Lauren's Best

I recorded this episode a few days before giving birth to my third son. Excited, waiting, until ready or not here he comes! Listen to share in my reflections on pregnancy, parenthood, and labours of love. I am filled with gratitude, as I embrace this maternal season and take time to focus on family.   - - -  Lauren's Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, illumin...

"Creativity often gets put on the back burner because we don't see it as a priority. But it's one of the most accessible healing tools that we can use."     In this episode, I had a wholehearted conversation with Lesley about the vital connection between creativity, intuition, and emotional well-being, particularly for women and mothers. Lesley highlights that even small creative acts—like drawing...

In this episode, I'm with Dr. Moyo Rainos Mutamba, an innovative educator and founder of the Ubuntu Learning Village in Gutu, Zimbabwe. Moyo is an artist who uses his gifts to create community and contribute to creating a world where everyone fits.  In our conversation he shares his vision of creating a global learning community that emphasizes social justice, environmental stewardship, and the in...

In this solo episode, I'm diving into my pregnancy journey along with news for the podcast. We're now in our third season, and for this season I'm enjoying spotlighting conversations with parents who are also creatives. At 34 weeks pregnant, I'm reflecting on how this experience differs from my previous pregnancies. I've been dealing with more morning sickness this time around, which has been chal...

"Just be who you're meant to be on this world and don't be afraid to take up space. Just do the thing. Just try, whatever that looks like. Claim your space." - Alanna Rusnak   Alanna Rusnak is a pragmatic romantic carving space in the publishing industry. I've been inspired by her award-winning publishing company and magazine, and her warmly persistent support for authors is infused in everything...

Season 3 of Lauren's Best features conversations with creative parents. We kick it off in conversation with someone Lauren first met way back in high school. Rebecca Diem is a writer of hopeful speculative fiction and poetry, hosts the podcast "Read The North", and has recently added 'mom' to her repertoire of creative pursuits. As a creative parent, she's constantly striving for harmony between h...

This week, we are celebrating the end of Season 2 of the podcast. We are grateful to our amazing guests! Today we are featuring some of the best moments from all of our guests from seasons 1 and 2. It was hard to choose just one selection for each! This round-up represents a collection of conversations that I'm very proud of, and I loved this tour of them together. I'm imagining bringing them all...

In this solo episode, I get vulnerable with details about navigating health challenges and chronic pain. From recurring throat infections that led to removal of my tonsils as a teenager, to tendonitis that changed the way I play piano and led to changing career paths, I talk about how I've improved my relationship with myself and learned strategies to help cope. - - -  Lauren's Best invites you to...

In this week's podcast episode I make a very special announcement… I'm expecting a third boy in November! I open up about creative life and career with kids and how pregnancy affects singing. I have so much gratitude for my fiancé and my family. The excitement is building, and it's been beyond sweet to see my sons already bonding with their baby brother. I feel so lucky to have such a blessed life...

  Rée is a creative producer who develops and produces interdisciplinary projects impacting the next generation. As a "content" storyteller, not tied to one medium over another when it comes to creating compelling narratives, Rée has journeyed from educating to filmmaking and now into podcasting with her show Homeroom - a heartfelt journey through the evolving landscape of learning, driven by her...

In this week's episode I celebrate the one-year anniversary of the launch of my first self-published book of poems, Just Leaves . I've talked a lot about the journey leading up to the launch of my debut full-length poetry collection, and my appreciation for the support, positive reviews, and receiving reader photos of books in the wild with stories about how readers connected with the poems. Just...

In this podcast episode I'm speaking with Brie Stockwell, a multi-passionate creative currently focused on nature photography. She also combines her arts experience with life coach training as a success coach for creatives. Our conversation dives into both her personal journey becoming a multi-passionate powerhouse, and also how she helps other creatives find creative confidence while achieving bu...

In this week's episode, I update you on the exciting projects I've been working on: podcasting, voice / singing coaching, and poetry. My tribute to community and podcasting has taken form in Podcast Pals , a bi-weekly community call for podcasters, podcast producers or editors, and people who want to guest on shows or start their own. It's a space where we can come together to swap tips and tricks...

Jessica Stuart is a multi-instrumentalist and an acclaimed songwriter with an international fan base. Not only taking the lead on stage, she's also a skilled producer and in-demand side person working across genres. I've known Jessica for over a decade and have been inspired by her since our collaborations on stage as performing songwriters. I was especially moved when I saw  a documentary she bot...

I was excited to speak with Brenda Earle Stokes, an award-winning jazz musician and innovative music educator based in NYC, and originally from Sarnia, Ontario. I too was raised in small town Ontario and taught piano for years, and I love learning from how other musicians, especially other women and mothers, have approached their career growth and creative pathways. I appreciated Brenda's perspect...

Before even launching this podcast, I knew I wanted to bring Samara Bay onto the show to talk about the importance of public speaking, changing what power sounds like, and creating a better world by giving ourselves permission to speak. Once I saw the impact she was having through her acclaimed Substack publication , I felt even more inspired to dig deeper. In this wide-ranging conversation, we ta...

I had the pleasure of chatting with Lucy Cullen - a sustainability pioneer, musician, and wellbeing-focused business coach for entrepreneurs. A doer at heart, Lucy started multiple first-of-their-kind companies to create a real environmental impact by addressing food waste. However it was this "hustle queen" lifestyle that led to a major burnout turning point, and she opened up about the moment he...

Lauralee Sheehan, founder of  Digital 55 , is pioneering innovative, cross-platform digital storytelling. I first met Lauralee during my indie music scene days in early 20s Toronto. We were both trying to figure out the music publishing world and dreamed of making it big in the local performance scene. I always admired her band's bold audiovisual style, so it came as no surprise to me to learn tha...

Lauren and her co-producer Sam have a celebratory debrief about the first season of Lauren's Best. Join in the laughs and groans as they relive the highs and lows of production in this behind the scenes chat, from insights into the emergent creative collaboration process, to cable mismanagement and mic choices.   - - -  Join Lauren's Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes and...

I've been looking forward to interviewing writer Cody Caetano since reading his debut memoir. I read it quickly, washed with emotion and enjoying the gripping ride of comedy and compassion, carried by relentless clarity and childhood imagination. The compelling style and deeply reflective storyline drew me in. I knew that speaking with Cody would be fascinating. After listening to this episode, I...

Robin Radomski is a creative soul who left her corporate job to start her own boutique agency in Toronto, where she crafts captivating stories through videos and photos with a specific focus on restaurants and food brands. She started her first food account as a graduate school project and grew it from a single photo to signing brand sponsorships, turning her passion for food culture into a thrivi...

"Happiness and creativity are intertwined." This conversation is with one of my first creative collaborators. Sophia Lemon photographs ridiculously happy people. We talk about how to worry less and… just go for it! Sophia shares what her clients have taught her about how to make unforgettable moments through being both spontaneous and thoughtful. We discuss using creativity to handle problems, the...

"It's incredibly rewarding to see someone transform their relationship with their own voice and become a more effective speaker as a result."   Seasoned voice coaches Stephanie Keiko Kong and Lauren dish about infinity, perfection and the transformative power of expression. With a tribute to Hawai'i bus announcements and a harrowing story of music theatre touring and prescribed silence, we drop yo...

Valerie Jerome, former Olympic athlete, teacher and advocate, talks about her remarkable journey, from breaking barriers in sports to her impact through 35 years of teaching. She reveals the relief found in writing her memoir "Races: The Trials and Triumphs of Canada's Fastest Family", and gives us a glimpse into what it took to overcome gatekeeping in the traditional publishing industry. She remi...

Lauren talks to Rebecca Ogilvie about how embracing her life's surprising detours with humour and resilience led to the creation of The Detour CO, a natural skincare brand. From quitting her job to travel the world and blogging, to the creative side of designing experiences, she reveals her strategies for connecting with heart. Reflecting on her journey as a mother and entrepreneur, Rebecca highli...