Creativity School: Recent Episodes
Grace Chon
Welcome to Creativity School, the podcast all about how to tap into your creative potential and put your greatness out into the world!
If you feel a calling to do something, make something, or be something more and don’t know how to start or need some motivation to keep going, this is the show for you.
Each week, we’ll dive deep into conversation with crazy creative people who are already out there doing amazing things, so you can learn how to do the same.
I’m your host, Grace Chon, an internationally acclaimed animal photographer and author, and I believe everyone is creative! I know you can find more fulfillment and joy in life by adding your special something to the world, so let’s get your gifts out there.
This week on Creativity School, I’m talking to Esther Maloney, a multidisciplinary artist, educator and mama. She’s the creator of award winning films, an author, a visual artist, and the founding director of Illumine Media as well as a founding member of the Creative Sovereignty Lab. Esther also facilitates The Vitality Collective and Making Sessions, two 10-week, online workshops offered for those ready to make powerful shifts in their creative work.
Esther’s work is rooted in the belief that our creative life is inseparable from our spiritual life, and she shares how to begin the process of developing trust in ourselves, our creative process, and the forces larger than us. We also discuss the inner voice beckoning creative people to listen, and how we can make space to hear it even when it can seem so hard to do this. Esther also speaks on the connection between nature and our creative practice and how our menstrual cycles and our creativity are deeply intertwined.
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CONNECT WITH ESTHER: Instagram | The Making Sessions | The Vitality Collective
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Thank you so much for listening!
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How can you grow your visibility and impact through authentically being you and embracing all parts of yourself and the work you create?
This week on Creativity School, I have an inspiring conversation with Saeng Douangdara, a popular content creator and personal chef who specializes in Lao cuisine. Saeng shares his journey of how he was born in a refugee camp in Southeast Asia after his parents fled Laos, to eventually working as a college counselor, to now creating storytelling videos that advocate, uplift, and center Lao cuisine. With over 700K followers and millions of views on social media, his work has been featured in numerous publications such as Delish, Buzzfeed, and the New York Times.
We talk about the resistance Saeng faced as his visibility and platform grew, how to be authentic as you create meaningful work, and how he protects his mental health as he creates and shares online. Saeng also lets us in on what his creative process looks like, and his best tips on how to get started on TikTok.
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CONNECT WITH SAENG: Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
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I believe there is a very strong relationship between creativity and spirituality and I’m excited to share this BONUS episode with you this week! It’s a conversation I had with my dear friend Sylvia Beatriz, an intuition coach and psychic medium.
This week we chat all about how to know if you’re psychic (psst - we all are!), how to start learning this language of sensing, feeling and knowing beyond our 5 physical senses, and how our intuitive abilities can lead us to our most expansive and aligned life.
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CONNECT WITH SYLVIA BEATRIZ: Instagram | Website
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Thank you so much for listening!
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If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here
This week on Creativity School, we’re talking about triggers! While triggers are extremely uncomfortable and can leave us feeling deflated and paralyzed, they’re ACTUALLY here to pinpoint where you have stuck energy and where you have the capacity to expand into your highest self. Learn how to use the things that trigger you as a way to know exactly where your limiting beliefs are, and bring these subconscious thoughts to the surface so you can expand and grow into your fullest and most authentic, creative being.
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Thank you so much for listening!
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If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here
I believe there is a very strong relationship between creativity and spirituality and I’m excited to share this BONUS episode with you this week! It’s a conversation I had with my dear friend Sylvia Beatriz, an intuition coach and psychic medium, all about how working with spiritual guidance changed our lives. We talk about: -How to begin to start cultivating a relationship with our intuition. -Why it’s SO important to learn to integrate critical thinking and intuition for the world today. -The personal cost of ignoring the call to slow down and tune into what we need …and MORE.
If you enjoyed this episode please let me know!
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CONNECT WITH SYLVIA BEATRIZ: Instagram | Website
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Thank you so much for listening!
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If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here
Over the last 15 years of my career as a professional photographer, one of the compliments I’ve loved the most is when someone tells me they just know when a photo is mine, because it shows me that I’ve been able to find my own unique voice as a creative.
This week in our Cultivating Creativity Series, I’ll be sharing how to develop your own recognizable unique voice and style as a creator. Tune in for a deep dive on deconstructing the process of taking all your influences and inspirations and turning them into something that is uniquely you (and WITHOUT copying others!)
🌟 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts.
🌟 Listen to this episode on Spotify.
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Today’s episode is the first in a new series called Cultivating Creativity, where I’ll be sharing simple and practical tips on how to craft the way you think and ideate TO BE MORE CREATIVE!
At the very foundation of cultivating creativity is a simple truth: know what you like and why. Tune in this week to learn about why it’s essential to:
- Get really clear on what you like.
- Embrace it wholeheartedly with bravado, and without shame or judgement.
- Allow this connection to yourself and to your own tastes to flow into your creative work.
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This week’s episode is all about HOW TO BE MORE CREATIVE! How to tap into it, how to follow the creative process, and how to feed your creative spirit by listening to your intuition.
My guest today, Esther Loopstra, is a prolific artist and illustrator, specializing in food and travel, hand-lettering, and surface design. Her work has been used for print ads, editorials, books, stationery products, and textiles and her clients include Target, Frito Lay, Google, Jo Ann Fabrics, Eddie Bauer, and American Greetings.
Esther’s insatiable curiosity drew her to learn as much as she could about the creative process, eventually leading her to teach people how to discover their innate creativity. She believes everyone is creative and is passionate about helping others find and express the creativity that resides inside of them. In this episode, she shares all about her insights as a creativity expert and teacher.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Esther became an illustrator, burned out, and eventually discovered her intuition
- How creativity has a whole range of pathways and is something innate in all of us
- Exercises to develop our intuition, trust it, and act on it
- How to quiet your inner critic
- Why we need to feed our creative spirit
- Overcoming the fear of what people are going to think and the fear of sharing our work
- Giving ourselves the freedom to make mistakes
- How to find your passion using your intuition
- Open mode and closed mode - the two modes we need for the creative process
- The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
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CONNECT WITH ESTHER:
Instagram | Website | Courses
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Thank you so much for listening!
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Creativity is NOT math - there isn’t one defined, clear answer on what’s right or good. Everything is simply an opinion, completely subjective and in the eye of the beholder.
I recently had a portfolio review and had the chance to share my latest photo series with top industry people from photo festivals and museums. This week on Creativity School, I share my top takeaways to remember when you have a disappointing response to your work. Here’s a gentle reminder: The point of creating what matters to us, isn’t so that it matters to everyone!
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If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here
Here’s Part 2 of my conversation with Jess Keating, a scientist, bestselling author of 23 books, shamanic guide, and holistic money mentor. Jess bridges the gap between science and spirituality, guiding creatives and entrepreneurs to healing their deepest blocks so they share their medicine and message with the world.
In the second part of our conversation, we discuss how to build a sustainable creative business through slower deeper moves, rather than the flashy stuff that sells on the internet. Jess shares the most common forms of self sabotage she sees with creatives, and how to build a business that actually feels good and is aligned with your creative spirit and soul in a way feels right for YOU.
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CONNECT WITH JESS KEATING:
Website | Instagram
This week I’m talking to Jess Keating, a scientist, bestselling author of 23 books, shamanic guide, and holistic money mentor. Jess bridges the gap between science and spirituality, guiding creatives and entrepreneurs to healing their deepest blocks so they share their medicine and message with the world.
Jess brings a unique perspective to creativity and the way she intersects the world of science, spirituality and creative expression. She shares how there’s a more holistic and natural approach to creative living and money making. We also talk about the connection between nature and our creativity, and how we can look to nature to find the answers we seek because we are all wired to be connected to it.
Stay tuned for Part 2 where we dig deeper into building a sustainable creative practice and business by looking to nature for learning how to make slower, deeper moves and blending the natural world with our creative spirit.
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Thank you so much for listening!
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If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here
CONNECT WITH JESS KEATING:
Website | Instagram
There are times in life when you’re totally going to suck at something…. and that’s okay!
But how do you support yourself through the discomfort of being so bad and new at it? And how do you keep going when it’s so uncomfortable you want to quit?
Tune in this week to hear how to allow yourself to be comfortable with being uncomfortable so you can continue to expand and strengthen your creative muscles.
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If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start creating what really matters to you, fill out this form.
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Thank you so much for listening!
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What happens when the thing you love to make the most completely burns you out?
This week on Creativity School, I have a very honest conversation about mental health and burning out with Korean chef and author Seung Hee Lee. Seung Hee is a self proclaimed “disease detective” by day as a full time Epidemiologist, and a classically trained chef and side hustling pop-up chef by night. She’s also a traditionally published author of a Korean cookbook, which she worked on and released while working at her day job.
We talk about her journey to becoming a chef and author, and how she uses social media to dispel stereotypes about Korean food. Seung Hee also shares how her weekend pop-up events became burdensome and left her feeling depressed and unhappy. She discusses how she began the process of overcoming her burnout and why it’s essential to create work that makes you happy instead of making work to please others.
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Happy 2023 friends!
What if this new year is all about stepping into the OLD YOU? The most authentic, aligned, and real you, that’s hiding under feeling afraid, unworthy, and not being good enough? And what if your creativity is just the thing to help you remember?
I believe creativity is powerful pathway to transformation because when we create what really matters to us, we reconnect to ourselves.
The more you create, the more you learn about yourself.
The more you learn about yourself, the more you heal.
The more you heal, the more you remember the old you.
And the old you is where the magic lies.
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How can you keep following what you authentically enjoy and allow one thing to lead you to the next?
Raúl B Fernández is an award winning commercial director and has received recognition for his work for brands such as Chevy, Amazon, and Coca-Cola. But in 2020 when the production industry came to a complete standstill and Raúl found himself out of work, he started making veggie planter boxes for fun. His pandemic hobby unintentionally turned into a business and Victory Garden LA was born. With a booming new business, Raúl quickly hired other out of work film industry types to help “pay our bills, one beautiful planter box at a time”.
Listen this week to hear all about his incredible journey of pivoting from unemployment to building a thriving business that has been written up in Sunset Magazine, the LA Times, and has attracted a celebrity following. Raúl shares his tips on how to take action without overthinking, how to increase your personal magnetism to attract what you need, and why it’s so important to create for the sake of creating. He also shares what it’s like to create while struggling with anxiety and depression, and his tips on how he works through imposter syndrome and feeling not good enough.
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Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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What is energy healing and how can you use this modality to release creative blocks and shift closer to the dream, transformation, and manifestation that you desire?
This week on Creativity School, I’m talking to Missy Toy Ozeas, an Energy Healer and Transformation Guide. Missy says she did not ever set out to be an energy healer and for most of her life, hid her unusual gifts of being able to see energy and energetic patterns. She eventually left a career in television to become a Healer, and has been impacting countless lives ever since.
We talk all things energy this episode - how our thoughts and beliefs relate to our energy field, how every problem has an energetic root, and how we can begin to clear blocks by getting to the root of the problem at an energetic level. Missy also shares why energetic hygiene is so important especially for creativity, and how when you change your energy you change the world around you.
Missy also gives me a profound Energy Healing at the end of this episode, and stay tuned until the end where she shares a beautiful message for YOU! If you want to learn all about how consciously working with energy can shift your creative life, be sure to tune in!
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If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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When asked about the number-one ingredient in creative achievement, more than 140 creativity researchers identified growth mindset as the key to success. So what exactly is growth mindset, and how can it help you live to your fullest creative potential?
Tune in this week to learn about how traits like intelligence, creativity and the ability to be successful are things that can be cultivated and developed, and how a fixed mindset is actually holding you back from growing and expanding into your highest and most authentic expression.
The Power of Believing You Can Improve - Carol Dwek Ted Talk
What to Say When You Talk To Yourself - Shad Helmstetter
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Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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“Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” - Steve Jobs
How was I able to go from a science degree and a corporate job, to creating a dream career as an internationally acclaimed animal photographer and author?
I learned how to listen to my intuition and have used it to guide me every step of the way! My intuition has truly been my superpower for how I’ve lived such an aligned, creative life and it’s a tool that’s available to everyone.
Intuition is our inner intelligence system, and it’s always trying to guide us to our highest good. And when you learn how to listen to your intuition and use this higher guidance, it can lead you down a magical path beyond what you could even imagine. Tune in this week to learn how to develop your intuition (here’s a secret - we’re ALL intuitive and have these abilities!) and how to get into the flow of creation through taking inspired action.
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Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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This week on Creativity School I’m talking to Justine Tiu, co-founder of The Woobles, a company that makes learn-to-crochet kits for complete beginners and helps them build confidence and see their own potential to grow not just in crochet, but in life. Justine shares her story of how she went from working as a User Experience Designer at Google to starting up The Woobles. In just 2 years, Justine has taught 100,000 people how to crochet, sells her crochet kits in retail stores, released a new book, and been on Shark Tank!
We discuss the ups and downs Justine experienced as she built her company and how she overcame self doubt along the way. Justine also shares how she grew her self confidence through learning crochet, and why she loves helping people remember that it doesn’t matter how old you are, how busy you are, or how crafty you are - you can always learn something new and grow your self confidence, one baby step at a time. Join us as we share why having a growth mindset is crucial to learning and why you don’t need your work to be 100% perfect before you release it into the world.
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Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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Why does sharing our authentic gifts and talents with others oftentimes feel so scary? And what could be possible if we all had the courage to let them out and allow them to shine, even if we feel afraid?
This week on Creativity School I’m talking to Sofia Araya, an international spiritual life coach, teacher, and Akashic Records Reader. Sofia shares her story of how she transitioned from a career in interior design to one that has allowed her very unique gifts to develop and shine. We talk about how Sofia kept following her desires and the things she felt called to explore, ultimately creating an entirely new path and career for herself. She also shares about the importance of being self aware of what’s holding you back from sharing your gifts and why it’s important to work with your triggers instead of avoiding them.
Sofia’s inspiring journey shows us what can happen if you courageously share your gifts with others, especially as you see triggers as an opportunity to heal and move forward in your life mission!
I also share a little bit about what I’ve been up to, and some new ways of working together so you can heal your triggers and move forward with creating your best life! If you’re interested in booking at Akashic Record Reading with me, here’s how.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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How much expansion could be possible in your life if you allowed yourself to stay open to new opportunities (even if you feel completely unqualified) and just said YES?
This week on Creativity School I’m talking to my good friend and creative powerhouse Sonya Sanford. Sonya is a multi-passionate creative and a chef, food stylist, food writer, and screenwriter for television and film - all while being completely self taught. She shares her story of how she got started in her various careers by consistently allowing her curiosity to lead, and saying yes to new opportunities when she had no experience. We talk about how a near death experience made Sonya realize “life is too short to be crying in a parking lot every day doing something you hate” and why it’s so important to do what you love. Sonya also shares what she learned from the failure of having her beloved restaurant close down, and how she balances all her creative interests and passions. Sonya’s inspiring journey shows the magic of what can happen if you stay open, say YES, and allow life to unfold in the most unpredictable and delicious way!
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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This week on Creativity School, I share with you how taking action on your ideas allows you to get in touch with the Master Creator that’s within you, by providing the opportunity to practice the alchemy of taking an idea from pure energy into something that’s tangible and real. If you’re someone that struggles with taking your ideas from inside of you and turning them into something more, you won’t want to miss this week’s episode. And if you do the homework I give you this week, I hope you’ll come back and share your experience with me!
(BTW - I drop a few S-bombs in this episode so if you are listening around children, ear muffs!)
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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How can you find the courage to believe in your work and keep going with it, despite all the obstacles and rejections that come your way?
Our guest this week is Crystal Z. Lee, a Taiwanese American bilingual author. Crystal shares her inspiring story of how she went from working in the corporate world to becoming an award winning author despite facing nearly 100 rejections on her journey to being published. Crystal says she always knew deep down since childhood that she wanted to be a writer, but never had the courage to pursue it until later in her life after working in Public Relations for a decade and becoming a mom.
Crystal talks all about her journey to finally finding the courage to write, how she handled her negative self talk when she received nearly 100 rejections while pitching her manuscript to publishers, to ultimately becoming an award winning author of books with beloved readers all over the world! Her novel Love and Other Moods has been a finalist in multiple book awards and received a Gold Award, and her children’s book A Unicorn Named Rin was listed in the "Top 120 picture books to add to your kids' reading list in 2021" by PopSugar.com.
She also shares with us the importance of knowing who you are as a creator, staying true to your vision, and why she walked away from 2 publishers when she knew it wasn’t the right fit for her book.
If you’re someone that struggles with finding the time for your creativity, or want some inspiration on how to keep going when it feels like the world keeps telling you “No!”, this episode is for you.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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Today’s episode is for everyone that was told you can’t make money doing what you love, especially as an artist.
(I have a feeling this is the majority of us!)
The myth of the starving artist is one of the biggest misconceptions there is about creativity. I was told my entire life that I could never make a living with my creative hobbies. But my guest today, Aimée Hoover, has made a successful career as an extraordinary fine artist for 20 years, painting contemporary portraits of animals. Her paintings are in collections all around the world, seen in galleries and exhibitions, and featured in countless magazine articles.
In this episode, Aimée tells us how she accidentally stumbled upon her niche painting portraits of pets 20 years ago, built her business as a side hustle, and how she’s been able to sustain a long lasting career creating exactly what she loves to make. She talks about the point in her career when pleasing clients left her lost and burned out, and how she shut down a successful, profitable business to find joy in her work again. Aimée also shares how to build self confidence and resilience in your work, especially in this day of social media when it’s so easy to feel like you’re not good enough. You’ll also find out why I call Aimée a social media and marketing genius!
🌟 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts.
🌟 Listen to this episode on Spotify.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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There’s a part of us that longs for our work to be universally liked by everyone. And when that doesn’t happen, it can feel like THE WORST. But the fact of the matter is, your creativity is not meant for everyone. And if someone doesn’t like your work, you simply didn’t make it for them! We are not here to make work that connects with every single person on the planet. We make work for the people that we are meant to connect with it.
Learn why it’s essential that we stop trying to be a people pleaser with our creativity, and the importance of trusting that what you make will reach the right people. I also share some lessons to take away from the negative reviews on my book, Puppy Styled.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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This week’s episode is a replay from the Beautiful Possibility podcast by writer and creative coach Gillian Jacob Kieser. I talk about how (and why) we hold ourselves back from going for our dreams, how to summon the courage to be creative, my favorite mindset tips and more!
If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out Gillian’s podcast and her new book, 10,000 Doors: Finding your life's purpose through writing.
Learn more about Gillian - Instagram | Website | Book | Podcast
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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How can you find your unique creative magic and create a career that aligns with everything you love to do?
Our guest this week is Azhelle Wade, a talented toy inventor. (What a cool job, right?) Azhelle worked in the toy industry for 10 years at companies like Toys R Us and Madame Alexander, eventually becoming a VP at a toy company. She’s now the host of the Toy Coach Podcast and the founder of Toy Creators Academy, a program that teaches people with no knowledge of the toy industry how to get their own toy and game ideas to market.
Azhelle talks all about how she found her way into the toy industry, what motivated her to quit her corporate job to become the Toy Coach, and the highs and lows of creative entrepreneurship. Azhelle also shares with us her “Puzzle of You” concept - how she found her unique creative career by bringing together different pieces of her life, figured out how they all fit together, and then assembled them into something meaningful not just for herself but for others.
As Azhelle says, “You don't have to be an expert at everything. You just have to be an expert on the life that you choose to lead.” Listen this week to hear more inspirational nuggets of wisdom on how to find your own creative magic just by being you!
Learn more about Azhelle - Instagram | Toy Creator’s Academy
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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What are the Akashic Records and how can you use them as a tool to reconnect to who you are and manifest your unique creative expression?
This week on Creativity School, I’m talking to my teacher Helen Vonderheide, Elite Certified Akashic Records Teacher and Practitioner. Helen gave me my Beginning Practitioner Certification, and I’m thrilled she’s here to teach us all about what the Akashic Records are, and how we can use them to illuminate our path, manifest our creative greatness, and receive the outcomes we desire.
Helen also gives an Akashic Record reading for all of us, so stay tuned until the end to hear the beautiful message she shares. If you want to learn all about the Akashic Records, keep an open heart and mind as you listen because this episode was made especially for you! ✨
Mentioned in this episode:
- What are the Akashic Records?
- What it’s like getting information from the Records
- Why you don’t need to be psychic or have special gifts to access the Records
- How to use the Records for manifesting creativity and the outcomes we want
- Helen’s Akashic Record Reading for all of us!!
Learn more about Helen - Website | Instagram
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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Do you believe that your creative dreams are possible?
The very foundation of being able to create and manifest all the things you desire lies in believing that what you want is 100% possible. As Henry Ford says, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right!” If you don’t believe it’s possible, it will NEVER happen.
This week on Creativity School, I explore the importance of belief in the creation process, and why it’s so important for you to believe that what you want is possible through understanding the role our conscious and subconscious minds play.
If you have creative dreams that have yet to be fulfilled, this episode will show you why examining your beliefs around possibility is a must.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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I’m so excited to have Office Hours on Creativity School this season! Office Hours will feature real conversations I have with you, the listener, where you have the opportunity to get some 1:1 creative coaching so you can breakthrough the beliefs holding you back from living your most authentic and aligned creative life.
On today’s episode, listener Jeni says she started life feeling creative, but somewhere along the way her creative desires got put away due to self doubt and imposter syndrome. Jeni describes the feeling as her creativity staying safely sleeping while she’s a quiet observer on the sidelines, watching others out there create their work. Jeni was looking for coaching on how to get unstuck so she can make the work deep inside of her that is longing to be made.
We talk about what to do when we feel triggered by others that are out there accomplishing their creative goals, how growth and change usually involve doing uncomfortable things, and why it’s necessary to stop the cycle of judging and shaming ourselves when we’re having feelings. We also discuss how cultivating self compassion is the antidote to overcoming self doubt, and how making small and consistent baby steps is the best way to move toward our creative goals .
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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This week’s episode is an inspiring interview with Cathy Zhang, founder of Easy Sunday Club and "the analytical MBA turned artist." Easy Sunday Club is a product based brand that features her whimsical watercolor art. Cathy is an incredibly prolific artist who has figured out multiple income streams to generate revenue with her art.
Incredibly, Cathy is completely self taught and has only been painting for 6 years! She didn't even consider herself a creative until she started painting. She holds an MBA in business and was working the corporate life until she quit her job to create the life that she has now as an artist and entrepreneur.
We dig into ALL the things on how to turn your creative daydream into reality - topics like what it took for her to quit her corporate job, how to build a business from the ground up, how to develop confidence in your creative skills, how to balance what you want to make versus what the market wants you to make, why it’s so important to define success on your own terms, and SO MUCH MORE. If you’re looking for some practical tips on how to turn your creative daydream into reality, this episode is for you.
Easy Sunday Club on Instagram
Easy Sunday Club on Youtube
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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You may have heard the quote “Everything you've ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.” On this week’s episode of Creativity School, I talk about the 6 pivotal moments in my life when I reached a crossroads and had to make a choice - do I stay stuck where I am, or do I move through my fears and see what unfolds?
I share the lessons I learned while confronting some really scary and uncomfortable moments, and how I was able to make these moves every time. I also show you how each time I allowed my biggest fears to lead me, I unknowingly created more more expansion, possibility, and abundance for myself and quite literally CHANGED MY LIFE!
Thank you so much for listening.
If this episode resonates with you, please share with a friend and leave a review!
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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One of the biggest hurdles we experience on this path of creativity is a debilitating fear of failure. Failure often paralyzes us from even starting, and can prevent us from picking ourselves back up when we fall down. But this is all based on the limited way we choose to define what failure actually is.
This week on Creativity School, I talk about how failure is simply a matter of perspective. It truly doesn’t have to mean anything negative about what kind of person you are or what kind of capabilities you have. In fact, if it reveals anything about who you are, it shows far more positive things! Learn how to rise to a higher level of thinking and redefine failure from a totally different and expansive view so you can release the fear of failure once and for all.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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I’m so excited to have Office Hours on Creativity School this season! Office Hours will feature real conversations I have with you, the listener, where you have the opportunity to get some 1:1 creative coaching so you can breakthrough the beliefs holding you back from living your most authentic and aligned creative life.
This week, I have a conversation with Courtney who is a freelance producer for print work, commercials, reality television, and documentary films. What she really wants to do is explore stepping back from a career in production that she’s built over the last decade and focus on writing and producing her own projects. Courtney finds herself finding that a lot of her projects stay in her head and don’t get turned into anything more. We talk about the blocks in the way that are preventing her from getting her ideas out onto paper, how her amazing analytical producer mind is hindering her writing process, and how to start quieting the overthinking mind so creativity can flow with more freedom.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you're interested in being on an Office Hours episode with me for some 1:1 creative coaching so you can start manifesting your wildest creative dreams, fill out this form.
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When people don’t like our work it’s the worst, crushing feeling. How can we overcome the negativity and keep showing up to create the things that matter to us?
This week on Part 2, I share how to handle the process of overcoming criticism or feeling like nobody likes or cares about your work. I also share the 3 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS to ask yourself so you can remember how much VALUE and MEANING your work has beyond what other people have to say about it. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, be sure to go back and give it a listen!
I'm offering 2 1:1 coaching spots for listeners! If you're interested fill out an application here.
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It can feel so soul crushing, shameful, and defeating when you put your heart into creating something, only to have people criticize it, not understand it, or ignore it. What can you do when this happens?
This week, I share how I handle the process of feeling like people don’t like what I made and what you can do to reframe your thoughts so you can stay on the path of creating work that’s important to you, even when you're feeling discouraged.
Thank you so much for listening.
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How can we forever change the course of our life by listening to our inner nudges and following the feeling? Our guest this week has a story that exemplifies everything we discuss on this show, and the magic that unfolds when you listen and take action!
This week on Creativity School, I’m talking to Kimothy Joy, a watercolor and pen illustrator passionate about creating artwork that uplifts and empowers women and girls. Kimothy shares how she went from feeling lost, broken, and disconnected from herself to discovering her love of watercolor painting. In a very short amount of time, her work went from simply living on her dining room table, to being seen at Women’s Marches all around the world, to then being published in her book That's What She Said: Wise Words from Influential Women.
Listen to learn why it’s so important to play and do the things that make you curious, how to begin to listen to the little nudges that are telling you what to do, and how to get into your flow to let your creative path unfold. We also talk about THE SECRET to creating your best work from the inside out, and how most people get this all backwards! If you need a dose of magical inspiration this episode is for you!
Thank you so much for listening.
Please complete this short survey so I can learn a little more about you and what topics you'd like covered on the show!
If you're interested in doing Office Hours with me for a future episode (You can ask me anything about your journey with creativity and get 1:1 creative coaching) fill out this form.
CONNECT WITH KIMOTHY:
Website | Instagram | That’s What She Said
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I’m so excited to have Office Hours on Creativity School this season! Office Hours will feature real conversations I have with you, the listener, where you have the opportunity to ask me anything about living your most authentic and aligned creative life.
On today’s episode, I have a conversation with Wendy, who has a corporate job by day but pursues her newfound love of block art printing and clay on nights and weekends. Wendy sees herself as an ideas person, but not a follow through person. We have a great discussion about following through and the power of consistency, and we also delve into so many juicy topics around perfectionism, radical self acceptance, letting go of the beliefs that aren’t serving us, making money with your creative gifts and so much more!
If you're interested in being on a future Office Hours episode fill out this form.
Learn more about Wendy - Instagram.
Thank you so much for listening.
Please complete this short survey so I can learn a little more about you and what topics you'd like covered on the show!
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How did a professional umpire pivot into becoming a sought after commercial and editorial photographer?
Doug Levy’s dream was to be a professional umpire, starting from from the tender age of 12. He pursued his dreams throughout his youth and even went to Umpire School. But right before he made it to the Big Leagues, Doug made the incredibly difficult decision to quit and become a professional photographer. Now Doug shoots for clients like The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Amazon, Honda, and more!
Learn why Doug decided to step away from his life long dream job, and how he created a new vision for himself by pivoting to an entirely different career as a photographer. You’ll also learn Doug’s advice on the mindset and behaviors you need to pivot successfully into any creative career.
Learn more about Doug Levy - Website | Instagram.
Thank you so much for listening.
Please complete this short survey so I can learn a little more about you and what topics you'd like covered on the show!
If you're interested in doing Office Hours with me for a future episode (You can ask me anything about your journey with creativity) fill out this form.
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This week’s episode is a replay from The Money Flirt podcast by Stephanie Trujillo. Stephanie helps people step into a more magnetic relationship with money through her amazing podcast and programs. I speak with Steph all about my money story - the process of how I overcame my beliefs that I couldn’t become wealthy as a photographer, developed my money consciousness and became a conscious caretaker of money.
If you want to uplevel your relationship with money, check out Stephanie’s new program Money Moon. She’s offering Creativity School listeners 10% off with code GRACE22. Doors are closing Feb 16th 2022 so if you’re interested you gotta act soon!
Learn more about Money Moon
The Money Flirt Instagram | Podcast
🌟 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts.
🌟 Listen to this episode on Spotify.
Thank you so much for listening.
Please complete this short survey so I can learn a little more about you and what topics you'd like covered on the show!
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On this episode, I talk about the relationship between how creative you are, and how much you allow yourself to live as the truest, biggest expression of yourself.
I believe creativity is the way we imprint the world with our unique self expression and our unique gifts! Your creativity is the literal manifestation of your pure self expression - your knowledge, your experience, your entrepreneurship, your art, your gifts and talents - whatever your expression is! The more you hold back your self expression, the less creative you will be. The more you freely share your self expression, the more you allow your innate creator energy to flow. Listen to learn more about this relationship and how to get started on living as your fullest, most creative self.
Thank you so much for listening.
Please complete this short survey so I can learn a little more about you and what topics you'd like covered on the show!
If you're interested in doing Office Hours with me for a future episode (You can ask me anything about your journey with creativity) fill out this form.
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Welcome back to School, Creators!
Listen to this short episode for an update on where I’ve been, what I’ve been up to for the last 2 years, and where the show is headed in Season 2.
Please complete this short survey so I can learn a little more about you and what topics you'd like covered on the show!
If you're interested in doing Office Hours with me for a future episode (You can ask me anything about your journey with creativity) fill out this form.
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
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How do you know when you should keep going in pursuit of your wildest dreams, or throw in the towel and walk away?
This is one of my most personal episodes yet, and I share with you the 3 questions I ask myself when I reach obstacles or a crossroads and have to decide which path to choose. I talk about some of the hardest, darkest parts of my 11 year career, things I’ve never talked about publicly before. These are the times I was so sure I had to stop chasing my dreams of being a pet photographer and choose a more stable path. How did I know I had to keep going? I also talk about how to know it’s actually the right time to quit by sharing about the rise and fall of my defunct kimchi business, and why it’s ok - no, essential - TO QUIT when you have to!
This is the season finale, folks! See you back here in February 2020. In the meantime, keep in touch with me on Instagram, in the Facebook Group, and keep your brains and spirits filled with goodness by checking out some of my favorite podcasts and books at my website.
Until next time my friends, put something great out there!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! Get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
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How can we forever change the course of our life by listening to our inner nudges and "following the feeling?" Our guest this week has a story that exemplifies everything we discuss on this show, and the magic that unfolds when you listen and take action!
This week on Creativity School, I’m talking to Kimothy Joy, a watercolor and pen illustrator passionate about creating artwork that uplifts and empowers women and girls. Kimothy shares how she went from feeling lost, broken, and disconnected from herself to discovering her love of watercolor painting. In a very short amount of time, her work went from simply living on her dining room table, to being seen at Women’s Marches all around the world, to then being published in her book That's What She Said: Wise Words from Influential Women.
Listen to learn why it’s so important to play and do the things that make you curious, how to begin to listen to the little nudges that are telling you what to do, and how to get into your flow to let your creative path unfold. We also talk about THE SECRET to creating your best work from the inside out, and how most people get this all backwards! If you need a dose of magical inspiration this episode is for you!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! Get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- The importance of playing and doing what makes you curious
- The roadmap to finding what your creative calling is
- How to listen to the nudges and learn to distinguish between your wise inner voice and your critical monkey mind
- How to get into your flow and allow your creative path to unfold
- Developing an abundance mindset
- The formula for creating from the inside out
CONNECT WITH KIMOTHY:
Website | Instagram | That’s What She Said
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and connect with me online!
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What are the Akashic Records and how can you use them as a tool to reconnect to who you are and manifest your unique creative expression?
This week on Creativity School, I’m talking to my teacher Helen Vonderheide, Elite Certified Akashic Records Teacher and Practitioner. Helen gave me my Beginning Practitioner Certification, and I’m thrilled she’s here to teach us all about what the Akashic Records are, and how we can use them to illuminate our path, manifest our creative greatness, and receive the outcomes we desire.
Helen also gives an Akashic Record reading for all of us, so stay tuned until the end to hear the beautiful message she shares. If you want to learn all about the Akashic Records, keep an open heart and mind as you listen because this episode was made especially for you! ✨
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! Get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- What are the Akashic Records?
- What it’s like getting information from the Records
- Why you don’t need to be psychic or have special gifts to access the Records
- How to use the Records for manifesting creativity and the outcomes we want
- Helen’s Akashic Record Reading for all of us!!
CONNECT WITH HELEN:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and connect with me online!
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With so much content out there, how can we create brand messaging that actually stands out in a memorable way and reach the right audience for our creative business?
This week on Creativity School, Rachael Kay Albers is here to teach us how to create epic, unforgettable brand messaging and content through humor, connection, and fun! Rachael is a Creative Director and Lead Designer at RKA Ink, and the host of her business sketch comedy show Awkward Marketing. Rachael uses comedy and characters like Brad the Braggy Bro and Carie the Copycat to teach small business owners how NOT to approach their content and marketing.
Rachael shares with us the 5 Marketing Archetypes that can make people feel icky and awkward, and how to start identifying the brand values you want to share by first identifying the ones that make you feel blech. She also shares why it’s SO important to create content as a small business owner, why entertaining your audience through your messaging is the holy grail of content, and why we should bring lightness and fun into our message. If you want to learn how to create brand messaging and content that stands out, this episode is for you!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! Get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Rachael’s business sketch comedy show Awkward Marketing got started
- How to bring humor into your brand without trying to be laugh out loud funny
- How to discover your brand values by by tapping into the things you are NOT about
- How to find your arch nemesis and turn it into your superpower
- Why it’s important to create content for your business
CONNECT WITH RACHAEL:
Awkward Marketing | Instagram | Website
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
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We’re often told to find our zone of genius and hone in on one area of expertise, but what if you have more than one creative calling? Can you still be successful with your creative talents when everyone else is niching down?
This week on Creativity School, D’Ana Joi Spencer, multi-passionate creative extraordinare, is here to tell us why we should celebrate having multiple creative talents and fully own all of them. If you’re naturally curious, interested, and talented at a lot of different things, why should you have to choose?
D’Ana walks us through how to focus and stay productive when you have multiple creative passions, how to manage all your projects without burning out, and how to pivot through your gifts without judgement or shame. She also shares how to grow your confidence in owning all your amazing talents and gifts. If you're a multi-passionate creative and need tools for how to navigate life while creating all the things that excite you, this episode is for you!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Why you don’t have to niche down and choose just one topic of expertise to be successful
- How to know when to stick with a creative project or pivot
- Why you shouldn’t feel shame or guilt about letting go of a creative passion
- How to focus on multiple creative passions without burning out
- Why its important to say no to yourself and not be tempted by shiny object syndrome
- How to prioritize your creative projects and know which one to put more energy into – Download D’ana’s free Finding Focus Workbook
- How to start growing your confidence in owning all of your talents and gifts
- Creativity School #33 - Discover Your Unique Purpose with Human Design
CONNECT WITH D’ANA JOI:
Blog | Shop | Membership | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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We know that meditation can help you reduce stress and anxiety, among many other health benefits, but can meditation actually help you become more creative? The answer is YES! And through some simple and effective techniques, it doesn’t require thought shaming and rigid postures to get there.
This week on Creativity School, Brad Gantt, meditation teacher and creative director, talks to us about how meditation can help rid our internal clutter, get us into a flow state, and allow us to journey deeply into our well of untapped creativity, accessing parts of ourselves that have always been there.
If you' think you can’t meditate because you’re unable to sit still and quiet your mind, or you just don’t have the time, this episode is for you. Listen to find out how meditation can be an easy way to clear out your mental junk, reduce accumulated stress, and unlock your creative potential!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How a panic attack led Brad to seek meditation
- How meditation can help us build a resilience to stressful situations
- The importance of simply being
- How meditation can help us see things with complete clarity
- How meditation can help the creative process and make the creative process more enjoyable
- How meditation is like a treadmill for an out of shape mind and requires consistency to see the best results
- Why you don’t need to spend a lot of time meditating to see the benefits of it
CONNECT WITH BRAD:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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How can we begin to embrace vulnerability as our greatest strength, rather than a weakness? This week on Creativity School, I’m speaking to BJ Williams about breaking stigmas surrounding mental health and being vulnerable, particularly for black men in America who are 20% more likely to experience mental illness than the general population.
BJ is the creator of a video series called Can I Be Vulnerable?, which encourages black men to face and normalize their vulnerability and mental health. BJ talks about how the series got started completely unplanned, when he shared his own raw and vulnerable video talking about his background and going to therapy. As a result, many men began sharing their own stories and Can I Be Vulnerable? was born.
Listen to find out why destigmatizing mental health and speaking openly about the things that make us vulnerable is so important, and why it’s essential to learn healthy emotional intelligence. BJ also shares how he deals with negativity online, and how a lack of resources can lead to great creativity and innovation. Listen to feel inspired and embrace your own vulnerability as a superpower!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- What happened after BJ shared a video of himself being extremely raw and vulnerable
- Dealing with negativity online especially when what you make is so personal and raw
- Deciphering constructive criticism vs trash talking
- Breaking generational curses and learning healthy emotional intelligence
- The importance of embracing vulnerability and emotional intelligence
- How a lack of resources allows for great creativity
- BJ’s advice on how to get started on your own creative project
CONNECT WITH BJ:
Instagram | CIBV Instagram | CIBV YouTube
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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This week on Creativity School, my guest Monica Lo and I have an open minded discussion about cannabis and it’s incredible power as a wellness tool for maximizing your creativity and promoting physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
Monica is a photographer and creative director working to change the public perception of cannabis users. She’s also the creator of Sous Weed®, a blog dedicated to using cannabis as a superfood ingredient as opposed to merely a psychoactive additive. Our conversation is all about normalizing and destigmatizing cannabis, and how to use it for more than recreational purposes.
I ask her ALL the questions in this episode, like the difference between indica and sativa, how to use cannabis for productivity and creativity, how cannabis can aid in your physical healing and spiritual growth, and more! Whether you’re canna-curious, ready to come out of the canna-closet, or a bonafide canna-lover, you’ll learn so much in this conversation!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- The history of cannabis in traditional Chinese Medicine and how it dates back 3,000 years
- How a back injury led Monica down the path of learning about cannabis as a healing and wellness tool
- How healing herself led Monica onto a whole new career path
- Using cannabis to cultivate your creativity
- The difference between indica, sativa and hybrid
- Edibles vs smoking
- Physical, emotional, and spiritual healing using cannabis
- Are certain people more suited for cannabis?
CONNECT WITH MONICA:
Website | Sous Weed | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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What if you have a burning desire to make something that you need to see exist in the world, but you don’t have any experience and the thought of creating it terrifies the crap out of you? Do you run away or do you answer the call?
My guest Jane Gahng decided to confront all her fears, and make it anyway! Jane is an illustrator and lettering artist, and she shares her story about how she saw a need for an in-person conference celebrating Asian American/ Pacific Islander women and despite her fears, insecurities and lack of experience, decided to create it herself.
We talk about the process of making something massive in scale and completely beyond your comfort zone, and why Jane felt it was so important to push beyond her fears and create a community for people to feel represented, included and empowered. Jane also shares the visualization techniques she uses to overcome her self doubt and gets back up when she feels knocked down, and how this experience has grown her belief in herself and what she’s capable of. Listen to feel inspired and push past your own blocks to make what is calling you to be made!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- The importance of pivoting and evolving
- The process of making something massive in scale and completely beyond your comfort zone
- How to overcome self doubt through the power of visualization
- Manifesting what you want by focusing on the feeling you want
- How to achieve your goals by asking for help
- How to keep yourself accountable when you’re scared by sharing what you’re doing with others
- Get your tickets to Unveil Our Story!
CONNECT WITH JANE:
Website | Instagram | Unveil Our Story
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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Do you have a creative project you really want to work on, but put it off because you just don’t have the time for it?
Then today’s episode is just for you!
My guest Jake Kahana says nobody taught us how to work, and he wants to change that.
Jake is an artist and teacher helping people thrive in a world overrun with distractions by leading them in unlearning bad habits and replacing them with new, better ones. He’s also the king of side projects and the co-founder of Caveday, a company dedicated to teaching people how to maximize their productivity. Fast Company even referred to Jake and his co-founders as “Procrastination Nannies.” But it’s not just about doing more work in less time– Jake says it’s about improving the quality of your life by improving the quality of your work.
This conversation completely changed the way I work. In fact, I edited this episode more efficiently than ever before, thanks to all the juicy, research backed techniques Jake shares with us.
In this episode, Jake shows us how to unlearn the bad habits we’re all used to, and how to recreate our own mini Caveday at home. As someone who is highly creative with multiple side projects, he also shares some great insights about how to be more creative.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How nobody has ever taught us how to work, and why we need to be taught how to work with structure and research based techniques
- How to structure your work so you can get into flow
- The right kind of break to take so you can go back to work more energized (and it’s not checking emails and social media!)
- Why multitasking actually makes your work quality worse
- The ONE THING you can take away from this interview to do better work (and it improves your IQ!)
- Jake’s advice on how to work at a demanding day job and still have time for your side projects
- Why every creative outlet doesn’t need to be a business idea
Resources:
- Attention residue: Why focusing on multiple tasks can kill your work performance
- Gretchen Rubin’s The Four Tendencies
- Elizabeth Gilbert on distinguishing between hobbies, jobs, careers, and a vocation
- Glennon Doyle - Don’t Carpe Diem
- Fast Company - Procrastination Nannies are Now a Thing
CONNECT WITH JAKE:
Website | Caveday | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
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How can you be a badass creative entrepreneur and make money doing what you love?
This week on Creativity School, I talk to Jennifer Perkins, a creative content designer and crafter for places like HGTV and DIY Network. Jennifer has worked in the creative industry as an author, editor, and television host, for over 20 years, and she’s also the host of Creative Queso, a podcast all about the business of being creative.
If you want to learn more about how to make money with the things you make, how to overcome the discomfort of self promotion and do it without turning people off, how to network when you hate networking, how to prevent boredom in your creative work, AND SO MUCH MORE - tune in because you’ll love this episode!
WE ARE STARTING CREATIVITY SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS! Want to have a conversation with me about whatever you need help with? Have a burning question you want answered? Send me all your questions on Instagram (@thegracechon) or email me (grace @ grace chon . com)!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- The importance of having multiple streams of income
- How to prevent yourself from getting bored of your work when you turn it into a business
- Overcoming the discomfort of promoting yourself and your work
- How to network when you hate networking
- Why having ADD in your creativity should be something we embrace
- My episode on Jennifer’s Podcast Creative Queso
- Goal Digger Podcast
CONNECT WITH JENNIFER:
Website | Creative Queso | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
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This week on Creativity School, I talk to Laura Olsen, a creative coach that helps people define their message and get it online using a variety of tools, including Human Design. If you’ve never heard of Human Design before, you’re about to get a crash course on how this tool gives you an overview of the mechanics of how you operate, and “is the owner’s manual that we didn’t get at birth.”
By learning our Human Design type we can gain a deeper understanding of who we really are, and remove all the baggage of who the world tells us to be. As Laura says, truly compelling creativity comes from a deep place of inner knowledge. And the more we know about ourselves, the more we can create better work. Listen to learn more about your purpose and living in alignment with your Human Design!
WE ARE STARTING CREATIVITY SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS! Want to have a conversation with me about whatever you need help with? Have a burning question you want answered? Send me all your questions on Instagram (@thegracechon) or email me (grace @ grace chon.com)!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- What is Human Design
- The 5 Human Design Types - Manifestor, Generator, Manifesting Generator, Projector, and Reflector
- How Human Design can help you uncover who you really are and how you operate in the world
- Celebrities and famous figures and their Human Design Types
CONNECT WITH LAURA:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
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I HAD SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS EPISODE AND AM RELEASING IT AGAIN IN CASE YOU HAD TROUBLE LISTENING THE FIRST TIME. How funny that the episode about not being perfect, came out... not perfect. Enjoy!
How do we finally let go of perfectionism and experience the magic that unfolds when we create with complete freedom?
This week on Creativity School, we dig into how perfectionism is poison and not something to be proud of with Carrie Brummer. Carrie is a visual artist and has had work displayed in The Smithsonian and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She’s also an art educator, and the founder of Artist Strong, a community that supports people by giving them the permission to be creative and the tools to develop their unique voice.
We talk about how it took a life threatening health experience for Carrie to finally let go of the need to create art that was perfect, and in the process discovered the incredible things that can happen in your life and work when you let go and create without pressure. Carrie shares actionable steps we can take to release our need for perfection, how to let go of the myth of talent, and how to trust your intuition when creating your work.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Carrie entered the world of art education despite her parents and teachers telling her it wasn’t practical to pursue a career in the arts
- How a life threatening health experience was a catalyst for her to let go of perfectionism and the need to please others in her work
- The negative side of perfectionism
- The myth of talent and how to develop your talent
CONNECT WITH CARRIE:
Website | Artist Strong | Facebook
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
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We often hear about how necessary it is to hustle, grind and work until we’re exhausted and burned out when starting a new business. But is it possible to build a successful business by intentionally growing it slow and without the pressure to grow as quickly as possible?
This week on Creativity School, I talk to Jessica Gonzalez, a beekeeper and the founder of Happy Organics, a wellness company that provides honey and CBD products for the body and mind. Jessica shares her journey to accidentally starting her company during a time when she was burned out and exploring the things that made her happy after quitting a tech company she founded. She began helping her father with his bees when he got diagnosed with terminal cancer, and developed honey and CBD products to help with his pain and anxiety. When people started asking to buy them, she had a business.
Jessica shares how she was able to keep her company going through the devastating loss of her dad, how her incredible pain became her purpose, and how she’s been able to successfully grow her company slowly and at her own pace by being focused on her values and the bigger picture.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Jessica began helping her father with his bees when he got diagnosed with terminal cancer
- How she was able to start Happy Organics while experiencing the devastating loss of her father
- How to create transformation in your life without experiencing something painful or devastating
- Why she grew her business slow and without a plan
- The importance of letting yourself feel bad
CONNECT WITH JESSICA:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and connect with me online!
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here
How do we finally let go of perfectionism and experience the magic that unfolds when we create with complete freedom?
This week on Creativity School, we dig into how perfectionism is poison and not something to be proud of with Carrie Brummer. Carrie is a visual artist and has had work displayed in The Smithsonian and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She’s also an art educator, and the founder of Artist Strong, a community that supports people by giving them the permission to be creative and the tools to develop their unique voice.
We talk about how it took a life threatening health experience for Carrie to finally let go of the need to create art that was perfect, and in the process discover the incredible things that can happen in your life and work when you let go and create without pressure. Carrie shares actionable steps we can take to release our need for perfection, how to let go of the myth of talent, and how to trust your intuition when creating your work.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Carrie entered the world of art education despite her parents and teachers telling her it wasn’t practical to pursue a career in the arts
- How a life threatening health experience was a catalyst for her to let go of perfectionism and the need to please others in her work
- The negative side of perfectionism
- The myth of talent and how to develop your talent
- Grace on Carrie's Series "How to Be an Artist"
CONNECT WITH CARRIE:
Website | Artist Strong | Facebook
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
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This week on Creativity School, I share 3 simple secrets to being successful with your creative work, especially if you want to build a long-lasting career. The ideas in this episode are the things that have helped me succeed as a creative entrepreneur and artist, and if you can stay committed to these tips - THEY WORK!
Also listen in the introduction to find out the inspiring way Lulu Wang, director and writer of the critically acclaimed film The Farewell, overcame obstacles to make her film exactly the way she wanted, and the lessons we can learn from her experience.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Resources:
• ‘The Farewell’: Lulu Wang Made the Year’s Most Exciting Hit By Refusing to Whitewash It
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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What do you do when you’ve worked hard all your life doing everything you were “supposed” to do, only to end up unfulfilled and lost?
Today’s guest Shinah Chang is the owner of Crooked Calligraphy, a modern calligraphy studio. She calls herself an unconventional calligrapher and teaches classes, creates work for weddings and events, and for corporate clients like Disney and Nordstrom.
But Shinah started her journey on a very traditional path to success. She had a tiger mom, got a perfect 1600 on her SATs, went to Harvard, and became a very successful attorney making over 6 figures right out the gate. But she was stressed out and extremely unhappy, until she left everything behind to discover what made her curious and found her passion for calligraphy. On this episode of Creativity School, Shinah shares the steps she took to veer off a very linear path and create her own unique path to success and happiness.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Shinah felt lost and unfulfilled in her career as a lawyer, and ultimately how she found her way thanks to some really good questions a life coach asked her that changed everything
- How to discover what you love to do
- How to channel who you really are into your work by finding your authentic voice, even if it pisses people off
- How to begin to overcome the fear of failure and the fear of rejection, and move forward despite the fear
CONNECT WITH SHINAH:
Instagram | Website
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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What happens when the thing you love to make the most completely burns you out?
This week on Creativity School, I have a very honest conversation about mental health and burning out with Korean chef and author Seung Hee Lee. Seung Hee is a self proclaimed “disease detective” by day as a full time Epidemiologist, and a classically trained chef and side hustling pop-up chef by night. She’s also a traditionally published author of a Korean cookbook, which she worked on and released while working at her day job.
We talk about her journey to becoming a chef and author, and how she uses social media to dispel stereotypes about Korean food. Seung Hee also shares how her weekend pop-up events became burdensome and left her feeling depressed and unhappy. She discusses how she began the process of overcoming her burnout and why it’s essential to create work that makes you happy instead of making work to please others.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Tips on how Seung Hee grew her social media following and used it as market research for her cookbook
- How to engage with others on Instagram and manage it when you have a day job
- The importance of making what you truly love to make, especially when you have a full time job and your creativity is your side hustle
- Seung Hee’s tips on combating burn out
CONNECT WITH SEUNG HEE:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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How can we override our brains and stop our negative self talk, fear of failure, and perfectionism from getting in the way of making the awesome work we want to make?
On this week’s episode of Creativity School, I talk to Master Certified Coach Kara Loewentheil about how to unf*ck your brain, and step by step change your thought patterns beyond just positive thinking. Kara left a legal career behind and has grown her coaching business from zero to seven figures in just 3 years. She teaches cognitive psychology-based techniques and insights from feminist theory that lead to ridiculously rapid change. This is real, practical mindset work based on the way our brains work!
Kara talks about some of the biggest blocks to our creativity - negative self talk, fear of failure, perfectionism and anxiety - and how to start changing our thoughts about them. Kara also shares advice on what to do when you never get the external validation you want for your work and how thought work can help. Listen to find out why she says why your brain is like a German Shepherd puppy that needs training, and how you can start having your brain work FOR you instead of against you once and for all.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Retraining your brain - why it’s important and how to do it
- The first step to changing your thought patterns
- The biggest blocks to creativity and how to start changing our thoughts about them
- Why we should really connect to WHY we are creating something
- What to do when you never get the external validation you want for your work
- Why doing what feels aligned and safe is the worst advice
- Kara’s free Confidence Challenge
CONNECT WITH KARA:
Website | Instagram | Podcast
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
Thank you so much for listening!
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On this week’s episode of Creativity School, I talk to legendary viral photographer, artist and visual engineer Von Wong. Von has been hugely influential in the photography industry for over a decade with his massive online following and work seen all over the world, and he drops so much knowledge and insight about the creative life in this illuminating conversation about success, failure and everything in between.
Von Wong is a former mining engineer turned self taught photographer, and we learn how he transitioned from engineering to traveling all over the globe as a social impact artist and viral photographer. We also talk about his pivot into creating work that has purpose and meaning, and how he uses his work to tell impactful stories about environmental issues like plastic pollution, fast fashion, and electronic waste. Von also explains the importance of using strategy to build your creative career rather than sheer impulse.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Why it’s important to know yourself – know what makes you tick, know what you enjoy, and leverage that to the best of your ability in order to make things work
- Why failure is actually multidimensional – how failure can also be successful
- Why other people’s templates for success are totally irrelevant
- The recent struggles Von’s had while pivoting into new things, and how keeps going
- Building through calculated, new steps to get to where you want to go instead of being impulse driven
- How to collaborate with others and the importance of thinking how you can benefit others instead of yourself
CONNECT WITH VON:
Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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Whether you love it or hate it, social media is one of the best ways for getting our creative work out into the world. But it can be so overwhelming, time consuming, and yet another thing to do when we’re already so busy! How can we make social media simple and fun and use it to actually grow our following?
On this week’s episode of Creativity School, I talk to social media strategist Andrea Jones. Andrea loves to help people build profitable communities online through simple solutions, and she’s also the host of the Savvy Social Podcast. She’s here to answer ALL THE QUESTIONS, and do I mean all the questions. We talk about it all - like what kinds of posts perform best (photos of ourselves? product shots? graphics? personal posts?), how much time we actually need to spend on our accounts to be effective, and how to make this whole thing simple and easy. Andrea also shares how to beat Instagram’s algorithms and authentically increase engagement, and she also answers a ton of listener questions. This episode is packed full of great information and you won’t want to miss it if you want to build your social platforms.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How much time you REALLY need to spend on social media to make it work for you
- Which social platform to start with
- Why social media is like dating and how to use Instagram to meet new people to connect with using hashtags and using Gary Vee’s $1.80 strategy
- How to increase engagement and beat Instagram’s algorithms
Resources: * Canva * Social Report
CONNECT WITH ANDREA:
Website | Podcast | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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This week’s episode of Creativity School is all about imposter syndrome, and it’s a deeply personal one because it’s something I’ve struggled with EVERY step of the way on my creative journey from studying biology to becoming an art director in the ad industry, to commercial photography, and now as a podcaster.
We talk a lot on the show about how we need to do our best work on the inside, so we can create our best work on the outside. And imposter syndrome is a major one to tackle because no matter how long you’ve been a creative it never goes away. So how can we move past this huge block to our creativity when everything inside of us is screaming about how inadequate we are? This week I share 3 ways to help overcome the dreaded imposter syndrome when you feel crippling self doubt and feel like you’re a total fraud and a failure.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! Support Creativity School and get a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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If you’re like me and were told you you can never make money being creative, (or countless other limiting beliefs about money!) starting the process of uncovering your money story is an essential step on your creative journey. I didn’t even know what a money mindset was back in 2008 when I started my side hustle, and I had NO IDEA how deep my unconscious beliefs about money went and how much that was impacting my income.
Today’s guest Sarah Li-Cain is a finance writer and host of the Beyond The Dollar podcast, where she has deep and honest conversations about how money affects our well being. Her work blends practical tips and mindset strategies so that money becomes a tool to enhance people’s lives. On today’s episode of Creativity School, we talk about all things money mindset - how we’ve absorbed messages about money and how that affects our day to day life and the way we interact with it, make it, spend it, and our relationship with it. We also discuss how to begin the process of changing our beliefs about money to ultimately make more money doing what we love.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How personal and emotional issues affect the way we interact with money
- Why we feel the need to hoard money
- How our behaviors around money and the decision process around money fills an emotional need
- Techniques to help you move through your negative emotions about money and begin the process of changing your money story
Resources: * Overcoming, Underearning * The Soul of Money * You Are a Badass at Making Money * Get Rich Lucky Btch
CONNECT WITH SARAH:
Website | Podcast | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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I’ll be the first to tell you that I used to think “loving yourself” sounded like the cheesiest, most cliché mantra and totally irrelevant to creativity. But what I’ve learned over the last 11 years as a creative entrepreneur and artist is that loving yourself is the superpower we need to stay the course on a journey that can oftentimes get really, really hard.
On this week’s episode of Creativity School, I talk to my good friend, essay writer and children’s book author Laurenne Sala all about what loving yourself actually means, what that looks like in practice, and how it allows us to withstand the sting of rejection and stop our constant need to make people like us and our work.
We dig into ALL the things in this episode, from the secret formula to writing a successful children’s book, to dealing with rejection after Laurenne submitted hundreds of manuscripts, and to feeling like a total failure when you don’t make 100% of your income from your creative work. We also discuss the 3 essential parts of the creative process that highly creative people embrace.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Laurenne’s amazing new book You Made Me a Dad
- How a commercial Laurenne wrote for a baby brand went viral and turned into her first children’s book You Made Me a Mother
- How her entire children’s book career started with overcoming her lack of self-esteem and learning to stand up for herself
- Learning how to deal with rejection
- All the steps to become a children’s book author and write a great children’s book
- 3 essential parts of the creative process that highly creative people embrace
- How to know what critiques to take from people and know what to ignore
- Thinking you’re a failure because you can’t make a living full time with your creative work
CONNECT WITH LAURENNE:
Website | Instagram | You Made Me a Dad
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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The dictionary defines success as “attaining wealth, prosperity and fame”. Oftentimes, the more achievements we can accomplish and the more money we make, the more successful we feel. But being on this never ending hamster wheel of chasing external validation and accomplishment can leave us burned out and feeling unfulfilled. Is our creativity only meaningful when it receives attention and accolades? Of course not! So how do we begin to reimagine what success really is, so we can live a life of more meaning and purpose?
Today’s guest Anna S. E. Lundberg is a success coach, business strategist and founder of One Step Outside. Anna is passionate about inspiring and supporting others to reimagine what personal success means so we can have businesses we love and live with more freedom and fulfillment. We talk about how to overcome fear and take “one step outside” to start the process of redefining success, and how to discover what personal success is to us so we can find more meaning in the lives we live and the work we make.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Overcoming fear and taking just one step outside your comfort zone to begin to redefine success
- The importance of reimagining success beyond external validation, achievement and accomplishment
- How to discover and redefine what personal success means to us
- How to find work life integration through the 5 L’s – Live, Love, Learn, Lead and Laugh
CONNECT WITH ANNA:
Website | Podcast | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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Want to learn how to be more creative by hacking the way your brain naturally works?
On this week’s episode of Creativity School, I watch and recap my favorite takeaways from Netflix’s new documentary The Creative Brain with neuroscientist Dr. David Eagleman. Dr. Eagleman has been a neuroscientist for over 20 years and shares the various ways our brain naturally works for and against our creativity. The movie features creative minds like architect Bjarke Ingels, musician Grimes, actor Tim Robbins, and more. It’s a fascinating documentary that looks into the creative process of innovators across multiple disciplines while exploring brain-bending, risk-taking ways to spark our own creativity.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
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We’re back with more wisdom from Hommy Diaz on this week’s episode of Creativity School! If you haven’t already, be sure to back and listen to last week’s episode where he shares his origin story and how he navigates the unknown of his creative journey without stress or fear.
This week Hommy’s talking to us about the formula he’s come up with to create work that connects with people called “The 5 C’s.” Hommy has used this formula successfully for his projects working on collaborations for brands like DC Shoes and K-Swiss. You’ll find out why he says some people get the formula backwards when creating, and when they do, it inevitably fails.
Hommy also shares how he uses the 5 C’s to create products with meaning and depth, and how he utilized his formula for building his own brand, Magnus Alpha. We also talk about how to execute ideas to make them awesome, and how to build a great brand from the ground up.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Why you should align your work with the 5 C’s and then create
- How he tells stories through footwear design
- Why he says the context around your product is the most important thing to consider
- Why you shouldn’t be in a rush to develop an idea and get it out
- How appreciating what he has helps his mindset and creative journey
CONNECT WITH HOMMY:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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We all know the unknown and uncertainty of forging ahead on your own creative path can be terrifying! So how can we overcome all the fears and move forward?
On this week’s episode of Creativity School, I’m talking to Hommy Diaz. Hommy is an influential designer in sneaker culture with over 15 years of experience working with with top brands like KSWISS, Palladium Boots and DC Shoes. He is also the cofounder of MAGNUS ALPHA, his own designer sneaker, accessories and apparel company.
Hommy is a proud child of immigrants from the Dominican Republic and his family told him he couldn’t make money being an artist. Despite this, he went to Parsons art school, graduated, and then took a part time job at the Apple Store, much to the confusion and disappointment of his family. Somehow, Hommy leveraged that experience to end up as the global product line manager at DC Shoes... with zero shoe design experience! We talk about how he navigated this journey, his particular way of thinking that allows him to stay open to possibilities without trying to control the outcome of the unknown, and how this has consistently opened doors for him on his creative path.
Stay tuned for Part 2 with Hommy next week, where we talk about how to create work that's meaningful to consumers and more.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Being open to opportunity even if it’s not exactly what you expect
- Why its so important to create your own opportunities
- Why Hommy says setting expectations is self sabotage
- How to release the impulse to control things and enjoy the process
- Why Hommy says to rack up as many small failures as possible
CONNECT WITH HOMMY:
Website | Instagram
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On today’s episode of Creativity School, I’m talking to Sara Carson, celebrity dog trainer, top international trick dog trainer, and finalist on Season 12 of America’s Got Talent.
Sara and her dogs now have fans all over the world, but she faced harsh criticism and lack of support from her family and friends while she pursued her dreams of training and performing with dogs for a living. Despite starting her own dog training business at 15 years old, Sara was told her entire life that what she was doing was silly, unrealistic, and that she could NEVER have a career doing what she wanted to do.
When she auditioned for America’s Got Talent, even the judges didn’t understand her work. It took Simon Cowell getting on stage for the first time ever, to vouch for Sara and her dogs and get her through to the show.
Sara shares how to overcome the lack of support from your family and friends and how to create the things you love anyway. We also get a behind the scenes look at her time on AGT - from the audition process, to the moment the judges criticized her act, to Simon getting on stage and fighting for her. She also talks about the process of creating new performances week after week under high stress, how she overcomes her nerves before big shows, how she deals with online critics, and more.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Sara learned how to do dog training while watching YouTube videos when she was 10 years old
- How she started a dog training business when she was 15 years old, teaching at night after school
- Her experience having a video she made for fun go viral, getting 22M views overnight
- How she got onto America’s Got Talent Season 12, her process auditioning for the show, getting rejected and hearing criticism from the judges, and how Simon Cowell believed in her
- Sara’s advice on how to create things when you don’t have any support
- How she deals with the nerves of performing in front of a huge audience
- Her advice for creating work through anxiety or depression
Resources:
- Sara’s AGT Audition | Sara’s Viral Video
CONNECT WITH SARA:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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What if you could monetize your creative project and turn it into a profitable side hustle? Today’s Creativity School guest Dielle Charon, is an expert at helping people achieve exactly this and she’s here to share all her juicy tips with us in this conversation.
Dielle is a Business Coach, helping other driven and passionate side hustlers finally quit their full time jobs and live a life of freedom. And Dielle walks the walk - she currently runs her extremely profitable coaching business as a side hustle! Despite her crazy demanding day job, she was able to match her 9-5 salary within three months of starting her business.
You probably know by now that I started my photography career as a side hustle back in 2008. I know a thing or two about how to monetize your creative passion projects, but Dielle taught me SO MUCH in this conversation, she blew my mind. We talk about how to make sure your business idea is suitable for the market, how to manage your time when you have a busy day job, and how to avoid “Shiny Object Syndrome” so you can set goals and stick to them. Dielle also shares great advice on when it’s ok to quit your side hustle. We talk about so much more and she has a a wealth of great advice, so you might want to grab a pen and take some notes for this one!
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- The first steps to monetizing your creative passion project
- Why you have to find a gap in the market
- How to validate your side hustle idea with “coffee chat calls”
- What branding is and why it’s important
- How to balance your side hustle with a day job and manage your time productively
- Why Dielle recommends 90 day goals and how they can give us permission to focus on the things that matter to our side hustle
- The impact of side hustles on your relationships and how to balance both
- Shiny Object Syndrome and how that harms our productivity
- Why you have to serve the business, and not your every passion and whim
- Dielle’s advice on when it’s ok to quit your side hustle
CONNECT WITH DIELLE:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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This week on Creativity School, I’m talking to self proclaimed troublemaker Simon Tam, founder and bassist of the first Asian American dance rock band The Slants, author, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and the David that went up against the Goliath that is the US government in a fight for freedom of speech.
Simon is a strong believer in creating work from your values and making the things you want to see in the world, in order to make an impact and create positive change. In this episode we talk about why he is committed to making the work he does, even when it puts him on a difficult path, and how he overcame incredible obstacles in the music industry that discriminated against his band simply for being Asian American.
Simon and his band have extensively been in the news because of his 8 year lawsuit against the US Patent and Trademark Office over the right to use the name The Slants (the USPTO argued it was racist), and we discuss what happened when his landmark case went all the way to the Supreme Court in 2017. (Spoiler alert - they won!)
We talk about making work that you know you have to make, despite the odds, despite the rejection, despite people not believing in you, and despite having to fight giants like the US government. Simon offers so much wisdom about why overcoming all those obstacles was worth the fight.
**Today’s episode is brought to you by Audible! If you want to get started with a free audiobook download and 30 day free trial head over to at www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/audible.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How to take action on the things that you want to do
- How Simon learned survival instincts – perseverance and persistence – from watching his immigrant parents
- How he finds the time for all his creative pursuits and juggles them all
- His advice on how to create connection with people and get them interested in the work you create
- Why he started the first Asian American dance rock band and why he chose the name The Slants as an act of reappropriation
- How he deals with rejection
- Why it’s important to embrace who you are and not let anyone stop you
- Living in alignment with what you believe is right
- How starting your creativity journey can lead you to unexpected places
Resources:
- The Daily Show with Trevor Noah | USA Today
CONNECT WITH SIMON:
Website | The Slants | Slanted Book
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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This week on Creativity School, we’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with Kyndra Holley, international bestselling cookbook author and the powerhouse behind the massively popular food blog Peace, Love and Low Carb.
If you didn’t listen to Part 1 our talk, go back and listen to Episode 13 to find out all about how Kyndra started her blog back in 2011 as a hobby that made zero money, and eventually turned it into a full time dream career that now supports her family.
On this episode, we discuss the importance of advocating for your work and standing up for the vision that you believe in, and why we should create from a place of power and never hold back and stifle our own creativity. Kyndra also shares her thoughts on how to be healthy overall so we can have a long term and sustainable business, and why your career can’t be motivated by money.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Kyndra self published her first cookbook after just 1 year of blogging
- How she got into publishing her cookbooks with her traditional publishers
- Why it’s essential to speak up for yourself and advocate for your own work and creative vision
- Her philosophy on giving back to the community, animals and other people
- How Kyndra keeps her creativity going without burning out
- How giving ourselves rest allows us to be more creative and have better ideas
- Kyndra’s thoughts on starting a blog now, in such a competitive landscape
- Why your career can’t be motivated by money
- The single most thing that has propelled Kyndra in her business and career
CONNECT WITH KYNDRA:
Instagram | Blog | Facebook
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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Have you ever dreamed of monetizing a hobby and turning it into a successful career? It’s entirely possible, and on this week’s episode of Creativity School our guest Kyndra Holley is here to tell us exactly how she did it.
Kyndra is an international bestselling cookbook author, and the powerhouse behind Peace, Love and Low Carb, a massively popular food blog that gets 4 million page views a month. She started her blog back in 2011 simply as a hobby to lose weight, using a first generation iPhone. Kyndra eventually quit her day job in the restaurant business to focus on monetizing her blog. And now 8 years later, she’s supporting her family with a food empire that spans Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and 6 traditionally published cookbooks.
Kyndra doesn’t hold back in this conversation, and shares everything from the steps she took to monetize her blog, to how she kept going even though things got really dark and hard in the early days of her business. We also talk about how she deals with viscous online trolls, how to overcome anxiety and fear, and why gratitude and abundance mindset is crucial to our overall health and wellness.
Tune in next week as we continue our conversation about how Kyndra self published her first cookbooks, her experience getting published with traditional publishers, how to have a long term, sustainable business and much, much more.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Why Kyndra embraces vulnerability and how it creates connection with her readers
- Why she treated food blogging like a career even though it was a hobby
- How she ultimately quit her day job to focus on food blogging even though it wasn’t bringing in any income
- Why she says gratitude is essential
- How being real and authentic on social media has created connection, community and grown her Instagram following
- How our emotions and deep inner worlds affect our creativity and the work we make
- Abundance mindset and how it affects her creativity and business
CONNECT WITH KYNDRA:
Instagram | Blog | Facebook
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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On today’s episode of Creativity School I discuss perfectionism and why it’s so detrimental to our creativity, especially when we’re starting something new!
Listen to find out why we should stop being focused on perfection, and what we can do instead to create work from a space that’s healthier, more loving, and free of shame, judgement and fear. This episode is a must listen if you struggle with perfectionism in your work, and you feel like you can’t share anything you make until it’s absolutely perfect.
I also share why I’ll be taking a few weeks off from the show, so listen until the end if you want to find out more.
This episode is dedicated in loving memory of Maeby 2005-2019.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Ira Glass and The Gap
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How did an aspiring pro-golfer turned accountant end up opening one of of LA's most popular cafes with ZERO restaurant experience?
Tune into today's episode of Creativity School, to find out the incredible origins story of how my good friend James Choi started Cafe Dulce, one of the most popular bakeries and cafés in the entire city. With 4 locations, thousands of reviews on Yelp and lines out the door, people can’t seem to get enough of Dulce’s specialty coffee and creative pastries – especially their famous donuts. (My favorites are the Snickers and Green Tea, and I love their iced Vietnamese coffee!)
James explains how he quit his job in accounting 8 years ago to build Cafe Dulce from the ground up with his late mother, thanks to a whole lot of grit and perseverance. He also talks about his struggles during Dulce’s early days when he had to “fake it til you make it” and how he ultimately began to grow his business and loyal fan base through having a very clear intention for his business and a heart of service for his customers and community. His advice for how to build something meaningful and impactful is really insightful and applicable to any creative work.
And you'll have to listen to find out the surprising way I met James back in the mid 90's, when he was a kid in Southern California and I was in Philly. (It's pretty funny.)
Mentioned in this episode:
- How James pursued a career in professional golf since he was 10 years old
- Why he ultimately quit college level golf and majored in accounting
- How he was able to keep Café Dulce afloat in the early days when they had maxed out credit cards and piles of debt
- Why James says you have to be clear with your messaging and be intentional with why you’re doing it
- Why good hospitality is NOT just for the hospitality industry and will help any new business thrive and stand out
- How to add heart to your business
- The best way to create something meaningful and impactful
- James’ advice on how to be patient when you’re building something, especially through hardship and obstacles
- Simon Sinek – Start With Why Ted Talk
- CEOs Say How You Treat a Waiter Can Predict a Lot About Character
CONNECT WITH JAMES:
Instagram | Facebook
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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Nathalie Basha is a Webby nominated travel journalist with a passion for telling stories about the intersection between people, culture and fascinating places. She shoots, writes, edits, and reports on her stories both at home in LA and around the world on assignment. Basically, she has a dream career! And her pieces regularly go viral, getting millions upon millions of views per story. One video alone has more than 70 MILLION views and counting!
If you're interested at all in being a content creator, learning how to create stories that connect with people, and learning how to make things that resonate with an audience, this is a must listen episode.
I love this conversation, because we learn all about Nathalie's journey to working in such an incredible career, with stops along the way as an entertainment news reporter, features news reporter, and the surprising part time job she picked up to support herself when she quit TV news without a plan and decided to go full force with her YouTube channel The Travel Muse.
Nathalie shares why it’s so important to create roles and opportunities for yourself, why we have to purposefully conquer our fears, and how to manifest the exact dream career and life that you want.
We also talk about going viral - why she thinks her work connects with such a massive audience, and her advice on creating work with the intent of going viral.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Nathalie burned out of TV news, quit without a plan, and started her YouTube channel The Travel Muse
- How she developed The Travel Muse over 3 years, without generating any income, and took a part time job to pay the bills
- Why it’s so important to create the opportunity for yourself and take the initiative if you want something to happen
- How Nathalie finds the stories she reports on and why she is interested in telling the stories of the people that make the places she travels to special
- Why feeling nervous is a good thing
- How she has had countless videos go viral
- Nathalie’s advice on approaching content creation with the intent of going viral
- How Nathalie and her fiancé Dr. Evan Antin both manifested their dream careers
- How to get started in telling stories through video like Nathalie
Nathalie’s videos mentioned in this episode:
- San Quentin State Prison uses hula dance to help prison reform
- These Georgian dancers perform battle scenes with real swords
- Instagram's hottest vet treats snakes and elephants, and we spent a day with him
- This woman takes pictures of adorable animals and gets paid to do it
CONNECT WITH NATHALIE:
Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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We talk a lot on Creativity School about making things simply because it makes us happy, even if we don’t have a bigger plan for it. Yet we often find ourselves feeling like our creativity needs to be more purposeful than that - if it doesn’t make us money, what’s the point?
In today’s episode, I’m talking to someone who has an extremely demanding day job, and started a creative side project for one reason: purely because it was fun. What happened next was beyond his imagination!
Kevin Butler is an award winning creative director that’s created memorable ad campaigns for clients like Apple, Playstation, Tinder, Airbnb, and Facebook. While he was working at his most demanding job ever (working 6 days a week, 12-14 hours a day), he started his illustration project, Rad Cars with Rad Surfboards. It started out as one personal drawing that quickly grew to 100 illustrations. Now, 10 years later, Rad Cars with Rad Surfboards has had sold out art shows and collaborated with brands like Herschel Supply Co., Igloo Coolers, Vans, and more!
Kevin talks about how Rad Cars with Rad Surfboards is what keeps him sharp and inspired, why money is never the motivation behind his project, and why it's important that he protects the integrity of his work by choosing the right brands to collaborate with.
He also shares how he juggles his side project with such a demanding day job, and why it’s SO IMPORTANT to be selfish in the work you create for yourself.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Kevin creates effective communication that connects with people through his ad campaigns
- Why he says you need to be selfish in the work you create
- Why other people’s opinions shouldn’t matter
- The questions he asks himself when he chooses which creative side projects to work on
- How starting Rad Cars with Rad Surfboards was started purely for fun
- Why you should value your work and be discerning about what brands and companies to work with
- Why money is never his motivation for his Rad Car collaborations
- How giving your brain space to rest and breathe allows you to be more creative
- How he finds time for creativity with a demanding day job and while being a dad
- The Modern Trap of Turning Hobbies into Hustles
- Facebook “Friends” brand campaign
CONNECT WITH KEVIN:
Rad Cars | Instagram | Website
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Today’s episode digs into the power of owning your story and being authentically and unapologetically yourself in your work. Because what you create is a reflection of who you are – whether it’s a film, a photo, a business or a cupcake!
Being so honest can be pretty scary for most people, myself included. I struggle with this a lot, especially on social media. But this conversation reveals how when you can embrace your identity and the things that make you different, the more relatable, resonant and creative your work will be. And I truly believe this applies to LIFE IN GENERAL. Just swap out the word “work” for “life.”
Evita Castine is an Emmy Award winning producer, director, actor, and photographer. Her films have been recognized by the Cannes Film Festival, One Lens Festival, Warner Brothers, and more. In today’s conversation, she shares her journey to becoming an award winning filmmaker, why she says putting emotional intelligence into your work makes it stronger, and how being different is your super power.
Evita also shares how she uses her iPhone (yes, you read that right - her iPhone!) to create work for major clients like Spotify, musicians like Cody Chestnutt, and Fox Studios.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Evita's journey to becoming a director and why she became inspired to begin telling her own stories
- How being different and an outsider shapes her work and makes it unique
- Why putting emotion into your work makes it stronger
- How judging things inhibits your creativity
- Why she says you don’t have to go to film school if you want to be a filmmaker
- How she developed her artistic voice and unique visual style in her work
- How she started creating work using her iPhone for major clients
- Her formula for the “straightest” path to living a fulfilling creative life and making your dreams into reality
- Why a teacher told her to go clown school
CONNECT WITH EVITA:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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Today’s episode is for everyone that was told you can’t make money doing what you love, especially as an artist.
(I have a feeling this is the majority of us!)
The myth of the starving artist is one of the biggest misconceptions there is about creativity. I was told my entire life that I could never make a living with my creative hobbies. But my guest today, Aimée Hoover, has made a successful career as an extraordinary fine artist for 20 years, painting contemporary portraits of animals. Her paintings are in collections all around the world, seen in galleries and exhibitions, and featured in countless magazine articles.
In this episode, Aimée tells us how she accidentally stumbled upon her niche painting portraits of pets 20 years ago, built her business as a side hustle painting in her living room, and how she’s been able to sustain a long lasting career creating exactly what she loves to make. She talks about the point in her career when pleasing clients left her lost and burned out, and how she shut down a successful, profitable business to find joy in her work again. Aimée also shares how to build self confidence and resilience in your work, especially in this day of social media when it’s so easy to feel like you’re not good enough. You’ll also find out why I call Aimée a social media and marketing genius!
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Aimée accidentally stumbled upon her niche painting pet portraits 20 years ago
- How she transitioned from a side hustle to full time business
- How she learned the business of being an artist (and it wasn’t from school!)
- How to overcome the “compare and despair” of Instagram and social media
- Why I call Aimée a social media and marketing genius
- How to build your confidence in your work as a creative person, even when you feel like you’re not good enough
- The point in her career when she felt completely lost, burned out and wanted to quit everything
- Why filling your creative well is so important when you have a creative career
- Aimée’s tips for how to get started as a creative entrepreneur
- The power in just being yourself and creating work that’s important to you
CONNECT WITH AIMÉE:
Website | Instagram
CONNECT WITH CREATIVITY SCHOOL:
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Do you have a creative project you really want to work on, but put it off because you just don’t have the time for it?
Then today’s episode is just for you!
My guest Jake Kahana says nobody taught us how to work, and he wants to change that.
Jake is an artist and teacher helping people thrive in a world overrun with distractions by leading them in unlearning bad habits and replacing them with new, better ones. He’s also the king of side projects and the co-founder of Caveday, a company dedicated to teaching people how to maximize their productivity. Fast Company even referred to Jake and his co-founders as “Procrastination Nannies.” But it’s not just about doing more work in less time– Jake says it’s about improving the quality of your life by improving the quality of your work.
This conversation completely changed the way I work. In fact, I edited this episode more efficiently than ever before, thanks to all the juicy, research backed techniques Jake shares with us.
In this episode, Jake shows us how to unlearn the bad habits we’re all used to, and how to recreate our own mini Caveday at home. As someone who is highly creative with multiple side projects, he also shares some great insights about how to be more creative.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Jake co-founded Caveday
- How nobody has ever taught us how to work, and why we need to be taught how to work with structure and research based techniques
- How to structure your work so you can get into flow and do your best work
- The right kind of break to take so you can go back to work more energized (and it’s not checking emails and social media!)
- Why multitasking actually makes your work quality worse
- How to be in control of your own time
- The ONE THING you can take away from this interview to do better work (and it improves your IQ!)
- Jake’s advice on how to work at a demanding day job and still have time for your side projects
- Why every creative outlet doesn’t need to be a business idea
Resources:
- Attention residue: Why focusing on multiple tasks can kill your work performance
- Gretchen Rubin’s The Four Tendencies
- Elizabeth Gilbert on distinguishing between hobbies, jobs, careers, and a vocation
- Glennon Doyle - Don’t Carpe Diem
- Fast Company - Procrastination Nannies are Now a Thing
CONNECT WITH JAKE:
Website | Caveday | Instagram
Thank you so much for listening!
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Are you someone who feels like you don’t know what you like or what you’re good at? Do you feel like your life is so busy with work or parenthood, that you don’t even have the time to figure it out?
Trust me. We can relate.
Sylvia Ray says she didn’t know what she liked or was good at throughout most of her life. After becoming a mom of 2 young boys, she started feeling antsy but completely clueless about what she wanted to do.
Sylvia finally found the passion she had been looking for her entire life through filmmaking. Using what little time she had, she explored and looked for inspiration where she could, eventually teaching herself how to write, edit, produce and direct films. And in just 2 short years (without going to school!), her films have been screened coast to coast, her work has been featured on major websites like The Huffington Post, and more.
In this episode she shares about her journey from feeling stuck, to working through her fears of sharing her work, to become a rising filmmaker - all while being a busy mom of 2 young boys.
Mentioned in this episode:
- The steps Sylvia took to start exploring what she liked and was good at
- Her first steps to learning how to become a filmmaker without going to school
- What one of the best gifts about being a new creative is
- How to create your work while being a stay at home mom
- How to balance the struggle with parenting and working
- How moms without help and a support system can start to explore their creativity
- How Sylvia gets used to her work being rejected and why keeping perspective is so essential
- Her advice for those who have no idea what they want to do
- Her process for filmmaking and getting her work out there
- How her Korean/Mexican identity influences her storytelling and work
- What an executive at NBC told her that shifted her mindset
- How exploring your creativity can feel like therapy (in a good way!)
- The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
- Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert
- William P Young on Super Soul Conversations
CONNECT WITH SYLVIA:
Instagram | Website
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This week’s episode is all about HOW TO BE MORE CREATIVE! How to tap into it, how to follow the creative process, and how to feed your creative spirit by listening to your intuition. This is just the first of many episodes devoted to becoming more creative, and I’m excited to bring you Esther’s take on it.
My guest today, Esther Loopstra, is a prolific artist and illustrator, specializing in food and travel, hand-lettering, and surface design. Her work has been used for print ads, editorials, books, stationery products, and textiles and her clients include Target, Frito Lay, Google, Jo Ann Fabrics, Eddie Bauer, and American Greetings.
Esther’s insatiable curiosity drew her to learn as much as she could about the creative process, eventually leading her to teach people how to discover their innate creativity. She believes everyone is creative and is passionate about helping others find and express the creativity that resides inside of them. In this episode, she shares all about her insights as a creativity expert and teacher.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How Esther became an illustrator, burned out, and eventually discovered her intuition
- How creativity has a whole range of pathways and is something innate in all of us
- Exercises to develop our intuition, trust it, and act on it
- How to quiet your inner critic
- Why we need to feed our creative spirit
- Overcoming the fear of what people are going to think and the fear of sharing our work
- Giving ourselves the freedom to make mistakes
- How to find your passion using your intuition
- Open mode and closed mode - the two modes we need for the creative process
- The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
CONNECT WITH ESTHER:
Instagram | Website | Courses
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Lesson 3 is all about the 4 letter F-WORD: FEAR.
It's probably the first major block that's holding you back from starting what you want to start, building the thing you want to build, and leveling up to become the person you want to be.
But what if we reframed our fears, and looked at it as something that's a tool and not a hindrance?
In this episode, I talk about how to start taking the steps to punch fear right in the face, and move forward in actionable, bite-size baby steps toward your creative goals.
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah
Mentioned in this episode:
- Take baby steps! How I built my side hustle pet photography business and quit my day job in 9 months.
- There is no better time than now to start something.
- Why is failure such a bad thing? (it’s not!) Reframe the way you think about failure.
- Look at your fear as a mirror that is revealing your greatest block.
- Organize your thoughts and get clarity with journaling, post it notes, and Google Keep.
- Find an accountability partner or group. Look on Meetup, Facebook, Instagram, or join our Creativity School Facebook community.
- The spiral staircase – Karen Armstrong
- Check out Marissa Peer on You Tube
- 4 journal prompts to work through your fear
- 2 visualization techniques to confront your fears head on
- Visit creativityschoolpodcast.com to download the Lesson 3 Cheat Sheet here!
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What do you do when you’ve worked hard all your life doing everything you were “supposed” to do, only to end up unfulfilled and lost?
Shinah Chang is the owner of Crooked Calligraphy, a modern calligraphy studio. She calls herself an unconventional calligrapher and her work stands out because she likes curse words and isn’t afraid to use them, in real life or in her work. Shina teaches classes, creates work for weddings and events, and for clients like Disney and Nordstrom.
But Shinah’s started her journey on a very traditional path to success. She had a tiger mom, got a perfect 1600 on her SATs, went to Harvard, and went on to become a very successful attorney making over 6 figures right out the gate. But she was stressed out and extremely unhappy, until she left everything behind to explore her passion for calligraphy and now it’s paying off.
Mentioned in this episode:
- How she felt lost and unfulfilled in her career as a lawyer, and ultimately how she found her way thanks to some really good questions a life coach asked her that changed everything
- How to discover what you love to do
- How to channel who you really are into your work by finding your authentic voice, even if it pisses people off
- How to begin to overcome the fear of failure and the fear of rejection, and move forward despite the fear
- Tatsuo Horiuchi, The Michelangelo of Microsoft Excel
CONNECT WITH SHINAH:
Instagram | Website
Thank you so much for listening!
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Welcome to Creativity School, the podcast all about how to tap into your creative potential and put your greatness out into the world!
In this introductory episode, I talk about why creativity is important, how we are all creative, and the things that can happen when we tap into our creativity and allow it to guide us.
Mentioned in this episode:
-What is creativity
-Why is creativity important
-Why we are all creative, and the things that can happen when we tap into our creativity and allow it to guide us
Connect with me online:
https://www.creativityschoolpodcast.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thegracechon
https://twitter.com/thegracechon
Full season launching January 7th 2019!