With more than 4 million podcasts available, why make another one? That was the question I was asked to answer in my talk at the Amos Fortune Forum in Jaffrey, NH. During my presentation — which you’ll hear in this episode — I talk about my unconventional journey from clueless amateur to an award-winning podcast producer. I also take the audience through the No Time to be Timid Manifesto with inspiring stories from a wide range of artists. You don't want to miss that! You’ll hear me mention the “Declaration of Conformity,” which you can check out below.

My guest is Aaron Calafato, an award-winning storyteller, narrative designer, and content strategist, for some of the world’s fastest growing companies. His podcast, 7 Minute Stories, is autobiographical and extemporaneous — the man writes nothing down — and has achieved a cult following, reaching more than 30 million people worldwide. When he’s not telling seven-minute stories, he’s also the co-creator, co-producer, and co-host of Glassdoor’s The Lonely Office podcast, which has quickly become a Top 50 Career Podcast.

SC Perot is the perfect guest for these trying times. She’s the author of the USA Today bestselling book Styles of Joy, which prompts readers to examine joy in their own lives. And while the book is about joy, it sprang from a place of deep grief. After leaving her corporate law career, then enduring a divorce, which resulted in losing family, friends, and her dog, and reeling in a post-pandemic world, SC experienced a tidal wave of loss. She found solace in walking and while she walked she listened to the uplifting music of Harry Styles. Before she knew it, she was seeing 17 Harry Styles concerts across five countries in 10 months. SC not only transformed from a Stanford-educated, rule-following corporate lawyer into a bedazzled, boa-wearing fan girl, dancing in a mosh pit with complete strangers, but she also rediscovered her joy — and her creativity — in the process.

In this episode, I talk with documentarian Abby Epstein about her creative journey becoming a theater and film director and women’s health advocate. A co-creator of the landmark film, The Business of Being Born, Abby tells honest women’s stories — from periods to menopause and everything in between. She shares her experiences in creating compelling documentaries, the importance of creative partnerships, and the challenges faced when your creativity rocks society’s boat. Abby also talks about her new project, Midlife Monologues, which explores the narratives surrounding women in midlife and is sure to start another movement. Both curious and fearless, Abby takes on the status quo and her work is essential to making sure women’s stories are truthfully told.

In this episode, I’ve invited three women on the show who also happen to be my dear friends — they don’t know each other, but I’ve known them for decades. And in this past year, I’ve watched each of them explode with creativity. Carolyn Blank Cary published a cookbook, which became a mini memoir; Beth Huddleston developed an app introducing infants and toddlers to the sounds of languages and music from around the world; and Amy Meyers pivoted from a lifetime of executive recruiting and political consulting and started her own business, Mrs. Meyer’s Etiquette.

All of these women are over 60, which on its own is inspirational. But more importantly, they’re using their creativity for connection — to create a world where people are kinder to one another, understand one another, and break bread with one another.