unproductive by daydreamers

Dominique Crenn is a human-being, first and always. And, even though she has created a life that is speckled with achievements - from becoming the first (and only) woman to earn three Michelin Stars for her first restaurant, Atelier Crenn, to being named the Best Chef in the World by the James Beard Foundation - she has continued to stay guided by her curiosity instead.

From a young age, Dominique bent the rules for good; growing up as an adopted child in France, she was given the freedom to tap into her creativity. And, that creativity drove her seemingly risky decisions: move across the world to San Francisco, convince a world-renowned chef to work with you (without any formal culinary training might we add), and open an 18-course restaurant with poetry instead of menus. 

But, through it all Dominique hasn’t let the rules or awards or growth sway her away from her personal mission: help people reconnect to their roots, become more conscious of their choices, and treat our planet (and each other) with kindness. This chat is for anyone who feels like they have a burning passion within them to change the world - and is ready to bend the rules a little bit to do so.

Some stuff we also cover:

• How Dominique’s childhood in Brittany, France impacted her view of the world - and connection to local food, nature + farmers
  
• Dominique’s definition of creativity, and how she uses her memories to inspire creativity in others
  
• Exactly where Dominique looks for creative inspiration (and hint: it’s not at the farmer’s market)
  
• How Dominique hires people for her team - and it has nothing to do with what’s listed on their resume
  
• The thought process behind incorporating poetry into each of the 18 courses at her 3 Michelin Star restaurant, Atelier Crenn
  
• Dominique’s vision for a sustainable future that requires every single human to make conscious choices
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Liz Plank is a perspective shifter - she has spent her entire career (and life!) dedicated to asking the difficult-but-curious questions that shift the narrative of both big societal belief systems - and personal ones. Liz is also an award-winning journalist, former Executive Producer of several critically acclaimed shows on Vox Media, and author of her latest book For The Love Of Men: A New Vision For Mindful Masculinity.

In our chat with Liz, we learn about her creative process of asking the right questions from the inside out. Liz walks us through many examples of her own narrative shifting - like, how she navigated “sticking out” in her Master’s Program at Oxford, and turning that unique storytelling ability into her greatest creative gift (and in turn, a successful career in media).

We not only discuss Liz’s personal journey - but her behavioral research that informed the outcomes in her book, For The Love Of Men. around gender roles and societal beliefs of what we’re allowed to do. We specifically share the impact that gender roles can have on our ability to be creative - and what we can do to tap into our humanness instead.

This conversation is for anyone who is ready to break some barriers, shift conversations - in their own head or their communities - and tap into their creativity no matter what you’re “supposed” to be doing.

Some stuff we also cover:

• How Liz navigated the negative feedback in her institutional studies - and was able to stay true to herself
  
• What Liz does to prepare for sharing her most vulnerable, authentic self as a media personality - and how she stays sane when people don’t agree.
  
• The most fascinating social experiment of our time (Quarantine) and why we have the power to learn from it
  
• What it’s like to write a book - how Liz’s own experience felt like therapy
  
• The difference between masculine and feminine energy, especially as it relates to creativity
  
• Why men are pushed away from creative endeavors from a young age - and how we can shift that paradigm
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Justin Bettman is a prolific photographer who still approaches life and work with a punk-rock view. Even though Justin has worked with some of the most well-known celebrities and brands in the world (think: everyone from Daniel Radcliff to Spotify), he is constantly living by the motto: do first, ask questions later.

But, Justin didn’t seamlessly move from There to Here, as you’ll hear in our chat today. Like many of our guests so far, Justin continues to push his own boundaries and definition of creativity - whether it was during his first job at Ogilvy, the top-tier advertising agency - where he started in a rotational business program and somehow figured out his way to become an in-house photographer, or when he started #SetinTheStreet - a now-viral, international art project that simply started as a way to have fun with photography without having access to a fancy set or props.

This conversation is for anyone who feels like they have a creative spark within them, but feels too constrained by what they “should” be doing (like Elle Luna explained last episode). For our photography buffs - Justin shares the exact ways he prepares and thinks about a photoshoot. And for the rest of us, he dives deep into something extremely important: the mindset he’s cultivated to help him get from There to Here -without letting money, resources or excuses hold him back.

Some stuff we also cover:

• Justin’s exact process of experimenting with photography - both as a craft and a business - starting in high school
  
• The step-by-step approach Justin took to move from a business role to becoming in-house photography at Ogilvy
  
• How Justin created #SetInTheStreet - a viral, international art project - from idea phase to working with the NYC Times Square Art Alliance
  
• Why you don’t need a huge budget or professional equipment to  get started on any creative project
  
• Exactly how Justin prepares and completes post-production for his large-scale photoshoots
  
• How to keep experimenting with your craft and keep a beginner’s mind
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Craig Hatkoff is a disrupter at heart. His accolades span many arenas - Craig is a prolific real estate investor, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival, best-selling children’s book author, philanthropist, expert on innovation - and the list could go on. But most importantly, Craig has been able to craft a life filled with creativity, passion and storytelling by collecting as many “dots” of experiences as he could - and connecting them looking backwards.

We especially love this conversation with Craig, because he not only shares stories of his own deeply interesting life experiences, but also tactical tools we all can use to develop our own life bucket list. He walks us through how to disrupt the status quo both within big institutions - like investment banking and film festivals - and spaces that don’t even exist yet, like writing children’s books about dealing with trauma and loss. Each step of the way, Craig has managed to fit in without losing his ability to stand out.

Join us for an energizing conversation about disrupting the status quo from within, not being afraid to experiment, and the real reason why you need to collect as many “dots” as possible (hint: it even has its own mathematical equation!).

Some stuff we also cover:

• Exactly how Craig went from being a real estate investor for twenty years to writing a children’s book (and why no one tells you how to get published)
  
• The inspiration behind the Tribeca Film Festival and why it’s not like every other fancy festival in the world
  
• How to organize your free time in order to develop as many creative ideas as possible
  
• Why it’s extremely important for your brain to do stuff that’s not related to your “core competency” (i.e. that book club isn’t a waste of time)
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Elle Luna found herself at a crossroads: one between continuing to collect life’s “Shoulds” or finally following her “Must.” As an artist at her core, Elle lived her early life collecting trophies and thinking practically. Since she was a kid, Elle wanted to be a lawyer and did nearly everything she could to get there - until the world forced her in another direction.

Elle is now a best-selling author, speaker, painter, and expert on finding your passion. She started her career as a designer at major San Francisco startups, like Uber, Medium, and Mailbox in their early days. But, she kept having this recurring dream of a white room - one where she felt fully at peace - which was so different from her normal life, she knew something had to change.

So, after following her (literal) dream, she discovered that her “Must” had been hiding under her nose all along - and she didn’t need a fancy job title at another Silicon Valley startup to find it. Elle wrote her observations in a Medium post, “The Crossroads of Should and Must” that went viral and landed her a book deal all about discovering your passion. Elle’s journey is a continuous demonstration that tuning in to your Must, your creative passions, is a beautiful unfolding.

This conversation with Elle is for anyone who finds themselves at a crossroads, battling against the stories about what the world tells them they should be - instead of what they really want to be doing. We dive deep into the ways that all us humans keep ourselves in a prison, far away from a creative, passionless life - but most importantly, how we can chisel away at those beliefs in order to craft a life that we love. Join us for a grounding conversation about finding your passion, removing your Shoulds, and tapping into your innate creative mind to heal.

Some stuff we also cover:

• How we’ve all internalized stories of what is “good” and “bad” - like what it means to be an artist (cue: no health insurance) - and how we can shift them
  
• The physiological impact of following your Must, and in turn, staying stuck to your Shoulds
  
• The prison of time - and how we can begin to undo the systemic layers of “shoulds”
  
• The regimented steps that Elle took in order to buy herself “time” to explore her creativity
  
• Simple-but-important creative exercises that could help you heal and give you clues towards developing your passion
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Jemel has spent over ten years in the entertainment industry - moving through every single phase of the process from backup dancer to artistic director. And, now that he is calling the shots, he’s been a major visionary in creating cultural movements through his work. Jemel crafted Janelle Monae’s historic performance at the 2020 Oscar’s (making it not so white) and bringing together Lizzo’s Big Grrrls crew. No matter what type of creative project he’s working on, Jemel is consistently bringing together all body types, colors, experience levels to the table - no matter how long they’ve been left out of the conversation.

Join us for a conversation that’s equally energizing and grounding - and one that’s deeply needed in our world right now.

• Jemel’s exact creative process as an artistic director and lead choreographer when working with major artists like Lizzo and Janelle Monae (hint: it’s more spiritual than you might think)
  
• Jemel’s thoughts on “popcorn careers” and the importance of moving through each stage of the process over going viral
  
• Why it’s extremely important to find your community and how that relates to your ability to find creative fulfillment
  
• The way that Jemel thinks about creating major cultural movements through dance and entertainment - and how he doesn’t get lost in the comments section
  

We are putting our normal podcast programming on hold this week to honor the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and the many others who have been affected by racism in the United States.

Daydreamer's founders + our (un)productive podcast hosts, Katina and Dupi, will share a brief, raw, and unedited chat about systemic barriers, like racism, that hold us back from accessing creativity - and most importantly, how we can use our voices to fight against it. They will share specific statistics, tips and their own actions as allies to fight against injustice in our world.

Think about your last delicious meal at a restaurant. How did it make you feel?

Restaurants are the lifeblood of creativity, community, and storytelling - and these days, they’re an art form whose importance we’re all too aware of. This week, we’ll hear from Michael Chernow, a restaurant entrepreneur and storyteller extraordinaire. Michael is the co-founder of the famous NYC restaurant, The Meatball Shop, and his latest spot, Seamores, a sustainable seafood restaurant - among other food and wellness ventures.

In today’s chat, we’ll dive into the why and how behind creating a restaurant in one of the most competitive cities in the world - New York - and Michael’s exact process from idea to rocket-growth of launching not one, but two, successful restaurants that have been featured everywhere from Jimmy Fallon to Chelsea Handler, have tens of thousands of fans, cookbooks and more.

This episode is quite nostalgic for any foodies, restaurant lovers, or even NYC dwellers (past or present!) who are currently craving the coziness, comfort, and community that bubble up inside of your favorite restaurant. Whether you’re curious about becoming a serial entrepreneur, or simply enjoy whipping up a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs - our chat with Michael reminds us all that we can create, even in the most difficult (simple) of moments.

Some stuff we also cover:

• Michael’s career path in the restaurant industry - from delivery boy to bartender to founder - and how he navigated each step
  
• Why storytelling and having empathy are extremely important skills in the hospitality world - and how you can cultivate them
  
• How the process of opening a restaurant has changed over the past decade
  
• The importance of culture in creating connected and long-lasting organizations - and why any entrepreneur should tap into it
  
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Mira Mariah is a pioneering tattoo artist based in Brooklyn, New York who is changing the face of the industry with her femme, minimalist illustrations that feature all body types, ethnicities, and styles (which has landed her celebrity clients, like Ariana Grande). Mira started her career as a fashion designer, but took a leap of faith after her daughter was born to begin her tattoo artist apprenticeship - and never looked back.

As a queer mother with a disability (Mira had her leg amputated at 17), she deeply understands the importance of speaking up with confidence to represent all. In our chat, Mira shares her journey from illustrating in her room as a kid to using people’s bodies as a canvas. She sheds light on the tattoo apprenticeship process (hint: it’s not as accessible as you might think) - and how tattoo artistry is truly an act of freedom.

Join us for a refreshing conversation about creating space for the fun stuff, being honest about what you really love doing, and how we could all be a little more confident in our own skin - no matter what.

Some stuff we also cover:

• Mira’s journey from fashion designer to tattoo apprentice to having a mile-long waitlist
  
• The way that tattoo artistry has shifted over the past thousands of years (yes, seriously!) and why it’s not just for big biker dudes anymore
  
• Mira’s trick for finding what you love to do (hint: it has everything to do with lists and being really, brutally honest with yourself)
  
• What Mira’s exact creative process is like when you sit down and get a tattoo with her
  

Resources you might want to check out:

The Chat

Dr. Anthony Brandt is a world-renowned composer, Professor of Composition and Theory at Rice University and co-author of The Runaway Species, a book that inspired the Netflix documentary, The Creative Brain - and deeply impacted our philosophy at Daydreamers.

In our chat today, Tony (or Dr. Brandt) shares some awe-inspiring truths about the human experience - most importantly: creativity is part of our DNA. As humans, our ability to imagine a future that doesn’t yet exist is literally what makes us different from llamas or robots, and what Dr. Brant calls “magical.”

Tony not only does a brilliant job at explaining the biological and neurological research behind creativity, but he also gives accessible and tactical advice about how to exercise this muscle in our daily lives. As a career artist and composer, Dr. Brandt walks through the exact steps he takes to buck fear, access vulnerability and create something new.

Join us for a deep conversation about what makes us human over robots (or llamas), how we can move beyond fear to actually start creating every day, and what we need to do to access our imagination and logic at the same time.

Some stuff we also cover:

• Why our education system today makes kids adults too quickly - and what we could do about it
  
• How human beings evolved to create - and why our brains are different from every other animal in the world
  
• The difference between creating and coping - and what Beethoven + Picasso had in common
  
• Why creatives aren’t loners (in fact, it’s the opposite)
  
• How we can reframe “failures” and why we need new language around risk-taking
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Ronnie Fieg is one of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. He founded KITH, the revolutionary streetwear, and fashion brand from scratch after a long-time obsession with product and culture. KITH is known for major creative collaborations with everyone from Coca Cola to Disney - and they’re some of the best master marketers in the game. Their products sell out within milliseconds once they’re dropped.

But, Ronnie didn’t always live at the top - he actually started his career as a stockboy at his uncle’s NYC shoe store, David Z. (and trust, it wasn’t that easy - he had to ask for this position as his Bar Mitzvah gift!). Ronnie’s story is one of hustle, passion, and the ability to take risks - even when it means losing everything. It’s one that any immigrant kid, any human being with a drive to "just do" can relate to.

During our chat with Ronnie, we dive deep into the moments that defined him, the moments that tested him, and the moments that inspire him (truly - he doesn’t use this word lightly). This trendsetting guru whose products sell out within seconds after they drop shares the exact moment when he consciously realized what “marketing” was - among many other personal stories.

No matter if you've been following Ronnie's work from the start, or have the simple belief that you just have to put your ideas out into the world - this episode will make you want to drop everything and do it. 

Some stuff we also cover:

• What culture really means - and how Ronnie noticed it from a young age as a kid growing up in Queens
  
• The old-school way of collecting market research, and how this shaped Ronnie’s view of product
  
• The exact moment that Ronnie’s career trajectory shifted - and how it all resulted in taking a major risk
  
• What legacy means when building a business, and how to think about it creatively
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist, speaker, radio-host (on PBS, NPR and others) and author of the new book, Do Nothing: How To Break Away From Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving. Celeste’s Tedx Talk on human connection has garnered over 23 million views.

In our chat today, Celeste takes us through a hundreds-year-long journey, which has led our society to be inducted (unknowingly, of course) into the ‘cult of efficiency.’ Her research and historical knowledge shows us that we humans are inherently good at being unproductive, but a major societal shift in the 1800’s has led us to become work-obsessed and leisureless.

Celeste shares some brilliant findings on our human trajectory - and why all the hacks in the world won’t help us find more joy and fulfillment. Plus, she shares some tactical and accessible ways to begin incorporating more “free” time into your life - no matter what your schedule looks like right now.

Join us for a chat about the turning point in our modern world that led us to become sick, lonely and suicidal (hint: it’s not technology), what the ancient Romans had right all along, and why giving your mom a phone call is infinitely better than sending a text message.

Some stuff we also cover:

• Celeste’s own journey to discovering why achievement, efficiency hacks and financial stability didn’t bring her as much joy as she expected
  
• How this moment in history - The 2020 Quarantine - has one tiny silver lining
  
• What leisure time really means, and why we humans have always known how to channel it
  
• How to start simple hobbies without recreating the wheel - that don’t need to be your side-hustle
  
• Why you probably don’t know how you’re spending your time (according to science) and how to make your schedule less busy
  
• The reason that “hacking” time with sending a text message instead of a phone call has absolutely no impact on our connection
  
• Why you should talk to people that challenge you - often
  

Resources you might want to check out:

Morgan Harper Nichols is a poet, painter, artist, and musician who created two #1 best-selling books and amassed over 1.2 million Instagram followers. But, even though Morgan has crafted this creative career all before the age of 30 (seriously - she’s 29!), don’t let that fool you. Morgan is still one of the most grounded, humble and vulnerable people we’ve ever met.

Think of this conversation as a big, virtual hug. During our chat with Morgan, she takes us through her childhood as a homeschooled kid who always felt “other” to her musical career that left her feeling unfulfilled - all the way to her big Aha moment: when she realized that her first love, writing, could be her life’s work all along.

Join us for our first (un)productive chat where we dive deep - we talk about how to tuning into your true self, what it’s like to “go viral” and build a sustainable career off of it, and why our creativity will never fail us.

Some stuff we also cover:

• Seeing failure up close - and turning it into inspiration
  
• What it’s like to work in the music industry
  
• What happens when you “go viral”
  
• How Morgan turned her creative work into a career
  
• Inspiration for when you feel like you’re not sure what your direction is
  
• The creative practices Morgan suggests to build in your free time
  

Resources you might want to check out: