When you think about it most entrepreneurs and creatives have a DIY spirit, but few would exemplify this spirit more than this episode's guest Christian "Coog" Lopez. Christian wanted to simply promote his friend's music and since this was during the blog era this naturally led to creating a tumblr. What was out of the ordinary was how quickly the …

Not caring can usually be associated with online trolls looking to annoy others, but what happens wh0en you care too much? What happens when you care so much it prevents you from not trying in the first place? It's a strange and interesting balance, and few know that balance better than street and concert photographer Rafael Medina. One would assum…

You have heard of art schools and after school art programs. But what about a non-profit that teaches students how to make commercially viable art for clients, while at the same time paying those students for their work while they learn. Because that is the vision behind Riverzedge arts and Riverzedge Executive Director this episode's guest Kristen…

You have heard of art schools and after school art programs. But what about a non-profit that teaches students how to make commercially viable art for clients, while at the same time paying those students for their work while they learn. Because that is the vision behind Riverzedge arts and Riverzedge Executive Director this episode's guest Kristen…

There are people out there who think being yourself is old fashioned out of touch advice, however for others like this episode’s guest Victor Baez being his true authentic self was the catalyst for an entire multi media company. Victor created music reaction videos not in a studio but rather sitting in his car, the authenticity and rawness of his r…

There are people out there who think being yourself is old fashioned out of touch advice, however for others like this episode's guest Victor Baez being his true authentic self was the catalyst for an entire multi media company. Victor created music reaction videos not in a studio but rather sitting in his car, the authenticity and rawness of his r…

Artists switch to different mediums all the time that act of switching has occurred ever since art has existed. But for this episode's guest abstract artist Paige Huggon, discovering a new medium she had not utilized before didn't just give her a new creative outlet, it resulted in her presence within the art world rise tremendously, and that mediu…

Storytelling and branding, two words you seem to hear a lot these days when it comes to entrepreneurial success. And it makes sense, storytelling is a powerful tool when you want to create a brand that will last. A good brand story will help you and your customers connect through your work, and this connection will give you an advantage over your c…

Pro wrestler by day state representative for the working class by night, that's the story of this episode's guest David Morales. David is Rhode Island's youngest state legislator and one of the youngest legislators in the country, he's also simultaneously the villainous Hype Champion of the Renegade Wrestling Alliance. Now if you're wondering what …

What happens when a New Yorker goes to Brown to study film and they have trouble finding relevant film work? They end up creating a platform to help themselves and other freelancers find that work, at least that's the case with this episode's guest, Adam Alpert. Adam is the co-founder and CEO of Pangea, a platform that wants to connect freelancers …

What goes on behind the scenes when it comes to content creation? How do I utilize content to create my own personal brand? Is there a formula to going viral? Should I post content constantly? And also where should I go to get dinner? If you have ever asked yourself any of these questions than this episode's guest Laura Afonso may have some answers…

Starting a business is tough, starting a successful business is even tougher, now imagine starting a successful business and you can't read, or talk? Sounds impossible, and yet that was the catalyst for Lexus Fernandez's entrepreneurial journey. At age 20 Lexus suffered a brain aneurysm which left her unable to attend school, work a job, and the ab…

When it comes to content creation especially content for social media, to say that video is having a moment right now, would be an understatement. With the rise of Instagram stories, Youtube shorts, and the platform that put short form video under the spotlight Tik-Tok, good video content is more important than ever. But what goes into making objec…

When it comes to content creation especially content for social media, to say that video is having a moment right now, would be an understatement. With the rise of Instagram stories, Youtube shorts, and the platform that put short form video under the spotlight Tik-Tok, good video content is more important than ever. But what goes into making objec…

When most people think of recycling they tend to think of those blue bins that take glass, paper, or plastic. Rarely do they think of recycling as a creative business opportunity. However this episode's guest Steve Duque viewed recycling in a different way, which led him on an entrepreneurial journey that is 10 years strong and counting. Steve is t…

We often think about clothes as something to wear to protect us from the elements, or a uniform that's used to fit in. But have you ever wondered about using clothes as a form of self expression, or a way to provide access to a different lifestyle? If you have then you will want to hear the story of this episode's guest, Albert Kyei-Poakwa the owne…

Food and service industry workers suffered massive setbacks during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. No pandemic however, could stop the creative and entrepreneurial spirits of this episode's guests, Gretchen Lizarda and Monica Martin. Gretchen and Monica are the founders of Juicy Market PVD, a brand that supports small businesses and vendors th…

There's the term a Jack/Jill of all trades. After making this episode the term should be changed to a Lois of all trades in honor of this episode's guest Lois Harada. Artist, printmaker, activist, teacher, board member, city commissioner, chairperson, are just some of the titles Lois has held in her career. In this episode Lois and I talk about wha…

Vintage, grails, sneakers, fashion, streetwear. All these terms are related yet uniquely diverse when it comes to clothing. Maybe they should all fall under the term collectible fashion. Which to my knowledge was coined by this episode's guest, Xury Belliard. Xury is the owner and founder of Cured Collection. A store which has become a focal point …

Because older episodes can get lost in the shuffle, and because there are true gems of knowledge in those episodes, it's time for The Creative Capital Show Podcast Mixtape vol 2! This vol 2 mixtape features hand picked segments covering topics such as, starting a farm to table distillery, what it takes to make it in the restaurant business, how a h…

Martial arts instructor, virologist, motorcycle racer, comic book expert, and last but not least business owner. These are just some of the ways to describe this episode's guest Thoney Phanlak aka the most interesting nerd in the world. That's not an exaggeration, how else would you describe a person whose story begins with a birth in a refugee cam…

When we think of photography we at times tend to think of fashion magazines, journalism, weddings, or street photography. But how often do we think about photography as a means of self-expression, an artistic medium, a political tool, or a catalyst for change? Well one person thought about all of that and more, this episode's guest Kannetha Brown. …

What do LA, RI, Vietnam, and Kimchi, have in common? Well they are all a part of the story behind Chi Kitchen, the business founded by this episode's guest Minnie Luong. Minnie founded Chi Kitchen to create flavorful, hand-crafted Asian foods for the well-being of its customers. But this story is about more than just food, it's a story about having…

Burnout it happens to the best of us. Whether it's our work, our personal life, or just simply going after the goals were trying to achieve, we can sometimes lose ourselves in the process much to our own detriment. Most people recover from burnout by spending time with family and friends or taking a relaxing vacation, however this episode's guest r…

Do the areas of government and business have to be adversaries? It seems as if you live in the state of Rhode Island the answer is a resounding yes? But what if it didn't have to be that way? In fact what if a former business owner worked in government to make it easier to do business? And what if that person was your "know a guy" that could help y…

What would happen if a coffee company decided to take a risk and conduct an experiment? The experiment, open a space combining the worlds of coffee, spirits, and cocktails, and see if the space can satisfy audiences of all three, while creating a new audience of it's own. If you're wondering what kind of coffee company would do such a thing, and wh…

Almost 30 episodes in and it's been quite a ride. Throughout the course of this show I have met artists, entrepreneurs, creatives, business owners, founders, operators, and anything and everything in-between. With that being said I have noticed that sometimes the older episodes of a podcast can get lost in the shuffle, which is a shame, because the…

Imagine growing up wanting to be a chef, but then at 12 you realize you need to make money so you decide to major in food science. Now imagine you're in grad school you realize you hate being in labs, oh and your school loses your research grant. So then you find a job in collegiate athletics administration and you love it, but then your mother has…

Fashion and style. One is a form of self expression, while the other is a combination of distinctive features. Then there's the fashion industry, and while this industry has made clothes more affordable than ever before and at a blindingly fast pace, there is a cost. The fashion industry produces 10% of all humanity’s carbon emissions and is the se…

Some say to be successful in business you have to separate the business and its decisions from yourself and your emotions, others have said that to be successful in business you need to have high emotional intelligence, and that your business should be a representation of you. For this episode's guest Julia Broome, she chose the latter as a strateg…

Musician, label owner, photographer, residential real estate developer, these are just some of things this episode's guest Jason Shechtman has done throughout his life. Jay's past is an interesting one, much like the past of his current business Courtland Club. During a chance real estate deal Jay dug through the state archives to look up the histo…

This episode I get to talk with a guest about a subject I'm really passionate about, the art of DJing. But this episode is not about me, its about my guest Sega Genn. In the span of a few years Genn has already become a sought after DJ within Providence RI with an eclectic blend of house, hip-hop, and genres from all over the globe. We talk about h…

Lets talk about sex. Did that phrase get your attention, or did it make you feel uncomfortable? Either way you may want to listen to this episode's guests Shannon and Christine Curley. Shannon and Christine are a Mother/Daughter duo that decided to start their own podcast called Sex Ed Debunked. In this episode Shannon and Christine talk about how …

Spread love its the...PVD way. It's interesting that so many things get talked about in business but love is not always one of them. Rarely when you hear entrepreneurs speak about what it takes to be successful is the word love a part of the conversation. This episode's guests Jason Almeida and Sabrina Chaudhary love for their city, their culture, …

Polymath its an interesting word, one with varying definitions. One of those definitions states that a polymath is a person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge. When it comes to a person that fits this definition, I can't think of anyone better than this episode's guest Gibran PVD. Gibran has broad and extensive knowledge from wo…

In the second half of this two part episode Kyle Therrien talks about how his aspirational dreams of the music industry changed, and how those changes led to him starting his own business, Railroad Park Recording Company. Kyle's new dream of starting his own business has had its challenges however he was able to learn from the mistakes of others, a…

What happens to a dream deferred? Well if your Kyle Therrien the answer is...alot. Kyle is a producer, engineer, musician, and last but not least, owner and founder of Rail Road Park Recording Company. Kyle in his early days developed a love for the grind and the journey rather than the destination, and that journey took him to some pretty interest…

How does one become a successful designer? How do you turn your skills and work into a business? Is there a clash between practical design vs conceptual design? How do you take your influences, culture, and its references, and leverage them for success within your work? Can you design the life you want to live? Or even just what is design exactly? …

Marketing, when you think about the word what comes to mind? For some its the romanticized world of the tv show Mad Men, for others its the groundbreaking work that Widen & Kennedy have done for Nike, or maybe you're like the late great comedian Bill Hicks and think, marketers are the spawn of Satan, and if you thought that I don't think anyone wou…

There are people out there who choose the business they want to start or be a part of, but what happens when the business chooses you? And what happens what that business, is the family business? That's the story of this episode's guest Mikey Phenglee. Mikey is the manager of Asian Bakery and Fast Food, a family run business with an interesting nam…

What is art? Well the dictionary defines art as "the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects", and it's the second half of that definition the production of aesthetic objects, that this episode's guest founded a business upon. Tracy Jonsson-Laboy is the co-founder of Luna Loggia, a mom & pop…

Food, passion, and service, these are the words that describe this episodes guest Deena Montanez. From an early age Deena had a passion for food, so much so that she would sneak into her family's living room late at night to watch the food network. While studying to be a chef Deena realized she loved something else as much as food, and that was int…

The hotel and hospitality industries have changed a lot over the years, and one of those catalysts of change is this episode's guest, Everett Abitbol. Everett, along with his wife Valerie and creative director Shannon Maldonado, have redesigned what a hotel is, and what it can be, through their company The Deacon Hospitality group. Everett realized…

Family, food, and heritage, three words that for this episode's guest Joaquin Meza are deeply interconnected. Joaquin is the owner of Dolores, a family run restaurant that focuses on Mexican cuisine, specifically from the Mixteca region of Puebla and Oaxaca. While Joaquin is the owner, the real star of the show is his mother, Chef Maria Meza who so…

When you go out for a drink at the bar what do you think about? If you're having a cocktail do you think about the type of spirit in that cocktail? How about the grain that makes up that spirit? Where did that grain come from, did it came from a family farm? What about the bottle that the spirit comes in, do you think about the artwork and who desi…

User experience design, open source, the 1970s, strip malls, town council meetings, community, and...craft beer? I know it sounds like I just listed off a bunch of random topics, however for Efren Hidalgo they are all interwoven in the fabric of his business, The Providence Brewing Company. The story of Providence Brewing Company is an interesting …

Imagine a life where you are equal parts researcher, businessperson, accountant, educator, bartender, creative, curator, and finally a manager of people and relationships, oh and multiply all this times two. That is the life of this episode's guest Jen Davis. Jen got her start bartending at 18 and has tended bar in nightclubs, biker bars, restauran…

Cocktails and dreams. This episode is not about some 80s movie, it's the real life story of this episode's guest Michael Silva. When Michael started bartending he noticed a problem in the cocktail scene, his fellow bartenders and his guests, didn't look like him. From his parent's basement he started serving his friends and created his own scene ca…

Leadership, brand, and culture, those are the three things Aarin Clemons specializes in as a consultant. Aaron has a passion for helping a person recognize and grow their skillsets so to say Aarin is a people person is an understatement to say the least. In this episode I talk with Aarin about his early days or wine years at the Ace Hotel, how he d…

When this podcast started I had a co-host, my good friend Moses Sium. After episode one things changed and I'm now running this podcast solo. In this episode I sit down with Moses to talk about the how and why of starting The Creative Capital Show, the difficult conversations you have to have when you go into business with friends and/or family, an…