Episodes

Have you ever went looking for new art in your field to stoke your creative flame, but inadvertently squelched your fire completely when you realized just how overwhelmingly stiff the competition is these days? Being a creative can feel impossible. Even if you get past all your inner demons and can find the discipline to show up on a regular basis, you then face an even greater challenge: an enormous sea of competition. But there is good news: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE THE BEST you only have to be different and… be able to embody and articulate that difference in meaningful and clear ways in your work and how you position your work in the marketplace. In this episode we help you do just that.

How do you embody who you really are as an artist? How do you find what makes you truly different? How do you hone in and tap into that inner creative voice? In this episode of Creative Pep Talk we have the incredibly inspiring founders of Hoodzpah Design, Amy and Jen Hood. Amy and Jen are twin sisters, and they do have things in common, but anyone who knows them, sees how clearly they have discovered and embodying their own very distinct creative identities. In this episode we dive into the journey of doing just that: finding what makes you different within the world where you fit in. If you’re feeling like you don’t know who you are as an artist, this episode is for you!

If you google “build it and they will come” the second most searched term is “build it and they will come bible”. This notion is so pervasive in our culture that we’re convinced it’s BIBLICAL! The problem? Well, beside the obvious issue that this is a line from a 90s Kevin Costner flick, this idea hurts artists and creatives. How? It convinces us that our only job is to make the work and that means we leave the job of being discovered to our audience, but finding and enjoying our work is not our audience’s business, it’s for their pleasure! In this episode we will dive into owning the work of getting our work discovered, as we explore some essential tips on how to do just that.

Creative work is subjective, but that doesn’t mean there is no good or bad, it just means that you define what’s good. Often though, we forget to actually do this! This episode is a deep dive into the practice of doing just that, how to develop your definition of good. We will also explore in real time how this process makes all the difference. Andy works as an illustrator but credits much of his creative practice to his design training. So, in this episode, we are joined by the Adobe Wireframe Podcast host designer Khoi Vinh as well as the Wireframe co-hosts Dominic Girard and Pippa Johnstone to help bring design tools that can help us in this process.

This episode is so deep!! I am so inspired by the depth of Barry Lee’s art and how he puts his whole heart and soul into everything that he makes. If you’re looking for how to find your creative path and need tips on how to put more of your essence into your work, you need to dive into this episode. This conversation was so moving and inspiring!

If you feel like you’re slipping creatively or you’ve lost your creative spark this year, right now is a great time to reconnect with your creative path. This episode will give you a framework for tapping back into your creative intentions, give you a strategy for resparking progress in your goals and help you get excited about what’s possible for the second half of this year.

“Just keep going” they say, but should you keep going even when you know your pace is so slow, that by the time you get there, the thing you’re working towards will be gone? I have found myself in this situation so many times in my creative career. In times like these I have found a few tools to be useful for breaking this speed barrier. In this episode we will dive into 3 practices to help you unlock faster progress in your creative work on the creative side and the business side.

Listen to this episode if you feel like the answers are right in front of you but you just can’t seem to put your finger on them. Today on the show we have an artist whose journey truly exemplifies so many Creative Pep Talk strategies and principles. In this episode you will hear how Stacy Michelson learned to put her true self into her creative projects and how this unlocked so many creative career doors!

Do you ever look over your portfolio or back catalog of work and just feel sick of it all? Do you fear your work is irrelevant? It’s easy in times like these to rush to making new stuff that’s on trend, but in this episode I want to introduce you to a solution that is essentially the opposite of that. In this episode we talk about: - How to get in touch with the invisible thread running through your work - Why priming yourself with the right inspiration before making work is essential and how to do it - The practice that separates good art and transcendent work - How to learn to hit your creative target more often - The trick of taking your best work and riffing on it

Listen to this if you need to find the pulse of your creative path again. Morgan Harper Nichols is BACK! This conversation had me ON FIRE creatively while simultaneously inspiring me to the point of tears! We dive deep into the science of making creative magic, exploring and owning the parts of yourself that you’ve tried to run from and so much more!

Some folks think creativity is all about the ideas, and others say that ideas are a dime a dozen and what really counts is the execution. But the truth is - each layer of a creative project matters and in this episode we identify the crucial layers and how to approach them to give your creative projects everything they need to take off! Whether you’re someone who rushes to put stuff out there before it’s ready or someone who gets bored after the idea phase and can’t seem to finish anything, this episode is for you! In this episode my collaborator and friend Kyle Scheele go through the 6 lessons we learned over the past few years on the journey to publish our new kids book “A Pizza with Everything On It”. This episode is jam packed with tips and mindset shifts that will help you take your next creative project to the next level!

Are you trying to be everywhere and feel like you’re getting nowhere? Is your creative flow overwhelmed by competing noisy thoughts? Is it getting harder for you to put yourself and your work out there? In this episode we will help you identify the distractions and reconnect with the pulse of your creative path so that you can create from a place that equals real progress in your creative career again. If you feel like you’ve been on a side road and want to get back to a place where your effort is making a difference in your practice - this episode is for you!

This was a super cathartic chat with creative powerhouse Austin Kleon. In this chat we dive into some really big questions around influences, what happens when your creative heroes disappoint you and how to find what you want to do by using the shortcut of defining what you’re against. If you don’t know Austin - he’s the author of several incredible books including Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work and Keep Going. I think of Kleon as my older cooler creative cousin, who’s much more well read than I am! HA!

Most artists have a deep desire to be known, but you can’t tell the world who you are if you don’t know who you are. In this special episode we dive deep into a 5 step process for finding and finely crafting your creative identity. If you’re afraid you’re not sure who you are or you’re unsure if you’re effectively communicating who you are in your work or online - tune into this JAM PACKED PEPisode to unlock powerful and effective brand messaging.

TODAY ON THE SHOW WE HAVE ONE OF MY CREATIVE HEROES! Grammy award winner Rostam Batmanglij!!!! Now I bet many of you are already fans, but if you’re a fan of Haim, Frank Ocean, Carly Rae Jepson, Vampire Weekend, Charli XCX or Clairo you’ve almost certainly already enjoyed Rostam’s incredible work as a producer! This conversation is a deep dive into Rostam’s creative journey and there are so many takeaways and moving tidbits. Can’t wait for you to hear it! We talk about: - How Thinking Through the Lens of Synesthesia Can Spark Creativity - Taking Cues from Other Mediums - Childhood Clues to Who You Are as An Artist Today - How Personal Breakthrough Unlocks Creative Progress

The worst thing about being lost is not knowing whether every step is getting you closer to being found or further away. It’s maddening! Have you ever felt this way in your creative journey? Is this dread haunting your creative process? More often than not, this is because you are lost. When you don’t know where you’re headed, you can’t know if what you’re working on is getting you closer to your goal or further away. The answer is not to buckle down and muscle through. You don’t need more motivation, you need clarity. Stop what you’re doing and listen to this episode to find what you want and what you should make next. Listen & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-pep-talk/id929743897 Get Episode Transcripts at creative-pep-talk.simplecast.com

Part 2 of our TOP 10 Podcast COUNTDOWN! Listen in and hear some of my all time favorite creative podcasts, specific episodes of theirs I love and even specific tips, tactics and mindset shifts from these episodes! These insights have been SUPERCHARGING my creativity lately. OK! HUGE NEWS!! We just launched our very own CREATIVE PODCAST NETWORK!!! The Co-Loop Podcast Network is NOW LIVE: co-podcast.co What podcasts inspire you? This is the question I get maybe more than any other. SO! I’ve decided to answer this question in a BIG WAY. First by creating a directory of my favorite shows by launching our very own podcast network! And secondly by creating a two part episode where we discuss the 5 podcasts we chose to be part of our network and 5 other shows that aren’t on the network but incredibly inspiring anyway!

Listen in and hear some of my all time favorite creative podcasts, specific episodes of theirs I love and even specific tips, tactics and mindset shifts from these episodes! These insights have been SUPERCHARGING my creativity lately. OK! HUGE NEWS!! We just launched our very own CREATIVE PODCAST NETWORK!!! The Co-Loop Podcast Network is NOW LIVE: co-podcast.co What podcasts inspire you? This is the question I get maybe more than any other. SO! I’ve decided to answer this question in a BIG WAY. First by creating a directory of my favorite shows by launching our very own podcast network! And secondly by creating a two part episode where we discuss the 5 podcasts we chose to be part of our network and 5 other shows that aren’t on the network but incredibly inspiring anyway! Part TWO will drop tomorrow!

I can’t be the only one just completely sick and tired of the internet. GOOD GOD. I mean - I am very grateful that we have this means of connecting in such disconnected times - BUT I have felt at my wit’s end trying to continue hustling online lately. If you’re feeling creatively exhausted this episode is for you. Tune in to find 3 exercises that will help you find fresh fire for your creative practice.

A goal can be a powerful motivator, but what happens when the world changes and your goal becomes impossible? What do you do when every effort you make doesn’t seem to change any outcome? In this episode we dive into a strategy for when your motivation gets destroyed by lack of progress. This process was a game changer for me and in this episode not only will you hear why, but you’ll feel my excitement too!

There are very few creators whose practice I admire like I do illustrator Brian Rea’s - his work exemplifies so many of the ideas we talk about on this show and this conversation was like a B-12 energy shot into my creative practice. This was one of my favorite shop talk chats that I can remember having. If you need to fall in love with making stuff again. Listen to this. Listen & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-pep-talk/id929743897 Get Episode Transcripts at creative-pep-talk.simplecast.com

Nothing makes me feel like giving up like when my efforts seem to make no difference. It’s maddening when your efforts don’t equal results, especially when it comes to social media. We all know that social media can really positively impact your creative practice, but more often than not, it can feel like it’s just not working for us and the time and energy we pour into these channels seems to have little or no return on investment. If you’ve been fed up with how your progress on social media has plateaued, and you feel like calling it quits - this episode is for you! In this episode you’ll get 3 totally different ways of approaching your work online that will help you shake things up and start making real meaningful progress again. Listen & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-pep-talk/id929743897 Get Episode Transcripts at creative-pep-talk.simplecast.com

I’m starting to see a new pattern in creative breakthrough. We all know you gotta put in the time to learn your craft, but what’s the gap between being technically proficient and really truly finding yourself creatively? I think the secret is finding yourself personally. Today on the show we have designer and lettering artist Cymone Wilder. I wanted to have Cymone on the show not only because her work is fantastic, but also because as I started to see her work pop up everywhere, I also noticed that it was on the back of a personal journey. I wanted to see what the catalyst of this journey really was for Cymone and her answers did not disappoint!! This episode is a moving personal story mixed with talking shop and creative mechanics that I’m sure will bring a lot of pep to your step!

We often use clout oriented and achievement focused goals to boost our motivation at the start of a new year, but have you ever felt uninspired by the pursuit of stroking the ego? Freud said the driving force of man is pleasure - but neurologist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl disagreed. Frankl said man is driven by meaning. When the future is as unpredictable as it has been recently, we must dig for deeper, more long lasting fuel for our creative motivation. In this episode I want to encourage a mindset shift that can lead to insight into the heart of your work, as well as act as a creative prompt to unlock your latent creative potency!