How do you handle criticism when you are deeply connected to your work?

In this episode, Lou and Kimi talk about what it really feels like to receive feedback as a creative. Whether you are an artist, producer, designer, writer or entrepreneur, learning how to take criticism can be the key to growing your ideas and your confidence.

Creatives often become emotionally attached to their work, which can make it hard to know if something is actually good or needs more development. Lou and Kimi share how they personally deal with criticism and why honest feedback has become an important part of their creative process.

They also discuss how preparing yourself mentally can make a big difference when receiving criticism. Being grounded, well rested and open can help you respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally.

If you are a creative trying to grow, build confidence and make better work, this episode is for you.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel.

In this episode, we talk all things music, DJ culture, and the creative process behind electronic music with rising DJ and producer Kieran Kerwin.

Before the interview, Kimi shares exciting news from tour. She has officially joined a new band in France called Painmagazine, so be sure to check them out.

Kieran is not only a talented electronic music producer and DJ, he also created the intro and outro music for our podcast. In this conversation, he takes us inside his creative process and explains how electronic music is built, from the first idea to the final track.

Growing up listening to jazz, soul, funk, and reggae, Kieran pulls inspiration from a wide range of genres. He shares how those influences shape his sound and why the building blocks of music matter. Ultimately it is how you put those pieces together that makes a track unique.

We also dive into how DJs and producers create electronic music, the creative mindset behind music production, and the many moving parts most people never see behind a track. We also talk about the evolution of the electronic music industry and whether the growing commercialization of electronic music is helping or hurting the space.

If you are curious about how DJs make music, the creative process behind electronic music, or the future of the electronic music scene, this episode gives you an inside look into the mind of an up and coming DJ.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel.

In this mini episode, Kimi and Lou talk about why staying organized is honestly one of the most important parts of being a creative professional. When you're juggling multiple projects, ideas, and deadlines, having some kind of system makes everything way more manageable.

They share what’s actually worked for them over the years, from simple habits to tools that help them stay on track and not feel overwhelmed. Organization doesn’t make you less creative, it gives you the space to be more creative.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel.

In this episode, we talk with Michael Alan Ross, photographer, author of Porsche Outlaws: Stuttgart Hot Rods, and longtime creative professional. Michael shares his journey from a 25-year career as a musician to becoming a respected photographer after landing a singing role in a Ford commercial that introduced him to photography.

We explore the world of Porsche Outlaws, where Porsche models are customized through weight reduction, suspension upgrades, and performance enhancements to create personalized, high performance cars. Michael also dives into the creative process behind editorial photography, emphasizing storytelling, problem-solving under pressure, and the importance of lighting, timing, location, and logistics.

Throughout the conversation, Michael highlights the value of adaptability, strong creative relationships, and how “luck” often comes from years of preparation and hard work.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel.

We’re kicking off the new year with some exciting announcements and big things ahead for the Chaos & Creativity universe.

This year, we’re thrilled to introduce a new podcast hosted by Sabrina Sarl. Mothers of Creativity spotlights women who make a living through their creative work while also navigating motherhood. Becoming a mom can change everything, and this series explores how creative women continue to pursue their passions. Sabrina brings such a thoughtful, honest perspective to these conversations, and she has some truly special interviews planned for 2026.

We also share what’s next for Chaos & Creativity, so be sure to tune in to hear what’s coming and how the show is continuing to grow.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

We’ve made it to our last episode of the year and the season one finale.

To close things out, Lou and Kimi are sharing 12 things they’ve been loving lately. These are things that have inspired them, helped them slow down, or simply made life a little better as creatives.

This is our version of the 12 Days of Christmas. No endorsements, no sponsors. Just books, shows, tools, and ideas we genuinely enjoy.

We’re talking about what we’re reading, watching, and adding into our lives as we head into a new year.

Kimi’s Picks

1. Klara and the Sun

2. Deep Listening by Pauline Oliveros

3. Notion

4. Brick (screen time device)

5. Murder, She Wrote

6. Sisters with Transistors (2020 documentary)

Lou’s Picks

1. WANDRD

2. Storyist

3. Scriptnotes

4. When Things Were Good: An Editor’s Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines

5. Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV+)

6. Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

Kimi and Lou explore the different “characters” we step into throughout our lives — the versions of ourselves that show up in different moments, relationships, and creative seasons. They talk about the parts of us that live quietly inside, the ones that guide our choices, and the ones we grow out of.

Lou shares what he’s learned from writing a stage play and how storytelling forces you to meet all these inner characters. They dig into collaboration, what it means to step into someone else’s creative world, how to add to it, and how to defend your own vision while still making room for others.

A reflective episode on creativity, identity, and the art of building something together.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

Join Lou and Jeff Burkhart, award-winning writer, bartender, and columnist for the Marin Independent Journal, as they dive behind the scenes of Tale of a Barfly.

Inspired by Jeff’s bestselling book Twenty Years Behind Bars: The Spirited Adventures of a Real Bartender, Tale of a Barfly is a story of life, love, and cocktails. It’s a riches-to-rags journey that reminds us all of life’s greatest truths can be found while watching the world from behind a bar.

For over a decade, Jeff and Lou have collaborated on live, enhanced book readings performed to sold-out audiences at the Sweetwater in Mill Valley. Tale of a Barfly is their next ambitious evolution, an original play written by Lou and featuring Burkhart’s stories and spirit.

A unique blend of storytelling, humor, and humanity, and a journey you won’t want to miss.

Get your tickets now, they are selling fast! 

https://tickets.marincenter.org/orderticketsarea.asp?p=5236&a=455&src=eventperformances

Kimi and Lou are back with their well-deserved opinions in this week’s minisode or what we’re now calling bitchsodes. 

When Amazon quietly erased guns from classic James Bond posters, it sparked a bigger conversation about censorship, revisionism, and the strange urge to “remaster” the past.

Why does art keep getting sanitized? Does censoring a movie poster really help anything?

Lou and Kimi unpack it all, reminding us that erasing symbols won’t erase reality.

Moral of the story: Bring back Napster...

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

Episode Links: 

James Bond Poster

The History of Napster

Movie: The Social Network

Lou heads to London to chat with Joe Ingham, an award-winning producer and filmmaker who works in development and production across both the UK and US. Joe has helped bring projects to life with Amazon, BBC, Sky, Channel 4, Paramount, and more, and his films Baby Lies Truthfully and The Microcosm.

In this episode, Joe breaks down what “development” in TV and film actually means, taking an idea from its earliest spark and shaping it into something ready for the screen. He talks about the creativity, patience, and people skills it takes to make it happen, plus the importance of keeping an open mind and creating space for new ideas.

If you’ve ever wondered what really goes on before your favorite shows or documentaries get made, this conversation will pull back the curtain on a side of the industry most people never get to see.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

In this mini-episode, Lou and Kimi talk about YouTube running AI filters over videos, without creators asking for it. Has AI ever automatically edited your content? What does that mean for creativity?

YouTube is one of the biggest living archives we have, but if AI starts changing our work, are we actually moving backward? Things are already at the point of overproduction, and social media feels exhausting. 

Lou and Kimi ask: should AI be making creative decisions, or do we need to bring back imperfection and stay connected to art?

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

Episode Links: 

BBC Article: YouTube secretly used AI to edit people's videos. The results could bend reality

Rick Beato Youtube