Call On Courage

Kate and I go way back. We met in our 20s in our first proper job during the dot com boom. Kate went on to flourish working in digital media as a marketing director. She's held roles with plenty of responsibility in fast paced environments.

One of the things I adore about Kate, is she wears her heart on her sleeve. Kate chats openly and honestly about a breaking moment that came not long after she lost her Dad. She describes her hectic routine like groundhog day and at some point it had to give.

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.

Nathan is a mental health advocate and vocal pioneer. He's showing up consistently in the men's mental health space online. Nathan started the blog mybrainsnotbroken.com in 2017. He's been super committed and written twice a week about all manner of subjects that span depression, anxiety and men's suicide prevention.

We talk about Nathan's commitment and passion for this cause plus his creative process and the inspiring things that have happened when he's shown up online. Nathan is a writer and content creator by trade so blogging became a natural habit and practice that he felt committed to show up and be vocal for. We also got honest about the lack of men's voices in this space, so I feel honoured I get to share his story.

Discover more at: mybrainsnotbroken.com

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.

Tyler is a modest and hardworking artist. His illustrations are intense, rather bonkers and saturated with bright and flouro colours. He's posted everyday for many years and built up a following of 297K on Instagram. When I asked him about how he had the creative stamina to be so prolific, he told me he had a punk attitude to his work. Tyler creates regardless of whether he feels like it or not and doesn't overly perfect his images - some pieces only take him a minute. It certainly challenged my approach to making something new each day!

Tyler's commitment to making something new everyday for years has paid off richly. He's attracted collaborations with high end fashion clients: Gucci, Coach and Hermès, as well as working for Adobe, Instagram, Nike and the UN. I was delighted he found time to chat to me. I found Tyler to be full of ideas and candour about his own challenges and journey to becoming more courageous.

Follow Tyler here:
shoptylerspangler.com
instagram.com/tyler_spangler/

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.

I heard Bella's story first time at an event in Manchester. I was taken aback. Bella told her story about being the survivor of sexual assault, and I knew I needed to ask her to share with me on the podcast. Bella does so brilliantly and bravely. She's honest about her healing journey and the varying steps and challenges in putting her life back together after trauma.

Bella started Consent for Breakfast (orginally known as To Whom It May Concern) as a means of amplifying the issues around consent, rape and sexual assault. We talk today about how this has created a whole new sense of purpose and direction in her life. Even though Bella would never have chosen this path, her healing journey has swung open a door to something way more meaningful career wise than she'd have planned for herself hadn't she gone through it. Bella is a living testament that the richness of purpose can contain a road to recovery that isn't planned or chosen but redemptive in its nature.

Learn more at: instagram.com/consentforbreakfast/

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.

This man is full of courage. I had the total honour of discovering Kris' story through a mutual friend and couldn't quite believe what this man has been through. Up until 2020 Kris had been doing life at a certain pace. In his own words, a corporate man, working hard and providing for his family. He'd been having ongoing issues with sciatica pain in his leg. Eventually Kris got a scan and the shocking news he wasn't expecting: a large tumour mass had grown in his upper leg and pelvic bone - the only way forwards was for his whole leg to be removed.

Kris' surgery is known as a hemipelvectomy - it's rare and considered up there and one of the most traumatic surgeries to recover from. More commonly associated with military and mine survivors. Kris chats to me candidly about his initial reactions to the diagnosis and what his rehabilitation journey has looked like since.

Kris tells his ongoing story in his blog: kriskristensen.com/blog
And is currently fundraising for a much more improved prosthetic, please consider sponsoring him here: helphopelive.org/campaign/19679

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.

Why a conversation on how to podcast?

Shout out to my girl Anna Resnick. This conversation started over email. We covered most of the technical aspects that Anna wanted to know about my podcast set up and how to publish content. The stuff I wrote about having the confidence to invest in yourself, was a separate train of thought to that conversation. So is the question I posed about Why podcast? And the thoughts about transcripting, editing AI and SEO. Plus, another guest asked me how to podcast, so I thought this is too good a conversation NOT to share.

This is not a word for word transcript of the podcast episode. (Phew). I recorded that as a non-scripted episode and wrote a tighter summary of what I said for this page. The chapter markers in the episode do match each section of what I explain below.

Some of the products I mention are affiliates. I will tell you which are, most of the recommendations are not - I genuinely want to see more creative people have the confidence to get themselves out there. Any products I recommend I will also link to.

These are the topics I cover:

People who don’t invest in their purpose 😞

Why podcast?

Sound quality all the way

Avoid cheesy at all costs

A memorable name

Great, recognisable artwork (Psst - don’t show a mic)

And of course great guests

Hosting a podcast

Interviewing guests

Mic set up 

Podcast editing

Serious game changers for your podcasting life

Transcribing an episode, why bother?

SEO for your podcast

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.

I met Mike where most great friendships start - in the DMs of Instagram. I gently, yet patiently explained to Mr Janda that British comedy was more than Monty Python... and from there the back and forth went until I had the delight to interview him today. Mike is a creative leader who built an agency of 70+ staff with a roll call of tech and entertainment clients, Disney, Google, NBC, ABC, National Geographic and Warner Bros to name a few.

Mike now travels and meets creatives all over the world in his coaching business. In this conversation he generously shares his pearls of wisdom around what he learnt in building his company and where creatives come unstuck as entrepreneurs. One of the things that got my attention - was how genuine and trustworthy a creative leader Mike is. We talk about what it takes to build leadership skills, be bold and have fun with your creative career in the process.

Learn how to expand your creative career with Michael's help here: instagram.com/morejanda
michaeljanda.com

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.

Wait til you hear this story. Micah and Delana hail from a small rural town in Alabama called Hamilton. Through a series of dreams and conversations with friends, they felt God spoke to them specifically about moving to Manchester, UK. Without a ton of detail locked in place Micah and Delana felt an increasing desire and necessity to follow their call. Even when it meant relocating their four children and starting over in quite a different culture.

The Wood's story is one of courage, faith and purpose unfolding. It's a powerful conversation if you feel you've got a crazy dream that you're not quite sure how it's going to work out. If that's something on your mind, their story is challenging and helpful to hear. Micah and Delana followed God's voice and the rest came together when they needed it. I met them at my local church in Manchester, The Ramp.

To discover more of their mission go to: micahanddelana.com

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.

In Julie's own words she's getting to live vicariously through the rockstar women who have unique, trailblazing, and innovative careers. One interview at a time Julie tracks down the women with cool jobs - the self titled name of her podcast. I found Julie on Clubhouse and immediately gravitated towards her show.

We connected some time ago, but I'm glad we restarted the conversation so we could record together Julie's experience of meeting the minds of some seriously smart and fascinating women doing something a bit different with their careers. I was pleased Julie could sit behind the other microphone of this podcast episode and celebrate all she's achieved so far in interviewing many women from around the world.

We mention a fascinating woman who turned from pharmacist to calligrapher, the full conversation is here.

Check out Women with Cool Jobs for more episodes: womenwithcooljobs.com

Keep being courageous,
Rachael x

WHO'S BEHIND THIS PODCAST?

I'd ridden pretty high on the creative career rollercoaster. At times it was exhilarating (and occasionally it was terrifying.) It takes stamina, guts and more than a smattering of resilience. Don’t panic, this isn’t another podcast telling you to hustle harder. I’ve been there and got the burnout badge to prove it.

I'm looking to find people who are doing the work they love, but it's been a bumpy ride.

Starting over can be wonderful, agony and pants shakingly scary all at the same time. There are others who did it. Who are right in the centre of figuring that out. I'm trying to find the people, I needed to hear, at the time I felt I was free-falling from the loop-di-loop.

BUILD A CREATIVE LIFE YOU LOVE

I've found creativity + courage = the best storytellers building a life they love.
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful.

I'm looking to find people who are building a creative life but it's not always been easy. Call On Courage posts the conversations I was looking to find when my career dreams were sliding out of view. Your creative life is worth making happen even when doors close or you're dealing with difficult people. I'm in your corner encouraging you to keep going.

I'm not all over the 'Gram or Tik Tok famous. But I am making quality content on Substack. That's where you'll find the best of Call On Courage: podcasts and writing that go in depth on how to push past fear and make the creative life you have in mind.

Go to: calloncourage.substack.com
https://www.calloncourage.com/podcast
Subscribe to get all the latest updates and exclusives.
PS. If you've enjoyed this episode, I really appreciate you telling a couple of friends about it.