Sac PopCast
Welcome to the first episode of Sac PopCast! We sat down with five amazing Sacramento creatives, entrepreneurs, and business owners to talk about the real challenges they face, what success means to them, and the best advice they'd give to anyone starting out. If you're part of Sacramento's creative scene—or just curious about the people making things happen in our city—this one's for you.
Katy Karns: Sacramento Photographer Keeping the Art Form Alive
Who She Is: Katy Karns owns a photography studio in Old Sacramento and describes herself as a "community-loving gal" who creates events and brings people together through her lens. You can find her work on Instagram at @Katykaptures and check out her studio events at @Glowstudio.sac, or visit her website at Katykaptures.com.
The Biggest Challenge in Photography Today: Katy gets real about what's tough right now: "I've seen so many people say that photography is dead." It's a scary thing to hear when you're pouring your heart into your craft. But here's the thing—Katy knows it's not true. She's pushing back against that narrative by focusing on creating experiences for her clients. The real challenge? Keeping motivated when you don't always know where the industry is heading. "It's just hard to keep going," she admits. But she does it anyway because she believes in the power of photography.
Her Definition of Success: For Katy, success isn't just about making money—it's about living life on her own terms. "I can live the way that I want to live. I can travel," she says. But it goes deeper than that. Success means working with the people she wants to work with, being part of projects that excite her, and seeing her ideas come to life in the real world. (She even mentioned finding a sexy Santa for her "sexy Santa networking group"—yes, that's a real thing, and we love it.)
Best Advice for Aspiring Photographers: "Fail," Katy says without hesitation. "Just keep failing." As a self-described perfectionist, she hates messing up. But she's learned that every failure has taught her something valuable. "It's just experimentation," she explains. Her advice? Don't be afraid to try things, mess up, and learn from it. That's how you grow.
Dennis Delgado: Sacramento Designer Making Ideas Come to Life
Who He Is: Dennis Delgado is a designer and manufacturer who moved to Sacramento from LA and now calls it home. His background is in design and manufacturing—basically, he loves making things and bringing ideas from concept to reality.
The Biggest Challenge in Design and Manufacturing: Dennis describes his biggest challenge as "herding cats." When you're working on a project, everyone has their own opinion about how things should be done. The hardest part? Getting everyone on the same page, especially when you're dealing with people who don't understand the design process. "It's like having 20 cooks in the kitchen," he says. His job is to get all those cooks to work together and make the same dish.
His Definition of Success: For Dennis, success is all about impact and relationships. "It's around impact with others," he explains. He's not focused on how much money he makes—he cares more about what he learns from working with people and the journey of collaboration. Success means getting things done together and learning from the process. "It's really just learning how to build with others," he says.
Best Advice for People Starting in Design: "Don't be afraid to try something new." Dennis knows how easy it is to get stuck in your comfort zone, but he encourages people to take the leap. Trying new things is easier than you think, and even when things don't work out the way you planned, you still learn something huge. His advice? Jump into the unknown and embrace the learning that comes from it.
Kati Kouklis: Grant Writer and Arts Administrator Supporting Sacramento Creatives
Who She Is: Kati Kouklis is the founder of Root and Rise, a business that focuses on arts administration, freelance grant writing, and large-scale event planning. She helps Sacramento's creative community turn their big ideas into real, actionable plans.
The Biggest Challenge in Arts Administration: Working with creatives can be challenging in the best way. "They have a lot of vision," Kati explains, "and I'm the concrete grounding energy that takes that ethereal concept and makes it into something practical." Her job is to take those big, dreamy ideas and turn them into step-by-step plans that can actually happen. It's about bridging the gap between vision and execution.
Her Definition of Success: Kati's answer is beautiful: "relational wealth." For her, success isn't about money—it's about how much time and flexibility you have to connect with the people you love. "How relationally wealthy are you?" she asks. Success means having the freedom to work on projects you're passionate about without being attached to a specific outcome. It's about having time to "talk story" and be present with others.
Best Advice for Aspiring Arts Administrators: "Don't give up." Kati opens up about imposter syndrome and the inner work she's had to do to feel confident in her skills. She says it's not about lacking ability—it's about overcoming that inner voice that tells you you're not good enough. Her advice? "Stay committed to the path. Stay the course." Keep going, even when it's hard.
Justina Martino: Sacramento Artist Using Art to Build Community
Who She Is: Justina Martino is a Sacramento-based artist and the director of Art Tonic, a business that believes art is more than just something pretty to look at—it's a tool for positive change and community building. Art Tonic helps artists with professional development and brings community-focused art projects to cities, housing developments, and organizations.
The Biggest Challenge in the Arts: "Funding," Justina says. It's been a lifelong challenge. Getting people to value the arts and invest in them is tough, especially when her mission is to help artists who are often in the same financial boat she is. She finds herself doing a lot of pro bono work or charging less than what's sustainable because she wants her services to be accessible. It's a constant balancing act.
Her Definition of Success: Justina's definition is simple but powerful: "Not giving up." She heard this from local jewelry designer Omonivie Okhade (who designed her wedding ring—shout out to Tula and Bloom!), and it stuck with her. "I'm not defeated unless I give up," her husband recently reminded her. As long as she wakes up every day and keeps helping artists, she's successful.
Best Advice for Aspiring Creative Entrepreneurs: "Get all the business support you can." Justina points out that Sacramento has tons of free and low-cost resources for creative business owners—like CLTRE, where this podcast was recorded. She also stresses the importance of mentors: "When someone offers to be a mentor to you, take them up on it." Her mentors are a huge reason she's still doing what she loves every day.
How to Connect with Justina: Follow her work and connect with Art Tonic to learn more about how she's supporting Sacramento's creative economy.
Leon Willis: Graffiti Artist and Screen Printer Giving Back to Sacramento Youth
Who He Is: Leon Willis started writing graffiti in 1989 in San Diego and has since evolved into screen printing. He opened his Sacramento business in 2006 and started mentoring youth in 2013. You can find him at @itsLeonWillis and @ILobeYouhoody on Instagram, or email him at SHGraffix@gmail.com. He also shows up locally on First Fridays at Made Studio (3519 Broadway in Oak Park).
What He Loves About Working with Youth: Leon lights up when he talks about working with young people. His favorite part? "The aha moment they get when they realize that whatever it is that they're drawing can become a product." He loves teaching kids that their art can be turned into something they can sell or give as a gift. Watching them learn the process of creating something over and over again—and seeing the lights turn on—is what keeps him going.
His Definition of Success: Leon's still discovering his definition of success, but he's realizing he's already living it. "I've been self-employed since 2011," he says. When you think about it like that, he's been successful for a long time. "I'm full of success already," he says with a smile. For him, success is about living on his own terms and doing what he loves.
Best Advice for Aspiring Artists: "Don't be afraid to start." Leon encourages people to take that first step, whatever it is. If you draw, try using a paintbrush. If you use a paintbrush, try putting paint on something different. One thing leads to the next. That's how he became a screen printer—he wanted to mass-produce his graffiti art, and screen printing gave him that opportunity.
What We Learned from Sacramento's Creative Community
This first episode of Sac PopCast reminded us why Sacramento's creative scene is so special. These five entrepreneurs aren't just making cool art or running businesses—they're building community, supporting each other, and staying true to their passions even when things get tough.
The common threads? Don't be afraid to fail. Keep going even when it's hard. Success isn't always about money—it's about relationships, impact, and living life on your own terms. And most importantly: Sacramento's creative community has each other's backs.
Whether you're a photographer, designer, grant writer, artist, or just someone who loves supporting local creatives, there's a place for you here. Keep experimenting, stay connected, and don't give up.
Want to be part of the conversation? Follow these amazing creatives on Instagram, check out their work, and support Sacramento's thriving arts and business community.
This blog post is based on Episode 1 of Sac PopCast, recorded at CLTRE Coffee and Conversations. Stay tuned for more stories from Sacramento's most inspiring creatives, entrepreneurs, and business owners.
