Your World of Creativity

Today, we welcome Dr. Greg Giuliano, advisor and executive coach to senior leaders and teams around the world, and founder of GA | Ultra Leadership. Greg is the author of three #1 Amazon Bestsellers, including his newest book, Coaching for (a) Change: How to Engage, Empower, and Activate People.

Greg's Website

Greg on YouTube

@ultraleadership on Instagram

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggiuliano/

In this book, Greg challenges traditional command-and-control leadership and offers a practical alternative: coaching. Drawing on more than two decades of experience, he introduces the GR8 Coaching Framework, a set of eight powerful questions designed to help leaders shift from being expert problem-solvers to facilitators of ownership, engagement, and real change.

1. Why This Book, and Why Now?
2. Greg, let’s start at the beginning. What experiences or patterns in your leadership and coaching work prompted you to write Coaching for (a) Change? What problem were you seeing leaders struggle with most?
3. From Manager to Coach
4. You talk about the need for leaders to shift from “manager” to “coach.” What does that shift really mean in day-to-day leadership—and why does the old command-and-control model fall short?
5. Ultra Leadership vs. Traditional Leadership
6. You distinguish between traditional leadership and what you call Ultra Leadership. How are they different, and what behaviors separate leaders who engage and empower people from those who unintentionally shut them down?
7. The Power of Coaching (and the Misconceptions)
8. Many leaders say they don’t have time to coach—or that coaching is soft or optional. Why is coaching actually a critical leadership skill today, and what are the biggest misconceptions leaders have about it?
9. The GR8 Coaching Framework
10. Let’s get practical. Walk us through the GR8 Coaching questions. How do these questions help leaders kick the “expert problem-solver” habit and activate ownership, accountability, and change?

For leaders listening right now who want to start coaching for change—but don’t know where to begin—what’s one question they can ask this week that would immediately shift how their people show up?

Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee — fueling creative conversations everywhere. Listeners, enjoy 10% off your first order at whitecloudcoffee.com.

And before you go, you can download a free copy of my e-book A World of Creativity when you visit mark-stinson.com.

Today we’re joined by Sophia Kristjansson, Founder and CEO of Lexicon Lens, a boutique consulting firm that helps leaders close the persistent gap between strategy and execution—so plans don’t just look good on paper, they actually turn into results.

Sophia's Website

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiakristjansson/

With more than 25 years of experience guiding organizations through growth, change, and transformation, Sophia works closely with leadership teams to restore clarity, align people and process, and build traction when momentum starts to stall. She also teaches graduate courses in business strategy and organizational transformation at the University of Denver

She’s a contributing author to Lives Lost and Leadership Found, edited by Ian Ziskin—who joined us a few episodes back.

1. Why Strategy Fails at the Finish Line
2. Sophia, many organizations have smart strategies—but struggle with execution. From your experience, where do things most often break down between intention and action?
3. Closing the Strategy–Execution Gap
4. At Lexicon Lens, your work centers on alignment, collaboration, and leadership development. What are the first signs you look for that tell you a team is losing traction—and how do you help them regain momentum? Sophia shares these six signs:
5. Misaligned success signals – Leaders focus on the wrong metrics, missing what truly indicates performance or risk.
6. Organizational silos – Limited cross-functional visibility creates blind spots that hide emerging problems.
7. Communication mistaken for clarity – Sending emails or memos is assumed to solve issues, without ensuring understanding or follow-through.
8. Execution problems misdiagnosed – Symptoms are addressed instead of root causes, leading to recurring issues.
9. Outdated mental models – Leaders rely on old assumptions and ways of thinking without realizing they no longer fit current realities.
10. Human risk ignored – The people impact (capacity, morale, alignment, burnout) is not surfaced or discussed openly.
11. These six signals indicate leaders may not be seeing the real problem. Bringing leaders together to surface these blind spots enables shared understanding, innovation, and collaboration—often prompting the realization that the issue isn’t execution alone, but perception and alignment.
12. Turning Ideas into Action in Complex Environments
13. Leaders today are navigating constant change, competing priorities, and growing complexity. What practical frameworks or habits help leaders move from analysis paralysis to decisive action?
14. Lessons from “Lives Lost and Leadership Found”
15. You contributed to Lives Lost and Leadership Found, a book that explores how personal loss and reflection can deepen leadership capacity. How did that experience shape—or reinforce—your perspective on leadership, resilience, and execution?
16. Teaching the Next Generation of Leaders
17. You teach graduate students in business strategy and organizational transformation. What do you see emerging leaders getting right—and where do they most need to develop skills to lead effectively in today’s organizations?

For leaders listening right now who feel stuck between a clear vision and uneven execution—what’s one small, meaningful step they can take this week to move forward?

Today, we’re welcoming Bob Campana, a California-based serial entrepreneur with more than 40 years of experience building businesses across hospitality, travel, real estate, and aviation.

ROBERT's Website

ROBERT on YouTube

From hot tub manufacturing to founding the beloved Redwood Café in Modesto, to leading Redwood Café Tours across Europe, Asia, and Oceania, Bob’s career is a living case study in adaptability, optimism, and grit.

He’s also the author of the book Don’t Look Down! The Improbable Adventures and Battle-Tested Lessons of a Serial Entrepreneur, where he shares candid lessons learned from a lifetime of figuring it out as he went. Bob has his own entrepreneurship podcast, continuing his mission to share what really happens behind the scenes of business building.

1. A Lifetime of Reinvention

Bob, you’ve built businesses in very different industries—from manufacturing to hospitality to aviation. Looking back over 40 years, what allowed you to keep reinventing yourself rather than getting stuck in one version of success?

2. Risk, Fear, and the Title “Don’t Look Down!”

Your book title says a lot. Don’t Look Down! suggests both courage and consequence. How have you learned to take risks without being reckless—and what’s one moment when looking down might have stopped you if you’d let it?

3. Building Places That Connect People

Redwood Café became more than a restaurant—it became a community hub, and now it’s evolved into Redwood Café Tours around the world. What do you think makes an experience or a business truly memorable to people? (Bob recommends two books. “Moments of Truth: How the SAS President and CEO Adapted to the New Customer-Driven Economy” by Jan Carlzon. “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business” by Danny Meyer.)

4. Lessons Earned the Hard Way

Your book promises “battle-tested lessons,” not theory. What are one or two hard-earned truths about entrepreneurship that you wish more people understood before they start their first venture?

5. What’s Next—and Why Keep Going?

You’re still expanding into real estate and aircraft leasing, writing books, and launching a podcast. What keeps you energized at this stage—and what advice would you give to entrepreneurs who wonder if it’s too late to start something new?

Bob, if you could leave our listeners with one mindset or principle that’s helped you navigate uncertainty over four decades, what would it be?

On Your World of Creativity, we travel around the world talking with creative practitioners who turn ideas into impact. In this special roundtable episode, Mark brings together leaders from film, animation, hospitality, consumer brands, immersive experiences, and big-tech UX to explore one powerful theme:

Teamwork.

When creative outcomes depend on dozens—or even hundreds—of contributors, how do you align vision, manage complexity, and still leave room for magic?

Today’s Panelists

1. Michael Robinson — Hotel & Hospitality Operations Leader
2. Diego Pulido — Lead UX Designer, Amazon (formerly Google, Walmart, Adobe, JPMorganChase)
3. Matt McLean — Organic Consumer Juice Brand Founder
4. Tom Bairstow — Event, Concert Production & Immersive Visual Experiences
5. Rich Magallanes — Children’s & Animated Content Producer
6. Steven Puri — Focus app creator, ex-studio exec/producer Fox, DreamWorks, Sony

Together, they share real-world lessons from film sets, animation studios, hospitality teams, live events, consumer brands, and product design at scale.

In This Episode, We Explore:

1. Creativity as a Team Sport. What great collaboration actually looks like across industries—and why creativity doesn’t happen in isolation.
2. Aligning Vision Across Many Contributors. How leaders communicate creative direction clearly when working with writers, designers, engineers, performers, vendors, and operational teams.
3. Conflict, Constraints & Creative Breakthroughs. How budget limits, timelines, technical requirements, and differing opinions can either block creativity—or unlock it.
4. Leadership in Collaborative Environments. What it means to lead when you’re not the only decision-maker, how to build trust quickly, and why delegation is essential for scale.
5. Practical Takeaways for Better Collaboration. From film crews to UX teams, each panelist shares what actually helps teams work better together—and what listeners can apply immediately.

Final Lightning Round

Each panelist shares one simple action listeners can take this week to become a better collaborator.

Huge thanks to our panelists. Be sure to connect with them.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-robinson-a6985735/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegopulido/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mclean-5507733/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tombairstownorthhouse/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-magallanes-executive-producer-15290776/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review Your World of Creativity. It helps more creative leaders discover the show.

And come back next time, when we’ll sit down with another creative professional to explore how they get inspired, organize ideas, and turn imagination into impact.

New Book Announcement

Mark’s new book is coming soon.

UNLOCK Your World of Creativity: 6 Key Lessons Learned from More Than 250 Creatives Worldwide

Built from the first 250 conversations on the podcast, this book distills practical insights from founders, artists, designers, musicians, healers, strategists, and innovators around the globe.

Inside you’ll discover:

• how creative people get inspired

• how they organize ideas into action

• how they move through doubt, burnout, and uncertainty

• how they turn creativity into meaningful work and real-world impact

It’s designed to be practical, reflective, and encouraging—whether you’re leading a business, building a creative practice, or bringing a new idea into the world.

UNLOCK Your World of Creativity coming on Amazon.

Just search the full title or look for Mark Stinson.

Thanks for being part of this creative journey—and for supporting the podcast and the book.

Today I’m joined by Leslie Schover, clinical psychologist turned novelist and author of Fission: A Novel of Atomic Heartbreak.

Set during the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Fission explores love, ambition, secrecy, identity, and moral conflict at a moment when the world was being reshaped—both scientifically and emotionally.

Drawing on her parents’ lived experiences and her own deep understanding of relationships, Leslie brings a uniquely human lens to one of history’s most consequential chapters.

1. From Family Stories to Historical Fiction
2. Fission is rooted in the stories your parents told about life in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project. When did you first realize these personal memories could become a novel—and what shifted for you in turning family history into fiction?
3. Atomic Power and Emotional Fission
4. The title Fission works on so many levels—scientific, emotional, relational. How did you think about the parallel between splitting the atom and the fractures within marriage, identity, and moral responsibility?
5. Doris Friedman: Ambition, Identity, and Constraint
6. Doris is such a complex character—a young mother, a frustrated artist, a woman navigating marriage, ambition, antisemitism, and gender expectations in the 1940s. What drew you to tell the story through her eyes, and what does she represent to you?
7. Psychology, Secrecy, and Relationships Under Pressure
8. As a clinical psychologist, you’ve spent decades studying relationships, sexuality, and identity under stress. How did that background shape the way you portrayed marriage, desire, betrayal, and resilience in a world defined by secrecy and existential fear?
9. Moral Ambivalence and Legacy
10. By the end of the novel, Doris and Rob are left with pride, guilt, love, and doubt—having helped save the world and also put it at risk. What questions do you hope readers sit with after finishing Fission, especially as we think about scientific progress and ethical responsibility today?

As someone who returned to fiction after a long and impactful career in psychology and healthcare, what would you say to creatives who feel it may be ‘too late’ to return to an earlier calling?

Today we’re welcoming T. Christian Helms, Founder and Creative Director of Helms Workshop, an award-winning branding agency known for building brands that truly connect.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tchristianhelms/

T. Christian's Website

Over the past 15 years, Christian has led creative strategy for beloved names like Jack Daniel’s, Hershey, Austin Beerworks, and Howler Brothers—helping them clarify their voice, tell authentic stories, and bring creative visions to life.

But what makes Christian’s creative journey especially powerful is the transformation behind the work. After years struggling with an undiagnosed illness, he rebuilt his life and his business using the same creative tools he teaches—clarity, storytelling, curiosity, and purpose. Today he helps companies and creators alike rediscover their creative spark and turn ideas into meaningful impact.

1. Rebuilding Through Creativity
2. Christian, your story includes a long period of illness and recovery—and ultimately a complete personal and creative reset. How did those challenges shape the way you think about creativity, purpose, and your role as a storyteller and brand builder?
3. The Spark of Curiosity and Play
4. You often talk about the importance of curiosity and play in breaking out of creative ruts. How do you intentionally bring curiosity into your process, both for yourself and for the brands you help shape?
5. Storytelling as Strategy
6. Your agency is known for helping brands find their soul and voice. What’s your approach to uncovering an authentic story—whether you're working with a global brand like Jack Daniel’s or an emerging creative business?
7. Rebuilding Creativity After Burnout
8. Many of our listeners have faced burnout, adversity, or seasons where their creative energy felt depleted. From your own journey, what have you learned about restoring creativity when the tank feels empty?
9. Creating Meaningful Impact
10. You’ve said that great design connects—and great stories endure. What does “impact” look like to you now? And how can today’s creators translate their ideas into work that actually makes a difference for others?

Christian, for creatives who are listening and may be at a crossroads—professionally, personally, or creatively—what’s one small step they can take today to reconnect with their creative spark?”

Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee Roasters, fueling creative conversations everywhere. Listeners, enjoy 10% off your first order with the code CREATIVITY at checkout. Visit whitecloudcoffee.com.

And before you go, download your free e-book A World of Creativity, featuring insights and interviews from the podcast. Visit mark-stinson.com

Today, we welcome Dennis Welch — a lifelong songwriter and creative force who is now experiencing a remarkable musical renaissance in his sixties. Dennis has written more than 500 songs, published two books, played concerts far and wide, and built a body of work anchored in one central identity: storyteller.

Dennis's Website

Dennis on YouTube

@Poo_Welch on Instagram

Dennis's Facebook page

After recording an album in 2000, Dennis continued writing but went 18 years without releasing new music… until a single moment changed everything. When his longtime friend, Little River Band guitarist Rich Herring, heard one of Dennis’s songs, he offered to produce a single — which turned into an album, and then another, all landing on the first Grammy ballot in multiple categories.

His newest album, Strong, released this July, continues this extraordinary creative chapter. Dennis’s message is simple but powerful: Never give up. Keep creating. You never know what’s around the next corner.

1. A Renaissance at Sixty: Why Now?
2. Dennis, your story is such a powerful example of perseverance. After releasing an album in 2000, you kept writing but didn’t return to the studio for nearly two decades. What was happening creatively during those years — and what made this the right moment to reemerge?
3. The Song That Changed Everything
4. When Rich Herring heard one of your songs and offered to produce a single, it sparked an entire new era of your career. Tell us about that moment. What did you feel when you realized this might be the beginning of something big?
5. Storytelling as Your Legacy
6. You’ve said that if you could be remembered for just one word, it would be storyteller. How does storytelling show up in your songwriting today, and how has your perspective evolved across 500+ songs?
7. Three Albums, Two Grammy Ballots, and a Creative Surge
8. What Love Makes Us Do and If I Live to Be a Hundred both made the first Grammy ballot in five categories — and now you’ve released Strong. What themes, emotions, or experiences shaped this newest album?
9. Advice for Creatives Who Feel “It’s Too Late”
10. Your message is incredibly encouraging: Don’t ever give up. Tune out the naysayers. Do what you’re here for. What do you want other artists — especially those who feel their creative window is closing — to understand from your journey?

Dennis, if you could leave our listeners with one thought about sustaining creativity across a lifetime — what would it be?

Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee Roasters. Listeners can enjoy 10% off your first order — just use the code CREATIVITY at checkout at whitecloudcoffee.com.

And don’t forget to download your free e-book, A World of Creativity — a collection of inspiring interviews from the podcast. Visit mark-stinson.com to get your copy.

Today, we welcome Greig Watts, a powerhouse in songwriting, publishing, and music development. Greig is one-third of the internationally successful songwriting and publishing team DWB, known for selling millions of units worldwide and for pioneering early breakthroughs in markets like Japan and South Korea long before the global rise of J-Pop and K-Pop.

Greig's Website

@greigwatts on Instagram

Greig's Facebook page

Greig's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greigwatts/

For songwriters who feel stuck, discouraged, or tired of rejection, his mission: help creators overcome setbacks, rediscover joy, and keep fighting for the dream that first sparked their love of music. Greig has captured decades of experience—and the heart of his creative philosophy—in his bestselling book, Keeping the Dream Alive. It’s part memoir, part guide, and part rallying cry.

He’s overseen 16 Eurovision entries in 10 consecutive years, coached dozens of successful writers, spoken at industry conferences from Moscow to Taiwan to Amsterdam, served as a BBC Music Consultant, and mentored songwriters around the world.

1. From Almost Quitting to International Success

• Greig, your book opens with a vulnerable story—by 2003 you almost walked away from music entirely. What helped you turn rejection into fuel instead of failure, and how did that turning point shape the book Keeping the Dream Alive?

1. The Mindset of Persistence

• You say showing up matters more than talent. What does “showing up” actually look like for songwriters—and how can creatives overcome procrastination, self-doubt, and the belief that they’re not good enough?
• What’s the secret to finishing songs instead of endlessly rewriting them?

1. Protecting Creativity While Treating Music as a Business

• You’re very honest that loving music isn’t enough—you also have to monetize it to keep going. How can songwriters protect their creativity from burnout while still building a viable career in an intensely competitive industry?

1. Finding Success in Unexpected Places

• You and DWB broke into Japan and Korea long before most UK or US writers even knew those markets existed. You also helped make Eurovision songwriting camps what they are today. How has seeking out “the niche” shaped your creative and business success?

1. Mentorship, Neurodiversity & Keeping the Dream Alive

• You’ve launched courses supporting songwriters—including neurodiverse creatives—and you speak often about defending the underdog. How do you help writers identify their strengths, build a supportive team, and keep the dream alive even when people around them doubt them?
• Greig, for any songwriter listening who feels like their dream is slipping away—what’s the one thing you want them to hear today?”

Book link for listeners:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keeping-Dream-Alive-Songwriters-Overcoming/dp/195725551X

Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee—fueling creative conversations everywhere. Listeners, enjoy 10% off your first order at whitecloudcoffee.com

And before you go, be sure to grab your free e-book A World of Creativity when you visit mark-stinson.com

Today’s guest is Aurora Winter — an award-winning bestselling author; TV producer; media coach; ghostwriter; and successful serial entrepreneur. Aurora is founder of SamePagePublishing.com and the creator of the Spoken Author™ method, helping experts craft award-winning books that expand their impact and income.

Her book Turn Words Into Wealth: Blueprint for Your Business, Brand, and Book to Create Multiple Streams of Income & Impact won Outstanding Non-Fiction Book of the Year in 2022 and many other awards since then.

Aurora's Website

@aurorawintermba on Instagram

Aurora on YouTube

Aurora left a lucrative career as a TV executive to pursue a life built on storytelling, creativity, and contribution. Today she empowers entrepreneurs, authors, and speakers to turn their words — and their wisdom — into wealth.

1. Turning Words Into Wealth

• Aurora, you help entrepreneurs and experts use books as a centerpiece for their brand and business. What are the most powerful ways someone can turn their words into multiple streams of income today?

1. The Neuroscience of Memorable Messages

• You’re known for blending filmmaking, storytelling, and neuroscience. What does science tell us about why certain messages stick — and how can listeners apply this to their own communication, branding, or writing?

1. The 27X Power of Story

• You talk about the “27X value of a story.” What does that mean — and why is story still the most persuasive, profitable, and memorable tool in business?

1. New Ways to Market — AI, Kickstarter, and Beyond

• The landscape for authors and entrepreneurs is shifting fast. What new marketing approaches should people be paying attention to — including AI, Kickstarter, or other platforms?

1. Pivoting From Business to Award-Winning Fantasy

• You’ve recently stepped into writing fantasy — and winning awards for it. How has writing fiction influenced your creative life? And in your view, how can fiction shape or illuminate real-world issues.
•  “Seven Ways to Make 7 Figures”: Could you share one or two of your favorite strategies that listeners could begin applying today?

· Gift for Our Audience - Includes your Turn Words-to-Wealth starter library and a video masterclass on how to attract capital, clients, and media coverage.: https://turnwordsintowealth.com

· Marketing Fastrack: The Little Book That Launched a New Business by Aurora Winter- on Amazon: https://a.co/d/8xrIglK

· Turn Words Into Wealth: Blueprint for Your Business, Brand and Book by Aurora Winter - on Amazon: https://a.co/d/7RRkVYb

· Magic, Mystery, and the Multiverse Book 1 Amazon: https://a.co/d/5cmA6Um

· LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/AuroraWinter

Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee — fueling creative conversations everywhere. Listeners, enjoy 10% off your first order at whitecloudcoffee.com.

And before you go, you can download a free copy of my e-book A World of Creativity when you visit mark-stinson.com.

Episode 400 – and the start of our 8th year of the podcast!

We welcome Matt Ross — entrepreneur, media executive, and author of the book Grow or Fold: Transform Yourself in Midlife & Beyond.

Matt's Website

Matt's Facebook page

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-ross-entrepreneur/

Matt has spent nearly 30 years building businesses at the intersection of creativity and leadership. He led New York’s legendary rock station Q104.3 and hip-hop station Hot 97, helped scale School of Rock from a struggling startup into a global franchise, and later founded One River School, a first-of-its-kind art education company now with fifteen schools across six states.

1. Grow or Fold — Why This Book, and Why Now?
2. Matt, you’ve spent decades building creative organizations—from School of Rock to One River School. What inspired you to write Grow or Fold, and what does that title mean to you personally?
3. From Rock Stages to Art Studios

o Throughout his career, Matt has made creativity the core of every organization he’s led, whether inspiring musicians, mentoring young artists, or empowering educators to think like innovators.

1. What lessons carried over from building School of Rock that helped you launch One River School—and how did those experiences change your view of what creativity really means?
2. Building Communities Through Art
3. One of your core beliefs is that creative spaces are essential for wellbeing and connection. How have you seen art schools, studios, and community programs transform the lives of students and adults alike?
4. Creative Growth and Leadership at Every Age
5. You’ve said that creativity isn’t just for the young—it’s the key to staying sharp as we age. How can leaders, educators, and professionals rediscover their creative edge during midlife transitions or after major life changes?
6. The CEO as Creative — and the Creative as CEO
7. You’ve lived in both worlds—the creative studio and the C-suite. What can business leaders learn from artists about innovation, and what can artists learn from CEOs about sustainable growth?
8. You write about nurturing originality and trust in teams. What are the most effective ways leaders can foster that kind of environment?
9. You’ve described Grow or Fold as a mindset for sustainable creativity and leadership. How can people apply that mindset to their daily lives, especially in times of uncertainty or change?

Matt, for listeners who might be standing at a crossroads in their own careers or creative paths — what’s one action they can take today to start ‘growing’ rather than folding?

Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee — fueling creative conversations everywhere. Listeners, enjoy 10% off your first order at whitecloudcoffee.com

And before you go, be sure to download your free e-book of A World of Creativity when you visit mark-stinson.com.