This is How We Create

If you want to start a podcast but are paralyzed by the fear of sounding stupid, you may be paying the high price of waiting. In this episode, learn the steps to start your podcast. Stop letting the illusion of readiness stall your momentum; tune in to claim your voice, launch your project, and find and build your dedicated tribe today.

00:13 - Confession: Ten Years of Stalling and Fear

02:10 - The Hidden Power of Podcasting for Creators

04:15 - Finding Your Unique, Obsession-Driven Topic

07:02 - The Power of Hyper-Specificity: Niche Down

08:15 - Naming Your Show: The 50-Name Exercise

09:55 - The Five-Day Warning: Register Your Brand Immediately

11:15 - Fast Artwork and Brand Photos on a Budget

11:58 - Demystifying the Gear: The Twenty-Dollar Microphone Rule

14:24 - Embracing the Bad First Episode and the Dunning-Kruger Effect

15:58 - Your Action Plan for This Week

Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform!

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube: https://youtu.be/xx3cVK1DuQA

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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What does ultimate creative freedom look like? What boundaries do you need to have in your life for this freedom to propel you forward? In this conversation with cookbook author Nicole A. Taylor, we talk code-switching, what it takes to write a book, and how personal ethics might be the fuel for your career. Hit play to hear how drawing your own hard lines can unlock your truest, most powerful creative voice.

00:18 - Introduction to Nicole A. Taylor

01:05 - Sponsor Spotlight: iCode School

01:48 - Finding Freedom in a Georgia Kitchen

04:03 - The Power of Early Confidence and Family Grace

07:59 - The Origin Story of Watermelon and Red Birds

12:01 - Non-Negotiables and Embracing Your Authentic Vernacular

17:10 - The Unvarnished Truth of the Cookbook Publishing Process

22:37 - Rituals, Discipline, and Protecting Your Peace

24:53 - Closing Notes and Substack Support

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodculturist

Website: https://www.nicoleataylor.com/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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What should you do about burnout? In this episode, I pull back the curtain on nearly 200 episodes to reveal the psychological shifts and structural changes that rescued me from burnout. These shifts transformed how I approach delegation and audience building.

Listen to this milestone episode to discover the practical, battle-tested blueprints you need to stop merely surviving your creative career and start building a sustainable artistic framework that thrives over the long game.

00:13 The Bedside Book That Challenged My Excuses

02:35 Finding Practical Wisdom Under Fire

04:57 The True Purpose of This Podcast Journey

07:18 Breaking the Cycle of the One-Person Operation

09:38 Shifting Mindsets Through Lived Knowledge

11:59 The Long Game of Building True Community

14:24 Ancient Solutions for Modern Creative Struggles

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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Atlanta interior design powerhouse Justin Q. Williams built a celebrated empire by launching his business at just eighteen, but the glittering television features and custom furniture lines mask years of grueling midnight grinds, raw psychological battles with clients, and a devastating early rejection that completely altered his trajectory. I strip away the glossy highlight reel of creative entrepreneurship to expose the exact operational shifts required to transform an exhausting side hustle into an aligned, impactful brand. Run to your favorite app and hit play to discover how to navigate your own professional rejections, anchor your evolving creative voice, and design a business that truly honors your soul.

00:00 Redefining Artistic Authenticity

02:18 Dream Drives and Early Design Software

04:38 Launching a Business at Eighteen

05:27 The First Client and Viral Twitter Fame

07:12 Hustling Between the Church and the Side Business

08:53 Mastering Client Psychology and Expectations

11:14 Why Function Trumps Fashion in Interior Design

13:04 Cultivating an Evolving Design Voice

15:19 Business Lessons from Iconic Mentors

17:09 Paying It Forward and Mentoring the Next Generation

19:25 The Truth Behind the Polished Instagram Grid

24:13 Protecting Mental Health as a Creative Empath

25:16 Enhancing Black Representation on National Television

28:07 Sourcing Global Inspiration for Retail Collections

29:42 Measuring Real Success Beyond the Paycheck

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinqwilliams/

Website: https://www.trademarkdesignco.com/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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Every creative hits the wall where a dream client utters the four words: "we have no budget."

In this special community Q&A episode, I pull back the curtain on the subtle business traps that quietly drain your bank account and compromise your artistic integrity.

You will discover the psychological pricing trick that forces clients to pick your ideal rate, the hidden meanings behind sudden timeline demands, and the exact response that shuts down scope creep before you spend hours animating for free.

Stop letting the fear of rejection dictate your pricing strategies and master the insider boundary shifts required to protect your labor while elevating your creative profit.

00:00 - Introduction: Flipping the Script on Creative Struggles

00:30 - Dissecting the "We Have No Budget" Dilemma

02:32 - The Psychology of Tiered Pricing for Photographers

04:20 - Protecting Your Energy with a Non-Resentment Rate

06:00 - Sponsor Spotlight: iCode School

06:33 - The Four Hidden Reasons Clients Hide Their Budgets

07:16 - Defusing Fake Urgent Deadlines Without Losing the Project

09:05 - Shutting Down Scope Creep in Creative Proposals

12:40 - Creative Encouragement and Substack Invite

Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform!

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube:

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

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Screenwriter and coach Aleia Kristene survived grueling hustle, but she walked away questioning whether the narrative of the suffering artist is actually a badge of honor or just unexamined trauma. In our conversation, she reveals how she transformed twenty years of family tragedy into a limited series. She also shares the exact pacing mistakes that instantly tank amateur scripts.

If you feel stuck behind a wall of perfectionism or lost in a quiet season of your own creative journey, this episode delivers: an insider guide to reclaim your voice, how to master the production realities of Hollywood, and how to get your biggest ideas onto the page.

00:00 - Redefining the Artist's Struggle

01:23 - Reclaiming Creativity with iCode

02:08 - Writing a Male Cinderella at Nine Years Old

04:17 - Realism over Cartoons: The Influence of Black Cinema

06:35 - Turning Family Tragedy into a Sellable Script

11:15 - Demystifying the Hollywood Table Read

12:47 - Brutal Production Realities from Major Film Sets

17:43 - The Biggest Mistakes Amateurs Make in Action Lines

20:06 - Balancing Mentorship with Personal Creative Output

23:15 - Overcoming the Perfectionism Trap of First Drafts

27:55 - Aleia's Ultimate Dream Project

Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform!

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube: https://youtu.be/4ekuzVLC8_M

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleiakristene/

Website: https://aleiakristene.com/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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For six years, I built this podcast while secretly measuring my worth against exhausting, invisible standards I could not even name. To break out of this vicious cycle, I turned to four paradigm-shifting books that dismantled my view of success and identity. These texts exposed the hidden systems dictating my creative choices and revealed a radical mindset shift that shrunk my negative self-talk.

If you constantly feel like you are falling behind or trying to fit a mold that rejects you, this episode will give you the exact permission you need to burn the old blueprints and build a thriving practice entirely on your own terms.

00:00 The Exhaustion of Invisible Standards

02:18 Sponsor Break: iCode

02:35 Building Your Own Archive (Crafted Kinship)

06:33 The Power of Measuring Backwards (The Gap and the Gain)

09:21 Questioning Your Creative Framework (Decolonizing Language)

11:39 Navigating Identity and Double Consciousness (All the Women Are White...)

14:11 Why Naming the Problem Gives You Power

16:32 Closing Thoughts and Substack Newsletter

Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform!

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBs

Crafted Kinship: Inside the Creative Practices of Contemporary Black Caribbean Makers by Malene Barnett

The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave edited by Akasha (Gloria T.) Hull, Patricia Bell-Scott, and Barbara Smith

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

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Filmmaker Cauleen Smith and photographer Danielle A. Scruggs join me to unpack how classical media subconsciously trains audiences to accept biases. In this episode, we discuss the radical frameworks required to dismantle these frameworks.

Listen to this conversation to discover how to identify the hidden forces limiting your own vision, walk away from spaces that drain your genius, and master an ethics of regard that anchors your ultimate creative purpose.

00:19 - Decoding the Invisible Grammar of Cinema

04:11 - Actively Flipping the Mainstream Cinematic Script

06:07 - Visual Glow, Legacy, and Rejecting Respectability Politics

08:34 - Dismantling the Myth of Objectivity in Photojournalism

12:51 - Mapping Radical Feminist Utopias and Shared Spaces

22:19 - Weaponized Institutional Care versus the Ethics of Regard

26:55 - Why Walking Away from the Industry Saves Your Art

29:55 - Building Authentic Creative Communities Beyond the Screen

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cauleen_smith/?hl=en

Website: https://cauleensmith.com/

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scruggsworks/

Website: https://daniellescruggs.com/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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In this week's episode, we talk about the importance of rituals and why they are the key to you performing at your best. Learn how to design your own five-minute transition and how to turn chaotic energy into a focused flow.

00:00 - The Musical Bridges of Childhood

03:32 - Waking the Creative Mind

05:03 - The Quirky Habits of Famous Artists

06:21 - The Reality of Productivity Routines

08:24 - The Science Behind Predictability

10:24 - Sacred Traditions and the Threshold

Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform!

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube:

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

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What if the thing standing between you and your best work isn't talent but the pressure you keep putting on yourself to produce?

Painter Tiffani Glenn has built a body of work around a radical idea: Black women deserve to be seen in their full confidence and color. In this episode, Tiffani shares how mentorship opened the door to her first gallery show, why self-love is the foundation of everything she puts on canvas, and the one thing she does every time creative block hits.

00:00 Question the Mirror

02:12 Saturday Morning Masterclasses

04:58 Pivot from Pixar

09:13 Paint the Confidence

11:31 The Fenty Formula

13:54 Beyond the Gallery Walls

20:40 Surrender to the Block

23:33 Off the Canvas

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbytiffanig/

Website: https://tiffanigart.com/home

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

• Follow us on social media

• Share with fellow creatives