Give me the Coherence Podcast cheat sheet. What are the things you need to know from this past season?
In this cherry-on-top, Season 3 finale, I’ll walk you through the five essential takeaways from six months of weekly episodes. I didn’t need no ChatGPT to help me distill all of the good conversations into five key takeaways. I lived the conversations!
For both newcomers and those who have been with me along the way, this episode will give you a primer on the biggest themes that came up in my conversations with self-employed creatives creating their own custom jobs. I’ll share why I am especially proud of this season, and give you a hint about what’s coming next.
I’ll be taking a couple months off to regroup and gear up for Season 4. If you miss Coherence Studio in the meantime:
Dip back into the archive to listen to past episodes
Reach out for an intro call to explore 1:1 coaching or take my signature program - Coherence
You can also find Melissa at:
Coherence Studio Website: https://www.coherence.studio/
What does it mean to create "exquisite work" when machines can mimic human output in seconds?
In this special episode of Coherence Podcast, my friend and collaborator, creative career coach Kat Koh and I pull back the curtain on the urgent questions that we coaches are grappling with as artificial intelligence reshapes the creative landscape.
Kat describes herself as a "career therapist" (though she's quick to clarify she's not actually a therapist) who celebrates existential crises because they signal growth and aliveness. Drawing from her decade of coaching and deep background in art history, she introduces the concept of “exquisite work”—her thesis for how creatives can not just survive but thrive in the AI era by returning to what makes us fundamentally human.
We wrestle openly with the real dilemmas their clients face: Should a podcaster become a therapist for job security? Can idealism coexist with pragmatism when AI threatens traditional creative roles? We explore the tension between wanting to encourage our client’s artistic souls while understanding that financial worry kills creativity faster than anything else. I hope you can feel the unscripted, emergent nature of this conversation and our belief that self-trust becomes more crucial than ever during times of rapid change and uncertainty.
You can find Kat at:
Website: Kat Koh Coaching
Substack: https://katkoh.substack.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katkoh/
IG: @katkoh
You can find Melissa at:
Coherence Studio Website: https://www.coherence.studio/
FREE GUIDE: Career Crossroads: From Confusion to Confident Action in 30 minutes
FREE TRAINING: Work that Works: Design your next career move with confidence
Olivia Vagelos runs a creative agency called Design for Feelings Studio, and her work spans everything from coaching couples designing their weddings to consulting on the experience of "people pooping in space on commercial space travel." With a background in product design and years at IDEO.org, Olivia has crafted a unique practice centered around one deceptively simple question: "How do you want people to feel?"
In this conversation, we explore how Olivia left IDEO during peak COVID days only to accidentally recreate all the same structures she'd purposefully wanted to leave with her corporate job. And how she course corrected to build a business that actually lets her take time to stare at trees and research magic tricks.
She shares practical wisdom about playtesting early and often, designing time itself as an experience, and how she's building her latest creative sandbox, The Good Chaos Club.
Listen to find out why Olivia thinks that the best creatives often fall prey to burnout (it has to do with being radically uninspired!)
You can find Olivia at:
Your relationship with acknowledging yourself might feel more… non-existent than it needs to be. The skill of recognition has a way of getting overlooked in our daily lives, especially when we're so busy focusing on what we haven't accomplished yet!
In this solo pep talk episode, I break down why being seen and acknowledged brings up so much emotion—and remind you that you can give yourself credit right now, no major accomplishments required.
This episode will hopefully feel like you just got a good hug.
Kaitlin Carpenter runs her freelance company under the name "Battle Cat"—inspired by her family's first cat and the perfectly fierce energy she brings to her work. From a small town in rural Idaho to working on projects like NASA Earth Sciences and heading up Creative Mornings Portland, Kaitlin embodies what it looks like to build a career around values rather than a predetermined strategy.
In this conversation, we explore her journey from being discouraged by a dismissive creative writing professor in college to now pursuing her MFA while maintaining a rich ecosystem of meaningful work. Kaitlin opens up about the bridge-building potential that comes from understanding both rural and urban perspectives, her seven years leading Creative Mornings Portland with intentional attention to justice and representation, and why she created a literal punch card to reward herself for saying no to social invitations.
We dive into the benefits and challenges of having multiple professional identities—from the cross-pollination of ideas between projects to the constant juggling act of competing priorities. Kaitlin shares practical wisdom about templatizing what you can while accepting what you can't predict, the importance of talking through decisions with trusted friends, and why she believes deciding is more important than making the perfect decision.
You can find Kaitlin at:
The moment you make a big life change—quitting your job, ending a relationship, moving across the country—you might expect to feel immediately transformed. But usually your internal world doesn’t change as fast as the external structure of your life.
Coach and founder of Slant’d, Krystie Yen shares about how learning how to pause has often been the key to getting through the "structural lag," that disorienting gap between outer change and inner alignment.
From chasing the quintessential Asian American dream in corporate America to building her own freelance branding business, Krystie shares her journey of saying goodbye to prestige and comfort for something more authentic.
You'll hear how a simple post-it note idea evolved into a nonprofit publishing house and how Slant'd continues to capture her attention years later.
Whether you're contemplating a leap or finding yourself in the messy middle of transition, this conversation offers practical wisdom for honoring both the courage to change and the patience to let transformation happen at its own pace.
You can find Krystie at:
Substack: https://burnthegoodcandle.substack.com/
Website: krystieyen.com
Your relationship with money might feel more… tense than it needs to be. Anxiety about money has an insidious way of creeping into how we run our lives, especially during uncertain times when the world feels unstable and we grip our resources tighter.
In this solo episode, I break down three concrete exercises that can quickly shift how you feel about your finances—no complicated jargon required.
I'll walk you through creating a financial snapshot that gives you clarity on how to assign a job to every dollar you make, understanding the financial order of operations so you know what to prioritize first, and optimizing your savings to work harder for you.
Whether you're drowning in decision paralysis about debt versus emergency funds, or you're ready to move beyond survival mode into intentional abundance, this episode offers practical steps you can take immediately after listening.
To be notified about future Savvy dates, add your info here: https://coherence-studio.myflodesk.com/getsavvy
Coherence Studio - Savvy Financial Snapshot Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qu3MWeV-YEdOQQUHxp1vugps86BRxPgehBeGPz6UURU/edit?usp=sharing
External Resources mentioned on the episode:
https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/investing-for-beginners/
Callie Rojewski refuses to accept that logging off is the only solution to our complicated relationship with technology. In this conversation, she shares her journey from a decade of banging her head against the creator economy wall to building her branding and business strategy company, Online and IRL.
“Online and IRL” helps entrepreneurs and creators move beyond the pressure and perils of sustaining a personal brand to build truly sustainable platforms rooted in authentic connection and long-term impact. In partnership with Cyber Collective, she helps people learn about how to protect themselves online and use ‘internet street smarts’. For anyone who has ever wondered if their brand should be one based around their personal identity and name or broadened to an organization or studio name, this conversation might help you make up your mind!
You can find Callie at:
IG: @callieand.co
Experience designer Anthony Rocco and I sit down to record on the summer solstice and engage in a unique episode for Coherence Podcast -- one that doesn’t dip back into the past to connect dots but explores this present moment.
Anthony describes this summer as "weird" and "challenging"—his inner world feels calm while the outside world grows increasingly turbulent. In this reflective conversation, we explore what it means to choose stillness over reactive action when everything around us feels chaotic.
He shares his journey from peak experience seeking and American "go and get it" culture to prioritizing ancient wisdom traditions, daily spiritual practice, and humble living. From swimming in San Francisco Bay as moving meditation to singing Marvin Gaye in the kitchen for nervous system regulation, Anthony offers practical tools for staying grounded when everything feels unmoored.
He even guides us through a micro-meditation practice using the five senses and issues a challenging homework assignment that we can practice right after listening.
You can find Anthony at:
Rashid Zakat is a filmmaker and artist based in Philly.
His work spans video production, interactive installations, and ecstatic gatherings like Revival!—a video DJ experiment that explores what collective joy and resilience looks like in times of crisis.
From following a group of boys into his church's video ministry as a child to recently hosting hands-on workshops at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rashid has spent his career exploring how creativity can be both a tool for solving problems and a vehicle for asking deeper questions.
In this episode, Rashid reflects on the balance between his work as a capital “A” artist and his freelance work as a creative director and cinematographer for non-fiction, experimental films and music videos.
He shares how he’s navigated the tension between being a "creative plumber" who helps others bring their visions to life and prioritizing his own artistic inquiry.
Listen to this conversation if you want to explore the artist's life beyond the romantic notions—the reality of building sustainable creative work in a system not designed to support artists— and to remember the power of side projects that can evolve into something bigger.
This episode offers a meditation on staying true to your questions while building a life around them.
You can find Rashid at:
When we step into our personal agency, we step into a place of engagement with the world and we start to grow hope. I made this episode to respond to the mounting scarcity energy that I’m witnessing in my client calls. People are frustrated with not hearing back about job opportunities, outreach emails, and are in a ‘what’s going to keep the lights on?’ moment (both literally and figuratively). This all is super challenging and it all requires a LOT of resilience. I hope this listen can be a dose of inspiration to keep trying, to keep showing up and remain awake to yourself and to others.
Stay until the end of the episode to hear me run you through a clarity exercise that you can do to take a next step toward figuring out what you, the protagonist of your life, can do to remember that you have the Author’s pen in your hand.
Stuck in the endless loop of "What should I do with my life?" When you're stuck between knowing you want change but feeling paralyzed by the pressure to figure it all out perfectly, it's easy to get caught in what I call "analysis paralysis." In this solo episode, I’ll dismantle the problematic "follow your passion" advice and introduce a drastically different approach that actually leads to results.
Through real examples from my own transition from Kickstarter to founding my first business, New Women Space, I’ll show how the people who successfully create meaningful career changes aren't making one dramatic leap. They're making a series of small, strategic experiments that build confidence and gather real-world data. You'll learn two specific tactics you can start this week: the coffee chat challenge and how to offer small versions of your ideas in low-stakes settings.
If you've ever felt haunted by not knowing your "passion," overwhelmed by too many options, or stuck researching without ever taking action, this episode offers a practical roadmap for getting unstuck.
Resources referenced:
Coherence Course - for a more structured guide through the career change process
Do you have a productivity monkey on your back? Have you ever realized that endless productivity doesn’t actually equate to happiness?
For Dani Bicknell, the wake-up call came during the pandemic. As she continued to climb the career ladder and check all the "success" boxes, she felt more burned out than fulfilled. The solution wasn't working harder; it was remembering what brought her joy.
In this episode, Dani joins Melissa to reflect on the transformation that followed a few exploratory coaching sessions, the pull of creativity in the wake of burnout, and how parenting during a pandemic sharpened her sense of what really matters. From rediscovering her love of writing to publishing a book about internalized capitalism, she illustrates the messy, non-linear process of integrating creativity back into a productivity-obsessed life.
If you've ever noticed the diminishing returns of working more on a never-ending quest for some unreachable finish line, this episode offers encouragement to let go of old definitions of success and embrace the chaos of creativity.
You can find Dani at:
Melanie Kahl is the founder of Meld Strategy, a design, strategy, and experience practice that works with purpose-driven organizations to craft new programs, services, and visions for the future. I wanted to interview her because of the impressive range of companies that she has worked for and with — from building public schools to leading innovation programs within Meta, from coveted design agencies like Dalberg to sustainable brands like Patagonia and The Design Gym.
An innovation leader, strategist, storyteller, and experience designer, Melanie walks us through her career journey, starting with early dreams of working with primates (and a cold email to the Jane Goodall Institute!), turning down Yale, and finding herself building her own design studio after a pandemic sabbatical.
For anyone who has struggled with being “too well-rounded” and wanted to integrate all your interests under one career home, Melanie’s story will remind you that it’s possible. She’ll also share her ‘plate’ metaphor and how it helps her know how to balance and select her client load.
You can find Mel at:
🔗 https://www.melaniekahl.com/
🔗https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniekahl/
Ever feel lost in the messy middle of a major life transition? When you're questioning your career path or contemplating a big change, it's easy to feel disoriented without a map.
In this solo episode, I share a powerful framework for understanding the four distinct stages of personal renewal—release, heal, explore, and launch. Through the story of client "Ester," I illuminate how each phase has its own unique energy, emotional landscape, and aligned activities.
You’ll learn why (literally or metaphorically) pushing yourself to train for a marathon when your body craves restorative yoga creates unnecessary friction and does not set you up to feel like you’re doing anything right.
If you've ever felt the void of meaning in work you once loved, wondered who you are without your old identity, or felt the stirrings of excitement about a new direction, this conversation offers practical wisdom for navigating change with more self-understanding and tactical tips.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Enter the code “COHERENCE4EVER” to get the email series for free.
Ritesh Gupta is the founder of Useful School, a pay-what-you-can creative school for overlooked talent, and a multi-hyphenate kind of creative. On any given day you might find Ritesh in the midst of a design client feedback round, coaching a rising design leader, or deciding what outfit to sport at a vintage clothes event.
In this episode, Ritesh shares about navigating a season of doubling down on what brings them joy — making room for texture, fragrance, and cultural heritage— and asking better questions. We talk about his philosophy of expanding scope, why he wears the same outfit to build trust, and how being unafraid of numbers has made him a stronger, more intuitive designer.
If you’ve ever wrestled with balancing wealth and values, questioned when to let others into your creative process, or wondered how to do an audit of all of your work activities to figure out what is worth keeping, give this one a listen!
You can find Ritesh at:
What shifts in your life when you stop asking “What should I do?”—and start asking “What feels most true to me?” Relationship coach Alice Turpin-Johnson bravely quit her teaching job (and the encroaching burnout) to return to her core value: Wilderness.
I wanted to interview Alice because so many people claim to want a job that fuels their life, but they are still working the grand majority of their waking hours and not truly letting their values guide their business design. I have been so impressed by how Alice truly gets rigorous in the amount of time she lets her work take up (and she loves her work!) so that she can spend more time with nature, adventure, and the people she loves.
Alice shares how she restructured her life from the ground up to honor what matters to her most. From two years living on the road to building a coaching practice that supports people through the heartbreakingly tender decision of whether to stay or leave a relationship, Alice reminds us that we get to choose how to work. (Maybe your weekdays and weekends could all feel the same so that there was no such thing as a ‘workday’?)
To access the free personal values exercise that is mentioned at the end of the episode: https://www.coherence.studio/personal-values-exercise
You can find Alice at:
Website: https://www.alicetj.com/
How can Coherence help you move your personal story forward?
In this episode, I'm making the connection between how our current crisis of collective meaning-making and absence of shared stories impacts our ability to know how to make confident decisions in our life.
Developing personal coherence can become your navigation system in a world of endless options but few trusted sources of wisdom. I'll break down five powerful narrative patterns—from the “Wound-Gift Transformation” to becoming the Guide you once needed—that can help you understand your own life themes.
If you've ever felt lost trying to make sense of your next chapter or wondered how your past experiences might actually be guiding your future, this episode offers a framework for seeing your life as a meaningful story unfolding with a specific pattern.
If you want to check out Coherence Course go to: https://www.coherence.studio/coherence-course
Victor Saad is an entrepreneur, coach, and talent leader who helps people through transitions.
After deciding against traditional grad school and instead creating his own successful masters program “The Leap Year Project”, Victor founded Experience Institute, a new type of higher education rooted in real-world experience. But that was over a decade ago.
Victor recently transitioned from being the full time CEO of the company he had started to advising on the board and stepping into a new full time role at another company in a different industry.
In this episode, Melissa gets curious about what it takes to make a transition away from a business that you’ve built. And what does it feel like to start in a new role after being the leader and expert of your own thing for a long time?
Victor shares about the entrepreneurial “tick” that shaped his early career, the creation of his self-designed “Leap Year”, and how to transition without losing the core of who you are.
If you’re navigating your own leap—whether it’s career, identity, or a more quiet shift in direction—this conversation offers a crash course in how to change your life.
You can find Victor at:
Website: victorsaad.com
IG: @victorsaad
Feel like everyone else has found their perfect career fit while you're still searching? When you're stuck in work that doesn't align with your talents or passions, it's easy to believe you're simply not destined to find that elusive "click" so many others seem to have. But what if the roadblocks to your career change are simply myths you've unconsciously internalized as truth?
In this episode, I dismantle five common myths that I see keep talented professionals trapped in unfulfilling careers. Through real client stories—from a digital marketer turned Bachata instructor to a creative soul who found her calling in medicine—I reveal how our self-limiting narratives about linearity, identity, planning, age, and finances create artificial barriers to transformation.
If you've ever thought "it's too late," "I need the perfect plan first," or "my background is too different," this conversation offers liberating perspective on how shifting your mindset can open doors you never knew existed. Discover why your past doesn't dictate your future and how embracing a different mindset might be the most powerful career move you'll ever make.
>>> FREE OFFER: If you want more support on how to create custom work that really makes sense for you, I host a free training on how to get started with your own career transition that you can attend by signing up here: coherence.studio/work-that-works-training