Legends Interview Series Presented by Sarah Furuya Coaching

A project that started in mid 2019 but had been on the radar for many years. Not interested in surface tales of business or cliches of life, I have carefully selected a group of people to bring the richness of their lives to the table with incredible frankness and depth. Each is successful in their own way, have built, created, lost, grieved, started again, moved, traveled, celebrated, and delighted in life. Please revel in the richness of these legends.

Re-release: Gretchen Miura, Legend of Dragons | Legends Podcast Sarah Furuya Coaching

This is a re-release of Season 7 episode 9 with Gretchen Miura.Gretchen and Sarah run Lighthouse Circle together, and cohort 6 is now open. You can read more here - https://www.sarahfuruya.com/grief-support-lighthouse-circle-2025*********************************************************************Listen to Sarah and Gretchen talk about Gretchen’s life story and how following Dragons became a golden thread in her story. We touch on grief and how it weaves into full life story. It is part of the fullness of a life lived and expressed. Below is the original podcast that prompted the whole Lighthouse Circle as we spent the entire conversation talking about Gretchen’s loss, when she was 5 and her big brother, Chris was 17.Gretchen is outstandingly generous in her storytelling and we uncover a string of coincidences that led to this being called the ‘Legend of Dragons’.

06-11
01:08:51

Re-release: Gretchen Miura, Legend of Healing | Legends Podcast with Sarah Furuya Coaching

This is a re-release of Season Three Episode One of the Legends Podcast with Gretchen Miura & Sarah Furuya.This was the genesis of the Lighthouse Circle Grief Support group. We are now open for Cohort 6 - https://www.sarahfuruya.com/grief-support-lighthouse-circle-2025*************************************************Introducing Gretchen Miura Legend of Healing. Gretchen is a mindfulness teacher, avid maker and mother of four. Originally from New Jersey in America, Gretchen lives in northern Japan on the Oga peninsula where she and her husband run a Zen temple. She hosts mindfulness retreats, classes and workshops in English, as well as traditional ceremonies and activities for the local community. She sells her handmade bento bags, face masks and accessories at her online shop SORAbento. She is living a life focused on creativity, belonging and connection.This episode is dedicated to Chris.When Gretchen was 5, her 17 year old brother died in a car accident. This is the backdrop of her life since then. In this conversation Gretchen takes us on the journey of Chris, his death , her family, religion, and her path to acknowledging, dealing with and healing the suffering attached to her loss. And in fact the family loss.We talk about Catholicism, Buddhism and try and tease apart the humanity of grief and loss, of joy and living. How her 4 children taught her so much about her brother, through the tenderness of the relationship of her youngest daughter and oldest son. Gretchen and her temple and family are quite well known and she has appeared in an NHK documentary about her temple and the people around it. She is something of a celebrity in the area! This is a deep and rich conversation that goes into the depth of grief, the rituals surrounding death. All the way to the end more and more learnings come out between us and we will have a part 2 later in the year because we didn’t even touch on Gretchen’s hilarious journey to being the parent of 4 and married to a Zen priest in a remote peninsula in Northern Japan! - The surprising joy the has come from meeting her grief- Having authority over the suffering - The first and second arrows of loss- That’s all there is! Hear her thoughts on enlightenment - Facing and dealing with grief creates fertile ground for magical experiences- Grief, love, life and ritual - How her children brought her closer to connecting to her brother- How faith brought the family through Chris’ death yet she struggled to connect with that same faith- How she connects and can continue to connect with Chris- Incidents that allowed stress to be dissolved - We have to take of one another - Universal truths and satoriLinks & where to find her here:Dairyuji Temple InstagramDairyuji temple in Oga AkitaZeb Soto Sect Poet Laureate Joy HarjoOnline Shop: SorabentoGriefworks by Julia SamuelThe word I was scrambling for is ‘flippant’.

06-04
01:29:18

Matthew Dons: Legend of Hope

In this deeply moving and thought-provoking episode of the Legends Podcast, host Sarah Furuya sits down with the miraculous Matthew Dons, a figure who has not only transformed his own life but has profoundly impacted the world around him over the past eight years. This is the final episode of Season 8, themed Skin in the Game, and it brings a powerful close with insights on life, death, and the miraculous experiences that shape our journeys.In this episode, we discuss:Matthew’s Miracle: The extraordinary story of Matthew Dons and the miraculous transformations in his life, particularly in the face of death.Facing Mortality: How Matthew's confrontation with his mortality has reshaped his view of the world, life, and the choices he makes every day.The Power of Presence: What it means to be truly present in life when you are living with a terminal diagnosis, and how that presence transforms relationships, ambitions, and daily experiences.Lessons on Death and Dying: Matthew shares the insights he has gained from walking a path many fear, offering listeners a unique perspective on accepting death as a natural part of life.Inspiration for Others: This episode is not only about Matthew's experience but also serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for others who may be grappling with their own challenges.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.About MatthewMatthew Dons is a marketing consultant and business coach from the UK. He has been living in Tokyo since 2007.Matthew came to Japan to study traditional Japanese martial arts. His other hobbies include baking, studying the history of technology and watching 80’s films.In July 2016 Matthew was suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer, also known as stage 4 cancer. The cancer had spread a lot so his life expectancy, with treatment, was just 7-9 months. Although crowdfunding and cutting-edge immunotherapy have helped him live almost 8 years so far, he’s still in a life-and-death fight every day.Although Matthew is very cynical, he was genuinely shocked to discover there’s no serious effort in any country to stop people dying of cancer. This is despite the fact cancer kills around 10 million people every year, and it destroys the lives of many more people. It’s a brutal disease, with equally-brutal treatments. Experiencing this firsthand motivated him to set up the non-profit Make Cancer History.Make Cancer History connects patients, oncologists and researchers to share cancer knowledge and save lives.Connect with Matthew & Donatehttps://www.matthewdons.org https://www.makecancerhistory.jp/ https://www.makecancerhistory.jp/donate/Connect with SarahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sarah-furuya-creativeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfuruyacreative/Facebook:

09-16
02:03:20

Creative Musings: Daily Dialogue with Death

Release from daily bullshit is fertile ground for creative freedom, frank talk and advocacy. Also good men, creative forces and the usual rabbit hole of musings with Sarah.In this episode:Sarah muses on her final guest of the season’s daily dialogues with death. They are in a unique position to be absolutely unfiltered because they are close to mortality in every single day and have been for 8 years.This takes Sarah on a trip into inquiries around good men, masks, latest obsessions, interests and thoughts about life. and more....If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.Connect with SarahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sarah-furuya-creativeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfuruyacreative/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahfuruyacreativeYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsuS_yVT9fMHjhAylVy8-w 

09-09
01:41:18

Sarajean Rossitto: Legend of Influence and Excitement

This week I  sat down with the remarkable Sarajean Rossitto, a force of positive change in the nonprofit sector. With a wealth of experience and a passion for empowering communities, Sarajean shares her journey, insights, and the pivotal moments that have shaped her career.Sarajean and I could have talked for hours. She truly is a legend of influence, impact and social change. Currently based out of Tokyo, Japan, hailing from New York State in America, with her ancestry in Italy we talk about the influence of her Italian side (which relates to my Liverpool side) on her way of being in the world, in this conversation and her commitment to hope for the USA.Sarajean and I met in 2008 at a Career Strategy Seminar run by FEW, For Empowering Women in Japan. It was like a baptism of fire meeting her and all the other incredible women in my midst at that point and it was a pivotal event in my life. Little did we know that just 4 years later we would be the President and Vice President of the same organisation and forge a fiery and loving relationship that would endure to this day. Not only that but we, along with another good friend whom we met at the same 2008 career seminar, would be the Ladies of honour for previous Legends, Angela Ortiz Pettas and her husband Nicholas Pettas. Seriously, you couldn’t script this stuff - all three of us met Angela through different channels too. It’s just the Ordinary Magic.Sarajean is a courageous and committed activist, who puts her passion for social impact ahead of her own image. She is at the forefront of what needs to happen next and does not necessarily have lofty ideas about world-changing activity, but focuses on what she CAN do in her own sphere of influence and networks.She holds lecturing positions at Temple University Japan and Sophia University largely focussed on social change initiatives. She is continually proposing new courses, based on the latest information available. NPOs, News outlets and social impact groups all seek out Sarajean’s counsel and consultation to better serve their clients, and communities or in order to communicate correctly. I wonder how she remains hopeful, something that I sometimes have difficulty with and she explains this in the show.I was interested in this based on her work with American politics. She does not underestimate the influence that the 38 million Americans living outside of the 50 states can have in elections and as such she works to influence and impact those voters. Much like Terri McMillan, legend of Humans who also got involved in canvassing.Sarajean has a vim and verve that is hard to resist. She is terrific fun, a trained chef, skilled orator, actor and director and loves fiercely. Her optimism has nothing to do with toxic positivity but a firm foundation of hope and belief that small differences can have an impact that will help humans.“I am not necessarily a happy person, but I am an excited person”SJRI will definitely invite Sarajean back for round 2 because we didn’t touch upon her art, the plays she has directed and appeared in and her support of and promotion of local drama groups.Here are some gems from our conversation:Having skin in the game means investing myself in whatever I believe in, in a way, that I can feel proud

08-05
02:00:38

Creative Musings: Saunter & Frolic

In this episode of Legends Podcast, Sarah Furuya delves into the themes of "Saunter & Frolic", "Creative Musings" and "Slowing Down".Sarah shares her reflections and experiences over the past few weeks, discussing the inevitability of celebrity influence and the impact it has on our daily lives. She candidly recounts an incident involving a partially recorded session and the challenges of staying focused amidst interruptions. This episode promises to provide listeners with an insightful and engaging exploration of creativity and personal musings.In this episode:The core theme centers around the benefits of slowing down both body and mind.The importance of resilience and adaptability when facing unexpected disruptions in creative endeavors and Insights gained from dealing with creative setbacks.Thoughtful examination of celebrity culture and its pervasive influence.Practical tips for integrating slow living principles into everyday routines to enhance mental health and productivity.and more....If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.Connect with SarahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sarah-furuya-creativeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfuruyacreative/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahfuruyacreativeYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsuS_yVT9fMHjhAylVy8-w 

08-01
02:00:38

Steven Morgan: Legend of Musical Mysticism

Once again, Skin in the Game is described as taking some kind of risk; in Stevens' case in service of the art, the music, the listener, the singers, and himself. In service of the third entity; the actual entity that sits with a life, between all these individual entities. And being vulnerable in the name of authenticity and in the name of creating the very best experience of the music for all the players.Being a conductor and a composer is a special niche of humanity, yet it relates to any of us who are trying to bring things together in the service of beauty, art and muse.You will also hear the peculiar habits of non-Japanese in Japan who pepper their language with Japanese words without a second thought and also how we tend to mix and match, forgetting our English words from time to time!We talk about the Muses, the Greek Chorus and the concepts of time Kronos and Kyros, Kronos being the currently culturally popular time of linear time; the time of clocks and calendars; it can be quantified and measured. Kronos is linear, moving inexorably out of the determinate past towards the determined future and has no freedom. Kyros is numinous. Kyros is a time of festivals and fantasies; it cannot be controlled or possessed. Numinous means "arousing spiritual or religious emotion; mysterious or awe-inspiring"; also "supernatural" or "appealing to the aesthetic sensibility”. We muse on how the art emerges from these numinous timelines and the conditions one can create in order to nudge the muse or to find one’s way into creation. Steven tells the story of how after 7 months of being unable to finish a score, from the outdoor bath of the local onsen, a visitation had him scurry home to complete his work of art. I wonder how I or we can create these conditions for creativity to enter, or for the muse to deliver the next piece of our art.Steven describes himself as ‘the Young Sheldon’ of music, compelled to challenge authority figures if he thought that there were teaching inaccuracies. Steven also talks about Darma - something he studied with a Swami who coincidentally lives ten minutes from me in Zushi (I’ll chalk this up to the Ordinary Magic). This is not a popular or well-known neighborhood at all.  Back in the world of Kronos Time, Steven has done many many tens of thousands of hours of musical devotion, starting at music school, where he sang at least 7 times a week and where the academic tutors were told to never give more than 30 minutes homework to these choral students, lest their practice be interrupted. While Steven described this as ‘enlightened’ he also acknowledged there may be downsides and it put me in mind of neurodivergent folk getting accommodations in school or in work. Enlightened - bending time and rules in service of the output.One way to lead a life is through scarcity - through the expectations of others, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but could be vexing to the Spirit. Another way to lead a life is to follow your heart, but the intuitive promotions of the heart and the other ways to lead a life is to listen to everyone elseI know that I get really creative every time I get on the train to Tokyo, sometimes even almost missing my stop as my creative mind works in Kyros, but those pesky trains run on Kronos! Rest, Water, and Transition. Creating conditions for emergence of art. Travel could be typified as the in-between time. Neither here nor there; betwixt and between. A liminal space affording the muses a channel by which to enter our consensus reality.We talk about the technical elements of music and in addition to the physics of vibrations, the mystical, soulful,  impact that these have on our sacred

07-22
01:31:09

Kwan Chan: Legend of Essence

Kwan Chan - what a man! He is so humble and genuine, I felt peace talking to him. He has this lovely childlike essence coupled with an absolutely mature and mindful approach-building skill and he has incredible body strength - check out his YouTube channel to see his breaking. Skills that apply not only to dance but all areas of life. It was just the conversation I needed to have. Sage wisdom from this fierce and gentle soul. And deep creativity.I was blown away by his answer to my final question “There are many ways to lead a life - what does that mean to you?"It’s more than enough to provide quality and value to the people you reach. In this Podcast you will learn:The essence, lineage and canon of breaking and where we feel it; The physical manifestation of the spirit and the creative process (for him it isn’t too crazy)We learn a lot about the history of dance How your physicality can signal dignity - through amazing dance and physicality, we come to conclusions that can relate to writing and other forms of expressionIn talking about his work counselling children in London primary schools, I ask a big question of Kwan about his own reflections - his answer is not won easily but it is beautifully thought out, expressed and revealing. This work is important.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.About KwanKwan Chan was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Toronto. In September 2023, after working in Japan for seven years, Kwan moved to London, UK, to pursue a Master's degree in Dance Movement Psychotherapy at Goldsmiths, University of London. Kwan is a breaker and has been breaking for more than 17 years. Additionally, Kwan is a singer-songwriter and plays the acoustic guitar. In London, Kwan continues to train, compete, and teach breaking, remaining quite active in the local breaking scene. As a singer-songwriter, Kwan frequently performs at open mics throughout the city. Kwan also works part-time in a primary school as a school mentor, providing counselling and supporting students with their mental and emotional well-being.LinksApache Sugarhill Gang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQObWW06VAMGive it up and turn it loose James Brown https://youtu.be/921kqkHOHDo?si=u0SN1BJdKZdg42gXJust begun Jimmy Castor https://youtu.be/WylCcdTrzS4?si=Zkv1UQ0mksWwW1s4Connect with KwanWebsite:  www.kwankchan.com/Instagram:  www.instagram.com/kwankitchan/LinkTree: www.linktr.ee/kwanchanFacebook:  www.facebook.com/kwanchan91Connect

07-08
01:16:58

Creative Musings: Saunter & Frolic

In this Creative Musings episode, Sarah Furuya shares her journey of dismantling old beliefs and societal norms, blending humor and insight to highlight the importance of slowing down and redefining success.Key Highlights:Embracing Disobedience and Experimentation: Sarah discusses her recent hiatus for self-care, her current experiment of dismantling outdated cultural and business practices, and the importance of aligning work with personal values.The Challenge of Traditional Timelines: She reflects on societal pressures to follow conventional timelines, sharing her experience of breaking free while managing responsibilities like taxes and client commitments.Dismantling Indoctrinated Mindsets: Sarah talks about deconstructing deeply ingrained beliefs about work and productivity, influenced by menopause, ADHD, and sobriety, advocating for a sustainable approach to business.The Power of Vulnerability and Authenticity: Inspired by Leonie Dawson, Sarah explores balancing personal struggles and professional boundaries, emphasizing authenticity in connecting with her audience.Redefining Coaching and Business Practices: She critiques ableist tendencies in the coaching industry and calls for more inclusive, compassionate spaces, shifting from rigid productivity to humane work practices.The Long Game of Financial Sustainability: Sarah discusses the financial implications of her journey, including transparent conversations with her husband about their future, remaining optimistic about evolving her work.Saunter and Frolic: A New Business Philosophy: Introducing her latest venture, Saunter and Frolic, co-created with Angela Ortiz Pettas, focusing on retreats and workshops prioritizing rest, ease, and genuine connection.Cultural and Personal Reflections: Rich with anecdotes and reflections, Sarah draws parallels between her current work and her youth in Liverpool's alternative scene, emphasizing creative expression and community.Honoring Influential Voices: Paying homage to figures like Tricia Hersey and Sonia Renee Taylor, Sarah integrates their teachings on rest, resistance, and liberation into her practice.Manifesting Dreams and Small Beginnings: Concluding with reflections on nurturing dreams and small beginnings, Sarah envisions a future of inclusive, joyful, and sustainable living and working.Join Sarah Furuya as she navigates the complexities of dismantling old structures, reimagining success, and creating a business and life resonating with her values.Listen to the full episode on Creative Musings with Sarah Furuya and join the conversation on redefining success and embracing authentic living and don't forget, limited places but Join Us at the Saunter and Frolic Retreat July 26th to 28th, with Angela Ortiz Pettas. Learn More and RegisterIf you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.LinksConnect with SarahLinkedIn:

07-02
01:25:34

Victoria Close: Legend of Found Things

In this episode, we do some serious reminiscing on the good old days when our salary automatically appeared in our account without any effort from us! Skin in the Game to Victoria Close takes us on a time travel in the episode - into the past to Victoria’s teen business, we visit her early aspirations and how during the time she was selecting what to do. We also travel into future Victoria surrounded by artists and artisans, in a very special place and we dreamed up big, dense, thick, coffee cake that resists a knife.The Northern British sense of humour comes through strongly in our banter and we have a good laugh at some of the more grandiose terms cooked up in our businesses. We also reminisce about our generation’s particular idiosyncrasies - how skinny jeans were something your Nan would create on a sewing machine. We also touch on GenX politics and the impact of Margaret Thatcher and a bit of working out of things around being a GenX woman with all our opportunity that was set up in the generations before us. Victoria is someone who embraces what she can handle, she is honest and humane in about being a woman is a wonderful mix of optimistic, pragmatic and hilariously cutting about toxic positivity! We laugh out loud a number of times on during this legend - it’s medicine.Both Victoria and I come from long lines of artisans, a proud lineage whose respect got lost somewhere in the aspirational, but who are claiming their place, with out help. I would like to honour the copper etcher, the tripe seller, the master baker, the seamstress, the cafe owner, the silk weaver and the China painters of our ancestors. in the upwardly mobile aspirational class who might be proud of their fine china but would take no pride in one their own becoming such a manual worker, our paths were set to the academic. Generation by generation. We are reclaiming our magic and our lineage. Both of us are reclaiming our magic and honouring our lineage and the remarkable work of the artisans whose work got lost in the grip of economics. We talked about the moment Victoria put her skin in the game, took the plunge, left the security of her full time teaching job and planned out how she was going to Listen out for ‘Tales from the middle aged underwear’ where did that come from? When do we and don’t we want to PULL OUR BIG GIRL PANTS ON. And also if Marks and Spencer want to sponsor the podcast - please get in touch. We love and honour #bromarketing At the end Victoria shares a prompt, from #MarieForleo whose B-School we are both graduates from, and also puts a call out for something very specific that she is dreaming up - a dream I got into for her in the future. Listen out for her call - you may know or have something that could be of use. Sorry if you are a brilliant and committed manifester and watch the Secret regularly and vibrate at the same wavelength as pure gold; we are cynical, and YET, the list that she generated from that Marie Forleo prompt was made manifest. I mean she did it, but things happened. Thank you, Victoria for sharing your LegendDiscover from VictoriaHow she spiraled her way back to her essence Our musings on the British class system, the loss of artisans and Northern upward mobilityWhat is 100% of what you can give? What made her husband say “You’re over the wall - run for your f#$&1ng life”...What is your guilty camera? What is your shaming cyclops? Find out what the heck that means! How she approaches learning new tech and using her new camera and how she overcame her perfectionism, and became a filmmaker!Her take on the many ways to lead a life? (it brings her to tears).If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to a...

06-24
01:27:39

Joy Waller: Legend of Poems and Mysticism

Joy leads us on a mystical journey through thin places, magical backstreets, tarot, mysticism, poetry, grief and death. day jobs and other jobs. (wait for the ferry story)There are multi-swears and adult themes in this conversation so please be mindful of who you are listening with. Grandma will love it but your kids…Joy read two of her poems for us - her poetry is like Shibuya at night; all of it. Neon, concrete, streets, softness, sex, longing, eros, grime and stubble. Her inaugural book of poems Pause::Heartbeat is a visceral trip through Tokyo humanity, pleasure, longing and self. When I first read it I was stunned; 4 years ago, it brought me back to those days of grime, risk, and physicality of being young. The tawdry tales of a life lived fully in the light and dark.Joy is generous in talking about sobriety and it’s always such a deeply satisfying experience talking frankly with other sober people. Each tale is different but there’s a sameness. There are echoes that reach out into each experience. Her descriptions of the spirals into alcohol dependence, the root of vortices and path to recovery are deeply evocative. Evocative is a notion that comes up a lot in our conversation and Joy’s words cracked Sarah open, gave her chills, surfaced tears and allowed her to explore what it might be like to feel good every day.Joy is Sarah’s sempai; her senior or mentor in terms of sobriety, and you can hear in the conversation the high context that happens between two people who have similarly overcome a destructive spiral with alcohol. There are unwritten and unspoken knowings about what remaining sober is and you can feel it in the texture of this conversation. While Sarah is 10 years Joy’s senior, Joy is most certainly ahead of her in the unfolding of alcohol-freedom. Speaking with Joy feels like and evocation. This works on many levels.There’s poetry in the lilt of the back and forth in our conversation, we explore many places on human existence; the outer world, the unseen world and the inner world. And spirals. The symbolism in everything. Tarot and its mathematics; its symbols and the card that Joy connects with regularly. Joy is powerful. There’s a quiet optimism and kindness in her being. Getting over disappointment transmute - she loves reading aloud Her poetry reading makes me cry We speak to nostalgia and the erotic; listen to the end to find out about sexy time on a ferry and the French foreign legion; to betrayals that crack open the most creative places and had Joy demand of herself that she doesn’t edit and goes all in on her writing and her poetry. It felt sacred, this conversation. And practical; Joy has a day job that supports her art and Sarah is of course irreverent about manifesting. No surprises there!In this episode discover:Gorgeous old-school language and words; be astonishedWhich previous Legends Podcast guest we honour for their emotional fullnessAlcohol’s impact on Joy’s ability to create and what sobriety did for her writingTarot, symbolism, poetry and A love story that lasted a lifetime and ended in bereavement If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.About JoyJoy Waller was raised in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada and spent her young adulthood on Vancouver Island. She currently resides in Tokyo, Japan, where she serves as an editor at the Tokyo Poetry Journal and co-hosts...

06-11
01:17:17

Creative Musings: Have I lost my Mojo?

In this weeks creative musings, Sarah muses on some wildly creative, yet ethically questionable facilitations she did in the past and wonders - has she lost her moji?Also on evolutions she’s gone through in her coaching practice. She wonders has she lost her coaching mojo…?Find out on this episode! *please note none of this episode, or any episode, besides any cited research is anything but Sarah musing, in real time, about events in her life. It has a coaching context, and a psychological backbone. Don’t take her advice under any circumstances…But do take her coaching. It’s good. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.Connect with SarahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sarah-furuya-creativeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfuruyacreative/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahfuruyacreativeYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsuS_yVT9fMHjhAylVy8-whttps://www.sarahfuruya.com/simply-coaching

06-03
01:07:54

Michael Bain: Legend of Mountains

Michael is a fascinating human and not so much a chameleon as he is absolutely himself wherever he is. He has an uncanny ability to have skin in the game. He is the first person to EVER present INBOX ZERO to me as something that is appealing, and he is very frank about what the first couple of hours of his day look like. Michael requested at the top of this podcast to turn some questions on me too - and I obliged. It’s hard to put into words, and I am still answering his questions in my head about some of my philosophy and humanity but I think something I didn’t articulate at all well was that I don’t feel like ‘Look at my spicy friends!’, moreover, it’s far more akin to - this is my life, and your life; the real world and the world we live in and occupy. Whatever you see is not my attempt at diversity or inclusion - it is my history, my art and I am part of it. And so are you, whether you know it or not. Humans are not my market. They are and also they aren’t. I am in service.  Like I say, it’s very hard to articulate. Michael sneakily got me talking about this topic - it’s high context, we understand between us, but it would be hard to put a PowerPoint presentation together about it. Please don’t request this. Identity is huge in this conversation - such a rich inquiry and we muse on how ‘ordinary, or ‘normal’ is simply another diversity and also how he starred in a film called ‘Spoiled Identity’ directed by former Legends, Yukiro Dravarious (or full video here) and Duncan Whom. Michael exemplifies this as we dive into his Haus and attempt to describe it! In the podcast discoverWhat the surfboard under young, blond, tanned Michael’s arm really represents…Time; taking time. Time for relationships to settle, time for preparation in the morning, time for rest and sleepThe wisdom of video games and mountains (and a surprising connection we have between my Mt Fuji Climb and his work with Shine on Kids)How he seamlessly moves between his life-roles as Director of the Drag Haus von Schwarz, Event Producer of Shine on Kids Cancer Charity and being founder of Bainsoft, his talent agency and localisation studioCan he reconcile Christianity and faith with his life?If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.About MichaelMichael Bain is Founder/CEO of Bainsoft, Event Producer for Shine On! Kids, and Manager of Drag Collective Haus Von Schwarz. He left his hometown Brisbane, Australia in 2014 to get closer to the video game music industry in Tokyo and is now uniquely positioned to help eliminate barriers between Japanese/Western companies and artists. In 2022, he founded Bainsoft, a talent agency and localization studio. Bainsoft manages narrators, singers, voice actors and composers, matching English-speaking talent with Japanese companies, and vice versa. Recent...

05-27
01:12:17

Creative Musings: Skin in the Game

[To have "skin in the game" is to have incurred risk (monetary or otherwise) by being involved in achieving a goal] Wikipedia I kept thinking about what it was about the people who have been really piquing my interest recently. Or as I look back on previous guests what is it that connects them?I loved the very creative folk, and the last season of reinventors. Everyone in fact. Whether buying land to build a sculpture studio, traveling across the world to enter a hardcore Karate dojo, starting a drag house, becoming a citizen of Japan in order to have political influence, starting a radio show, falling in love, recovering from business disaster, so many of my guests had put serious skin in the game.I look at my friends and the people I admire. The feminists, the activists, the style mavens, the weirdos, the deeply genuine; the people who speak out or show up along the edges of culture and I noticed; they had skin in the game. I also realised, if I am to enter into the fullness of the next iteration of myself and my family unit - that’s what I need. And so I am fascinated to explore with my guests, what it means to them and how they are moving through the world with skin in the game. For me, getting my skin in the game requires some serious outside help. And that help might not quite be what you imagine.Of course I am 18 months sober, a constant source of relief and fascination as thought after thought emerges through the sobriety for me to soberly deal with (skin in the game) AND MY LORD did I feel like drinking this past week - it was strange. But I didn’t. 5 months post-surgery, I am getting used to this new body and new way of being in the hormonal world This time last year my body was being physically and emotionally violent towards me. I had severe anaemia and felt utterly insane. Now the stability of hormones and absence of bleeding is a whole new and very welcome landscape to navigate. This episode is all about how I am using signals from nature and from my surroundings as my points of coaching inquiry. How I am experiencing a lot of change and choice and communing with the flowers in my garden, the trees in my eye line, the jasmine at my door to deliver messages through the ether. #ordinarymagic And also my neighbour moved out, I was upset but then that revealed something else that I muse on in the recording. My Mum and Dad were visiting their old neighbour the same week. Everything changes all the time, Nature’s rhythms are not influenced by culture, and I probably need to get some fertiliser for the plants if I want them to flower. What can the nature outside my window tell me about what’s happening inside me, about my thoughts; what emblems and metaphors can I dance with. And the movement of people in and out of our lives. I could see my neighbour every day for 5 years then POOF gone - disappeared, like they’d never been there; a home becomes a house, filled with the #potentmagic if the next occupant.You see that’s a lot of what’s happening here. I’m looking to see who is following the rhythms and flow of their nature, even if it is outside the flow of the culture. And if you flow outside of culture, then you have skin in the game. Each guest describes this differently yet with some similarity.Every single day I muse on this, in conversation with the tree outside my door, the neighbours past and present, the books I read, the music I choose, the voices in my ears. I observe my husband, his way of being in the world, our love, our third entity and I muse on this. And the folk with skin in the game. And how if I am to dance with culture even more, reveal my nature, live in the ordinary magic; getting more and more skin in the game is not an option. It is inevitable collateral.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love...

05-20
52:56

Leonie Dawson: Legend of Brilliant Life

This episode is dedicated to Clinton, Leonie’s brother LEONIE FREAKIN DAWSON! In the compelling conversation we meet a woman who has touched many thousands of lives with her Brilliant Biz and Life Academy and created wealth, confidence and happiness for herself, her family and for her clients. She is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, loved-up wife and partner and parent of two and the creator of many many life-changing trainings and classesWhile it hasn’t all been plain sailing Leonie has remained true to her calling, her heart and intuition among the topics we muse upon in today’s conversation are:Leonie’s inability to create, and this one hit me hard, a professional mirage, and how she attracts clients and has a thriving business while keeping it wild and weirdHow she leverages neurodivergence and revolutionizes her unique set of abilities in how she works - 10 hours a week - she rests for resultsThe importance of taking care of business and making money and her advice to women who have left taking care of business later in life (it’s never too late)How the sudden death of her brother when Leonie was 15 changed the course of her lifeHer love of relocation, renewal and reinvention and her devotion to the land of AustraliaHer membership site; the Brilliant Life and Biz Academy (which I forget the name of in my excitement, even though I’m a member) is an investment that will pay you back dividends. If you are a small biz, entrepreneur or want a refresh or restart in your biz, there is great content, calls, community and new programmes being added all the time. Use this SFC affiliate link to sign up and access loads of great Leonie offers.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram.About LeonieLeonie Dawson is an internationally best-selling author of the 2024 My Brilliant Year workbooks (formerly known as the Goal Getter workbooks) which have been used by over 500,000 people worldwide.A multi-passionate entrepreneur, Leonie has generated over $14 million in revenue while only working 10 hours a week. Leonie has been recognised for her business acumen by winning Ausmumpreneur’s People’s Choice Business Coach, Global Brand & Businesses Making A Difference Awards.Leonie has spent the last 10 years living in some of the most beautiful places around Australia. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband on the Sunshine Coast.Leonie uses she/her pronouns.Connect with LeonieWebsite: https://leoniedawson.com/ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/leonie_dawson/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsleoniedawson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leoniedawsonauthor/ Connect with...

05-13
55:25

Creative Musings: A love letter to my collaborators (Part 1)

Dedicated to the memory of Yasuko Mori, RIPIt is with deep sadness and great respect that I talk about the influence that Mori Yasuko had on so many people in our Tokyo community. She influenced me in positive ways to look at business through a new lens of service and innovation. She made a unique contribution to society. I will miss her monthly paper newsletters that were full of personal and business information. But mostly I will miss her. We each contribute to one another. Each small business or organisation provides some kind of service that makes life fuller or easier. Ease, order, beauty, lawfulness, coaching, administration, body-care, relaxation, all those things that your friends or family can’t always provide. I have been lucky, so very lucky over the years with the services I have received and the clients I have served. I never ever take these things for granted and always feel great joy and humility thinking about everything that happens around me. Please enjoy this love letter to (most of) my people.A love letter to my collaborators part one.In this Podcast:Muse on the connections, webs and ripples that influence our businesses, friendships and the quality of our livesThe void that is left when people leave usHow the small business community exists due to the flow of commerce, communication and recommendations between usThe impact that small gestures and immense generosity has on people’s businessThe deeply healing influence of gratitude and reciprocity - I’ve been so lucky with my collaborators (this is part one because I keep forgetting to mention people!)If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram and FacebookConnect with SarahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sarah-furuya-creativeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfuruyacreative/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahfuruyacreativeYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsuS_yVT9fMHjhAylVy8-w 

02-19
01:29:54

Sarah Tapp: Legend of Rock Radio

Oh are you in for a treat - Sarah T’s unique take on life design and crafting her life, really made me think. She has always had a pretty fine-tuned compass for what she does and doesn’t want but then her therapist made a revelation to her, about her early life, that really made her think about what was driving her.Sarah has moved around the world a number of times, from rural Hawaii to Urban Hawaii, from continental USA to Japan and now Europe with kids, a partner, a corporate career and a music radio show, that I am rather envious of (I’m always curious about envy - what’s it’s message???).What I love about Sarah is her refreshing honesty, sincerity and just how genuine she is. There’s a real grounded simplicity to the way she tells her story and the way she made, then reflected on her Legend. Her choices have been focused on different needs at different times from choosing to go to boarding school as a child, to joining the corporate world in order to build a solid foundation, reaching her career goals in her 30s, then planning for roles based on quality of life and a retirement based on rock‘n roll dreams! Sarah and I met back in 2012 when she was the speaker at a professional networking event. We mention that at the beginning and she reveals a secret shame she held for the past 12 years!In this Podcast you will learn:Sarah’s take on how to build a solid foundation for your future in your 20s and 30sHow a feral kid in rural Hawaii started making decisions, with the trust and investment of her parentsWho in her family has won a Grammy, her direct connection to PRINCE and her admiration for Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth How she decided to start a radio show in her early 40s Her therapist annoyed her with an observation - she revealed what it was and how it was useful If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram and FacebookLinksSarah’s Radio Show ‘The Hangover’Her incredible interview with Prince’s Record Producer, Professor Susan RogersShout out to Japan-based Journalist Justin McCurry of the Guardian Link to Kim Gordon’s Instagram Sarah’s favourite song by Sharon Van EttenAbout Sarah TappSarah was born and raised in Hawaii. She earned a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies from Oberlin College in Ohio and promptly moved to Japan, where she spent almost 15 years building a career in corporate communications. Sarah has done PR for a wide range of companies and products – from baby formula to fighter jets – and worked in almost every area of communications, from copy writing to risk & crisis comms.Sarah and her husband relocated to Luxembourg in 2016, when their daughter was 8 months old (she’s now 8 years old and has a younger sister, aged 7). After a stint at a digital marketing agency, she joined Amazon,...

02-12
01:06:29

Creative Musings: A Love Letter to all of my Coaches

In this Creative Musings Menostorm episode, a mega-ramble is generated. A musing that is the length of a feature film, and one might think it is too long and indulgent. And one would be right. It is a love letter to all of my coaches. It is long and the indulgence is taking a trip through my coaching life from start to finish and all the fantastic coaches I had along the way. Honouring them and noting what impact they had on my life, the killer lines and insights they provided me with, and the influence they had in my building out my decisions, business and life choices. In what was a positive process, that reminded me of how effective, kind and professional they all were. AND what a terrific impact coaching can have on a life. I talk through my history and what attracted me to coaching and how different coaches fulfill different life stages and requirements. #MenostormOriginally I was going to muse upon the Shadowy Side of the #Menostorm but due to having had something of a shadowy Sunday, I opted for a positive musing. And I am delighted I did - thinking back on almost 20 years of coaches, the incredible impact they had on me and the key takeaways from my time with them has been a privilege. Also discussed in this episode; how I’m observing myself with wild curiosity and the interplay of rest and activity, mood and capacity, post-surgery. It’s like Tiger King where I’m the Tiger(s) and the coaches are Joe Exotic and Carol Baskins…or something…In this Podcast:A BIG BAD MOOD at the weekend actually helped me choose today’s topic based on my instinct - I wanted to garner positivity through storytellingWhat each of the fantastic coaches I have had have done for me over the 20 yearsHow pair coaching with my Relationship Systems Coaching mentor probably saved my marriage (the hedgehog and the octopus)How I was bitten by the coaching bug, how much I loved it and how each coach has had an impact on my life, decisions and directionEACH and EVERY coach from my past has had an incredible impact on my life - deep bow, deep gratitude, profound lineageIf you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram and Facebook.Connect with SarahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sarah-furuya-creativeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfuruyacreative/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahfuruyacreativeYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsuS_yVT9fMHjhAylVy8-w

02-05
01:28:42

Brittany Arthur: Legend of Human Design

This episode is dedicated to Uncle Rodney, who died in the line of dutyWHAT A WHIRLWIND! We had such a journey through Brittany’s life and I was furiously making notes and thinking HOW CAN I HIRE THIS WOMAN?In this Podcast you will learn:Basics of Design-centred thinking and the concept of life-prototyping and being absolutely values-drivenHow Brittany designed her family and business to work for her (it’s not what you think)Science, Psychology and Spirit and how they fit into Brittany’s life designMexico - and what living there for 3 years during the Pandemic taught herHer deep, almost spiritually connected, love of Japan If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would come and say hi over on @sarahfuruyacreative on Instagram and FacebookAbout BrittanyBrittany Arthur is the CEO of Design Thinking Japan, a human-centered design consultancy with studios in Tokyo and Sydney. She leads the organization in fostering innovation and enhancing customer value through design. As the founder of the world’s only bilingual (Japanese-English) innovation podcast and Design Thinking network, Brittany actively contributes to her field as a speaker and media commentator. In addition to her professional achievements, Brittany is a mother to Charles and has been actively involved in Rotary International for nearly two decades, demonstrating her dedication to community service. Connect with Brittanywww.designthinkingjapan.com @_brittanyarthurLinksConnect with SarahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sarah-furuya-creativeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfuruyacreative/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahfuruyacreativeYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsuS_yVT9fMHjhAylVy8-w 

01-29
01:20:22

Creative Musings: Tales from the Red Cross #Menostorm

Tales from the Red Cross hospital and fair warning I talk about my recent surgery and I talk about it very openly. ALSO SWEAR WORDS.In sharing this information it may encourage people to better advocate for their medical health and care, have a good experience of a hospital stay.I talk about what I requested, how I requested it, and what I let go in order to have a peaceful stay.I talk about my body, about scars and stitches, and allow me to hint at what was happening, there is a lot of talk of 'down there' that may not be the best for a lunch time listen! I had a brilliant stay at Nisseki (Red Cross Hospital) in Tokyo - I was lucky that my surgery was straightforward and uncomplicated and I am going for my one month follow up consultation with my surgeon soon. Every step of the way has been thorough, well managed and I felt safe and heard. I also advocated for myself clearly and politely - and although I come across very confident, this is something I actually need to be brave about. It's also worth mentioning that i and my husband had a great deal of support from family and friends checking in on both of us. For that I am incredibly grateful and hope to be able to return the kindness some day.

01-22
01:26:04

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