Born To Create

Over the years, I’ve heard the statistic that 8 out of 10 people want to write a book. Based on many conversations about writing, it’s probably true. Nearly everybody feels they have a book in them, and many of those would like their book to be a novel. But how do you get it done? Where do you come up with story ideas? How do you ensure that your novel is structured well? What kind of writing habits do you need? Should you use a publisher, or self-publish? I’m so thankful that my guest today, the accomplished novelist and writing teacher Amber Royer, is here to help answer those questions and give some much-needed guidance! To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/092.

Many of the episodes of this podcast are more light-hearted thematically. We often talk about writing, the arts, curiosity, and related topics. This episode is a little different because I decided to dive into the topic of diversity. I hope that doesn’t scare you away. In fact, I hope it does just the opposite because you absolutely do not want to miss the wisdom and insights that my guest, Heather Fleming, shares with us. This is one of the most important conversations I’ve had on the show, and I came away a changed person. To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/091. 

Sometimes we make creativity and personal growth more complicated than it needs to be. Although there are countless systems, courses, books, and other resources to help us reach our creative potential, it all begins with one simple concept: your mindset. Your mind controls everything else in your life. I’m thrilled that my guest today, Kenny Aronson, is here to help us grow and develop our mindset. But it’s not just any mindset—it’s a da Vinci mindset.  To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/090.

When you think about your creative output, do you ever wonder what is preventing you from producing more? For many of us, the #1 reason we would give consists of the short phrase, “I’m too tired.” Judging by the popularity of coffee, energy drinks, and all forms of caffeine, we are suffering from an energy crisis in our minds and bodies. My guest today, Julian Hayes, helps shed light on why we are going through this crisis and what we can do about it.  To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/089.

As kids, we hear the word “No” constantly from other people. But when we become adults, it’s easy to get into the habit of “No” to ourselves. Why is that? It’s because we’re often afraid or stuck in a rut. I’m thrilled to have a guest today who will help you stop saying “No” to all life has to offer, and instead begin saying YES to the possibilities. Tricia Brouk is a choreographer, director, writer, speaking coach, and so much more. She will knock your socks off with her wisdom and inspiration. This was one of my favorite interviews. To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/088.

As a creative or artist, have you ever struggled with business? Do you love to create, but don’t like messing with the business side of things? Would you like to make more sales and put yourself in a better financial position? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’ll appreciate my guest today. His name is Dan McPherson, and he is a business leader and coach. He’ll share some of the secrets to earning your true value and learning to think like a business person even when it seems to go against your creative nature. To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/087.

Have you ever noticed that some of the most important things we do in life are counterintuitive? They go against our human nature and feel uncomfortable to us. Our guest on this episode is Stephanie Winslow, and she is going to share a lot of wisdom about letting go … which is counterintuitive and usually uncomfortable. As creatives, we like to have control, but she will share her powerful story of learning to give up control and finding some amazing blessings as a result.  To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/podcast086.

It’s tempting to think of the creative life as a solitary endeavor. We picture an artist standing at an easel, a musician playing in a studio, or a writer sitting at a desk. But my guest today reminds us that it’s vital to build your community no matter what type of creative work you do. Her name is Jennifer Harshman, and she is the owner of Harshman Services. Jennifer coaches and consults with subject-matter experts, communicators and other leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, and publishers so they can get helpful writing out into the world where it can do more good. Jennifer began editing professionally in 1992, has edited tens of thousands of pages, and now serves as a writing and publishing expert for publishers and independent authors alike.  To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/podcast085.

Think about this simple yet complex question: What is the source of your identity as a person? Is it your DNA? Your family name? Your personality, talents, titles, or achievements? My guest today gives us a surprising answer. He says that we are who we are because of our … memories. His name is Casey Tygrett, who is a writer and speaker living near Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of two books, Becoming Curious: A Spiritual Practice of Asking Questions and his newest book, As I Recall: Discovering The Place of Memories In Our Spiritual Lives.  Casey currently serves as Theologian in Residence at Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park, Illinois. He is also the host of the otherWISE Podcast. He has one daughter, Bailey, and has been married to Holley for 19 years.    To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/podcast084.

When you hear the word “wealthy,” what image comes to mind? Do you picture someone living in a huge mansion on a hill, surrounded by butlers? Does the word “wealthy” create a negative picture when you hear it? Are there other ways to be wealthy besides just your finances? Money is a sensitive topic, especially for artists and creative entrepreneurs. But my guest today helps give a broader and much-needed perspective. Her name is Deborah Meyer, and she is the author of Redefining Family Wealth: A Parent’s Guide to Purposeful Living. Deb is a CPA/PFS as well as a fee-only certified financial planner. She is also the owner of WorthyNest, an independent advisory firm dedicated to helping parents build wealth, and SV CPA Services, which provides accounting and tax services to entrepreneurs.  Deb is Saint Louis University’s School of Business 2019 Distinguished Young Alumni and a recipient of the 2018 AICPA Standing Ovation Award for Personal Financial Planning. Deb has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, For

Do you ever feel like you’re caught between where you are and where you want to be? Are you frustrated because you see your potential, but you feel stuck in the present moment with no clear way forward? If so, you will love this amazing conversation that I have in store for you. My guest today is Stephanie O’Brien-Martin. She is the founder of Moved by Purpose, and she coaches Christ-centered leaders and entrepreneurs who realize they need a different approach to how they achieve and succeed. Through her life experiences, professional training and her counterintuitive way of working with people already considered “successful”, Stephanie guides people to anchor and align their lives in a new way by stepping back from the pace and pressure that got them to their current level of achievements and align with God’s plans and purposes for them. Stephanie is a master Certified Life Coach and author of The Messy Middle: Encouraging You Through the Frustrating Gap Between Where You Are Now and Where You Want To Be. St

One of the biggest needs of the human spirit is to have hope in the midst of difficult situations. Our guest today, Abdi Warsame, is a survivor of the civil war in Somalia who will share his story and help us develop a better understanding of issues related to disability. To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/hope.

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? At its core, it’s all about control. The whole idea of entrepreneurship is about taking control instead of giving it up. For artists and creatives, that can be a scary concept since we are often more comfortable creating things than thinking making decisions or thinking about the picture. Today’s guest is the perfect person to help us think through what it means to be a creative entrepreneur, and his thoughts on some complex issues will empower and inspire you to begin taking more control of your destiny. I’m excited to bring you my conversation with my great friend Eric Elder, who is an author, speaker, and contemporary pianist with a passion for sharing Christ with others. Eric is a pioneer in online ministry, has written for numerous publications, and has spoken internationally at conferences and retreats. He has also produced a wealth of books and music for his own ministry, which is an online spiritual retreat center called The Ranch. Eric is the perfect person to

In her excellent book Walking on Water, the author Madeleine L’Engle wrote, "Jesus was not a theologian. He was God who told stories.” Storytelling was not only a major focus of Jesus’ ministry, it’s also a signifigant part of our calling as artists and creatives. Today’s guest helps us expand our vision as creative storytellers as we talk about music, imagination, invention, worship, and writing. This is one of those interviews that will expand your mind and leave you thinking for days. I’m honored to bring you this conversation with Manuel Luz. He is a songwriter, author, inventor, arts advocate, and creative arts pastor. He has served with Oak Hills Church in Folsom, California for over 25 years, which is an eternity in creative arts ministry.  Manuel’s new book, Honest Worship: From False Self to True Praise, addresses the critical intersections between spiritual formation and worship. Manuel’s published book, Imagine That: Discovering Your Unique Role as a Christian Artist, is a practical and personal th

Creativity is a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional topic. Yet at the end of the day, we operate by one simple truth: God is ultimately the source of our creative powers. The whole point of our lives is to honor Him with our creative gifts. That’s why it’s foundational to have a robust and meaningful worship life. I’m honored today to share a conversation with a friend who gives us practical guidance for living a life of worship. I’m excited to share my conversation with friend Aric Marshall, who is the Professor of Worship at St. Louis Christian, where I also teach. Aric is new to our college, but he’s definitely not new to worship leadership and education. He has been a public and private school music teacher, worship leader, private music instructor, and is now a college professor. Aric is an accomplished pianist and also plays a mean saxophone! In our conversation, we cover a variety of topics, including the role of emotions in worship, why it’s still important to be involved in church, the danger of toxi

Let’s begin with a riddle: When is the perfect time to make your creative work a priority? Answer: There is no perfect time. Life is messy, and if we put off our important creative work until the “right time,” that time will never come. Our guest today knows that dilemma very well, and as a successful realtor, mother, and wife, she still found time to pursue her creativity. As you hear her story, you’ll also be inspired and equipped to make your creative work a priority as well. I’m excited to share this interview with Karen Briscoe, who is a Realtor, author, and entrepreneur. She is the creator of the 5 Minute Success concept, host of the 5 Minute Success podcast, and a regular speaker both nationally and locally. Karen is also a frequent guest on other podcasts that focus on entrepreneurship, success, motivation, and real estate-related topics. In addition, she is a contributing author to real estate media outlets INMAN and Real Trends. In our conversation, Karen goes into detail about the background behind

Most of the time on this show, we focus on helping you be a better creative entrepreneur. Today we are turning the tables and talking about how we can help our kids be more creative. We have the privilege and responsibility to help the next generation fulfill their God-given creative potential. Whether you are a parent, pastor, teacher, or youth worker, today’s amazing guest will share lots of practical tips for bringing out the creative best in kids. When I relaunched this podcast a few months ago, one of the very first interviews I booked with was Joseph Roth. I knew I wanted to explore how to help kids be more creative, and he was my #1 choice for this topic.  Joseph is the Elementary School Pastor at Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, Missouri. My family has been blessed by his ministry, and he brings a lot to our conversation as a pastor, parent, and artist. You’ll learn why your words of affirmation are so important, practical ways to develop kids’ creativity, and a behind-the-scenes peek at wha

As artists and entrepreneurs, we face the constant struggle of how to best use our time. We not only want to produce great creative work, we also have jobs, families, customers or clients, church and community responsibilities … and sleep! It’s far too easy to forget that we need to feed our souls with great art. Our guest today shares her story of becoming an amazing artist, and why we need to continue feeding our souls throughout our lives. I’m excited to bring you this fun conversation with my good friend Alice Perrey. She is the Professor of Developmental Studies and Chair of the General Education Division at St. Louis Christian College, where I’m also a professor. I have always respected Alice’s great talent as a fantastic pianist, but even more, I’ve admired her generosity and good humor as an amazing human being. Alice also released her first instrumental piano album, called “Streams for the Soul,” last year. On this episode, you’ll learn why Alice was drawn to piano as a child, insights for dealing wi

Imagine that you and I are having coffee together, and I looked across the table at you and said, “Give me a clear summary of what you do in 1-2 sentences” … what would you say? If you would struggle to answer that question, you have a clarity problem. I can relate, because this is an area where I have struggled as well. We’re in luck because our guest today shares a massive amount of wisdom and practical tips for getting clarity about your creative work, your business, and your ideal customer, client, or reader. I’m excited to bring you this conversation with Steve Woodruff, who is known as the “King of Clarity.” He helps people find their professional purpose through his Clarity Consulting process. Steve works with businesses as well as individuals in career transition to help them be more effective and discover their fit in the marketplace. He is also the author of the excellent book Clarity Wins: Get Heard, Get Referred. This episode is packed with a ton of amazing information, as you can see from the len

We become artists for a variety of reasons. Many of us, perhaps even most of us, are drawn to the stage because we want to escape from ourselves. But what if becoming an artist was all about the journey to discover your authentic self? Today’s guest shares her fascinating story through music, recovery, faith, and the creative arts in the pursuit of discovering her true self. I’m thrilled to bring you this conversation with my good friend Jeni Voss, who is the lead singer of That 80’s Band, a fantastic group based here in St. Louis. Jeni has quite a story to share, and I have to say this was one of my favorite podcast interviews. As you hear Jeni’s story, you’ll be inspired by her pursuit of an authentic life through a variety of creative and community experiences. To read the full show notes, visit https://kentsanders.net/courage.