Creativity in the Time of Capitalism

++++++++PROMPT ALERT: Our next hotline prompt is about people pleasing. Do you have a history of people pleasing? If so, when did you realize it? What have you done to remedy it? What does people pleasing bring up for you? There are no wrong answers here. Record a voice memo of your answer and email it to: hi@creativityinthetimeofcapitalism.com and it will be included in our next hotline episode at the end of this cycle.++++++++Calling all sustainable fashion fans! This week on Creativity in the Time of Capitalism we are joined by fast fashion buyer turned activist, consultant, and podcast host, Amanda McCarty. Their podcast, Closehorse, is a masterclass on what actually goes on in the opaque underbelly of the fashion industry. Amanda is also especially gifted at reminding us all that with every purchase, we shop with our dollars, and in this way,We have the means to deploy ethical consumption under capitalism. Amanda spent close to two decades inside the fast fashion machine, working as a buyer for major brands and startups alike, helping companies like Urban Outfitters decide what clothes we'd obsess over for a few wares and then quietly discard. Behind the glossy campaigns, they witnessed the burnout, the cutting of corners, the sad desk salads, and the emotional dysregulation that set the tone for far too many workplaces. For Amanda, as their awareness grew that so much of what they were helping to bring into the world would ultimately end up in landfills, so did their disillusionment with the fashion industry as a whole. When the pandemic hit, they were laid off from their role as the original buyer at the recently launched apparel rental company, Nuuly.What had felt like a crisis at the time ultimately cracked open the possibility of a very different way of working, one that would disrupt Amanda's entire career trajectory up to that point. In this episode, Amanda shares how losing that job forced them to reckon with a lifetime of scarcity thinking, the belief that work was only about survival, and their deep disillusionment with an industry that had never felt like home.To go behind the episode and to learn more about this project, visit the Creativity in the Time of Capitalism newsletter for bonus content and more

This is a special preview of the kind of content that is typically only available to paid subscribers of the Creativity in the Time of Capitalism newsletter. In this episode, we chat with Alyza Brown, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and therapist about how to recover from mistakes. For around $1 a week for annual subscribers you can receive more conversations like this (and and without ads!). I hope you enjoy this preview and if you'd like to learn more, you can visit CreativityInTheTimeOfCapitalism.com.Thanks so much and onto the show.

My next guest has managed to do the impossible: exited her dream job (and before it became a nightmare) while still managing to steward the dream. Meet clinical herbalist Lauren Haynes, the founder and current Chief Herbal Officer of Wooden Spoon Herbs, a wellness company based in the United States that utilizes heritage techniques and regional herbs to offer enduring remedies for the physiological impacts of modern life. I have watched her brand from afar as it transitioned from cozy kraft paper and farmer’s markets, to the darling of independent trade shows like Shoppe Object—a gateway platform that landed her in some of the country’s most exciting indy boutiques—to covetously designed packaging matched by buzzy and highly effective formulations available at Whole Foods nationwide.In this two part interview, we will uncover Lauren’s origin story, what led her to both herbalism and entrepreneurship, and what the transition from an idyllic workshop in the woods to a supermarket mainstay felt like for the woman at the helm. Lauren also discusses with candor and clarity the kinds of experiences that founders rarely share: how simple miscalculations can lead to five figure losses, and how her dedication to wellness goes beyond tinctures, but to nonnegotiables about her quality of life. This first episode will set the stage for a part two that you will absolutely not want to miss.

Presently considered one of the leading voices shaping fashion photography, Zoë Ghertner has shot campaigns for many of the industry’s most venerable brands, including, though not limited to, Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Celine, and Miu Miu. Her distinct timbre contains a study of the feminine as something unfettered and powerful—at times feral and exuberant, at others stoic yet determined. Her subjects are rooted in the body natural, and their presentation eschews fashion’s predilection for the male gaze. I cannot wait to share this glimpse inside of her world.“My work and my life are intrinsically linked by an ethos. Everything I create is born out of a set of values I hold, namely trying to put good out into the world.”—Zoë Ghertner

Join me in welcoming my next guest, Sara Berks. Sara is the founder, former CEO and creative director of MINNA (2013–2025), an artisan produced universe of ethically made goods for the home that championed and preserved traditional techniques native to Latin America. Her collection was manufactured through reciprocal relationships with over 400 creators across Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Uruguay and Bolivia.Sara defines good design as something inseparable from consideration for people, the planet, and its resources. In this way, she cultivated a path for herself and her collaborators that saw profit as a means to create dignified, consistent employment and fuel for future collaborations that prioritized cultural preservation and locally sourced materials. Learn more about Sara’s experience at the helm of MINNA, why she made the decision to close, as well as what she is up to today, a new project called Portals.

“You can’t outsource community. You have to build it.” A conversation with the multidisciplinary designer on creating community through networks of resilience. I’m very excited to introduce you to my next guest, Christa Clark. She is a multidisciplinary designer with a background in UX (user experience) who stepped away from the corporate sphere to focus on issues that affect her immediate community—from food scarcity and mutual aid to textile recycling and circular economies. Christa is currently been working on several projects, including Material Union, an in-development a textile recycling facility and community resource center that has the potential to create a replicable model for use across the USA where textile recycling infrastructure is sorely lacking (currently 85% of all textiles end up in landfills).Christa reminds us that when the macro feels as dire as it does right now, one of the most liberating things that we can do is to dig deeper into our local communities, forming networks of resilience and mutual aid—something that is rooted in dignity and community, not charity or systems that uphold disparity.My hope with today’s conversation is that everyone can walk away with a bit of hope, license to act, and curiosity. And perhaps a few ways to reframe regular day-to-day decisions—changing the dial just ever so slightly to bring in more empowerment, optimism, collaboration, and engagement with our local communities.Please visit the Creativity in the Time of Capitalism Substack to learn more and for episode resources. Mentioned in this episode: Christa ClarkMutual aidUX/UI designATX Free FridgeFood wasteRedistribution of resourcesMaterial UnionTextile RecyclingFree Fridges Apparel wasteUpcyclingCircular economies

My next guest is Shana Tabor, the designer and business owner behind In God We Trust (IGWT)—a string of boutiques in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan that carried its own branded collections from 2005-2021. IGWT specialized in women's and men's apparel, jewelry and accessories. Walking into any one of those spaces was like walking into another world. Tabor’s storefronts were beautifully and holistically merchandised—creating a complete environment through everything from the brand’s aesthetic and even sewn in labels, to the shop fixtures and old Americana touches. Shana also opened up her own production facility right in Brooklyn and trained many aspiring jewelry and fashion designers along the way. The period of time that IGWT existed saw wild changes in the independent fashion space, like the advent of social media, a couple of recessions, COVID, and more. I'm truly so honored to be able to share Shana's story now and to give her the space to share it in her own words. She has been reflecting on her time running In God We Trust over the past few years and the insights that she has gleaned are utterly poignant, some a true punch in the gut, others gentle reminders for all creatives. This will be the longest set of interviews that I've published on creativity in the time of capitalism to date. And it is wholly deserved in order to give Shana the space to lay out her creative path. So without further ado, let's get started. And my deepest thanks to Shana for the trust with sharing her story.

This episode is the second in a two part conversation with Minnesota based artist and designer, Alexis Stiteler, if you missed part one, please pause and start there. Let’s dive back in.

This episode is the second in a two part conversation with Nigerian based designer, Mukhtara Yusuf, if you missed part one, please pause and start there. In part two, we dive into the context where I first met Mukhtara—fashion. We discussed what it looks like today–it’s deep rootedness in personal storytelling and nostalgia, in cultural violence and erasure, and the very nature of consumerism. Let’s dive back in.

Welcome to part two of my conversation with Rebecca Mapes, if you missed part one, please be sure to start there.When we left off, Bec had just shared where she found herself after spending three years developing and ultimately releasing her sustainable hair care product under her label Winden. After prioritizing the most sustainable choices possible for the manufacturing and packaging of her new shampoo bar, she ultimately found herself facing the unsustainable financial reality of those choices. We also learn more about her experiences translating Winden to the fundraising and start-up world, and the realities of relocating her business from NYC to Sante Fe, NM. Finally, we discover the surprising place Bec has come to land in her creative and entrepreneurial journey.

Welcome to part two of my conversation with Ilana Kohn, if you missed part one, please be sure to start there. Originally a successful illustrator who began her career creating original works for The New Yorker and The New York Times among others, Ilana brought her love of color and graphics to her collection of effortlessly silhouetted and comfort-driven daily wear essentials. Kohn’s label is one quickly recognized by those in the know, with a cool and easy approach to fit and cut informed by the designer and her team’s perspective rather than the gaze of “capital F” Fashion industry. In the second chapter of our conversation, Ilana gives a rare glimpse behind the curtain at what the reality of operating an independent apparel collection looked like in the post-COVID era.

The Creativity in the Time of Capitalism Podcast is here! Hosted by veteran entrepreneur and creative Miranda Bennett, learn the why behind this much anticipated project that interrogates the intersection of creativity and livelihood.