Creating Your Own Path

I’m pretty excited to share today’s episode, you guys, because it brings me to the lovely home of Grace Bonney and Julia Turshen in upstate New York.

I’ve been following Grace’s work with Design Sponge for a long time and have come to truly appreciate Julia’s work as a food writer along the way. Of course it was wonderful to meet the two of them in person and in the interview we actually talk a lot about the wonders of the internet and how important it is to use it as a tool to connect with others face-to-face.

We also talk about the process behind Julia’s work and how it all boils down to creating something people can trust, the moments in Grace’s career when she’s felt most fulfilled, how moving upstate has changed both their life and work for the better and what they’ve been working on lately.

You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

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Today's episode brings me to the beautiful studio of Art Director and Designer Christine Wisnieski. Based in Cleveland, Christine runs a multi-disciplinary studio where she and her team create everything from brand identities to special art projects. Christine’s work has always caught my eye, so it was wonderful to chat with her in person.

During the interview we talked a lot about how changes effect a business over time and the benefits of working for someone else before striking out on your own. We also had a pretty honest discussion about being open to new ideas by loosening the reigns on the idea that everything needs to be mapped out ahead of time.

As always, you can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show brings me to Chicago to chat with Jessica Murnane of the One Part Podcast. I have to warn you guys: Jessica dropped some big news during our interview—some of which I knew ahead of time and some of which I did not know about. One thing I did know about is that she and her family are moving to Charleston, South Carolina! If I’m not mistaken, they’re in the midst of all their move-related stuff right now so send them all of your good moving vibes.

What I didn’t know before we started recording is that Jessica has landed a pretty fantastic book deal for her very first traditionally-published book! She spilled some beans, but not all the beans because the deal was still pretty new when we recorded. However, she’s since given more details on her blog and podcast, so I’ve linked up to that in the show notes below!

So, if you’re not familiar with Jessica’s work, she’s an incredible resource in the wellness community. The reason I couldn’t wait to interview her, though, is because I think she’s doing some really interesting things with the ways in which she shares her story, her knowledge and the stories of others.

For the full episode + show notes, visit creatingyourownpath.com.

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This episode was brought to you by Stride Health.

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Today's show brings me to the home of Katie Michels just outside of Chicago. I’ve been following Katie’s work for years and was super impressed as I watched her transition Off Switch, which used to be a gorgeous magazine, into an online shop full of cards, totes and other beautifully designed items—all of which she creates.

During the interview we talk through that transition and what it meant for her as a business owner, the meaning behind the brand “Off Switch” and how she’s moving forward with her big goals one step at a time.

It was an absolute pleasure to finally meet Katie in person and hear more about her story. If nothing else, I know you all will get a lot out of Katie’s approach to both life and her work.

You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show brings me to the Dennison, Minnesota to the woodworking shop of Matt Eastvold. Matt makes beautiful modern furniture just south of Minneapolis and it was amazing to meet him in person and check out the space in which he works.

In the episode we chat about how his business shifted during the recession and how he’s had to be resilient and somewhat nimble to keep his business growing. We also talked a lot about why he’s diversifying his products as a way to keep his varied customer base happy and how he’s streamlining the business side of things to keep it all sustainable and manageable.

You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

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This episode was brought to you by Stride Health.

Did you know that you don't even have to buy health insurance through Stride Health during open enrollment to get access to their support team? It's true!

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Today's show brings me to the Missoula, Montana home of professional photographer Jessica Lowry Vizzutti. I've been following her work for years and have loved watching her build a truly impressive body of work that includes everything from huge editorial spreads to stunning wedding photography.

In the episode we chat about what it's like working with (and apart from) her photographer husband, why she decided to take on a full-time position outside of her photography work, her thoughts on being a visual storyteller and much more.

You can find the full episode + show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

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Today's show brings me to the live/work space of Rosaura Unangst, who is the creative behind Pigment and Parchment—a calligraphy and illustration studio based here in Sacramento, California. She’s an incredibly talented artists and, though her work is tied mostly to the wedding industry, she also teaches workshops and is involved in several really fun collaborations.

In the episode, we talk about why those collaborations are so important to her; how her experiences with art therapy have informed the way she approaches not only her client work, but also her approach to teaching others; and how she has embraced technology to stay organized, build her business and cultivate relationships.

You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

On the show today, I’ve got another Sacramento creative in the hot seat. I came across the work of Omonivie Okhade and her jewelry brand Tula in Bloom thanks to some mutual friends and I’m so glad I did! Her work is incredible and she’s always learning new skills and incorporating new elements into her jewelry pieces. But what I didn’t know about Omonivie is that she has a lot of different creative talents. She sings, she’s a dancer, she’s a writer, she’s an illustrator—you name it.

It was so great to hear about her journey—it’s one that I think a lot of us can identify with in that sometimes we have to try a lot of different things before we get to the work we’re meant to be doing. In the interview, we talk about why Omonivie stuck with a career path she didn’t love for so long, how she deals with the inevitable ties between self-worth and creative success and how she’s still working through her fears on a daily basis to get to where she wants to be.

You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show brings me to Sacramento's GoodWork HQ to chat with Caroline Wintata and Josh Daniels about all of their various businesses. Caroline is a photographer who focuses primarily on weddings, portraits and boudoir sessions and together they run Giggle + Riot, a photo booth rental company; GoodWorkHQ, a collaborative work space for event professionals; and they’ve even started a company with their photo booth designer—Brian Schmitt—that will allow them to manufacture their amazing photo booth designs for others.

In the interview we dive into the realities of working with a significant other, how Josh and Caroline navigated the process of starting several businesses together, how they have grown each brand over time and much more.

You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.

Today's show brings me to the Old Sacramento storefront of Ana Apple. As many of you know, I love chatting with people in my hometown of Sacramento, California and Ana Manzano is no exception. She's the mastermind behind the handmade children’s clothing and accessories brand and her company just expanded in a big way thanks to a local small business contest.

In the interview we talk about how the contest has helped Ana become a better business owner, her recent trials and triumphs as she’s moved from an online and wholesale business to a brick and mortar shop and the way she’s incorporating an educational component into the storefront.

You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com