Crafted Connections

Episode 20: A Candid Conversation on Podcasting with Nikki Corbett
Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

This week’s episode is a special bonus continuation with the luminous Nikki Corbett—podcaster, speaker, and powerhouse. During our first conversation (Episode 18), we found ourselves deep in a meta rabbit hole about podcasting: what it takes, why we do it, and how it evolves.

So we pulled the selects—and this candid, behind-the-scenes look at life as a podcast host was compiled for your enjoyment.

We talk about the long game of podcasting, brand pivots, getting inspired by your guests, and letting go of perfectionism in order to actually hit publish. Whether you're a fellow creator or just curious about the messy magic behind the mic, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🎙 How Nikki’s podcasting journey began post-divorce
 🧩 Why the best shows evolve—and how to let yours do the same
 📈 The emotional rollercoaster of releasing your 10th episode
 🎧 Audio quality, scheduling, burnout, and the pressure to be perfect
 🔥 Why showing up is more powerful than sounding polished
 🌟 The stories worth telling (even when they don’t go viral)

You Can Find Nikki:
🌐 Website: nikki-corbett.com
📺 YouTube: @TheScarletEdit
🎙️ Podcasts: The Scarlet Edit & Round Two
💼 LinkedIn: Nikki Corbett

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 19: SOLO - 33 Things I Know/Believe at 33 (Birthday Episode 🎉)

Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this solo episode of Crafted Connections, I’m celebrating my 33rd birthday with a deeply personal reflection—33 things I know, believe, and carry with me at this age.

This episode is full of honest truth bombs, tender observations, hard-earned wisdom, and a few giggles along the way (including a SpongeBob underwear cameo). From lessons about love, loss, and letting go, to reminders about trusting your gut and embracing slow growth, this is birthday energy in full Leo form.

If you’ve ever needed a reminder that life is both beautiful and brutal, that growth is messy, and that you are worth showing up for—this one’s for you.

Themes You’ll Hear in This Episode:

💖 Why loving yourself is non-negotiable

🧠 How your relationships reflect your patterns

🌿 What “slow is fast” really means

🎨 The joy of silly socks and SpongeBob briefs

💬 Why your work can’t love you back

🔥 How to recover from failure—and take the lessons with you

🪞 The power of changing your input to change your outcome

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 18: Nomadic Clarity & Energetic Alignment with Nikki Corbett
Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this episode of Crafted Connections, I sit down with the wildly inspiring Nikki Corbett—podcaster, speaker, and seasoned traveler who's redefining what it means to follow your gut, embrace change, and live in alignment with your energy.

Nikki opens up about selling her house, stepping away from a high-level corporate role, and building a location-independent life that centers freedom, self-trust, and connection. We talk about how travel can sharpen your intuition, what it means to "pack light" emotionally and literally, and why honoring your energetic needs can open doors you never expected.

This conversation is part one of a two-part series—and it’s full of insight for anyone craving more flow, flexibility, and purpose.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

✈️ What led Nikki to sell her home and travel full-time
 🌍 The difference between vacationing, traveling, and living abroad
 🧳 What overpacking taught her about trust and adaptation
 ✨ Tuning into energetic alignment and intuitive decision-making
 🧠 How solo travel supports self-love and redefines the 5 love languages
 📡 A crash course in astrocartography—and how it’s guiding Nikki’s next moves

You Can Find Nikki:
🌐 Website: nikki-corbett.com
📺 YouTube: @TheScarletEdit
🎙️ Podcasts: The Scarlet Edit & Round Two
💼 LinkedIn: Nikki Corbett

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 17: SOLO – Visibility is a Muscle
Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this solo episode of Crafted Connections, Katelyn gets honest about one of the trickiest parts of storytelling: actually being seen. Whether you’re building a brand, asking for funding, or simply trying to show up more fully in your work and life—visibility is essential. But it’s also vulnerable, and often easier said than done.

Through stories from her own creative journey—including a crowdfunding campaign, regular coffee shop visits that led to a soul-nourishing summer job, and how she’s built her client base—Katelyn unpacks what visibility really means and how it compounds over time.

This episode is equal parts pep talk and practical guide for anyone who’s struggling to put themselves out there. 

Because your story only creates impact when people see it.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

📣 Why visibility is harder—and more important—than we think
 🧠 How mindset plays a major role in sharing your story
 🗓 The 21-day habit that helped Katelyn build her visibility muscle
 ☕️ How showing up at a coffee shop turned into a summer side job
 💬 Why visibility matters in relationships, work, and at home
 🌱 How small, consistent efforts lead to long-term creative growth

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 16: The Importance of Play with Amber Robinson
Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode of Crafted Connections, Katelyn sits down (virtually, of course) with pianist, composer, and creative businesswoman Amber Robinson to explore the powerful role play and creativity have in our adult lives. From burnout to brain science, Amber brings wisdom, humor, and serious insight into why making space for joy isn't optional—it's essential.

They talk about Amber’s multi-faceted creative career, how her own Artist’s Way journey rekindled her sense of curiosity, and why adults need creativity just as much—if not more—than kids. With stories of personal grit, emotional healing, and building a business that leaves space for magic, this conversation is a reminder that creativity is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline.

Whether you're in the thick of burnout or just craving a little more color in your day, this episode is your permission slip to play.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🎹 How Amber blends piano, composing, and marketing into a joy-filled career
 🧠 Why adults need creativity (and what the science says about cognitive reserve)
 🎭 The value of play, and why it’s never too late to reclaim your inner artist
 💥 Amber’s trampoline injury story—and what it taught her about grit and growth
 📚 How The Artist’s Way and artist dates helped her fall back in love with creating
🌞 The power of managing your energy, not just your time

You Can Find Amber Robinson:
🌐 Website: amberpiano.com
📷 Instagram: @amberpiano

Amber has digital piano courses, a circadian rhythm guide, and a performance at Carnegie Hall (yes, really!) on the horizon—follow along to stay inspired.

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 15: Introducing “Little Cuties” (A Mini Solo Episode)
Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this short and sweet solo episode, Katelyn introduces something new: Little Cuties—bite-sized reflections recorded in the thick of real life, when the week is full but the commitment to creativity still stands.

Recorded from a hotel room in Bloomington, Indiana (with the AC blasting and no edits in sight), this episode is a love letter to keeping promises to yourself, however small they may seem. Katelyn shares what’s on her plate—from editing a deeply human proof-of-concept project to pre-interviews for a recruitment campaign—and reflects on how staying curious, flexible, and kind to yourself can go a long way.

This one’s a casual check-in, a creative accountability practice, and an invitation to notice what promises you're ready to keep to yourself.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🧡 What “Little Cuties” are—and why they matter
🎙 The power of keeping promises to yourself (without overcommitting)
💬 A behind-the-scenes look at what Katelyn’s working on this week
🌆 How rethinking your questions can create more honest interviews
🛁 Bathtubs, boat life, and celebrating the small joys

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 14: Floating Islands and Taking Your Whimsy Seriously with Jess Dunn

Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this imaginative and deeply grounding episode of Crafted Connections, I chat with the wildly creative and delightfully curious Jess Dunn—an artist working in animation, set design, painting, film, you name it. Jess shares her winding path through art school, entrepreneurship, and a wild experience that was living on a floating island as part of an immersive museum installation.

From early days of drawing with her parents to co-founding the creative studio BrainTwins, Jess has consistently made brave choices in favor of an artful life. We talk about what it means to take your art seriously, the challenges of balancing creativity with capitalism, and why community collaboration is often the secret ingredient to making something bigger than yourself.

Whether she’s making longterm time-lapse videos in a cemetery or teaching students how to step back from their work to see the big picture, Jess brings both wonder and wisdom to her creative process. This conversation is a love letter to curiosity, mentorship, and trusting the slow build of a meaningful career.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🎨 Jess’s multi-medium approach to animation, performance, and visual art
 🌿 The art of community collaboration (and resisting hyper-independence)
 🏝 Her experience living on a floating fiberglass island in a lake as a public art experiment
 💡 Building BrainTwins, pitching to Netflix, and returning to individual creative projects
 🪦 How her Crown Hill Cemetery residency is blending art, nature, and time-lapse photography
 🔥 The beauty of fake-it-’til-you-make-it moments—and how to hold your creative vision through them

You Can Find Jess:
🌐 Website: www.sesseka.com
📸 Instagram: @sesseka
📬 Substack: Jess Dunn's Substack

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 13: SOLO — Slow Girl Summer
Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this intention setting solo episode, Katelyn leans into the energy behind Slow Girl Summer—not as a trendy aesthetic, but as a purposeful, nourishing approach to work, creativity, and rest.

She shares what summer has meant to her over the years—from childhood joy to adult burnout—and why this season, she’s choosing to savor rather than sprint. Through personal stories, kitchen metaphors, and a few real talk confessions, Katelyn explores what it means to show up for your goals without abandoning yourself in the process.

Whether you’re in a season of hustle, healing, or somewhere in between, this is your invitation to slow down and set an intention for your own version of summer.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🌞 What Slow Girl Summer actually means (and what it definitely doesn’t)
🌀 Katelyn's pattern of overworking and why she’s ready to override it
🧄 Why slowing down is like cooking with aromatics—slow, layered, intentional
💬 The myth that stress = success, and how to shift that story
🎨 How hobbies, rest, and slowness are part of the creative process too
💡 An invitation to define your own version of a nourishing season

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 12: How Time Feels in the Creative Churn with Michael Durr

Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this episode of Crafted Connections, I sit down with photographer, filmmaker, and North Indy Magazine publisher Michael Durr. Michael’s creative life has unfolded one connection, one project, one conversation at a time—and his story is a reminder that even the slow burns can lead to something big.

We talk about how it felt to go full-time freelance after years in the agency world, and how a single degree of connection led to a life-changing assignment: a photography trip to Antarctica. Michael shares what it’s been like to grieve the loss of his friend and mentor Kevin Raber, and why publishing a monthly magazine has taught him to respect creative churn—learning to meet the next deadline even when you'd like to keep noodling.

Here’s what this conversation reminds us: Some of the best creative breakthroughs come not in the rush, but in keeping the rhythm.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🗓 How time can feel slow and fast when you're building a creative career
🌎 The wild story of how Michael landed a gig in Antarctica through a single connection
📰 Why taking over North Indy Magazine challenged his creativity muscle with pacing and pressure
📸 From agency life to full-time freelance—what that transition really looked like
💔 Grieving the loss of a creative mentor and honoring the legacy they left behind

You Can Find Micheal:
🌐 Website: www.ripplemediaproductions.com
📸 Instagram: @instadurr

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...

Episode 11: 8 Lessons from my First 8 Interviews
Hosted by Katelyn Calhoun

In this milestone solo episode, Katelyn shares the mic with... herself! After eight incredible interviews, she takes a pause to reflect on what she’s learned from eight weeks of Crafted Connections—and the conversations that made each episode.

From rediscovering the beauty of small steps to embracing your weirdness, this episode is part recap, part behind-the-scenes, and all heart. Whether you're a longtime listener or just joining the pod, this one invites you to slow down, reflect, and remember why stories matter so much in the first place.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🧠 Lesson 1: You don’t know people until you really get to know them
🤝 Lesson 2: Aligned partnerships create meaningful impact
🐢 Lesson 3: Easy does it—small steps can lead to big shifts
💪 Lesson 4: Stubbornness (the good kind) pays off
🗣 Lesson 5: Sharing your story gives others permission to be themselves
🎨 Lesson 6: Move gently through the creative muck
🔥 Lesson 7: You deserve to unlearn what you thought you had to be
🎉 Lesson 8: Your weirdness is your special sauce—and it will find your people

These lessons come straight from the brilliant minds of past guests including Patti Meyer, Mike Lee, Rocky Walls, Eric Salazar, Anna Zimmerman, Luke Renner, Sarah Khan, and Kimberli Hudson.

Want to go deeper? Each of their full episodes is available now wherever you get your podcasts!

P.S. If your videos are stuck in your camera roll, head over to @calhounedits for quick editing tutorials, or book a free 30-minute consult here: [link]

Community Co-Working Monthly Kick-Off
Start the month with me! Once a month, we get together on Zoom to review the past month, set intentions for the next, and work on something that matters. Quiet focus, community, and accountability to keep the momentum going all month long. It's free. It's monthly. 👉 Sign Up!

Need Help Clarifying Your Story?
Story Strategy Sessions are designed to help you uncover your narrative, refine your messaging, and build a visibility strategy that actually feels like you.

🎥 Book your session: HERE

Join the Conversation
📲 Send a DM on Instagram: @CraftedConnectionsPod

Crafted Connections is produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm helping people and brands tell stories that resonate.

🌟 Subscribe and don’t miss an episode. Keep creating. Keep connecting.

...