Dreamcatchers District Podcast - Mindset, Authentic Marketing, Coaching, Goals, Creative Entrepreneur, Online Business, Fear

Today on the Podcast, Celebrating Failure:

Sounds crazy, right? Who could possibly see failure as something to toast? Let alone something to plan for?

Well, saavvy and successful creative entrepreneurs — that's who. Those folks who, believe it or not, experience more satisfaction and more support when they fail than when they don't.

Not because they love being embarrassed or because they're beseeching sympathy, but because they know the only feeling worse than failing ... is regret.

Everything is Temporary:

Actually, that's not true. There's one thing that's pretty dang permanent. And that is your legacy. The life you leave behind. The experiences, the memories, the relationships. The risks you were willing to take; the lessons you were ready to learn.

But, for many, the fear of failure casts an amnesia over all of that sobering reality. We get so fixated in the moment on what could go wrong, or how bad we'll look, that we (paradoxically) begin to delude ourselves into thinking we're invincible. That we've got all the time in the world to say that thing; to do that thing.

Waiting in the Wings:

If you've been too afraid to take center stage, to go after what you really want, steeped in perfectionism and procrastination for fear of failure — know you're not alone. AND, understand that, that's exactly what you're going to get. A life in the shadows; safe and sound; sitting this one out.

Dance into the Light:

But if that's not your truth, and you're tired of getting ready to "get ready," then it's time you made Failure your new best friend. And don't worry. She's a lot funnier than you think. In fact, she's downright hilarious and hell-of-a-lotta fun. She's also the most successful gal I know.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Why creative entrepreneurs give up on their goals

• The truth about upper limits and momentum

• How failing fast and failing forward boosts confidence

• The #1 thing that has nothing to do with planning for failure

• 5 best practices to help you succeed (no matter what)

• The 2nd half of visioning that you're likely not doing

• Why peak performers use this "if-then" strategy

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Me: Instagram 

• Past Episode: "EP 010: How to Get Out of Your Head, Fail Fast & Find Your Voice with Vanessa Bryan"

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, Momentum over Modules:

Let's talk momentum. How do we build it and how do we keep it when the going gets tough?

Last week, here in the U.S., many of us celebrated with families and friends; kicking off the holiday season. The hubs and I hosted our annual Friendsgiving in Venice Beach, we volunteered in our local community, caught up with loved ones, and headed to the mountains for an adorably kitchy Apple Butter Festival.

Experiences Matter:

And we did my favorite thing, which is the same reflection and visioning exercise I teach coaching clients over planning retreats. We popped champagne, got massages, gave thanks and celebrated next goals; it was a memorable and meaningful shared experience. And it's left us feeling restored and ready to dive back into our creative projects.

But, for many, the week after a holiday can feel much more complex. So if you find yourself, this week, feeling "behind" with your marketing efforts or overwhelmed by how to achieve your 2018 goals — know you're not alone. And ... there's a better way.

Environment is Everything:

To feel forward progress and momentum – which we ALL crave — we must take inspired, resonant, massive action. And, most importantly, it's gotta be consistent and swift. That means, before the monkey brain gets in the way. And especially after it's already kicked into full blown fear.

For those creatives working primarily from home, or with only a very small virtual team, it can be especially challenging to stay in action and keep that momentum going. It's no wonder, then, why you might feel extra sensitive and extra exhausted this time of year.

Momentum Depends on 2 Things:

Both of which are much easier to come by with the support, encouragement, ideation, and accountability of an intimate group. The moment you decide to make a change, to stop going it alone, to invest in active experiences versus passive information, you'll be back in that upward spiral.

Listen now and hear how that energy will build upon itself, propelling you forward more and more and more.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• The #1 link between finding your purpose & momentum

• Why you're not alone if you feel "behind" this Cyber Monday

• How the physics of ballet relate to resistance

• The 2 must-have's to build and keep your momentum

• Why you want to be at the intersection of Flow & Grit

• How to have experiences vs. information overload

• Why less than 3% of people finish online courses

• 3 considerations before you make your next investment

• Why momentum has to be at the forefront of everything you do

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Me: Instagram 

• TED VIDEO: The Physics of the Hardest Move in Ballet

• Past Episode: "EP 015: How to Deal with Awkward Career Advice this Holiday"

• TED Talk: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the Secret to Happiness

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast?

• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to [email protected] .

Today on the Podcast: 5 Tips to Avoid the Awkward!

I wanted to talk about something that comes up a lot around this time of year, which is holiday stress. As we're heading into Thanksgiving this week, Fall is here, we're cozying up, and things are winding down.

All should feel calm on the home front, right?

And, yet, as we gear up for more holiday parties — where you'll see family, you might even run into old colleagues, or face friends you haven't seen in a long time — you may be feeling a lot of anticipation. It's something I've been hearing, again and again, these past few weeks from coaching clients.

And, we've all been there!

Don't Lose Your Momentum:

If you're already catching yourself worrying about things like, "How do I talk about my business? How do I explain what I do?"  or "How can I not get into it? How can I not show up at all?" — than chances are? You're already at the risk of self-sabotage. Why? Because you're heavily induced into stress.

Celebrate What's Working:

Before you take an even bigger swan dive into all the things you feel uneasy about, and you overlook how far you've come, stop and give yourself some credit. Too often too many of us highly creative and ambitious gals (myself included) rob ourselves of acknowledging what's going well.

It's no wonder, then, why you might feel extra vulnerable, extra amped, going into a season of "Heyyyyy, it's been a while ... how's work going?"

Have a Plan for THAT GUY (or GAL):

What's that saying? "There's always one." Makes me laugh.

Well, this holiday season, try holding this paradox: you can love 'em AND you can leave 'em. There's no rule that says in order to be kind, in order to be thoughtful, you have to be within ear shot. There's power in planning a graceful exit, in flexing your self-awareness muscles, and (simultaneously) seeing the other person as you.

So, listen now for 5 practices to calm those holiday nerves and get you back to enjoying that pie ... in peace!

In this Episode We Talk About:

• The #1 holiday stress for most creative entrepreneurs

• Why you're not alone in wanting to avoid awkward talks

• What keeps this gal going behind the mic of this here poddy-pod

• 5 decisions to spare yourself self-sabotage this Thanksgiving

• How to mindfully build your own EQ and bounce back from triggers

• The reason everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Me: Instagram 

• Quote: "What you appreciate, appreciates." ~ Lynne Twist on SuperSoul Sunday

• Past Episode: LISTEN NOW to episode #006 "Start Where You Are, Stand Where You're Going"

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast?

• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, Guest Elsa Isaac:

If you've ever achieved the very thing you said you "wanted" — only to feel like you didn't belong —  than this is the episode for you. Before you abandon ship or change industries all together ... listen to this episode.

The Power's in the Pivot:

So often, when we feel disconnected or drained, we think we need to completely change careers. Run away. Close up shop. I remember a coaching client saying recently, "I have this habit of wanting to blow my life up every time I feel this restless feeling. I love what I do. AND I hate what I do."

In truth, through working together, she realized she didn't crave a new career. She simply no longer wanted to do what she was doing with whom she'd been doing it. Once she shifted her focus, to be more aligned with her values and her vision, the work became fresh again. She found herself in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. No more swimming upstream.

Our Passion's in our People:

Life is not just about creating but connecting, contributing, celebrating.

"It's a lot to know that you're not alone in the world" and that "what's for me is for me."  These, and so many more gems, come from the self-dubbed anti-fashion stylist (my longtime colleague turned dear new friend) Elsa Isaac, whose many successes are made all-the-more rewarding by the passionate people around her; our shared community of world-changing women.

Refusing to believe there’s only one standard of beauty, this east African-born stylist (with 14+ years experience dressing everyone from Marie Forleo to Lenny Kravitz; Katie Couric to Kris Carr) strives to empower all her clients to self-express their own individuality. To feel beautiful. Supported. Enough.

Whether revamping wardrobes, creating show-stopping ensembles, or helping to flatter every unique body shape and lifestyle — Elsa's behind-the-scenes story will help you style your life and business for the season and skin you're in.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• The value of saying "yes" even when you're scared

• Why you need to start before you're ready

• When she didn't feel like she "belonged"

• Where she draws her strength, source, and power from

• Why she calls herself the Anti-Fashion Stylist

• The single career pivot that resolved her inner struggles

• When she watched women transform before her very eyes

• 3 Simple Shopping and Styling Tips any woman can use

• What Marie Forleo taught her about Feminine Leadership

• The traits that make an A-Team and a Lady Boss you want to root for

• Why defining "success" on your terms beats compare-despair

• How her life and business has evolved, now, as a Mamapreneur

• Why now is the perfect time for her own online program

• The #1 benefit of running an online business

• How B-School, Rich Happy & Hot Live, and Marie TV changed everything

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights that Elsa is dropping.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Elsa: Website , Twitter , Instagram and Facebook

• Web Show: Marie TV with Marie Forleo

• People: Jean Killbourne

• Documentary: Miss Representation

• Book: Can't Buy My Love

• Designer: Michael Kors

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast?

• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com.

Today on the Podcast: A Peek into How I Got My Time Back in 2017

If you’ve ever struggled with feeling drained, or maybe even defeated, by all the digital rabbit holes (Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and Pinterest and List Building and Sales Funnels and the million other Digital Marketing Strategies that you and I “should” be doing), then this is the episode for us both.

Let's talk about something that’s been coming up within the Dreamcatchers District community over coaching, I’ve even seen it online over Instagram and definitely with my own colleagues, clients, and friends.

And that is this feeling of bombardment; this craving for less. Less consumption, less distraction, less competition.

The Question We Gotta Ask Ourselves ...

A few weeks ago, over Instagram, I posted some questions. I asked, "What's the #1 thing on your 'Stop Doing' list?" And, wouldn’t you know, nearly across the board, folks said some version of these two sentiments. They either said: 1) “I need to stop comparing myself” or 2) "I need to stop doubting myself."

In another poll, where I asked, "Who needs a Digital Detox Retreat?" A whopping 83% of all-ya'll voted, "YAS! Unplug ME, Pleassse!" Clearly, there's a connection.

Now, the answer is not to abandon all our strategic marketing efforts. Nor is it, necessarily, to have to getaway for a weekend detox planning retreat (but we'd love to have ya!). The invitation is  to get conscious. And to remember you get to choose how you engage with it all.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• The 5 best biz decisions I made in 2017

• How I got my guilt-free time back

• The link between comparison and self-doubt

• Why we ALL need a Digital Detox Day (or Planning Retreat)

• Why setting boundaries doesn't make you bad

• How I kicked FOMO to the curve

• The importance of separating "home" and "work"

• What Ayurveda, Peak Performance, and Neuroscience say are the most important hours of the day

• The questions to ask yourself before, during, and after going "online"

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Me:  Instagram

• Quote: "It's not your job to like me, it's mine." ~ Byron Katie

• Article: The Surprising Reason Millennials Check Their Phone 150 Times a Day

• Look For Future Episodes: Topics on Morning and Evening Rituals coming up!

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast?

• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ dreamcatchersdistrict.com . (I read 'em all, ya'll!)

Today on the Podcast, Guest Caroline Hull:

If you've ever been guilty of doing #AllTheThings than you know what it's like to be running on empty. Maybe you find yourself taking on too many projects, doing tasks you have zero skill or interest in, and chasing goals that aren't actually aligned with your values or longterm vision.

But, like too many, you pound more coffee and pull more late nights. Why? Because you're a hard worker; maybe even a "helper."  You want the best for everyone and you have a hard time saying, "No."

Still, deep down, something's screaming at you: "STOP this train! I want to get off."  The workload isn't sustainable; the lifestyle isn't satisfying; the support isn't there. You think, "What am I doing wrong?"

Beat Burnout Before Burnout Beats YOU:

You, me, WE can all get overloaded at times. Especially in those first 1-3 years of creative entrepreneurship where there's not, yet, enough cashflow or hands on deck to do all the jobs. Once the excitement and novelty of "launching" wears off, and the banal day-to-day operations kick in (if you've even mapped out what those are), it's easy to lose steam.

No wonder you find yourself wearing 3,000 different hats, with 25 half completed projects, jumping from course to course, trying to DIY your marketing + your design + your website + your social media + your sales + your offerings. Of course, you feel "behind."Anyone would. You've forgotten who you are, what you want, why you started.

Truth? Until you get clearer — clearer with your time, your money, and your energy — this spinning of the wheels won't quit. AND, without realizing it, you'll bury your business right into the ground. Ooh, ouch. I know.

Designing Your Year Helps:

That's why, last spring, when I started pre-production on the Dreamcatchers District Podcast I knew better than to do it myself. In the Fall/Winter of 2016, I had already mapped out project goals for Q2 and Q3 of 2017. I knew what I wanted more of, what I wanted less of, why, and what my role(s) would be in creatively directing that vision. I designed a plan and it felt goooood.

Did it all go exactly without a hitch? That's adorable. Of course not! That's why systems, structures, strategies and emotional support are so dang important. Then, at least 70-80% of the time, things can go pretty smooth sailing. You know where you're going, you know how to get there, and you know why it's worth it. When the wind changes? You can steer that baby back to shore.

While I "technically" could have done many of the tasks associated with editing, publishing, distributing and marketing a podcast — it was clear to me where my time, money, and energy was best spent. Given my stage of business, I knew exactly where to focus my strengths and how to produce revenue generating activities. And learning audio editing? That sure wasn't it.

Enter My Podcast Producing Partner in Crime ...

Caroline Hull of Caroline Creates. Now, if you’re running an online products based business, you're most certainly familiar with Creative Biz Rebellion; the podcast she co-hosts with Kelly Parker Smith of Hello World Paper Co. But what you might not know is the behind-the-scenes story of how this mamapreneur transitioned from ballet dancer to designer to dedicated podcast producer.

Down the road we'll be hosting a future episode on How to Launch a Podcast, confessing all the mistakes we made along the way. But today's conversation is all about changing careers and discovering who you want to be. May we all be as warm, funny, and resilient as this woman. My producer, my friend, my Sweet Caroline.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Why worshipping the Ballet God had become her whole identity

• How she healed poor body image and a full blown eating disorder

• The permission she gave herself and how she pivoted from dance to design

• What it really felt like to chase something that wasn't working

• When she was finally done with licking envelopes at 4am

• The myth of Time Management (side note: this will be a future episode)

• The Naptime Hustle vs the Pinterest mamapreneur fantasy

• Why she chose to homeschool and the costs that had on her business

• The 2 titles that are most important to her

• Why doing #AllTheThings is the fast track to burnout

• The truth about why most creative entrepreneurs procrastinate

• What makes her joint venture with Kelly Parker Smith so fun

• What she believes the Universe is trying to tell you

• When she shifted priorities and hit up against values conflicts

• Why podcast editing is the perfect fit for her introverted heart

• How Flow and Grit are opposite sides of the same coin

• The way she came to see failure and the lessons she's learned

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights from Caroline Hull

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Caroline Hull: Twitter , Instagram , Facebook 

• Podcast: Creative Biz Rebellion

• Quote: "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." ~ Einstein

• Past Episodes: Listen to Episode #006 to hear when is the right vs wrong time to take on a creative project

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? 

• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com . (I read 'em all, ya'll!)

• Or if you're on the Anchor App, "Call In" to our Anchor Radio Station and ask your question there!

Today on the Podcast, Guest Alison Haislip:

If you're anything like most high achieving, ambitious, creative folk — than, no matter how much external "success" you acquire, you may be carrying around an invisible backpack of self-doubt. Your mind, at times, may be plagued with questions like, "Am I on the right path?" or "What will people think?" or "Can I even do it?"

The fears can be so convincing that our bodies, our spirits, take a serious hit. You feel exhausted, worried about the future or ruminating over the past, and (unintentionally) you miss the only thing that was ever real: today. So you hustle, you push, you DO DO DO and you GO GO GO to escape that feeling. And, in many ways, that strategy has worked. You've gotten the competitive edge.

But here's what I want you to know: "success" is not the end game; satisfaction is. How you play — matters.

Consider this a Sign:

Are you debating what projects or joint creative ventures to say "yes" or "no" to? Is your self-worth hanging onto every "like" on social media? Wishing you felt more guided? Are you suddenly navigating an unexpected ending? Wanting to stand up for causes you care about but not sure how it'll impact your brand? Wishing you could get back to basics and create just for fun? Craving more offline community? Struggling to feel enough?

These are widespread experiences every creative entrepreneur faces at one time or another. The key is not to fight them. Or hide them. Or amplify them by asking the wrong questions at the wrong time. Rather, to see them for what they are: intuitive hits from the Universe bidding for your attention. Learn to use them like signposts to slow down; to remember who you are, what you want, and why you started.

Let this be your invitation to trust everything is working together for your good; to reboot and start again.

Learn to Validate Yourself:

Meet Alison Haislip. From hosting to acting to being turned into her own IELLO board game character "Ali-San," this Influencer has done it all. And if hanging with A-listers and American Ninja Warriors has taught her anything, it's this: "I have to be true to me" ... "failure is part of the game" ... "this is happening for a very specific reason and, you don't know why but, when you look back you'll thank it."

While you probably know Alison from G4, ABC's Battlebots, Con Man with Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion, or the Half Hour Happy Hour with Alison and Alex podcast on Nerdist — you may not know she's also just like you; just like me. A woman on a journey; a creative on a mission. Playing at this game called life. And learning all along the way: I'm worth it.  (And so are you).

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Knowing when and why to say "Yes" vs "No" to a project or invitation

• The power of your Subconscious Mind + not being jaded

• What a teacher told her that still rings true today

• How she rides out the highs and lows of being a creative

• The #1 thing her friends won't let her do

• Why it's important to creative things NOT for money

• What's she's learned about validating herself

• The 2 things every great leader leads with

• What she learned acting alongside Mark Harmon on NCIS

• When a sudden career shock felt like a divorce

• The show that got her back to her roots

• How she balances being a Brand Ambassador & a creative activist

• Why she doesn't consider herself an Entrepreneur

• How she unplugs and gets back to basics in this digital world

• What she still struggles with despite all her success

• How to manifest what you want vs what you don't

• The specific questions she asks herself when triggered into fear

• The one big dream still on her bucket list

• And what she hopes her 90-year-old self will tell her, looking back on today

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights from Alison Haislip

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Alison Haislip: Twitter , Instagram , Facebook ,

• Podcast: Half Hour Happy Hour with Alison and Alex on Nerdist

• As Seen On: Con Man , ABC's BattleBots , Hulu's Battleground to name a few

• Past Episodes: Listen to Alex Albrecht (EP #008)  & Tyler J. McCall (EP #003) 

• Book She's Reading: The Fear Cure: Cultivating Courage as Medicine for the Body, Mind & Soul

• Speakers & Centers: Lisa Nichols at The Agape International Spiritual Center

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? 

• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ dreamcatchersdistrict.com . (I read 'em all, ya'll!)

• Or if you're on the Anchor App, "Call In" to our Anchor Radio Station and ask your question there!

Today on the Podcast, Guest Vanessa Bryan:

Got an unreasonable dream that feels impossible? Trying to put yourself "out there" but you're too in your head? Feeling drained by naysayers? Than this is the episode for you.

Turns out, in the end, everything comes down to how quickly you can regroup. How diligently you can hold the vision, share your gifts, and trust yourself even amidst continuous fear and failure. Because truth?

It's Time to Take Your Power Back:

Sometimes there is "beauty in the struggle." Sometimes, you've got to be "stubborn for what you want." Sometimes, a line of demarcation must be drawn. And the people who truly love you? They'll come to understand, "Oh, she's got to fight for this."

These gems, and so many more, come from a woman who has been there and done that. A talent so fierce you couldn't imagine her doing anything other than singing to thousands, on two world tours, with Tony winner Idina Menzel and Disney Star Olivia Holt. And yet, 10 years ago, she gave it all up.

Hear the behind-the-scenes story of how professional vocalist and business owner, Vanessa Bryan, "turned her back on her best friend" and the moment she remembered where she truly belonged.

It's Time to Face Fear & Fail Fast:

One of the many reasons Vanessa is such a powerhouse woman, both as a professional vocalist and the owner of Music Lessons Los Angeles in the heart of the North Hollywood Arts District, is because she knows (first hand) the value of asking better questions to get better answers. And she honors the mentors, teachers, and coaches who helped her to build her confidence and find her voice by paying it forward.

It's no wonder then why you may have seen Vanessa as the face of Ford commercials, the lead subject of television Docu-Series, and the one you can't take your eyes off of — whether performing at the Greek Theater for 5000 people or a Dreamcatchers District event for 100. She exudes what we all hope to be: free.

Fact is, there are few who throw themselves into as many creative rings (as often and as courageously) as Vanessa. She runs toward her fear; treating any stage like it's Madison Square Gardens. Because, in her mind? It is. And, no doubt, it will be. Just you watch.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• What life on tour is really like

• The first time she auditioned for Idina Menzel in PJs

• What her mentors taught her about herself and her craft

• How music is a messenger and a storyteller

• Why the audience needs you to give them permission

• Daily Rituals and Peak Performance strategies

• The #1 reason you need to fail immediately

• How to find your voice and trust yourself

• Why where you are is perfect for right now

• The only time she quit her dream, ten years ago

• What she does to get out of her own way

• The person who was her "biggest critic and biggest fan"

• How self-care is as important as sound check

• The one thing that still can shake her confidence

• How she discerns her intuition from her fear

• What she's learned about work ethic on the road

• The importance of celebrating each step along the way

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights from Vanessa Bryan

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Vanessa Bryan: Instagram , Facebook , Twitter

• Toured With: Indina Menzel , Olivia Holt

• Past Episode: Listen to Emmanuel Belliveau (#007) on why we need to root for each other

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? 

• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ dreamcatchersdistrict.com . (I read 'em all, ya'll!)

• Or if you're on the Anchor App, "Call In" to our Anchor Radio Station and ask your question there!

Today on the Podcast, Guest Ana Maria Munoz:

For anyone who may be feeling like they've started the wrong creative business, or like they just can't imagine their current endeavor being their "forever thing," this is the episode for you.

Given our culture's obsession with "being the best," it can feel counterintuitive to not  keep going, keep pushing, keep hustling. This is especially true for high performers, high achievers, who identify themselves as "do-ers" and who thrive on "making it happen."

Yet, sometimes, the smartest and savviest thing we can do is to let something go. Sometimes the quickest route to more satisfaction, more support, more sustainable success and sweet synchronicity is to start again. To open ourselves up to something better.

Give Yourself Permission:

Just because we're good at something, just because others want something, doesn't always mean we're a fit for something. Usually, there's something more congruent just around the bend. And if we're patient, if we're trusting, if we're willing, if we have the capacity to see a new vision — we'll heed those whispers of intuition and allow ourselves to transition to the next right thing.  

What eases that swan dive into the great unknown? Knowing your strengths, knowing your values, knowing what you want and surrounding yourself with others at that same stage of business and season of life. So that when the going gets tough you can look around and have support to ...

Breakthrough Comfort Zones:

If you're lover of off-the-grid travel and global design as much as I am — than you know part of that spirit is intentional living. Consciously choosing to try new things, take in different cultures, indulge the five senses, and experience less as more. Enter friend and fellow creative entrepreneur, Ana Maria Munoz.

While you may recognize Ana Maria from her former online product based business, Ring Cozy, or her exquisitely curated storefront in North Carolina, Port of Raleigh, you may not know the story of how both were born during times of major transition. The first whilst traveling abroad (she's lived on 5 continents) and the latter while pregnant with her first baby, Hazel.

But what stands out most about this woman? Not only her talent and tenacity as a photographer, a blogger, a product creator, and now a brick and mortar shop owner (she's introduced over two dozen design-driven brands to North Carolina) but her appreciation for how interconnected every leg of the journey has been.

And it's that perspective, that everything is everything, that's allowed her to pivot with grace and gratitude.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Living intentionally in the fleeting time we have; in the homes we inhabit

• What growing up in Southern California to Colombian parents taught her

• When she was a traveling blogger, photographer, and vintage find maven

• How living on 5 continents helped her break out of her comfort zones

• The time she struggled with the "creative's dilemma" & finding her "thing"

• How her former product based business, Ring Cozy, attracted its ideal audience

• Why she felt secretly disconnected and disengaged from her buyers

• When she knew she was emotionally ready to close the business

• The inconvenient timing of opening her retail space at 6months pregnant

• When she finally came to accept the "new normal" of motherhood

• How she batches her days, manages expectations, and zones out with purpose

• Why her husband is her biggest support and the #1 thing he told her that made all the difference

• The assumptions we make about online businesses versus the behind-the-scenes reality

• Where her strengths and desires show up as more Ambivert than Introvert or Extrovert

• How she balances the masculine/feminine as a wife versus a boss babe

• Her thoughts on Minimalists versus minimally designed pieces

• How listening to her intuition has changed over the years and what she hopes to teach her daughter

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights from Ana Maria Munoz

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Ana Maria: Port of Raleigh Instagram , Ana Maria Instagram

• Port of Raleigh: Website 

• Netflix Documentary: Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things

• Podcast: The Minimalists Podcast

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

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• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ dreamcatchersdistrict.com . (I read 'em all, ya'll!)

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Today on the Podcast, Guest Alex Albrecht:

If you're anything like most creative entrepreneurs (or living and breathing humans) than you may have, at one time or another, held yourself back; too scared to "put yourself out there."

Despite all of your talents and gifts, needs and desires, capabilities and smarts — you may have been playing it "safe" for fear of what others might think or say.

And in this internet age, honestly, it's understandable. But, as coaching clients will tell you and what we say here all the time, "just because it's understandable doesn't mean it's useful."

Stop Being a Thief:

See, the challenge with indulging these types of universal and understandable fears? It robs you of all the joy you were born to experience; it robs us of all the creations you were born to express. But worse?

It robs everyone of all the connection we were each born to share. And it's that loneliness behind the screen, that disconnection, that causes so much compare-despair and "scroll suffering" like we talked on Instagram.

Time for us all  to get out of our own way and creatively contribute more than we compare; more than we critique. Consider this week's episode your invitation to learn how to ...

Take Nothing Personally & Live for Today:

If you're an avid podcast listener or web show gazer than you likely know Alex from his wildly popular online shows Diggnation, The Totally Rad Show, and Half Hour Happy Hour with Alison and Alex on Nerdist.

You may even recognize him from appearances on NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, hosting Blizzcon, or speaking at SXSW.  And if you attended a past live Dreamcatchers District event in LA, then you maybe even asked him a question during our panel discussion on Flow.

What you may not know, is that this man's real super power is his uncanny ability to be exactly who he is whether offstage or on. Enthusiastic, multi-passionate, solutions focused — Alex is the walking definition of failing fast, feeling free, and fostering fun. He's also one of the kindest and most generous spirits, I know.

Traits that, no doubt, have set him up for continued success and satisfaction in entertainment as well as entrepreneurship. Because that type of "YES" leadership, my friends, is infectious. May we all catch it.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Why he has thousands of unused business cards

• The $10 visioning exercise he does twice a year

• Where his optimism and "possibility" thinking comes from

• What he's not good at and the gears he doesn't have

• When his buddy put to words his own unconscious belief

• The chance meeting that started his hosting career

• Why the entertainment industry is a frustrating paradox

• The time he struggled to figure out "Who I Am"

• When he first learned to take nothing personally

• Why it's never the "right time" to have kids, to travel, to start

• What his marriage has taught him over the years about himself and others

• How to not put your "stank" on failure and keep your momentum

• Why most people put on "reward blinders" and how to take them off

• The #1 thing he believes you cannot succeed without

• How he books himself solid and psyches himself up before big gigs

• What he's learned working with people of extreme fame

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights from Alex Albrecht 

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Alex: Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Website

• Where You've Seen Him: Diggnation , Totally Rad Show , Rachel Maddow , Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

• Currently Hosts: Half Hour Happy Hour with Alison and Alex on Nerdist , Blizzcon 

• People Mentioned: Kevin Rose (Digg) , Tim Ferris (4 Hour Work Week), Gary Vaynerchuk (Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook), Timothy Omundson (Psych)

• Funny or Die Episode: What it's like Meeting People in LA

• Past Guest: Heather Stewart: Episode 002 "How to Love Yourself & Go Pro"

• The Dreamcatchers District Creative Direction: For Your Beliefs and Business, Ask Me How

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!

• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? 

• A guest you want interviewed?

• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ dreamcatchersdistrict.com . (I read 'em all, ya'll!)

• Or if you're on the Anchor App, "Call In" to our Anchor Radio Station and ask your question there!