As a former creative agency owner turned wellness coach, Shawna Bigby-Davis explores the unique challenges faced by creative professionals. She discusses the connection between creativity and the nervous system, how stress manifests in the body, and the importance of self-regulation for maintaining mental and physical well-being. Drawing from her own journey of overcoming autoimmune diseases, Shawna shares practical insights on recognizing burnout, embracing imperfection, and building sustainable creative practices.

The App: https://yourdaily.health/Summary of Topics:

1.The Creative Brain-Body Connection – Why creativity is a full-body experience, not just a mental process.

2. Understanding Burnout – How chronic stress impacts creatives and why it’s essential to listen to the body’s signals.

3. Perfectionism and External Validation – The hidden cost of seeking approval and striving for flawlessness in creative work.

4. Breaking the Cycle of Stress – Practical strategies for self-regulation and stress management.

5. Sustainable Creativity – How to balance professional demands while prioritizing personal well-being.

This episode is made possible thanks to Nightingale Lighting - Learn more

Kate explores the power of color in lighting design—how it shapes human experiences, evokes emotion, and influences spatial perception. Drawing from her background in theatrical and architectural lighting, she shares insights on the intentional use of color as a storytelling tool.

From museum exhibits to built environments, Kate discusses how light enhances materials, the cultural significance of color, and why thoughtful color selection is often more effective than color-changing lighting. Whether you're a designer, architect, or simply fascinated by how light impacts our world, this episode will change the way you see color.

Topics Covered

• Theatrical vs. architectural lighting design
• The emotional and psychological effects of color
• The role of daylight and natural color variations
• How historical architecture was designed with lighting in mind
• Using light to enhance materials rather than overpower them
• Cultural perceptions of color
• The importance of intentionality in color selection
• Technical advances in color lighting and controls
• Balancing aesthetics and practicality in lighting projects
• Sustainability and responsible color application in lighting

Key Takeaways

1. Color in lighting is more than just RGB. Color is present in all light, and even subtle shifts in white light can dramatically impact perception.
2. Lighting is a storytelling tool. The way color interacts with a space, material, and time of day shapes how people feel and engage with an environment.
3. Cultural and contextual meaning of color matters. Different cultures perceive colors differently, and designers must consider these associations when making choices.
4. Static vs. dynamic color use. Not all projects require dynamic color-changing lighting; sometimes, carefully selecting a fixed hue is more effective.
5. Lighting design is a team effort. Successful implementation requires collaboration between lighting designers, architects, and other stakeholders.

This conversation explores the impact of lighting on human health. Kevin Houser, Professor at Oregon State University and Lead Engineer at the Pacifica Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), discusses how circadian lighting and human-centric design influence well-being, the latest research on non-visual responses to light, and the industry’s challenge in balancing scientific rigor with practical application. The conversation also addresses the risks of over-quantifying lighting metrics too soon and the need for continued research and adaptation.

How is AI reshaping the world of lighting design? This episode explores how technology transforms creativity, productivity, and collaboration in the industry. Dive deep into how AI tools are helping designers make data-driven decisions, streamline workflows, and push the boundaries of what's possible. We also tackle the ongoing challenges of aligning budgets with bold design visions and fostering collaboration between architects, engineers, and lighting professionals. If you’re curious about the trends shaping the future of design, this episode is a must-listen!

Where They Work:

Lisa - https://akld.net/

Jay - https://www.wsp.com/en-us/

Michael - https://hlblighting.com/

Reinhardt - https://www.smithgroup.com/

Topics we explore:

• Challenges in the Lighting Design Industry- Exploring New Approaches To Design
• The Role of Collaboration- AI and Technology in Design- Delivering Quality Work
• Impact of Design on Human Experience- Pricing and Procurement Pain Points
• The Demands For Circularity

Key Takeaways:

• The shift from traditional drawings to holistic project visualization and its impact on design.
• Quality, transparency, and budget alignment are important in collaborative design processes.
• The evolution of architecture and engineering as a creative discipline.

• Practical advice for fostering meaningful collaboration between designers, engineers, and stakeholders.

Dive into the essential role of nonprofits in the design industry, examining how they fill gaps, serve mission-driven purposes, and create community impact. Andrea and Christopher discuss key themes like leadership, the importance of mission alignment, and the future outlook for nonprofits in creative spaces. If you've ever wondered about the purpose of nonprofits in design and how they bridge social impact with creativity, this is a must-listen episode.

Do you ever wish your client, the owner would just get it? Design has many different languages that might not always be easy to communicate across the table - but there are tools to do that. Cecilia Ramos, Senior Director of Architectural Markets for Lutron opens up a conversation about Luxury and how it can be a common thread that many can relate to. Explore her thoughts and be inspired to take a new approach when it comes to connecting with others to bring an otherwise (and unknowingly brilliant) experience to life.

When you understand what you want to do, and get to play with what you love - it's hard to consider it a job. David Warfel has built a design team of nearly a dozen professionals in a space that has largely never considered the value of design fees when it comes to 'good lighting'. As a pioneer in connecting with AV integrators and homeowners directly through the CEDIA channel, he's opening doors faster than people can run through them. Dive into this new exciting space and get excited about how many more are excited (about lighting design!)

The lighting industry has gone through a few evolutions, and the pathway from design to final delivery is undeniably one of them. Gone are the "transactional" days of interchangeable parts + pieces like lamps and ballasts -- for better or worse, today's lighting equipment has become unique and specialized, and staying at the forefront of change requires a new way of thinking about supply. Enter design-minded supply teams like Illuminate in Philadelphia, where Kimberly King works as a project designer and communication bridge from concept to completion. Join us as Kimberly talks us through some ways complex design outcomes can be achieved by rethinking partnerships and processes in today's evolving lighting landscape.

Born of the Black Lives Matter movement, Equity in Lighting's overarching mission is to equip the lighting industry with the ability to design for everyone — not just the white, neurotypical person that today's technology and practices have come to serve the best. Join us as Elaine Cook, Co-Founder of Equity in Lighting, talks to us about why they founded EIL and how their goals and strategies continue to evolve as new needs are recognized. From educational programming to research to outreach and more, learn how EIL is working to move the needle toward a brighter future for all.

What if the lighting system in any given space could be your teammate? What if it could help cue you, guide you, inform you, and help you achieve your goals? That's one way Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Senior Lighting Researcher Andrea Wilkerson sees lighting through the lens of her career in lighting research and analysis. Andrea believes that digging into data is the key to unlocking much of the promised potential of the digital lighting age, and she explains why you don't need a Ph.D. to do it! Listen in and learn how we can all contribute to the growing body of knowledge by embracing the power of research-informed design.