You know at The Spark File, we are not afraid to contemplate our own mortality, especially if doing so enhances our lives and our creativity. According to the author, Michael Hebb, “Of the many critical conversations we will all have throughout our lifetime, few are as important as the ones discussing death—and not just the practical considerations, such as DNRs and wills, but what we fear, what we hope, and how we want to be remembered.” On this week’s episode of The Spark File podcast, Susan a...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Laura and Susan get sparked by a corporate apology that was so authentic it made the news. Discovering the components necessary for an apology to be sincere, this episode explores the painful blocks that keep good people from being able to apologize, AND the creative ways artists have used apologies (or the absence of apologies) to inspire their creative work. Sites like SorryWatch.com share incredible sparks of apology and introduced us to an artist named Jennifer Dalton and her work...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast Ever wonder what you can accomplish in an 8 minute phone call? Turns out... A LOT! In this week's episode of The Spark File podcast, Susan + Laura dig into the The New York Times feature " The 7 Day Happiness Challenge " and explore the little things that can make a BIG difference in our relationships and our lives. Take a listen, then ask yourself, "who you gonna call?"... When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could have done it by now I would h...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Do you feel that people value you only for your output, so you put work above all else, even above getting a good night’s sleep? Or have you ever been so busy that you've uttered the dreaded humble brag “I’ll sleep when I’m dead?” In this episode, Laura and Susan discuss what going without sleep can do to your life and your creativity, the normalization of grind culture, some positive steps we all can take to rest and rejuvenate, and what, exactly, Warren Zevon has to do with any of it. Whe...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast Why is it so hard for us to break patterns that are keeping us from our goals? In this episode, Susan and Laura discuss and discover the ways in which we as humans and artists can navigate lasting positive change. They dive into the powerful process and book “Immunity to Change,” by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey, which unravels the concept of change and specifically how to close the gap between aspiration/good intention and actual behavior shifts. Susan and Laura discover that when experime...
Feb 01, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast What do a 1998 wall calendar, a couple’s disappearance, and a half-burned postcard have to do with one man’s quest to create the perfect home? In this episode, Laura and Susan discuss the true story of a film editor who took his own obsession for acquiring his dream home perhaps a little too far. Petty crime, lost relationships, and a last-minute trip to a remote part of Spain are just a few of the pieces to the puzzle of this incredible story of one man and his quest to own a three-story buildi...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Words and language have real power. In this episode, Susan and Laura explore the amazing works and incredible life of someone who managed to harness that power to the benefit of so many: Toni Morrison, Nobel and Pulitzer prize winning author and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As they pull back the curtain to look at her work and creative process, Susan and Laura discuss Toni’s ability to center her own world in her writing, the ways in which her philosophies apply directly to th...
Jan 18, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Artists and athletes have a lot more in common than one might think, but our culture seems to encourage choosing one over the other. In this episode, Laura and Susan discuss what artists can learn from athletes...including training, incremental progress, the discomfort of having a beginner’s mind, and so much more. When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could have done it by now I would have done it by now”? Do you use the fact that you haven’t done it yet as evidence tha...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast You know the old trope that one must suffer for their art? That creativity is somehow the byproduct of mental illness or addiction or self-harm? It is time for that idea to go! An examined life can contribute greatly to our enjoyment of life, and to our creative work. In this episode, Susan and Laura discuss the relation of mental health to creativity and the innovative ways in which creators like Neal Brennan, Selena Gomez, Jonah Hill, and many more are infusing their mental health journeys int...
Jan 04, 2023•53 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Susan and Laura have found that when they bring up the idea of promoting one’s own work with their creative clients, the idea is almost always met with a sense of dread. So, how can creators combat this feeling? By making marketing part of the creative process. In this episode, Laura and Susan explore the methodologies and philosophies of the innovative Blue Man Group and how this unique approach to marketing, (which Cams was deeply involved with), helped build their global brand and, more impor...
Dec 28, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Many people have the desire to spin their lived experience into their creative self-expression, Susan and Laura included. This desire can present a conundrum as these creations can feature people other than the creator, or have ideas in them that might make a loved one uncomfortable, or are about a topic that some close to us might consider to be taboo. So how do we create with freedom and without fear? In this episode, Susan and Laura turn to the works of Banksy, Anne Lamott, David Sedaris, Dav...
Dec 21, 2022•57 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast In Michael Easter's book, The Comfort Crisis, he shares his belief that the modern day creature comforts – air conditioning, food storage, etc., have made us more comfortable as a society and in turn given us extra time that we have filled with worry and anxiety. In this episode, Laura and Susan discuss what comforts we have put into place in regards to our creativity that are stopping us from stretching our creative limits. What if we push ourselves to explore those artistic areas in which...
Dec 14, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast This spark itself is so vast, but in order to right-size it for this episode, Susan and Laura stay on this important thread: creativity as it relates to abortion rights activism. They discuss risk-taker Carol Downer and her 1960s feminist movement “The Self Helpers," Mexican activist Verónica Cruz, who has dedicated her life to advancing the human rights of women in Mexico and beyond through her organization La Libres, which she founded in 2000, journalist Stephania Taladrid’s incredible re...
Dec 07, 2022•54 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast They hiked, they swam, they danced, they learned archery, all while being immersed in a horrific ideology. Susan and Laura dive into the shocking true story behind Camp Siegfried, located in the idyllic hamlet of Yaphank, New York, and the beautiful, seductive piece of theater that playwright Bess Wohl crafted out of it all. And so much more. There are certain sparks that light a firestorm in our brains. This is one of them. When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could ha...
Nov 30, 2022•54 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Sparks of creativity can come from so many experiences including gratitude and joy, loss and devastation, and even total destruction. On this episode, Susan and Laura discuss some incredible creative works inside these topics, including the shocking play “Medea,” which was given a new life by director/performer Fiona Shaw on the BBC, the devastatingly beautiful book “Wave” by author and economist Sonali Deraniyagala, and even a special hidden gem embedded right into our very own Spark File websi...
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 'Tis the season, everyone! The 4th season, to be exact! Time to jump back into our spark files and share some creative inspiration! This week we're just dippin' our toes in and teasing out a few of the topics we're gonna cover in the coming weeks! Remember, if you hear something that piques your interest, you gotta take it and make it! Happy creating, y'all! When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could have done it by now I would have done it by n...
Nov 16, 2022•17 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast For everything there is a season, friends! And this season is winding down. Time for a brief respite. But, before we go, let’s talk season highlights! And we’ll leave you with an excerpt from In Your Light by Rumi... “I know you're tired but come, this is the way...In your light, I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art. You and I have spoken all these words, but for the way w...
Apr 27, 2022•56 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast Long time listeners will know what a joy this episode was for us! In the way back times, Susan introduced us to a human spark named Lynne Cox - a celebrated athlete who set swimming records around the world and achieved astonishing feats of strength and endurance (including swimming with a baby gray whale - eighteen feet long! - in open waters) She is internationally famous for swimming the world’s most difficult waterways without a wet suit, and she is able to endure water temperatures so cold ...
Apr 20, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast John Lennon said, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end” This week, we admire the imagination and, frankly, the balls of @connorratliff, creator of Dead Eyes podcast. Connor created an unbelievable podcast experience in order to solve what he calls “a very stupid mystery that has haunted him for two decades: why Tom Hanks fired him from a small role in the 2001 HBO mini-series, Band of Brothers.” Instead of running from the experience, he dove directly into the ...
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Susan and Laura got to hang with bad ass lighting designer and friend, Marc Janowitz, whose holistic, dynamic lighting designs illuminate a story and light up an audience. His bold, no holds barred lighting transforms comedians into a rock stars and rock stars into gods. Tune in to hear how Marc approaches designs for concerts for My Morning Jacket, The Lumineers, Fun., and many others, and comedy specials like Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Flight of the Conchords, Bo Burnham, theatre sho...
Apr 06, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast This week, after experiencing unexpected loss, Laura and Susan discuss the role of grief and friendship, and the bittersweet and inevitable intermixing of joy and heartbreak along this journey we call life. Inspired by the genius of Brene Brown, Karen Walrond and Susan Cain, Laura and Susan agree with the conclusion that our broken hearts connect us all. And as creators all we can hope to do is make works of profound sadness and beauty. Break our hearts. Use all of the pain. Like Marcus Aurelius...
Mar 30, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Susan and Laura had the distinct pleasure of unpacking the mind of Mike Michalowicz, the man Simon Sinek claims might be “the patron saint of entrepreneurs”. We have to agree. He’s a saint, but our kind of saint - comfortable with subversive humor served with a dash of profanity. On a mission to end entrepreneurial poverty, Mike changed our lives (and the way we think about making a living) with his book, Profit First. He has done the same for millions of other entrepreneurs as well. ...
Mar 23, 2022•56 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Whether the war in Ukraine is causing feelings of unease, uncertainty, or outrage, there are creative ways to activate and support. There are ways to use your talents and resources for the power of good. Tune in this week to hear of creative acts by artists and others to support our colleagues in Ukraine. If you’ve wondered how you can put your thoughts and prayers into action – this episode is for you! When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could have done it by now I wo...
Mar 16, 2022•57 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Everywhere you look these days there is a con going down… Inventing Anna, The Tinder Swindler, The Dropout, The Puppermaster, Super Pumped, WeCrashed… Con artists are having a moment . Tune in this week to learn more about the hustle, and how you can avoid being a “sucker”, a “stooge”, or a “gull” – Better yet, turn the confidence game into an inspired spark! When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could have done it by now I would have done it by now”? Do you use the fact...
Mar 09, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast Tired of the “starving artist” trope? Sick of the storyline that says “I’m creative and eccentric, I’m no good with numbers” Isn’t it time you felt a sense of personal agency over your finances? You are smart and capable. Tune in for some tips on how you can be even smarter and more capable. When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could have done it by now I would have done it by now”? Do you use the fact that you haven’t done it yet as evidence that you can’t do it at all...
Mar 02, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast You know that voice in your head? The one that drives you crazy sometimes? The one that points out your flaws and re-plays your mistakes over and over? What is the point of that voice? Tune in this week as we gain an understanding of how to tame this voice, and put it to good use, thanks to Chatter: The Voice in our Head, Why it Matters, and how to Harness it by Ethan Kross. When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could have done it by now I would have done it by now”? Do ...
Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Sit back and marvel at this true tale of limitations inspiring ART as a survival job in less than ideal circumstances. That’s right. The Florida Highwaymen turned to art to elevate themselves and their community out of poverty while reflecting the beauty of Florida landscapes. These master painters (some trained and some self-taught) captured the beauty they saw around them, and supported their community with the profits. Dive into the lives and the legacy they painted for themselves… When it co...
Feb 16, 2022•53 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast Want to know what every single creative can learn from the development and launch of Wordle, the simple and most unexpected game of the century? Recorded riiiiiiiight before Wordle was sold to The New York Times, we can still learn how creating for an audience of one, making your work accessible and so much more relates to everything we hope to share with the world. Listen in. When it comes to your creativity, have you ever thought: “If I could have done it by now I would have done it by now”? D...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast You have undoubtedly heard her unforgettable voice on hits such as “Everybody, Everybody”, “It’s Raining Men” and so many more. But Martha Wash had to use her voice to fight to make sure you knew her name. Tune in to find out how Martha took the record labels to task for abusing the demo track system. Martha paved the way for all artists - to make sure they get paid, and get credit for the talents they contribute. Trust us, you’ll be singing HER praises once you hear how she put her voice to wor...
Feb 02, 2022•53 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through your feeds or combing through google search results thinking “there must be something more out there”, well, this episode is for you! Laura and Susan dive into the concept of “Rewilding Your Attention” - the phrase was coined by Tom Critchlow, shared by CJ Eller and then expanded up on by Clive Thompson. And the bat signal was seen by @thesparkfile. Let us look for the small, weird things. And then let us pass them on. When it comes to your creativ...
Jan 26, 2022•57 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast 
