Creative Cravings

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How did a craving to live a more fulfilling life and the resurfacing of a distant memory lead our guest, Zanetta, to be the founder of Kittytown, her own coffee company, inspired by cats?

This episode is one part "coffee masterclass," one part words of wisdom for how to take action on your entrepreneurial creative cravings, and one part sharing our love for cats. You'll be so motivated to start brainstorming more ways to do what you love! Zanetta talked with us while at her coffee roasting industrial manufacturing facility (wow, so legit!). Tune in to hear her 3 ingredients for living life to the fullest, to participate in our creative challenge (hint: it involves setting up a coffee date!), and to learn how you can support the making of this podcast. Love coffee? Love cats? Love creativity? This episode is purrfect for you!

Zanetta Kok is the founder of Kitty Town Coffee & KT Coffee (wholesale). Her cat, Albert, inspired The Albert Blend, their most popular coffee that is "a little nutty, a little sweet, and so smooth you'd swear we added cream." Go to https://www.kittytowncoffee.com/and http://ktcwholesale.com/ to order some, or a sampler of all blends!

Food for Thought mentioned in this podcast episode:

Sari & Lauren have a way for you to support the show! Head to

ko-fi.com/sariandlauren to buy each of us some coffee (you bet we both need that caffeine for late nights of editing!)

• What came first — Zanetta's love of coffee or love of cats?

• Ever wanted to take a Coffee MasterClass? Here's a taste of what there is to know!

• How something new and exciting is happening in her business that allows her to express her culture through coffee

• Thoughts on how who you spend your time with, (including cats!) greatly impacts who you are and your personal growth

• Tips and ideas for building a consistent, creative brand

• We pitched a creative idea to Zanetta to see if she would create a coffee blend inspired by our cat, Gracie (@gracietheprettycitykitty)

• How building a business and building confidence go hand in hand (or paw in paw)

• What happens when consumers forget that actual humans run businesses

• The "lemons to lemon bars" story that helped Zanetta realize what kind of honorable business-woman she is

• Can you build a company and binge-watch Netflix at the same time?!

• What is a day-in-the-life like?

• What is a coffee tasting party?

• Where is she craving to travel next, and where does she recommend you travel next?

• She shares some powerful and empowering words of wisdom to encourage all of us to share our unique gifts with the world!

• Loving what you're learning (about us, our guests, and yourself)? Leave us a rating & review!

• Join our email list here at creativecravingspodcast.com (scroll to the bottom) for exclusive info and fun surprises

• Join an awesome group of people on Facebook at Creative Cravings Community — grab our free 1-page download with a 3 part creative challenge for you there!

• Enjoy some food photos & recipes, inspiration, and behind the scenes @creative.cravings on Instagram

Thanks so much for listening & being a part of this "tribe"!

Subscribe so you never miss a 'beet', and connect with us on Facebook to meet other like-minded, entrepreneurial people!

If you have any questions for us or comments for the show, click here.

Share this episode right meow!

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What does it even mean to have a creative craving? Why did Sari and Lauren seek out creating a podcast? Or, did podcasting really seek out both of them?

Today's episode is all about why we started this show! Any creative mind or creator knows that making sense of your story is helpful in guiding you to where you are today. Our podcast episode this week gives you some insight into who and what inspires us to crEATe, share, repeat — and we have some April Fool's Day fun.

In this episode, Sari and Lauren have a creative cravings challenge for you — so, go ahead — grab your journal or open up the Notes section on your phone or computer to participate along with us. There's a bonus April Fools challenge at the end of the show!

Food for Thought mentioned in this podcast episode:

• Why we are airing the first episode we ever recorded

• Behind the scenes of podcasting and thoughts on adding "podcasters" to our identities

• The importance of being kind and patient as a creative person

• What type of food Sari is craving, and what Lauren has a taste for (any guesses…?)

• How a sign at a gelato shop taught us a lesson

• Who inspired Sari and Lauren to embrace their creativity and pursue their creative passions

• 7 key takeaways from the episode (also, if you listen closely, you will hear some meowing from Gracie the cat)

• A fun app related to April Fool's Day that will make you think creatively and laugh your a$$ off

• Guest interviews are back next week!

• Loving what you're learning (about us, our guests, and yourself)? Leave us a rating & review!

• Join our email list at creativecravingspodcast.com (scroll to the bottom) for exclusive info and fun surprises

• Go to our Instagram and comment a cookie, ice cream cone, or lemon emoji on our latest post to show us some love

Share your biggest 'aha' moment from any episode by tagging @creative.cravings and use #creativecravingspodcast or comment on Facebook at Creative Cravings Community

Thanks so much for listening!

Subscribe so you never miss a 'beet', and connect with us on Facebook to meet other like-minded people!

If you have any questions for us or comments for the show, click here.

We're craving your support: Enjoy browsing our crowdfunding campaign here and become one of our awesome funders!

When you're feeling overwhelmed with "all the things," have you ever taken a step back to realize that you are a human being, not a human doing?

We get you — you are an ambitious go-getter, always brainstorming what's next…and quite possibly forgetting to be present along the way. Our podcast episode this week gives you some insight into why it is just as important to experience "being" versus "doing," in order to truly live life to the fullest. Listen to this episode when your mind and body is feeling tired, your creative soul is feeling uninspired, and you're craving a chance to slow down and smell the…banana-nut pancakes. We take you through the highlights of a weekend trip from Chicago to Madison, Wisconsin, full of friends (and cats), fun, food recommendations, and food for thought. What does being a "human being" versus a "human doing" mean to you?

Food for Thought mentioned in this podcast episode:

• What does "human being" vs. "human doing" even mean

• How taking time to be a human being helps you be a better human doing

• Top food recommendations for you if you go visit (or move to) Madison, Wisconsin from breakfast to beer to ice cream

• Why we're encouraging you to go wander through a bookstore

• How exploring a new place , close to home or far from where you live, is part of living life to the fullest

• Join our email list at creativecravingspodcast.com (scroll to the bottom and enter your info)

• Tell us more about yourself — we have many ways to connect!

• Next episode will air on Monday, April 1st

You can still participate here in our Creative Cravings Challenge, inspired by Kelsey @cravingapeace , in Ep 3.

What are 3 foods that represent your ingredients for living life to the fullest? Or, which 3 food emojis, and why?

Share by tagging @creative.cravings and use #creativecravingspodcast or comment on Facebook at Creative Cravings Community

Again, don't miss out on joining Sari and Lauren's Creative Cravings newsletter! Visit our website to become a part of our inner circle! (Scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up).

Thanks so much for listening!

Subscribe so you never miss a 'beet', and connect with us on Facebook to meet other like-minded people!

If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here.

We're craving your support: Enjoy browsing our crowdfunding campaign here and become one of our awesome funders!

Twin co-hosts, Sari Feingold and Lauren Feingold, take the mic without a guest this week, to share something that has been on their minds — their ingredients for not giving up on their creative cravings, when sometimes, giving up feels like the easy choice.

Food for Thought mentioned in this podcast episode:

• Which ingredients keep us going to create this podcast, when there are times we feel like giving up

• Quote from a famous movie (guess which one)

• Don't Give Up On Me by Andy Grammer

• Happy #InternationalWomensDay today and everyday!

• Next episode will air on Monday March 25th, not March 18th

How to Not Give Up on What You're Craving Most in Life

1. Commitment

2. Clarity

3. Creativity

4. Community

You can still participate here in our Creative Cravings Challenge, inspired by Kelsey @cravingapeace in Ep 3.

What are 3 foods that represent your ingredients for living life to the fullest? Or, which 3 food emojis, and why?

Share by tagging @creative.cravings and use #creativecravingspodcast or comment on Facebook at Creative Cravings Community

Thanks so much for listening!

Subscribe so you never miss a 'beet', and connect with us on Facebook to meet other like-minded people!

If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here.

We're craving your support: Enjoy browsing our crowdfunding campaign here and become one of our awesome funders!

What happens when you find yourself craving a new lifestyle? You design a life of adventure abroad and discover more of who you really are.

Our podcast guest this week is Kelsey Powell, a risk-taker, writer of wrongs in the world, creative soul, animal lover, and founder of cravingapeace.com / @cravingapeace. She expresses herself creatively through her vegan blog, inspires you to travel and explore — even if you're going at it alone — and dishes out which food, travel destinations, and big life cravings are on her bucket lists. Kelsey is an incredible example of someone who knows that chasing your creative cravings can truly be a compass guiding the direction of your life, no matter how challenging or scary it may be. Make your way over to Instagram @creative.cravings to participate in this week's creative challenge, inspired by Kelsey and her 3 ingredients for living life to the fullest.

How did Kelsey change the path of her life by starting a vegan blog, feeling lost in the US, and finding herself in New Zealand? Kelsey is such a role model for chasing your creative cravings, especially when your creativity allows you to stand up for what you believe in most.

Food for Thought mentioned in this podcast episode:

• Is traveling one of your priorities for living life to the fullest?

• What's next on your travel bucket list? What are your best memories while traveling somewhere special?

• Co-hosts Sari and Lauren share what's next on their travel bucket lists, which is also on creativecravingspodcast.com under "Our Story"

• Kelsey inspires all of us to think about how putting yourself outside of your comfort zone through traveling, actually sparks your creativity

• Where you start isn't where you'll end up, and you're the one who gets to decide where you're going

• Who is Kelsey, and what led her to chase her cravings for blogging and writing, travel, veganism, and "writing" a wrong in the world

• Big differences in culture between living in the United States vs. New Zealand & Australia

• Kelsey's journey from New York to living on the opposite side of the world

• What to do when you feel like the place you grew up isn't the right place for you or where you belong

• How studying, working, or volunteering abroad flips your world upside down and changes everything you thought you knew about the world

• What's her favorite place in the world?

• Her journey from working in mental health to working for AJ Hackett bungee company — something she never thought she would do!

• What it looks and feels like to live a life that you design for yourself

• Where does her wanderlust come from? Where does yours come from?

• Why the question on her mind is always "where can I go next?" Can you relate?

• How tough times back home led to chasing a craving for travel and a fresh start

• Lauren asks about different ways to be a risk-taker, from adventure to business to cooking

• Why people are innately scared to put themselves out there because change is scary and weird, but it's rewarding if you do it — whatever it is — anyways

• How wearing your heart on your sleeve is a strength, not a weakness

• How traveling inspires you to live your life more intentionally and compassionately

• How to turn your emotions into positive activism

• Ways to channel emotions, through art, music, songwriting, activism and standing up for what you care about

• How to make a big leap with the security of someone else, and then go your own way when you feel a calling to do so

• How to dream bigger than you ever have before, and make it happen

• Why she felt more confident being alone than lonely being alone while traveling

• How to turn the experiences of your life into art, through whatever form of self-expression best fits you

• How do you find a sense of community or belonging when you're traveling by yourself?

• How brushing her teeth at a campsite with other girls she had never met before lead to a four day hiking trip with new best friends

• Transitioning to something new is not easy, from living new places to creating something from scratch like a blog

• What was she craving when she started her blog? What was the first step?

• What to do when you're craving a platform to share a space to be creative, make it meaningful, and help a community of people

• Advice for anyone who's creating: keep going, whether you're at the very beginning or a year into your creative endeavor

• Stay tuned for what recipe us co-hosts want to make, from Kelsey's vegan blog, Craving A Peace (Buffalo Cauliflower)

• Deep dive into Kelsey's writing process for her Craving A Peace blog and Instagram:

What's the end goal of the post? What am I encouraging people to think about or what problem am I trying to solve?

Think about the person you were previously — what would you have wanted to hear? Ask yourself "how can I create that?"

Once you have the idea, write it all out, then go back and edit

You use two parts of your brain — so first create, then edit/modify, don't edit as you write or create

Pose a question to help people come to the solution on their own

• How to communicate your message without being too preachy "no one likes a preachy vegan"

• Sari and Lauren shed light on our imperfect podcasting journey as Kelsey shares the evolution of her blogging

• The impact that losing someone close to you can have on you and changes your perspective on how you live you life to the fullest — be selfish in a good way

• How do you become a doer, even as a big dreamer? If you just do, create, write, read one thing every day, no matter how small — chip away at a small part of a bigger goal

• What is her life compass ? Has travel been the answer to finding her way? Has her body image struggle been the driving force for change?

• Exchanging funny traveling stories: Kelsey — traveling through Tasmania that ended up featured on Buzzfeed with this photo, Sari — getting hit in the head with a surfboard

• What does Kelsey's New Zealand accent sound like?

"Keep trying new things, screwing up, failing, learning, look for signs and how you're feeling about it all"

Kelsey's Ingredients for Living Life to the Fullest:

1. Be bold & brave — add zest to your life, go on adventures, "go out and set the world on fire"

• (cue music "she sets the city on fire" by Gavin DeGraw).

2. Be passionate & compassionate — kind towards yourself and kind towards others (humans and animals)

3. Share your raw authenticity — don't hide who you are

Food mentioned in this podcast episode:

• Matcha Milkshakes from Shuhari Matcha Cafe on Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach

• Smashed avocado with garlic salt, chili flakes, on toast

• Feijoa, sweet-sour fruit native to New Zealand

• Green kiwis and golden kiwis

• Hot Sauce

• Passionfruit

• Cashews

• Lord of the Fries in Queenstown, NZ

Places mentioned in this episode for you to add to your travel bucket list:

• Thailand, Ghana (Western Africa), Central America (volunteering), Australia, New Zealand

• Melbourne, Queensland, Airlie Beach Great Barrier Reef, French Polynesia, Tahiti, Mo'orea (swimming with sharks and whales and sting rays)

• Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu South Pacific Islands

• Add Australia's "The Big Things" to your bucket list

Creative Cravings Challenge, inspired by Kelsey:

What are 3 foods that represent your ingredients for living life to the fullest? Or, which 3 food emojis, and why? Share by tagging @creative.cravings and use #creativecravingspodcast or on Facebook at Creative Cravings Community

Connect with Kelsey on Instagram at @cravingapeace

Thanks so much for listening!

Subscribe so you never miss a 'beet', and connect with us on Facebook to meet other like-minded people!

If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here.

We're craving your support: Enjoy browsing our crowdfunding campaign here and become one of our awesome funders!

Our guest this week is Grace Chon, a multi-talented creative, who showcases her work at @thegracechon. She expresses herself creatively through her dog photography, shares with you how certain habits can spark your creativity, and dishes out what food, travel destinations, and big life cravings are on her bucket lists. Like Meg, from last week's episode, Grace is a wonderful example of someone who knows that chasing your creative cravings can truly change the trajectory of your life. Make your way over to Instagram @creative.cravings for more food and travel recommendations related to this podcast episode!

Food for Thought mentioned in this podcast episode:

• How Grace's whole life has felt like finding & chasing her creative cravings and how you can do it, too
• She reveals an interesting hidden talent she's never shared publicly
• How she transitioned from a veterinary medicine career path to advertising art direction to creative entrepreneurship
• Surprising stories during celebrity photoshoots
• How to develop the right mentality to do the inner work that will lead us to where we need & want to be in our lives
• A taste of the Los Angeles food scene, including avocado beer
• How exploring our own curiosity is a form of self care, and why
• Why photography, why dogs, and how both feed her soul
• How her parents immigrating to America from South Korea influenced her academic-to-creative path
• How experiences help you learn to listen to your gut instincts when you feel unfulfilled
• How taking a small step can lead to a side-hustle and so much more
• When you feel lost and in a dark place, helping someone else (human or dog or cat) will help you see the light
• How a deep desire to "just be happy" means nothing until you take that first action step towards change
• Grace's advice on not letting your fears hold you back, especially the fear of regret
• How the way you think about yourself and the world affects what you do in your life and how you show up
• We all have a choice on if we choose to view the universe as friendly or unfriendly
• How you can look back on something you always loved to do, and years later, you can connect the dots backwards, like Grace did
• The "million dollar" question Lauren asks Grace about photographing dogs' emotional inner world, while on-set
• The power of transformation, whether in dog-grooming or in self-improvement
• How to tap into your own creativity, which Grace dives deep into on her podcast, Creativity School
• Grace's books: Puppy Styled: Before & After, and Waggish (more on gracechon.com)
• How exploration makes you better at your craft, even an expert
• The parallels between parenting her creative 5 year old and mentoring un-empowered, creative adults through her podcast
• Is perfectionism genetic? Can you recover from perfectionism?
• How to switch your mentality from what you could have done better to being proud of what you've done
• Grace's food cravings: Dwaeji Gukbap, a flavorful, creamy Korean pork-broth soup, and how LA's Korean food is better than in S. Korea
• What's next on her travel bucket list?!
• Grace explains how she starts her mornings with a creative habit that you can try too — meditation through photography
• Don't be afraid to start something new! Sari and Lauren tell a behind-the-scenes story to inspire you to just start, or keep going
• In honor of #loveyourpetday this past week on 2/20/19, we challenge you to either 1. share a photo of your pet or 2. take a picture of a plant and tag us on Instagram @creative.cravings and/or #creativecravingspodcast so we can re-share your awesome work
• Thank you to our podcast mascot, Gracie @gracietheprettycitykitty — If her day-in-the-life photos make you smile, follow along!

Grace's Ingredients for Living Life to the Fullest:

1. Be Curious
2. Allow Yourself to Have a Beginner's Mind
3. Have an Open Mind
4. Trust Yourself

Connect with Grace on Instagram at @thegracechon

Thanks so much for listening!

• Subscribe so you never miss a 'beet', and connect with us on Facebook to meet other like-minded people!
• Visit creativecravingspodcast.com to learn more
• If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here.

What happens when you push through pain, allow yourself to create, and find a community of people to support you along your healing journey?

Our guest this week is Meghan Rosko, founder of @nutmegandhoneybee. She expresses herself creatively through her vegan cookie creations, using baked goods as a canvas for amazing art. She is a brave soul for deciding to turn the pain of loss into a beautiful baking business, which first started out as a way to heal herself and to honor a loved one. Meg is a fantastic example of someone young yet wise beyond her years, who knows that chasing your creative cravings can truly change the trajectory of your life. Beyond baking and decorating her cookie art canvases, she is a textile artist. Make your way over to Instagram @creative.cravings for more food and travel recommendations related to this episode, and to check out the awesome embroidery hoop we talk about 30 mins into the show!

Food for Thought mentioned in this episode:

• What's been going on since the launch of Creative Cravings Podcast on 2/7
• Intriguing questions from artist/musician Pink and Ellen Degeneres
• How to steal like an artist & learn how to find your own voice, beyond what's trending or "popular"
• Letting go of perfectionism in your creative process
• Vegan baking as a form of healthful indulging and conscious eating
• How to spark creativity through tech detoxing
• The importance of having a creative outlet from your main creative endeavor
• How you can be rewarded in public for what you practice in private (quote from Derek Hough on World of Dance)
• The difference between making your creative craving your business versus a hobby
• The benefits of staying grounded as a creative person
• How important it is to acknowledge your own transformation and growth
• How to navigate cravings for connection and community, locally and online / on social media
• How to take action on your cravings, and allow yourself to let others help you
• Real talk about social media influence and what it does to our brains psychologically
• How to put good intention behind social media to spread truth, honesty, and compassion
• What it's like to talk with twin co-hosts
• How to improve your craft by finding creativity in the raw ingredients you use (especially as a baker)
• How you CAN create true friendships through authentic, thoughtful messages on Instagram
• A reference to A Wrinkle In Time
• What we all really want is to connect emotionally, be a part of each others' stories, and make the world feel like a smaller, kinder place
• Motivation to participate in a creative challenge -- bake something or make something and tag us to let us know that Meg inspired you!

Meg's Ingredients for Living Life to the Fullest:

1. Be Present
2. Practice Compassion - for yourself & towards others
3. Have Fun & Play
4. Trust Yourself

Connect with Meg on Instagram

Thanks so much for listening!

• Subscribe so you never miss a 'beet'. Share it with someone who keeps you going every day!
• Connect with our community on Facebook
• Visit creativecravingspodcast.com to learn more
• If you have any questions or comments for the show, click here

Welcome to Creative Cravings!

No matter what you have going on in your life, it's important to take a step back and remember that we are lucky to be here. Let's live our lives to the fullest and follow not only our food cravings, but also our creative cravings.

Thank you, Meghan, Kelsey, & Grace for your food for thought in this first episode.

To our listeners: We love connecting with you and celebrating you!

• Subscribe to the show. Share it with someone who keeps you going every day!

• Follow us @creative.cravings on Instagram for behind the scenes stories, more inspiration, and updates

• Join the fun & meet other listeners on Facebook at Creative Cravings Community. See you there!

• Visit creativecravingspodcast.com to learn more

We're craving your support: Enjoy browsing our crowdfunding campaign here and become one of our awesome funders!