Creating Your Own Path

Today’s show brings to the home of Natalie Davis of the leather goods brand, Canoe, to chat about her career path, the growth she’s seen with her leatherworking business over the years and the magical land in which she creates—Austin, Texas. If you happen upon Natalie’s website, you may not realize that she also helps her husband with his business venture—a butcher shop and restaurant in Austin—and that up until recently, she was also a design professor. In the interview, we dive into all of her different roles and how each one feeds into her creativity in different ways. I’ve admired Natalie’s work for a long time and I know you guys are going to love hearing more about her work and her fantastic advice for those looking to go out on their own. The full episode + show notes can be found at creatingyourownpath.com. This episode is brought to you by STRIDE HEALTH. Did you know that December 15th, 2015 is the last day to sign up for or make changes to your health care plan if you want coverage by January 1st,

Today's show brings me to Austin, Texas to visit with artist, designer and maker Jen Moulton who creates everything from jewelry to leather goods to ceramics out of her home studio. Of course, I’ve been following her journey for some time and when I started to notice a shift in her work and the way she was approaching her art, I knew I needed to sit down and talk with her. In the interview we cover her journey from having a "real job" to being a full-time artist, how she’s shifting her business model to maximize her creativity and—this was really interesting to me—how and why she decided to take a break from her business earlier this year. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com. This episode is brought to you by STRIDE HEALTH. Did you know that December 15th, 2015 is the last day to sign up for or make changes to your health care plan if you want coverage by January 1st, 2016? Time to get yourself covered! Simply head over to stridehealth.com/cyop to find the perfect

Today’s show brings me to East Nashville to chat with Graffiti and Fine Artist Troy Duff. He’s a Nashville native who has created an incredible career around his art, but he’s also worked as a model and actor—he was actually part of that iPod silhouette advertising campaign several years ago—and he created his own clothing line as well. In the interview, we talk about why Troy made the move back to Nashville after his time in Los Angeles, what it was like getting into the graffiti art scene without all of the tools and resources that are available these days and how he diversifies his work so that he is truly a working artist. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today’s show brings me to The Goat Farm Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia to chat with Chuck Reece—Editor & Chief of The Bitter Southerner. If you’re not familiar with the storytelling platform, not to worry. Chuck and I talk a lot about the website and how it’s evolving during in the interview. We also chat about some of the misconceptions about the South that seem to pop up time and time again, how Chuck and his team are working to keep The Bitter Southerner up and running, why he thinks the project had so much early success and his advice for those looking to strike out on their own. The full episode + show notes can be found at creatingyourownpath.com. This episode was brought to you by Stride Health. It might sound crazy, but it's true: Stride Health members save an average of $418 a year on health expenses! Now that open enrollment is in full swing, you can quickly sign up for a free account, compare plans to find the best option for you and yours and get covered for 2016. Simply head to stridehealth

Today's show brings me to the Atlanta home of Stephanie Duncan, the creator of Her New Tribe. She’s a freelance writer, stylist and art director whose work is focused primarily on the fashion industry. I met Stephanie thanks to the work we’ve done with the online lifestyle publication Clementine Daily and I was immediately drawn to her style and fascinated with how she’s building a career for herself. There’s a lot of talk in the news lately about social media and whether or not it represents real life. I’ve always seen social media as a sort of curation tool and as way to express certain aspects of your real life. I also think it’s a completely legitimate way to make a living. Stephanie’s approach is one of those I’ve really admired and, in the interview, we talk a bit about why she shares what she share on social media and her blog. We also chat about how she collaborates with brands, why she’s such a vocal supporter of emerging small businesses and designers and the importance of embracing your tribe. The

Today’s show is a good one, you guys. After leaving Philadelphia I headed for Greenville, South, Carolina. The city is not only incredibly charming, but it’s also home to the studio of Fine Artist Emily Jeffords. Like me, many of you may be familiar with her work thanks to her blog and social media presence and it was so exciting to meet her, tour her beautiful space and chat about her career. In the interview we cover Emily’s tips for easing into a creative career, her thoughts on collaborating with larger brands, the importance of having multiple revenue streams and how she goes about earning her customer’s trust. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com. This episode was brought to you by Stride Health. Did you know that health insurance plans change price every year—some as much as 32%? That's huge! Open enrollment is now underway, which means you can head to stridehealth.com/cyop, sign up, add your current plan and compare multiple options to make sure you’ve got the most be

Today's show brings me to the Philadelphia floral design studio of Sullivan Owen. There’s no doubt that Sullivan is incredibly talented in the realm of floral design, but her business sense is what truly reeled me in as we were chatting. During the interview, we cover her start in retail design and visual merchandising and how planning her own wedding turned her on to floral design. We also talk at length about the importance of innovation in creative work, the dangerous temptation of creating what already exists and the benefits of looking outside of your industry for inspiration. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com. This episode was brought to you by Stride Health. Did you know that open enrollment for healthcare coverage is right around the corner? In fact, it starts November 1st, 2015. Stride Health has built an online platform dedicated to making the process simple for U.S.-based independent workers. Sign up for your FREE account today at stridehealth.com/cyop and get a

Today’s episode brings me to Philadelphia to the family home of pastry chef and food writer Klancy Miller to talk about everything from Klancy's professional training as a pastry chef to the lost art of informational interviews. In the interview, we cover her long journey to becoming a food writer and the process behind her forthcoming book titled, Cooking Solo: The Joy of Cooking for Yourself. I loved that she decided to tackle such a fun and interesting take on cooking, because I’ve just experienced a whole lot of time spent alone! There’s something truly special about treating yourself to a solo date—whether you’re single or not—and cooking a great meal for yourself is something I think I’d like to aspire to! You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show brings me to the Burlington, Vermont hot shop (or blown glass factory) of AO Glass. Rich Arentzen is the owner and general manager of AO Glass and has been in the glass blowing industry for decades. During the interview, I learned more about how he got started as a glass blower and just how winding his career path has been. We also talked a lot about the importance of reaching out to others—even if it’s a little scary—and why craft, community, collaboration and financial sustainability have to come together to maintain a successful business. Toward the end of the interview, he also told a quick story about some advice his Italian grandmother gave him and I have to tell you—it hit pretty close to home. Happy listening! You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

I’m pretty excited to share today’s episode, because it brings me to the lovely home of Grace Bonney and Julia Turshen in upstate New York. I’ve been following Grace’s work with Design Sponge for a long time and have come to truly appreciate Julia’s work as a food writer along the way. Of course it was wonderful to meet the two of them in person and in the interview we actually talk a lot about the wonders of the internet and how important it is to use it as a tool to connect with others face-to-face. We also talk about the process behind Julia’s work and how it all boils down to creating something people can trust, the moments in Grace’s career when she’s felt most fulfilled, how moving upstate has changed both their life and work for the better and what they’ve been working on lately. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com. This episode was brought to you by Stride Health. Did you know that open enrollment for healthcare coverage is right around the corner? In fact, it starts

Today's episode brings me to the beautiful studio of Art Director and Designer Christine Wisnieski. Based in Cleveland, Christine runs a multi-disciplinary studio where she and her team create everything from brand identities to special art projects. Christine’s work has always caught my eye, so it was wonderful to chat with her in person. During the interview we talked a lot about how changes effect a business over time and the benefits of working for someone else before striking out on your own. We also had a pretty honest discussion about being open to new ideas by loosening the reigns on the idea that everything needs to be mapped out ahead of time. As always, you can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show brings me to Chicago to chat with Jessica Murnane of the One Part Podcast. I have to warn you guys: Jessica dropped some big news during our interview—some of which I knew ahead of time and some of which I did not know about. One thing I did know about is that she and her family are moving to Charleston, South Carolina! If I’m not mistaken, they’re in the midst of all their move-related stuff right now so send them all of your good moving vibes. What I didn’t know before we started recording is that Jessica has landed a pretty fantastic book deal for her very first traditionally-published book! She spilled some beans, but not all the beans because the deal was still pretty new when we recorded. However, she’s since given more details on her blog and podcast, so I’ve linked up to that in the show notes. So, if you’re not familiar with Jessica’s work, she’s an incredible resource in the wellness community. The reason I couldn’t wait to interview her, though, is because I think she’s doing some real

Today's show brings me to the home of Katie Michels just outside of Chicago. I’ve been following Katie’s work for years and was super impressed as I watched her transition Off Switch, which used to be a gorgeous magazine, into an online shop full of cards, totes and other beautifully designed items—all of which she creates. During the interview we talk through that transition and what it meant for her as a business owner, the meaning behind the brand “Off Switch” and how she’s moving forward with her big goals one step at a time. It was an absolute pleasure to finally meet Katie in person and hear more about her story. If nothing else, I know you all will get a lot out of Katie’s approach to both life and her work. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show brings me to the Dennison, Minnesota to the woodworking shop of Matt Eastvold. Matt makes beautiful modern furniture just south of Minneapolis and it was amazing to meet him in person and check out the space in which he works. In the episode we chat about how his business shifted during the recession and how he’s had to be resilient and somewhat nimble to keep his business growing. We also talked a lot about why he’s diversifying his products as a way to keep his varied customer base happy and how he’s streamlining the business side of things to keep it all sustainable and manageable. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com. This episode was brought to you by Stride Health. Did you know that you don't even have to buy health insurance through Stride Health during open enrollment to get access to their support team? It's true! Head over to stridehealth.com/cyop to sign up for a FREE account today and take advantage of their health care experts whenever you have a que

Today's show brings me to the Missoula, Montana home of professional photographer Jessica Lowry Vizzutti. I've been following her work for years and have loved watching her build a truly impressive body of work that includes everything from huge editorial spreads to stunning wedding photography. In the episode we chat about what it's like working with (and apart from) her photographer husband, why she decided to take on a full-time position outside of her photography work, her thoughts on being a visual storyteller and much more. You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com. This episode was brought to you by STRIDE HEALTH! Did you know that a sprained ankle can cost up to $3000 to treat without health insurance? It's true. Luckily, Stride Health has your back. Head over to stridehealth.com/cyop to sign up for a free account today and avoid paying far too much for health services when you need them most.

Today's show brings me to the live/work space of Rosaura Unangst, who is the creative behind Pigment and Parchment—a calligraphy and illustration studio based here in Sacramento, California. She’s an incredibly talented artists and, though her work is tied mostly to the wedding industry, she also teaches workshops and is involved in several really fun collaborations. In the episode, we talk about why those collaborations are so important to her; how her experiences with art therapy have informed the way she approaches not only her client work, but also her approach to teaching others; and how she has embraced technology to stay organized, build her business and cultivate relationships. You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

On the show today, I’ve got another Sacramento creative in the hot seat. I came across the work of Omonivie Okhade and her jewelry brand Tula in Bloom thanks to some mutual friends and I’m so glad I did! Her work is incredible and she’s always learning new skills and incorporating new elements into her jewelry pieces. But what I didn’t know about Omonivie is that she has a lot of different creative talents. She sings, she’s a dancer, she’s a writer, she’s an illustrator—you name it. It was so great to hear about her journey—it’s one that I think a lot of us can identify with in that sometimes we have to try a lot of different things before we get to the work we’re meant to be doing. In the interview, we talk about why Omonivie stuck with a career path she didn’t love for so long, how she deals with the inevitable ties between self-worth and creative success and how she’s still working through her fears on a daily basis to get to where she wants to be. You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyo

Today's show brings me to Sacramento's GoodWork HQ to chat with Caroline Wintata and Josh Daniels about all of their various businesses. Caroline is a photographer who focuses primarily on weddings, portraits and boudoir sessions and together they run Giggle + Riot, a photo booth rental company; GoodWorkHQ, a collaborative work space for event professionals; and they’ve even started a company with their photo booth designer—Brian Schmitt—that will allow them to manufacture their amazing photo booth designs for others. In the interview we dive into the realities of working with a significant other, how Josh and Caroline navigated the process of starting several businesses together, how they have grown each brand over time and much more. You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show brings me to the Old Sacramento storefront of Ana Apple. As many of you know, I love chatting with people in my hometown of Sacramento, California and Ana Manzano is no exception. She's the mastermind behind the handmade children’s clothing and accessories brand and her company just expanded in a big way thanks to a local small business contest. In the interview we talk about how the contest has helped Ana become a better business owner, her recent trials and triumphs as she’s moved from an online and wholesale business to a brick and mortar shop and the way she’s incorporating an educational component into the storefront. You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Rachel Smith is our guest on today’s show and if you know anything about the world of craft and DIY blogging, you’ve probably come across Rachel’s incredible corner of the internet. She currently runs her blog, The Crafted Life, full time and—though I don’t consider myself to be super crafty—I was completely drawn in by both Rachel’s aesthetic and by the simplicity of the projects she shares. In the interview we chat about Rachel’s big leap to take her blog full time, how she makes a living as a blogger and some of the opportunities she’s seen come her way over the last few years. Even if you’re not super crafty or don’t really spend much time in the blog world, I think you’ll get a lot our of this interview. I know I did! You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.