How Paint Week Turned Into a Movement
Creating
Powerful
Impact
Podcast
with Shay
Wheat
The show where we look behind the scenes of why and how leaders are making an impact and how you can too.
ALI Kay Founder of Fresh Paint and
Creator of Paint Week and Fresh Paint Live events
Most people think you need high-ticket offers or complicated funnels to scale a creative business. Ali Kay proves otherwise.
Ali is a contemporary artist, educator, and founder of Fresh Paint, a thriving membership community that boasts a stunning 94–96% monthly retention rate. She’s also the creator of Paint Week, a 5-day online event that has drawn over 8,000 participants and welcomed thousands of new members into her community. And with Fresh Paint Live, her flagship in-person event, Ali is redefining what it looks like to build a joyful, art-led movement.
In this episode of Creating Powerful Impact, Ali shares how she scaled her art into a business that transforms lives—without burnout, bro-marketing, or high-ticket offers.
Connect with Ali
Learn more about Ali: alikaystudio.com
Connect with Ali on Instagram: @ali_kay_studio
“I feel like there was our membership before the live event and our membership after—and they’re just two different things.”
Ali Kay
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How one $10 live event created explosive growth (3,000+ new members in a week)
- The systems Ali put in place early to sustain her business with ease
- Why her membership community keeps a 94–96% retention rate
- What it really takes to transition from online events to in-person experiences
- The surprising role joy and authenticity play in long-term scaling
Free Gifts & Resources:
Ali’s Free Gift: alikaystudio.com/color-wheel-lesson
Register for Paint Week 2025: alikaystudio.com/paint-week
From Shay: The Initial Event Planning Playbook –Your blueprint for creating profitable, purpose-driven events that convert.
Key Moments in This Episode:
02:30 Turning a live stream into a scalable membership – The moment she realized her art could become a real business and started building systems.
05:10 The launch of Paint Week (7,000+ participants first time!) – How a $10 online workshop became the catalyst for massive community growth.
08:45 Designing events that feel high-touch and scalable – Ali explains her balance of personal connection with thousands of participants.
12:10 Surprise & delight: how Ali keeps a pulse on members – Why she personally hops on calls with members to strengthen retention and trust.
15:40 Behind the scenes of Fresh Paint Live (first in-person event) – What it took to bring her online community together in real life for the first time.
19:25 The impact of community + retention (94–96% stick rate) – Ali reveals how her team and culture keep members engaged month after month.
23:10 Why low-ticket events outperform funnels in her business – Why she chose joy and accessibility over high-ticket offers and heavy funnels.
26:30 Advice for creatives afraid to host their first event – Ali encourages entrepreneurs to embrace fear as part of creating something great.
28:40 Ali’s truth for creative entrepreneurs – Her final insight on balancing creativity, structure, and business growth with joy.
Download the Free Decision Threshold Blueprint
About Ali Kay
Ali Kay is a contemporary artist, educator, and creative entrepreneur known for her bold color palettes, loose brushwork, and energetic teaching style. She is the founder of Fresh Paint, an online membership serving thousands of creatives worldwide, and the host of Fresh Paint Live, an in-person event drawing global attendees. Through her art, teachings, and community, Ali inspires people to reclaim their creativity and make art a joyful part of life.
“So many of our current members have told me that Paint Week was the spark for them—this $10 class changed the rest of their life.”
– Ali Kay
Think you’d be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.
Want to learn more about Shay and her work?
Check out Grace and Ease Productions at https://graceandeaseproductions.com/