Unconventional Leaders

Can you rediscover a relationship with God through your creative work? Maybe even find a community of people who are truly tapped in? After leaving the church, I discovered a deeper level of faith and connection through the creative process…and I want to share that with you, especially if you’ve been feeling a little lost when it comes to connecting with God outside the institution. WATCH EPISODES...

Reconstructing your faith can be tricky.  It can take years to unravel what was indoctrinated into you and it can be scary leaning back into the Christian world when the God that the American church follows isn’t the God you know. Meet Jeremy Alder. His online series Christians Who Don’t Suck is completely blowing up. As an ex-evangelical, homeschooled preacher, he’s now sharing unconventiona...

Worried about offending others? Conditioned to be offended yourself? I’ve got a story, a confession, and a few challenging thoughts. The truth doesn’t need protection…it doesn’t flinch when questioned. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: Why suppression creates explosive reactions The link between control and fear How staying curious ca...

The thing that made you weird as a kid makes you great today. James Victore, graphic designer, art educator, and in-demand speaker on creativity joins us to flip the script on what society calls “weird” and walk us through how to leverage what sets us apart as our greatest creative gift. So let me ask you… What made you weird as a kid? WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherpara...

If you have ever asked yourself as a creator, “ Is anyone even listening?” This is for you.  WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: A personal story when I almost quit Creating to express vs. creating to be heard Chasing attention vs. creating for connection CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heather...

Today you're going to learn why discipline might be the reason you're failing at your goals. Craig Ballantyne, known as the world's most disciplined man, is here to tell us the truth—and it's not what you would expect. We're pulling back the curtain on the dark side of discipline, the side that no one in the multi-million dollar self-help industry wants to admit. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https:/...

In today’s episode, I’m sharing an embarrassing story and what a horrible experience taught me about humanity and our role as creators. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/   Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/92

Content is changing…but are we losing our soul in the process? Tony Berardo, founder of a content agency and host of the podcast Humanity and Hashtags , joins us to explore how to keep content meaningful, how user-generated media is evolving, and why AI might actually force us to become more human. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: Th...

Gabrielle Reyes is known as the Singing Vegan Chef. Her videos are fun, her voice is soulful, and her message? Unapologetically rooted in joy, healing, and spirit. But what’s really going on behind the music and colorful meals? In this episode, Gabrielle shares her journey from battling disordered eating to discovering the power of food, God, and creativity. From the moment she started singing abo...

Today you're going to learn how to take all of your passions , the things that you love and create a cohesive, badass brand. Ace Anderson has done this not just for himself, but dozens of other creatives, including his wife who now performs as a singing vegan chef. Ace says that order for all of this to work though, there's something you have to stay ready for… WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://w...

Why are we telling young people they can’t focus? What if there’s something else to blame? WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   IN THIS EPISODE: Why blaming short attention spans is a cop-out for bad content What longer-form trends reveal about real human desire How creators can stop chasing hacks and start creating from truth CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather...

Have you dismissed the possibility of getting sponsors or brand deals because your brand is “too small”?  Think again. Even if you don’t have a massive following, you can be making money. Today I connected with Justin Moore, founder of Creator Wizard. As a sponsorship coach, he’s helped creators generate over $5 million in brand deals. In his book Sponsor Magnet , Justin breaks down why brand...

Today, we’re talking about how embracing your flaws can build more connection and why audiences root harder for the anti-hero . TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Why you might not want to paint yourself in the best light The anti-hero framework and how to use it in your own story How to share vulnerability without oversharing EPISODES MENTIONED: Attention Marketing for Creative Entrepreneurs | with...

Creativity and business can often feel like two opposing forces, one requires flow and emotion, while the other demands strategy and structure. But to move forward with your creative work, you have to think like a producer. Today, I connected with Tara Mewis, the President of Honey Cut Studios, a creative agency known for its innovative storytelling. Tara has written, filmed, and produced content...

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   Today, we’re talking about why outsourcing your content might be destroying it. TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: The biggest mistake business owners make when outsourcing content How top creators stay involved in their content (and why it matters) A practical way to balance authenticity and delegation in your business EPISODES...

How many times would you let the world tell you no before you gave up on your dream? After submitting his manuscript to 147 agents and being rejected 147 times, today's guest not only learned how to publish his books himself but also sold 300,000 of them. In this episode, I sit down with Ty Allan Jackson , an award-winning children's author, literacy advocate, and dynamic speaker who has dedicated...

A listener recently asked how I personally apply creative constraints in my short-form content. Here is my answer along with a lesson from Project Runway. TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: Creative lesson from Project Runway The specific constraints I use in my Reels  How you can use constraints to make better content WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   EPISODES ME...

When Ken Pozek started his YouTube channel, he wasn’t trying to build a media company, he was just looking for new ways to get leads. But after posting 100 videos in 100 days, everything changed… Now, Pozek Group is a full-scale, media-powered real estate business, closing millions in sales and shaping the future of Orlando’s market. But Ken’s success wasn’t just about making more content, it was...

Putting your art out into the world can feel like you are standing in front of everyone you know completely butt naked. In this episode, we explore why taking risks feels so vulnerable and how to move past the fear of being seen. EPISODES MENTIONED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4v-uRjowKg&t=35s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhB1oT_MGag&t=1069s TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: How ego can bl...

Have you ever been told that in order to succeed, you need to pick one lane and narrow your focus? Meet Natasha Pearl Hansen . She’s a touring comedian and startup founder who is successfully embracing two worlds unapologetically. From launching her own tech company to navigating the business side of entertainment, she has always been intentional about creating her own path. Pretty unconventional,...

Feeling Overwhelmed by Too Many Ideas? Try This Trick Used by Professional Creatives TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: How innovation thrives within structure Why setting rules can actually make you more creative How to use structure to grow your platform EPISODES MENTIONED: Improve Your Short Form Video by Doing This | ‪@BrendanKane‬ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiC8GU_ycmw&t=129s How to Produce B...

A year ago, I started watching a ton of celebrity interviews, hoping to understand how actors, directors, and producers built successful careers in such an oversaturated industry. What I didn’t expect, though, was to be captivated by the person interviewing them all. Today, I connected with Jenelle Riley, an Emmy-winning journalist, playwright, and editor at Variety . She started out in Oregon wit...

Putting yourself out there—sharing your content, your ideas, your voice—can feel terrifying. Over the past several years, I’ve interviewed over 1,000 people across different shows, and when it comes to confidence, three conversations stand out the most. Each of these ideas is unique, but my hope is that one of them will be exactly what you need to push past fear and take action on what you know yo...

If you've ever felt like you're on the sidelines, cheering for others while knowing deep down you're holding yourself back—this episode is for you. I sat down with Rivky Gross, a somatic and subconscious-based practitioner, to explore the concept of the shadow artist—a term from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way . A shadow artist feels the pull to create but hesitates due to fear, perfectionism, or...

How can you tell a BIG Story in Less Time? Here are three tips from experts. TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: How to break down big ideas using the “watermelon” method Why limiting your options will help you find the heart of the story How to start your story to get to the point faster EPISODES MENTIONED: How to Make More SPACE in Your Life for Creativity & Impact | Tyler Moore @tidydad | Episode 71...