134: Season 14 Finale- Creative and Cultural Industries Really Gets Under Your Skin

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 season finale starts with Taylor Green who speaks with Olivia Halton co-founder of 760skin, a clean, vegan skincare brand. The pair explore how creativity shapes both of their lives and how persistence and innovation guided Olivia through moments of uncertainty. They discuss how Olivia turned a personal passion into a thriving company, and her decision to pursue entrepreneurship over a traditional 9-to-5 path and revealing the inspiration behind the name 760skin. She opens up about the challenges and triumphs of building a business from the ground up, offering valuable insights into creativity, branding, and resilience.

Wrapping up our episode, and our season, Kaylee Chapman brings us an interview with San Francisco tattoo artist Lo Gwyn. Chapman and Gwyn take an in-depth look at the artistry, emotion, and individuality that define the tattoo industry. Lo shares how she forged her path through a nontraditional route, emphasizing the role of networking, self-motivation, and creative risk-taking in shaping her career. She offers candid advice for aspiring artists about finding sustainability and success outside conventional apprenticeships, while staying true to their vision. Lo reveals her creative process, the emotions that drive her work, and how she navigates growing trends in the industry. She also addresses misconceptions about tattooing and the lack of recognition it often receives as fine art—responding with thoughtful, passionate insight.