Episode 24 - Focus, Energy and The Journey

This episode captures that strange early January shift after the holiday rush, when the world is technically “back,” but not really moving at full speed yet. Steph and Jay talk about what it feels like to be creatives during a season where other people slow down, while their own momentum keeps building.

They explore how conferences, awards season, and trend cycles flood the culture right after the holidays, and why Steph tends to block a lot of that out to protect her originality. From there, the conversation moves into something deeper: the way creatives pick up on energy in rooms and environments, and how that unspoken tension or empathy often gets channeled into the work.

The episode lands on a central anchor, focusing on the journey, especially when life feels full of landmines, shifting plans, and constant uncertainty. They wrap with a funny rapid fire and a simple reminder about stress: don’t do it twice.

Topics Covered:

• The strange post holiday pace of January
• Creative schedules versus traditional work rhythms
• The flood of conferences, awards, and trend noise
• Protecting originality and filtering cultural overload
• How creatives sense and process energy differently
• Turning empathy and frustration into creative fuel
• Staying focused on the journey amid constant change
• Rapid fire on time, childhood, and risk taking
• Why pre stressing only makes things harder

This episode is your reminder to tune out the noise, stay grounded in your path, and keep your focus on the journey, especially when life tries to pull the rug out from under you.

Episode 23 - Reset, Reflection and Creative Freedom

The first episode of 2026 opens with Steph and Jay turning a casual new year check in into a thoughtful conversation about how creatives actually reset. They talk about why January 1st feels motivating for some people and completely overrated for others, then dig into the real reset of clearing physical and mental clutter so new ideas can take shape.

Steph shares what it looks like to wind down an old way of running a business in order to make room for what’s next, including experimenting with a new product focused direction that blends art and interior design. Jay reflects on how the simple act of organizing can kick the brain back into creative mode and why real adaptation requires space rather than pressure.

They also explore what the holiday season leaves behind, from meaningful moments to small dramas, and how those experiences quietly carry into the new year. The episode wraps with a rapid-fire round that is both funny and unexpectedly sincere.

Topics Covered:

• New Year resets: motivation vs “you can start anytime”
• Clearing clutter and why creatives need space to create
• The connection between cleaning, emotional processing, and mental calm
• Adapting to new plans and building systems for a fresh year
• Steph’s new creative direction: art as product + catalog thinking
• What carries forward from the holidays: gratitude, drama, lessons
• Rapid fire: new year feelings, holiday traditions, and takeaways

This episode stays with you as a reminder that clearing space isn’t just housekeeping, it’s how you make room for what’s next.

Episode 22 - Closure, Hope and End of Year Clarity

Episode 22 is a reflective end of year conversation about perspective, growth, and entering a new chapter with intention. Steph and Jay move from light talk about winter in New York into gratitude, the emotional weight of the holidays, and Jay’s experience navigating a Christmas centered culture as a Jewish person. At the heart of the episode, Steph reflects on a year of closing chapters, clearing energy, and trusting the slow incubation of creativity, while Jay shares how global events and the people in his life continue to shape his thinking and push him to keep learning. They close with a rapid fire that turns thoughtful, touching on kindness, closure, and the small internal shifts that change how we move through the world, offering a grounded and hopeful send off to the year.

Topics Covered:

• Year end reflection and what this year demanded
• Letting go, clearing space, and closing chapters
• Identity shifts, growth, and creative timing
• Gratitude and grounding when the world feels heavy
• The Jewish experience during the Christmas season
• Personal hope for 2026 versus the global outlook
• How humans resist change and adapt under pressure
• Rapid fire on kindness, anonymity, and closure

This episode stays with you as a reminder to clear what no longer fits, protect what matters, and step into the new year more aligned with yourself. See you in 2026.