And just like that, we've reached Episode 10 of Hot Coffee for the Creative Soul, and the Finale of Season 1! If you've been with me since Episode 1, or have enjoyed any, or every, episode that followed, there aren't words to express how much I appreciate you. Thank you for taking this journey with me, and I absolutely cannot wait to share what I have in store for Season 2 with y'all. Rest assured, it will be bigger and better than ever!

For HCCS's final episode of Season 1, I've put together a cumulative review of the greatest moments from my nine conversations thus far. Throughout the course of these chats, five recurring themes made themselves apparent. This episode, with insights from HCCS host Ryan Castelaz, Owner and Creative Director of discourse | a liquid workshop, offers words of wisdom from all of our past guests in a condensed and consolidated form. If you listen to just one episode of HCCS, make it this one.

The Five Lessons

1.) The heart of creativity is storytelling, regardless of the medium.

2.) Start small to maximize your creative freedom.

3.) Fail fast, fail forward.

4.) Adopt a mindset of "Yes, and..." - or "No, but...".

5.) Distance yourself from the narrative of the starving artist.