your business, by Alice Benham (*affiliate link)

✦ LIFE OF THE PARTY: An all-encompassing social media strategy course to grow an invested community that outlasts the algorithm, by Xanthe Appleyard (*affiliate link)

✦ Follow Joana Galvão, from GIF Design Studios

✦ Follow Vix Meldrew, Online Learning Expert

✦ Follow Ceels Lockley, Offer Strategy Coach

Follow & Connect with Eva:

✦ See what my very first website looked like

✦ Say hey on Instagram

✦ Check out my Website

✦ Get my Uncaged emails

——

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to The Freak Show

00:30 Why Rags-to-Riches Stories Feel Off

03:42 My 6th Brandversary & Six Years In Business

04:27 The Post-Grad Panic of a Passionate Designer

07:56 Rules That Didn’t Make Sense & Internship Red Flags

12:41 Quitting on Christmas Eve as My Gift to Myself

14:32 Toying with Freelancing and Finding a Mentor

16:53 The People Behind Six Years of Success

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