Unconventional Leaders

In today’s episode, I’m sharing an embarrassing story and what a horrible experience taught me about humanity and our role as creators.

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

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/92

Content is changing…but are we losing our soul in the process? Tony Berardo, founder of a content agency and host of the podcast Humanity and Hashtags, joins us to explore how to keep content meaningful, how user-generated media is evolving, and why AI might actually force us to become more human.

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

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• The shift from influencer content to soul-led storytelling
• What makes UGC (User Generated Content) work (and when it falls flat)
• The case for slow, sustainable creative careers

CONNECT WITH TONY BERARDO: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theberardo
• Podcast: Humanity and Hashtags: https://pod.link/1421224989
• Human Dad: https://humandad.com/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/91

Gabrielle Reyes is known as the Singing Vegan Chef. Her videos are fun, her voice is soulful, and her message? Unapologetically rooted in joy, healing, and spirit. But what’s really going on behind the music and colorful meals?

In this episode, Gabrielle shares her journey from battling disordered eating to discovering the power of food, God, and creativity. From the moment she started singing about “coco peanut butter balls,” it was clear: her work isn’t just about recipes—it’s about waking people up.

If you’ve ever wrestled with the tension between being visible and being humble, felt spiritually disconnected while building your online brand, or wondered whether what you eat could actually affect your connection to Source—this episode is for you.

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

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Wanting to be on camera: Is it selfish… or is it sacred?
• Staying spiritually awake in digital spaces
• The connection between food and God: How what you eat affects your connection

CONNECT WITH GABRIEL REYES:

• Website: https://onegreatvegan.com/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onegreatvegan/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/90

Today you're going to learn how to take all of your passions, the things that you love and create a cohesive, badass brand. Ace Anderson has done this not just for himself, but dozens of other creatives, including his wife who now performs as a singing vegan chef. Ace says that order for all of this to work though, there's something you have to stay ready for…

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

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How to combine multiple creative passions into one brand
• What to ask yourself when your talents feel disconnected
• The one thing you must always be prepared for if you want more opportunities

CONNECT WITH ACE ANDERSON:

• Website: https://aceofalltrades.xyz/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aceshotthat/ 

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/89

Why are we telling young people they can’t focus? What if there’s something else to blame?

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

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why blaming short attention spans is a cop-out for bad content
• What longer-form trends reveal about real human desire
• How creators can stop chasing hacks and start creating from truth

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/88

Have you dismissed the possibility of getting sponsors or brand deals because your brand is “too small”? 

Think again.

Even if you don’t have a massive following, you can be making money.

Today I connected with Justin Moore, founder of Creator Wizard. As a sponsorship coach, he’s helped creators generate over $5 million in brand deals.

In his book Sponsor Magnet, Justin breaks down why brands sometimes pay smaller creators more than bigger ones, the biggest mistakes creators make when pitching to brands, and how to articulate the unique value of your audience—beyond follower count and views.

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

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How to get clear on your “surprising transformational promise”
• Detaching your value from follower count
• The real reasons brands ghost you after you give a price

CONNECT WITH JUSTIN MOORE: 

• Order the Book: https://www.sponsormagnet.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creatorwizard/ 

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access full show notes here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/87

Today, we’re talking about how embracing your flaws can build more connection and why audiences root harder for the anti-hero.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why you might not want to paint yourself in the best light
• The anti-hero framework and how to use it in your own story
• How to share vulnerability without oversharing

EPISODES MENTIONED:

• Attention Marketing for Creative Entrepreneurs | with Adam Ivy | Episode 42 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOuNxNhepKI&t=7s
• The Storytelling Process: Deep Dive with Screenwriter & Director Steven Bernstein | Episode 32 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsSk_k8dMgk&t=24s
• How to Tell Better Stories | Veteran TV Writer | with Michael Jamin‬ | Episode 52 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSDEAS-StzQ&t=15s

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/86

Creativity and business can often feel like two opposing forces, one requires flow and emotion, while the other demands strategy and structure. But to move forward with your creative work, you have to think like a producer.

Today, I connected with Tara Mewis, the President of Honey Cut Studios, a creative agency known for its innovative storytelling. Tara has written, filmed, and produced content for nearly 20 years. In this conversation, she shares how she’s learned to balance creative vision with leadership, why you need to practice embarrassment, and the key mental shift that helps creatives finish what they start and get projects across the finish line.

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

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Balancing rhythm and consistency with risk and uncertainty
• Advice for creatives who want to get more projects across the finish line
• How to stay grounded when your to-do list never ends

CONNECT WITH TARA MEWIS:

• Website: https://honeycutstudios.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarayolanmewisvideo

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/85

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

Today, we’re talking about why outsourcing your content might be destroying it.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The biggest mistake business owners make when outsourcing content
• How top creators stay involved in their content (and why it matters)
• A practical way to balance authenticity and delegation in your business

EPISODES MENTIONED:

• Nicky Saunders – Why overthinking kills creativity and how to simplify your content strategy.
• Will Reynolds – How content can truly impact people and why showing up authentically makes a difference.
• Adam Ivy – Why business owners should be as passionate about their work as street evangelists.

REFERENCED CLIPS

• Joel Byers (Hot Breath Podcast)
• Gary Vaynerchuk Interview
• Lindsey Stirling Live Stream

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/84

How many times would you let the world tell you no before you gave up on your dream? After submitting his manuscript to 147 agents and being rejected 147 times, today's guest not only learned how to publish his books himself but also sold 300,000 of them.

In this episode, I sit down with Ty Allan Jackson, an award-winning children's author, literacy advocate, and dynamic speaker who has dedicated his life to inspiring young readers and educating adults on the transformative power of literacy. Ty's journey into the world of children's literature began unexpectedly, leading him to become a prominent figure in promoting reading among youth.

In this conversation, you'll hear Ty’s tactical advice on getting your work into the hands of the right people, how to mentally move past rejection and use it as a driving force, and why he believes that adventure is always on the other side of risk.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Ty's approach to independently selling over 300,000 copies of his books
• His mindset around resilience and risk
• How he gained over 150,000 followers in the past year and a half

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

CONNECT WITH TY ALLAN JACKSON: 

• Website: https://tyallanjackson.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ty_allan_jackson/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/83