Creative Baggage

KIMBERLY LAVON • CEO + CREATIVE WRITER I founded and joined Mint Maven in 2022 as the Creative Writer + CEO of the agency. Prior to my work here, I was the Creative Director of Thimble Media. We delivered Brand Identity + Strategy to a myriad of businesses. Before that I was the Fine Artist/Print Shop Owner of Kimberly Lavon INK. During my tenure at the printshop I helped the studio work on projec...

ABOUT THE GUEST Hannah Cole is a tax expert who specializes in working with creative businesses and artists. A long-time working artist with a high-level exhibition history, the financial challenges of freelancers and small creative businesses are both relevant and personal to Hannah. Her specialty is communicating complex tax issues in a clear, creative-centered, empowering way. Hannah Cole is a...

ABOUT THE GUEST Taylor Rossi is a flutist, web designer, and portrait photographer for Nicole Riccardo Media. She helps classical musicians bring their visions to life and grow their online presence. Learn more: www.nicolericcardomedia.com EPISODE SPONSOR This episode is sponsored by the Flute Center of New York. The Flute Center of New York is the world's marketplace for flutes. Whether you&#...

ABOUT THE GUEST Yue Deng-Wu is the co-founder of Spacenotes, a startup focused on building a new app for learning music. Spacenotes is on a mission to make music education more accessible and delightful. Yue is a classically trained pianist and teacher. She was also an attorney at DLA Piper, where she advised tech companies of all stages on employment related matters. EPISODE SPONSOR This episode...

We're joined by special guest Dr. Heidi Kay Begay for a discussion about pivoting to a non-traditional path, running multiple music businesses, and more! Dr. Heidi Kay Begay is a self-employed flutist, educator, podcaster, and non-profit organizer. Heidi is the creator and host of the Flute 360 podcast, which delivers educational content (to the modern-day flutist) through various platforms. Since...

Welcome to a new era of Creative Baggage! Serena, Justin and Deivy sit down ahead of the release of their database, 'For the Lost Creative' , to reflect on their own experiences and opportunities that have led them all to where they are today. We talk about the windiness of pursing a creative career, and how almost nothing has been a straight line for us. The launch of FOR THE LOST CREATIVE . is h...

Listen to our presentation at the Bach 2 the Future Conference in MUPA Budapest, where they pitched Creative Baggage's project "for the lost creative," a database of scholarships, grants, internships, jobs, and other opportunities to help creatives find the next steps in their career. We are beyond grateful to have received a grant from enCORE Classical & Jeunesse Musicale International (JMI)...

Everything is changing once again! Justin and Serena discuss their time in Budapest, and Bailey announces her departure from the Creative Baggage team. We reminisce on the very beginnings of CB and look ahead to an unknown but exciting future! What's next? Development of our database of opportunities FOR THE LOST CREATIVE. is in full swing! Stay tuned for the launch of our comprehensive, curated d...

Writer and musician Chioma Ossai shares her thoughts on self-love and self-care, which is a profound theme in her poetry. We agree that getting to know ourselves and nurturing our inner child can unlock a sense of creative freedom that we've hidden away over time. We also discuss the impact of social media (both positive & negative) on artists and the arts industry. Chioma Ossai is the author...

In this episode, we chat with flutist Stephen Clark about his journey from orchestral musician, to soloist, to DMA student at the University of Alabama. He shares his insights on the differences between conducting yourself as a student vs. professional, as well as the differences between academia / the music industries of the UK and the US. We thoroughly enjoyed his stories and musings on his unco...

Bailey and Serena share their revelations on how much their expectations for themselves as flutists went against their natural tendencies and personalities. They discuss the conflicting desires to "be like" the people they admired and "be original," confronting just how much they have romanticized the path to becoming a "perfect" classical musician. Get ready for an i...

In this episode, we talk to a very special guest - Serena's former flute teacher Bart Feller! Serena shares the lessons she learned from Bart in high school, and how some of them have changed meaning or truly begun to click over time. We also discuss what it means to be a compassionate teacher and mentor at various stages of a young person's development. Bart Feller is Principal Flute of t...

This episode is part of our series in collaboration with the hosts of the Classical Gabfest Podcast - conductors Tiffany Lu, William White, and Kensho Watanabe. Please go check out their show, and their episode featuring us! William C. White is a conductor, composer, teacher, writer, and performer based in Seattle, WA where he serves as music director of Harmonia, a unique performing ensemble comp...

This episode is part of our series in collaboration with the hosts of the Classical Gabfest Podcast - conductors Tiffany Lu, William White, and Kensho Watanabe. Please go check out their show, and their episode featuring us! ( Apple Podcasts ) Conductor Tiffany Lu hails from Tampa, FL as well as the D.C.-Maryland region. In 2020, she joined the faculty of Sewanee University of the South as Vi...

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 5 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. For the final installment of our series from the event, enjoy this dynamic discussion with Nick Lazarus, Luke Max, and Bryan Lawrence of the M...

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 4 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. In this episode, we discuss parallels in the creative process between various fields of study, touching on topics such as finishing projects, iden...

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 3 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. In this episode, we hear from unique creators of crafts we admire. We discuss the inherent value of art, the creative process, and more. This...

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 2 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. We asked the group a series of philosophical questions, and again we were truly amazed at the thoughtful responses and discussion we had. This...

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 1 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. We had a candid conversation about interdisciplinary projects, hopes for the future, and the concept of doing it all. We asked hard-hitting qu...

In this episode, Bailey and Serena reflect on everything that's changed since our final episode of Season 3. Bailey has a new job working in the marketing department for the Curtis Institute of Music, and Serena is all settled in Paris. We discuss the process of learning what our individual needs are in life, and how great it feels when we start making decisions that take those needs into account....

A little chat between co-host Serena and friend of the podcast Yue while playing around on the CB Playground. She asks about the meaning behind Creative Baggage's name and logo, as well as what we look forward to in Season 4. Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/2y45zPUgSVA Check out the CB Playground: https://www.creativebaggagepodcast.com/playground

In this episode, Bailey, Serena, Justin, Andrew, and Bell discuss identity, practice routines, and the importance of letting go. Bailey shares a secret, Serena announces her departure, and the gang relishes their last moments together before their worlds change for good.

In this episode, we talk to returning guest Evan Kassof about the problems and value of academia, as well as the role of academia in the arts. He shares his experiences obtaining 6 degrees and the expenses that come with attending University, building on his ideas from our discussion in No. 26: Artists Shouldn't Have to be Broke . Read more about Evan and listen to his previous episode at: https:/...

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Noa Kageyama about his decision to quit music. He describes how much lighter everything felt for him, as the work towards mastery would have never ended. We also discuss deconstructing the rigid structures of the music world and embracing making music for fun, both for professionals and amateurs. https://bulletproofmusician.com/start-here/

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Noa Kageyama about his journey from violinist to performance psychologist. He describes his early success with music, which led him to summer festivals, competitions, and conservatory, and shares the moment he realized that he did not want to become a professional musician. Noa’s story gives us great insight on how to be honest with ourselves about our true desires,...