A Podcast for Creatives
An audio experience for creatives and thinkers in all fields, including design, social media, music, writing and digital communication.
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Famous Last Words
02/01/2024
Famous Last Words
📽️ To our PFC community, As we sit here reflecting on the journey, we’re overwhelmed with gratitude and emotion. Today marks the release of our final PFC episode, and we wanted to take a moment to express our thanks to each and every one of you. From the very beginning, your support has been the heartbeat of this podcast. Your enthusiasm, feedback, and dedication have fueled our passion to create content that we hope has resonated with you on a profound level. It's been an incredible ride filled with laughter, learning, and moments of genuine connection. Together, we've explored topics both heartfelt and lighthearted, delving into the depths of the creative experience and sharing stories that have touched our hearts. Your engagement, whether through messages, reviews, or sharing episodes with friends, has meant more to us than words can express. Knowing that our conversations have sparked dialogue, inspired change, or simply brought a smile to your face has been the ultimate reward. It’s just time. We’ve grown, both personally and professionally, and we’re in very different places than we were six years ago when we launched PFC. 100 episodes felt like the appropriate time to step away. While this chapter may be coming to a close, it’s not the end of our partnership. 20 years of friendship and we’re just getting started. We are working on a new project that we’re really excited about and will be sharing news of it with you soon. We think you’ll like it. As we bid farewell to PFC, thank you for being a part of our community. Your presence has truly made all the difference, and we’re deeply honored to have shared this journey with you. Until we meet again, keep creating things that you want to see. Michelle & Steve 👋 Connect with us
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Airing of the Grievances 🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♂️ Festivus 2023
12/20/2023
Airing of the Grievances 🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♂️ Festivus 2023
Join us for our annual airing of the grievances as we chat about all the things that annoyed us most in 2023. 📽️ 👋 Connect with us
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Creating Together: The Art of Healthy Collaboration
12/15/2023
Creating Together: The Art of Healthy Collaboration
As we celebrate our 6th(!) year of podcasting, we take a moment to reflect on our enduring partnership. In this episode, we delve into the elements that contributed to our healthy working relationship. Join us as we explore strategies for fostering optimal environments that empower creative teams to freely express their ideas. Additionally, we address self-compassion among solo artists, encouraging them to be a little kinder to themselves. When your ideas aren’t heard, we all miss out! We hope you’ll join us for this important discussion. 📽️ 👋 Connect with us
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A wedding, a funeral, and after-dinner coffee
12/06/2023
A wedding, a funeral, and after-dinner coffee
In this episode, Michelle gives Steve a recap of her sister’s wedding and they discuss the best and worst parts of events. They also chat about the return of their favorite podcast, and cultivate their own “Mobituary,” mourning the downfall and death of after-dinner coffee. 📽️ Mentioned in this Episode 👋 Connect with us
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Thanksgiving Special 2023
11/21/2023
Thanksgiving Special 2023
In this year's special, we talk about our Thanksgiving plans, cookbook recipes, favorite shows from our childhood, and the Thanksgiving Day Parade (mostly, what we think needs to change). 📽️ 🎙️ Mentioned in this episode: 🦃 Catch the other Thanksgiving Episodes in our archives 👋 Connect with us
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Birthdays and thoughts on getting older
11/02/2023
Birthdays and thoughts on getting older
In this episode, we talk about birthdays: celebration preferences, responding to social media birthday wishes, and how we're changing as we age. 📽️ Mentioned in this episode ____ 👋 Connect with us
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A.I., controversial podcasts, and Halloween cannoli
10/10/2023
A.I., controversial podcasts, and Halloween cannoli
This episode opens with a conversation about how creatives use A.I. and Chat GPT: when it makes sense and when it makes us uncomfortable. We also talk about recent shows and podcasts that reminded us how controversy and a lack of resolution can make for a compelling audience experience. The show concludes with a cannoli-related investigation. Please share your best theories to help us solve this mystery. 📽️ Mentioned in this Episode ____ 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Summer Mixtape
09/22/2023
Summer Mixtape
After three months, we had a lot to catch up on including Michelle’s trip to London, Steve’s favorite podcast of the summer, and the weird things our grandparents kept in their basements. Oh, and also, Steve may have killed Jimmy Buffet. 📽️ Mentioned in this Episode ____ 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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The Art of Ending Things
06/07/2023
The Art of Ending Things
It’s tv finale season, and as some of our favorite shows wrap their stories, it left us wondering about the importance of ending on the right note. In this episode, we chat about the finale episodes that left lasting impressions and the ones that left us wanting more, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Fraiser, The Golden Girls, Seinfeld, The Office, Everybody Loves Raymond, LOST and The Big Bang Theory. What is your favorite series finale, and why? Plug in and join in the conversation. Mentioned in this episode: 📽️ ____ 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Eye-catching content that gets to the heart
05/17/2023
Eye-catching content that gets to the heart
Today, images, videos, text and video flood our feeds with such vigor that we often consume them without thought. But amid the content deluge, certain pieces stand out and rise to the surface. What makes those pieces so special, and what causes us to connect to them? In this episode, we each share three impactful content finds, and chat about the qualities that make us stop, engage, and share. ____ 📽️ ____ Mentioned in this episode: ____ 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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The advice we wish we'd ignored
05/03/2023
The advice we wish we'd ignored
We’re taught to follow the rules and listen to the experts, but what happens when the advice turns out to be bad? In this episode we reflect on experiences with individuals who made us second guess our talents and how their feedback impacted our work. 📽️ 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Photographs and Memories
04/19/2023
Photographs and Memories
When was the last time you looked at old family photos? The kind that are yellowed and printed on that paper they just don’t make anymore. You sort that you might find inside an oversized album? In this episode, we get nostalgic chatting about childhood photos, old family videos, restoration, and the way they have the power to spark a memory, a thought or a change in perspective. 📽️ 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Are we done being social on social media?
04/04/2023
Are we done being social on social media?
Social media has been a part of our lives for the past decade, but cultural moments have shifted our behaviors, and it’s time to reevaluate. In the last year, we’ve witnessed a decline in social interactions and a rise in a new form of communication. Have you shifted your strategy to embrace this new era? Join us for a conversation about the social media that once was and what audiences crave in 2023. 📽️ 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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How Much Time Should You Spend Creating Social Content?
03/07/2023
How Much Time Should You Spend Creating Social Content?
What is the longest you’ve spent crafting a piece of social media content? Three hours? Three days? How about three months? In this episode, we discuss an article that breaks down a tweet that took three months of deliberation and seven rounds of revisions before it was published. Despite its virality, was it an effective social media strategy? Or the best use of time? We have a lot of thoughts, and we bet you do too. Plug in and join us for our conversation. 📽️ Mentioned in this episode: 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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What we learned about storytelling
02/21/2023
What we learned about storytelling
Storytelling is one of the most overused terms in the creative industry, yet it’s vital to building meaningful connections and relationships with our audiences. Oftentimes, storytelling, as a concept, can get the glamorous treatment, but the truth is, it’s quite vague. What makes a story, and how can you use storytelling to make someone care or feel? In our latest episode, we dive into storytelling as a strategy, discuss why not everything is a story, and talk about why eliciting emotions in your audience may be a better path forward towards relationship building. 📽️ Mentioned in this Episode 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Instagram wants us to do what now?!
02/06/2023
Instagram wants us to do what now?!
Less than a year after Instagram announced its plans to prioritize video content, they’ve decided to modify its algorithm. Again. As creators, we’re left with a choice: continue playing the role of ping pong ball in a game that won’t end, or draw your line on the table. In this episode, we discuss how social media changes have forced us to evolve and get clear about our individual objectives. Otherwise, we’ll never have the energy to keep going. If you’ve felt frustrated by the most recent changes to the social media landscape, this conversation will give you ideas on how to navigate them. 📽️ 👋 Connect with us 📺 Are you an 80s or 90s kid? Watch our show: 🫶 Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Six questions + 2023 predictions
01/20/2023
Six questions + 2023 predictions
After a two-month hiatus, MIchelle and Steve return for a catch-up session and share which platforms are the place to be for creators in 2023. Watch the video version of this episode on (please like + subscribe): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsHo_nh3WEQ Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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We held a vote, and Mastodon won
11/22/2022
We held a vote, and Mastodon won
For a brief moment last week, it seemed possible that Twitter was going to die. Like, cease to exist. Gone. Just like that. The vibe on Twitter was dire, friends. Like “last day of school before summer vacation, please sign my yearbook” vibes. While neither of us really believe Twitter is going away, watching the masses write farewell tweets and share where people could find them on other channels, like Mastodon, got us thinking: If Twitter does go away, do we really just want to move the party elsewhere? Is that really possible? If we really could start anew, what would bring US the most value? How could we make good choices? It’s Thanksgiving Week, so have an extra helping of pie and dig into a new episode of PFC. Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Free your mind and the rest will follow
11/09/2022
Free your mind and the rest will follow
You’re a creative? Lucky you! Must be all fun and games. For some, this is far from the truth. Between needy clients, a lack of support, deadlines, and endless revisions, how are we supposed to find the time for fun? In this episode, Michelle and Steve are inspired by legends Paul McCartney and John Cleese, who remind us that creating space for play is essential to our work. Take a breather, plug in and join us for this important discussion. Mentioned in this Episode Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Halloween Favorite: A Very Hitchcock Episode
10/26/2022
Halloween Favorite: A Very Hitchcock Episode
It's officially Hitchcock season, and we thought it would be fun to revisit this movie-centric episode from last October. There's so much we, as creatives, can learn from filmmakers, and nobody has mastered the art more than Sir Alfred. Make yourself some popcorn and plug in to this spooky re-release. Mentioned in this EpisodeDial M for Murder Psycho Vertigo North by Northwest To Catch a Thief Rope The Man Who Knew Too Much Rebecca Strangers on a Train The Trouble with Harry Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support the Show:
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What makes art successful?
10/06/2022
What makes art successful?
After indulging in an experimental art project, Michelle wonders if she’s had it all wrong. She asks Steve, "what makes art a success?” and they discuss the merits of perfection vs. intrigue. What is your definition of good art? Listen in and share your thoughts. Mentioned in this episode: Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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What data doesn’t tell you
08/22/2022
What data doesn’t tell you
Instagram said it was one thing. And everyone else said it was something else. Quite loudly. And wouldn’t you know, Instagram backed off its video or bust approach to its content focus. At least for now. This public display of feedback got us thinking about the value of analytics and data in decision-making – specifically, what data doesn’t tell us. Can data mislead based on the goal of the interpreter? Is everything important measurable? Is everything measurable important? In this episode, we dive into why translating data into how humans think and feel is paramount to everything we do. Dive into this important discussion with us. Mentioned in this episode Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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When they zig, you zag
08/03/2022
When they zig, you zag
On a scale of 1-10, how much do you love keeping up with social media trends? Lately, it feels like the integrity of our work is being compromised. Instead of leading with vision and strategy to meet our client/customer needs, there is an enormous pressure to keep up— to use the hottest aesthetics, sound bytes, and filters to ensure our work is seen, only to have it fade into obscurity. In this episode we discuss the conundrum that is creating content for social media in 2022. How are you managing to strike that balance in your work? Plug in, and join in on the conversation. Mentioned in this episode Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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The Secret Creative
06/20/2022
The Secret Creative
If you create something, and nobody knows about it, does it still count? Michelle recently learned that her grandmother had a hidden artistic talent, and it sparked a discussion about the merits of creating without an audience in mind. Social media tells us that everything must be shared. But does it really? When was the last time you created something, just for you? Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Conversations with Creatives: Emily McDowell
05/24/2022
Conversations with Creatives: Emily McDowell
Success may look good, but it doesn’t always feel good. In this edition of Conversations with Creatives, writer and illustrator Emily McDowell gives us an honest look at her journey from Etsy shop owner to stationery industry maven. Through her signature wit and authenticity, she shares the rarely discussed downside of business growth and how she found the courage to walk away. If you’ve been struggling to find a balance between creativity and business or are in a period of transition, you will especially appreciate Emily’s story. Connect with Emily: Connect with us: Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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How to persist when your work isn't appreciated
04/13/2022
How to persist when your work isn't appreciated
You put in the hours, pouring over every detail of the design. Edit the video to 60 seconds exactly. Make perfectly sure you nail the aesthetic. Hit publish. And the damn thing flatlines. One of the most frustrating lessons about content is that your audience doesn’t care about any of the work *you* put into the project. And while that can be quite a humbling lesson to learn – can it also be freeing? We should obsess about getting things right, but so often we obsess over the wrong things. In this episode, we talk about the frustration of when your work goes unappreciated and how we can put our effort into the details that actually matter to the people you're trying to reach. _____ Mentioned in this episode Connect with us Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Impact is greater than volume
02/24/2022
Impact is greater than volume
Do you ever feel like you’re spending too much time filling out your content calendar, filling it with volume over the most impactful content? Social has never been measured by the volume of content, but for some reason, social teams constantly face this pressure. In this episode, we talk about the pressure we feel and put on ourselves, how we can rise above by knowing our “why”, and how to play the impact game with our content. Mentioned in this Episode _____ Mentioned in the Aftershow _____ Connect with us: Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Conversations with Creatives: Grossy Pelosi
02/03/2022
Conversations with Creatives: Grossy Pelosi
What if the secret to your success was simply to be yourself? In Episode 075, we’re joined by Dan, from Grossy Pelosi, a home cook, and rising internet sensation. Dan shares his journey from cooking alongside his family as a child, working as a creative director, and sharing photos of his home-cooked meals on Instagram, leading to the moment when it all came together, and his brand began to skyrocket. Pull up a chair and join us at the table for this special conversation about food, family, and community. Connect with Dan: Connect with us: Watch our YouTube show: Support A Podcast for Creatives:
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Airing of the grievances 2021
12/21/2021
Airing of the grievances 2021
Our annual airing of the grievances episode is here, and this year, we called in the reserves.
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Not What We Were Told
12/08/2021
Not What We Were Told
The social media space is ever-changing, but lately, it feels as though it has morphed into an unrecognizable state.
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