My guest is Aaron Calafato, an award-winning storyteller, narrative designer, and content strategist, for some of the world’s fastest growing companies. His podcast, 7 Minute Stories, is autobiographical and extemporaneous — the man writes nothing down — and has achieved a cult following, reaching more than 30 million people worldwide. When he’s not telling seven-minute stories, he’s also the co-creator, co-producer, and co-host of Glassdoor’s The Lonely Office podcast, which has quickly become a Top 50 Career Podcast.

Aaron is a master at adapting. If the world tells him no, he turns it into a resounding yes, usually by telling a story. Who else can turn crushing student debt into a successful one-man show performed for three years across the country? He’s resourceful, resilient, and like me, a fellow believer in the power story.

Takeaways:

• The impact of personal stories can transcend individual experiences.
• The more specific a story is the more universal it can become.
• Believe in yourself and your work.
• Creativity often requires sacrifice and always requires courage.

Resources:

Listen to 7 Minute Stories.

Subscribe to Aaron’s YouTube Channel.

Follow him on instagram @aaroncalafato.

SC Perot is the perfect guest for these trying times. She’s the author of the USA Today bestselling book Styles of Joy, which prompts readers to examine joy in their own lives. And while the book is about joy, it sprang from a place of deep grief. After leaving her corporate law career, then enduring a divorce, which resulted in losing family, friends, and her dog, and reeling in a post-pandemic world, SC experienced a tidal wave of loss. She found solace in walking and while she walked she listened to the uplifting music of Harry Styles. Before she knew it, she was seeing 17 Harry Styles concerts across five countries in 10 months. SC not only transformed from a Stanford-educated, rule-following corporate lawyer into a bedazzled, boa-wearing fan girl, dancing in a mosh pit with complete strangers, but she also rediscovered her joy — and her creativity — in the process.

Takeaways

• It takes courage to let go of societal expectations and pursue a path that brings joy and fulfillment,
• Throwing out the rulebook can lead to profound personal joy
• Community and connection are what sustain us
• And it is critical to protect one's joy in the face of challenges, now more than ever.

Resources

• Learn more about SC here.
   
• Follow her on instagram @scperot
   
• And buy her book "Styles of Joy" from Interabang Books!
   

Our guest, Barry Dean, is a double threat. Not only is he a writer of No.1 country and pop songs but he's also the CEO of Luci, a company dedicated to creating smart wheelchair technology for individuals with disabilities, like his daughter Catherine. Our conversation is one of the most compelling we've had on the show -- he's a fantastic, funny, and wise storyteller. He talks about his journey from aspiring rock star (at 19 he "ran out of brave") to businessman and shadow artist to songwriter (not starting until his mid-30s) and then CEO in a new-to-him industry where he challenged the entrenched powers-that-be, and helped to create innovative technology that is changing lives. HIs curiosity, creative process, and courage are beyond inspiring.  
 

Takeaways:

• creativity is an act of courage
   
• beware of being a shadow artist, someone who encourages other people to be creative, but who doesn't pursue their own creative potential
   
• it's never too late to step into your passion
   
• collaboration in music and in life is about listening and finding shared truths
   
• personal experiences, especially those related to family, are often the catalyst for some of our most compelling creative endeavors. 
   

Resources:

• Follow Barry on instagram @thebarrydean
   
• Learn more about his music at creativenationmusic.com
   
• Check out Luci and learn more about smart wheelchair technology
   
• And watch God's Will, which Rolling Stone listed as one of the saddest country music songs of all time. And here's Moving Oleta. Get ready to cry.

In this episode, I talk with documentarian Abby Epstein about her creative journey becoming a theater and film director and women’s health advocate. A co-creator of the landmark film, The Business of Being Born, Abby tells honest women’s stories — from periods to menopause and everything in between. She shares her experiences in creating compelling documentaries, the importance of creative partnerships, and the challenges faced when your creativity rocks society's boat. Abby also talks about her new project, Midlife Monologues, which explores the narratives surrounding women in midlife and is sure to start another movement. Both curious and fearless, Abby takes on the status quo and her work is essential to making sure women’s stories are truthfully told.

Takeaways:

• If there’s a fork in the road, take the path where you can learn something new
• Creative partnerships are key to making your best work
• If you’re challenging the status quo, be prepared for backlash

Art has a profound ripple effect on society and individual lives

• And don’t underestimate the power of your creative work to make a difference.

Resources:

• Follow Abby on Instagram @abbyepsteinxoxo
   
• Learn more about her work at https://www.thebusinessof.life/
   
• And find out more about The Midlife Monologues on Instagram @midlifemonologues.

You can find ECHO FINCH and Adam and the Flood new album Chasing Gods everywhere you stream music but they would love if you try bandcamp too https://echofinch.bandcamp.com/album/chasing-gods-2

In this episode, I’ve invited three women on the show who also happen to be my dear friends — they don’t know each other, but I’ve known them for decades. And in this past year, I’ve watched each of them explode with creativity. Carolyn Blank Cary published a cookbook, which became a mini memoir; Beth Huddleston developed an app introducing infants and toddlers to the sounds of languages and music from around the world; and Amy Meyers pivoted from a lifetime of executive recruiting and political consulting and started her own business, Mrs. Meyer’s Etiquette.

All of these women are over 60, which on its own is inspirational. But more importantly, they’re using their creativity for connection — to create a world where people are kinder to one another, understand one another, and break bread with one another.

Takeaways:

• your childhood interests will likely turn out to be your adult passions
• no one will have as much excitement for your project as you do, so take ownership of it if you want it done well
• you may feel overwhelmed pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, but you’ll also feel alive
• and either go big or go home.

Resources:

• Follow Carolyn Blank Cary on Instagram @cbc233 or at @carolyncooksandsocanyou -- DM her if you'd like a copy of her cookbook!
   
• Learn more about Beth Huddeston and download her firstSounds app at firstSounds.com
   
• And discover Amy Meyers and her services at mrsmeyersetiquette.com.
   

Vince Gill is a music icon, winning armloads of awards over his 50-year musical career, including 22 Grammys, 8 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 18 CMA awards. He’s collaborated with every possible country music great like Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire, but also music legends in other genres like Sting and Barbra Streisand. Along with his unforgettable tenor voice, Vince is an extraordinary guitar player, and has shared the stage with guitar legends like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, B. B. King, and Carlos Santana. He’s been playing with his good pal Joe Walsh and the Eagles for the past nine years, stepping in for the late Glenn Frey. But I asked Vince to be on the show because he continues to make courageous choices not only for his career but also for all of us, using his music to make the world a better place.

At 68, Vince believes he’s making the best music of his career. No matter where you are in your artistic journey, you will leave this conversation inspired.

Takeaways:

• Growth comes from stepping out of your comfort zone — something Vince continues to do
• The sure thing is not necessarily the right thing
• Don’t ever be the best musician in the band
• Stand by your beliefs even if everyone else is going in a different direction
• Success is not defined by charts or sales, but by respect from peers; and
• Kindness could solve every problem we have

Resources

Learn more about Vince and check out his tour schedule here.

Follow him on instagram @vincegillofficial.

Watch Vince perform:

• March On
• Go Rest High on That Mountain with Patty Loveless
• Every Breath You Take with Sting

See his vintage guitar collection here.

Find out more about Vince's friend Keb' Mo', an award-winning blues musician.

Learn more about The Sphere and go see Vince play with the Eagles!

And listen to Amy and Vince’s daughter Corrina sing her song Too Much. 

Devin Finigan, chef owner of Aragosta at Goose Cove in Maine, is an award-winning chef who never attended culinary school. In our conversation, she shares her unconventional journey into the culinary world, highlighting her passion for cooking, the artistic process behind plating a dish, and the importance of mentorship and travel in her growth as a chef. With unmatched enthusiasm, she discusses the challenges and lessons learned from opening her first restaurant, the importance of nature and seasonal ingredients in her cooking, and her determination to create a unique dining experience. Frankly, Devin could have written the No Time to be Timid Manifesto herself. Prepare to be inspired!

Take Aways

• Persistence is key in pursuing your dreams.
• Community support can make a significant difference.
• Courage is needed to embrace change and growth.
• The journey of entrepreneurship is filled with learning opportunities.
• Dreaming big can lead to unexpected adventures.

Resources

• Learn more about Chef Finigan and Aragosta at Goose Cove here.
   
• Follow them on instagram.
   

And other resources of note:

• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
   
• Eliot Coleman of Four Season Farm
   
• Dan Barber, Stone Barns
   
• Thomas Keller, Per Se

Shannon Cason is a master storyteller -- seen on Snap Judgment, TEDx, and The Moth stages to name a few -- and is the host of the podcast Homemade Stories. In his words, he's also a late bloomer, and with his trademark wit, wisdom, and incredible sense of timing, he shares how the right perspective can turn life's rough patches into life-changing art.

Check out Shannon's website. 

Watch his story Late Bloomer.

Don't miss My Father's Camera.

Learn from his TEDx talk.

And subscribe to his podcast Homemade Stories.

Starting Over with a Creative Life featuring Nell Painter

In this episode, we talk to the renowned historian and bestselling author Nell Painter, who left her wildly successful academic career to enter art school at the age of 65 — an experience she documented in her book, Old in Art School, A Memoir of Starting Over, which was named a National Book Critics Circle finalist. We talk about working with constraints, overcoming unfair criticism, healthy creative addictions like yarn and ink, and we even talk about the role of women without children. At 82, Nell shows no signs of slowing down. It’s an episode you don’t want to miss.

Takeaways:

• Age should never be a barrier to creativity.
• Role models can play a big part in your creative journey, especially for women.
• You shouldn’t listen to other people's views of yourself; it’s what you think about yourself that matters.
• Constraints are opportunities, which is a big part of the No Time to be Timid manifesto.

Resources:

Check out Nell’s website.

Follow her on instagram @nellpainter.

Depending on where you were in 2018, you may or may not remember former Nashville mayor Megan Barry’s story. The Washington Post’s headline said, “Megan Barry Resigns as Nashville Mayor, Weeks After Admitting Affair with the Security Chief” and The New York Times declared, “Megan Barry, Nashville Mayor, Pleads Guilty to Theft and Agrees to Resign.” It was a monumental lapse in judgment that played out on the national stage. Before this public reckoning and while she was still in office, Megan lost her only child Max to a drug overdose. So in one year, she lost two of the things she loved the most — her beloved son and her job as the mayor of Nashville. Grief, shame, and resentment nearly destroyed her marriage. But she found her way back with humility, hope, and a fantastic sense of humor. We talk about how writing her memoir “It’s What You Do Next” helped her process her trauma and heal, and the transformative power of creativity.

Takeaways

• Creativity can help you deal with grief and trauma in a healthy way.
• Writing can be a transformative experience.
• Surrounding yourself with people who know more than you do is the best way to learn.
• Deadlines can be helpful tools to complete your work.
• Grief can be absurd, and humor can help you navigate it; and lastly,
• Creativity is an act of service.

Resources

Learn more about Megan here. Buy her book!

Follow her on instagram @mayormeganbarry.