Creating Your Own Path

Rachel Smith is our guest on today’s show and if you know anything about the world of craft and DIY blogging, you’ve probably come across Rachel’s incredible corner of the internet. She currently runs her blog, The Crafted Life, full time and—though I don’t consider myself to be super crafty—I was completely drawn in by both Rachel’s aesthetic and by the simplicity of the projects she shares.

In the interview we chat about Rachel’s big leap to take her blog full time, how she makes a living as a blogger and some of the opportunities she’s seen come her way over the last few years. Even if you’re not super crafty or don’t really spend much time in the blog world, I think you’ll get a lot our of this interview. I know I did!

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

Today's show brings me to the Portland home of Lisa Congdon and Clay Walsh to chat with Lisa about everything—from her late start as a fine artist and illustrator to how she and Clay are managing all of the opportunities coming their way these days.

In this incredibly honest interview, we chat about the strange concept of legitimacy when it comes to a creative career, why Lisa has purposefully chosen not to heed the “pick one thing and get really good at it” advice she’s heard over the years and the benefits of maintaining a daily creative practice.

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

Today’s episode brings us to the amazing Portland-based shop and design studio of Betsy & Iya. Betsy Cross is the owner and creative director behind the incredibly successful jewelry and accessory brand and she was kind enough to take a little time to chat while I was in town.

In the interview, we talk about how much Betsy & Iya has grown over the years thanks to many long discussions and leaps of faith. We also get into the details of how and why she and her husband decided to try working together, why Betsy doesn't think "shop local" campaigns really hit the mark and how she works through the urge to keep moving on to the next big goal by celebrating both small and large victories.

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

Today’s interview brings us to the Portland studio of Anna Joyce of Anna Joyce Design. Not only is her work absolutely beautiful, but her story is pretty amazing as well. She is an artist, textile designer and soon-to-be author who hasn’t had the easiest road to success.

During the interview, we get into some of the life events that really made her stop and think about her work. We also touch on how important it is to be persistent, the benefits of giving yourself the time and space to create your best work and why failure isn’t always a bad thing.

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

Today I’m sharing my very last episode from my #CYOProadtrip to Seattle. Amanda Carter Gomes is the Executive Editor of Clementine Daily and, not only was she kind enough to share her story with us today, but she and her amazing family let me stay with them while I was in town!

In our interview, Amanda and I talk candidly about the future of Clementine Daily, how Amanda’s many different jobs have all played a role in getting her to where she is today and why we all need to start valuing our past experiences more.

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

Today's show brings me to Essex Bar to chat with author and restaurant owner Molly Wizenberg. She’s been the voice behind the blog, Orangette, since 2004 and has since had her work published in well-known magazines, written two wonderful books, launched a very funny podcast called Spilled Milk and opened a restaurant and bar in Seattle with her husband.

In the interview, we chat about how Molly tackled her first book and why the writing process didn’t quite go as planned, how her dad’s passing had a profound effect on her career trajectory, why opening a restaurant wasn’t on her radar at all and the importance of continuing to show up and do the work. Molly's story is incredible and I think we can all learn a great deal from her!

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

Today’s show is with another Seattleite, Jeni Nelson of Magniflora. She is a fine artist, professional photographer and floral designer whose work is absolutely stunning!

In the interview we talk about how Jeni has been able to blend her creative pursuits together and how, more often than not, they actually inform one another. We also chat about the importance of keeping your creative tools accessible, how creativity expands when you work with limited supplies and why we should all stop being our own worst critics.

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

Today on Creating Your Own Path, I'm chatting with Michael Ellsworth, co-founder and principle of the Seattle-based design firm Civilization. The firm is built on the idea that good design can help create social change in the world, which is something that drew me in right away. Their client list is impressive, but I walked away from the interview being even more impressed with their team. They’re an incredible bunch and chatting with Michael was super inspiring.

In the episode, we talk about why process matters in just about everything they do at Civilization, how they sort trick their minds when they’re trying to come up with solution to design problems, the issues young designers are facing today, the importance of embracing discomfort and—my favorite part of the interview—why organizations and businesses should stop running crowd-sourced design contests.

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

Today's interview brings me to the Seattle office of Cassandra LaValle of Coco+Kelley. The lifestyle and design blogger started sharing her favorite inspirations online in the early days of the industry—in 2007—and has since expanded her brand to include interior design services, specialized event planning services, workshops and much more.

Listen in as we chat about the blogging industry and why it’s important to stop and think about what might be going on behind the scenes when a blogger or platform looks as though they’ve had overnight success. We also touch on the importance of diversifying without feeling as though you have to do ALL THE THINGS and Cassandra gives some really great tips for those looking to dive in to a creative career.

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

Today's episode brings me to the beautiful Seattle studio of Fashion Designer Jenny Fort. After having multiple careers in various industries, Jenny has settled into the design world with her niche fashion brand, Lu.

In the interview we chat about the evolution of Jenny's career path and why she still doesn't feel as though she's "made it." We also touch on how her fashion brand was built out of necessity, the avenues she's exploring to grow her business and how building a creative business is rarely a linear exercise.

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