Today's show brings me to the Portland home of Lisa Congdon and Clay Walsh to chat with Lisa about everything—from her late start as a fine artist and illustrator to how she and Clay are managing all of the opportunities coming their way these days.

In this incredibly honest interview, we chat about the strange concept of legitimacy when it comes to a creative career, why Lisa has purposefully chosen not to heed the “pick one thing and get really good at it” advice she’s heard over the years and the benefits of maintaining a daily creative practice.

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

Melissa Camilleri of  Compliment // Photo courtesy of  Meredith Carty.

In this episode I chat with Melissa Camilleri, the founder and creative director of the incredibly popular Sacramento-based jewelry and stationery business,  Compliment.

Listen in as Melissa discusses her journey from educator to jewelry designer, why she thinks everyone deserves to receive a compliment, her passion for giving back to the community and what she's learning as she continues to grow her business.

You can also read the full story and listen to the episode on _ The Journal._

_ Creating Your Own Path  episodes are also available for download on  iTunes _and  The Stitcher App.

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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 Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets + the CYOP Slack
  Community!)

You can find the full episode + show notes, along with all of the CYOP archives at 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.

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 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, 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 upcoming workshops here.
• See what art prints are coming to the shop here.
• The Creative Digest (Extra interview snippets + the CYOP Slack
  Community!)

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

In this episode of Creating Your Own Path, I chat with Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter Shannon Curtis about everything—from her new book detailing the secrets behind her successful house concert tours to a career trajectory that led her from pre-med studies to the dreamiest of dreampop albums.

Listen in as Shannon gives us the scoop on her creativity-filled childhood, tells us why musicians rarely have a true path to follow and how she balances the business and creative sides of being a professional artist. 

You can also read the full story and listen to the episode at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today I’m chatting with Tina Essmaker of The Great Discontent. Tina and her husband created the online and print publication because they wanted to talk to others about the highs and lows of creative work.

In the interview, Tina talks about the big changes she had to make in her own life before she could pursue the work that was right for her. She also talks about the importance of getting out of your own way, the realities of using crowdfunding to finance creative work, and why she believes in the power of picking one thing and doing it really well before adding elements to the mix.

For the full episode + show notes, please visit creatingyourownpath.com.

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.

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 interview snippets + the CYOP Slack
  Community)

For the full episode + show notes, please 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.

Today’s guest is a good one you guys! I’ve been following the career of Christine Amorose since I stumbled upon her blog C’est Christine about five years ago. She has not only filled the last six years with amazing travel experiences, but she’s also landed jobs with incredible companies (she currently works for Vimeo) and worked on really cool projects on the side.

In the interview we talk about how she carves out time for her creative side hustles and why schedules and lists are key. We also dive into what values she looks for in a company that indicate a culture that welcomes creative thinking both on and off the job, the logistics behind working full time, traveling regularly and taking on side gigs, why her full-time work and side hustles complement each other so well and much more.

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

Today's guest is actor-turned-author Lisa Jakub. If you’ve ever seen Mrs. Doubtfire or the original Independence Day, you’re likely familiar with her early work. I came across Lisa a few years ago on Twitter and she has since completely changed careers. She’s now a writer living thousands of miles away from Hollywood.

When I read Lisa’s book, You Look Like That Girl…, in which she details her major life and career shift, I knew I wanted to have her on this segment of the show. You might think the story of an actor-turned-writer would be completely un-relatable, but that couldn’t be further from the truth in this case.

In the interview, we chat about how Lisa got into acting at the age of four and how she handled the period of time between leaving Hollywood and where she is today. We also talk about the tools Lisa used to understand how she could view success outside of the world of acting and filmmaking, why she feels it’s important to talk about the difficult times she’s faced over the years and what she’s working on next.

For the full episode + show notes, please visit creatingyourownpath.com.

I came across Shannon Washington’s work thanks to an article on Refinery29, in which they named her a "Next Gen CEO." She’s a self-proclaimed multi-hyphenate creative who currently works at live media company, INVNT, and runs the travel and lifestyle publication, Parlour Magazine.

In the interview, we talk about how Shannon has become someone who both loves stretching herself to learn new skills and someone who knows when to delegate. She also chats about the mindset shift that allowed her to view work in a more fluid way, why her career pivots have been the key to her success and the realities behind all of those “quit your day job to follow you dreams” mantras we always seem to hear.

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

Today’s interview begins a new segment dedicated to those who have gone through a major career shift at some point in their lives. I’m kicking it off with Stephanie Washburn who is a tattoo artist in Roseville, California. However, what makes Steph's story so interesting is that she didn’t start pursuing art until she was almost 40 and found her way into the tattoo industry after that.

In the interview we talk about why she left her corporate nonprofit job of nearly 20 years and how she and her husband set themselves up financially to make it possible. We also talk through the importance of finding great mentors, the challenges involved in being a woman over 40 in the tattoo business, and why she believes the act of thoughtlessly quitting your day job is not necessarily the answer. Steph’s story is an inspiring one and I think you guys are going to get a lot out of it!

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

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 episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

In this episode, I chat with Project Yosemite creators Colin Delehanty and Sheldon Neill. Listen in as the creators of the hugely popular time-lapse project—who kindly called in to the show from the Bay Area and Southern California, respectively—discuss their career paths, how Project Yosemite came about, their love for the national parks, what might be next for their creative journeys and more. 

You can also read the full story and listen to the episode at creatingyourownpath.com.

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, 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.