Creative Genius Captivated

In this short episode, I share some insights on the difference between being busy & hustle VS being effective. It's casual and personal, hope it gives you some wisdom and inspirations! Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me

In this episode, I discuss the quickest way to growth and success: Fail forward & upward, as fast as you can. I also explained why you might find it hard (or hurt). Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me

In this episode, I invited screenwriter Elain Loh ( "Gossip Girl", "Dynasty") to talk about being a TV writer, following your artistic pursuits & pivoting from acting to screenwriting, as well as her tips and advice for young artists. Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me ------------------------------------------------------------------- Elaine Loh spent a decade as a working actor before crossing over to the other side of the camera and joining the writing staff of Gossip Girl for HBOMax, followed by Dynasty for the CW (also a Top Ten show worldwide on Netflix). Elaine is an HBO Writing Fellow and a Silver Prize winner of the prestigious PAGE Awards. She was featured on the coveted Young & Hungry List by the Tracking Board, and was named a Top 25 Screenwriter to Watch by the International Screenwriter’s Association. Her short-form series, Doxxed, won a Telly Award, Best Short Comedy at the Catalyst Film Festival (formerly itvfest), and Best Achievement at Raindance.  Elaine considers herself an “artivist” - an artist and an activist - and as such, she has served as a member of the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Board of Directors, has run weekly phonebanks for voter registration army Field Team 6, and leads a political accountability group called Operation Checks and Balances. Elaine was born in Singapore, can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than two minutes, and is addicted to Wendy’s junior bacon cheeseburgers. She can be found at: https://www.instagram.com/thatelaineloh

In this shorty episode, I discuss why you should always bet on yourself, and how to use that to create forward momentum.  Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me

In this episode, I invited my coach Valorie Hubbard, actress & CEO of Actors Fast Track, to discuss entrepreneurship for actors, mistakes actors make, and how to quickly up your game.  Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me -------------------------------- Grab your tix to the challenge and the event: https://www.theactorschallenge.com/the-actors-challenge1642124984904 https://www.aftgamechanger.com/game-changer-2022 ------------------------------------------------- Valorie Hubbard owns the company, Actor’s Fast Track, where she consults with working actors about their career paths. Having navigated her own career, she knows the pitfalls and successes of the path and how to avoid the one and create the other. She gives actors the tools they need to get recognized. In her newest book, RULE BREAKERS: Changing the Way Actors Do Business, she shows professional actors how to create and operate their acting career as a successful business – and how to move from being “stuck” into the limelight. Credits include roles on Castle, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D; How I Met Your Mother; Glee; American Horror Story; Workaholics; True Blood; 90210; ER; Desperate Housewives; The Middle; Zeke and Luther; Good Luck Charlie; I’m in the Band; a recurring role on Kickin It and General Hospital; HUGE; The Job; Missing Persons; Comedy Central’s; American Body Shop and Chocolate News. She also plays the “hot” Rhonda in the recent release of the video game Dead Rising 3. Valorie lives in Irvington New Jersey with her husband Chef Gill Boyd and dog Gracie

In this episode, Emma and I discuss the healing power of writing and her new immersive play FUKT. Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emma Goldman-Sherman (they/she) believes in the power of language to create healing and agency in readers/audiences. Their plays have been produced on 4 continents and published by Brooklyn Publishers, Next Stage, Applause, and Smith & Kraus. Their full-lengths have been finalists at BAPF, Henley Rose, Bridge Initiative, Campfire, Unicorn (3x), and Cutting Ball (3x). Their poetry is published in Oberon, American Athenaeum, NonBinary Review, Chaotic Merge, and others. MFA:  University of Iowa. Podcasts are available at TheParsnipShip.com and PlayingonAir.org and forthcoming from EmptyRoomRadio. FUKT will be produced this fall at the Tank, and Tanya's Lit Clit is being developed as a musical with Experimental Bitch. Residencies: Millay, Ragdale, and WordBridge. Member: Dramatists Guild, LMDA, ICWP, and Honor Roll! More at the newplayexchange.com. Emma supports writers and artists at www.BraveSpace.online. IG: @EmmaGSherman I'm thrilled to talk about FUKT these days as I am producing it at the Tank for a limited run this fall. FUKT is about traumatic memories - mine specifically - but the play isn't a typical play about trauma. Please ask me about it! FUKT is immersive and has no fourth wall. It includes the audience and takes the audience's comfort into consideration, teaching strategies for dealing with potential triggers and updating our understanding of trauma and the resources available for healing. Happy to share a way to calm down after being triggered. GET TICKETS TO FUKT: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35658/production/1138125

For the most part, my job as a coach is to help people make decisions. In this episode, I discuss why some people find it difficult to make decisions, how indecision is also a decision, and share some tips to make quick decisions so you can start generating momentum. Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me

In this episode, I discuss the difference between beliefs and expectations, how expectations are not serving you, as well as building a strong belief system. Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me

In this episode, I discuss 3 reasons why you're procrastinating and the solutions to that.  Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me

In this episode, I discuss the common habitual thoughts that keep people stuck, why it's important to build empowering thought habits, and how to do that.  I strongly recommend listening to the previous episode so you have a more comprehensive understanding of this matter. Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me

In this episode, I teach you why you need to develop the habit of challenging your thoughts, and two simple, powerful phrases/questions to help you with this process – "What if" and "So what".  Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this episode, I invited award-winning actor & filmmaker Lauren Sowa for a discussion on finding communities, handling stress, our favorite credits and experiences, as well as how learning on set helps you become a more well-rounded, "3D" artist and human being.  Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lauren Sowa is a New York-based actor and filmmaker. As an actor, she has been featured on FBI (CBS), The Plot Against America (HBO), The Rainbow Experiment (Paramount+), and The Devil's Well (Amazon Prime). Upcoming: The indie feature Paris is in Harlem (Slamdance '22). Training: BFA, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Proud member of Actor's Equity and SAG-AFTRA. She is the co-founder of Form & Pressure Films, a production company dedicated to diversity and equality on set and on screen. Their first film, Marisol, won the 2019 HuffPost Impact Award and was licensed by HBO. Other films she’s produced can be seen on DUST, Tubi, Amazon Prime, and at film festivals all over the world. Select festival credits include: Slamdance, Nitehawk Shorts Festival, San Diego Latino Film Festival, Immigration Film Festival, Cinequest. She is also the co-president of Pano, a non-profit dedicated to women filmmakers and serves on the board of NYC Makes PPE. Lauren is a big-time animal lover, and has yet to meet a pretzel she doesn't like. When not acting, you can find her reading a good book, taking photographs, catching up on old films, and doing yoga! www.laurensowa.com www.formandpressurefilms.com www.ladylikefilm.com www.panonetwork.org

Hey! I was very lucky to have invited casting director Jeffrey Dreisbach from McCorkle Casting for a guest episode. We talked about having fun in self-tape auditions, working in the show business, interesting casting stories, talents VS careers, and of course, lessons for artists. If you're in the show business–theatre, Film/TV, this episode shall not be missed.  Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As a former actor turned Casting Director, artist, teacher, and author, Jeffrey Dreisbach began his professional acting career at an early age in Michigan. He received a BFA Degree from Wayne State University after performing at Walt Disney World (Cal Arts) and advanced theater training in London, (Roger Williams College). For the next several years, Jeff found success acting in New York, accumulating Theater, Film, and Television credits. On Broadway, he was in the original cast of A Few Good Men and A New York Summer. He’s also played roles Off-Broadway, in National Tours, and with multiple regional theaters. TV and  Film credits include Splash, Die Hard 3, Thomas Crown Affair, Monday Night Mayhem, Another World, Max Bickford, etc. among many others. Jeffrey also performed in numerous national commercials and voice-overs. Major clients included KFC, Pepsi, Spidel Watch, Palmolive, HBO, etc. as well as animation voicing for Mattel Toys and voice chip manufacturer, Pragmatic Designs. As a teacher and administrator, he developed extensive voice-over and on-camera presentation techniques. Using his acting experience and teaching skills, Jeffrey now incorporates his unique background and personality as a Casting Director with McCorkle Casting in New York. His second book, Conversation Pieces out of the Studio, A Workshop for Actors, is due out in late fall, 2010. Jeffrey’s podcast, Casting Actors Cast has garnered over 75 thousand downloads. McCorkle Casting Ltd castingactorscast.com

In this episode, I chatted with my mortgage broker Cynthia Frunzi on money: money mindset, debt, investing, and money mistakes (especially among creatives) Give it a listen, and please leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cynthia has been a licensed financial strategist for over 20 years. Her 6 Steps For Financial Freedom: 💲 Know Your Flow- Do you know how much cash you have? Do you know how much your lifestyle costs? Being aware of your cash flow is a great indicator of your financial strength. 💲Rainy Day Account- This cash flow is the golden parachute that's put in place for whenever you have an unexpected episode. Flexing your fitness muscles is easier when your debt is under control - allowing you to start saving up! 💲Get Your Debt in Line- Working towards eliminating your debt or even just implementing a plan to manage it, can transform your life and your bank account. 💲Protect Yourself- Having necessary and proper protection will take you on the direct path to financial freedom. It's a challenge to determine what your best option is, but speaking with a financial advisor is a great way to discover what's right for you. 💲Wealth Building- This is as simple as putting a little cash aside toward your future goals while you're working on managing debt, building an emergency fund, strengthening cash flow, and protecting the ones you love. 💲Wealth Reservoir- The future is unpredictable and it's crucial to prepare for all and any outcomes by establishing your financial legacy. ---------- Build a life of freedom and abundance through Millionaire Within’s services: 💲Financial classes 💲 One-on-one counseling 💲Freedom seminars To find out more about these tips or how to adjust to any financial situation, contact me today and sign up for a free 15-minute consultation (https://www.findyourmw.com/blank-page).

In this episode, I share my insights about trauma, imposter syndrome, and the most effective way to embrace it: Celebration.  I introduce ways to reframe trauma, look at imposter syndrome with a loving eye, and practice celebration & gratitude. This can be pared down into 3 steps: 1. Look at it ( observe, and reframe your thoughts) 2. Study it ( the root cause-where does it come from?) 3. Celebrate it ( look at the gain, not the gap) Give it a listen, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me

In this episode, I interviewed visual artist Nathalie Tierce about her work as a scenic designer for film/TV, colors and emotions, as well as balancing motherhood and her career as an artist. The common thread is "Serve the Big Picture"-in work, and in life. Give it a listen, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In her career as an artist, Nathalie Tierce has worked on projects as diverse as productions for Shell Silverstein, Andrew Llyod Webber, The Rolling Stones, period dramas for the BBC, feature films such as Martin Scorcese’s Shutter Island, Tim Burton’s Alice, and painting murals for Disney. In her work as a visual storyteller, she uses cartoon and symbolic imagery to convey psychological struggles in her paintings and drawings. Her two books, Fairy Tale Remnants and Pulling Weeds from a Cactus Garden - Life is full of pricks, are surreal fairy tales for grown-ups, compiled of her mixed media work, accompanied by her short prose. The acclaimed counter-culture cartoonist and artist R.Crumb wrote about Tierce; “ a genuine visionary artist with a direct line to (her) subconscious". Dave Cooper, artist, animator, and cartoonist said, "Tierce's paintings are wonderful. Bizarre and genuine and unsettling. Some reminded me of the great George Grosz. The Comics Review U.K. Included her book, Pulling Weeds from a Cactus Garden in “Best of 2021” and said, “The marriage of image and text...can simultaneously tickle like a feather, cut like a scalpel and hit like a steam-hammer.” Born and raised in New York City, Nathalie received her formal training at Pratt Institute in New York and L’ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, then spent ten years in Europe refining her craft as a painter. Tierce has a solo show opening on August 20 at Gallery 825 in Los Angeles. Her artwork appears in publications such as Mineshaft and Spread Love. In April the fringe culture magazine Carpanzine did an interview about her work. She maintains a studio in Glendale, CA, where she lives with her sculptor husband, Chris Towle, and son Joshua. Website: www.nathalietierce.com Links to books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pulling-Weeds-Cactus-Garden-Fairytales/dp/1737832607 https://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Tale-Remnants-Surreal-Tales/dp/1734187409/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_e ncoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

In this episode, I have the pleasure to invite Jim Jermanok to talk about networking in the entertainment industry and some of the biggest mistakes artists make. Give it a listen, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me Jim Jermanok is an award-winning writer, director, producer author, and speaker based in NY. He is currently directing and producing a feature documentary about the life and art of Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau featuring interviews by Chris Rock, Diane Ladd, Jon Voight, Woody Allen and Ellen Burstyn.  Mr. Jermanok wrote and produced the highly acclaimed romantic comedy, “Passionada,” which was released by Columbia Tri Star in over 150 countries. His  film “Em”won the Grand Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival and the Criterion International Inspiration Award. It was released by Vanguard Cinema and SnagFilms.  Jim Jermanok recently wrote and directed “Homophonia,” a political comedy film on gay marriage which has appeared at over 50 film festivals while winning several of them.  Also active in TV and New Media, Jim Jermanok’s  new web series “LIFEADVICE.TV” has drawn tremendous praise since going live globally in November, 2015. Mr. Jermanok is a former ICM Agent who represented Arthur Miller, Shirley MacLaine, John Chancellor, Ben Kingsley, Dudley Moore, Helen Hayes, Alan Arkin and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, among others. Jim also speaks and has conducted over 300 workshops worldwide on the subject of his 2017  book, BEYOND THE CRAFT: What You Need to Know to Make A Living Creatively!-- http://amzn.to/2hmx6YQ , Making Your Projects Happen: Successful Film/TV Producing and Financing as well as The Art and Business of Screenwriting.  https://jimjermanok.com/  

In this episode, award-winning VFX producer Zach Hamelton shares his journey of making a career in the film/tv industry, a cupcake business venture in his early years, and helpful tips for early-career artists. Give it a listen, and don't forget to leave a 5-star review if you like the show! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/ Book a consult call with me Zachary Alexander Hamelton is an award-winning American post-production professional and former podcaster. Originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Zach knew he wanted to work in film at a very young age. However, it wasn't until he was much older after attempting a career in the emergency medical field and co-owning a cupcake shop that he decided to take his chance in the industry. Zach attended the Digital Animation and Visual Effects School out of Orlando, Florida, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in VFX Production. His first big break was working with MPC Vancouver as a compositor on "The Strain" (2017), "Justice League" (2017), "Fifty Shades Freed" (2018), and several other projects. As his time with MPC was coming to a close, he became enamored with the production side of the industry. Through some furthering education and immense drive, Zach landed his first gig in production with Falcon's Creative Group. While working in themed entertainment, he thrived as a production coordinator and later took on additional responsibilities as the casting director and unit production manager for live-action. During his time with Falcon's Creative Group, Zach was able to work with clients such as Marvel Entertainment, National Geographic, PBS, and many more. However, his favorite assignment was as the unit production manager and lead post-production coordinator for "Halo: Outpost Discovery" (2019), a traveling meta-interactive experience. Though he enjoyed his time in themed entertainment, Zach always longed to return to the film industry, and in 2019 Crafty Apes VFX offered him that golden opportunity. Since joining the company, Zach has worked on over sixteen film or television projects. He is known for his attention to detail and his thoughtfulness when it comes to clients. Some of his standout credits include "Hustlers" (2019), "Mulan" (2020), "Star Trek: Picard" (2020), and "The Little Things" (2021). In his time away from the studio, Zach enjoys helping up-and-coming filmmakers with their production, visual effects, and casting needs through his company, Throw the Knife Productions. You can find Zach here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatzachhamelton/  

In this episode, I talk about how to REALLY let go, which means you let go without holding onto any residual energy or thoughts. Here's a three-question framework to guide you through this process: * What do I want? * What serves me? *  What am I afraid of? Most likely it's not the things or people that you cannot let go of, it's the FEAR. If you like this show, please leave a 5-star review. Would like a free gift? Hit the links below! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/

In this episode, I start with a recent experience of my pup Lucy's first audition, and go on to talk about: * How we react to stressful or fearful situations * How expectations put us in "fight or flight" mode * How fear and control zap creativity out of us You'll walk away with a hands-on exercise to identify your internal fear triggers and create more inner safety. What triggers you? What makes you feel threatened? What makes you feel attacked? Enjoyed the show? Please follow and give a 5-star review. Would like a free gift? Hit the links below! FREE GIFT: 7 Questions to Get You Unstuck https://coaching.yiqingzhao.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6/. IG: https://www.instagram.com/yiqingzhao1222/