From Etsy to the Vogue Fashion Fund: Akua Shabaka on Building a Brand with Style and Substance

Art Basel, Visibility, & Your Boldest Move of 2025 (SOLO)

In this special solo episode of Building Boldly, Ariana takes you behind the scenes of her end-of-year whirlwind from dancing at a midnight party during Art Basel Miami Beach to sitting in a small D.C. conference room listening to dissidents and power players talk about censorship, freedom, and the urgent fight for democracy. Along the way, Ariana shares what Art Basel taught her about creative longevity, relationships, and showing up in rooms your future self belongs in, plus the biggest lessons from launching the first season of Building Boldly, including the unexpected YouTube traction that pushed an episode past 100K views. She reflects on what it really takes to build something meaningful (while also writing a book proposal and going through IVF), and offers an end-of-year prompt to help you honor the work you’ve already done, and what you want to carry forward into 2026. A grounding and energizing listen for anyone building a creative life who wants to end the year softly.   Connect: Website: https://www.arianamakonnen.com/ [https://elisehu.com/about/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arianaaustin/ [https://www.instagram.com/arianaaustin/]    Stay Connected:  Follow the podcast: @buildingboldlypodcast  Watch the full episode on YouTube: @waxandgold  [https://www.youtube.com/@WaxandGold] Learn more + get exclusive resources at www.buildingboldlypodcast.com [http://www.buildingboldlypodcast.com]  Subscribe, leave a review, and tag us while you’re listening @buildingboldlypodcast – we love hearing from you!    Follow my creative life + stay in touch on IG: @arianaaustin  Produced by: Wax & Gold Media

From NPR to the K-Beauty Capital: Elise Hu on Book Deals & Saying Yes to Change

In this episode, Elise Hu, journalist, author, and co-founder of the podcast studio Reasonable Volume, opens up about what it takes to build a media career with longevity and joy. Elise has followed the story wherever it leads from starting out in local news to covering geopolitics as NPR’s bureau chief in Seoul, writing a definitive book on Korean beauty, and most recently running her own podcast company. We cover how her nonfiction book deal came together, why she believes in a “just go” mentality even in an oversaturated media landscape, and why a YouTube-first strategy matters for podcasters right now. Along the way, the conversation digs into K-beauty and global beauty culture, and embracing change as a powerful force in work and life. It’s an energizing episode and a must-listen for anyone curious about media, publishing, or making their own bold pivot.    Resources & Links mentioned: Reasonable Volume [https://www.reasonablevolume.com/] Missouri Method [https://glossary.missouri.edu/term/missouri-method/] Elise’s TED Talk [https://www.ted.com/talks/elise_hu_how_digital_culture_is_reshaping_our_faces_and_bodies] TED Talks Daily [https://www.ted.com/pages/ted-talks-daily] Flawless [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62121560-flawless]    Connect: Website: Elise Hu Website [https://elisehu.com/about/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisewho/ [https://www.instagram.com/elisewho/]   Stay Connected:  Follow the podcast: @buildingboldlypodcast  Watch the full episode on YouTube: @waxandgold  [https://www.youtube.com/@WaxandGold] Learn more + get exclusive resources at www.buildingboldlypodcast.com [http://www.buildingboldlypodcast.com]  Subscribe, leave a review, and tag us while you’re listening @buildingboldlypodcast – we love hearing from you!    Follow my creative life + stay in touch on IG: @arianaaustin    Produced by: Wax & Gold Media

How One Cold Call Supercharged Her Art Career with Arushi Kapoor

In this episode, art advisor and entrepreneur, Arushi Kapoor offers a new art world playbook. Raised between India and London, she grew up immersed in fine arts and has since opened a gallery in Los Angeles, advised collectors on blue-chip acquisitions, and forged an innovative partnership with one of the most recognizable luxury real estate brands–all sparked by a bold cold call to Real Housewives star, Mauricio Umansky. We get specific about what an art advisor actually does, how to move with intention inside exclusive circles, why art functions as an asset, and how to leverage AI and your network to build a career with staying power.   Resources & Links mentioned: Agency Art House [https://www.theagencyarthouse.com/]   Connect with Arushi:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arushikapoor1 [https://www.instagram.com/arushikapoor1]   Stay Connected:  Follow the podcast: @buildingboldlypodcast  [https://www.instagram.com/buildingboldlypodcast/] Watch the full episode on YouTube: @waxandgold  [https://www.youtube.com/@WaxandGold] Learn more + get exclusive resources at www.buildingboldlypodcast.com [http://www.buildingboldlypodcast.com]  Subscribe, leave a review, and tag us while you’re listening @buildingboldlypodcast – we love hearing from you!    Follow my creative life + stay in touch on IG: @arianaaustin  [https://www.instagram.com/arianaaustin]   Produced by: Wax & Gold Media

From Etsy to the Vogue Fashion Fund: Akua Shabaka on Building a Brand with Style and Substance

In this episode, Akua Shabaka, co-founder and creative director of House of Aama, goes deep into the archives to tell us about how she resurrects underrepresented history through fashion and makes it undeniably cool. For this visionary designer, it’s truly a family affair. From co-founding her label with her mother to creating designs inspired by the West African folklore passed down by her parents, Akua centers her heritage in every stitch. And it all started with her upcycling vintage clothes on Etsy. Listen here for this and more helpful tips on whether or not to show at New York Fashion Week, where to get the best internships, and staying afloat with the help of family funding. You may even figure out how to land a coveted spot in the CFDA’s Vogue Fashion Fund.    Resources & Links mentioned: CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund [https://cfda.com/programs/designers/cfda-vogue-fashion-fund/]   Connect with Akua: House of Aama: https://houseofaama.com [https://houseofaama.com] Akua’s Instagram: @shabakaaa [https://www.instagram.com/shabakaaa/?hl=en]    Stay Connected:  Follow the podcast: @buildingboldlypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/buildingboldlypodcast/reels/]  Watch the full episode on YouTube: @waxandgold  [https://www.youtube.com/@WaxandGold] Learn more + get exclusive resources at https://www.buildingboldlypodcast.com [http://www.buildingboldlypodcast.com]  Subscribe, leave a review, and tag us while you’re listening @buildingboldlypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/buildingboldlypodcast/reels/] – we love hearing from you!    Follow my creative life + stay in touch on IG: @arianaaustin [https://www.instagram.com/arianaaustin/]  Produced by: Wax & Gold Media

From Artist to VC: Tara Tan’s Playbook for Funding Creative Founders

In this episode, Tara Tan, Founder of Strange Ventures and alum of IDEO, Formlabs, and Studio Now, says that creatives need to rethink their views on capital. Instead of seeing money as an opposing force to art, she urges creatives to view funding as a tool that can bring the right ideas to life. We discuss her impressive career from “breaking up with art” to backing the next generation of creative disruptors. We dig into choosing the best types of funders for your project (there’s more than Venture), the ethics around AI, and how to create momentum by  “running an auction” so the right partners come to you. If you’re building something of your own, this is a clear, generous roadmap from someone who’s sat on both sides of the table–as artist and investor.    Resources & Links mentioned: Phyllis Kao controls the room [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFynw4JvTWJ/?api=1%2F&hl=zh-cn] Aaron Harris’ Always Run an Auction article [https://postround.substack.com/p/always-run-an-auction] Strange Ventures [https://www.strangevc.com/]   Connect with Tara:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tantara/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tantara/] Substack: https://thereview.strangevc.com/ [https://thereview.strangevc.com/] X: https://x.com/taratan?lang=en [https://x.com/taratan?lang=en]    Stay Connected:  Follow the podcast: @buildingboldlypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/buildingboldlypodcast/]  Watch the full episode on YouTube: @waxandgold  [https://www.youtube.com/@WaxandGold] Learn more + get exclusive resources at www.buildingboldlypodcast.com [http://www.buildingboldlypodcast.com]  Subscribe, leave a review, and tag us while you’re listening @buildingboldlypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/buildingboldlypodcast/] – we love hearing from you!    Follow my creative life + stay in touch on IG: @arianaaustin [https://www.instagram.com/arianaaustin/]  Produced by: Wax & Gold Media