The Daily Writer

As kids, we hear the word “No” constantly from other people. But when we become adults, it’s easy to get into the habit of “No” to ourselves. Why is that? It’s because we’re often afraid or stuck in a rut.

I’m thrilled to have a guest today who will help you stop saying “No” to all life has to offer, and instead begin saying YES to the possibilities. Tricia Brouk is a choreographer, director, writer, speaking coach, and so much more. She will knock your socks off with her wisdom and inspiration. This was one of my favorite interviews.

To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/088.

As a creative or artist, have you ever struggled with business? Do you love to create, but don’t like messing with the business side of things? Would you like to make more sales and put yourself in a better financial position?

If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’ll appreciate my guest today. His name is Dan McPherson, and he is a business leader and coach. He’ll share some of the secrets to earning your true value and learning to think like a business person even when it seems to go against your creative nature.

To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/087.

Have you ever noticed that some of the most important things we do in life are counterintuitive? They go against our human nature and feel uncomfortable to us.

Our guest on this episode is Stephanie Winslow, and she is going to share a lot of wisdom about letting go … which is counterintuitive and usually uncomfortable. As creatives, we like to have control, but she will share her powerful story of learning to give up control and finding some amazing blessings as a result. 

To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/podcast086.

It’s tempting to think of the creative life as a solitary endeavor. We picture an artist standing at an easel, a musician playing in a studio, or a writer sitting at a desk. But my guest today reminds us that it’s vital to build your community no matter what type of creative work you do.

Her name is Jennifer Harshman, and she is the owner of Harshman Services. Jennifer coaches and consults with subject-matter experts, communicators and other leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, and publishers so they can get helpful writing out into the world where it can do more good. Jennifer began editing professionally in 1992, has edited tens of thousands of pages, and now serves as a writing and publishing expert for publishers and independent authors alike. 

To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/podcast085.

Think about this simple yet complex question: What is the source of your identity as a person? Is it your DNA? Your family name? Your personality, talents, titles, or achievements?

My guest today gives us a surprising answer. He says that we are who we are because of our … memories.

His name is Casey Tygrett, who is a writer and speaker living near Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of two books, Becoming Curious: A Spiritual Practice of Asking Questions and his newest book, As I Recall: Discovering The Place of Memories In Our Spiritual Lives. 

Casey currently serves as Theologian in Residence at Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park, Illinois. He is also the host of the otherWISE Podcast. He has one daughter, Bailey, and has been married to Holley for 19 years. 

To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/podcast084.

When you hear the word “wealthy,” what image comes to mind? Do you picture someone living in a huge mansion on a hill, surrounded by butlers? Does the word “wealthy” create a negative picture when you hear it? Are there other ways to be wealthy besides just your finances?

Money is a sensitive topic, especially for artists and creative entrepreneurs. But my guest today helps give a broader and much-needed perspective. Her name is Deborah Meyer, and she is the author of Redefining Family Wealth: A Parent’s Guide to Purposeful Living. Deb is a CPA/PFS as well as a fee-only certified financial planner. She is also the owner of WorthyNest, an independent advisory firm dedicated to helping parents build wealth, and SV CPA Services, which provides accounting and tax services to entrepreneurs. 

Deb is Saint Louis University’s School of Business 2019 Distinguished Young Alumni and a recipient of the 2018 AICPA Standing Ovation Award for Personal Financial Planning. Deb has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Yahoo! Finance and CNN Business and is a regular contributor to Kiplinger. Outside of work, Deb spends time with her husband Bryan and three sons.

As you can see, Deb knows what she is talking about when it comes to finances. And as a first-time author, she is well-qualified to talk about the creative process of writing a book.

To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/podcast083.

Do you ever feel like you’re caught between where you are and where you want to be? Are you frustrated because you see your potential, but you feel stuck in the present moment with no clear way forward? If so, you will love this amazing conversation that I have in store for you.

My guest today is Stephanie O’Brien-Martin. She is the founder of Moved by Purpose, and she coaches Christ-centered leaders and entrepreneurs who realize they need a different approach to how they achieve and succeed.

Through her life experiences, professional training and her counterintuitive way of working with people already considered “successful”, Stephanie guides people to anchor and align their lives in a new way by stepping back from the pace and pressure that got them to their current level of achievements and align with God’s plans and purposes for them.

Stephanie is a master Certified Life Coach and author of The Messy Middle: Encouraging You Through the Frustrating Gap Between Where You Are Now and Where You Want To Be. Stephanie is married, lives in the Detroit, Michigan area, and loves coffee!

To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/podcast082.

One of the biggest needs of the human spirit is to have hope in the midst of difficult situations. Our guest today, Abdi Warsame, is a survivor of the civil war in Somalia who will share his story and help us develop a better understanding of issues related to disability.

To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/hope.

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? At its core, it’s all about control. The whole idea of entrepreneurship is about taking control instead of giving it up. For artists and creatives, that can be a scary concept since we are often more comfortable creating things than thinking making decisions or thinking about the picture. Today’s guest is the perfect person to help us think through what it means to be a creative entrepreneur, and his thoughts on some complex issues will empower and inspire you to begin taking more control of your destiny.

I’m excited to bring you my conversation with my great friend Eric Elder, who is an author, speaker, and contemporary pianist with a passion for sharing Christ with others. Eric is a pioneer in online ministry, has written for numerous publications, and has spoken internationally at conferences and retreats. He has also produced a wealth of books and music for his own ministry, which is an online spiritual retreat center called The Ranch.

Eric is the perfect person to help us think through this idea of creative entrepreneurship because he an original thinker who created a worldwide-impacting ministry from scratch. In our conversation, we tackle tough issues such as what entrepreneurship is all about, why it’s OK to disappoint people, why ambition is a good thing if handled in the right way, and how to discern if you are called to something.

This is a great conversation that addresses many issues you are probably wrestling with as a creative entrepreneur. By the way, we also featured Eric in a conversation just a couple of months ago, on Jan. 10, 2019, talking about why you should write a book. That conversation is a great companion episode to this one, so please check it out.

To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/destiny. 

In her excellent book Walking on Water, the author Madeleine L’Engle wrote, "Jesus was not a theologian. He was God who told stories.” Storytelling was not only a major focus of Jesus’ ministry, it’s also a signifigant part of our calling as artists and creatives. Today’s guest helps us expand our vision as creative storytellers as we talk about music, imagination, invention, worship, and writing. This is one of those interviews that will expand your mind and leave you thinking for days.

I’m honored to bring you this conversation with Manuel Luz. He is a songwriter, author, inventor, arts advocate, and creative arts pastor. He has served with Oak Hills Church in Folsom, California for over 25 years, which is an eternity in creative arts ministry. 

Manuel’s new book, Honest Worship: From False Self to True Praise, addresses the critical intersections between spiritual formation and worship. Manuel’s published book, Imagine That: Discovering Your Unique Role as a Christian Artist, is a practical and personal theology of the arts. I highly recommend both of them.

Manuel is also the inventor of the patented musical instrument, the WalkaBout™, which was wildly received at the world-renowned NAMM Show recently.

In our conversation, we explore several themes from his two books, such as humility, imagination, storytelling, and honest worship. We also dive into the behind-the-scenes process of inventing, manufacturing, and marketing the Walkabout, which is a new kind of percussion instrument. As as drummer myself, this was incredibly interesting! Finally, you’ll learn practical tips about writing from Manuel’s own creative process.

To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/manuel.