Making Ways

On today’s episode we are joined by dancer, instructor, and coach Alicia Langlais. Alicia’s practice is all about conquering your fears and overcoming the demons that are holding you back from pursuing your own path, whether that be as a dancer, artist, creator, or entrepreneur. Alicia found her way back to dance after years as a school counselor and time overcoming the challenges of her early dancing days at the renowned LaGuardia Performing Arts High School aka the school that inspired Fame. Listen in to Alicia’s incredible journey and get ready to conquer your own dragons today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Artist and designer Mik Gaspay left the steady 9 to 5 twice in his career and has learned a thing or two about being bold and going for what you want. On today’s episode of Making Ways podcast Mik shares his journey, discussing his move to Palo Alto from the Philippines at age 9, his work at Colorforms toys, what life was like as a grad student at art school while also working full time there in IT, and the moment the band Built to Spill helped light the spark to his pursuit of an independent career. Mik also offers practical advice for those seeking to break away from their day jobs and how to navigate the highs and lows of the freelance hustle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode we are joined by the CEO and Executive Creative Director of Butchershop agency, Trevor Hubbard. You could call Trevor’s path to becoming a design leader unconventional… he went to film school, got fired from his first design job after botching a pet ad, left design school and later taught there instead, and came to starting an agency through his love of the action sports industry. Trevor runs Butchershop, an award-winning creative agency that works with organizations on reimagining culture through design. Tune in for a great story, conversation, and advice on navigating your own creative career with Trevor Hubbard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode we’re joined by artist, curator, and director Brion Nuda Rosch. Brion discovered his love of art-making in the San Francisco creative community scene of the 1990s. He went on to curate art shows (even some in his apartment bathroom), make his own way as a painter by initially cutting up and recontextualizing his work, and breaking into the art world not through a MFA but by an unrelenting commitment to moving forward. Brion spends his days directing the studio program at Minnesota Street Project––helping to support the careers and creative practices for resident artists. Minnesota Street Project is based in San Francisco’s Dogpatch district and provides sustainable spaces for galleries, artists, and arts nonprofits. Tune in for Brion’s story and learn more about how to carve your own path by earning your stripes in the real world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Singer is a fine artist whose work includes installations, civic-minded projects, paper sculpture, and large-scale participatory experiences. Brian recently changed gears to devote his full-time attention to artwork after years of running his own agency and holding senior design roles at Facebook and Pinterest. In this episode of Making Ways, learn more about gradually carving out a career based on doing more of what you like and less of what you feel obligated to do. Brian also shares details on his new crowdfunded earthquake preparedness project, Basic Safety, and his acclaimed The 1000 Journals Project, which has been exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During our recent visit to Design Week Portland, we had the awesome opportunity to meet illustrator and designer Jason Sturgill. Jason came to illustration later in his career and has flourished, sharing his journey on Instagram for fans the world over. His clients include Warby Parker, New Balance, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, and many more. Jason lives his life and career with a curiosity and bias towards openness that has inspired him to start his own record label (where he released one of Modest Mouse's first 7" records), art gallery, and more recently take on roles at Wieden+Kennedy, Nike, Dark Horse Comics, and mentor students at Portland State University. On today's episode Jason talks about his unique serendipitous path and shares the nature of his open mindset. He also discusses his challenges with depression and bipolar disorder and how creativity plays a significant role in his happiness and health. Tune in for a great discussion with the inspiring, creative mind of Jason Sturgill.  Hosted on Acast.

Making Ways podcast is live from Design Week Portland with Laura Whipple, the CEO and Cofounder of Scout Books. Laura shares her unlikely path to launching the company, great advice for entrepreneurs looking to get started, and she details the power of writing down your goals. She also offers listeners a closer look at what makes the Portland creative community tick (and how you can bring some of that magic to your own city or town). Thanks to Design Week Portland, Outlet PDX, and Stream PDX for making this live event and episode so special. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aundre Larrow is a portrait photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. On today’s episode Aundre shares his story––from early days in Jamaica to adolescence with his supportive single mother in Florida, and the first steps that brought him into a freelance photography career. Throughout the conversation, Aundre talks about the motivation behind his work, details his latest project ‘Stories from Here,’ and discusses his year as an Adobe Creative Resident. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indhira Rojas is the founder and creative director of Anxy Magazine, a beautifully designed Kickstarter-funded print magazine that tells the true stories of our internal lives. Indhira once called the mental health magazine, “group therapy in print.” On today’s episode Indhira discusses her path from a photography-loving student in the Dominican Republic to an esteemed designer working with some of Silicon Valley’s best-known brands. During our conversation, Indhira shares the challenges of overcoming childhood trauma and offers insights for listeners struggling to find their footing, both professionally and personally. Hear her story of leaving behind the corporate world, starting her own agency, and creating Anxy Magazine on Making Ways podcast today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode we're joined by the founder of Stitcher podcasts, Noah Shanok. Noah shares his journey to starting Stitcher and how he delayed his entrepreneurial urges to sharpen his teeth first with roles at StubHub and JPMorgan Chase. Stitcher began over a decade ago and was very early to the podcasting game––arriving before the iPhone revolutionized the way we consume media. Today the company is among the world's most renowned podcasting platforms. Noah sheds light on his time as CEO of Stitcher, the pitfalls of the startup grind, and knowing when to throw in the towel. He discusses why getting out of your own way is the best path to thriving as a creative or business leader. Hear our illuminating conversation with Noah Shanok now on Making Ways podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s time to celebrate one year of Making Ways podcast! 50 creative minds, 50 career journeys, 50 compelling conversations…50 episodes. Over the past year, host, marketer, and illustrator Rob Goodman has sat down with creatives of all stripes to discuss the winding journeys to their most fulfilling careers. Our guests have navigated unexpected paths and come out on the other side to share pitfalls, lessons learned, and amazing advice. These learnings can help any creative-minded professional pursue a career that will bring them joy—and have an oversized impact on their communities too. In today’s episode, we look back at some of the interviews that listeners have loved. Hear insightful stories from artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs like Kelly Inouye, Alexandra Kenin, Windy Chien, Paul Madonna, Susa Cortez, George McCalman, Steve Vassallo, and Kimberly Bryant. Thanks for an amazing first year of Making Ways. Cheers to more stories and inspiration ahead to help you chart a creative path all your own. Hoste

Independent creative entrepreneur Dava Guthmiller wears many hats. As the founder and chief creative officer of branding and design agency Noise 13, she leads a mostly female team in taking on big creative projects. Dava is also the cofounder of In/Visible Talks, a conference about the creative process, and founder and CEO of Revel & Rouse, an online cannabis magazine for women. On this episode of Making Ways, Dava shares great advice on nurturing relationships and collaborations and tips on replenishing your creative energy and balancing work and life for greater success. She also discusses her pivotal, impromptu decision to leave her day job and strike out on her own without a plan in hand. Listen in to hear her story and learn why you should prioritize taking time to recharge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In life, we are often so fixated on moving forward that we overlook past passions worth revisiting. On today’s episode, we chart the amazing journey of Miriam Stone. Miriam is a published memoir author who switched gears after hitting writer’s block and found a career in business and marketing as a brand strategist. After the 2016 election, Miriam harnessed her years of training for political action, cofounding Swing Left, an organization that rallies support for progressive candidates in congressional races. Listen in as Miriam shares how her mother’s passing inspired her first book, why she switched gears and went for a MBA, and what a brand strategist really does. Miriam also delivers great advice for making room in your life for creative exploration and how to overcome those pesky feelings many of us have about not being good enough to do whatever it is that we really want to do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a child, Sarah Weiner loved food the way other little kids might love music. Her mom would hand her a treat and she'd be an angel all afternoon. Sarah also had a fondness for raising awareness for endangered species and caring for those in need. Years later she would come to realize that her passion for food and making the world a better place could come together to help reshape the nation's food system. Today Sarah serves as Executive Director of the Good Food Foundation. On this episode of Making Ways podcast, she discusses her path from food-loving kid to Economics student at Dartmouth College, and her experiences working with Alice Waters. Sarah has fantastic practical advice on how to learn through osmosis and offers this nugget of wisdom: “If you want to be a change leader, start by being a change helper.” Listen to her story on Making Ways now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, watercolor artist Lindsay Stripling gets down to brass tacks when it comes to living a life and running a business as a creative freelancer. Lindsay shares the behind the scenes challenges and realities of sustaining a creative practice, running a side hustle, and working multiple jobs as you spin up doing something that you love. Tune in to hear about Lindsay’s path to art making, her time in Santa Cruz and at San Francisco Art Institute, and how she discovered her love of painting. You’ll also learn practical tips for establishing your creative business, programs and tools to help you organize your practice, and advice on scheduling your time for the greatest creative output. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kelly Inouye is a watercolor artist who runs an art space and turned a career in product design and a stack of rejection letters into a fulfilling life as a creative professional. In this episode, you'll learn how to rethink rejection, continue your education without returning to class, and get a better understanding of the factors that might make you––one day––pack up and leave your corporate job behind. Tune in for today's episode of Making Ways podcast with the talented, kind, and driven Kelly Inouye. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stuart Schuffman is a blogger, travel writer, author, and even hosted his own show on IFC. He's also the creator of Broke-Ass Stuart, the popular travel and culture website that got him called names like, "underground legend" by San Francisco Chronicle, "SF cult hero" by San Francisco Bay Guardian, and "chief of cheap" by Time Out New York. On today's episode Stuart talks about his path to becoming a travel writer, his work at Lonely Planet, that time he ran for mayor, and what it takes to operate an editorial site in today's media game. Stuart shares his daily challenges and discusses Patreon crowdfunding. He talks about bringing a TV show to the airwaves and getting his "living cheaply" city guidebooks published. Tune in for great advice and some amazing stories as we talk shop with Stuart Schuffman on Making Ways. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miranda Jones is cofounder of Galanter & Jones, a design and fabrication studio she runs with her brother Aaron. The company is best known for their beautiful, heated furniture. Miranda's path to the furniture business was anything but a straight line. She worked in publishing as an editor for Sunset Magazine and later for the popular website PopSugar. Earlier in her career, she spent time helping to run the San Francisco Film Society and even started her own floral design business. On this episode you'll learn about identifying compelling projects and finding people in your life whose passions could also be your own. And you'll hear about the importance of partnership and collaboration in making big ideas take flight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesse Genet has always had the entrepreneurial spark. In high school, she created a T-shirt printing business. Later, Jesse launched two successful Kickstarter campaigns for the sunlight-activated fabric dye Inkodye. That startup ultimately transformed into Lumi, a company reimagining packaging for commerce brands. On today’s episode, Making Ways is live at In/Visible Talks, the new conference all about the creative process. Listen in to hear Jesse’s great advice on building your tolerance for big risks, making difficult decisions, lessons on being a designer founder, her experience at Y Combinator, and so much more. The only way this conversation could have been better was if Jesse’s dog Flexo joined in. Next time. Tune in for a fun, insightful conversation with Making Ways live. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s show, we are live at General Assembly with Lara McCormick, the creative director for the Exploratorium, San Francisco’s historic hands-on science museum. Lara’s path to becoming a design leader and teacher is anything but ordinary. On this episode, she shares the twists and turns of her journey with great humor and insight. Lara recounts the lessons she learned from her first steps into design with handmade flyers to earning an MFA from SVA and a degree in type from the esteemed Cooper Union later in life. She also discusses her experiences as art director for the New York Times, chairing the Design Department at the New Hampshire Institute of Art, and leading design at Creative Live. Listen in for Lara’s great advice for anyone looking to stay inspired, be honest with themselves about what’s most important, and do great work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.