Unconventional Leaders

Today, I connected with Steven Bernstein—screenwriter, director, and cinematographer—about his creative process and the art of becoming a master storyteller. Steven guides us through his approach to ideation, uncovering the core truths of a story, and enhancing its visual appeal to captivate audiences more effectively.

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/32 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How to give your ideas space to develop (while still being ambitious)
• The decision-making process of knowing which ideas to pursue
• How to craft a better story and tips on starting and concluding your narrative

Connect with Steven Bernstein: https://www.instagram.com/stevenbernsteindirectorwriter/ 

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

Today, I connected with Antonio ‘Tony Talks' Baldwin, a full-time content creator and social media personality. In this episode, we take a deep dive into topics such as balancing creativity as a creative, brand growth, ambition & humility and navigating relationships amid a growing career.

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/31 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Getting over perfectionism as a creative
• How to level up your brand without losing the humanness
• Feeling guilty for ambition and navigating relationships as your life changes
• How to temper between humility/staying grounded and ambition

Connect with Antonio “Tony Talks” Baldwin: https://www.youtube.com/@iamtonytalks 

Throwback Episode: https://youtu.be/IUzbecQzxgw?si=S6ONNNgekmcmK1SF 

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

This is a throwback episode with Antonio 'Tony Talks' Baldwin on an episode titled 'Honor Your SPARK & Find VALUE in Your Gift' in 2021. Watch our conversation from 2024 here: https://youtu.be/1dg6vcRrutw 

Connect with Antonio “Tony Talks” Baldwin: https://www.youtube.com/@iamtonytalks 

2024 Episode: https://youtu.be/1dg6vcRrutw 

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

Today, I connected with Kary Oberbrunner, former pastor and now a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author and the founder of Igniting Souls Publishing Company. In this episode, we do a deep dive into healing from spiritual and emotional scars, and finding your unconventional calling.

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/29 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Finding your calling after ministry
• How to share your story (when it might affect others)
• Breaking free from bitterness from religion

Connect with Kary Oberbrunner: https://ignitingsouls.com/

Easy IP: https://www.easyip.today/

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

Today, I connected with the founder of 365 Driven, Tony Whatley. As a successful entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience, Tony is breaking the mold in content creation within his industry. Whether it's adding sketch comedy or documenting his journey to skateboarding after age 50, he is paving the way for what it looks like to make an impact and leave a legacy while still integrating it all into our creativity.

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/28 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How do you merge motivational business content with humorous, entertaining content?
• Shifting your identity from your current self vs. your ideal self
• How do you deal with embarrassment or hesitation?

Join us in Costa Rica: https://365driven.com/advance7/ 

Connect with Tony Whatley: linkedin.com/in/tonywhatley or 365Driven.com

Listen to our previous interview: https://tinyurl.com/yc2yyt9n

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

Today, I connected with Carlos Cuervo, a cinematographer, documentary filmmaker, and photojournalist. In this conversation, we dig into how to navigate burnout as creatives, how boundaries can help our creativity grow further, and how, despite not feeling like a leader, the fact that you’re effectively communicating your message may already make you one.

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/27 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Reframing “Rest” (For Those Who Feel like They Should be Hustling)
• Find the Heart of the Story: 5 Questions to Ask
• Detaching from Expectations in Relationships
• Lessons from History: Is Creativity Leadership? 

Connect with Carlos Cuervo: http://carloscuervo.com/ 

‘Jump Start Your Brain’ by Doug Hall: https://amzn.to/4cOnEJk 

Follow Carlos on IG: ​​https://www.instagram.com/andrescuervo/

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

Today, I connected with Joel Byars, stand-up comedian and the founder and host of Hot Breath Comedy Network. In this conversation, we discussed navigating ambition as a creative and developing a clear vision for your career.

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/26 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How do you stay grounded while trying to build a career in comedy?
• How do you detach from the ambitious/work-centered life and allow yourself to be human and have fun?
• Going back to your goals and determining if you are on the right path

Connect with Joel Byars: https://www.instagram.com/joelbyarscomedy/ 

‘Be Useful’ by Arnold Schwarzenegger: https://amzn.to/3vyL6cS 

‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ by Dr. Robert Glover: https://amzn.to/3PKz1YO 

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

In this episode, I talk with Scott Dikkers, a comedy writer and the founder of The Onion, where he served as their owner and editor-in-chief for 30 years. Today, Scott shares his 4-step process for coming up with the BEST ideas, why feedback groups are the missing ingredient for most creatives, and why "being boring is good".

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/25 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• The tension between letting ideas simmer and needing to produce
• The importance of cultivating "bad ideas"
• Cultivating community as an introverted, workaholic creative

Connect with Scott Dikkers: https://scottdikkers.com/ 

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

Today, I connected with two-time Emmy-winning Director Eric Anderson to discuss how to develop our ideas and foster creativity, the process of bringing our ideas to life, the differences between big-scale productions and being a content creator, and why sometimes you should just throw caution to the wind (because playing it safe can get kinda boring).

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/24 

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Differentiating between a dry spell vs “I shouldn't be doing this”
• Is there a spiritual element to creativity?
• Why boredom is something we should aspire to

Connect with Eric Anderson: https://www.esanderson.com/ 

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

Today we are talking with content creator, actor, and writer Adam Rose (known for that lovely blue cardigan you see on the internet) to hear about his journey as an entertainer, his creative process, and why he believes creativity “requires speed”. 

ACCESS FULL SHOW NOTES HERE: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/23

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Blending the conventional entertainment industry with content creation
• How do you take an idea from paper to execution?
• How do you know when an idea is ready?

Connect with Adam Rose: https://www.realadamrose.com/ 

Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ 

WATCH Episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady