slow inside

Brooke Shaden has clarity. She knows why she’s making. And that why pervades everything. The why is her legacy, her message, her brand. Brooke’s why is to inspire creativity in others. When you have that kind of clarity you don’t worry about changing creative direction or trying out a new medium. You don’t concern yourself with those who rail against your making or criticize your style. Her why is bigger than her art. It’s bigger than her audience. It’s her north star. In this conversation we talk about 3 steps to finding your why, your legacy, and your message, the #1 thing that stops people from moving forward in their personal and professional life, becoming a trailblazer and finding true liberation, and how to never run out of ideas or inspiration. Brooke is a photographer whose work has been shown in galleries around the world, featured in, and on the cover of, dozens of magazines and books, winner of the international photographer of the year in 2016, named best of photography in 2015, one of Shutter Magazine's 10 most influential photographers, and is the founder of Light Space: a photography school for survivors of human trafficking in India and Thailand. 

Jesh de Rox is, at heart, an explorer. He's spent his life asking the big questions: the ones that help make sense of who we are and why we're here. And he's built several very successful businesses in photography, thought leadership, and business coaching, around the same two things: joy and personal growth. Jesh's work has been featured in Vogue, Huffington Post, Elle, and Range Finder, to name a few, and has an international client list that includes celebrities and world-class performers in many fields. Some things we talk about: how to overcome the biggest hurdles to creating and living a meaningful life the most unusual (and powerful) business building (and life) advice you’ll ever get what you must know to create what is most honestly yours why what we see on Instagram is not what we want to imitate in art or life

Satsuki Shibuya is a painter, poet, and spiritual guide. She is also the first repeat guest on The Creativity Habit Podcast. In this second conversation, we dive into the heart and mind of this spiritual thinker. We talk about love and purpose, flow and discipline, creativity and truth. It’s both profoundly spiritual and very practical. Some things we talk about: how to keep putting your most honest, creative self out into the world Satsuki’s four-step creative process for hatching and launching any project simple ways to know you’re moving in the right direction (and on the path of your purpose) how to balance going with the flow with the practical aspects of building a business Satsuki's work has appeared on book covers, in Kinfolk, on the set of Marie Kondo’s Netflix series, Tidying up with Marie Kondo, in galleries and private collections. But Satsuki’s true contribution is that she changes the world not because of what she does but because of who she is. Enjoy.

Hall Newbegin is a "hippie entrepreneur" who went from making soap out of his basement to running a multi-million dollar business selling sustainably harvested products including perfume, incense, candles, and soap. Hall brought the places he loved to people who cared through products he made. Some things we talk about finding the courage to wander off the known path in order to find your own path finding your one thing, digging deep, and making it your everything starting from nothing, losing almost everything, and ending with a multi-million dollar business following your nose, and always, always staying true to your soul

Loveis Wise was a junior in college when she got her first art commission with Refinery 29 and a senior when she became the second black women in the history of The New Yorker Magazine to design its cover. Loveis grew up poor and no one in her family thought you could make any money making art but Loveis knew what she wanted and she want for it. Today Loveis has more work than time.Her illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker Magazine, The New York Times, Buzzfeed, NPR, and TED to name a few. She’s only one year out of college but she’s already an in-demand full-time artist who found her way out of poverty doing what she loves. Some things we talk about: how to change your inner voice to help heal what’s not working feeling like an imposter and doing it anyway using art to navigate her way out of childhood trauma and depression what she did in college to launch her career before she’d even graduated and how to speak your dreams into existence to create the life you long for

Michelle Gardella is an internationally recognized photographer who hustled her way out of poverty to become one of the top 30 photographers in the world by Rangefinder Magazine and one of the top ten photographers in the US by Professional Photographers of America. Today Michelle is a truth-teller who uses her camera and her words to ferret out the false and showcase the real through her River Story Sessions and her writing. She has launched two successful Kickstarter campaigns, self-published her book River Story, and is currently working on her memoir. Some things we talk about: how to rise above a life of poverty and abuse to become one of the top 30 photographers in the world photography as a truth-telling tool (coming out from behind the lens) how your brokenness leads right into your beauty launching her first, and second, successful Kickstarter campaign and playing the game of social media as only a truth-teller can

Susannah Conway's business was born out of grief. When her partner died unexpectedly of a heart attack thirteen years ago, Susannah turned to photography and writing as a way through. Photography brought her into the present moment while writing helped her sort through the past ones. But eventually, her photography and writing turned into a thriving online business helping thousands of women around the world feel less alone and more alive. Today Susannah runs a six-figure business, taking pictures, writes, and teaches courses including The Sacred Alone, Your Daily Guidance, and Journal Your Life. Some things we talk about: how creativity carried her through her biggest loss and healed her broken heart using language to change your reality and live into your biggest dreams the beauty of being an introvert and the power of accepting yourself exactly as you are and building a successful six-figure business from the heart one step at a time

Arielle Estoria never wanted to be center stage but sometimes life decides your path for you. In college Arielle stumbled into slam and spoken word poetry. Her words had power. They resonated and moved the audience. Arielle decided to devote one year after college to her creativity. One year turned into four and today Arielle performs on stages around the world, bringing people together through the power of vulnerability, truth, and love. Some things we talk about: Arielle’s alter ego, Erika Watson and how Erika gave Arielle permission to perform Arielle's years going silent in middle school the scary, messy path of pursuing your purpose ditching her college plan for six jobs and poetry and how to share all your brokenness and vulnerability with the world as a path to healing and greater humanity

Carrie Schmitt is a painter, writer, and teacher. Several years ago Carrie became so sick she couldn't move. Any physical exertion would cause her body to break out in hives and her entire system to overheat. The only thing left, the only relief she found, was in painting. Thus began Carrie's life as a full-time artist. Today Carrie teaches workshops, has several books, sells art around the world and has a clothing line coming. Some things we talk about: her painful descent in college into the world of partying, eating disorders, and bad relationships how a life-threatening illness brought her back to art finding self-love, connection, and the greater creative flow through the Rose Project turning a life of sacrifice into a successful art career and the power of a daily practice

Emma Louise Sophia is a writer, photographer, and teacher. Emma did not have an easy time of it growing up. She battled eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. But then she met and fell in love with her future husband and got pregnant and that changed everything. Emma sobered up, pulled what had come apart back together, and settled into a whole new life as a mom, an artist, and an entrepreneur. Today she lives in Marrakech, Morocco with her husband and three kids teaching personal development through personal discovery to thousands of men and women around the world. Some things we talk about: her father's sudden death, her own downward spiral and her way back home learning how to break free of other people's expectations to find her own discovering one's personal philosophy and how to identify your passions and pursue them with confidence