Creative Empaths and the Business Models We Say No To
Why I Choose a Creative Path Over Recruitment-Driven Opportunities
Over the past decade, I’ve been approached more times than I can count with what people call “opportunities.”
They usually begin the same way with a friendly message, a reconnection, a kind word… and to be fair, I’ve met genuinely good people through these conversations.
And sometimes, I even liked the product.
There were things I tried that worked. One even brought relief to my sweet horse when she was struggling with back pain. That experience was real, and I’m grateful for it.
But I’ve also noticed something deeper— something that took time to fully see. These conversations often arrive at moments when you’re more open… and more vulnerable.
Such as, during a life transition, a loss. and/or a moment of change. In my case, even around the time of my mother’s passing.
And while I don’t believe most people intend harm, there is something about those moments that get interpreted as “opportunity.”
That realization stayed with me. Because it shifted how I understood the conversation entirely.
At some point, the conversation would shift, beginning with connection, to income possibility… then aggressively to expansion.
“You could win in a new car!”
“Your investment will earn 15%, no risk, tax free.”
“Who do you know that may be interested?”
“You’d be amazing at this.”
“Let’s build your team.”
And I would feel it, almost instantly. Not in my thoughts, but in my gut. A subtle pressure. A kind of urgency. Like something was moving faster than it needed to.
One time, I joined a group just to listen, and within minutes my phone lit up nonstop. Messages, notifications, energy everywhere!
That was my moment… Oh no. Not for me.
What finally became clear is this:
A product can be good. Yet, the business model can still feel misaligned. Because often, the product wasn’t really the center. The focus became growth through people, expanding outward in a layered structure of recruitment. And that’s where I naturally step back.
At some point, I realized something simple and grounding:
I’m not a recruiter— I’m an artist. My work is to create, to feel, to share.
There’s a very different energy between:
“Here’s something I made.”
and
“Here’s something you should join.”
One invites.The other builds momentum through a pipeline of people. And it’s evident which one feels right to me.
The Empath Compass
Many artists are empaths. We feel things quickly and sometimes before we can explain them.
We can sense:
when something is grounded
when something is being pushed
when something feels off
You don’t always have the language right away. But you feel it. And that feeling is worth trusting.
One thing I’ve learned along the way, is some systems don’t like the word no.
“No” becomes:
“not yet”
“you just need more information”
But a clear no is not confusion— it’s a boundary. And it doesn’t need to be negotiated.
Let’s Just Say It
Friends Don’t Let Friends Do MLM’s 😅
Yes, I’m talking about Multi-Level Marketing companies… and this isn’t about judgment. I’ve met kind people in these environments. I’ve seen and used wonderful products that work. But the heavy emphasis on recruiting—the shift from connection to opportunity—just doesn’t resonate with me.
This isn’t about rejecting growth. It’s about choosing alignment and how that growth happens.
For me, it looks like:
creating with care
sharing openly
letting people come toward the work
No pressure.
No script.
No urgency.
A Simple Truth
Not every opportunity is meant to be taken. Some are simply meant to be recognized… and declined. Not because they’re bad, but because they don’t resonate with who you are. As an empath and artist, I feel compelled to build my life by creating something real, and trusting that the right people will feel it when they see it.
— Cassidy Stephens, CS Art Blog
