Keith Giles and Matthew J. Distefano are authors, publishers, and co-owners of Quoir, a media company dedicated to publishing bold, thoughtful work from people navigating faith, doubt, and deconstruction.

Keith is a former pastor turned full-time writer. Matthew describes himself as a “working-class theologian.” Together, they write (and publish) at the intersection of spirituality, culture, justice, and storytelling, helping creatives give language to ideas that don’t fit neatly into inherited belief systems.

In this conversation, we talk about what it actually means to share your work when you’re still evolving…when certainty is gone, relationships are at stake, and false humility can quietly keep your work hidden.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Creating when your beliefs and opinions are evolving
• Why promoting your work isn’t ego (and how false humility keeps good ideas buried)
• Leading without hierarchy, rejecting guru culture, and embracing mystery

CONNECT WITH KEITH & MATTHEW:

• Quoir’s Website: https://quoir.com/
• Keith’s Website: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/keithgiles/ 
• Matthew’s Website: https://www.allsetfree.com/
• Heretic Happy Hour: https://open.spotify.com/show/7v6veXaOTdcfQOfA9H39tO?si=1bcdd0e76d62480b 

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/146

George Sidiropoulos helps creators show up on video in a way that's simple, sustainable, and fun. A former musician, he discovered video's power when Instagram guitar clips led to real opportunities…long before he had a big audience. Now he teaches people how to use video to grow their business without turning their life into a production studio.

In this episode, George shares how video reshaped his life, why we overcomplicate content, and how to treat consistency as a systems problem, not a willpower problem. From his "one-click setup" to his philosophy on imperfect reps and detaching from metrics, George offers a grounded approach to showing up on camera.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How simple videos (with tiny audiences) can unlock real-world opportunities
• Building a one-click video setup and B-roll system so consistency is easier
• Detaching from views and virality, questioning your beliefs, and trusting your path

CONNECT WITH GEORGE SIDIROPOULOS: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disisjorj/ 
• One Click Setup: https://disisjorjemail.kit.com/8bccab13de 

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/145

Here are three practical storytelling exercises pulled from three brilliant creators: one to help you dig deeper, one to get more specific, and one to capture story-worthy moments from everyday life. 

Quick tips, super usable, and honestly… they might change how you tell your next story.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

EPISODES MENTIONED:

• The Storytelling Blueprint for Viral Videos | Jenny Hoyos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkLL7xDjLF0 
• Storytelling Tips for Personal Brands | Sun Yi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh8MCLNvE4M 
• How to be a Better Storyteller | Matthew Dicks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lohwMR56bvA 

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/144

I sat down with four master storytellers and uncovered a simple truth: if the edit is difficult, the input needs to be a bigger priority.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Write before you record
• Script with intention but edit with instinct
• Make each piece of content about one clear point
• Edit till it hurts

EPISODES MENTIONED HERE:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5i_3gjJQGk&t=1453s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dg6vcRrutw&t=2685s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lohwMR56bvA&t=1369s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SolAEaSl7M&t=33s

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/143

Before Matthew Luhn became one of Pixar’s storytellers (with credits on Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, Up, and more) he nearly lost the opportunity altogether. After leaving The Simpsons at 19 to join a then-unknown studio called Pixar, he was laid off, moved back home, worked temp jobs, and spent a year-and-a-half fighting to get back in.

In this episode, Matthew shares the real story behind making a dream happen: the uncertainty, the restarts, and the creative persistence required to build a career that lasts.

Watch Full Conversation with Matthew Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-65jOrpPlA

CONNECT WITH MATTHEW LUHN:

• Website: https://matthewluhnstory.com/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/142

If you’ve ever caught yourself asking, “What should I make? What will work?” — this is for you. Somewhere along the way, many of us stopped creating from curiosity and started creating for approval. In this episode, we talk about what it means to return to that raw, honest place... to stop chasing trends and start trusting your own instincts again. Because the world doesn’t need another copy. It needs you.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• The danger of creating from “what works” instead of what’s real
• How fear of being seen dulls creative expression
• Why your truest work will always come from what excites you

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/141

Glenn Lundy and I shouldn’t be friends. He’s a Republican who trains and consults sales leaders in automotive; I’m a creative who cried in bed the day Trump was inaugurated. We sit on opposite sides of almost everything…and we’re still great friends.

I asked Glenn to give a behind-the-scenes look at how we keep a real friendship in a divided world and to wrestle with the hardest question facing communicators today: How do you stand firmly in your beliefs while staying open to people who think completely differently? We go there…from Flat Earth debates to ICE deportations, from AI innovation to spiritual warfare. Buckle in, y’all.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• When certainty helps (and when it shuts you off from growth and connection)
• Communicate with conviction and compassion (without dehumanizing people who disagree)
• Lead every hard conversation with respect so honesty and understanding can follow

CONNECT WITH GLENN LUNDY: 

• Watch ‘The #RiseAndGrind Morning Show’: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGlennLundy/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glenn_lundy/ 

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/140 

If you’ve ever worried that sharing your voice is “selfish” or ego-driven, this is for you. Today, we explore how your story, your perspective, and your courage to speak might be the lifeline someone else needs. Because access to new ideas can change an entire life — and your voice may be the bridge someone has been praying for.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Why using your voice isn’t ego — it’s generosity
• The power of exposure and how other creators changed my life
• What happens when you stop hiding and start serving with your story

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/139

Jim Carter III is an AI strategist to the world’s top creators, helping creators and thought leaders build digital clones…AI versions of themselves trained on their own words, teachings, and philosophies. He’s spent over two years demystifying AI through his weekly newsletter, making complex tech accessible to entrepreneurs who want to work smarter without losing their human touch.

In this episode, Jim explains how digital clones actually work, why AI isn’t as scary as we think, and how technology can amplify (not replace) human creativity. From discussing the emotional weight of potentially cloning his late father to breaking down vector databases in plain English, Jim delivers both technical clarity and heartfelt wisdom.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How Creators are using digital clones to scale their impact 
• Setting guardrails so your AI clone represents you authentically
• Why choosing not to clone someone can be just as meaningful as choosing to do it

CONNECT WITH JIM CARTER: 

• Join Jim’s AI Newsletter: https://jimcarter.me/newsletter/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/138

If you’re tired of chasing tactics and hacks, and you want to create from a deeper place — this is for you. In this episode, we explore books that don’t just teach you how to grow an audience… but how to stay rooted in your purpose as a creator. Because your work isn’t just content — it’s contribution, stewardship, and devotion to the ideas that choose you.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Books to help you build discipline and stay inspired
• Why creativity isn’t just skill — it’s spiritual partnership
• The reminder every creator needs: your work matters, even without millions watching

Books Mentioned:

• The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin: https://amzn.to/3Jz6B4g
• The Meaning in the Making by Sean Tucker: https://amzn.to/4qy9gf6
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: https://amzn.to/47eNo11
• The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin: https://amzn.to/4huhelq

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/137