A 3 week course on how to pursue your creative ideas, and embrace risk.
What you'll take away:
renewed clarity on your values and which projects will help support your ideal lifestyle
awareness of all the different reasons we stall progress, and the tools to shift unhealthy patterns
a clear path forward with actionable steps and a supportive schedule to get things done
a refreshed sense of purpose and inner power to create the life you want
exposure to a community of supportive, likeminded folks
lifetime access to the course as it continues to evolve and grow
What's the course?
We will deep dive into what's holding us back from taking action on our most treasured ideas, and set up new patterns for success. When we peel back the onion of our lives and take a hard look at the voices and daily rituals that keep us stopped in our tracks, we can make a choice:
Keep talking about our idea until everyone gets tired of hearing it? (We're all guilty!)
Or, create a new, action oriented weekly process that allows for more productivity and flow, and watch what begins to unfold?
This self-guided, 3 week course includes:
- Pre-recorded audio lecture and dedicated PDF worksheets that will be released each week.
- A live introduction Zoom meetup, and Q&A sessions in the middle and end of our course. (Don't worry if you can't make those - the Zoom meetings will be recorded and shared!)
- Bonus material and a list of resources to help further you along your path
All students who sign up for Hugging the Flame will have lifetime access to the course.
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*PLEASE NOTE* The lecture and worksheets are based on my personal knowledge as a designer, entrepreneur and risk taker, and all info is simply a reflection of my perspective and experience. I am not a therapist or counselor, but I do dabble in some spirituality themes and personal growth practices. I will be sure to include any outside references that inspired the content of this course in the bonus resource list!

Who this course is for:
This course is for anyone who is ready to look under the hood when it comes to their insecurities around pursuing creative work and want change. This course is for anyone who understands that art making, business ownership, and any other type of creative endeavor is inextricably connected with your spirit and to your purpose on earth. Everything is art.
This course is for artists, writers, mystics, introverted over thinkers, small business owners and those aspiring to become one.
This course is for any and all creative people looking to be more productive and pivot their focus towards something more aligned with their authentic selves.

Who this course is not for:
A lot of this course is focused on personal, inner work and some feelings could come up. Folks who are not into feelings or personal development may not like this course!
Anyone looking to take a straight up business course that covers all areas like accounting, marketing, tech, etc. While I definitely think business owners and those aspiring will glean a lot from this course and I will be getting into some business topics, I would not say it's a business course in the traditional sense.
Anyone who is looking for detailed support on their particular project or small business. You can get that with a coaching session here
Course Schedule:
July 27: Intro Zoom Meeting, 12 - 1 PM EST*
July 28: Week 1 Lecture and Worksheets released
August 3: Open Office Hours via Zoom, 12 - 1 PM EST*
August 4: Week 2 Lecture and Worksheets Released
August 11: Week 3 Lecture and Worksheets Released
August 20: Q&A Follow up via Zoom, 6 - 7 PM EST*
*times and dates for zoom meetups could change. Please pay attention to your inbox around the time of the course for any possible updates.
Hi! I'm Leela, I'm 40 years old and I've been taking creative risks and following my heart's desire for decades. Perhaps more officially when I started my stationery brand Rainbow Vision, and then again when I started a printing company with a friend, and then later when I designed, branded, and built out a brick and mortar store. Here I am in this photo (with my bandmate Alex. Hi Alex!!), recording my first full length album with me and my husband's band Ultra Lights. I started learning guitar only about 5 years ago.
Did I mention I also have a very chatty 6 year old?
When I say you can push yourself to do anything you desire, I really do mean it.


In 2012, I started an Etsy shop. This may not seem like much of a risk, but at the time it was for me. I felt insecure about my skills and worried about what people would think about my style, and didn't exactly know what type of things I wanted to make. So i just picked something. I started out hand printing cards and carving rubber stamps. This turned into making custom rubber stamps for weddings, businesses, and craft lovers, and slowly but surely, I started to learn about scaling and growing a brand. I knew I wanted to make a living through only my creative work, but I didn't have a road map. I was 100% utter winging it on a $498 startup budget and an old laptop that hummed in slight agony.
I grew that business into a $500k+ a year operation by 2021.
This humble Etsy shop evolved and changed and nudged me down new paths. From working the craft fair circuits around the country, to stocking hundreds of stores, to opening my first brick and mortar shop in 2021, to having Amy Poehler order one of my planners (swoon!!) I've sort of been on a path of "well damn, what else can I do?" ever since.
I want to help you follow your heart's desire too. I am not a therapist, and I am not a counselor. I'm just an artist determined to feel alive in this modern world.
I've experienced what it's like to grow a tiny business into the operation of my dreams, selling over 27k of my best selling planner over the span of 6 years, and have faced all the various limitations and fears that come along with any big challenge. When I had to face the tough decision to downsize and essentially start my business over in 2023, it was tough. I decided to lean further into writing and other projects that bring me joy to try and get my groove back, and well, I guess it started taking me down a new road.
13 years of professional risk taking and dream building has brought me to this point today; consolidating my experience and first hand knowledge into teaching and building accessible tools for anyone looking to expand their own creative journey.
