Not many of us have the luxury of going on sabbatical to develop a passion project. So how can we find time to create when we’re always rushing between soccer practice, taking the car to the mechanic, and cooking dinner? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Monica Burns about the importance of carving out productive ‘Me Time.’ ​ This episode is sponsored by Participate

Do you need a quiet space or lots of stimulation when you work? Is your desk decorated with figurines and family photos, or tools of the trade? In this episode, I talk with designer Rebecca Hare about how workspaces affect productivity, and how to find a space that will be an innovation incubator for your ideas. This episode is sponsored by Participate.

You know the type: people who want to blow out your candle because they think it will make theirs brighter. But it turns out that how we frame our story of innovation is key to fostering a culture of change. I spoke with former Apple Senior Specialist and Learning Engineer Marco Torres about changing the narrative in the workplace and the impact it can have on education.

Get out from behind your desk and close your laptop. No matter how many figurines you have artfully arranged on your desk or great vacation photos you have taped to your cubicle, the best way to become inspired is to change your routine and put yourself in stimulating situations. This episode is all about finding experiences that inspire your thinking and change your mindset. I talk with design and technology teacher Keri-Lee Beasley about how she keeps her creative edge.

We might not always have a great collaborator or resources for change nearby. But the good news is that they’re only as far as your laptop or phone. In this episode, we’ll talk with social media and marketing professor Ai Addyson-Zhang about out how to leverage the power of social media and other online channels to find your tribe and the resources you need to make change possible.

When it comes to professional development, it’s easy to stick with what you know: the same people and organizations that we run with in our professional circles. But that method can keep us stuck in a creative rut that’s hard to get out of. In this episode, we talk with Columbia Professor and Explain Everything co-founder Reshan Richards and his writing partner Stephen J. Valentine to find out how to look for inspiration in people and industries different from your own. 

It takes more than one log to build a fire. In this episode, we talk with design thinking expert and award-winning educator Dan Ryder to see how working with the right collaborators can generate the creative heat you need to make change happen.​

Stop feeling guilty about nurturing your creative side.  But don’t take our word for it. We start our podcast adventure by talking with someone who knows all about creativity: Cornell engineering professor Christopher Hernandez.​

​A recent trip to Guatemala finds Michael questioning what it means to be a teacher, and why school is so boring. Kick off the podcast series by hearing Michael's 'origin story.'