unproductive by daydreamers artwork

unproductive by daydreamers

35 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago -

(un)productive by daydreamers is a weekly chat where we pick the brains of creatives, entrepreneurs, thinkers and tinkerers, all who have approached life differently.

Together, we’re redefining how we spend our “free” time in a world that’s hyper-focused on efficiency at the expense of well, everything else. We’ll dig into the habits, mindsets and experiences of some of the most creative minds in the world today so we can all spend a little less time scrolling - and a little more time, dreaming.

Leisure
Homepage Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed

Episodes

SEASON 1 FINALE: What does it really mean to be unproductive?

July 31, 2020 13:00 - 42 minutes - 58.3 MB

Katina and Dupi, Daydreamers' co-founders and your hosts of this podcast, wrap up Season 1 with a deep conversation about what it really means to be "unproductive". They reflect on the themes, similarities, and differences across all of their guests in Season 1  - as well as share some never-before-heard conversations and observations. Katina and Dupi also give a preview for what Season 2 will be about, and how we can all find creativity more often in our everyday.  Have ideas, comments or ...

Dominique Crenn: 3 Michelin-Star Chef Who Is Making The Restaurant Industry More Human

July 24, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 100 MB

Dominique Crenn is a human-being, first and always. And, even though she has created a life that is speckled with achievements - from becoming the first (and only) woman to earn three Michelin Stars for her first restaurant, Atelier Crenn, to being named the Best Chef in the World by the James Beard Foundation - she has continued to stay guided by her curiosity instead. From a young age, Dominique bent the rules for good; growing up as an adopted child in France, she was given the freedom t...

Benjamin Witte (of Recess): Creative Startup Founder Who Canned A Feeling

July 17, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 92.8 MB

Benjamin Witte is a creative entrepreneur, and founder of Recess, the CBD-infused sparkling water brand whose mission is much bigger than selling drinks; it’s to help people feel more calm, cool and collected. You might know them from their Instagram feed, which has a cult-like following and rocketed to success only two years after launch. But, our chat with Ben isn’t just about taking Recess from a tiny idea to a full-fledged company with no prior knowledge of the CBD or CPG industries (al...

Benjamin Witte (of Recess): Startup Founder Who Canned A Feeling

July 17, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 92.8 MB

The Chat Benjamin Witte is a creative entrepreneur, and founder of Recess, the CBD-infused sparkling water brand whose mission is much bigger than selling drinks; it’s to help people feel more calm, cool and collected. You might know them from their Instagram feed, which has a cult-like following and rocketed to success only two years after launch. But, our chat with Ben isn’t just about taking Recess from a tiny idea to a full-fledged company with no prior knowledge of the CBD or CPG indu...

Liz Plank: Researcher Who Flips Societal Rules On Their Head

July 10, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

The Chat Liz Plank is a perspective shifter - she has spent her entire career (and life!) dedicated to asking the difficult-but-curious questions that shift the narrative of both big societal belief systems - and personal ones. Liz is also an award-winning journalist, former Executive Producer of several critically acclaimed shows on Vox Media, and author of her latest book For The Love Of Men: A New Vision For Mindful Masculinity. In our chat with Liz, we learn about her creative process ...

Liz Plank: Award-winning Journalist + Podcaster Who Is Shifting How We View Gender

July 10, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

Liz Plank is a perspective shifter - she has spent her entire career (and life!) dedicated to asking the difficult-but-curious questions that shift the narrative of both big societal belief systems - and personal ones. Liz is also an award-winning journalist, former Executive Producer of several critically acclaimed shows on Vox Media, and author of her latest book For The Love Of Men: A New Vision For Mindful Masculinity. In our chat with Liz, we learn about her creative process of asking ...

Justin Bettman: Prolific Photographer Who Takes Pictures First + Asks Questions Later

July 03, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 86 MB

Justin Bettman is a prolific photographer who still approaches life and work with a punk-rock view. Even though Justin has worked with some of the most well-known celebrities and brands in the world (think: everyone from Daniel Radcliff to Spotify), he is constantly living by the motto: do first, ask questions later. But, Justin didn’t seamlessly move from There to Here, as you’ll hear in our chat today. Like many of our guests so far, Justin continues to push his own boundaries and definit...

Justin Bettman: Photographer Who Takes Pictures First + Asks Questions Later

July 03, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 86 MB

The Chat Justin Bettman is a prolific photographer who still approaches life and work with a punk-rock view. Even though Justin has worked with some of the most well-known celebrities and brands in the world (think: everyone from Daniel Radcliff to Spotify), he is constantly living by the motto: do first, ask questions later. But, Justin didn’t seamlessly move from There to Here, as you’ll hear in our chat today. Like many of our guests so far, Justin continues to push his own boundaries a...

Justin Bettman: When You Take Pictures First + Ask Questions Later

July 03, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 86 MB

The Chat Justin Bettman is a prolific photographer who still approaches life and work with a punk-rock view. Even though Justin has worked with some of the most well-known celebrities and brands in the world (think: everyone from Daniel Radcliff to Spotify), he is constantly living by the motto: do first, ask questions later. But, Justin didn’t seamlessly move from There to Here, as you’ll hear in our chat today. Like many of our guests so far, Justin continues to push his own boundaries a...

Craig Hatkoff: When You Decide To Color Outside The Lines

June 26, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 110 MB

The Chat Craig Hatkoff is a disrupter at heart. His accolades span many arenas - Craig is a prolific real estate investor, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival, best-selling children’s book author, philanthropist, expert on innovation - and the list could go on. But most importantly, Craig has been able to craft a life filled with creativity, passion and storytelling by collecting as many “dots” of experiences as he could - and connecting them looking backwards. We especially love this ...

Craig Hatkoff: Investor (+ Tribeca Film Festival Co-Founder) Who Decided To Color Outside The Lines

June 26, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 110 MB

Craig Hatkoff is a disrupter at heart. His accolades span many arenas - Craig is a prolific real estate investor, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival, best-selling children’s book author, philanthropist, expert on innovation - and the list could go on. But most importantly, Craig has been able to craft a life filled with creativity, passion and storytelling by collecting as many “dots” of experiences as he could - and connecting them looking backwards. We especially love this conversati...

Elle Luna: When You Follow Your Dreams (Literally)

June 19, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 99.8 MB

The Chat Elle Luna found herself at a crossroads: one between continuing to collect life’s “Shoulds” or finally following her “Must.” As an artist at her core, Elle lived her early life collecting trophies and thinking practically. Since she was a kid, Elle wanted to be a lawyer and did nearly everything she could to get there - until the world forced her in another direction. Elle is now a best-selling author, speaker, painter, and expert on finding your passion. She started her career as...

Elle Luna: Tech Designer-Turned-Artist Who Followed Her Dreams (Literally)

June 19, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 99.8 MB

Elle Luna found herself at a crossroads: one between continuing to collect life’s “Shoulds” or finally following her “Must.” As an artist at her core, Elle lived her early life collecting trophies and thinking practically. Since she was a kid, Elle wanted to be a lawyer and did nearly everything she could to get there - until the world forced her in another direction. Elle is now a best-selling author, speaker, painter, and expert on finding your passion. She started her career as a designe...

Jemel McWilliams: Choreographer Who Uses His Moves To Change The World

June 12, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 108 MB

The Chat Jemel McWilliams is a self-proclaimed ‘Journey Man’. But, even though he’s tried his hand at all types of creative (and not-so-creative) endeavors, he never lost that spark. And now, as a highly-regarded artistic director and choreographer for artists such as Lizzo, Janelle Monae, John Legend, Alicia Keys and others, Jemel understands something that his younger self may not have: being different - being yourself - is the coolest thing you could do. Jemel has spent over ten years i...

Jemel McWilliams: Lizzo's Choreographer Who Uses His Moves To Change The World

June 12, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 108 MB

Jemel McWilliams is a self-proclaimed ‘Journey Man’. But, even though he’s tried his hand at all types of creative (and not-so-creative) endeavors, he never lost that spark. And now, as a highly-regarded artistic director and choreographer for artists such as Lizzo, Janelle Monae, John Legend, Alicia Keys and others, Jemel understands something that his younger self may not have: being different - being yourself - is the coolest thing you could do. Jemel has spent over ten years in the ente...

Jemel McWilliams: When You Use Your Moves To Change The World

June 12, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 108 MB

The Chat Jemel McWilliams is a self-proclaimed ‘Journey Man’. But, even though he’s tried his hand at all types of creative (and not-so-creative) endeavors, he never lost that spark. And now, as a highly-regarded artistic director and choreographer for artists such as Lizzo, Janelle Monae, John Legend, Alicia Keys and others, Jemel understands something that his younger self may not have: being different - being yourself - is the coolest thing you could do. Jemel has spent over ten years i...

A Chat From Our Founders: We're Speaking Up

June 05, 2020 13:00 - 12 minutes - 16.7 MB

The Chat We are putting our normal podcast programming on hold this week to honor the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and the many others who have been affected by racism in the United States. Daydreamer's founders + our (un)productive podcast hosts, Katina and Dupi, will share a brief, raw, and unedited chat about systemic barriers, like racism, that hold us back from accessing creativity - and most importantly, how we can use our voices to fight against it. They will...

Michael Chernow: NYC Food Entrepreneur Who Turned Comfort Foods Into The Meatball Shop

May 29, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 101 MB

Think about your last delicious meal at a restaurant. How did it make you feel? Restaurants are the lifeblood of creativity, community, and storytelling - and these days, they’re an art form whose importance we’re all too aware of. This week, we’ll hear from Michael Chernow, a restaurant entrepreneur and storyteller extraordinaire. Michael is the co-founder of the famous NYC restaurant, The Meatball Shop, and his latest spot, Seamores, a sustainable seafood restaurant - among other food and...

Michael Chernow: Food Entrepreneur Who Turned Comfort Foods Into Restaurant Obsessions

May 29, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 101 MB

The Chat Think about your last delicious meal at a restaurant. How did it make you feel? Restaurants are the lifeblood of creativity, community, and storytelling - and these days, they’re an art form whose importance we’re all too aware of. This week, we’ll hear from Michael Chernow, a restaurant entrepreneur and storyteller extraordinaire. Michael is the co-founder of the famous NYC restaurant, The Meatball Shop, and his latest spot, Seamores, a sustainable seafood restaurant - among othe...

Michael Chernow: When You Turn Comfort Foods Into Restaurant Obsessions

May 29, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 101 MB

The Chat Think about your last delicious meal at a restaurant. How did it make you feel? Restaurants are the lifeblood of creativity, community, and storytelling - and these days, they’re an art form whose importance we’re all too aware of. This week, we’ll hear from Michael Chernow, a restaurant entrepreneur and storyteller extraordinaire. Michael is the co-founder of the famous NYC restaurant, The Meatball Shop, and his latest spot, Seamores, a sustainable seafood restaurant - among othe...

Mira Mariah: When You Make Tattoos A Fashion Statement

May 21, 2020 13:00 - 51 minutes - 71.2 MB

The Chat Mira Mariah is a pioneering tattoo artist based in Brooklyn, New York who is changing the face of the industry with her femme, minimalist illustrations that feature all body types, ethnicities, and styles (which has landed her celebrity clients, like Ariana Grande). Mira started her career as a fashion designer, but took a leap of faith after her daughter was born to begin her tattoo artist apprenticeship - and never looked back. As a queer mother with a disability (Mira had her l...

Mira Mariah (GirlKnewYork): Pioneering Tattoo Artist Who Turns The Body Into Her Canvas

May 21, 2020 13:00 - 51 minutes - 71.2 MB

Mira Mariah is a pioneering tattoo artist based in Brooklyn, New York who is changing the face of the industry with her femme, minimalist illustrations that feature all body types, ethnicities, and styles (which has landed her celebrity clients, like Ariana Grande). Mira started her career as a fashion designer, but took a leap of faith after her daughter was born to begin her tattoo artist apprenticeship - and never looked back. As a queer mother with a disability (Mira had her leg amputat...

Mira Mariah: Tattoo Artist Who Made A Fashion Statement

May 21, 2020 13:00 - 51 minutes - 71.2 MB

The Chat Mira Mariah is a pioneering tattoo artist based in Brooklyn, New York who is changing the face of the industry with her femme, minimalist illustrations that feature all body types, ethnicities, and styles (which has landed her celebrity clients, like Ariana Grande). Mira started her career as a fashion designer, but took a leap of faith after her daughter was born to begin her tattoo artist apprenticeship - and never looked back. As a queer mother with a disability (Mira had her l...

Mira Mariah (GirlKnewYork): Tattoo Artist Who Made A Fashion Statement

May 21, 2020 13:00 - 51 minutes - 71.2 MB

The Chat Mira Mariah is a pioneering tattoo artist based in Brooklyn, New York who is changing the face of the industry with her femme, minimalist illustrations that feature all body types, ethnicities, and styles (which has landed her celebrity clients, like Ariana Grande). Mira started her career as a fashion designer, but took a leap of faith after her daughter was born to begin her tattoo artist apprenticeship - and never looked back. As a queer mother with a disability (Mira had her l...

Anthony Brandt: When You Realize Creativity Is Part Of Our DNA

May 14, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 110 MB

The Chat Dr. Anthony Brandt is a world-renowned composer, Professor of Composition and Theory at Rice University and co-author of The Runaway Species, a book that inspired the Netflix documentary, The Creative Brain - and deeply impacted our philosophy at Daydreamers. In our chat today, Tony (or Dr. Brandt) shares some awe-inspiring truths about the human experience - most importantly: creativity is part of our DNA. As humans, our ability to imagine a future that doesn’t yet exist is liter...

Anthony Brandt: Composer Who Realized Creativity Is Part Of Our DNA

May 14, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 110 MB

The Chat Dr. Anthony Brandt is a world-renowned composer, Professor of Composition and Theory at Rice University and co-author of The Runaway Species, a book that inspired the Netflix documentary, The Creative Brain - and deeply impacted our philosophy at Daydreamers. In our chat today, Tony (or Dr. Brandt) shares some awe-inspiring truths about the human experience - most importantly: creativity is part of our DNA. As humans, our ability to imagine a future that doesn’t yet exist is liter...

Ronnie Fieg: When Your Passion For Taking Risks Starts A Fashion Movement

May 07, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

The Chat Ronnie Fieg is one of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. He founded KITH, the revolutionary streetwear, and fashion brand from scratch after a long-time obsession with product and culture. KITH is known for major creative collaborations with everyone from Coca Cola to Disney - and they’re some of the best master marketers in the game. Their products sell out within milliseconds once they’re dropped. But, Ronnie didn’t always live at the top - he actually started his career as a ...

Ronnie Fieg (of KITH): Fashion Trendsetter Who Always Stays True To His Roots

May 07, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

Ronnie Fieg is one of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. He founded KITH, the revolutionary streetwear, and fashion brand from scratch after a long-time obsession with product and culture. KITH is known for major creative collaborations with everyone from Coca Cola to Disney - and they’re some of the best master marketers in the game. Their products sell out within milliseconds once they’re dropped. But, Ronnie didn’t always live at the top - he actually started his career as a stockboy a...

Ronnie Fieg: Trendsetter Who Took A Major Risk

May 07, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

The Chat Ronnie Fieg is one of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. He founded KITH, the revolutionary streetwear, and fashion brand from scratch after a long-time obsession with product and culture. KITH is known for major creative collaborations with everyone from Coca Cola to Disney - and they’re some of the best master marketers in the game. Their products sell out within milliseconds once they’re dropped. But, Ronnie didn’t always live at the top - he actually started his career as a ...

Celeste Headlee: Journalist Who Left The Cult Of Efficiency

April 30, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 94.5 MB

The Chat Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist, speaker, radio-host (on PBS, NPR and others) and author of the new book, Do Nothing: How To Break Away From Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving. Celeste’s Tedx Talk on human connection has garnered over 23 million views. In our chat today, Celeste takes us through a hundreds-year-long journey, which has led our society to be inducted (unknowingly, of course) into the ‘cult of efficiency.’ Her research and historical knowledge show...

Celeste Headlee: When You Leave The Cult Of Efficiency

April 30, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 94.5 MB

The Chat Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist, speaker, radio-host (on PBS, NPR and others) and author of the new book, Do Nothing: How To Break Away From Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving. Celeste’s Tedx Talk on human connection has garnered over 23 million views. In our chat today, Celeste takes us through a hundreds-year-long journey, which has led our society to be inducted (unknowingly, of course) into the ‘cult of efficiency.’ Her research and historical knowledge show...

Celeste Headlee: Journalist Who Shares Why She Left 'The Cult Of Efficiency' (And We All Should)

April 30, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 94.5 MB

Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist, speaker, radio-host (on PBS, NPR and others) and author of the new book, Do Nothing: How To Break Away From Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving. Celeste’s Tedx Talk on human connection has garnered over 23 million views. In our chat today, Celeste takes us through a hundreds-year-long journey, which has led our society to be inducted (unknowingly, of course) into the ‘cult of efficiency.’ Her research and historical knowledge shows us that ...

Morgan Harper Nichols: When Your Vulnerability Goes Viral

April 23, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 96.3 MB

The Chat Morgan Harper Nichols is a poet, painter, artist, and musician who created two #1 best-selling books and amassed over 1.2 million Instagram followers. But, even though Morgan has crafted this creative career all before the age of 30 (seriously - she’s 29!), don’t let that fool you. Morgan is still one of the most grounded, humble and vulnerable people we’ve ever met. Think of this conversation as a big, virtual hug. During our chat with Morgan, she takes us through her childhood a...

Morgan Harper Nichols: Poet Whose Vulnerability Went Viral

April 23, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 96.3 MB

Morgan Harper Nichols is a poet, painter, artist, and musician who created two #1 best-selling books and amassed over 1.2 million Instagram followers. But, even though Morgan has crafted this creative career all before the age of 30 (seriously - she’s 29!), don’t let that fool you. Morgan is still one of the most grounded, humble and vulnerable people we’ve ever met. Think of this conversation as a big, virtual hug. During our chat with Morgan, she takes us through her childhood as a homesc...

Launching this April: (un)productive Podcast by Daydreamers

April 13, 2020 01:15 - 6 minutes - 9.03 MB

The (un)productive Podcast is a new show by Daydreamers that digs into the habits, mindsets and experiences of some of the most creative minds in the world today. We know that our world today is obsessed with productivity and efficiency - but it comes at an expense. So, let's start dreaming a little bit more. (un)productive Podcast hits the airwaves in April 2020 - subscribe to stay in the know.

Twitter Mentions

@chatkoff 2 Episodes