What if the problem isn't that you're not good at what you do—it's that you're hiding your genius?

Ashley Renders spent a decade in journalism and documentary film before building a multi-six-figure business in 18 months teaching entrepreneurs how to use storytelling to grow their companies. In this conversation, Ashley breaks down the biggest storytelling mistake talented founders make: thinking they need to be more interesting when what they really need is to stop hiding what they already know.

We dive into storytelling frameworks that actually convert, the shift from journalism to selling with stories, and why your "boring" business has just as much compelling content as a lifestyle brand.

If you've ever scrolled past someone with half your expertise getting ten times the attention, this episode will show you exactly what they're doing differently.

What We Cover:

[00:33] Why storytelling is having a moment and big brands are scrambling for creatives
[04:12] The content creator burden: when you just want to do your actual job
[09:49] The accountant who quadrupled her business by sharing her genius
[12:26] Your business isn't boring—you're just thinking about it wrong
[18:24] The missing piece from journalism to selling: storytelling is about the payoff
[21:29] The aperture analogy: how much of your life should you share?
[23:38] Vulnerability that converts vs. vulnerability that feels like therapy
[24:41] The two questions to ask before sharing anything from your life
[33:17] The curse of expertise: when you forget people don't know what you know
[38:08] Her first live event and what her nervous system said was unsafe
[44:23] The snowstorm aha moment that changed how she builds community
[51:40] Homework: the one client exercise that filters everything you create
[53:38] Your business as a movement, not just posting to post
[1:04:43] The fastest way to stop being ordinary

Quotes Worth Saving:

"You're not boring because of your business. What makes your content feel boring is how you think about it and how you share it with the world."

"When you're selling, you're really selling the payoff. That vision you're painting—that's storytelling."

"Start with conversations in real life. You have to pick up the phone, book a call, or go to the event."

"If you can publish every day for a year, you'll never have money problems again. It turns you into a different animal."

Connect with Ashley: Instagram @ashley.renders | YouTube: That Storytelling Channel

Your Turn:

This week, notice what you agree and disagree with in your industry. Write it down. Then share one of those thoughts in a piece of content. Your business isn't boring—your genius just needs a microphone.

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

Think getting dressed is superficial? Chellie Carlson is here to prove you wrong.

As an LA-based stylist working with top executives and entrepreneurs, Chellie helps successful people who are exhausted from throwing money at their closets without results. In this conversation, we get real about the shame women carry around not being able to "figure out" getting dressed, why buying LESS will actually improve your style, and how your wardrobe directly impacts your nervous system.

If you've ever stood in front of a packed closet feeling like you have nothing to wear—this episode will change everything.

WHAT WE COVER

[00:00] Why successful people are exhausted from handling their own wardrobes [01:35] The magnetic transformation: From Taylor Swift t-shirts to commanding the room [03:38] Is fashion superficial? The uncomfortable truth about appearance and power dynamics [08:46] From bra fittings to wardrobe transformations: Chellie's origin story [13:59] Breaking free from the "size = worth" trap [19:15] The psychology behind holding onto clothes that don't serve you [21:11] Why your ski gear needs to GTFO of your main closet [24:04] Strategic shopping vs. just shopping: The three-step process (edit, tailor, organize) [27:13] The client with 100 Veronica Beard blazers (yes, really) [29:00] Permission to outfit repeat: Why signature looks build trust [35:34] High-stakes moments: Stop panic shopping and shop your own closet [40:29] Get your hot ass dressed: The one daily practice that changes everything [42:24] How your wardrobe affects your nervous system (backed by neuroscience) [45:30] Superpowers: Being an empath in a world that needs healing [47:00] What Chellie doesn't do: TV, Netflix, or the news [50:00] Allergic to the ordinary moment: Rachel Zoe and the art of wearing gowns everywhere

QUOTES WORTH SAVING

"What you wear is literally teaching others how to treat you. It's saying 'this is what I'm worth.'"

"If you got rid of half of your wardrobe right now, you will have better style. Period. You're not wearing 80% of it anyway."

"Your wardrobe has an impact on your nervous system. When you feel safe and beautiful in that outfit, you can exhale and walk into any room."

"Stop buying more clothes. The secret sauce is repeating your outfits. No one is judging you."

"Every day you get up, put something on that represents your higher self. The way you do one thing is the way you do everything."

YOUR TURN

Get dressed by 9am. Not in Lululemon—in jeans that fit perfectly and a top that makes you feel confident. Wear it again two days later. At night, swap into your comfies to signal relaxation mode. This simple shift regulates your nervous system and sets the tone for your energy, focus, and opportunities. Give yourself 30 days and watch what shifts.

CONNECT WITH CHELLIE

Instagram: @chelliecarlson
The Style Society: $55/month membership (first week free)
One-on-one transformations available worldwide

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

What does it feel like to hit your first seven figures — and realize the business is actually a trap?

Dani Lee is a fractional CFO and co-founder of Valore Financial. At 26 she built a product-based company to seven figures, then walked away from a large investor wire mid-deal and moved back to Wisconsin to regroup. What came next was a complete rebuild — this time, with her life designed first and the business engineered around it.

In this episode, we get into money dates, the emotional story hiding inside your financials, why your accountant and your CFO are doing completely different jobs, and the belief that's quietly killing most women founders' profit margins.

What We Cover:

[00:11] The money date: how to get financially sane in 30 minutes [02:48] How a seven-figure business became a nervous system nightmare [05:19] Walking away from a large investor wire — what peace is actually worth [07:30] Design your life first. Then build your business around it. [09:06] The pricing math most founders skip [10:37] Why women run their businesses like nonprofits (and what it costs them) [13:32] What your numbers tell a CFO about how you see yourself [15:16] Accountant vs. CFO: you're probably working with the wrong one [17:54] Your first money story — and how it's still running the show [21:36] What "financially dangerous" looks like and how to get there [25:25] The non-negotiable baked into Dani's budget (hint: it's comfort)

Quotes Worth Saving:

"Money is just a side effect of what you have going on internally."

"I see way too many women founders run their business like nonprofits...this is a for-profit business and that is okay."

"I built an ecosystem around me that supports that versus me hustling for that ecosystem."

"Peace and profits — I think a lot of people don't think those two things can and should exist."

About Dani: Dani Lee is a fractional CFO and co-founder of Valore Financial, helping women founders build highly profitable, sustainable businesses — without the chaos. She scaled a product-based company to seven figures at 26 before pivoting back to her finance roots to build something grounded in values-aligned growth.

Connect with Dani: Instagram: @cfodani 

Valore Financial https://www.valorefinancial.com/

Your Turn:

Schedule your money date this week. Pour something you like, get comfortable, and look at your balances — all of them. No judgment, no fixing yet. Just start the relationship. Dani says the next move becomes intuitive from there.

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

Most people walk away when things get hard. Tara Sandhu walked away when things were objectively great. Three months after returning from one of the hardest pregnancies imaginable, she got promoted at Mercury and was managing a team of 50. The she left. What followed was a $2 million consulting business built in under two years, a life-changing acquisition offer she turned down, and a move to Lisbon, Portugal where she works 25-hour weeks and is home for bedtime. Now through The Right Turn, she's helping other high-achieving women do exactly the same thing.

What We Cover: [00:00] The resume everyone envied — and why she still walked away [01:52] Getting promoted three months postpartum and managing 50 people — then quitting anyway [02:51] Being introduced as "Dimitri's wife" — how losing a title changes how the world sees you [05:30] Was leaving a relief or terrifying? (Spoiler: both, for four months straight) [06:47] What corporate got completely wrong about productivity and hours [08:36] Why your salary is capped by someone else's budget — and what the open market will actually pay you [10:23] How to translate your corporate skills into a consulting offer (your title isn't what you're selling) [12:00] Fixed pricing over hourly — and how to calculate what to charge based on client ROI [15:48] The life-changing acquisition offer she turned down — and why [18:07] What's really standing between most women and their first consulting client  [20:24] "Does anyone even have skills worth paying for?" — yes, and here's how to find yours [22:18] What she tolerated in fintech that she now recognizes as insane [23:45] Why she starts with values and lifestyle before strategy — and what breaks when women skip it [26:57] What to do after you've exhausted your warm network [28:46] Building formal referral partners as a revenue stream [31:02] The one conversation she wishes more high-achieving women would have about ambition [34:18] Signature questions: the superpower hiding in her rebelliousness [38:00] What she completely changed her mind about in the last year [40:05] Her sister: the other woman who refuses the default path

Quotes Worth Saving:

"When I would get introduced at parties, they would just be like, 'This is Tara, Dimitri's wife.' Prior to that, it was 'This is Tara — she does ABC.' Those little shifts start to add up."

"Productivity and the amount of hours you put in are not the same thing. When I was at my desk, what I knocked out in two hours would have historically taken me five or six."

"We have been told time and time again that either your mothering is going to suffer or your career is going to suffer. One thing has to take a backseat. That is just not true."

"80% of the women I work with — it's confidence. They're so in their own way."

"If everyone thinks it's normal, default, or ordinary and you can achieve it — you're shooting way too low."

Connect with Tara: Instagram: @taketherightturn Website: taketherightturn.com Substack article. 

Your Turn:

Tara's challenge: Stop listening to the default path. If you want to do something that sounds crazy to other people, that's the signal. If everyone around you thinks it's normal and achievable, you're shooting too low. The life you actually want is on the other side of the thing that feels unreasonably ambitious right now. Go do that thing.

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

What actually makes a brand stick? It's not a pretty logo. It's not a trendy color palette. And it's definitely not copying whatever's blowing up on Pinterest this week.

Ellyse Bollinger is the founder and creative director of ENC — the non-agency agency. In this conversation, we get into why so many brands fall emotionally flat, what she looks at first when assessing whether a brand has a real backbone, and the two things that hold most founders back from building something that can outlast them.

We also talk about the very real ROI of creativity (yes, one client quadrupled their revenue within two weeks), why the word "just" is basically a four-letter word, and how founders can show up in ways that don't require talking to the camera on Instagram stories.

If you care about building a brand that's in it for the long haul, this one's for you.

What We Cover:

[01:20] The first thing every founder should do after listening: zoom out and find your secret sauce [03:32] Why messaging is a muscle — and when you need outside eyes to flex it [05:01] What "non-agency agency" actually means and what traditional agencies get wrong [07:29] Can you scale a high-touch, boutique creative business? Ellyse's honest answer [08:45] Is creativity just a buzzword? Why it's actually an innately human skill AI can't replicate [13:27] The client who quadrupled revenue within two weeks of a site relaunch [16:02] "Brands need to feel something before they sell something" — what that actually means [19:34] Why almost every founder says the same thing when asked about showing up (and what to do instead) [21:17] One trillion ways to show up as a founder — none of them require talking to camera [22:39] The case for owning your distribution: email, Substack, blog, and why Instagram could disappear tomorrow [24:34] How much of your brand should actually be you — and where founders go wrong [25:20] Death Grip Syndrome: the #1 founder struggle Ellyse sees over and over [27:03] You're the heart, not the whole body — why your brand needs to exist without you [30:02] Three ordinary things Ellyse wishes brands would stop doing immediately [31:55] The very first thing Ellyse looks at when auditing a brand (hint: it's not the logo) [36:41] What to ask — and watch out for — when hiring a creative partner for the first time [40:22] The superpower she was told to dial back (and why she's finally done listening) [44:52] The belly-dancing grandma who first sparked her love of creativity

Quotes Worth Saving:

"Words, messaging — that's always the first thing I look at and always the first thing I'm going to suggest working on."

"Creativity is innately human. The only way to truly feel creativity that is goosebumps-central is when you are connecting, exploring, chatting — living a human life."

"There's actually a lot of ordinary magic that exists if you allow yourself to just see it."

Connect with Ellyse: Instagram: @ellysenichole (personal) & @encagency (agency) Website: encagency.com

Your Turn:

Ellyse's challenge: Look around and notice things.

Seriously. You don't need a new elixir or a new strategy or a new shiny thing — you just need to open your eyes. The most allergic-to-the-ordinary moments come when you're present enough to actually notice them.

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

What if "I'm bad with names" isn't a personality trait—it's just a story you keep telling yourself? And what if your beige living room isn't a design choice—it's an identity you've outgrown but haven't let go of yet?

In this solo episode, Jamie breaks down identity: what it is (beliefs, values, history, ambitions), where it comes from (parents, one comment from a teacher 30 years ago, narratives you've internalized), and most importantly—how to change it. From believing she wasn't creative for decades to now running a design firm, from "I'm bad with names" to making baristas' days by remembering them a year later, Jamie shows how changing your story changes your behavior, which changes your identity.

Then she brings it home with identity-driven design: how your environment either reinforces who you were or supports who you're becoming. The client who was nervous about the honed stone slab that became her favorite thing. Jamie's own bold office that she designed for who she's stepping into, not future buyers. And the spicy take: if it doesn't make you a little nervous, you're playing it safe—and safe design reinforces the identity of someone who plays it safe.

What We Cover:

[00:00] "I'm not creative": the identity Jamie carried for years until she realized it was just a story

[04:00] What identity actually is: beliefs, values, history, ambitions—and mostly just stories

[06:30] Where these stories come from and why they stick (even when you don't want them)

[08:30] Changing the story: from "I'm bad with names" to "I'm great with names"

[10:00] The barista in North Carolina Jamie sees twice a year—and always remembers

[12:00] How environment reinforces identity (and why most people live in spaces designed for old versions of themselves)

[15:00] Identity-driven design: the client nervous about honed stone, Jamie's bold office

[18:00] The spicy take: if it doesn't make you nervous, you're designing for your past self

[20:00] Meaningful history vs. arbitrary comfort: what to keep and what to let go

Quotes Worth Saving:

"I had been telling myself a story about who I was. And that story was wrong."

"Every time you say 'I'm bad with names,' you're reinforcing that identity. You're telling your brain 'this is who I am, so don't bother trying.'"

"Your environment either reinforces the identity you have, or it supports the identity you're trying to step into. Most people are living in spaces designed for old versions of themselves."

"There's a difference between meaningful history and arbitrary comfort. One tells a story. The other just takes up space."

"If something in your environment doesn't make you a little bit nervous, you're not designing for who you're becoming. You're designing for your current or past self."

"Almost always, the elements people were nervous about end up being their FAVORITE. The things they brag about. The things that tell a story about who they've become."

"Being allergic to the ordinary isn't just about making different choices. It's about becoming someone who makes different choices."

About Jamie:

Jamie Gasparovic is the founder of Studio Gaspo, a luxury interior design firm that practices identity-driven design—designing spaces based on who clients are AND who they're becoming. She's great with names now (it's a choice). She lives in Orlando with her husband, two kids, and a dog, in a house with an office so bold it makes visitors stop in their tracks.

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

Susannah Dellinger didn’t wait for the perfect timing.
 She launched Bright Beauty Connect from her kitchen table during the pandemic — no funding, no childcare, no business plan — and turned it into a multimillion-dollar retail agency helping beauty brands win inside Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom and beyond.

This episode is equal parts resilience, retail strategy, and radical rethinking of what beauty actually means.

We cover:

[00:02] The very first move Susannah made while breastfeeding on Zoom calls to turn an idea into a real business
[04:30] Why chaos during the pandemic actually leveled the playing field
[08:00] The “green paint day” meltdown — and the mindset that kept her from quitting
[10:15] Why fun is written into her company charter (and how it drives revenue)
[13:30] The mall takeover, pig fair stunt, and the unconventional sales tactics that generated $30K+ in a day
[17:00] Beauty as a $200B industry — and why changing beauty can change the world
[20:30] Why beauty isn’t superficial — it’s wearable identity and self-expression
[23:45] The truth about most beauty products coming from the same labs
[30:40] Why most brands should NOT rush into Sephora or Ulta
[34:30] The financial reality of retail: margins, promotions, and why brands go under
[36:50] Her biggest business philosophy: be obsessed with your retailer, not just your paying client
[38:20] Why your team — not your customer — should be your top priority
[40:15] How her theater background fuels storytelling, sales, and influence
[45:00] A moment she was underestimated — and how she turned it into fuel
[48:00] Her superpower: “I’ve never been cool.”
[50:30] Why failure should be normal
[52:00] What she’s leaning into (relationships) — and opting out of (building in public)
[55:00] The one actionable move to live more “allergic to the ordinary”: reach out to the person you’re afraid to message

Susannah is reshaping who gets to win in beauty, amplifying brands rooted in inclusion, joy, and identity instead of insecurity marketing.

If you’ve ever:
 • Waited for perfect timing
 • Felt underestimated
 • Wondered how retail really works
 • Or needed permission to do the scary thing

This one’s for you.

Connect with Susannah:

LinkedIn: Susannah Dellinger
Instagram: @susannahdellinger

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

What if you could build a wildly successful business with under 1,000 Instagram followers? Nicole Otchy, founder of The Styling Consultancy, is living proof it's possible—and she's breaking all the industry's outdated rules to do it.

In this episode, Nicole shares her journey from styling presidential advisors and power players to coaching stylists to build six-figure businesses. We dive deep into the uncomfortable truths about creative entrepreneurship, why perfectionism keeps talented people broke, and how to price your services like the leader you are.

[01:51] Handling "You're Too Expensive" Objections Nicole's game-changing advice: put your prices on your website and own them with confidence. If someone says it's out of budget, respond with "Yeah, it is. It may not be right for you."

[03:21] Earliest Sign of Being Allergic to Ordinary Growing up feeling "different" in a negative way, and how that evolved into a superpower in her 40s.

[06:48] What's Broken in the Styling Industry Why styling has been pigeonholed as a "little dress-up business" instead of recognized as serious consulting work.

[14:54] What Powerful People Have in Common Lessons from 14 years styling CEOs and political advisors: they all did it scared, had excellent emotional regulation, and cultivated networks of advisors.

[18:44] Perfectionism: The Silent Business Killer The biggest thing holding creative entrepreneurs back and why the obsession with being perfect keeps people from launching and showing up.

[21:36] The Identity Shift to Six-Figure CEO How to baby-step your way from fear to confidence without jumping into the deep end.

[24:34] The Social Media Myth How Nicole runs a multiple six-figure business with under 1,000 Instagram followers. Her secret? Deep relationships over vanity metrics, with her podcast doing the heavy lifting.

[28:36] Visibility vs. Profitability Stop chasing followers and start focusing on your bank account. Understanding the numbers that actually matter in your business.

[31:22] Advice for Small Followings Ask specific, limited-scope questions and take real client conversations online. Quality engagement beats quantity.

[35:08] Common Pricing Mistakes Why pricing is a form of leadership and how to stop outsourcing your authority to what's on other people's websites.

[38:16] The Career Pivot at 40 The voice that asked "Do you really want to do this when you're 60?" and choosing impact over comfort.

[45:22] Rapid Fire: What's Normal That You Don't Subscribe To? Stop asking "what is everyone else wearing?" and other wisdom bombs.

Connect with Nicole: Instagram: @stylingconsultancy Podcast: The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

What if losing everything you built on social media was actually the beginning of something bigger? Jen Szpigiel is the Editor in Chief of Iconic Magazine and Founder of Becoming Iconic. She's helped thousands of women build over $100 million in sales. In this conversation, Jen gets raw about giving her power away to goals, clients, team members, and social media—and what happened when she lost her entire Instagram following in 2022, then built her first million in six months with less than a thousand followers.

What We Cover:

[01:18] The lesson Jen wishes she'd learned earlier: taking personal power back [04:19] The most recent thing Jen gave her power away to (team members she kept too long) [06:35] When being copied feels fresh—and the maturity that comes with it [11:20] Success isn't saying a million things—it's saying your thing a million ways [16:17] Don't talk about the wound while it's bleeding: when to share your story [18:27] Being seen was petrifying: Jen's divorce story and the mean girls [25:10] Why action creates the feeling, not the other way around [31:54] The selfish desire that became Iconic Magazine [37:53] Losing her social media and making a million with <1K followers [42:23] What actually drives reach? It's not what you think [45:00] If you feel invisible, here's the hard truth you need to hear [47:32] The weirdness that makes you successful [52:02] Emma Greed: the woman ripping doors off the hinges

Quotes Worth Saving:

"I wish I had known to consistently take my personal power back. I gave power over to goals, income, potential clients, and social media."

"The first million dollars I reached in six months came off of losing my socials with less than a thousand followers."

"Women wait for the feeling to come first, not realizing that action creates the feeling. Your feeling of being ready will not appear first."

"Nobody's coming to your rescue. Not a mentor, not a team member, not your spouse, not even the followers on Instagram."

"The very thing that makes you weird is the very thing that will make you successful."

About Jen:

Jen Szpigiel is Editor in Chief of Iconic Magazine and Founder of Becoming Iconic. She's helped thousands of women build successful businesses, resulting in over $100 million in sales. After losing her social media in 2022, she launched Iconic Magazine—described as Forbes meets Vogue—which has garnered over 10 million impressions and reached 48+ countries.

Connect: @iconicmagazine__ & @becomingiconic | The Iconic Podcast

Your Turn:

Where are you giving your power away? To metrics? People-pleasing? Waiting for validation? This week, identify one place where you're holding back—and fully commit. Be more of yourself. We're all craving more of YOU.

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production

What if the screenless camera everyone's obsessing over, the VHS tapes making a comeback, and your sudden urge to buy a record player are all symptoms of the same thing...we're exhausted by optimization?

In this solo episode, Jamie breaks down the pattern she's been noticing: the pendulum is swinging hard toward analog, friction, and nostalgia. But it's not really about the VHS tape or the 90s. It's about craving a time when you weren't mainlining terrible news every hour, when everything wasn't AI-generated slop, when effort and time created meaning instead of just being inefficiencies to eliminate.

From her four-year-old asking if she's ever been inside a grocery store (answer: basically no) to teaching her kids to sit through an entire vinyl record without skipping songs, Jamie makes the case for intentional friction. Not performative analog aesthetics, but actual choices about where to automate and where to protect presence. Because complete optimization? It makes us hollow.

What We Cover:

[00:00] The Camp Snap camera phenomenon: why people are swarming over a basic screenless camcorder [02:30] The pattern: VHS tapes, kids' landlines, Ralph Lauren Christmas, and millennial nostalgia marketing [04:45] What we're really craving: not the 90s, but being unreachable and protected from the chaos [06:30] AI slop fatigue: when fascinating became suffocating in record time [08:15] The nuance: it's not about rejecting technology—it's about intentionality [09:00] The grocery store story: Jamie's son asks if she's ever been inside one (basically no) [10:30] Adding friction where it matters: vinyl records as events, handwritten notes, presence with kids [13:00] Design application: the two-queen bedroom that took 16 weeks instead of 2 [15:30] Collecting art over time vs. filling walls instantly from Wayfair [17:00] The invitation: where should you automate and where should you add friction?

Quotes Worth Saving:

"The VHS tape, the Camp Snap camera, 90s nostalgia—all of that is showing this desire to disconnect and have protection from the firehose of chaos we're living in."

"When you come across something that feels genuinely human—with personality, mistakes, a strong point of view—it stands out because most of what we're consuming doesn't have that anymore."

"My four-year-old asked me, 'Mom, have you ever actually been in Publix?' And the answer is basically no. I'm happy to automate groceries because I don't care about them."

"When you put on a record, you can't skip to whatever song you want. You commit to the full experience. That friction creates meaning that telling the robot to play music doesn't have."

"You're investing a lot of money either way. Would you rather wait 16 weeks and have it be exactly right, or rush it in 2 weeks and regret it 5 minutes later?"

"Complete optimization makes us hollow. We think we want everything instant and frictionless, but when we get that, something's missing. Friction is where the growth lives."

"Being allergic to the ordinary isn't about doing everything differently. It's about knowing what matters to you and refusing to let convenience steal it."

Your Turn:

Jamie's challenge: Ask yourself these questions:

1. What's one thing you're rushing through that you actually want to savor?
2. What's an area where you've optimized away the experience?

Start with one area. Add the friction back. See what happens.

If ordinary has ever felt suffocating, you’re in the right place.
Follow Allergic to the Ordinary for conversations on identity, ambition, and designing a life that doesn’t play it safe.

Hosted by @jamiegasparovic

A Studio Gaspo production