David Friedman from Tech Coast Angels joins Heather to chat about how creativity connects to innovation in business and why adding discipline to your creativity will help you grow.

How do we push past societal expectations of creative expression? Heather sits down with Claudia Canas, Associate Creative Director at Decoded Advertising. Canas shares how she breaks down a creative brief, out of the box thinking, ways to disrupt our patterns to encourage new ideas.

Becky Martens from South County Photo Club joins Heather for a discussion on overcoming creative block and the inner critic, keys to being more creative in your life, and how to incorporate creativity in your life through photography.

Maria Mayzenet shares about her artistic journey, how to defeat creative block, and ways to use improv to bring creativity into your everyday life.

Mayzenet is a full-time faculty member in the CTVR department of Saddleback College; she is also a professional actor, director, playwright, author and short film director and producer.

Niani Wiggins - Warrior, Servicewoman, Artist, Singer and Musician

The odds have not always favored her, but Niani Wiggins is a warrior. She was one out of three women in her naval academy class to graduate out of forty to graduate in her class and one of five African Americans.  She went on to go into a very male dominated field of electronics and engineering.  Being in the military taught her that she had to prove herself, despite any obstacles she might encounter.

Niani was successful in her career, but struggled with shutting off a crucial part of who she felt she was, in order to fit in. When she went through serious illness, she faced it with the same determination as she had with her military career. However, at this critical juncture in her life, she was forced to look at who she was a whole new way.

On her journey to wholeness, she met many challenges, but new doors opened to opportunities and fulfillment that she had not imagined in her wildest dreams.

In this episode of The Creative Muse, Niani shares her personal story on how the power creativity has gave her the strength, to fight against all odds.

Niani Wiggins showcases some of her unique artwork