Behind the Creative Curtain

12: Learning to Embrace Change

In this episode, Renee Garcia and Renée Fidz share an honest conversation about life transitions, identity, and the journey of self-discovery. They explore the impact of personal loss, the search for purpose through the concept of Ikigai, and the desire for a slower way of life. The discussion also touches on the importance of spending time in nature, the challenges of modern life, and the magic of manifestation. Fidz shares her plan to create the ‘Do Nothing Club’ as a way to reconnect with presence and simplicity, highlighting the healing power of doing nothing in a world that seems to demand constant productivity. Scenes 03:23 Life Changes and Career Transition 09:05 The Concept of Ikigai 11:55 Shifting Career Paths and Generational Differences 14:44 The Impact of Stress and Modern Life 17:41 Desire for Slowness and Simplicity 20:27 Navigating Dreams and Manifestation 31:42 Personal Growth Through Distance 37:45 Positivity and High Vibration 39:53 Nature as a Source of Inspiration 44:38 Embracing Uncertainty and Letting Go Guest & Host Information: Guest, Renée Fidz [https://substack.com/profile/564951-renee-fidz] Host, Renee Garcia [https://substack.com/profile/74986876-renee-garcia], CEO and Creative Director of Renee Lynn Creative [https://www.reneelynncreative.com/] Connect with Renée Fidz: On Substack [https://ofthehearth.substack.com/] Connect with your Host, Renee Garcia: Visit her website: https://www.reneelynncreative.com/ [https://www.reneelynncreative.com/] On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-lynn-garcia/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-lynn-garcia/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rlcroots.substack.com [https://rlcroots.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

11: The Power of Authentic Storytelling in Business

Summary In this thoughtful conversation, Randy Smith, founder of Oathic [https://oathic.com/], shares insights on the importance of storytelling in branding, misconceptions surrounding brand strategy, and the transformative power of rebranding. He emphasizes the need for presence and mindfulness in entrepreneurship, illustrating his points with personal anecdotes and client success stories. The discussion highlights the importance of mindfulness in business, encouraging listeners to embrace their unique narratives and find balance in our digital world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rlcroots.substack.com [https://rlcroots.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

10: The Evolving Journey of Behind the Creative Curtain

In the latest episode of the Behind the Creative Curtain podcast, host Renee Garcia [https://substack.com/profile/74986876-renee-garcia] opens up about the challenges and transformations going on behind the scenes for the show. With a heartfelt message, she shares her journey of navigating creative endeavors while also providing insights into the world of creativity and self-worth. Join her to explore the essence of this podcast and the importance of celebrating the creative community. About your host Renee Garcia runs a brand design studio rooted in Portland, OR called Renee Lynn Creative [https://www.reneelynncreative.com/]. Through the studio, she crafts memorable brands for people devoted to planting positive change. She loves spending time outside and connecting with people in the community. Connect with Renee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-lynn-garcia/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-lynn-garcia/] Subscribe to RLC Roots [https://rlcroots.substack.com/] to be the first to hear about new episodes. View samples of my branding work on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/reneelynncreative/ [https://www.pinterest.com/reneelynncreative/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rlcroots.substack.com [https://rlcroots.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

09: Center Stage with Purpose

Join hosts Renee Garcia and Damion Rowe [https://substack.com/profile/252526085-damion-rowe] as they sit down with Ashwin Chacko [https://substack.com/profile/127926443-ashwin-chacko], art director turned children’s book illustrator and founder of Bad Book Press publishing house. From commercial illustration to launching Northern Ireland’s first dedicated children’s picture book publisher, Ashwin reveals how faith, purpose, and strategic patience built his creative empire. What starts as a discussion about finding your creative purpose quickly evolves into a masterclass on art direction, publishing, and building sustainable creative businesses. Ashwin opens up about his 10-year journey from graphic designer to full-time illustrator, sharing how the 2020 lockdown forced him to discover his “why” and pivot toward children’s book illustration. Renee explores the business side of creative freelancing, while Damion discovers the complexities of print production and screen printing techniques. Creative Business & Career Topics: * How to transition from art director to freelance illustrator (10:57) * The 10-year creative evolution cycle across multiple disciplines (1:00:01) * Building your illustration style around personal purpose (20:55) * Starting a children’s book publishing house from scratch (48:30) * Why scope of work documents prevent client disasters (38:34) * Art direction secrets: managing teams and creative vision (31:02) Children’s Book & Publishing Insights: * Writing picture books: 500-word limits and brutal editing (50:51) * Character development vs. story-first approaches (52:17) * Self-publishing strategies that attract traditional publishers (13:40) * Screen printing vs. DTG for book merchandise (25:57) Art Direction & Client Management: * Why clients always choose the “safe” option (34:43) * Managing photographer and illustrator teams (32:06) * The art of giving creative freedom within constraints (33:29) * Communication strategies that prevent scope creep (38:57) Going Behind the Curtain: This episode reveals the spiritual and strategic foundations behind successful creative careers. We witness Ashwin’s faith-driven approach to art, his honest advice about separating self-worth from creative output, and his ambitious vision for Bad Book Press. The conversation covers everything from screen printing techniques and DTG quality differences to the psychological aspects of creative growth, plus practical business advice for anyone building a creative career. Whether you’re an illustrator considering children’s books, someone transitioning from corporate creative roles, or any creative professional seeking purpose-driven business strategies, this episode provides both spiritual guidance and practical frameworks for building sustainable creative careers. Connect with Ashwin: * Website: https://whackochacko.com/about/ [https://whackochacko.com/about/] * YouTube: http://youtube.com/c/ashwinchacko [http://youtube.com/c/ashwinchacko] * Social: @whackochacko (Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whackochacko/], X [https://twitter.com/whackochacko]) * LinkedIn: Ashwin Chacko [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwinchacko/] Perfect for: Art directors, children’s book illustrators, creative entrepreneurs, freelancers building client businesses, anyone interested in publishing, and creatives seeking purpose-driven career strategies. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rlcroots.substack.com [https://rlcroots.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

08: Backend Magic You Never See

Backend development powers everything you do online, but most people have no idea how it actually works. Adam Sparks, software architect and founder of Sparkstone [https://sparkstonepdx.com/], breaks down the complex systems that run behind every app, website, and digital service—plus why understanding them is crucial for your digital freedom. What starts as an explanation of basic programming concepts quickly evolves into a deep dive on software architecture, data ownership, and building truly independent digital infrastructure. Adam walks through his journey from middle school coding competitions to architecting enterprise-level 3D visualizations that required massive GPU clusters just to render in browsers. Renee explores the creative aspects of software development, while Damion discovers the invisible complexity that makes every website function. Backend Development Topics Explored: * What software architects actually do and how to get there (9:39) * The middle school programming competition that started it all (12:22) * UI vs UX: creating buttons vs. knowing where to put them (19:10) * HTML vs. real programming languages: the heated debate (37:51) * Everything that happens behind the screen that users never see (42:02) Digital Freedom & Architecture: * How federated networks could free your data from corporate control (55:07) * The truth about digital “ownership” vs. licensing your content (23:33) * Building your own media server with Jellyfin (26:52) * Why Signal’s encryption protects even Signal from reading your messages (59:29) * How Truth Social runs on Mastodon’s open-source code (1:02:28) Technical Deep Dives: * Kubernetes clusters running in basements explained (42:11) * 3D visualization that cost tens of thousands per month in GPU costs (53:57) * Why Chrome crashes after 20 gigs of memory (52:15) * The “Federate the Masses” open source project breakdown (55:07) Going Behind the Curtain: This episode reveals the staggering technical complexity hidden behind simple user interactions. We witness Adam’s passion for digital ownership and privacy, his three-screen setup that makes instant fact-checking possible, and his ambitious vision for a decentralized internet where users control their own data. The conversation takes fascinating detours through Arthur theme songs, the ethics of digital piracy, and why Portland libraries offer 100 free prints daily. Most revealing is Adam’s honest admission about what keeps him up at night: either avoiding current events or obsessing over the next technical challenge in his federation project. Whether you’re curious about what software architects actually do, concerned about digital privacy and corporate data control, or want to understand the invisible complexity that makes your favorite apps work, this episode offers insider knowledge that will change how you think about technology. Connect with Adam: * Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sparkstonepdx [https://linktr.ee/sparkstonepdx] * Liveframe [https://liveframe.app/]: a free, photo sharing app for events * Sparkstone website [https://sparkstonepdx.com/] Perfect for: Developers interested in software architecture concepts, anyone curious about backend systems. Or people concerned about digital privacy and data ownership, and those wanting to understand the infrastructure that powers modern applications. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rlcroots.substack.com [https://rlcroots.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]