Creative Juicy

Bec Mapes is an artist, designer, entrepreneur, and business mentor who has spent the last decade leading and growing sustainability-minded companies.

Today’s episode is a little different than most, because while I often have founders on to discuss their businesses, including what led to starting them, the challenges they faced along the way, how they think about brand and marketing and production, today Bec shares a realization she had after 3 years of building her own hair care line, that she is not the right founder for the brand she had built. I applaud Bec for her vulnerability and transparency in this conversation, and think it’s really important for other founders or creatives facing rejection to hear from someone who has gone through it and is still transitioning into her next phase of work.

We talk about fundraising and what Bec wishes she had known about it, the one thing she would have approached differently from an early age if she could press do-over, making mistakes, and how to change course and move on.

Here is Bec Mapes for Creative Juicy!

--

Bec on IG: https://www.instagram.com/becmapes/

Winden on IG: https://www.instagram.com/winden/

Shop Winden: https://winden.world/

Margot Lee is an entrepreneur and digital content creator who started posting to her YouTube channel 13 YEARS ago !! More recently, Margot founded No Particular Order, which is an undated, minimal, prompted journal which is designed to be used (you guessed it!) in no particular order.

Not to spoil how this conversation unfolds, but you’ll find that Margot uses the word ‘lucky’ a few times in our chat, for example she says she was ‘lucky to have her hobby turn into her full time job’ but I think it’s pretty apparent that luck has very little to do with Margot’s success. She is not only strategic about how she shows up online but she also does so in a really genuine way.

On today’s episode we talk about Margot’s early days on YouTube, her journey in journaling and how a series she launched on TikTok in 2020 has evolved into what is No Particular Order today, what it’s like to manufacture a product and build a business where Margot Lee is the founder and for once, not the face, and how she’s approaching partnerships and IRL events in a really interesting way for her brand. We also get into fun things like why the YouTube discovery process is so much more involved than other social platforms, how Margot thinks about bucketing her content and the role that plays in her day-to-day, and also just how she’s approaching life and work at this stage of her journey. 

I respect Margot so much and I’m really excited for you to hear our chat. Enjoy!

LINKS--

Margot on IG: https://www.instagram.com/margot.lee/

Margot on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@MargotLee

No Particular Order on IG: https://www.instagram.com/noparticularorder/

Shop Volume 1: https://noparticularorder.co/products/volume1

Olivia Villanti is the founder of Chava Studio, a Mexico City-based atelier that creates made-to-measure shirting specifically designed with women in mind - an idea that is not so common. 

I love this episode for a few reasons:

There are so many other things that I find fascinating in this conversation, like how Olivia started this business in partnership with her in-law’s 30-year old family run fabric and shirting studio, how she organically fell in love with shirting and solving this problem after a move from New York to Mexico City, what Olivia considers the true test of a good quality fabric, and what you can expect from an appointment at Chava and with Olivia herself. 

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

x Michelle

-

Shop Chava: https://chavastudio.com/

Chava on IG: https://www.instagram.com/chava_studio/

Megan O'Sullivan is a New York City-based writer and co-founder of Byline which, if you haven’t heard, is a new media destination for discovering unique voices. Megan’s words can be found in a range of major publications like The New York Times, T-Magazine, Vogue, i-D, GQ, and of course Byline. 

On today’s episode we chat about the art of outreach, which coming from Megan is super valuable because she not only pitches editors at these major outlets but she also sits as the editor of Byline, so she knows what it’s like to be on either end of this dynamic. We also talk about what it can look like to consciously uncouple from a job, how Megan and Byline co-founder, Gutes, divide and conquer in bringing an issue to life, and what generosity has meant to Megan and her career.

If you’re a writer, a reader, or any sort of creative who has a story to tell, this episode is for you. OK bye!

--

Subscribe to Byline: https://www.bylinebyline.com/

Find Megan on IG: ⁠instagram.com/meganoelizabeth/⁠

Hi! Today’s podcast is with Naomi Otsu, New York-based illustrator and graphic designer whose work is inspired by the cities and cultures she grew up in.

Born in New York and raised in Tokyo, Naomi returned to New York to attend Parsons School of Design before kicking off her creative career which included time agency-side at Laird and Partners, Opening Ceremony in its hey day, until ultimately settling in to her full-time role as both an illustrator and a graphic designer.

Today we chat about what it’s like to work across mediums, how Naomi approaches new work with clients, how her work has manifested in many different forms from books, to wallpaper, and entire collection with The North Face, and how systems help her showcase her work on social media. 

Enjoy the chat + check out The Eater Guide to New York City OUT NOW!

x M

Today, I share my conversation with Cristina Suarez Krumsick, the founder and CEO behind integrated marketing agency, Isetta. 

If you haven’t heard of Isetta you’ve most certainly seen their work, as they have an incredible portfolio of CPG clients which include Ghia, OMSOM, Sanzo, Madre Mezcal, and so many more. 

What I loved most about this conversation with Cristina was simply learning about her thoughtful and strategic approach to the world of PR and marketing. It sounds simple when Cristina describes why she doesn’t label Isetta as a PR firm or the number one thing she looks for when interviewing for new talent - but I can tell you from personal experience, it’s really not so common.

Cristina shares numerous insightful tidbits in this episode, from how she employs this 5-word technique to positioning for her clients, how she gets people to answer her emails, the biggest red flag she hears on new business calls, and how she approaches the organization of her team as a form of matchmaking. 

I loved learning about Cristina’s publishing career, and how working in the world of print shaped her and her perspective to working as a publicist. It’s just all so good, and I hope you enjoy.

-

Learn more about Isetta: isetta.co

Find Isetta on IG: https://www.instagram.com/isetta.co/

And Cristina on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tinikrums/

Anna B. Albury is a multidisciplinary designer and co-founder of coolstuff.nyc, a design-forward weekly newsletter & website that features, you guessed it, COOL STUFF. But I almost feel like ‘cool stuff’ doesn’t do it enough justice. If you live in New York or Brooklyn, you have to go subscribe to the newsletter, which Anna co-founded with her husband Garret pre-pandemic.

In their Friday send you’ll find everything you need to know before heading into the weekend, from the newest restaurants popping up around town, community or brand events you can go to, they have this section of the newsletter called ‘cool friends’ where they highlight artisans and makers living in New York. I love it for discovery of the city I live in, but honestly it’s great even if you don’t live in New York - be sure to listen to find out why! 

I really enjoyed learning about how Anna and Garret curate the newsletter, and also how Anna curates her life! She works full time as a Rug Designer and also does her own interior styling work on the site.

Enjoy!

x M

LINKS

Subscribe to coolstuff.nyc: https://coolstuffnyc.substack.com/subscribe

Find cool stuff online: https://www.coolstuff.nyc/

And on IG: https://www.instagram.com/coolstuff.nyc/

Anna's Interior Styling: https://www.annabrettschneider.com/interior-styling

+ Anna on IG: https://www.instagram.com/hello_anna_b/

Today I share a conversation I had with Candice Sophia Antoine, someone who, like many other guests I’ve had on this podcast, I first came across on Instagram.

Candice is French, American, and Haitian, and after spending her early years in a small town in the south of France, she moved with her parents to Miami and then by herself to New York City. I think this conversation is especially great for my younger listeners, people who are either in college or recently graduated and are simply just figuring it out as you embark on your journey in the work force.

I was so impressed by the grace Candice gives herself as she makes moves throughout her career on her path to learning what fits her and helps her to create the lifestyle she wants to live. She isn’t afraid to tell potential clients no when the opportunity doesn’t feel right to her, and I think that’s also one of the reason’s she’s amassed a following on social. The way she’s curated not only her Instagram feed, but also her life and the people and products she cherishes in it, are beautiful to see and, with this conversation, now wonderful to hear about.

I hope you enjoy this convo as much as I did!

x Michelle

Candice on IG: https://www.instagram.com/so.candice/

The Vintage Deli: https://www.instagram.com/thevintagedeli/

Jane Cookshop: https://www.instagram.com/janecookshop/

Today I sit down with Erika Veurink. Erika is a writer for publications like Vogue and The Cut and for herself, with her Substack, Long Live. She’s also the matchmaker mastermind behind EV Salon, an event series designed to be, as Erika puts it, an IRL Intro Email. One that feels warm, and personal and unlike the stale and awkward events we’ve all experienced before.

There are PLENTY of amazing tidbits from Erika in this episode, whether you’re an aspiring writer or not. Erika gives a play by play breakdown of how to go after that byline of your dreams, how she honed her craft as part of her MFA (Masters in Fine Arts) in non-fiction writing, and what it’s actually like being a writer and getting paid (and not) for your work.

This recording was the first time I met Erika face to face, and I’m sure you’ll be able to tell, I liked her a lot! I think I giggled more in this recording than I have in any other Creative Juicy podcast. She is smart and hilarious and I loved getting her take on life as a writer and someone who juggles so many different creative outlets simultaneously. So excuse the ramble at the end, but I just wanted to make sure I learned everything I could from Erika who is a pro when it comes to curation - in life, in wardrobe, and career. All of it. 

Enjoy it! xx

Subscribe to Long Live: https://longlive.substack.com/

Find Erika on IG: https://www.instagram.com/erikaveurink/

And TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@erikaveurink

Kelsey is the founder and designer behind Brooklyn-based fine jewelry brand, Abel Objects, which she launched just last year after taking the leap of faith that is from being a freelancer to going full time. 

After attending the Rhode Island School of Design, Kelsey established a career in graphic design and art direction — working for clients such as The New York Times, Flamingo, Man Repeller, Condé Nast, and the startup Haus — all while making jewelry on the side. After helping build so many brands over the years, in 2023 she decided to go all in on her own company.

On today’s episode, Kelsey and I talk about her time at RISD and how the curriculum influenced how she approaches design, her formative startup experience that changed how she views business and the kind of work she wants to pursue, and also how it's going running Abel today!

Talking to Kelsey felt like talking to long time friend, even though we just met for the first time on this podcast call. So I hope you enjoy this convo as much as I did! x M

LINKS

Shop Abel Objects: https://abelobjects.com/

Find Kelsey on IG: https://www.instagram.com/kelseylim/