Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Bad Idea Social Club
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanya Avoundjian: Curly-Haired Critter | 13 oct. 2026 | 01:01:36 | |
Tanya Avoundjian (creative director, designer, Stout Collective) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they talk about wearing her Armenian-American identity and what it shaped in her, getting her hands dirty as a creative director who doesn’t fit the Don Draper mold, and the “what if” as a creative philosophy. She started by illustrating forum avatars for fake gold and look at her now. Keep up with Tanya Avoundjian: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Midnight Society: A Poster Show | 08 oct. 2026 | 00:05:29 | |
Midnight Society: A Poster Show Midnight is when everything is still enough to hear the noise and the silence all at once. The day resets, but nothing resolves. Ideas creep in, doubts get louder, anxiety vibrates and the unknown shifts shapes. It sits on our chests mocking our decisions, our actions, and our thoughts. We either wait for it to pass, or we welcome the horror and let the darkness set in. We have assembled 13 of the coolest poster artists we could find to throw one hauntingly bad ass poster show. All artists are working from the same creative brief and interpreting the direction based off of their own horrors and experiences. Event Details: —— | |||
| Riley Dompierre: Wanderlust | 06 oct. 2026 | 01:05:06 | |
Riley Dompierre (photographer, sewist, creative nomad) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they talk about keeping creativity wild and untamed, the idealism and reality of living in a commune, and the relationship between creativity and humanity. Five foot two and completely unafraid. Keep up with Riley Dompierre: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| David Martinez: Fast Forward to the Good Part | 29 sept. 2026 | 01:14:16 | |
David Martinez (drummer, Tidals, Second Body) shares his story with Aaron McCall as they talk about rediscovering drumming after a decade, changing relationships with people, alcohol, and creativity, and not letting anybody or anything else define you. Dave and Aaron are old friends and bandmates from ~20 years ago; their music was loud and fast and their jeans were so tight. So. Tight. Keep up with David Martinez: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Abbie Lemke: The Power of Love | 22 sept. 2026 | 00:50:24 | |
Abbie Lemke (comedian, writer, Off Air) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they talk about living with and masking an invisible disability, comedy as survival, writing a TV show with little to no resources, and not changing who you are for anybody. She’s been on stage over 1,000 times and she’s just getting started. Keep up with Abbie Lemke: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Kayla Turpin: Messy Things | 15 sept. 2026 | 01:10:17 | |
Kayla Turpin (film photographer) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they talk about living and capturing the real, messy, unposed moments, the hunger for internal and external validation, and weighing authenticity against posturing. Wind in the hair, tears on the lens, Kayla opens up about all of it. Keep up with Kayla Turpin: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| ⏮ REWIND // Leigh Ann Cobb: Awkward Art Kid | 01 sept. 2026 | 00:56:50 | |
Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Leigh Ann Cobb: Awkward Art Kid" from Season 4. Leigh Ann Cobb (photographer) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they discuss going from an awkward art kid to an awkward art grown-up, what it takes to keep her sense of self and identity in check, and the relationship between Leigh Ann and the camera, the camera and her subjects, and more importantly, Leigh Ann and her subjects. Keep up with Leigh Ann Cobb: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| ⏮ REWIND // Courtney Lauer: The Hurry and The Harm | 25 août 2026 | 00:54:31 | |
Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Courtney Lauer: The Hurry and The Harm" from Season 6. Courtney Lauer (graphic designer, artist) shares her story with Aaron McCall and talks about survival, control, and the strength it takes to turn pain into something honest. She opens up about surviving and processing trauma, rebuilding identity through creativity, and using art to make sense of the things that don’t have easy answers. Keep up with Courtney Lauer: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| ⏮ REWIND // Khalid Ibrahim: In Love & Focus | 18 août 2026 | 00:56:05 | |
Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Khalid Ibrahim: In Love & Focus" from Season 2. Khalid Ibrahim (photographer, Eat Pomegranate) opens up with Aaron McCall about connecting with his subjects, balancing his creativity with his life as an epidemiologist, and how his experiences growing up in both Pakistan and the United States have influenced his relationship with his camera. Keep up with Khalid Ibrahim: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| ⏮ REWIND // Alyssa Pacheco: Mirror Mirror | 11 août 2026 | 00:59:44 | |
Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Alyssa Pacheco: Mirror Mirror" from Season 4. Alyssa Pacheco (poet, author, artist) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they discuss the deeply personal nature of her work. Alyssa opens up about the influence of her family dynamics, the vulnerability in her words, and how her lived experiences serve as a form of discovery, expression, and a vehicle for creativity. Keep up with Alyssa Pacheco: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| ⏮ REWIND // Scott Millington: Real AF | 04 août 2026 | 00:41:31 | |
Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Scott Millington: Real AF" from Season 5. Scott Millington (photographer) has always had an eye for real-life moments and in photography, he found the language to document them. Scott sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about how the camera gave him purpose, community, and a way to show the world as he sees it. From indie wrestling shows to coffee shops and protests, Scott shares what it means to document real life, connect with people, and stay grounded in your perspective. Remembering Scott Millington: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| ⏮ REWIND // Rae Lang: Outsider | 28 juil. 2026 | 00:47:26 | |
Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Rae Lang: Outsider" from Season 5. Rae Lang (artist, Woosah Outfitters & Outside Coffee Co.) talks with Aaron McCall about carving a life that’s slower, wilder, and closer to the woods. They get into Rae’s evolution as an artist and business owner, the decision to close her Grand Rapids shop, raising kids with muddy feet, and how success looks different than it used to. It’s about art, identity, and what it really means to stop outrunning yourself. Keep up with Rae Lang: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| ⏮ REWIND // Trish Hadley: To Be Fuckable | 21 juil. 2026 | 00:58:11 | |
Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Trash Hadley: To Be Fuckable" from Season 3. Trish Hadley (boudoir photographer) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they discuss the mutual vulnerability and trust in boudoir photography, the varied motivations of her subjects to be photographed, and the ability to pivot when your path feels wrong. Keep up with Trish Hadley: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| ⏮ REWIND // Marcel Fable Price: The Poet and The Price | 14 juil. 2026 | 00:42:03 | |
Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Marcel Fable Price: The Poet and The Price" from Season 5. Poet, storyteller, and former Grand Rapids Poet Laureate Marcel Fable Price joins Aaron McCall for a raw and deeply honest conversation about creativity, mental health, and the weight of grief. He opens up about loss, the complexity of love and regret, and how storytelling became both a survival tool and a calling. From founding a multimillion-dollar nonprofit to stepping into the deeply personal role of a death doula, Fable shares what it means to hold space for loss, transformation, and truth. Keep up with Marcel Fable Price: And get his book New American Monarch here. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Anna van Schaap: Hope and Tragedy // Part 2 | 16 juin 2026 | 00:54:19 | |
In the conclusion of the season 7 finale, Anna van Schaap (fine artist, tattoo artist, curator) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about building a creative life that refuses to be small. She gets into finding her voice and claiming her space out of passion and defiance, and carving out something different for women and queer folks in an industry with a history of the opposite. They talk about art history, women in art created by women in art, and the cost of going all in on something you were told wasn't for you. It's about volition, visibility, and holding hope and tragedy at the same time. Keep up with Anna van Schaap: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Anna van Schaap: Hope and Tragedy // Part 1 | 09 juin 2026 | 00:55:45 | |
To kick-off the two-part season 7 finale, Anna van Schaap (fine artist, tattoo artist, curator) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about building a creative life that refuses to be small. She gets into finding her voice and claiming her space out of passion and defiance, and carving out something different for women and queer folks in an industry with a history of the opposite. They talk about art history, women in art created by women in art, and the cost of going all in on something you were told wasn't for you. It's about volition, visibility, and holding hope and tragedy at the same time. Keep up with Anna van Schaap: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Sara Pulver: Chaos and Whimsy | 02 juin 2026 | 00:57:40 | |
Sara Pulver (illustrator, muralist, Dear Ollie) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about knowing who you are and building something around it. She gets into a lifelong love of tactile, handmade things that eventually turned into markets, a grant, and a stationery shop where she hosts her own work alongside over a hundred vendors with a focus on women and queer creators. They talk about tackling murals, life as a neurodivergent artist, and why the AI crunch might be the best argument yet for going analog. About finding your people, protecting your whimsy, and keeping the whole thing moving. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Luke Grill: Every Damn Detail | 26 mai 2026 | 01:00:20 | |
Luke Grill (chef, restaurateur, sommelier, 1983 Restaurants) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about what it means to build something people can feel. He gets into cutting his teeth in some of the most demanding kitchens in the country, how dangerous it is to follow the crowd, and why holding his convictions is non-negotiable. They talk about the tension between art and business, building spaces that satisfy more than just hunger, and why the details nobody notices are exactly the ones that matter most. Keep up with Luke Grill: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Mark Stein: If It Kills Me | 19 mai 2026 | 00:38:11 | |
Mark Stein (artist, illustrator) joins Aaron McCall to talk about what it takes to go all in on your work and the cost of pushing too hard. He gets into growing up on cartoons, punk and skate culture, the wake-up calls that changed everything, and why being a lone wolf will only get you so far. They talk about finding creative community, imposter syndrome, getting out from behind your desk, and why if it’s not hard, you’re probably not trying hard enough. This is a conversation about the slow build, the kind that takes until your late 30s to really catch fire, and the kind of stubbornness it takes to keep it burning. Keep up with Mark Stein: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| AB: Make Them Move | 12 mai 2026 | 00:59:48 | |
AB (DJ, creative) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about confidence, rejection, and how your sense of self evolves as you move through new experiences. He gets into music as both expression and connection, the push and pull of reading a room while staying true to your own voice, and how failure, fatherhood, and life experience shaped the way he moves through the world. They talk creativity, self-awareness, faith, the creative scene, and how to keep getting better without losing yourself in the process. Keep up with AB: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Joel Hoekstra: Bite and Sound | 05 mai 2026 | 00:46:36 | |
Joel Hoekstra (cook, musician, owner of Meyer Music) hosts Aaron McCall for dinner as they discuss creativity, instinct, and finding room to breathe inside the things that matter most. He gets into the connection between food and music, how growth comes from pushing beyond structure, and how both create joy, healing, and a real sense of community when they’re done with care. As a music education advocate, he speaks to the importance of access to music and why it matters. They talk about creative freedom, cooking as expression, and the version of yourself that starts to show up when you finally feel at peace. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Hannah Berry: Do Something About It | 28 avr. 2026 | 00:47:33 | |
Hannah Berry (artist, founder of Lions & Rabbits) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about community, creativity, and the work happening between the cracks. She gets into turning art into real community impact, building something without a clear roadmap, and why creative people are often the ones holding solutions that nobody is listening to yet. They talk about collaboration, economic and community development, the tension between intention and execution, and how slowing down, letting go of control, and trusting the right people changed everything. Keep up with Hanna Berry: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Ryan Wasson: Another Round | 21 avr. 2026 | 00:51:44 | |
Ryan “Ryno” Wasson (brewer, Head of Beverage at Coopersville Brewing) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about beer, endurance, reinvention, and learning how to live inside your own wiring. He gets into brewing as both craft and creative outlet, the discipline it takes to keep refining your work, and how running became a way to process life when everything else felt too loud. They talk about curiosity, criticism, relationships, starting over, and the kind of self-awareness that only shows up after you’ve taken a few hits and kept going. Keep up with Ryan Wasson: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Amy Carroll: The Problem | 14 avr. 2026 | 00:52:02 | |
Amy Carroll (photographer, artist) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about identity, ego, and the long process of figuring out who you actually are. She gets into building a career that looks good on the outside but feels empty, learning how to create work that people can actually feel, and the shift from chasing attention to chasing something real. They talk about aging, confidence, creative evolution, and what it takes to let go of control long enough to make something honest. Keep up with Amy Carroll: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| BONUS: Took Long Enough | 31 mars 2026 | 00:16:58 | |
Ahead of Season 7 on April 14, Aaron McCall and Joe Matteson sit down to show off the studio space, talk through what’s changing, and shake the rust off a bit. They get into the shift to video, what it’s doing to the energy of the show, how this next chapter already feels different, and why they’re both excited and a little nervous about it. It’s loose, it’s honest, and it’s a quick look at where things are headed and what it took to get here. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Creative Mornings GR: Growth is a Team Sport | 06 janv. 2026 | 00:39:08 | |
Aaron McCall moderates a Creative Mornings Grand Rapids panel discussion on “Growth,” recorded at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre with more than 200 people in attendance. Joined by Ian Labardee, Bailey Sell, Hannah Berry, and Leigh Ann Cobb, the conversation gets honest about what growth actually looks like once momentum builds—imposter syndrome, uncertainty, shifting priorities, burnout, community, and the small, often invisible changes that shape us over time. Recorded by Green Frog, this episode isn’t about tidy success stories. It’s about showing up, staying curious, and understanding how growth is rarely linear and rarely done alone. Keep up with Creative Mornings GR: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Courtney Lauer: The Hurry and the Harm | 11 nov. 2025 | 01:10:39 | |
Courtney Lauer (graphic designer, artist) shares her story with Aaron McCall and talks about survival, control, and the strength it takes to turn pain into something honest. She opens up about surviving and processing trauma, rebuilding identity through creativity, and using art to make sense of the things that don’t have easy answers. Keep up with Courtney Lauer: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Jacob Betts: Once a Vagrant | 04 nov. 2025 | 01:01:41 | |
Jacob Betts (singer-songwriter, The American Hotel System) joins Aaron McCall to talk about creativity as something to hold onto when life unravels, how grief reshapes how we see purpose, and what it means to rebuild belief in people when everything around you feels painfully divided. He opens up about faith, art, and the defiance it takes to choose hope over cynicism. Keep up with Jacob Betts: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Casey Lambert: The Other F Word | 28 oct. 2025 | 01:02:15 | |
Casey Lambert (independent pro wrestler, marketing director) joins Aaron McCall to talk about life in and out of the ring, how strength and vulnerability feed off each other, and how connection shows up everywhere from the crowd to your opponent, and the relationships that matter most. They dig into storytelling in wrestling, learning how to take a hit and keep showing up, and what it actually looks like to lead with empathy in a world that keeps rewarding the cruelty. Keep up with Casey Lambert: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Joy Rhine: Unhinged and Feral | 21 oct. 2025 | 00:57:47 | |
Joy Rhine (visual designer, photographer) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about keeping creativity in your life without letting it become your whole identity. She opens up about being people-first in a screen-first industry, why she’d rather build community than chase trends, and how confidence came from doing hard things like running marathons and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro “for fun.” From travel and fitness to design and friendship, Joy proves you can be wildly creative, wildly active, and wildly human at the same time. Keep up with Joe Rhine: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Mack Garrison: Everything in Motion | 14 oct. 2025 | 01:04:17 | |
Mack Garrison (motion designer, co-founder of Dash Studio) joins Aaron McCall to talk about ADHD as both a curse and a creative advantage, building a studio rooted in empathy over ego, and what happens when you decide burnout isn’t a badge of honor. He opens up about the lessons that shaped Dash’s first decade, from mentorship and community to leading with transparency when things get hard and what it means to keep the work moving without sacrificing the humanity behind it. Keep up with Mack Garrison: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Scott Katsufrakus: Castles and Sirens | 07 oct. 2025 | 01:01:01 | |
Scott Katsufrakis (founder of Flying House Threads, firefighter) joins Aaron McCall to talk creative entrepreneurship at the edge of whimsy and weight. They dig into building a Disney-inspired, punk-leaning apparel brand while working life-and-death shifts, the pressure of being “the face” on camera, and the mental health work behind staying steady. They touch on the role of community, the discipline it takes to keep quality high, and finding ways for a brand built on castles and monsters to also do real-world good. It’s about craft, perspective, and the strange balance of survival and play. Keep up with Scott Katsufrakus: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Taylor Matteson: Beautifully Odd | 30 sept. 2025 | 01:00:34 | |
Taylor Matteson (painter, experimenter) shares her story with Aaron McCall and discusses following creativity wherever it leads: painting, sculpture, and adding teeth to thrifted objects. She opens up about growing up shy in a loud, creative household and learning to embrace the unapologetically weird. From finding confidence through experimenting in her 20s to building a deep connection with animals in her work, Taylor leans fully into the strange energy that makes her art unmistakably hers. Keep up with Taylor Matteson: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Ray Anne Barker: Noise and Stillness | 23 sept. 2025 | 01:02:13 | |
Ray Ann Barker (painter, photographer, model, content creator) talks with Aaron McCall about anxiety as the root of her creativity, finding ground through photography and abstract painting, and how turning perfectionism on its head opened new doors. She opens up about modeling in her 30s, navigating motherhood, and creating space for community over competition in creativity. Keep up with Ray Anne Barker: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Colin Russell: Oops, All Murals | 16 sept. 2025 | 00:58:25 | |
Colin Russell (artist, muralist, Ghost Town) talks with Aaron McCall about moving from years in coffee to a life in art, stumbling into murals, and building a world in black and white. His work is bold, playful, and unsettling all at once—creepy cartoons that have made their way from Grand Rapids to Japan. Colin opens up about freelancing, anxiety, and what happens when the thing that used to be your outlet becomes the thing you depend on. Keep up with Colin Russell: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Virginia Anzengruber: That's Not Funny | 09 sept. 2025 | 00:44:36 | |
To kick off Season 6, Virginia Anzengruber (comedian, filmmaker, writer) joins Aaron McCall for a conversation about grief, comedy, and what it takes to keep creating when life gets heavy. She talks about loss, writing scripts that hold both humor and heartbreak, the grind of freelancing across film and TV, and the uneasy balance between survival and art. Keep up with Virginia Anzengruber: Tickets for “An Evening with Jim O’Heir” hosted by Virginia Anzengruber: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| BONUS: Social Media is a Lie | 15 juil. 2025 | 00:21:30 | |
This time, we’re talking about the mess of being online. From LiveJournal drama to influencer marketing and the existential weight of Instagram captions, we dig into what makes social media feel necessary, fake, addictive, useful, and totally exhausting. We ask big questions about authenticity, attention, and the line between art and content. When the algorithm is hungry, we keep feeding it pieces of ourselves. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| BONUS: Starting Over | 08 juil. 2025 | 00:21:27 | |
This time, it’s just the three of us—Aaron, Joe, and Amber. No guest, no plan, just vibes and a theme: starting over. From lost files and ruined shoots to quitting jobs and creative resets, we get into the mess and momentum of starting fresh—when it’s your choice, and when it’s not. Technically, a bonus episode. Structurally, unsound—a freefall. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Jenny Hearns: Ghost of a Ghost | 20 mai 2025 | 01:01:01 | |
Jenny Hearns (artist, graphic designer) talks with Aaron McCall about creative identity, chronic illness, and what happens when your body hits pause before your mind is ready. They get into creepy-cute aesthetics, the pressure to stay visible, and how she’s learned to make space for rest without losing her spark. It's the classic tale of a ghost, an onion and a perfectly reasonable emotional spiral. Keep up with Jenny Hearns: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Craig Horky: Dusty Old Man | 13 mai 2025 | 00:50:30 | |
Craig Horky (illustrator, graphic designer) shares his story with Aaron McCall and talks about analog habits, unexpected upheaval, and the tension between making a living and making something that lasts. They cover brush pens, weird gigs, creative grit, and the strange freedom that comes with getting fired. Also, he really loves his cats. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Mitch Ermatinger: Where the Wild Things Sour | 06 mai 2025 | 00:51:07 | |
Mitch Ermatinger (brewer/founder, Speciation Artisan Ales) talks with Aaron McCall about building a life around wild beer—then no longer being able to drink it. They get into the art and science behind fermentation, the gut-punch of a celiac diagnosis, designing what he can’t taste, and staying creative inside sharp limitations. It’s about constraint, reinvention, and what it means to keep making things—even when the rules change. Keep up with Mitch Ermatinger: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Rae Lang: Outsider | 29 avr. 2025 | 00:56:52 | |
Rae Lang (artist, Woosah Outfitters & Outside Coffee Co.) talks with Aaron McCall about carving a life that’s slower, wilder, and closer to the woods. They get into Rae’s evolution as an artist and business owner, the decision to close her Grand Rapids shop, raising kids with muddy feet, and how success looks different than it used to. It’s about art, identity, and what it really means to stop outrunning yourself. Keep up with Rae Lang: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Scott Millington: Real AF | 15 avr. 2025 | 00:49:09 | |
Scott Millington (photographer) has always had an eye for real-life moments—and in photography, he found the language to document them. Scott sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about how the camera gave him purpose, community, and a way to show the world as he sees it. From indie wrestling shows to coffee shops and protests, Scott shares what it means to document real life, connect with people, and stay grounded in your perspective. Keep up with Scott Millington: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Courtney Romero: Sunshine | 08 avr. 2025 | 01:01:44 | |
Courtney Romero (graphic designer, co-founder of Class) didn’t set out to co-found a tech company, but when the opportunity came, she ran with it. Courtney shares her story with Aaron McCall about growing up fast, chasing stability, and refusing to play the starving artist game. From agency life to ed tech, she’s made her own rules, learned how to rest, and found unexpected freedom in pole dancing, puzzles, and houseplants. Keep up with Courtney Romero: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Jon Bailey: Pour Boy | 01 avr. 2025 | 00:56:07 | |
Jon Bailey (photographer, videographer, and co-owner of Lantern Coffee Bar & Lounge) joins Aaron McCall for a conversation about reinvention, embracing uncertainty, and the realities of running an independent coffee shop. His path hasn’t been a straight line—from filming skate videos to shooting weddings to finding his place in coffee—but with grit, determination, and a willingness to bet on himself, he’s learned what it means to build something with intention. They discuss the challenges of leadership, the weight of responsibility, and creating a space where people feel like they belong. Keep up with Jon Bailey: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Mike Egan: A Brush with Death | 25 mars 2025 | 00:47:20 | |
Artist Mike Egan joins Aaron McCall for a conversation about art, death, and building a life on his own terms. Known for his bold, macabre paintings of skeletons, coffins, and religious iconography, his work is unmistakable—equal parts haunting and approachable. Before becoming a full-time artist, Mike worked as an embalmer and funeral director, experiences that shaped his perspective on life and mortality. Keep up with Mike Egan: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Jenny Berggren: Rawdogging | 18 mars 2025 | 00:53:27 | |
Filmmaker and creative director Jenny Berggren (Wondergold Pictures) joins Aaron McCall for an unfiltered conversation about reinvention, creative freedom, and breaking away from the structures that no longer fit. From growing up making home videos to crafting stories through film and photography, storytelling has always been at the core of who she is. Jenny has torn everything down and rebuilt from the ground up—walking away from a marriage, leaving behind evangelical Christianity, and stepping fully into her queer identity. Now, she’s reclaiming creativity on her own terms. Keep up with Jenny Berggren: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Marcel Fable Price: The Poet and The Price | 11 mars 2025 | 00:51:05 | |
Poet, storyteller, and former Grand Rapids Poet Laureate Marcel Fable Price joins Aaron McCall for a raw and deeply honest conversation about creativity, mental health, and the weight of grief. He opens up about loss, the complexity of love and regret, and how storytelling became both a survival tool and a calling. From founding a multimillion-dollar nonprofit to stepping into the deeply personal role of a death doula, Fable shares what it means to hold space for loss, transformation, and truth. Keep up with Marcel Fable Price: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Back for More: Sabrina Dahlgren, Jacob Rosenburg, and Mike Mains | 28 janv. 2025 | 00:57:51 | |
Ahead of Season 5, we're catching up with singer/actor Sabrina Dahlgren (S3 Ep5), graphic designer Jacob Rosenburg (S2 Ep12), and musician Mike Mains (S1 Ep3) to hear what they’ve been up to since they were first on the podcast. Life keeps moving, and we’re here for all the stories about what’s changed and how their lives, creativity, and perspectives have evolved. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||
| Back for More: Lydia VanHoven-Cook, Jill Deiters, and Edwin Collazo | 21 janv. 2025 | 00:58:59 | |
Ahead of Season 5, we're catching up with Lydia VanHoven-Cook (S1 Ep1), Jill Deiters (S1 Ep5), and Edwin Collazo (S4 Ep1) to hear what they’ve been up to since they were first on the podcast. Life keeps moving, and we’re here for all the stories about what’s changed and how their lives, creativity, and perspectives have evolved. Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— | |||