Creativity Connects with Mikki Wilson: A Creative Collective Podcast

In this thoughtful and grounding episode of Creativity Connects, host Mikki Wilson sits down with Machel Piper, Development Director at Centerboard and a purpose-driven leader whose journey spans education, nonprofit leadership, healing, and community impact. From living off the grid in northern Wisconsin to building a career rooted in service, Machel shares how trusting her intuition, reconnectin...

Old Soul Young World: Jessie Elly on Purpose, Mental Health, and Creative Impact In this powerful episode of Creativity Connects, Mikki Wilson sits down with Jessie Elly, Founder and CEO of Old Soul Young World LLC—a motivational media platform rooted in inspiration, creativity, and mental wellness. Jessie shares her deeply personal journey as a multidisciplinary artist, youth mentor, and mental h...

In this episode of Creativity Connects, Mikki Wilson sits down with Shantel Alix Fernandez to explore how identity, lived experience, and community-centered leadership shape the way we show up for others. Shantel reflects on her journey as an immigrant, Afro-Latina, and trans woman, and how navigating systems that weren’t built for her informed the values she brings into her work today. This conve...

In this episode of Creativity Connects with Mikki Wilson, we sit down with Alyssa Conary, Membership Director at Creative Collective, for a grounded conversation about what it really means to hold community. Rather than focusing on growth for growth’s sake, Alyssa reflects on community-centered leadership as a practice rooted in care, consistency, and responsibility. Drawing from her work supporti...

In this heart-centered episode of Creativity Connects, host Mikki Wilson sits down with Robyn Burns, Executive Director of The Salem Pantry, to explore how food can do more than feed—it can connect, dignify, and transform communities. From her creative roots in Pittsburgh’s film and DJ scene to leading a North Shore nonprofit through the pandemic, Robyn shares how her journey redefined what it mea...

In this warm and fuzzy episode of Creativity Connects, host Mikki Wilson sits down with fifth-generation crocheter and Salem Style founder Julianna “Jules” Donovan to explore how one handmade hat, a magical city, and a deep love of yarn turned into a modern crochet brand rooted in comfort, legacy, and community. From learning to crochet as a kid to launching an Etsy shop in 2011 and later making i...

Tracey Westgate – Beyond the Lens: Seeing People, Not Poses In this heart-centered episode of Creativity Connects, host Mikki Wilson sits down with photographer Tracey Westgate to explore what it really means to be seen—not staged. From a childhood shaped by art and a mom’s hobby camera to a decade in nonprofit leadership and the launch of her “Grit & Grace” portrait series, Tracey shares how auth...

In this episode, Mikki is joined by Dr. Tariana V. Little, CEO and co-founder of EmVision Productions, an award-winning Social Impact Storytelling™ agency. Tariana opens up about how she weaves science, storytelling, and justice into what she calls intentional creativity for social change. Their conversation explores Tariana’s journey as a proud queer, mixed-race, first-generation college graduate...

In this powerful episode of Creativity Connects, host Mikki Wilson sits down with Lauren Carter Riley, the creative force behind Glamour Possum and author of "The Wonderful Lady B" series. Lauren shares her remarkable journey from being a classically trained actor navigating the traditional theater world to becoming a successful writer and content creator who found her authentic voice during the p...

About This Episode: In this episode, Mikki sits down with Michelle Richardson—known to many as La Poetica—the first-ever poet laureate of Lynn, Massachusetts. A bilingual poet, performer, and cultural connector, Michelle has transformed open mics into powerful spaces of healing, advocacy, and artistic liberation. Her journey from childhood in Peabody to becoming a celebrated voice for community em...

In this episode, Mikki sits down with Shanel Anderson, the founder of Soul City Yoga, one of the few Black woman-owned yoga studios in Massachusetts. Soul City is a vibrant, community-centered space rooted in Lynn and Malden, where inclusivity and accessibility meet movement and mindfulness. Their conversation explores Shanel’s journey from first-generation Lynn native to yoga studio owner and com...

About This Episode: In this episode, Mikki sits down with Amber Newbury, founder of Die With Your Boots On, and Laurie Moran, the shop’s Program Director. Together, they explore the evolution of a Salem-based boutique that’s redefining goth fashion, size inclusivity, and self-expression—with a whole lot of heart and humor. From corporate burnout and pandemic pivots to kiddie pool job interviews an...

Episode Description: Creativity Connects with Mikki Wilson - Beyond the Brand with Jenni Stuart Join us as we explore the remarkable journey of Jenni Stuart, our podcast sponsor and founder of Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry in Salem, MA. Together with host Mikki Wilson, we're discovering how this classically trained Pratt Institute goldsmith is reimagining what ethical luxury means in our creative econ...

In this episode, Mikki sits down with Elena Rodgers, Market Director at Creative Collective, to explore her journey from communications student to seasoned event professional. With thirteen years of event management expertise, Elena brings proven leadership to her role, including her exceptional success managing the Haunted Happenings vendor program since 2022.Elena shares how her "throwaway degre...

Creativity Connects with Mikki Wilson is a Creative Collective podcast that goes beyond the brand and into the authentic journeys of women entrepreneurs who are members of the Creative Collective. Each episode, host Mikki Wilson sits down with a woman business owner from the Creative Collective community to explore her unique path, what drives her, and where she's headed next. This series illumina...

In this inaugural episode, Mikki sits down with Daybar Bugler, the heart and founder behind EDX Provisions, a thoughtfully curated gourmet market experience redefining food culture and community connection on the North Shore. As New England's first Black-owned cheese shop, EDX Provisions was established in 2022 with a simple yet powerful mission: "Cheese for All." The business combines Daybar's ex...