Everyday Talent Podcast

How many coaches does it take to map out the roadmap for an  engaged, candid conversation? On today’s episode, I sat down with my coaching teachers, Donna Forde and Maggie Coulter from PeopleDynamics Learning Group. They explore the significance of candid conversations in both personal and professional contexts. The discussion delves into the essential ingredients for effective communication, including presence, compassion, and curiosity. They also share how these principles can enhance creativity, navigate overwhelm, and the power of metaphor in understanding and expressing our experiences. 

Don’t miss out on this deep dive on the art of communication intersecting with creativity!

Highlights: 

00:00 Intro

08:50 Key Ingredients for Candid Conversations

11:46 Applying Candid Principles to Creativity

19:04 Navigating Overwhelm in Conversations

23:05 The Power of Metaphor 

28:01 The Importance of Presence in Leadership

32:33 Integrating Coaching Skills into Personal Life

36:25 Maggie and Donna’s Unique Coaching Approaches and Offerings

45:40 Daily Practices for Self-Management and Presence

This episode is also available on Youtube. Watch it here:

www.youtube.com/@bettyxcoach

About the Guests:

Maggie Coulter:

Maggie Coulter is Co-Principal of PeopleDynamics Learning Group (PDLG), an Executive Coach and a member of PDLG’s faculty of their ICF-accredited Business Coaching Advantage Program™.  

While not limited to this area of focus, Maggie specializes in career and leadership coaching for people who have experienced past trauma that may hold them back in the present. 

As a trauma-informed coach, Maggie's role is to listen and hear who people really are and who they're becoming - and support them to see beyond the limiting beliefs and constraints of past trauma.

Donna Forde:

Donna Forde is a principal partner with PeopleDynamics Learning Group (PDLG) and serves as a lead faculty of the International Coach Federation (ICF) accredited Business Coaching Advantage Program™. She brings over two decades of experience in leadership and organizational development, a rich background in individual and team coaching plus extensive facilitation expertise to her work as an executive coach, supervisor, and mentor.

For over two decades Donna has developed a proven track record in supporting leaders to achieve meaningful change in their professional and personal lives. Through an intentional practice of fostering inclusion and belonging her work integrates systemic practice, somatic theory, relationship dynamics and developmental psychology. 

Connect with Maggie and Donna at People Dynamics Learning Group: 

https://peopledynamicslearning.com/

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

*FREE Resource* A 10-Day Challenge and Guide for You to Increase Your Creative Service Rate with Confidence:  https://www.xiebetty.com/worthmore

Do you have an itch to start a podcast? What is the life of a podcaster actually like? I interviewed Kyle Leung, a podcaster dedicated to amplifying the voices of the Asian diaspora. Kyle shares his journey of starting the 'What Kind of Asian Are You' podcast, the evolution of Asian storytelling, and the challenges he faces as a content creator. 

Together, we dive deep into the importance of personal boundaries in sharing stories, the right motivations for starting a podcast, and practical tips for aspiring podcasters. Kyle also shares his future aspirations, including building a community around Cantonese culture.

00:00 Intro

04:13 The Inspiration Behind 'What Kind of Asian Are You?'

08:01 The Evolution of Asian Storytelling

10:47 Challenges in Podcast Creation

24:28 Overcoming the Fear of Imperfection

29:50 Benchmarking Success for Podcast

34:10 Minimalist Approach to Start Podcasting

37:09 What’s next for Kyle

This episode is also available on Youtube. Watch it here:

www.youtube.com/@bettyxcoach

About Kyle

Kyle is a 1.5 gen Hong Kong Chinese Canadian diaspora that grew up in Canada but now lives in Singapore with his wife and two kids. He works a typical 9-5 corporate job. On the side, as a hobby, he runs his own podcast, “What Kind of Asian Are You?”, a podcast featuring conversations about being Asian. In the podcast, he talks with guests of Asian background and from the diaspora that got a story to tell. Past guests include, entertainers, creatives, entrepreneurs, writers, musicians, academics and more. The mission for the podcast is to help highlight and elevate Asian diaspora voices that are often overlooked or misrepresented by the mainstream western media. It is a project that was born from Kyle being tired of not seeing and hearing Asian voices from the diaspora that he relates to or believes others should know about.

Listen to What Kind of Asian Are You here

https://open.spotify.com/show/0vSqGIRXpJozlfiCDjpv5K

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/what-kind-of-asian-are-you/id1531615451

Instagram @whatkindofasianpod

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

Subscribe to Passionate Enough, an e-newsletter for creative people refusing to compromise their life and wellbeing for aimless hustles. Be passionate enough and have a fulfilling career.

www.xiebetty.com/enews

*FREE Resource* A 10-Day Challenge and Guide for You to Increase Your Creative Service Rate with Confidence:  https://www.xiebetty.com/worthmore

We're diving into a topic that stirs up a lot of mixed feelings: the "starving artist" mindset. That belief that real art has to come with sacrifice—financial and otherwise. Together, we’re taking a hard look at how this mindset seeps into our creative work, influencing how we see our own worth and what we’re "allowed" to earn.

AND I won’t leave you hanging without giving you some resources on this topic related to money. Check out my new FREE resource: Worth More - a 10-day challenge and guide for you to increase your creative service rate 

https://www.xiebetty.com/worthmore

Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction to the Starving Artist Mindset

03:56 Understanding the Starving Artist Mindset

06:05 The Irony of Money Fixation

09:36 The Vicious Cycle of Being Chronically Underpaid

14:20 Separating Self-Worth from Income

This episode is also available on Youtube. Watch it here:

www.youtube.com/@bettyxcoach

*FREE Resource* A 10-Day Challenge and Guide for You to Increase Your Creative Service Rate with Confidence:  https://www.xiebetty.com/worthmore

LIMITED TIME FREE MASTERMIND: I’ve partnered with business expert Adam Flores. On November 11 to 12, he’s delivering LIVE Mastermind on how to grow your business through his signature virtual events method. Along with that, a series of BONUS workshops on business development and marketing. One of the workshops is delivered by yours truly on money mindset!  Register here today:

https://smartbusiness.events/Betty-Xie

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

Subscribe to Passionate Enough, an e-newsletter for creative people refusing to compromise their life and wellbeing for aimless hustles. Be passionate enough and have a fulfilling career.

www.xiebetty.com/enews

Ever felt overwhelmed by the 'M' word (money!)? 🙋‍♀️ As creatives, we often navigate a tricky relationship with finances. It's not just about the numbers; it's about the emotional baggage, the lack of formal training, and the unpredictable nature of our work. But what if we could change the narrative?

Today, I'm thrilled to have Owais Lightwala on the show. He's not just a tech startup founder, but also a professor, theater producer, and the director of a multidisciplinary performance hub. Owais shares his fascinating career journey and the inspiration behind his startup, SAI, a platform designed to empower creators to take control of their finances.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00 Intro
• 03:00 Owais's Multifaceted Career: From Theater to Tech
• 06:30 The Unexpected Path: When Passion Meets Rebellion
• 09:00 The Birth of SAI: Empowering Creators Through Financial Control
• 13:30 The Unique Financial Challenges of the Creative Life
• 18:30 Breaking the Taboo: It's Okay Not to Be 'Good' with Money
• 24:30 The Juggling Act: Finding Balance in a Multi-Passionate Life
• 32:00 Embracing AI: The Future of Creativity & Opportunity
• 38:30 The Specialist vs. the Generalist: Finding Your Unique Value
• 43:00 Connect with Owais & SAI

This episode is also available on Youtube. Watch it here:

www.youtube.com/@bettyxcoach

About Owais: 

Owais Lightwala is a professor, entrepreneur and optimist. He is an Assistant Professor in the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, focusing on entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation in creative industries. He co-founded and leads Sai, a tech startup dedicated to revolutionizing how creatives manage their finances. Lightwala is also the founding Director of Chrysalis at the Creative School, a new multidisciplinary performance hub at TMU shaping the future of creative experiences. He has designed and led leadership training programs for the National Arts Centre and the Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab (2023-2025). He used to be a theatre producer, most notably as the first Managing Director for Why Not Theatre, where he co-led the meteoric growth of the company and transformative projects like RISER and The Mahabharata. He was born in Pakistan, grew up in Dubai, and came to Canada as a teenager, which is why he doesn’t get most pop cultural references from the 90s. His bold strategic voice have been sought out by institutions like National Arts Centre, Canada Council for the Arts, and Canadian Heritage.  

Connect with Owais

Check out Sai 

https://sai.cx/

Website: https://owais.ca 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lightwala

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

Subscribe to Passionate Enough, an e-newsletter for creative people refusing to compromise their life and wellbeing for aimless hustles. Be passionate enough and have a fulfilling career.

www.xiebetty.com/enews

*FREE Resource* Discover your creative career archetype today: https://www.xiebetty.com/quiz

Have you ever felt that nagging feeling that something's just not right in your career? That maybe you're on the wrong path, even if it's one you've invested time and effort into? Today's guest, Nedda Sarshar, knows that feeling all too well. Once on the path to becoming a lawyer, Nedda made a bold leap to follow her passion for filmmaking.

Nedda's journey is a testament to the power of trusting your gut and embracing uncertainty. She shares her experiences navigating the challenges of career reinvention, from facing societal expectations to finding stability while pursuing her creative dreams. Nedda's story reminds us that it's never too late to listen to your inner voice and create a career that truly fulfills you. 

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00 Intro
• 02:45 - Nedda's Early Career Aspirations and Challenges
• 07:30 - The Importance of Trusting Your Gut and Carving Your Own Path
• 15:30 - The Impact of Honesty on Nedda's Writing
• 19:00 - Navigating the Transition from Law to Filmmaking
• 26:30 - Balancing a Day Job with Creative Pursuits
• 35:00 - The Importance of Stability and Flexibility in a Creative Career
• 42:00 - Nedda's Film "Unibrow" and Future Aspirations
• 49:30 - How to Connect with Nedda

This episode is also available on Youtube. Watch it on our Youtube Channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/@bettyxcoach

About Nedda: 

Nedda Sarshar is an Irani-Canadian writer and filmmaker based out of the Greater Toronto Area. Her work has garnered international and national recognition. Her short film, Unibrow, is an Oscar-eligible film that won Best Jury Award for Live Action at the New York International Children Film Festival and has been accepted to other Academy-Award and Canadian Screen Award Qualifying film festivals. Nedda is the recipient of the Outstanding Female Filmmaker Award at the McMinnville Festival and the winner of Reel Asian Film Festival's So You Think You Can Pitch Contest. Her first short film, Rachel and Raha, won Best Short Film at the Toronto LGBT Film Festival and Best LGBT Film at the Toronto Short Film Festival.  She is also a published writer, with her poetry recognized in the Best Canadian Poetry series and her short story, Soap, shortlisted for the Peter Hinchcliffe's Short Fiction Award. She loves telling stories about diasporas, identity crisis’ and star-crossed lovers.

Connect with Nedda:

Website: http://www.neddasarshar.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nedsjan/?hl=en 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9862212/ 

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

Subscribe to Passionate Enough, an e-newsletter for creative people refusing to compromise their life and wellbeing for aimless hustles. Be passionate enough and have a fulfilling career.

www.xiebetty.com/enews

*FREE Resource* Discover your creative career archetype today: https://www.xiebetty.com/quiz

I am taking a brief hiatus for the summer and recharge. We’ll be back in the fall with more hot takes on creative career. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to you for your continued support and engagement. Stay tuned, stay creative, and enjoy your summer!

Connect with Us

Looking for 1:1 coaching support in the fall? Check out my two signature programs and book a call for September. 

xiebetty.com/coaching

What's your creative career archetype? Take this quiz embraced and loved by thousands of creatives. 

https://www.xiebetty.com/quiz

Enjoy your summer, and we can't wait to reconnect with you soon!

Have you ever wondered how therapists manage their busy schedules and avoid burnout? In this episode of Start Your Day With, I chat with Vera Cheng,a registered social worker, psychotherapist, seasoned speaker, and the founder of Talk Therapy with Vera.  Vera shares her experience transitioning from long, exhausting workdays to a more structured schedule that prioritizes her well-being.

Tune in to learn from Vera's experience and gain valuable insights for your own journey.

About Vera: 

Vera Cheng is a registered social worker, psychotherapist, seasoned speaker, and the founder of Talk Therapy with Vera. With over 15 years of devoted work in mental health and racialized communities, she is a leading expert in mental health and anti-Asian racism, featured in renowned media outlets such as CBC NEWS, CP24 and CTV NEWS. In addition, she partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association and featured in a provincial mental health campaign. 

As a Chinese-Canadian immigrant, she has honed her practice beyond therapy sessions into community engagement, advocacy and fighting against Asian hate. She is passionate about mental health awareness, primarily through anxiety, which she has struggled with. Sharing her journey helps reduce mental health stigma in the hopes of helping others overcome their struggles, too. 

Talk Therapy with Vera is deeply rooted in the "Healing Lens," with the anti-oppressive framework addressing anti-Asian racism through attachment, client-centred, self-compassionate and trauma-informed approaches. she engages with her clients collaboratively and empathically to improve their self-awareness and make positive, goal-directed life changes.

Connect with Vera and Work in Culture:

Website: https://talktherapywithvera.com 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/talktherapy.with.vera 

Facebook: https://facebook.com/talktherapy.with.vera 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/vera-cheng-rsw  

Email: [email protected] 

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

*FREE Resource* Discover your creative career archetype today: https://www.xiebetty.com/quiz

The Everyday Talent Podcast is produced by Betty Xie and Benice Detoon.

What's the difference between coaching and therapy? When is it best to seek therapy support, and when is it best to seek career coaching support?

I've certainly talked about this before, but I've always been curious about how a therapist would articulate the difference. So I invited Vera Cheng, a registered social worker, psychotherapist, and founder of Talk Therapy with Vera, to share her expertise.  In this episode, Vera opens up about her own healing journey and shares some really practical insights on how intergenerational trauma shows up in our career and life difficulties. We discuss how to distinguish between the healing work that we need to do going back to our childhood and how we can carry forward and get support. 

If you're struggling with intergenerational trauma, or if you're just curious about the difference between coaching and therapy, this episode is for you. 

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:01 What's the difference between coaching and therapy?
• 04:02 Vera's work as a therapist
• 06:17 Intergenerational trauma at work
• 08:51 Vera's healing journey
• 10:59 What does the healing process look like?
• 12:45 How to distinguish discomfort from being triggered
• 14:44 Building trust in a therapeutic relationship
• 16:58 Common trends in healing needs for Gen Z and millennials
• 19:38 Vera's mental health journey
• 22:59 Difference between a career coach and a therapist
• 27:41 What's next for Vera?

About Vera:

Vera Cheng is a registered social worker, psychotherapist, seasoned speaker, and the founder of Talk Therapy with Vera. With over 15 years of devoted work in mental health and racialized communities, she is a leading expert in mental health and anti-Asian racism, featured in renowned media outlets such as CBC NEWS, CP24 and CTV NEWS. In addition, she partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association and featured in a provincial mental health campaign.

Talk Therapy with Vera is deeply rooted in the "Healing Lens," with the anti-oppressive framework addressing anti-Asian racism through attachment, client-centred, self-compassionate and trauma-informed approaches. she engages with her clients collaboratively and empathically to improve their self-awareness and make positive, goal-directed life changes.

Connect with Vera and Work in Culture:

Website: https://talktherapywithvera.com 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/talktherapy.with.vera 

Facebook: https://facebook.com/talktherapy.with.vera 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/vera-cheng-rsw  

Email: [email protected] 

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

Subscribe to my e-news: Gentle Signals

https://xiebetty.ck.page/enews

*FREE Resource* Discover your creative career archetype today: https://www.xiebetty.com/quiz

The Everyday Talent Podcast is produced by Betty Xie and Benice Detoon.

How do you create work-life balance as a creative professional? In this minisode, Start Your Day With, we're chatting with Stephanie Draker, a Toronto-based arts manager, about her daily routines and rituals. Stephanie shares how she balances the demands of her work with her personal life, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and staying connected to her creative purpose. 

Tune in for practical tips and inspiration on how to create a fulfilling and sustainable work-life balance in the arts.

About Stephanie: 

Stephanie is a Toronto-based arts manager. Over the last 16 years she has worked at several prominent arts organizations and heritage institutions developing and implementing strategic projects and programs for a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders. Stephanie joined the Work in Culture team in 2015 and has since worked on numerous initiatives to support the career advancement of artists and arts workers throughout Ontario and beyond.

Connect with Stephanie and Work in Culture:

Website: https://workinculture.ca/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/workinculture 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinculture.ca/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workinculture 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@workinculture 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workinculture/ and https://ca.linkedin.com/in/stephaniedraker 

Email: [email protected] 

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

*FREE Resource* Discover your creative career archetype today: https://www.xiebetty.com/quiz

The Everyday Talent Podcast is produced by Betty Xie and Benice Detoon.

How do you navigate the twist and turns of a creative career?

It's not uncommon for artists to find themselves wearing multiple hats, shifting between creative roles and arts administration. My guest today, Stephanie Draker, shares her inspiring journey from being a working artist to becoming a successful arts manager. Stephanie's story is a testament to the power of transferable skills, resilience, and embracing the unexpected.

Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights into navigating career transitions in the arts, discover the importance of transferable skills, and find inspiration in Stephanie's journey of resilience and passion

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00:00 Intro 
• 00:01:56 Stephanie's Career Journey 
• 00:04:02 Twists and Turns in Stephanie's Career 
• 00:09:00 Moments of Transition to Arts Management 
• 00:11:18 Stephanie's Role at Work in Culture 
• 00:12:11 Common Pain Points Faced by Artists 
• 00:15:32 Staying Energized and Motivated 
• 00:18:22 Work in Culture's Role in the Future of Work 
• 00:22:50 The Entrepreneurial Spirit in the Arts 
• 00:23:46 Advice for Entering the Arts Sector 
• 00:28:06 The Love-Hate Relationship with the Arts 
• 00:28:27 How to Connect with Work in Culture

About Stephanie: 

Stephanie is a Toronto-based arts manager. Over the last 16 years she has worked at several prominent arts organizations and heritage institutions developing and implementing strategic projects and programs for a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders. Stephanie joined the Work in Culture team in 2015 and has since worked on numerous initiatives to support the career advancement of artists and arts workers throughout Ontario and beyond. 

Connect with Stephanie and Work in Culture:

Website: https://workinculture.ca/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/workinculture 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinculture.ca/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workinculture 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@workinculture 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workinculture/ and https://ca.linkedin.com/in/stephaniedraker 

Email: [email protected] 

About Betty

Betty Xie is a creative and career coach for creatives. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, arts leaders, and arts consultants to design and implement intentional growth in their practice so that they can make their art and make happier money. Check out her 1:1 coaching programs here: www.xiebetty.com/coaching

Subscribe to my e-news: Gentle Signals 

https://xiebetty.ck.page/enews

*FREE Resource* Discover your creative career archetype today: https://www.xiebetty.com/quiz

The Everyday Talent Podcast is produced by Betty Xie and Benice Detoon.