Creating Your Own Path

Today is the final episode of Season 4! I'm wrapping things up with a co-hosted chat with this year’s CYOP Artist Resident Melanie Biehle and we're talking all about the artist residency. When I launched the CYOP Artist Residency, I had a pretty good idea of how I wanted it to roll out, but I learned a lot throughout the season and Melanie did too. In the episode, Melanie and I chat about what we loved about the residency, what we learned, and what we might do differently next time. Melanie also shares some really great advice for those who might want to participate in any type of residency in the near future and some updates about her work as she prepares to close out the year. Please find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

We’re back with another episode featuring documentary director Sami Abdou. If you're just finding the show, I highly recommend you go back and listen to last week’s episode — episode 124 — before diving into this one. Everything will just make a lot more sense if you do. On today’s show, I’m talking with Sami about his side projects, what they mean to him, and how he fits them in while he’s working some seriously long hours as a director for the show Intervention. We also talk a lot about the magic of Los Angeles and why being a solid human being is crucial when you’re looking to be gainfully employed in the entertainment industry. For the full episode + show notes, visit creatingyourownpath.com.

Today we’re starting our final three-part series of the season and I’m really excited to be sharing this next guest with you. If you’ve been listening to the show for a bit, you may know that it actually started with a Q&A interview series on my blog before it became a podcast. I really wanted to bring back some of the people I interviewed in 2013 and today we’re getting some updates from my friend Sami Abdou.  Sami is a documentary director and he works on both small projects and some pretty notable ones. For example, right now he's a director for the TV show, Intervention. In today’s episode, we learn more about Sami’s background and the real story behind why he decided to get into filmmaking, what it’s like to direct documentary films and shows, how his career has evolved over the years and how he stays happy and healthy with his intense work schedule. For the full episode + show notes, please visit creatingyourownpath.com.

Today we’ve got the final episode in my three-part series with writer Keah Brown. If you haven’t listened to the other two episodes — 121 and 122 — please go back and listen to those first. Everything will make a little more sense if you do.  Today, I’m chatting with Keah about all of the people in our lives who keep us moving forward. We talk about why it’s so important to have a support system, different places to find and build community these days, and why having the right people in your world will make it a little easier to do the things that scare you. SHOW NOTES: Keah's work Keah on Instagram + Twitter #DisabledAndCute Roxane Gay Ashley C. Ford Tweet thread about writing/editing credits For the full episode + show notes, please visit creatingyourownpath.com.

I’m back today with writer Keah Brown and today we’re talking about something I haven’t spent much time on around here and that’s advocacy and the power of social media. Earlier this year, Keah started a hashtag on Twitter — #disabledandcute — and it took off just a few days later, creating an entire community around the concept. She shares the story behind it all in the episode and we also get into the power of positivity, how Keah is using her platform to advocate for herself and others, and why representation matters within the disability community and beyond. SHOW NOTES: Keah's work + press Keah on Instagram + Twitter Cerebral Palsy #DisabledAndCute Million Dollar Baby Alex Slater, Trident Media Group For the full episode + show notes, please visit creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's episode is the first in a three-part series featuring writer Keah Brown. She is a journalist who also writes poetry, fiction pieces, and non-fiction essays. She is also the mastermind behind an incredible movement called #disabledandcute, which something we get into a little more on next week’s show. What you need to know this week is that the hashtag went viral on Twitter back in February and has been gaining momentum ever since. In the interview, we’re starting at the beginning and learning more about Keah’s career and how she fell in love with the craft of writing. She also shares how she gets into the right frame of mind to write across different genres and outlets and why it’s important for everyone to let their voices be heard. SHOW NOTES: Keah's work Keah on Instagram + Twitter Sarah Dessen Tia Mowry-Hardrict Robert Jordan, Pianist Fredonia​​​​​ State University of New York For the full episode + show notes, please visit creatingyourownpath.com.

Today, we’ve got the last episode in a three-part series with designer, writer, and educator Anne Ditmeyer. If you haven’t listened to the last two week’s worth of episodes, please do so before wrapping up the series with this episode. In the interview, Anne and I talk about the magic of using online tools to make offline connections and how that’s been showing up in her work lately. She share’s the truth behind what we all see online these days, why she thinks work should be much more playful than it is now, and some of the best ways she’s been able to build relationships that cross the online/offline barrier. SHOW NOTES: Anne's portfolio Prêt à Voyager (Anne's blog) Navigate Paris (Anne's tours) Anne on Instagram, Twitter + Facebook Anne's classes on Skillshare My first interview with Anne Vayable Christine Herrin on CYOP #111, #112, #113 Adobe Max Creative Mornings Munich Herb Lester Map Project The Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets + the CYOP Slack Community) For the full episode + show notes, p

Today, I’m back with the second in a three-part series with designer, writer, and educator Anne Ditmeyer. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode, please do that first!  In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Anne all about the ebbs and flows that come with working for yourself. She goes into how she handles the emotional roller coaster that can come from having too little or, in her case, too much work coming her way. She also offers advice on how to present your work if you tend to do many different types of things and why she doesn’t think she’d be very good at (or happy with) having a full-time job. SHOW NOTES: Anne's portfolio Prêt à Voyager (Anne's blog) Navigate Paris (Anne's tours) Anne on Instagram, Twitter + Facebook Anne's classes on Skillshare My first interview with Anne Design Sponge Meighan O'Toole Open Classrooms Sree Sreenivasa Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans The Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets + the CYOP Slack Community) Find the full episode + show notes

Today's show is the first in a new three-part series with designer, writer, and educator Anne Ditmeyer. In 2013 I interviewed Anne for Creating Your Own Path before it was a podcast. In the episode, I’m talking with Anne about how she has been able to successfully build a creatively fulfilling business across many different mediums and platforms. She chats about how living in France, and the constraints it put on her work situation, ultimately made her more creative, how she decides what platforms to use to showcase and provide access to her work, and why she’s never wanted to blog for a living — even though her blog is well-known and established. SHOW NOTES: Anne's portfolio Prêt à Voyager (Anne's blog) Navigate Paris (Anne's tours) Anne on Instagram, Twitter + Facebook Anne's classes on Skillshare My first interview with Anne Samantha Clarke (happiness consultant) Samantha in Forbes (portfolio careers) How to Be Everything by Emilie Wapnick Parsons Paris Wordpress Squarespace The Creative Digest (Extra int

I’m back with Melanie Biehle today for another co-hosted chat! As many of you know, Melanie is the 2017 CYOP Artist Resident and today we’re talking all about taking a step back from your business in an effort to gain clarity, do some strategic planning, and figure out what’s working.  In this episode, we cover a little bit about what taking a step back means to each of us in our respective businesses, what taking a break might look like from day to day, and what happens — both the good and the bad — when we get out of production and promotion mode and give ourselves the opportunity to see the forest for the trees. SHOW NOTES: Check out Melanie's art Melanie on Instagram, Pinterest + Twitter Melanie's pop-up event in Seattle Me on Instagram, Pinterest + Twitter Episode 101 Episode 106 Episode 110 Saatchi Art Society 6 Minted Digital Kitchen The Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets + the CYOP Slack Community!) Find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today’s episode is the last in my series with Moorea Seal and it’s a powerful one. If you’re just tuning in, be sure to go back and listen to episodes 114 and 115 before diving into this one. If you’ve already listened to past episodes, you know that Moorea is an author, designer and shop owner and she has been very open about the experiences that have set her on her path. This episode is no exception. We’re diving pretty deep into some serious topics. On the show, we chat about why mental health advocacy is so important to Moorea, what therapy has helped her realize over the years, a how discussions about mental health, wellness, and advocacy are approached within her business. SHOW NOTES: Moorea Seal Moorea's blog Moorea's 52 Lists books Pre-order Moorea's new book Moorea on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook + Twitter Suicide Prevention Hotline American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

I’m back today with another segment with author, designer and shop owner Moorea Seal. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode yet, I highly recommend you go back and download that one first. It’s Episode 114 in the archives.    In today’s interview, we talk a lot about growth and what it’s looked like for Moorea both personally and in business. She goes into detail about how her multi-book book deal came to fruition, why Moorea Seal (the shop) wouldn’t be where it is today without a team of people, and how she's known when to take the next big steps with her business. SHOW NOTES: Moorea Seal Moorea's blog Moorea's 52 Lists books Pre-order Moorea's new book! Moorea on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook + Twitter Sasquatch Books Justina Blakeney Elsie Larson from A Beautiful Mess Julia Manchik Learn more about upcoming workshops here. See the new art prints in the shop here! The Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets + the CYOP Slack Community!) Find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.

Today, I'm talking with Moorea Seal, who is an author, designer and shop owner based out of Seattle! In today’s interview, she walks us through the early days of her career and how blogging, art, and Pinterest all played a roll. We also chat about what it’s like to name your business after yourself, how early trauma in her life set her on her path, and why our identities don’t need to be tied to our outputs. Moorea’s story is one that is full of both dark and light moments and you’ll hear a little bit of both over the next three episodes. I really hope you’ll take the time to listen to the underlying drivers that are at play in everything she does. While we may not all be able to relate to exactly what she’s gone through, her tenacity to just keep going and to trust her gut is one that I think we can all learn from. SHOW NOTES: Moorea Seal Moorea's blog Moorea's books Moorea on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook + Twitter Moorea's music on Myspace (!!) Artist John Grade Myers-Briggs Test Learn more about upcomin

Today is our last segment with Christine Herrin, who is a designer and hand letterer who has launched her own line of memory-keeping products. She just recently wrapped up her time as an Adobe Creative Resident and today’s episode is all about her experience. In the interview, we talk about her specific project and why she proposed it to the Adobe team. We also get into some behind-the-scenes stuff regarding how the residency works, why the public speaking aspect of the residency turned out to be huge for her, what it was like to share her process along the way, and how her experience taught her to be both a creative and a business person.   SHOW NOTES: Christine Herrin Everyday Explorers Christine on Instagram, Pinterest + Twitter Adobe Creative Residency Kelly Purkey Ali Edwards Sara Dietschy SXSW Festival Behance The Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets + the CYOP Slack Community!) You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today we’re hearing once again from designer and letterer Christine Herrin. If you listened to last week’s show, episode 111, you know that Christine’s passion is memory keeping and she’s built a business around designing modern products for those who love to capture and save memories. She also has a full freelance schedule as a designer and hand letterer and just recently wrapped up her stint as an Adobe Creative Resident. In today’s interview, we talk about how travel is essential for jolting her creative brain into action. We also discuss the surprising places she’s found product design ideas in her travels, why she’s okay with both digital and physical types of memory keeping, and how she blends work and travel as a way to see the world and get stuff done at the same time. SHOW NOTES: Christine Herrin Everyday Explorers Christine on Instagram, Pinterest + Twitter Adobe Creative Residency Total Girl magazine Anne Ditmeyer's CYOP Interview Anne Ditmeyer's work Blurb Books The Creative Digest (Extra intervi

I'm back today with another three-part series and this time I’m talking with graphic designer, hand letterer, and product designer Christine Herrin. You may also know her from her recent stint as an Adobe Creative Resident where she launched her shop, Everyday Explorers Co. In the interview, we talk at length about memory-keeping and why she feels that capturing bits of life is so important. She also opens up about her decision to move from Manila to San Francisco to go to grad school, why she decided not to finish her advanced degree, and she offers some really great advice about putting yourself in the way of cool people and projects. SHOW NOTES: Christine Herrin Everyday Explorers Christine on Instagram, Pinterest + Twitter Adobe Creative Residency Academy of Art University, San Francisco Kelly Purkey Albertson Design TED Talks Makeshift Society + Rena Tom Creative Live 100 Days of Discussion digtal sale! The Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets + the CYOP Slack Community!) You can find the full epi

I’m back with Melanie Biehle today for another co-hosted chat! As most of you know, Melanie is the 2017 CYOP Artist Resident and is an incredibly talented artist and designer. If this is your first time listening to the show, I want to welcome you, but I also want to advise you to go back to episode 101 and 106 to learn more about Melanie, her work, and some topics we've covered in the past. In today's episode, we cover a few topics that we both find a little bit challenging from time to time—motivation, focus, and organization. I think oftentimes all of those things go hand in hand whether you have a 9-5 or you run your own business. We talk about the challenges we both face, what’s worked for us in the past, and things we want to be better at moving forward.   SHOW NOTES: Check out Melanie's art Melanie on Instagram, Pinterest + Twitter Melanie's pop-up event in Seattle Me on Instagram, Pinterest + Twitter Episode 101 Episode 106 Pomodoro Technique Google Calendar TeuxDeux Swiss Miss Bullet Journal ​​​​​​G

I’m back one final time with Rebecca Plumb and Meghan Phillips of Honey Agency, a creative agency here Sacramento that focuses specifically on food and beverage brands. Today, however, I’m talking with them about starting Sacramento’s Creative Mornings chapter. In the interview, we cover a lot of information that might be helpful for those of you who want to start a Creative Mornings chapter in your city. And honestly, it’s helpful even if you want to create an even that isn’t affiliated with Creative Mornings. Rebecca shares the reasons she wanted to start the event series, Meghan talks about what it’s been like trying to get sponsors on board, and they both discuss what the speakers have taught them over the last several months. SHOW NOTES: Creative Mornings Sacramento CM Sacramento on Instagram, Facebook, + Twitter Honey Agency Honey Agency on Instagram, Pinterest + Facebook Rebecca on Instagram Meghan on Instagram Amanda Sebastiani Tina Roth Eisenberg of SwissMiss + Tattly Amal Iqba Adam Federico The Cre

I’m back this week with more from my interview with Rebecca Plumb and Meghan Phillips of Honey Agency, which is a creative agency here Sacramento that focuses specifically on food and beverage brands. Several months ago, they also led the charge to start Sacramento’s Creative Mornings chapter. On today’s show, we get into a pretty real conversation about how they see their business partnership as a marriage and why they’ve had to seek help from third parties like therapists and coaches as they’ve grown the business. They also talk about why they’ve implemented what they call “collaboration hour” at their office, how they believe in the fishbowl theory—which Rebecca explains quite well—and why they’ve had to shift their mindset so they can grow a business that will live on without them. SHOW NOTES: Honey Agency Honey Agency on Instagram, Pinterest + Facebook Rebecca on Instagram Meghan on Instagram MARRS Building Creative Mornings HQ Creative Mornings Sacramento The Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets +