This is How We Create

You've made the hire and the contract is signed. Yay. Now we can begin the real work. In this final installment of our mini-series on hiring your first assistant, I'm pulling back the curtain on the first crucial 90 days and the art of proper onboarding. I'll be sharing the systems and intentional frameworks, honed from years of building teams in my photography business and overseeing a 120-person team in a co-owned company, that help a new hire fully absorb your vision, not just your tasks.

I'll walk you through the 30-60-90 framework for ensuring your new team member is set up for success. Learn why the first 30 days are purely for learning, when to flip the script on task ownership, and what to watch for by day 60 to prevent costly misalignments. This episode will provide you with the blueprint for creating an operating document, using tools for clear process transfer, and course-correcting early to ensure your future self (and your entire creative business) is amplified, not diluted.

00:00 - Introduction and Series Recap

02:23 - The Crucial 90 Days: Onboarding vs. Orientation

04:44 - Breaking Down the 30-60-90 Framework

07:04 - Why You Must Encourage "Dumb" Questions

09:16 - Honesty Check: Are You Micromanaging?

11:37 - A Concrete Example: Onboarding for Client Communication

14:02 - Creating Your Operating Document and Role-Playing Scenarios

16:21 - The Week Eight Check-in and the Importance of Documentation

18:48 - Setting People Up for Success: Coaching Versus Cutting Loose

Website: https://www.martineseverin.com/

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/ | https://www.instagram.com/thisishowwecreate_

Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.martineseverin.substack.com/

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa.

Hiring your first helper is exciting, but it can also be terrifying. After keeping the wrong person on my team for far too long, I realized I had been focusing on all the wrong things. Skills on a resume are table stakes, but you cannot teach someone to care about the details the way you do.

In this episode (Part 2 of our hiring series), I am pulling back the curtain on the screening process that saved me from making that mistake again. I share the specific, behavioral questions I now ask to uncover a candidate's true values, the red flags that signal a poor fit, and the single most important step I take before making any commitment: the paid trial project. This is the guide I wish I had when I started building my team.

00:00 Welcome Back & The Hiring Journey

00:45 The Mistake I Made With My First Hire

02:05 Looking Beyond the Resume: Skills vs. Values

03:00 Why "Culture Fit" Is Everything for a Small Creative Business

04:00 The Pre-Screening Trick for Attention to Detail

05:50 How to Ask About Past Work (The "Prioritization" Question)

07:45 Asking About Mistakes and Listening for Ownership

09:30 How Do They Handle Critical Feedback?

10:30 The Importance of a (Paid) Trial Project

11:50 The Truth Revealed in the Trial

12:20 Red Flags: Badmouthing and Vague Answers

13:00 Why the Questions They Ask Matter

13:30 The One Question I Wish I Had Asked

14:00 Final Thoughts: Aligned, Not Perfect

Website: https://www.martineseverin.com/

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/ | https://www.instagram.com/thisishowwecreate_

Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.martineseverin.substack.com/

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa.

Some creatives hire when they're overwhelmed, not when they're ready to lead. Before you bring on that intern or assistant, you need clarity on what you're handing off, bandwidth to train them, and rock-solid values they can execute on. I'm pleased to share the hiring frameworks that rocked my world when it came to bringing on new team members.

00:00 Introduction: The Four-Part Series on Hiring

01:06 The Mistake: Hiring When You Are Not Ready to Lead

02:08 Question 1: What Specific Work Are You Handing Off?

02:49 Question 2: Can You Afford to Train Someone (With Time)?

03:31 Question 3: Do You Know Your Non-Negotiables?

04:30 The EOS Framework and The People Analyzer

05:07 The Three Parts of the People Analyzer: Get It, Want It, Capacity

08:08 Journaling Prompts: Defining Your Core Values

10:30 The Key Advice: Hire for One Job, Not to Replace Yourself

13:10 Coming Up: The Interview Process

Website: https://www.martineseverin.com/

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/ | https://www.instagram.com/thisishowwecreate_

Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.martineseverin.substack.com/

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa.

What does it take to change an entire industry? Thirty years ago, Jomo Tariku, then an industrial design student, noticed something profound missing in his university library: contemporary African furniture designers. This observation sparked a decades-long journey of persistence and vision.

I sit down with Jomo to discuss his path from sketching designs in his garage while working other jobs to having his celebrated work featured in The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He shares how his father's incredible story as a refugee gave him the hubris to persist through a 27-year wait for recognition. Tune in to learn how he translates his heritage (from the horns of the Nyala antelope to the powerful symbolism of the Afro-comb) into functional, modern art.

Tune in to this story about patience, process, and the fight to redefine the creative canon.

02:22 The Collector's Home: Early Influences from a Father's Travels

05:13 Breadcrumbs: From Drawing Objects to Industrial Design

09:34 The Missing Narrative: A Thesis on African Furniture

14:14 The "Hubris" of an Orphan: A Father's Legacy of Courage

18:59 The Story of the Mito Chair: Connecting Continents with an Afro-Pick

24:37 A Commission for Seneca Village: The Met Afrofutures Room

26:08 The Designer's Process: Collaboration and Master Craftsmanship

31:40 The Balance of Beauty and Function

33:41 How 3D Printing Changed the Game

39:36 The Cost of a Prototype

42:18 The Nyala Chair: "The One That Put Me on the Map"

42:48 The 27-Year Wait and the Rise of BADG

45:10 Advocating for a More Inclusive Canon

47:33 Redefining Success: Joy, Research, and Community

Follow Jomo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jomotariku

Jomo's Website: https://jomotariku.com/

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.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

• Follow us on social media

• Share with fellow creatives

I have been thinking a lot lately about the difference between the loud hustle culture of constant visibility and the profound power of simply refusing to give up, even when it feels like nothing is happening.

Join me in this episode as I share unexpected lessons in persistence, inspired by Death Valley.

00:00 - The Unlikely Pairing: Death Valley and Dehydrated Shrimp

01:50 - The Persistence of Fairy Shrimp and Resurrection Moss

02:30 - Redefining Persistence: Why Dormancy is Not Failure

03:40 - When Your Rain Comes: Being Ready to Rise

04:30 - Nature's Pep Talk: The Audacity of a 50-Year Wait

05:30 - A Call to Action for Your Quiet Creative Work

Website: https://www.martineseverin.com/

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/ | https://www.instagram.com/thisishowwecreate_

Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.martineseverin.substack.com/

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa.

Every so often, we come across an artist whose journey reminds us that creativity is a promise of transformation. What started as a project to design graduation caps (that then went viral) evolved into a story of artistic evolution, mental health healing, and finding purpose through creativity. In this episode, mixed media textile artist Bria Gladney reveals how the most meaningful art comes from the intersection of personal healing, community impact, and the courage to trust the process.

00:00 Introduction to Bria Gladney and Her Journey

03:02 From Class Clown to Pencil: Early Creative Exposures

08:46 The Viral Spark: Designing Graduation Caps in College

11:06 The Decision to Become a Full-Time Artist

11:37 The Spiritual Journey and the Humbling Transformation

17:05 From Canvas to Crochet: The Genesis of the "Dear Cleo" Bears

21:08 Redefining Success: From Chasing Fame to Seeking Impact

23:10 The Craft: Creating Mixed Media Textile Art

24:41 Full-Time Art: Income Streams and Pricing the Work

27:47 The Healing Power of the 'Lovie': Bears as Adult Comfort

29:50 Finding Inspiration Through Conversation and Designated Thinking Time

36:37 Art as Philanthropy: Partnering with the Too Fly Foundation

41:36 Advice on Finding Your Artistic Voice: Stay True to You

Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform!

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQ

Spotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBs

iHeart Podcast: http://bit.ly/4lRHms3

Follow Bria on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briagladney

Bria's Website: https://www.briagladney.com/

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.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

• Follow us on social media

• Share with fellow creatives

I recently spent time hiking the Four Corners (you know, the area in the US where the states of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico form corners). After pushing my body to its limits, I ended up on a massage table where an unexpected mantra changed my perspective.

This mantra made me ask: if we have mantras for meditation and our bodies, why not for our creative practice? We, as creatives, spend so much time battling imposter syndrome and the endless feelings of "not enough". Why not use mantras to help us dip into the springwell of our creativity.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome: A Mantra I Didn't Know I Needed

00:40 Hiking the Four Corners and a Body at Its Limit

01:20 The Mantra: "I Am Grounded in the Earth"

02:15 The Realization: Why Not a Mantra for Our Work?

02:45 Battling the "Not Enough" Voice

03:20 This Isn't Toxic Positivity

04:15 How to Find Your Own Creative Mantra

05:20 My Mantra (Right Now)

06:30 Your Turn: Let It Ground You

Website: https://www.martineseverin.com/

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/ | https://www.instagram.com/thisishowwecreate_

Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.martineseverin.substack.com/

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa.

How does a creative professional build a portfolio of 18 books? My guest today, Navi' Robins, is a Chicago-born author and graphic designer who does just that. His creative perspective was shaped by a childhood spent living across five continents. In our conversation, Navi' shares the inspiration behind his new Black Lotus trilogy, a futuristic world where men have been eradicated, and how real-world political events sparked the idea. We dig into his process as a "freestyle writer", his secrets to dynamic world-building, and the fearless habit he relies on to push the boundaries of his imagination.

00:00 - Introduction to Navi' Robins

01:47 - Releasing the Black Lotus Trilogy

03:08 - The Inspiration: From Trump's Escalator to Roe v. Wade

04:41 - Inside the Black Lotus: A World Without Men

07:56 - Early Influences: Reading Stephen King in Secret

10:31 - Writing the First Book: Combining 10 Stories into One

15:32 - The Approach to World-Building

19:00 - What Frightens People the Most?

20:38 - The Habit of Being Fearless

22:17 - Daily Routines: Afrobeat and Freestyle Writing

26:39 - Overcoming Writer's Block

28:00 - Finding an Artistic Voice

Follow Navi' on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/navirobins/

Navi's Website: https://www.navirobins.net/

Website: http://www.martineseverin.com

Follow 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.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

• Follow us on social media

• Share with fellow creatives

Have you wondered about the gap between the beautiful work on artists' websites and the reality of making a living off of your creative work?

Join three incredible artists: illustrator Andrea Pippins, illustrator Alex Cabal, and photographer Chris Charles, who share their "income pie." They reveal that making it is a result of royalties, commissions, speaking gigs, and consulting that supports their creative life.

Chapters

00:00 - The Reality of Paying Rent as an Artist

02:15 - Understanding the "Income Pie" (Feat. Andrea Pippins)

04:28 - Andrea Pippins Shares Her Income Pie Breakdown

06:29 - Alex Cabal on a Fluctuating Creative Income

09:45 - The Importance of Asking for Help and Avoiding Burnout

10:30 - Chris Charles on Diversifying with Consulting and Film

12:07 - Final Thoughts

Website: https://www.martineseverin.com/

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/ | https://www.instagram.com/thisishowwecreate_

Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.martineseverin.substack.com/

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa.

Ever feel trapped shooting the same bright, clean images everyone expects? Photographer Sage East knows that struggle. After landing her first big Puma campaign with perfectly lit, commercial-ready shots, she realized something was missing - soul.

In this episode, the photographer behind campaigns for Nike, Google, Netflix, and Dior reveals how she transformed her work from safe and sterile to moody and magnetic. Learn how she developed her mantra "I don't shoot what it looks like, I shoot what it feels like" and discover the specific techniques she used to find her signature warm, Caribbean-influenced style that makes clients like Don Cheadle and Simone Biles feel vulnerable in front of her lens.

00:00 Introduction to Sage East's Vision

04:04 From the Medical Field to a Camera

05:30 Starting Out: Finding a Muse and Shooting Weddings

06:29 The First Big Gig: PUMA

09:10 The Motto: "I Don't Shoot What It Looks Like, I Shoot What It Feels Like"

10:25 Evolving a Signature Style: Moody, Warm, and Experimental

15:15 The Power of Color Theory and Jamaican Heritage

17:30 How to Communicate Your Vision: The Art of the Treatment

24:43 Adding "Director" to the Title

28:51 Creating Vulnerability with High-Profile Talent

31:30 Defining "Main Character Moments"

Follow Sage on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sage.east

Sage's Website: https://www.sageeast.com/

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.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

• Follow us on social media

• Share with fellow creatives