Portland-based creative director, photographer, and videographer Eliana Mendez has built their entire practice around a simple but powerful belief: genuine human connection is what makes media truly impactful. Working primarily with nonprofits and community organizations, Eliana has discovered how to turn their natural curiosity and genuine interest in people into their greatest professional strength.

In this episode, Eliana shares how they moved from commodity-based photography to creating authentic visual stories that get to people's hearts and stick in their minds. This honest conversation explores how personal values can become your competitive advantage, the importance of thinking backwards from the life you want rather than forward from where you are, and why authentic human connection remains irreplaceable in our increasingly automated world. We dive deep into their unique approach to client relationships, their fascinating use of professional wrestling as a creative metaphor, and why they believe the future of visual storytelling lies not in perfection, but in humanity.

Whether you're a creative professional looking to differentiate your work or someone interested in the intersection of authenticity and business success, this conversation offers valuable insights into integrating who you are with what you do.

Topics Mentioned:

• Eliana’s journey from journalism to starting their own creative studio

• How mentors helped Eliana recognize their natural strengths as professional assets

• Using professional wrestling as a metaphor for creative process and improvisation

• Building a business around human-centric storytelling and authentic connection

• The importance of thinking backwards from the life you want to live

• How pricing and positioning decisions shape your client ecosystem

• Eliana's perspective on AI and what makes human creativity irreplaceable

• The value of imperfection and authenticity in visual storytelling

• Turning personal curiosity and empathy into professional competitive advantages

• Defining success on your own terms rather than external metrics

• The intersection of personal values and business strategy

• How authentic relationships translate into better creative work and business outcomes

Connect with Eliana Mendez:

• Website: humancentricmedia.com

• Instagram: @humancentricmedia

In this highlights episode, Creatives Processing host Sarah Mulligan Williams features three key insights from her conversation with Lee Hedgmon, founder of The Barreled Bee and Portland's “honey alchemist.” Lee's approach to entrepreneurship—building a thriving business by being completely, unapologetically herself—offers lessons for any creative professional who's felt like their process doesn't fit the traditional mold.

Between each highlight, Sarah shares how these insights connect to her own approach to creative work and the patterns she sees in entrepreneurs who build truly sustainable, meaningful businesses that can't be replicated.

Featured Highlights:

1. The Origin Story - The single moment in a friend's kitchen that led to an entire business, and why trusting authentic curiosity over market validation creates breakthrough work

2. ADHD as Competitive Advantage - How Lee designed her entire business around how her brain actually works, turning perceived limitations into strategic strengths

3. Testing Philosophy Beyond Efficiency - Why Lee tests products in laundromats and refuses production on bad mood days, prioritizing real human experience over conventional business wisdom

Connect with Lee Hedgmon / The Barreled Bee:

Website: www.thebarreledbee.com

Instagram: @thebarreledbee

Want to hear more?

The full conversation with Lee dives much deeper into her journey, product development process, and entrepreneurial wisdom. Listen here!

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Lee Hedgmon, founder of The Barreled Bee and Portland's “honey alchemist.” What began with a single taste of honey in a friend's kitchen has evolved into a thriving business built entirely on curiosity, wonder, and the guiding question “I wonder what would happen if…”

Lee's entrepreneurial journey challenges conventional business wisdom at every turn. Instead of market research, she follows authentic curiosity. Rather than hiding her ADHD, she's transformed it into a competitive advantage by designing systems that work with her brain instead of against it. From testing products in laundromats to refusing production on bad mood days, her approach to quality goes far beyond what most entrepreneurs would ever consider.

This candid conversation covers the realities of building a business that integrates your humanity with your process, the power of designing work around your authentic strengths, and why the most irreplaceable businesses are built on relationships and intention rather than efficiency and scale. Whether you're an entrepreneur questioning traditional business advice, a creative professional seeking to honor your neurodivergence, or simply curious about building something meaningful on your own terms, this episode offers valuable insights into creating work that can't be replicated.

Episode Highlights:

• Lee's transition from feminist studies PhD to craft brewing to entrepreneurship

• The challenges of being a Black woman in the brewing and distilling industry

• The pandemic pivot that created Buzz Stix - honey sticks that taste like cocktails

• Her unique product development methodology and “I wonder what would happen if” philosophy

• Designing business systems around her ADHD

• Testing philosophy that prioritizes real-world human experience

• Why emotional state directly impacts product quality

• Building relationships and knowledge that competitors can't copy

• Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and food product developers

Connect with Lee Hedgmon / The Barreled Bee:

Website: www.thebarreledbee.com

Instagram: @thebarreledbee

In this highlights episode, Creatives Processing host Sarah Mulligan Williams features five powerful insights from her conversation with Craig and Jess Winslow, the light artist and creative strategist behind experiential light art studio, Winslow Studio. Craig and Jess’s approach to creative partnership offers lessons for any professional navigating the intersection of creativity, business, and authentic relationships. Between each highlight, Sarah shares her own perspective on how these insights connect to her approach to creative leadership and strategic design, offering practical guidance for building sustainable creative practices that honor both human relationships and business success.Featured Highlights:

• Setting Boundaries as Business and Romantic Partners - How Craig and Jess protect both their creativity and relationship through intentional systems and clear communication
• "No, But" vs "Yes, And" - Why successful creative partnerships need both visionary thinking and practical reality checks
• Fake Internet Points and Reframing Creative Value - Jess's honest reflection on social media's impact on artistic practice and finding authentic measures of success
• Being Present vs Chasing Achievements - The importance of celebrating progress and being fully engaged in the creative process rather than constantly rushing toward the next milestone

• Setting Ambitious vs Achievable Goals - Craig's hard-learned lesson about creating sustainable momentum through realistic expectations and "layered victories"

Connect with Winslow Studio:

Website: www.winslow.studioInstagram: @hellowinslowstudio, @craigwinslow, @jayzombie

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Craig and Jess Winslow, the creative duo behind Winslow Studio, an experiential light art design studio in Portland, Oregon. After meeting in fall 2019 and weathering the early pandemic together, they transformed their budding relationship into both a creative and romantic partnership that's reshaping experiential art.

Craig, a light artist and experiential director, and Jess, a photographer and creative strategist, discuss how they've navigated everything from working with major brands and museums to managing the challenges of being married business partners. This candid conversation covers the realities of running a creative studio, the importance of passion projects, and finding authentic success on your own terms. Whether you're a creative professional, entrepreneur, or simply curious about how art meets business, this episode offers valuable insights into building something meaningful together.

Episode Highlights:

• How Craig and Jessica met in fall 2019 and built their creative partnership during the pandemic

• Craig's evolution from graphic designer to light artist and experiential director

• Jess's journey from Instagram employee to photographer to creative strategist

• Setting boundaries between personal and professional relationships as a married couple

• The "yes, and" vs "no, but" dynamic in creative partnerships

• Managing artistic integrity while meeting client expectations and budgets

• Building trust with clients through research and understanding their deeper needs

• The challenges of working on construction projects and managing timeline uncertainty

• How passion projects like Projecting West led to major career opportunities

• The evolution of problem-solving skills over 12 years in projection mapping

• Jess's relationship with photography and stepping away from social media metrics

• Redefining success beyond external validation and career milestones

• The importance of celebrating wins and being present in the creative process

• Setting achievable goals versus impossible standards for sustainable momentum

  
  

Connect with Winslow Studio:

• Website: www.winslow.studio

• Instagram: @hellowinslowstudio, @craigwinslow, @jayzombie

  
  

Projects Referenced:

• Brilliant! at The Neon Museum Las Vegas

• Pathways of Pursuit cancer gala installation

• Winchester Mystery House projections

• Futopia Murals at the Faena Hotel

• Educational winemaking installation at The Grove in McMinnville Oregon

• Projecting West Kickstarter project

• Light Capsules series

• Evel Knievel Museum (upcoming)

• Route 66 Centennial project

  
  

Resources Referenced:

• “The Courage to Be Disliked” by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

• CreativeMornings monthly breakfast lecture series

• Creative Lunch Club
  

This highlights episode distills three game-changing principles from Grammy-winning producer John Michael Rouchell that separate sustainable creative leaders from those who burn out chasing validation. Discover the Alfred Hitchcock principle that transforms how you approach every project, why constraints actually liberate creativity, and how shifting from ego-driven work to service-oriented collaboration becomes your competitive advantage. Between each insight, I share how these principles connect to my own work and the patterns I see in creative professionals who consistently deliver exceptional results. These aren’t abstract theories—they’re immediately actionable insights that reframe what it means to build lasting impact as a creative professional.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

For further exploration, listen to the full conversation with John Michael Rouchell for deeper insights into his creative process.

Connect with John Michael Rouchell:

Grammy-winning music producer, film composer, and songwriter John Michael Rouchell transformed his entire creative approach by shifting from seeking validation to serving others. After starting as a guitarist desperate for the right mentor and collaborator, John Michael realized he could become that missing piece for other artists instead.

In this in-depth conversation, John Michael, who has worked on projects including Avery Sunshine’s Grammy-winning album “So Glad To Know You” to Disney’s Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, discusses how he developed his creative philosophy around Alfred Hitchcock’s principle of starting with human feeling rather than artistic expression. This candid discussion covers the realities of building a service-oriented creative practice, why constraints actually liberate creativity, and his belief that collaboration is “the most punk rock thing you can do in 2025.” Whether you’re a creative professional struggling with imposter syndrome, an entrepreneur building collaborative teams, or simply curious about sustainable creative leadership, this episode offers valuable insights into finding authentic success through serving something bigger than yourself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Episode Highlights:

• The transformation from frustrated artist to sought-after collaborator
• How the void of missing mentorship became his creative mission
• The Alfred Hitchcock principle for starting every creative project
• Why live performance skills can sabotage studio recordings
• Servant leadership lessons from working with Terence Blanchard
• Creating authentic New Orleans music for Disney's Tiana's Bayou Adventure
• The collaborative process behind the Creatives Processing theme music
• Transcendental meditation as creative practice
• AI versus human art through the lens of GMO versus organic food
• Redefining success from accolades to legacy

Connect with John Michael Rouchell:

Website: www.hereintheblueroom.com

Instagram: @thatjohnmichael

TikTok: @thatjohnmichael

Media Referenced:

“Catching the Big Fish” by David Lynch [book]

“The Crossroads of Should and Must” by Elle Luna [book]

“The Courage to Be Disliked” by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga [book]

“Are Social Media Platforms the Next Dying Malls?”by Ted Gioia [article]

“Vincent and The Doctor” - Doctor Who, Series 5, Episode 10

Projects Referenced:

AverySunshine - “So Glad to Know You” (Grammy-winning album)

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland and Walt Disney World (Splash Mountain replacement)

Creatives Processing podcast theme music

Creatives Processing is the podcast where creatives reveal their process and process what it means to create. It illuminates the human journey behind creative work – where professional creatives share their authentic processes, struggles, and triumphs with a host who champions creative collaboration and kindness.

Hosted by Sarah Mulligan Williams, creative director behind Word of Mouth Creative, a values-driven creative studio for change-makers and dream-havers.

Follow on Instagram: @creativesprocessing

Email: [email protected]

All episodes at wordofmouthcreative.co/creativesprocessing