Creating Your Own Path

Today, I’m chatting with our CYOP artist resident Malia Tong as we wrap up Season 6 of CYOP. Listen in as we talk about what we’ve both learned over the course of the season, what’s changed in our lives and careers and some of the surprising things we see on the horizon for our respective work.

SHOW NOTES:

• Episode 134 with Malia
• Episode 139 with Malia
• Malia on Instagram
• Malia on Etsy
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• CYOP on Instagram
• Get the Creative Digest

On today’s show, we catch up with past CYOP guests Maritza and Roshaun Davis of the Sacramento Kings and Unseen Heroes, respectively, to talk about Maritza’s recent decision to take on a full-time role outside of Unseen Heroes and what it’s meant for their business, their family and their personal career goals. We also talk about what it’s been like for Roshaun as he’s taken the reins at Unseen Heroes, why he’s assessing how they want to scale the business next and what he does to stay grounded when both he and Maritza are moving a million miles a minute.

• Unseen Heroes website
• Unseen Heroes on Instagram
• Roshaun on Instagram
• The Sacramento Kings website
• The Sacramento Kings on Instagram
• Maritza on Instagram
• Capitol Floats
• Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
• Art by Malia Tong
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

On today’s show, I chat with illustrator and writer Ludi Leiva about how she’s transitioned from working in media full-time to working for herself. We also dive into what it means to be a creative in a place like New York (and why she’s decided to move out of the city), why she believes we all need to stop worrying about the perceptions of others, and why her family history has her dreaming of some really beautiful projects.

SHOW NOTES:

• Ludi's website
• Ludi on Instagram + Twitter
• Ludi's work for Refinery29
• Art by Malia Tong
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• CYOP on Instagram
• Get the Creative Digest

Today’s show is an interview with multidisciplinary artist Tia Keo. Her story is one I think many of us can relate to — especially if we’ve been working creatively for a while.

In the episode, we discuss how she’s been playing with different mediums over the years to stay creatively inspired and to combat the burnout that comes with working in one medium for so long. We also chat about the dangers of the creative hustle — pushing and pushing to find success — and how she’s discovered a certain amount of flow that is opening up opportunities she may have never considered.

I loved hearing how intentional Tia is about creating habits while also making space for the unexpected. I hope you’ll get just as much as I did from this interview.

SHOW NOTES:

• Tia's website
• Tia on Instagram
• Tia's laser cut jewelry designs at Silvercocoon
• Art by Malia Tong
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

Today’s episode will get you a front row seat at my recent talk at Sacramento’s Creative Mornings event last month. In it, I discuss the challenges I’ve faced, both personally and professionally, as I’ve navigated significant losses over the last several years. The theme for this talk was END and I cover how I’ve worked to claim my narrative while I was going through the grief process surrounding my divorce and the death of a loved one. As always, my goal in sharing these kinds of topics is to help others who might be going through something similar.

SHOW NOTES:

• My Creative Mornings talk (video)
• Sacramento Creative Mornings on Instagram
• Creative Mornings
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

On today’s show, I sit down with Meagan Lewis of Brown Pigeon and Alejandra Magana of Echeri Ceramics to talk about their respective businesses and a joint venture — the Spottery — they submitted to the Calling All Dreamers contest. In the short time between our conversation being recorded and this interview going live, they made some major decisions about their business. Listen in to hear all of the lessons they’ve learned since initially jumping into the contest.

• Vote for The Spottery in the Calling All Dreamers Contest!
• The Spottery on Instagram
• Brown Pigeon on Instagram
• Shop Echeri Ceramics
• Echeri Ceramics on Instargam
• Art by Malia Tong
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

Several months ago, I was lucky enough to be on my friend Non’s podcast called “You, Me, Empathy,” which is a show about mental health and wellness. He kindly shared the audio and today’s show is his interview with me as a guest. In the episode, I chat about my recent experiences with loss, both through death and divorce. We also discuss the importance of sitting with the uncertainty that is the grieving process and allowing ourselves to slowly make our way through it.

SHOW NOTES:

• Original interview on You, Me, Empathy
• You, Me, Empathy on Instagram
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

Today’s episode is an interview with blogger, interior designer and content creator Shavonda Gardner. In the episode, we chat about how her military background actually helped her as she’s built her business, why she shares so openly about many different topics on social media, and the importance of choosing who and what we surround ourselves with every day.

SHOW NOTES:

• Shavonda's interior design and lifestyle blog
• Shavonda on Instagram
• My favorite highlights from Shavonda's Instagram stories:
  • White Women Do Work
  • Race Resources
  • Education System
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

Today’s show is a chat between me and our CYOP Artist Resident Malia Tong. The artist residency includes several co-hosted conversations on topics that are either timely, top of mind or both, and this is one of those chats. On the show, we catch up on what we’re working through in our careers right now, what previous jobs have taught us about life, work and everything in between, and what skills we feel like we’re collecting and perfecting on the job right now.

SHOW NOTES:

• Malia’s initial CYOP interview
• Malia on Instagram
• Malia on Etsy
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

In this episode, you’ll meet Zahra Ammar, whose work can only be described as mesmerizing. She works primarily with paper and uses styles like quilling and origami to bring stunning imagery to life. Listen in as she talks about the big leaps she’s taken in her life and career, how important it is for her to watch people experience her art and why she believes that both taking breaks for outdoor adventures and sitting down to do the work have helped her succeed.

• Zahra's Website
• Zahra on Instagram
• More about paper quilling
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

n this episode, you’ll hear from fiber artist Dani Ives who has managed to blend her early career of working at a zoo with her love of creating art out of wool. Dani not only dives into the changes she and her husband had to make in order for that career transition to work, but she also shares how she’s created multiple income streams for her business and why building community is becoming so important to her.

• Dani's Website
• Dani on Instagram
• Dani's book
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest
• For the full episode and show notes, visit creatingyourownpath.com.

In this episode, you’ll meet the incredibly talented and hilarious educator and comedian Amy Estes. Listen in as she talks about how she navigated a devastating experience at a former job, the steps she’s taken to be open and honest about who she is across all parts of life and why she is fiercely committed to prioritizing a creative outlet.

• Amy's Website
• Amy on Instagram
• Amy's newsletter
• More about the harassment Amy endured on the job
• Technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

For the full episode and show notes, visit creatingyourownpath.com.

In this episode, you’ll meet professional podcast producer Ray Ortega, who is currently helping out with technical production on CYOP. Listen in as we chat about what it’s like to produce audio and video for a large nonprofit, how Ray landed a creatively fulfilling day job and what it takes to start a podcast (or any creative endeavor) these days.

SHOW NOTES:

Ray’s Website
Podcasters’ Studio
Podcasters’ Roundtable
Ray on Instagram
Ray on YouTube
Ray on Twitter
Crooked Media

More Information:
Me on Instagram
The official CYOP Instagram account
Get the Creative Digest

For the full list of show notes, please visit [creatingyourownpath.com](creatingyourownpath.com).

In this episode, you’ll (finally!) meet 2019 CYOP Artist Resident Malia Tong — an artist and maker who currently calls Arizona home. I cannot wait for you all to get to know her and hear more of her story throughout the season. Like many of us, she has a lot of different facets to her career and we discuss everything from how she manages her energy while juggling multiple projects to why she rarely feels represented in the art world.

SHOW NOTES:

• Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy
• Northern Arizona University
• Malia on Instagram
• Malia on Etsy
• Podcast technical production by Ray Ortega
• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

In today’s episode, I’m excited to kick off the start of CYOP Season 6! First, we’re taking a trip down CYOP memory lane with 10 past episodes listeners have resonated with the most over the years. We’re also diving into some exciting updates about the show this season, some behind-the-scenes improvements, announcements about the company and more.

10 Shows Listeners Have Loved:

• CYOP #1: Janna Marlies Maron + Jeremy Maron
• CYOP #46: Lisa Congdon
• CYOP #57: Grace Bonney + Julia Turshen
• CYOP #68: Simone Anne
• CYOP 76: Jen Hewett
• CYOP #78: Trisha Hughes
• CYOP #91: Tina Essmaker
• CYOP #95: Rosa Ng
• CYOP #121: Keah Brown
• CYOP #124: Sami Abdou

More Information:

• Me on Instagram
• The official CYOP Instagram account
• Get the Creative Digest

You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com

In this final episode of our mini Season 5, I’m sharing some future plans. I chat about what I’ve learned from having a day job, dreams for my business that I’ve haven’t told many people and why you can expect changes from CYOP in the coming months.

Have a great holiday season, my friends and happy listening!

You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about shame. It’s a topic that has shown up in so many of moments over the last year. It’s also something that’s come up in conversation with others pretty regularly, so I felt the need to address it here as it relates to both creative endeavors and life choices.

If you’re open to hearing how I’ve navigated the topic in recent months, please have a listen.

You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show is all about getting through a tough life event. In it, I share some of the issues I faced as I went through my divorce this past year and the tools and mindset shifts I used to handle my career transition through it all.

If you've ever had to try and keep your world together while it was also falling apart, this one's for you. I hope you'll find my story helpful as you navigate your own.

You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

After a year off the air, CYOP is back! Tune in to find out more about what to expect in the coming weeks, what's been happening around here and why I'm calling this last twelve months a rebuilding year.

For full episodes from the Creating Your Own Path archives, please visit creatingyourownpath.com.

I'm back with a quick update episode about what you can expect from me in the coming year, as both my life and my business evolve.

In the episode, I chat through my own impending career changes, an exciting (though daunting) rebrand, updates about the podcast, the shop, the artist residency, and much more.

For full episodes from the Creating Your Own Path archives, please visit creatingyourownpath.com.