161. Building a Sanctuary for BIPOC Writers - Lori Tharps
Release Date: 08/12/2025
189. The Creative's Guide to Screening Your First Hire - Martine Severin
This is How We Create
Hiring your first helper is exciting, but it can also be terrifying. After keeping the wrong person on my team for far too long, I realized I had been focusing on all the wrong things. Skills on a resume are table stakes, but you cannot teach someone to care about the details the way you do. In this episode (Part 2 of our hiring series), I am pulling back the curtain on the screening process that saved me from making that mistake again. I share the specific, behavioral questions I now ask to uncover a candidate's true values, the red flags that signal a poor fit, and the single most important...
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188. Think you need to hire someone? Your exhaustion might be lying to you - Martine Severin
This is How We Create
Some creatives hire when they're overwhelmed, not when they're ready to lead. Before you bring on that intern or assistant, you need clarity on what you're handing off, bandwidth to train them, and rock-solid values they can execute on. I’m pleased to share the hiring frameworks that rocked my world when it came to bringing on new team members. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The Four-Part Series on Hiring 01:06 The Mistake: Hiring When You Are Not Ready to Lead 02:08 Question 1: What Specific Work Are You Handing Off? 02:49 Question 2: Can You Afford to Train Someone (With Time)? 03:31...
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187. What an Afro Comb Can Teach You about Design - Jomo Tariku
This is How We Create
What does it take to change an entire industry? Thirty years ago, Jomo Tariku, then an industrial design student, noticed something profound missing in his university library: contemporary African furniture designers. This observation sparked a decades-long journey of persistence and vision. I sit down with Jomo to discuss his path from sketching designs in his garage while working other jobs to having his celebrated work featured in The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He shares how his father's incredible story as a refugee gave him the hubris to...
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186. The Quiet Persistence of Creativity - Martine Severin
This is How We Create
I have been thinking a lot lately about the difference between the loud hustle culture of constant visibility and the profound power of simply refusing to give up, even when it feels like nothing is happening. Join me in this episode as I share unexpected lessons in persistence, inspired by Death Valley. Chapters 00:00 - The Unlikely Pairing: Death Valley and Dehydrated Shrimp 01:50 - The Persistence of Fairy Shrimp and Resurrection Moss 02:30 - Redefining Persistence: Why Dormancy is Not Failure 03:40 - When Your Rain Comes: Being Ready to Rise 04:30 - Nature’s Pep Talk: The Audacity...
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185. The Courage to Trust the Process - Bria Gladney
This is How We Create
Every so often, we come across an artist whose journey reminds us that creativity is a promise of transformation. What started as a project to design graduation caps (that then went viral) evolved into a story of artistic evolution, mental health healing, and finding purpose through creativity. In this episode, mixed media textile artist Bria Gladney reveals how the most meaningful art comes from the intersection of personal healing, community impact, and the courage to trust the process. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Bria Gladney and Her Journey 03:02 From Class Clown to Pencil: Early...
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184. How to Find Your Own Creative Mantra - Martine Severin
This is How We Create
I recently spent time hiking the Four Corners (you know, the area in the US where the states of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico form corners). After pushing my body to its limits, I ended up on a massage table where an unexpected mantra changed my perspective. This mantra made me ask: if we have mantras for meditation and our bodies, why not for our creative practice? We, as creatives, spend so much time battling imposter syndrome and the endless feelings of "not enough". Why not use mantras to help us dip into the springwell of our creativity. Chapters 00:00 Welcome: A...
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183. The Art of World-Building as an Author - Navi' Robins
This is How We Create
How does a creative professional build a portfolio of 18 books? My guest today, Navi' Robins, is a Chicago-born author and graphic designer who does just that. His creative perspective was shaped by a childhood spent living across five continents. In our conversation, Navi' shares the inspiration behind his new Black Lotus trilogy, a futuristic world where men have been eradicated, and how real-world political events sparked the idea. We dig into his process as a "freestyle writer", his secrets to dynamic world-building, and the fearless habit he relies on to push the boundaries of his...
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182. How Creatives Really Make a Living - Martine Severin
This is How We Create
Have you wondered about the gap between the beautiful work on artists’ websites and the reality of making a living off of your creative work? Join three incredible artists: illustrator Andrea Pippins, illustrator Alex Cabal, and photographer Chris Charles, who share their "income pie." They reveal that making it is a result of royalties, commissions, speaking gigs, and consulting that supports their creative life. Chapters 00:00 - The Reality of Paying Rent as an Artist 02:15 - Understanding the "Income Pie" (Feat. Andrea Pippins) 04:28 - Andrea Pippins Shares Her Income...
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181. Capturing Authentic Emotion in Photography - Sage East
This is How We Create
Ever feel trapped shooting the same bright, clean images everyone expects? Photographer Sage East knows that struggle. After landing her first big Puma campaign with perfectly lit, commercial-ready shots, she realized something was missing - soul. In this episode, the photographer behind campaigns for Nike, Google, Netflix, and Dior reveals how she transformed her work from safe and sterile to moody and magnetic. Learn how she developed her mantra "I don't shoot what it looks like, I shoot what it feels like" and discover the specific techniques she used to find her signature warm,...
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180. More Slices, More Freedom: The Income Streams of a Multipassionate Creative - Martine Severin
This is How We Create
Turns out most successful creative careers are funded by multiple streams. If you've ever felt that cobbling it together means you haven't truly arrived, this episode is a reminder that you're building something sustainable, resilient, and entirely your own. Chapters 00:00 - The Secret Feeling of Being a Fraud 02:17 - The "Income Pie" Revelation 04:37 - Why Your Pie is a Source of Freedom, Not Failure 06:55 - How Bridge Work Sustains the Dream Work 09:09 - Homework: How to Draw Your Own Income Pie 11:34 - You Are Building Something Sustainable Book...
info_outlineWhat does it take to leap into the unknown for the sake of your creative calling? In this episode, I talk with Lori Tharps, a writer, educator, and creative catalyst who did just that.
Lori shares the powerful story behind her decision to leave a tenured professorship at Temple University to start a new life in Southern Spain.
We explore her journey to create The Sanctuary, a vital community for BIPOC women writers, and dig into her profound belief that storytelling is a tool with the power to change the world. This conversation is a moving testament to the magic that unfolds when you have the courage to build the life you've always imagined.
Chapters
00:00 - Introducing Lori L. Tharps
02:52 - The Childhood Friendship That Sparked a Creative Life
07:25 - From "Lying" to Storytelling: The Gift of a Typewriter
09:47 - What Truly Makes a Good Story?
16:04 - "Watch Me": Defying the Myth That Motherhood and Writing Don't Mix
17:47 - The Physical Feeling of Purpose: Flow vs. Frustration
21:17 - The Leap of Faith: Why She Left a Tenured Professorship for Spain
28:28 - Making Time to Create, Inspired by Our Literary Ancestors
32:53 - The Birth of The Sanctuary for BIPOC Women Writers
37:04 - The Myth of the Solitary Writer and the Power of Community
47:17 - What Does a Real Writing Practice Look Like? (It's More Than Just Writing)
53:34 - The Gospel of Storytelling: How New Narratives Can Save the World
Check out the full video interview on our YouTube channel!
Connect with Lori:
Follow Lori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loriltharps/?hl=en
Lori’s Website: https://www.loriltharps.com/
Support the Show
Website: www.martineseverin.com
Follow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_
Subscribe to the Newsletter: www.martineseverin.substack.com
This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Santiago Cardona and Daniel Espinosa.
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