Episode 45: Hilary Sutton

In this episode, Allison talks with Hilary Sutton — founder of HSL Digital, fractional CMO, writer, coach, and host of the Hustle & Grace podcast. Hilary’s career spans theater, journalism, marketing, digital strategy, and creative entrepreneurship, and she brings a pragmatic lens to how artists and creatives can promote their work without feeling like they’re auctioning off their dignity.

Topics Covered

• Building a multi-hyphenate career

Hilary traces her path from theater actor to digital marketer to consultant, and how freelancing and “laptop work” slowly became her full-time lane.

• What a fractional CMO actually is

She defines the role, why more companies are using fractional leadership, and why variety is the fuel that keeps her career interesting.

• Self-promotion without losing yourself

A critical look at:– How to decide what (if anything) from your personal life you want to share– Why understanding your goal and audience matters more than volume– How to use platforms’ built-in boundaries (privacy settings, Close Friends, etc.)– Why most creatives under-share far more than they over-share

• A practical audit for your online presence

Hilary suggests searching yourself in AI tools and YouTube to see what actually shows up, what’s missing, and what people might be assuming about you.

• Reframing “self-promotion” as problem-solving

She challenges artists to view their online presence as a way to make their value visible, not as a desperate sales pitch.

• Mental health, maintenance, and the knobs you can turn

Small, manageable shifts — therapy, walking outside, watching sugar/alcohol timing, simple routines — and why these micro-changes often matter more than grand plans.

• On bravery and creative work

A final reflection on why artists’ everyday courage is easy to overlook and worth recognizing.

Guest Links

• Website: hillarysutton.com• Instagram: @hillary.sutton

Guest Bio

Hilary Sutton is a writer, speaker, fractional CMO, and the founder of HSL Digital, a marketing and communications consultancy. She leads strategy for companies that need high-level marketing leadership without full-time headcount, drawing on more than a decade of experience in digital content, social media, and brand development.

She also runs Hustle & Grace, her personal brand dedicated to helping creatives build sustainable, meaningful careers. Through the Hustle & Grace podcast and online courses, Hilary explores work-life balance, creativity, and modern entrepreneurship.

Her writing has appeared in HuffPost, The Washington Post, USA Today, Yahoo Singapore, and HuffPost UK. A former theater actor with a background in journalism, Hilary blends creative thinking with strategic insight to help people and organizations communicate with clarity and purpose.