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If you've ever felt weighed down by burnout or the urge to abandon it all and start fresh, you're not alone.In this lively conversation, serial entrepreneur Megan Eckman shares her delightfully candid journey of starting, scaling, hibernating, and moving on from multiple businesses, offering honest lessons you won't find in most business books.We talk about Megan's recent ADHD diagnosis, the three distinct ways she's learned to transition in business, the emotional toll and freedom of letting go, and how curiosity and self-awareness have kept her evolving as both a creator and entrepreneur.Why You'll Love It:Megan walks us through the three ways she's learned to pivot and the circumstances that led to each one, allowing her to follow her curiosity and pursue her creative impulses, without risking her well-being or financial stability:Test & Build - Learning to listen to your customers, running small experiments, and transitioning into new opportunitiesJump Without a Parachute: The Hard Stop Pivot - When a dramatic, not-so-planned exit from a thriving business is the way to save your sanity —and what it really takes to walk away.The Hibernate & Resuscitate Pivot - Sometimes the best move isn't quitting cold turkey, but putting a project “in the freezer” while you work on your next big idea.Three key takeaways:Pivoting isn't failure—it's evolution. Whether you're testing and building, taking a bold leap, or putting a project into hibernation, each pivot can be a strategic step toward growth and alignment. (Diann said it perfectly: “You can burn out on your own success just as easily. Maybe even easier.”)Curiosity is your greatest asset. Megan Eckman reveals how following her curiosity—not just passion or profit—helped her create unique offers and build true superfans, even when the work didn't “look” like her dream on paper.Burnout prevention requires boundaries and self-awareness. Recognize when you've hit your scale ceiling—or when you're simply not excited anymore. It's okay to say “enough,” recalibrate, and design your next chapter intentionally, not reactively.Mic Drop Moment:“It was basically a ‘hold my beer, I'll go build that business for you.' To be fair, they did wait a month.” Megan EckmanAbout today's guest, Megan EckmanMegan Eckman is a serial entrepreneur who constantly finds new ways to delight her audiences, from fantastical pen-and-ink illustrations to bold embroidery kits to fantasy rom-coms.For 14 years, she ran an embroidery kit business, managing revenue streams from wholesale, retail, and subscriptions. She's a published author and now also a podcast co-host for a show all about networking.When she's not working, she's likely out on one of her bicycles exploring new routes in the woods. She lives in Vancouver, WA, with her husband and tri-color cat. Megan was diagnosed with ADHD in her 30s.Connect with Megan: Fat Cap Design PDX SpellboundThe Awkward Handshake podcast LinkedIn Email Your ADHD-ish host, Diann Wingert Diann Wingert brings decades of experience as a psychotherapist and serial business owner and is now a sought-after coach to entrepreneurs with ADHD traits. Her style is direct, strategic, and always honest—peppered with the insight of someone who lives and breathes the neurodivergent experience.Known for her candor and her refusal to compromise on what matters, Diann Wingert is a fierce advocate for self-acceptance and meaningful growth at the intersection of neurodivergence and entrepreneurship.Mentioned during this interview:EtsyColonial Patterns Lisa Congdon Simple suggestions for preparing for your next potential pivot:1) Assess emotional, financial, and market conditions regularly.2) Define your personal “red flags” for burnout and your criteria for build and grow, hard stop and hibernate, and resuscitate pivots3) Inventory current and planned activities, noting which are energizing versus draining.4) Keep communication open with your clients/community during hibernation phases. You never know who might want to be a part of whatever you do next.If this episode saved you from burnout (or burning your business down…), now would be a perfect time for that 5-star rating and review you keep meaning to leave. Here's the link to make it happen. Be sure to mention what you loved about the episode or the show in general.© 2026 ADHD-ish Podcast. Intro music by Ishan Dincer / Melody Loops / Outro music by Vladimir / Bobi Music / All rights reserved.
If you've ever felt weighed down by burnout or the urge to abandon it all and start fresh, you're not alone.In this lively conversation, serial entrepreneur Megan Eckman shares her delightfully candid journey of starting, scaling, hibernating, and moving on from multiple businesses, offering honest lessons you won't find in most business books.We talk about Megan's recent ADHD diagnosis, the three distinct ways she's learned to transition in business, the emotional toll and freedom of letting go, and how curiosity and self-awareness have kept her evolving as both a creator and entrepreneur.Why You'll Love It:Megan walks us through the three ways she's learned to pivot and the circumstances that led to each one, allowing her to follow her curiosity and pursue her creative impulses, without risking her well-being or financial stability:Test & Build - Learning to listen to your customers, running small experiments, and transitioning into new opportunitiesJump Without a Parachute: The Hard Stop Pivot - When a dramatic, not-so-planned exit from a thriving business is the way to save your sanity —and what it really takes to walk away.The Hibernate & Resuscitate Pivot - Sometimes the best move isn't quitting cold turkey, but putting a project “in the freezer” while you work on your next big idea.Three key takeaways:Pivoting isn't failure—it's evolution. Whether you're testing and building, taking a bold leap, or putting a project into hibernation, each pivot can be a strategic step toward growth and alignment. (Diann said it perfectly: “You can burn out on your own success just as easily. Maybe even easier.”)Curiosity is your greatest asset. Megan Eckman reveals how following her curiosity—not just passion or profit—helped her create unique offers and build true superfans, even when the work didn't “look” like her dream on paper.Burnout prevention requires boundaries and self-awareness. Recognize when you've hit your scale ceiling—or when you're simply not excited anymore. It's okay to say “enough,” recalibrate, and design your next chapter intentionally, not reactively.Mic Drop Moment:“It was basically a ‘hold my beer, I'll go build that business for you.' To be fair, they did wait a month.” Megan EckmanAbout today's guest, Megan EckmanMegan Eckman is a serial entrepreneur who constantly finds new ways to delight her audiences, from fantastical pen-and-ink illustrations to bold embroidery kits to fantasy rom-coms.For 14 years, she ran an embroidery kit business, managing revenue streams from wholesale, retail, and subscriptions. She's a published author and now also a podcast co-host for a show all about networking.When she's not working, she's likely out on one of her bicycles exploring new routes in the woods. She lives in Vancouver, WA, with her husband and tri-color cat. Megan was diagnosed with ADHD in her 30s.Connect with Megan: Fat Cap Design PDX SpellboundThe Awkward Handshake podcast LinkedIn Email Your ADHD-ish host, Diann Wingert Diann Wingert brings decades of experience as a psychotherapist and serial business owner and is now a sought-after coach to entrepreneurs with ADHD traits. Her style is direct, strategic, and always honest—peppered with the insight of someone who lives and breathes the neurodivergent experience.Known for her candor and her refusal to compromise on what matters, Diann Wingert is a fierce advocate for self-acceptance and meaningful growth at the intersection of neurodivergence and entrepreneurship.Mentioned during this interview:EtsyColonial Patterns Lisa Congdon Simple suggestions for preparing for your next potential pivot:1) Assess emotional, financial, and market conditions regularly.2) Define your personal “red flags” for burnout and your criteria for build and grow, hard stop and hibernate, and resuscitate pivots3) Inventory current and planned activities, noting which are energizing versus draining.4) Keep communication open with your clients/community during hibernation phases. You never know who might want to be a part of whatever you do next.If this episode saved you from burnout (or burning your business down…), now would be a perfect time for that 5-star rating and review you keep meaning to leave. Here's the link to make it happen. Be sure to mention what you loved about the episode or the show in general.© 2026 ADHD-ish Podcast. Intro music by Ishan Dincer / Melody Loops / Outro music by Vladimir / Bobi Music / All rights reserved.
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about product development and building an embroidery business with my guest, Megan Eckman of Studio MME. Megan is the owner and head designer of Studio MME, a company that creates approachable embroidery kits for modern stitchers. After failing her grandmother's embroidery lessons as a kid, she came back to the craft in 2014 and realized it needed a major update. She now makes kits that help others learn embroidery in a fun and easy manner. It's crafting with hand-holding. Over the past five years, she's landed her kits in almost 100 shops across the country, partnered with DMC, hired her husband, and currently runs an embroidery-of-the-month club for her most adoring (and addicted) fans. If you have a product-based business or are thinking of starting one, this episode is for you. Megan shares her real numbers and she isn't afraid to tell us what worked and what didn't. She and her husband now own a creative business that supports them both which is pretty amazing. +++++ This episode is sponsored by the Craft in Style subscription box by Pop Shop America. The Craft in Style subscription box allows you to explore lots of fresh and stylish crafting and different techniques from terrariums to chalkboard lettering, from watercolors to paper marbling. Choose from one month, three months, and beyond; the longer the subscription, the more a subscriber can save on the box price. Every Craft in Style Box is super stylish and beginner friendly. Boxes ship within three business days so you don't have to wait like other boxes! It's a fun way to craft every month without spending a fortune and you won't end up with extra supplies you don't need. +++++ Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.
Delilah and Nicole talk with Megan Eckman of Studio MME about how she created some passive income streams which have not only brought in money, but also helped her grow her brand and business. They discuss that sometimes, from marketing, to bookkeeping to creating the original products, passive income can feel like anything but passive. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...
This week Vickie spoke with artist and Studio MME founder, Megan Eckman about the culture shock of moving from North Dakota to Silicon valley, art school elitism, how she was able to create a full-time career for herself that also allows her to be true to her art, and how even though she owns a craft-based business she considers herself a terrible crafter. SHOW NOTES: http://vickiehowell.com/podcast/megan-eckman/
elise chats with Megan Eckman of Studio MME about finding a business that works, even if it's not your passion and finding time for a passion, even if it's not your work. shownotes for this episode can be found at elisejoy.com/podcast/shownotes113
Megan Eckman runs a creative business, Studio MME, selling her illustrations as embroidery patterns, kits, and other crafty creations. We discuss the [...]
With deliberate lines and tiny stitches, Megan Eckman is a fine artist and a creative writer behind Studio MME who became an embroidery designer soon after realizing craft stores were still selling the same patterns she stitched with her grandmother.
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