If you’re a musician aspiring to blockbuster success, this conversation is a must-listen. But really anyone seeking to push their creativity to a new level will draw inspiration here — this singer-songwriter’s insights can be applied to almost any solo endeavor.

This upstate New York couple established Stony Creek Farmstead in 2005 with the simple aspiration of raising a family and living a little lighter on the planet. Their small farm has evolved in surprising ways but their mission endures. “The farm has allowed us to stay independent and lead the life we envisioned for ourselves.”

Like many during the pandemic, Brooklyn gym owner Tommy Ardito discovered baking. Ever the entrepreneur, he was soon selling (via Instagram!) pizza from his apartment kitchen. Now know as the “Underground Pizza Boss,” Ardito is about to open a brick-and-mortar to share his artisanal slices citywide.

“I’m willing to scrub toilets, or pet sit…. I’ve often had to augment and I’m not afraid to do crap work. I never want to do crap work again. But if somebody needed an article about how to express their dog’s anal glands, and I needed food, I will do that.”

“I enjoy long form. I don’t know if it’s good or bad for the algorithm or making money. I’m over the threshold for worrying about all those things. I’m just trying to create the best thing — and what I want to create. I really value authenticity.”

“It didn't matter if a paycheck was written to me, I was still a writer. I got zen about it. I thought, ‘well, this is my life, and if i failed to do exactly what I wanted to do, at least I succeeded somewhere and I’m cool about it.’ That’s what happened for me. I just let go and it happened for me.”

Introducing a new podcast by, for, and about soloists