129: Creative Entrepreneurship and Athleticism

Catalyst is a Creative Industries podcast, from Chapman University. Each episode features Chapman students who have completed a Podcasting course through the Center for Creative and Cultural Industries at the university. Students who had no podcasting experience or technical ability in the genre before taking the course were able to contribute all the segments to Catalyst this season with the goal being that they will take this ‘hands-on’ experience and carry it over to the launching of their very own series. Each episode of Season 14 will feature one to two different interviews conducted by CCI students, exploring different aspects of the Creative and Cultural Industries.

Our first segment of the podcast this week features and interview by Madison McMinn, who speaks with Entrepreneur and founder of Beachside Custom Gyms, Kali Sudbrrok. Growing up in Southern California, Kali earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees at Cal State Fullerton before beginning her professional life as a fitness program director at UCI. Over time, her creative drive led her to take a leap of faith and start her own company, Beachside Custom Gyms, where she combines her passions for fitness, design, and construction to create personalized spaces for her community. Kali shares about the challenges of transitioning to entrepreneurship, giving honest insights into what it is like to leave a stable job for an unpredictable creative career. She also covers how she has navigated working in a male-dominated industry, and the importance of curiosity and persistence.

Concluding today’s episode ShelBee Wu, aerial performer and instructor, sits down to talk to Grace Max about the artistry and athleticism have shaped her creative career. Grace and Bee explore what it is really like behind the scenes of teaching fitness through alternative arts, from how Bee creates an inclusive and supportive environment for her students to the transformations she witnesses as they gain confidence, strength, and self-expression through movement. Bee also reflects on how social media has played a crucial role in building community and expanding awareness around this unique type of athleticism and expression.