Your World of Creativity

We are back for another great interview, today with Andrew Embry, a brand manager -- plus a wordsmith, poet. and creative alchemist. Andrew combines spoken word & poetry with his data research and marketing roles at Eli Lilly and Company. Listen to the entire podcast to hear Andrews poem “bringing love into work” starting at 15:47Andrew has been writing and performing poetry since he was a child. He has managed to not only use poetry skills offstage but also bringing these skills to work too where he has performed in front of 1000 of his colleagues.   He is an avid reader of books, blogs, and watcher of films to keep his creative juice flowing. One of those books is Radical Candor by Kim Scott. The book focuses on the importance of giving quality, direct feedback to individuals, which has enabled him to give and receive feedback better. Andrew says, if you can help people see how they're using their own style of creativity, then they can see how much that's valued and they can lean into who they are and bring even more value to you and your team.Andrew has been writing his blog Striking Matches since Jube 2013, and he gives us pointers on how he has been able to get creative ideas over the past 9 years to keep writing. The way he has done this is by having a creative mindset-believing that there is a story and hidden beauty inside everything.  Looking at the world (experiences) as your oyster.A few ideas on how to bring creativity to work especially in remote settings or working from home can include: getting up and taking walks, working out in the morning, or even taking breaks during the day just to go play with your kids.As part of the brand management team, you can bring creativity in your solutions by being empathetic to your customers’ needs, while at the same time using the data you collect to make heart-level decisions when telling stories.Andrews Blog: Striking MatchesYoutube: Andrews performance at Eli Lily's 140th anniversaryCompany Website:Eli Lily & CompanyKim Scott’s book: Radical CandorSummary.The future of marketing will be more innovative in the digital space, as we focus on meeting customers at their point of need.   We need to know how to use machine learning to help turn data into insights that we can use to be better. Listen to the entire podcast to hear Andrews poem “bringing love into work” Original creative work is copyrighted, provided by the artist, and used with permission.

Christian Thought Leader, Author, and Songwriter Justin McRoberts Inspires Readers to Recreate Within God’s Image in New Book – It Is What You Make of It“Adding new energy to old things can turn something good into phenomenal.”– Justin McRoberts“It is what it is”—a common phrase you hear and maybe even say yourself. But the truth is that there is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence that simply is what it is. Justin McRoberts invites you to embrace a new mindset: It Is What You Make of It.In his new book, It Is What You Make of It: Creating Something Great from What You’ve Been Given, McRoberts shares key moments from his twenty-plus years as an artist, church planter, pastor, singer-songwriter, author, neighbor, and father, passing on lessons and practices learned about making something good from what you’ve been given rather than simply accepting things as they are. Thought-provoking but actionable, It Is What You Make of It declares that love doesn’t just win, mercy doesn’t just triumph, and light doesn’t just cast out shadow. Rather, such renewal requires the work of human hands and hearts committed to a vision of a world made right (or at least a little better). When we partner with God in these endeavors, we love the world well and honor the Creator in whose image we are made.Complete with stimulating questions and hilariously relatable anecdotes and antics, each chapter will help readers uncover the areas in their lives and communities that are waiting for them to boldly proclaim, “Let’s see what we can make of this.”Justin McRoberts lives in the Oakland–San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Amy, and two children. He is the author of four books, including Prayer: 40 Days of Practice and May It Be So: 40 Days with the Lord’s Prayer. Justin’s sixteen albums and EPs have gained him a faithful audience among listeners nationwide since 1999.Justin leans on his over twenty years in the arts and ministry to mentor and coach artists and pastors in person as well as over video calls. He is also the host of the podcast @ Sea with Justin McRoberts and co-founding pastor of Shelter-Vineyard Church Community in Concord, CA. Justin regularly travels to speak at churches and colleges, as well as leads retreats for ministry staff, college students, and young adults. YouTube:       https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlBMsfsQ3fBItnQ9eUMfKw Facebook:      https://www.facebook.com/JustinRMcRoberts/Twitter:          http://justinmcroberts.com/Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/justinmcroberts/Website:         http://justinmcroberts.com/

Meet our guest, Dr. Mark Ryall, author of the new speculative fiction book, Age-Decoded. It took some struggle and two career changes before Mark Ryall discovered his “genuine self” as a teacher. He had always yearned for a career that brought him closer to people, and teaching became the natural place for him. He went on to teach economics and mathematics at Royal St. George's College (Toronto) and Hillfield Strathallan College (Hamilton) for a combined twenty-four years. He also loved coaching cross country running, a sport which he felt makes students stronger mentally and physically, and which promotes teamwork and mutual support. While teaching, he also began painting, specializing in acrylic art depicting historic old buildings and bridges in the Hamilton area, and more recently dabbling in sports portraits and landscapes.The speculative fiction Age-Decoded is Mark’s first novel. He wrote the first draft about ten years ago while he was teaching, to educate himself and the world about the imminent tsunami of genetic engineering technology. The novel was turned down by traditional publishers, so Mark accepted that rejection and let the novel sit for several years. But with his recent retirement from teaching and the full-blown emergence of CRISPR-like technology on the scientific front, he decided to work hard to update and improve the novel. He finally self-published it two months ago.Mark feels Age-Decoded is important because genetic engineering will impact human physical and psychological traits − fundamentally affecting what it means to be human. His goal is to educate people about this scientific breakthrough. Many effects will be hugely positive, as scientists work to eradicate diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, cystic fibrosis, HIV, sickle cell anemia, and even cancer. But unintended or intended negative effects are also possible with this technology. The story peers 100-200 years into the future, allowing the reader to critically imagine and feel the potential impact of genetic engineering on human nature. The story focuses on two human changes; one physical (stopping and reversing aging) and one psychological (spoiler alert: you will need to read the novel).Mark also competes in triathlons and represented Canada in the 2019 World Age-Group Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland. That race was a disaster as he never completed the swim due to “technical difficulties”! But he has vowed to redeem himself, to qualify and compete once again in the Championships sometime soon in the post-Covid era. Mark currently serves as a volunteer cross country coach for Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton. His education includes BSc, MBA, and PhD (University of Toronto, Education).The retailer link for the book Age-Decoded is:  https://books2read.com/age-decodedDiscover Morehttp://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-ryall-2b87b2b https://www.quora.com/profile/Mark-Ryall-2http://www.instagram.com/m.ryallhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21292342.Mark_P_Ryallhttps://twitter.com/RyallMark

Meet Teedeevee, a top International Afro-Beat musician, lyricist, composer, and performer.In today’s episode, we chat with TeeDeeVee, an Afro-pop artist based in Lagos Nigeria.  He is a Top International Afro-Beat musician, lyricist, composer, performer, and award winner of the Best upcoming artist in Africa in 2017.Teedeevee describes Afropop as African Music combined with popular hip hop music but with a heavier beat.Teedeevee tells us his music, and especially his latest song KORE (the mantra of Hope) is about giving people hope during this time of Covid. The continent, like all others, has been hit hard by the virus and people's lives and livelihoods have been affected and income taken away, so a song to keep people’s hope alive is what he created. In his album Adventure, Teedeevee’s music transcends into messages of love and life. Coming from Nigeria, TeeDeeVee struggled to balance both getting his law degree and his love for creating music that tells a story. In 2021, he successfully got admitted to the bar, and in the same year, released his album.Teedeevee is a dynamic and versatile artist, which has led him to have a majority of global influences and collaborations reflected in his work. His international break occurred in 2019 when he produced a song with a Lebanese producer. Soon afterward, he started getting recognition from International artists from different parts of the world including Sudan, Germany,  and France, What’s his songwriting and production process like, and what influences him? Teedeevee’s creative process starts with an idea about making a beat, collaborating with an in-house producer, then gets a melody, then the lyrics, and finally, when all those have come together, he goes to the studio to complete the process.His influences come from his experiences in his own life, most of them a reflection of the obstacles and challenges he and other people from the African continent go through before becoming successful. Spotify: KOREConnect with him on Instagram TeeDeeVee Teedeevee’s success has come from being "stubborn" and resilient in believing that he will achieve everything he has set his mind to, in spite of the challenges he faces along the way. Through his music, he is able to encourage other people to follow their hearts’ desires.He says, "I'm a full-time lyricist, composer, performer, and Afro-pop musician from Nigeria. I have been in the music industry for over 7 years and with vast experience, I have been able to work with several music moguls and visionaries in the music world."Having over 90 records, I've carved a niche for my unique lyrical prowess and creative music style which would make any service I render special."My music is well known for the uniqueness in my sound and lyrics. I have also got several recognitions and awards for my services over the years."Versatility is one of the major pivots the Teedeevee brand stands for, having recorded different styles of music ranging from Trap, Hip-hop, R&B, Dancehall, Afrobeat, Afropop to Amapiano."The African vibes and traditions are what I always hope to showcase in my works and preach the Afro music through the Nick and crannies of the world."He is also an Attorney at Law. Graduated from the prestigious Faculty of Law at the University of Ibadan. Admitted into the Largest Bar in Africa as a Barrister.Facebook TeedeeveeofficialInstagram: @teedeevee_Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/0j6vt44wBu6rPXhBLhvqFDApple Music https://music.apple.com/us/album/anywhere-single/1569673155Music tracks are copyrighted, provided by the artist, and used with permission.

Our guest is Meghana Giridhar of Let's Curate. Meghana was a consultant for nonprofit venture capital funds and that triggered her interest in many different things. She has actually launched her own platform which we’ll know more about in this episode. She also loved traveling and it was there that she discovered many local artisans from the places she visited and found her passion in helpìng them. She discovered that there were art forms that she wouldn’t have found on Google. And that’s how she decided to launch a platform to help these artisans keep their art form alive. She decided to empower independent artisans by providing them with resources but also selling their products in a regular store format. Collecting the worksMeghana tells us that she made a scheduled list of 10 people and went on various travels and meet 10 people from 10 different countries. She talked to them about her idea for the platform. She kept in touch with them and keep the idea going and growing along. She built a relationship with them and then told them when the platform was ready to go. So the site was launched and it started as a typical e-commerce shop with the big difference that the products weren’t mass-produced. Each piece was limited edition, and sometimes the artisans even changed the form of art they were selling. If any other artisans want to get involved in this platform, the best way is to just reach out to Meghana on her email or her social media channels. This is a lovely creative platform, where the only goal is to make it accessible to everyone. Just email Meghana, tell her your story and what kind of work you’re involved in. It really is that simple as Meghana believes this is the best way to talk business, with authenticity. For the art loversSo for people looking to actually acquire a piece of art from the site they can actually go to the platform and pick what they prefer. They’ve divided the works in terms of continents. But you can zoom into the country of your preference and find wonderfully inspiring pieces that are native to those places. Her challengesMeghana talks about the challenges she was faced by venturing into the work of creation. One of the biggest challenges she had to overcome was explaining her idea. She wanted to convey that her idea wasn’t only a brand, not just a shop. Her idea was to empower artists and give them the resources. And with that, teaching was also needed on how to use said resources. This wasn’t just putting their products on a site but also putting history and showcasing the artist itself. She was able to overcome this challenge and now has a successful platform that also features an artist spotlight where they sell limited edition pieces of said artist. The work her platform is doing is amazing and it will continue to grow as more artists join in. It is more than just another shop, it feels like a museum with pieces from all over the world that you can take home with you. And that’s also where the magic lays. If you want to reach out to Meghana or know more about her work:Instagram @lets_curate Email them at letscurateinfo@gmail.com 

Our guest is Roman LC Martinez Roman is a professional illustrator and a filmmaker in LA. He's founded the Film Reframed studio, and he's also working with a program called the Unhoused Art Initiative. And we're going to talk about how he's working with this program for people who are experiencing homelessness in LA. And we also want to talk about his work, Roman, we want to talk about your projects and also some of the things that you're working on to support these unhoused artists. So we've got a lot to cover in our short time together, but we're going to get through it all. Prioritizing workRoman jokingly thinks having ADHD is a driver for him, when he’s interested in something it's very easy for him to channel a lot of energy and passion towards that particular thing. And seeing that he has a diverse scope of projects and goals like contributing to the world, for him it helps if he hits a wall in one pursuit or maybe there's just a delay in something that he’s working on, for Roman, it’s very easy to shift over to the next one and to the next one. So each goal develops at its own pace.His passion project: Unhoused Arts Initiative Roman tells the story of how he started working with the union rescue mission, which is one of the largest missions on skid row in Los Angeles, serving the unhoused population. He tells of how he wanted to help artists who don't have access to supplies or storage for their artwork, create art that communicated some of their experience. And after going without a real expectation of how it was going to go. Roman had an idea to bring gallery-quality supplies into a situation where there may be artists who want to create something, and to give them the space and the time and the attention to do that, then maybe it will yield beautiful results. Unhoused Arts initiativeRoman thinks that the interesting impact of the initiative frames this space that way because when you give people the opportunity to say what they want to say, you're really just providing an opportunity for them to be listened to. He believes that the unhoused population has so much to say that they're always sharing it with people and that the people that provide services for them sometimes start to tune that out, out of necessity for the volume that they go through. Roman tries to provide his full focused attention and just tries to hear what they had to say. The mindset, from artist and educator to gallery managerRoman tells us about the challenges in working with unhoused artists. One of which is you don't have an address to locate them by or a consistent phone number. Roman says they’re not in a state of mind to even remember that they made the art and often times many of them will get up after the session and just walk out into the streets. So some of the artists you will lose complete track of after you've worked with them. Roman explains about being a manager for these artists, how there's really no way to control that force of nature in that situation, that the best that he could do is report everybody's name who came in and record the story they shared with him while they were working on the art. So for Roman, it was about cataloging that information and, and keeping it somewhere safe cause everything just happened in a brief moment. Roman’s next steps...Roman goes on to explain that for the Unhoused Arts the next step is to do a personal fundraiser to get a high-quality art book made of the art that was lost so that they can at least show people what there was. Roman explains that it won't be the same tangible experience of seeing it in a gallery. But the importance is that things have meaning. Roman believes that that is the way to help the artwork of the artists and the space they were in at that time live on and continue to make an impact and hopefully create more opportunities for future exhibitions. As far as Romans’ personal projects go, he explains how he had 10 large-scale oil paintings of the work that he does which he calls the blind portrait series. He goes on to explain that he will sit down with subjects in person, and continue to ask them a question about life or something existential, or even something just very minimal, but he would ask with the intent to listen. Support the fundraiserhttps://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/little-tokyo-small-business-relief-fundLearn about Film Reframed online education project  https://www.filmreframed.com/Visit the Push and Pour Coffee Shop we mentionedhttps://www.pushandpour.com/

You know the song867-5309/Jenny is a ubiquitous icon of the 80's -- ranking number four on VH1's Hits of the 80's.Now let’s hear the story of the song’s writer: Alex CallOn today’s episode, we’ll hear about his songwriting process for Jenny – and his live acoustic performance of 867-5309, plus three other hits that made the Billboard Hot 100Power of Love and Perfect World, (written for Huey Lewis and the News)And Mr. Moon by Elvis CostelloAlex Call has been a hit recording artist and songwriter for over thirty years. His muse is legendary in the industry, and his songs have become musical icons of American pop culture.I met Alex at a small café several years ago, and had the chance to record our conversation. He shared highlights of his career as told in his book, “867-5309: The Song That Saved Me.”I didn’t know then that I’d have a podcast on the creative process, so I feel fortunate to have captured this story.Alex Call was lead singer in the San Francisco cult-fave Country-rock band Clover, along with Huey Lewis and John McFee, now lead guitarist, Doobie BrothersClover was the band on Elvis Costello's first hit album, “My Aim is True.” In the introduction to the book, Elvis Costello says, “You've written a vivid, honest feeling memoir Alex and his Clover colleagues were once almost-mythical figures on a record sleeve to me. This book fills in the human story between those photographs and the guys I got to know at the very start of my career and those I am still happy to call my friends. Read this and you'll realize, music has been a passport, an occasional alibi and something to catch you when you fall.”Alex has been a recording artist for Arista Records, Mercury Records, and Fantasy Records.Let’s listen to Alex start at the beginning of the story of what became “Jenny, Jenny”…. Including that famous guitar hookSo, as Alex said, he felt he had all the pieces of a hit song. Here’s how it came together…. All of the culminated in the song you can’t get out of your head now -- 867-5309/Jenny recorded by Tommy TutoneThis and his songs are featured in movies and TV, and have served as branding for numerous national ad campaigns.Finally, as promised, let’s listen to acoustic coffee shop performances of 3 other songs from Alex CallThanks for listening to this episode featuring Alex Call; his book is “867-5309: The Song That Saved Me.”and come back again next time for more creative inspiration. I’m Mark Stinson – and we’re Unlocking your world of creativity.Music tracks are copyrighted and used under fair use for critique

Katie Stoddart founded ‘The Focus Bee’ and is an award-winning, international, high-performance coach. Katie supports founders and executives on sustaining peak performance in their business.Katie started her career as an engineer, working offshore, mapping the seafloor. From her time at sea, she gained the experience of managing teams under stressful circumstances and this led her towards coaching. She has coached in English, French, Spanish, and German.Passionate about: leadership, performance, and resilience; Katie challenges each and every person she works with to re-focus on what matters most. Katie frequently speaks at conferences, such as SWE - Society of Women Engineers, STEM re-imagined; her articles have been published in Thrive Global. Her weekly podcast ‘The Focus Bee Show’ is based on interviews with leading experts in performance.To find out more about Katie: www.thefocusbee.com

In today's episode, we go in-depth with Jay Alders.Jay Alders is an internationally acclaimed fine artist, photographer & designer whose distinctive style & imaginative prowess is recognized around the world. His intricate brushwork, intense colors & superb compositions bring to life his signature elongated figures & stylized forms.Alders has collaborated and/or toured with talented friends such as Slightly Stoopid, Stefan Lessard of the Dave Matthews Band, 311, G. Love, Donavon Frankenreiter, Sasha DiGiulian, Citizen Cope, The Expendables, Matt Costa, ALO, Sean Davey, Mishka, Paula Fuga, Greg Noll, John Butler Trio, Rob Machado and Guns N Roses’ guitarist, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal to name a few.Prestigious media outlets & organizations like CBS TV, NBC TV, FOX TV, FIOS TV, Surfer Magazine, FuelTV, Surfline.com, Line Up Magazine, Longboard Magazine, Eastern Surf Magazine, FHM Magazine, Penthouse Magazine, Curl Magazine, RagMag & GoOutside Magazine all showcased Jay’s artistic endeavors.You’ve seen Jay Alders’s artwork on the covers of Surfer’ Path Magazine and Brazil’s Alma Surf Magazine who also named Alders, “The Best Surf Artist of the Past Decade in 2010“. Alders art has graced the covers of albums by such artists as Slightly Stoopid, Echo Movement, and Mishka.Alders has been pursuing his lifelong dream of becoming a thriving professional artist since he was a child. His outlook on success is best described by him in a recent interview with ESPN, “Some people wait around for opportunity to come knocking. I prefer to just build my own door and open it.”Jay’s work has been featured in Galleries from both coasts of the United States to Europe, Art Tours in Brazil, Surf Exhibitions on the North Shore of Oahu, and 2008 X-Games. Organizations like Emergen-C, Billabong, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Original Skateboards all have licensed Jay’s Art for their Internationally distributed Product lines.In November 2009, Jay was described as “The Artist who is Everywhere” by ESPN in recognition of Jay’s routine globe-trotting and impressive industry involvement.Later this year, Jay plans to publish his first book. (And we'll update these notes with a link!)Discover About Jay Aldershttps://facebook.com/jayaldershttps://instagram.com/jayaldershttps://jayalders.comhttps://www.youtube.com/user/jayaldershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jayalders/

Meet our guest, JD Gershbein, a LinkedIn Brand StrategistIn 2006, amidst a wicked economic downturn that forced scores of professionals out of work and shook the world into a state of economic chaos, JD Gershbein migrated away from a traditional marketing practice to become one of the world’s first independent LinkedIn specialists. He was a key figure during the early years of LinkedIn and its ascent as the de facto social networking site for business. Today, against the backdrop of a global pandemic, JD remains at the forefront of LinkedIn education and continues to support the goals of businesses intent on tapping into the full potential of the medium.Having grown up in the healthcare arena, JD brings the perspective of a healer to his work. He is attuned to the challenges imposed on businesspeople in learning how to effectively use LinkedIn and addresses the knowledge gap with unique learning experiences steeped in neuroscience, psychology, emotional intelligence, design thinking, and applied improvisation. He has earned a stellar reputation as a LinkedIn strategist and gained widespread recognition for his thought leadership in personal branding, social networking, new media, online communication, and social entrepreneurship.In response to the COVID-19 crisis, JD is continuously adapting his practice to meet the needs of professionals whose businesses and careers have been severely compromised. He continues to refine his unique methodology for writing LinkedIn profiles, favoring a rich third-person narrative that gives brand-conscious professionals distinction, elegance, and a competitive advantage. In the consulting arena, his client list includes many globally recognizable brands and SMBs that span a broad spectrum of industries, markets, and verticals. Additionally, he has seamlessly transitioned his global speaking platform to the virtual world, stepping up as a facilitative leader, media producer, and broadcaster.His LATEST content creation is the 2 DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS With JD & SYYA Podcast. In one recent episode, JD and Syya riff on the current climate of SALES -- how sellers waltz with buyers, and what it takes to get products and services get sold in today's hyper-distracted environment.Born in Chicago, JD grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, and attended New Trier West High School in Northfield, Illinois. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in English at the University of Cincinnati, he earned two post-grad degrees at Chicago’s Illinois Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing Communications. He is also a student and performer of improvisational and sketch comedy at Chicago’s famed Second City.Through his events, writings, teachings, and media contributions, JD has become a positive role model to people in all walks of business striving to make their mark in the Digital Age.♦ EMBRACING A HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN APPROACH TO LINKEDINThe pandemic has virtualized business, increased stress levels, and imposed new demands on our time and attention. LinkedIn, in conjunction with Zoom, has become our lifeline. JD is finely attuned to the pain felt by so many who, for whatever reason, cannot extract value from LinkedIn, are stuck on how to best tell their signature story, or cannot fathom the platform. He reaffirms his commitment to minimizing this pain.♦ REDEFINING THE PROCESS OF LINKEDIN PROFILE WRITINGAs one of the first independent LinkedIn consultants in the world, JD understands how to best communicate one's value proposition through an online profile. He brings journalistic flair and a sensitive eye in capturing the key elements of a brand story and positioning his clients for their best possible impression.♦ LEVERAGING LINKEDIN TO RECLAIM BUSINESS MOMENTUMNothing like a global pandemic to derail the plans of businesspeople who had so much on the line and cloud their vision of a bright future. JD offers best-in-class virtual LinkedIn training for companies struggling to execute their strategic plan and keep their teams engaged while working remotely and anticipating a recovery.Connect (of course) on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jdgershbein/Thanks to our new sponsor Designhill -- the world’s # 1 creative marketplace that caters to the creative needs of businesses and individuals alike. You can source high-quality designs from professional designers and unique products created by independent artists.Exclusive Offer for listeners of the podcast:Get Exclusive 25% Off on the Designhill Logo Maker ServiceUse this link and discount code: WF25Validity: Offer valid Nov 30 2021Link: Link: https://www.designhill.com/tools/logo-maker