#032: Money Talk for Creatives: Building Financial Confidence with Samantha Eck

Written By Brooke Ring

Episode #032: Money Talk for Creatives: Building Financial Confidence with Samantha Eck

In this episode, I sit down with Samantha Eck, a former creative turned fractional CFO, for a real and refreshing conversation about something we often avoid as creatives: money. Whether you’re side hustling, running a full-time creative business, or dreaming of making the leap, this episode is packed with encouragement, tangible advice, and mindset shifts around money that every creative entrepreneur needs to hear.

We talk about:

  • How Samantha went from artist to financial expert—and why she now serves other creatives

  • The emotional side of money, and how shame often keeps us from making empowered financial choices

  • How to set financial goals that actually support the life and business you want

  • Why budgeting doesn’t have to feel restrictive (and how it can actually create more freedom)

  • What “money dates” are—and why they should be on your calendar each month

  • Tips for transitioning from a 9-to-5 to full-time entrepreneurship

  • How to calculate your ideal salary and reverse engineer your income goals

  • Why it’s okay to love your coffee runs—and how to plan for spending without guilt

  • When to bring on a financial professional and what that relationship can look like

  • How financial literacy can shift the “starving artist” mindset for good

This is a must-listen for creatives who want to build a sustainable business and a healthy relationship with money—without shame, overwhelm, or fear.

Tools and takeaways:

  • Understanding your numbers = understanding your business

  • You deserve to be paid—start with that goal first

  • Monthly money meetings can be fun (yes, really!)

  • Emotional spending is normal, but awareness leads to better decisions

  • Budgeting can give you freedom, not just limits

  • Your profit goals can create space to take creative risks

  • There’s no shame in asking for help—financial professionals are there to support, not judge

  • Creative businesses grow best when backed by confidence and clarity

Connect with Samantha Eck
Website: https://www.firestormfinance.com
Instagram: @firestormfinance
Threads: @firestormfinance
LinkedIn: Samantha Eck
Podcast: Creative Minds Smart Money

Brooke Ring
Next

#031: The Art & Business of Fine Art Printing with Studio Giclée