Creative Pep Talk

By Andy J. PizzaBusiness Education Arts Design

Ranking
12th
on Design
Favorites
549
Followers
Typical duration
41 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Creative Pep Talk episodes

November 19, 2025 531 - Risks that Land Big Jobs, Be Your Own Client & Find Your Sound with Composer Oli Julian
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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If you’re used to doing work for clients, it can be tough to then create your own solo project. On the other hand, if you’re only used to doing your own thing, working for a client can feel impossible!
How do you find yourself and your creative voice in the mix of all of this?
This is one of the many topics I dive into on today’s episode with Composer Oli Julian. Oli is the composer for Netflix’s new animated Roald Dahl adaptation of “The Twits”, and has a huge wealth of experience doing music for television for the likes of Sex Education and The Complete Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.
This was a guest from a very different side of the creative industry, hope you enjoy!

SHOW NOTES:
Oli Julian
https://www.olijulian.co.uk
The Twits
https://www.netflix.com/title/81612165
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
AEROPRESS
Check out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
1 hr
November 12, 2025 530 - Something Simple to Do When Mental Health Derails You with Frannerd
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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FRANNERD RETURNS! Illustrator, Comic Artist and YouTuber Fran Meneses is a long time friend of the show and it’s been 6 years since her last episode!
We dive deep into:
1 - When mental health “gets in the way” of your creative plans and what has seemed to help both of us.
2 - How to think about creative crossroads and let go of things that don’t serve where you want to go and double down on the path you do want to take.
3 - How the pandemic impacted both of our careers and shaped out creative focus moving forward.
This chat was a blast and filled me with so much hope and comfort. Hope it does the same for you!

SHOW NOTES:
Fran Meneses AKA Frannerd
https://www.frannerd.cl
https://www.instagram.com/frannerd/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/c/FranMeneses
https://www.patreon.com/frannerd
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com
1 hr 14 min
November 05, 2025 529 - Escape Your Creative Rut with This 5 Part Creative Hygiene Checklist
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Like sleep, creativity is something you can’t force. It’s a brain state that you have to slip into. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create the perfect conditions for this state to be more likely to occur. If you have been blocked or in a rut, this episode will give you 5 ways to cultivate your higher creative states and unlock your next favorite piece of work.

SHOW NOTES:
Master and His Emissary by Ian McGilchrist
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_and_His_Emissary
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
https://juliacameronlive.com/book/the-artists-way-a-spiritual-path-to-higher-creativity/
Cultivating Life Force by Phil Stutz
https://www.thetoolsbook.com/blog/practices-to-build-your-life-force
Christoph Niemann - Good Not Great Talk
https://vimeo.com/130898948
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
AEROPRESS
Check out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
42 min
October 29, 2025 528 - Overcome Urge to Bury Artwork, Escape Overthinking, Cultivate Your Spark & Re-Find Magic
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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We cover a LOT in this episode. If you want some PEP but you’re not sure exactly what it is you need, we probably cover it in this episode! We explore:
When the reality of creating isn’t what we thought it would be.
How to find your flow when things got stale.
Escaping the voices that tell you to hide.
Finding that “magic thread” on your creative path again.
Creative Habits!
How to keep your taste fresh over a lifetime!

SHOW NOTES:
Jake Martin - Guest Host:
https://www.instagram.com/stanky.art/
https://stankyart.substack.com/
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
AEROPRESS
Check out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
1 hr 19 min
October 22, 2025 527 - Visual Journaling: Generate Ideas, Mindfulness and Creative Voice with Samantha Dion Baker
Stay pepped ALL NEXT YEAR with our 2026 Calendar: creativepeptalk.etsy.com
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Visual journaling can unlock your creativity, but it can also enhance your life. If you are struggling to tune into your everyday life and find inspiration there, this is the episode for you!
Samantha Dion Baker has written the book on this! Well 3 books on this!! So much goodness in this episode!

SHOW NOTES:
Samantha Dion Baker
https://www.sdionbaker.com
https://samanthadionbaker.substack.com
Draw Your Adventures
https://www.sdionbaker.com/books
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
54 min
October 15, 2025 526 - Your Niche is Hiding in The Last Place You’d Look
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Find your niche. Stand out from the competition. Find your unique selling point.
Easier said than done. Right? In this episode we explore where your creative edge might be hiding and how to strategically think about your place within the creative markets you find yourself in.

SHOW NOTES:
Get the Creative Career Path Handbook by signing up to the newsletter: andyjpizza.substack.com
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
32 min
October 08, 2025 525 - The Prerequisite to Connecting with Potential Fans
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Do you feel like the stuff you’re putting out is white noise in an already noisy world?
In this episode we explore what you need to cut through and connect with the hearts of your potential fans.

SHOW NOTES
Study: “Seeing your life story as a Hero's Journey increases meaning in life”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36972106/
The Awakened Brain
https://www.lisamillerphd.com
Primal Intelligence
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740110/primal-intelligence-by-angus-fletcher/
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com
43 min
October 01, 2025 524 - How to Know Whether to Push On or Give Up
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Does this sound familiar? You find a new thing. You’re certain this is THE thing. It all makes sense! You get started with tons of energy… but then you hit a wall. It all feels wrong. You bail. Find a new thing and the loop starts all over.
If you can relate. This episode is for you!!!
Stick until the end for a checklist that can help you decide whether to stick to the path or give up the thing you’re currently working on!

SHOW NOTES:
Eustress the Good Stress
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/be-the-sun-not-the-salt/202408/eustress-the-good-stress
Eustress vs Distress
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/eustress-vs-distress
Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
https://www.aaspa.org/products/flow-the-psychology-of-optimal-experience
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
40 min
September 24, 2025 523 - The Power of Finding Your Attention Aperture, Neurotype and School of Thought
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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This episode contains three small things that made a huge difference in my creative practice!
Tune in if you know you need a creative boost, but you’re not EXACTLY sure what it is you need because this is like THREE mini episodes in ONE.

SHOW NOTES:
Strengthsfinder Assessment:
https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/254033/strengthsfinder.aspx
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
46 min
September 17, 2025 522 - The Unexpected Thing that Suddenly Unlocked My Creative Brain
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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If you’re a creative type, you probably don’t quite fit into the systems you were born into. This can be VERY DIFFICULT. There’s a lot of pressure for folks like us to beat ourselves up into a shape that fits society.
In this episode, I want to share the number 1 thing that changed my life as a creative person, and resources that can help you adopt this shift too!!

SHOW NOTES:
Right Side Out Series
andyjpizza.com/rso
No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz, PhD
https://ifs-institute.com/nobadparts
Good Inside by Dr. Becky
https://www.goodinside.com/book/
Simulacra and Simulation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacra_and_Simulation
Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
34 min