The Creative Life — with Jim Kroft

Welcome to "The Jim Kroft Podcast," where entrepreneurship and creativity converge, bridging the gap between the business and arts worlds.

In today's episode, I'm thrilled to welcome Romanian artist Ioana Pioaru, who defies modern trends with her hand-inked drawing style.

Finding the gallery route insurmountably blocked by the gatekeepers of the world, she set out on her artistic path, determined to find her own way. 

Her courage has attracted nearly 250,000 followers online and shows that a solo path does not have to mean an isolated path. 

In the interview, Ioana shares insights on:
  • Balancing social media distraction with artistic deep work.
  • Cultivating meaning through community and building it.
  • Honoring your inner voice.
  • Overcoming creative blocks.
  • Allocating time to help others, regardless of success.
  • Discovering meaning in a seemingly unresponsive world.
  • Establishing a solo business in the digital economy.
  • Cultivating world-class concentration.
If you're ready, let's dive into Ioana's inspiring story, where she reminds us that staying true to ourselves forms the backbone of any successful enterprise.

Let's Go!
Jim

p.s If you have a moment to rate and review the Podcast, it's a huge support!

IOANA PIOARU LINKS
https://www.ioanapioaru.com
https://www.instagram.com/ioanapioaru

JIM KROFT LINKS

- Jim on Twitter
-  Jim's Substack
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What is The Creative Life — with Jim Kroft?

🎙️ The Creative Life — with Jim Kroft

This podcast is for creatives who’ve chosen the long road.

Each week, I take one aspect of the creative life — a breakthrough, a challenge, or a tool that’s helping me — and share what I’m learning from the inside.

I started the show because I couldn’t find what I needed: a companion for the real challenges of making art while building a life around it.

The podcast swings between the psychological traps we face and the practical tools that keep me going. It moves between mindset and method — but always comes back to how we keep showing up.

I’m Jim, your host. I’ve lived a long life in the arts — full of meteoric highs and humbling lows.
Here are a few stops from the journey:

🎸 Released 7 records — from major labels to van tours
🎥 Filmed 6 feature docs, screened at 200+ festivals
🧠 Built a creative business in Berlin since 2013
✍️ Top 1% on Substack for weekly consistency
📈 Raised nearly €100K for refugee & Ukraine war efforts
🎧 The Creative Life has hit the Apple Podcast charts

Thanks for being here,
Jim

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