The Creative Outsiders

Erica Williams Simon is an award-winning strategist, author, creative and entrepreneur. As the founder and former Head of Snapchat’s Creator’s Lab, Erica creates conversations that help a diverse, digital native generation tell new stories about “who we are and how we want to live”. Her work incorporates elements of her multi-industry career to surface countercultural wisdom for work, life and social impact.

Through her company Sage House, a strategic content, experience and consulting firm Erica works with clients like Spotify, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and countless creative partners to bring big ideas to life. She is also host of the popular podcast The Call with Erica. 

Previously, Simon worked as Senior Editor and Creative Director of Upworthy.com and as a columnist for TIME.com.

On This Episode:

• Do you think our identity being rooted in what we do prevents us from moving and showing up in spaces that we are needed in?

Connect with us: 

Shivawn Mitchell (host) www.shivawnmitchell.com 

Erica Williams Simon (guest) https://www.ericawilliams.com/ 

Letisha Bereola is an Emmy nominated TV News Anchor in Jacksonville, Florida. With 10+ experience in the news industry, Letisha has covered everything from national championships and hurricanes as an MMJ to the anchor seat. Letisha is the host and producer of the podcast AUDACITY: Unlocking the secrets of the Bold where she interviews entrepreneurs, creatives, thought leaders and artists about how they cultivated the audacity to go after their dreams. Her faith in Jesus is the center of her life and helps her show up everyday as a mom of two, wife and news anchor who is determined to use her platform to inspire people to live a life purpose.

On This Episode We Cover: 

• Finding our voice in a noisy space how do you show up as your authentic self as a storyteller.

Connect with Us: 

Host: Shivawn Mitchell www.shivawnmitchell.com 

Guest Latisha Bereola https://www.instagram.com/letishatv/ 

Christina Jones is a creative director and producer with a strong background in graphic design & branding, film production and marketing. She has traveled nationally and internationally, collaborating with brands such as Showtime Sports, TOGETHXR and House of Athlete to direct and produce creative content. She's recently founded a brand titled "Creatives Are Essential" which showcases the importance of individuals in creative fields and creates resources for people to grow by developing ideas, collaborating with others and learning to rest.

On This Episode We Discuss : 

• Why Creatives are Essential 

Connect with us: 

www.thecreativeoutsiders.com 

https://www.strytlrs-creative.com/ 

Avril Z. Speaks is a producer, director and film educator based in Los Angeles. She produced the critically-acclaimed feature film Jinn, which won the Special Jury Prize for Writing at SXSW and

What we discussed on this episode? 

How did you pursue film? What were your actionable steps? 

Why do you think we don’t see more women in the space of producing and what skills do you need to wear that hat? How do we show up better? 

Faith and Creativity. I saw that you studied, Theology and Film, why was this important for you to study the two together and how has it shaped your creativity? 

Is it important for us to apply for producer labs or fellowships? What does this do for our careers? 

Do you have to move to LA to be successful in film as a producer/or director? 

What stories are important for you to tell now and why?

Connect with us

Avril Speaks 

Shivawn Mitchell - Host & The Creative Outsiders 

SHANNAN E. JOHNSON is the ultimate accountability partner. After grad school she became a junior creative executive at NBCUniversal at the Syfy Channel. I was there for the rebrand. Remember Sci Fi? Yeah, not really. Anywho, it was her job to help writers and producers take their ideas from pitch to production. She co-exec'd on Alphas, Being Human, Haven, Sanctuary, Warehouse 13, and more Syfy dramedies. This is how she honed my skill in all stages of the screenwriting process. She started her own script consulting company, The Professional Pen. Her clients include emerging screenwriters to established actors, directors, showrunners and producers. She's judged screenplay competitions and sat on festival panels, consulted on a plethora of scripts, and garnered several editing credits. 

Our Host for this Episode is Brittany White a modern-day visionary. Using a unique brand of faith, funny and down to earth realness, Brittany aspires to show women that you can have it all without sacrificing your faith, family or career.

On This Episode We Cover: 

1. Your career path defines versatility…you’ve worked in education, tv/film and as an actress/singer/dancer. How did you decide it was time for a career switch and were you ever fearful of taking the leap from one career path to another?

Let's get social 

Myah Naomi Lipscomb was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Adelphi, Maryland as the only child of Sylvester and Chandra Lipscomb. She was taught at the early age of three to be an individual and it eventually became apart of her identity to whole-heartedly and unapologetically be herself.  After graduating from Eleanor Roosevelt high school in Greenbelt, Maryland, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Tennessee State University.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science/ Pre-Veterinary Medicine.  After working as a veterinary assistant for a year and half, she realized that her passion lied elsewhere and that life was too short not to fulfill her dreams. She has always had a strong creative side that she’s expressed through dance, writing, acting, videography, and editing. In December of 2014, she took a leap of faith toward her passion and decided to pursue a career in television and film. She attended Lipscomb University and graduated with her Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in Film & Creative Media in December 2017.

Myah’s passion for television and film comes from the desire to create content that positively represents people of color, especially women of color, in a respectable manner. She is the creator of an award winning scripted television comedy series, #WeirdMYAH, and is currently in the process of getting it picked up by a television network or streaming platform. She currently works as a freelance director, cinematographer, and editor for individuals, artists, musicians, events, businesses, and local television stations.

Podcast Guest Host: Brittany White is a modern-day visionary. Using a unique brand of faith, funny and down to earth realness, Brittany aspires to show women that you can have it all without sacrificing your faith, family or career.

Nicknamed “Every girl’s best friend”, Brittany’s humor and realness has allowed her to connect to women all over the country through an active and engaging social media presence. She understands that social media can be used as a source to bring women together and uses it to inspire and encourage women around the world. 

The vision of Brittany J. White Inc. is to spread the love of Christ through both her media company “Pretty Funny Ent.” and her non-profit organization “The Leah Project Inc.”

Get Social with The Creative Outsiders

or visit our Instagram / YouTube Channel 

K. Elle Jones is an Amazon Bestselling author, award-winning entrepreneur, Personal Brand Consultant, filmmaker, and media-savvy expert, with more than 25+ years experience in media, entertainment, branding, marketing & advertising, working with top brands including Victoria’s Secret, Bath + Body Works, and Cigna Healthcare.

Her brand positioning, presence (on-and-offline), and messaging has helped her land lucrative brand partnership deals, and garnered her both local and national media attention, including CBS, The Tamron Hall Show, VoyageLA, LA Talk Radio, and more.

She’s currently in production on her live Docuseries, “The Beauty Behind The Brand Live,” a 12-episode, original television series produced by, ELLEvate NOW Creative Media, her production company, and LMK Entertainment.

Elle consults with entrepreneurs, business owners, female founders and community leaders on how to build a powerful, legacy-driven personal brand, share their message with more people, and elevate their credibility, impact and profitability, leveraging the power of storytelling, video, brand marketing + distribution.

On This Episode We Cover: 

• Navigating the middle of the journey 

Get Social with Us

You can learn more about Elle and her creative agency + video production company at www.ellevatenow.com or on Instagram 

You can learn more about TCO and their production company at www.thecreativeoutsiders.com or on Instagram 

Lamide Akintobi is an award winning journalist and television personality with several years of experience in front of and behind the camera. She has a B.A in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish from Texas A&M University – Commerce, and an M.A in International Journalism from City University, London, where she was a British Council Chevening Scholar.

She has worked as a news anchor, producer and reporter at Channels TV and TVC News and as a Presenter/Producer with Ebonylife TV, which broadcasts across Africa and in the UK. She also worked with Red Media as a host on the show "Church Culture" and has worked as a freelance producer for CNN International since 2018. Lamide has also served as a producer/coordinator on independent documentaries and as a project/content acquisition manager.

She has moderated panels at the Nigerian Entertainment Conference, Ake Festival, Union Bank Annual Education Conference, & She Leads Africa Festival, among many others. In addition, she is an event host, working with clients such as Union Bank and Google Nigeria, a content consultant, and documentary maker.

On This Episode: 

Finding your Footing as a Storyteller

Networking & Connections 

Producing out of Necessity 

Freelance Production 

Your Responsibility as a Storyteller 

Get Social with Us: 

Lamide Akintobi : Instagram Website

The Creative Outsiders : Instagram  Website 

Charlotte Betts Lomé Togo, raised in Canada’s capital , Ottawa and currently call a quiet suburb outside of Chicago home.

If there is only one thing you need to know about her, it is this — She's a storyteller through and through. and passionate about helping  people and businesses make an impact through digital storytelling.

Her creative (writing) journey began in 1990 thanks to a book by La Comptesse de Ségur entitled “ Après la pluie le beau temps” she fell in love with Ségur’s ability to transport me to France through words and vowed one day to do the same.

Today, that vow has helped her serve individuals by bridging the gap between their stories and their audience, through the use of effective and impactful storytelling. 

Get Social With Us 

Charlotte Betts - www.instagram.com/pintsizefaithmedia or Website or www.instagram.com/charlotteabetts 

Shivawn Mitchell - www.thecreativeoutsiders.com or www.shivawnmitchell.com & IG