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📥 Get the Sri Lanka Podcast Tour Magazine: https://stan.store/TheCreativeOdysseyPodcast/p/get-inside-the-creative-odyssey-magazine?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

Grace is 23, based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and she will tell you straight — she never called herself creative. Bad O Level results. Bad A Level results. Always behind, always doing more just to escape the thought of not doing enough. Then she walked into a classroom of special needs children and everything she believed about creativity fell apart. Today she is head of projects at an NGO, co-founder of a sustainable clothing brand built for bodies the fashion industry ignores, and a collaborator to multiple creative businesses in Colombo — none of it from a degree, all of it from curiosity and a willingness to fail in public.

This episode is about what happens when you stop waiting for permission to call yourself creative.

In this conversation you will learn:

• Why spending years feeling creatively behind is not a sign you missed your window — it is the window
• How teaching special needs children rewired Grace's entire understanding of what creativity actually means
• Why she built a sustainable clothing brand specifically for mothers whose bodies the fashion market had forgotten
• How she manages multiple creative ventures simultaneously while keeping her Sri Lankan parents' peace of mind
• Why she would rather fail at something than spend her life wondering if she could have done it
• What she did the exact month she got fired from the job that was her heart and soul
• How to use curiosity as a daily practice even when you don't see yourself as a creative person

Host: Sheran Ranasinghe Guest: Grace Abigail Devaprasath — head of projects, NGO sector; co-founder, sustainable clothing brand; Colombo, Sri Lanka Recorded at: Hatch.lk Startup Hub, Sri Lanka Produced by: Odyssey House Media Episode theme: A 23-year-old who never called herself creative builds three ventures from curiosity and a refusal to play it safe.

🎧 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/12SGsSsLz4DqlLFwxigjXX 🎧 Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/the-creative-odyssey-podcast/id1750306317 📧 thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

🎙️ The Creative Odyssey Podcast explores the inner lives of creative people — why they create, what it costs, and why creativity might be the most important thing any of us can do. Hosted by Sheran Ranasinghe. Produced by Odyssey House Media. Recorded at Hatch.lk Startup Hub, Sri Lanka.

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Tharaka Hettihamu is a product manager and builder working at the intersection of agritech, AI, and startup product development in Sri Lanka. In this conversation, he breaks down what product management actually demands, why he pivoted from aircraft engineering into tech, and how his team at Spectrify AI is digitising data across Sri Lanka's tea industry to turn a supply chain into a value chain.

📥 Download the Sri Lanka Podcast Tour Magazine — free: https://stan.store/TheCreativeOdysseyPodcast/p/get-inside-the-creative-odyssey-magazine?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

What we get into:

• Why Tharaka left aircraft engineering and what he found on the other side
• What product management actually is — and why emotional intelligence is the core skill
• How Spectrify AI is using infrared spectroscopy to digitise agricultural data in Sri Lanka's tea industry
• What it means to convert a supply chain into a value chain
• The Govi Lab program — one of 10 startups selected, backed by the Bill Gates Foundation
• AI agents, digital workers, and the Vector project
• Why creativity in tech has nothing to do with artistic talent
• How AI access in rural Sri Lanka is an infrastructure problem, not a readiness problem
• How to get into product management from any background — including the free resources Tharaka used

CONNECT WITH THARAKA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hetti.tech/ Website: https://hetti.tech

🎙️ The Creative Odyssey Podcast Hosted by Sheran Ranasinghe | Produced by Odyssey House Media Recorded at Hatch.lk, Sri Lanka

🎧 Listen and subscribe: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12SGsSsLz4DqlLFwxigjXX Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/the-creative-odyssey-podcast/id1750306317 Buzzsprout: https://thecreativeodysseypodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

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That's who Michelle Therese Alles is. And this conversation is about what it actually costs to become who you were supposed to be.

Michelle is a journalist at the Daily FT in Colombo, Sri Lanka — a radio presenter, communications specialist, brand voice developer, and model who walked into Roxanne Dias's class to get enrollment information for a friend and signed up herself. She left an eight-year airline career one promotion away from security because something told her it was time. It took three years to know she was right. She doesn't regret a single day of it.

In this episode:

• Why creativity gets suppressed in childhood — and how it finds its way back
• Leaving a stable job when everyone says you're crazy
• How she built a writing voice so distinct that editors identify her work without a byline
• Why your inner child doesn't always need comforting — sometimes she calls you out
• The difference between being and doing — and why high-output creatives lose themselves in the doing
• Victim mode as a creative block — and what it takes to climb out
• Why metrics can bury you and authenticity is the only strategy that compounds
• What curiosity looks like when you're in your 40s and still going

This is one of the most honest conversations we've had on The Creative Odyssey Podcast. Recorded at Hatch Works in Sri Lanka as part of Sheran's 20-episode Sri Lanka recording series.

🎙️ Host: Sheran Ranasinghe 🎨 Guest: Michelle Therese Alles — Journalist, Radio Presenter, Communications Specialist | Daily FT, Colombo, Sri Lanka 📍 Recorded at: Hatch Works, Sri Lanka 🌐 https://medium.com/@michelletheresealles 📩 @myrunwayrecords Contact: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com 📸 Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast | @sheranstories | @thisluckymichelle Produced by Odyssey House Media

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He graduated with a computer science degree in Sri Lanka at a time when the games industry had made big promises and kept almost none of them. The jobs weren't there. The infrastructure wasn't there. Nobody was going to hand him the career he'd been told was possible. So he gave himself a job instead.

Four months ago, Rivertune Games was one person. Today it's six — four developers, two artists, a funded game in active development, and a studio that just showed work at Sri Lanka Comic Con and Disrupt Asia. Haritha is twenty-four years old and moving too fast to process any of it.

This conversation goes deeper than the startup story. Haritha talks about what actually keeps a creative person going when every reason to stop makes complete sense — and it's not passion or discipline. It's five people who don't have a job if you do. It's a father who kept taking calls for his employees from an ICU bed. It's the specific relief of staying in motion so fast you don't have time to overthink.

He burnt out. He almost left game development entirely. What brought him back was his own Goose Game — a dating simulator where you play as a goose, made at nineteen, made for nobody but himself — and the reminder that no one was stopping him from making exactly what he wanted to make.

In this episode:

• How to keep going as a creative entrepreneur when the industry doesn't have a place for you
• What it really means to give yourself a job when no one else will
• How Haritha grew Rivertune Games from one person to six in four months
• The burnout that almost ended his career — and what pulled him back
• What his father's death taught him about responsibility, legacy, and not stopping
• Why good and bad are subjective — and what the real standard for creative work actually is
• How to find your passion: the only answer that actually works
• Building a support system as a young founder who is hard on himself

This episode is for the creative person who is in the hardest part of their journey right now — the part where quitting makes complete sense. Haritha is twenty-four and he has already figured out something it takes most people decades to learn: nothing is stopping you. That's not a pep talk. It's just the truth.

🎙️ Host: Sheran Ranasinghe 🎨 Guest: Haritha Naurunna — Founder, Rivertune Games | @rivertune.games 📍 Recorded at: Hatchworks, Colombo, Sri Lanka 📩 Contact: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com 📸 Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast | @sheranstories Produced by Odyssey House Media

Keywords: Haritha Naurunna, Rivertune Games, The Creative Odyssey Podcast, Sheran Ranasinghe, Odyssey House Media, how to keep going when you want to quit, indie game developer Sri Lanka, creative entrepreneur giving yourself a job, game studio founder, how to start a game studio with no money, burnout recovery, creative entrepreneurship, Sri Lanka startup, finding your passion, self belief, game development podcast, creativity podcast

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This is a conversation about what it really means to stay consistent, stay authentic, and stay on the creative path when the world keeps offering you easier exits. Sharon doesn't design rooms. She designs spaces where people finally feel like themselves — rooted in story, shaped by culture, and built around the truth of whoever is living in them.

Recorded in Malabe, Sri Lanka as part of The Creative Odyssey Podcast's first-ever Sri Lanka series, this episode is one of the most honest and grounded conversations we've had on this show.

If you've ever doubted whether you've earned the right to call yourself what you actually are — this one is for you.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why every space needs a story and not just an aesthetic
• How Sharon sources from Sri Lankan artisans to build culturally rooted interiors
• The slow, real process of owning your identity as a creative professional
• What fifteen years of consistency actually looks like in a creative career
• Designing within tight budgets without compromising quality or vision
• How Sri Lanka's color culture and craft traditions shape Sharon's design lens
• The difference between working in Dubai's neutral palette world and returning to Sri Lanka's vibrant visual identity
• Why the Kandyan Perahera is Sharon's go-to source of color inspiration
• How the color of your walls directly affects the way you think and feel
• Creativity as a path back to yourself when life gets hard
• Why the money follows the passion and not the other way around
• The power of asking a senior creative if you can simply tag along

Sharon also talks about singing on stage with an Australian choir of over 160 voices, why perfectionism is a career requirement not a personality flaw, and what she would tell any young creative in Sri Lanka who is still waiting for permission to begin.

HOST 🎙 Sheran Ranasinghe Instagram: @sheranstories Email: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

GUEST 🎨 Sharon Joseph — Interior Designer, Sri Lanka & Dubai Instagram: @sharonjoseph87

RECORDED AT 📍 Space Hub Studios Malabe, Sri Lanka Instagram: @spacehubstudio

PRODUCED BY 🎬 Odyssey House Media Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE 🎧 Buzzsprout: thecreativeodysseypodcast.buzzsprout.com Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/12SGsSsLz4DqlLFwxigjXX Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/the-creative-odyssey-podcast/id1750306317

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Randy Chriz Perera is a self-taught animator and visual artist based in Sri Lanka. His 2.5D animation style is so unorthodox that Adobe engineers requested his files to study how he was using their software in ways it was never designed for. Portia is his wife, co-founder, Chief Operations and Talent Manager, and the person who makes everything Randy creates possible — managing clients, briefs, the business, and their family so that Randy can stay in the creative work that defines him.

Together they founded Meraki United, lead a creative collective of over 300 artists across Sri Lanka, and have produced animation work that caught the attention of Interscope Records. But this conversation is not about the accolades. It is about what it actually costs to build a creative life together — and what that kind of partnership looks like from the inside.

Host Sheran Ranasinghe sits down with Randy and Portia for one of the most honest conversations The Creative Odyssey Podcast has had about creativity, marriage, and what it means to protect someone's gift. Randy describes how he sees the complete finished image in his mind before he ever starts drawing. Portia explains what she means when she says she chisels the brief before Randy ever sees a client's request. And together they talk about the dreamscape practice they started as teenagers in parks — writing out five-year futures together — that still shapes how they build everything today.

This episode is part of The Creative Odyssey Sri Lanka Series.

Get the Meraki United Sri Lanka Creative Tour magazine here: [MAGAZINE LINK]

Topics covered in this episode: Self-taught animation, Adobe After Effects, 2.5D animation, creative partnership, husband and wife business, Meraki United, Sri Lanka creative industry, imposter syndrome, creative community building, going independent, creative life, Interscope Records, finding your creative style, creative discipline, meraki, creative couples, building a business together, Sri Lanka podcast tour

Connect with Randy and Portia: Instagram: @randychriz Meraki United: @merakiunited

The Creative Odyssey Podcast is hosted by Sheran Ranasinghe and produced by Odyssey House Media. New episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms.

Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast Join the community: stan.store/join-the-odyssey

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Stephanie Kluk is the founder of Future Ink Graphics (FIG) — a silkscreen printmaking studio, community gallery, and creative incubator based in Cleveland, Ohio. She has spent over 20 years working in the arts, and FIG is her most personal work yet. Built not because the city asked for it, but because she needed it. And then realized everyone else did too.

In this episode of The Creative Odyssey Podcast, host Sheran Ranasinghe sits down with Stephanie Kluk at Future Ink Graphics for one of the most honest conversations the show has had about what it actually looks like to build a creative life that is completely, unapologetically yours.

They talk about:

• Growing up as the only artist in her family — and what that loneliness taught her
• Failing a printmaking class in college — and now running a print shop
• How Covid revealed what artists were really missing from each other
• Building FIG as a truly inclusive creative space in Cleveland
• The Immortality of Grief — the gallery show she made after losing her father
• Why people of all ages are afraid to make art and what to do about it
• The Ann Kibbe Residency, the FIG Foundation, and the future of the organization
• What it means to build something that is the most true version of yourself

This episode is for the creative who feels stuck. For the person who stopped making art and misses it. For the small business owner grinding through the unglamorous parts and wondering if it's worth it. For anyone who has ever wondered what it would feel like to stop shrinking and just build the thing that is completely, fully them.

Stephanie Kluk's answer — lived out loud for over two decades — is that the most creative and courageous thing any of us can do is simply become who we actually are.

Recorded on location at Future Ink Graphics, Cleveland, Ohio.

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The Creative Odyssey Podcast is hosted by Sheran Ranasinghe and produced by Odyssey House Media. New episodes explore the creative journey — why people create, how creativity shapes identity, and why we all should create.

🎙️ Host: Sheran Ranasinghe 🎨 Guest: Stephanie Kluk, Founder of Future Ink Graphics (FIG) 📍 Recorded at: Future Ink Graphics, Cleveland, Ohio 🌐 Learn more about FIG: futureinkcleveland.com 📩 Contact: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com 📸 Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast | @sheranstories

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Cleveland visual artist Yves Santana joins host Sheran Ranasinghe on The Creative Odyssey Podcast for one of the most honest conversations about the creative journey we have ever recorded.

He was driving himself to school without a license. His mom was working three jobs. And in the middle of all of it — he made a painting that told his whole story before he even understood what he was living through. This is Yves Santana. And this conversation will stay with you.

In this episode, Sheran sits down with Yves to explore what it actually costs to become a creative — and what it means to finally give yourself permission to. Yves grew up navigating two worlds at once: a high-achieving school where he was one of a handful of Black students, and a home life that included two years of housing instability while his mother worked three jobs to hold things together. Through all of it, he kept drawing. He didn't know yet that his art was documenting everything he hadn't found words for.

This episode goes deep on creativity as survival, identity formation under pressure, the weight of stability when you have never had it, what it means to take your art seriously when the world hasn't made room for it, and how community can change the entire trajectory of a life.

If you have ever felt like you don't fully belong anywhere — or like the one place you can finally breathe is when you are in the middle of making something — this one is for you.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Growing up between two contrasting worlds in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
• Quitting varsity basketball and choosing art instead
• How Basquiat became a creative lifeline
• Making a painting that depicted his life before he understood it
• Depression after high school graduation and what pulled him out
• Building community at Future Ink Graphics in Cleveland
• What creativity really is — and why it is more than a skill
• Advice for anyone who feels stuck or lost

About Yves Santana: Yves is a Cleveland-based visual artist and studio art student whose work centers on portraiture, identity, and the human differences that reveal different walks of life. Follow Yves on Instagram: @archangelsantana

About The Creative Odyssey Podcast: The Creative Odyssey Podcast explores the creative journey — the process, the identity, the cost, and the beauty of deciding to express yourself. Hosted by Sheran Ranasinghe. New episodes available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major audio platforms.

This episode is sponsored by Future Ink Graphics — Cleveland's home for creative community and production space.

Connect with us: Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast Email: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

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Vanessa opens by saying she stopped defining herself — and that decision changed everything. From there, the conversation goes deep: how a supportive mother created a home where even her friends could be more creative, the unspoken gravity that creative people feel about their work and why it's so hard to explain to someone who doesn't create, and how Vanessa learned to stop moderating her passion around people who didn't understand it.

She also gets candid about her recent ADHD diagnosis — and how finally having a name for the way her brain works unlocked better systems, better time management, and a deeper trust in her own intuition. She talks about limiting social media to four hours a day, relying on her planner like a limb, and finding the one thing that quiets her mind enough to keep going.

The conversation moves into Vanessa's work at FIG — Future Ink Graphics — a community-rooted creative organization in Cleveland's Clark-Fulton neighborhood that works with youth, emerging artists, and the broader creative community. It's here that Vanessa's natural ability to see potential in people who can't yet see it in themselves found its home.

She and her collaborator Carla Wagner also created The Artist Dinners — an intimate gathering for artists across different mediums and career stages, built around food, jazz, and wine instead of networking anxiety — because Vanessa believes safe environments are the prerequisite for authentic ones.

This episode closes with something both Sheran and Vanessa believe deeply: creativity is not a personality type. It belongs to everyone. The CEOs, the scientists, the athletes — anyone who brings their own style to what they do is already creating. The only question is whether you're willing to stop hiding it.

This episode was recorded at and sponsored by Future Ink Graphics (FIG), Cleveland, Ohio.

Guest: Vanessa Eryn | Instagram: @vavaeryn Host: Sheran Ranasinghe | Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast Email: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

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Cleveland artist and teaching artist Alexis Hedderson joins host Sheran Ranasinghe for one of the most honest conversations on The Creative Odyssey Podcast — about the moment adulthood quietly kills your creativity, and what it actually takes to find your way back to it.

Alexis spent years teaching art to preschoolers, saying yes to a mural project she had no business saying yes to, and battling the inner voice that told her none of it counted. What she discovered on the other side of all of it will make you think differently about why you stopped creating — and whether it's too late to start again. It's not.

WHAT WE GET INTO: — The voice that gets in the way of every creative person — Why teaching art to 4-year-olds reveals something profound about every adult — The mural residency that finally made her believe she was an artist — Why selling your work doesn't cure imposter syndrome — How creativity heals in ways nothing else can — What a truly inclusive creative community needs to look like — Why the slow season is actually your most important creative time

TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Highlight Reel 01:30 — Meet Alexis Hedderson: Artist & Teaching Artist in Cleveland 03:00 — Why she walked away from traditional teaching 05:00 — What open-ended art with preschoolers teaches us about freedom 08:00 — When adulthood makes you forget what it felt like to be a kid 10:30 — The photo of herself as a little girl that stopped her in her tracks 13:20 — Sheran asks: "Were you allowed to create as a kid?" 14:40 — Picking up the brush during the hardest season of her life 16:05 — "Didn't that make you feel like an artist?" — Sheran pushes back 16:20 — Why even selling her work wasn't enough to change how she saw herself 18:00 — The mural project she almost said no to 19:20 — What happened inside her on the other side of it 20:00 — Learning to embrace the slow season as a creative 22:00 — Why setting up your studio during quiet periods is never wasted time 23:30 — "Art is healing. I've seen it heal. It's healed me." 26:00 — The courage it takes to share what you make with the world 28:00 — The inner child running the adult body 33:00 — Alexis's connection to Future Ink Graphics and the Cleveland creative community 36:00 — Her love of printmaking, lithography, and screen printing 39:00 — What it would take to build a truly inclusive creative space

CONNECT WITH ALEXIS HEDDERSON: Instagram: @alexishedderson

ABOUT THE CREATIVE ODYSSEY PODCAST: The Creative Odyssey is a podcast about the journey every creative person goes through — what it looks like, why it matters, and why you should create too. Hosted by Sheran Ranasinghe, filmed at Future Ink Graphics in Cleveland, Ohio.

Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast Email: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com Filmed at Future Ink Graphics (FIG): @futurinkgraphics Website: www.futureinkgraphics.com Sponsored by FIG / Future Ink Graphics Produced by Odyssey House Media: @odysseyhousemedia

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who lost their creativity somewhere along the way.

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In this episode of The Creative Odyssey Podcast, host Sheran Ranasinghe sits down with Bill for a conversation that will challenge how you think about your creativity, your calling, and what your work is actually for.

Bill shares how growing up rough and finding dance changed the entire direction of his life. How working with inner city youth at Cleveland School of the Arts — watching kids quit gangs, go from D's and F's to earning scholarships, and get accepted to Juilliard — taught him that creativity is the most powerful tool for human transformation. And how the moment he stopped creating for his art form and started creating for the people in front of him, everything changed.

This is a conversation about ego, about what it means to truly serve your audience, about using human-centered design thinking as a creative framework, and about why the business of art is just another form of choreography.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: — Why ego is the single biggest block to creative impact — How to "asset map" your life to understand your creative calling — Why the best art is built with the audience, not just for them — How Bill thinks about the business of running a dance company as an act of artistry — What to do when you feel completely stuck creatively

ABOUT BILL WADE: Bill Wade is the founder and executive artistic director of Inlet Dance Theatre, a professional contemporary dance company based in Cleveland, Ohio. Celebrating its 25th anniversary season, Inlet is nationally recognized for its work in dance education, community engagement, and touring productions. Bill's show "What Do You Do With an Idea?" — based on the book by Kobi Yamada — has completed an 8-year national tour. He is currently developing the second production in the series, "What Do You Do With the Problem?"

Connect with Bill: Instagram: @billwade Inlet Dance Theatre: @inletdance Website: www.inletdancetheatre.org

ABOUT THE CREATIVE ODYSSEY PODCAST: The Creative Odyssey is a podcast about the journey every creative person goes through — what it looks like, why it matters, and why you should create too. Hosted by Sheran Ranasinghe and filmed at Future Ink Graphics in Cleveland, Ohio.

Follow the show: @thecreativeodysseypodcast Filmed at Future Ink Graphics: @futurinkgraphics Sponsored by FIG / Future Ink Graphics Produced by Odyssey House Media: @odysseyhousemedia

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In this deeply honest episode, Sheran Ranasinghe sits down with Joel Negus -composer, producer, double bassist, and co-founder of Cleveland Scoring to explore the tension between creativity, faith, and identity.

Raised in a home where music was as natural as breathing, Joel’s creativity once flowed freely. But as he grew older, the joy turned to pressure. Expectations, career, and leadership began to blur the lines between who he was and what he did. After years of performing, pastoring, and building, he found himself asking a haunting question:
“Am I still a creative… or have I lost that part of me?”

What followed was a journey through doubt, burnout, and rediscovery — a story of remembering that creativity isn’t just a skill, it’s a way of being.

🌿 In This Conversation

• Growing up surrounded by musicians and early expectations
• The cost of creative pressure and identity collapse
• Why imagination and healing are deeply human instincts
• Rediscovering creative freedom through analog sound and play
• The power of community and relationships in creative growth
• How The Heights Theater became a home for faith and art
• What it means to live creatively, not just create things

Joel reminds us that creativity can’t be severed from relationships. It’s how we connect, process, and heal. Through his own journey from punk bands to church leadership to film scoring, he’s learned that integration is the real art form.

Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, or someone quietly wondering where your creative spark went, this conversation will speak to the parts of you that still want to dream, build, and become whole again.

✨ Go Deeper - Free Creative Guide: “From Stuck to Spark”

Feeling lost, blocked, or unsure of your next step?
 This free companion guide (inspired by Joel’s story) helps you reconnect with your creativity through simple, visual reflection prompts.

Inside, you’ll:
 1️⃣ Start with the Middle — Express how you feel right now using colors, words, or sketches.
2️⃣ Remember the Sparks — Reconnect with what used to make you come alive.
3️⃣ Dream a Little — Imagine what “unstuck” could look like.
4️⃣ Write It Down — Make a small creative promise to yourself.

It’s gentle, soulful, and designed for anyone ready to begin again.
 👉 Download your free copy here: https://stan.store/TheCreativeOdysseyPodcast

🪶 Guest: Joel Negus

🎵 Composer | Producer | CEO of Cleveland Scoring | Pastor at City Church Cleveland
 🎓 Cleveland Institute of Music graduate
 💡 Known for bridging faith, art, and human connection through music

Follow Joel → @joelnegus
Connect on LinkedIn → Joel Negus

🌊 Connect with Us

Instagram → @thecreativeodysseypodcast
Email → thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

When you feel stuck, The Creative Odyssey Podcast gives you space to reflect, create, and heal. Hosted by Sheran Ranasinghe, it’s where honest stories meet creative renewal - reminding you that your voice was never lost… just waiting to be found again.

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In this episode of The Creative Odyssey Podcast, we’re joined by Shaun Sri Lanka (@shaunsrilanka), co-founder of Not Another Agency (@naa.srilanka) and the visionary behind Paraiso SBKZ (@paraiso.sbkz)  - the first international dance festival in Sri Lanka.

Shaun shares his inspiring journey from being a quiet, introverted painter to becoming a creative strategist, agency builder, and dance mentor. Through his work in human rights, storytelling, and movement, Shaun shows us how creativity becomes the bridge between logic and soul, pain and purpose.

This conversation is a powerful invitation to embrace your true self, especially if you've ever struggled to choose between passions or felt disconnected from your identity.

🌱 In this episode, we explore:

• Blending discipline and spontaneity in creative work
• Using dance as a tool for healing, self-acceptance, and growth
• Building a purpose-driven creative agency in Sri Lanka
• What it means to carry your culture and community with you
• The difference between being seen — and choosing to show up fully

✨ Comment or DM us the word "Embrace" to get this week’s free companion guide: The Embrace Blueprint - including creative prompts and reflections inspired by Shaun’s story.

🎧 Subscribe and follow for more conversations with artists, changemakers, and everyday creatives redefining what it means to live with purpose.

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📍 Learn more about Shaun’s work:
 @shaunsrilanka
 @naa.srilanka
 @paraiso.sbkz

📬 Connect with the show:
 Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast
 Email: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

#Creativity #SelfGrowth #Dance #SriLanka #CreativeAgency #Identity #HealingThroughArt #TheCreativeOdyssey

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What happens when a Sri Lankan math professor reveals he’s also a songwriter and poet? In this inspiring episode, we dive deep into the life of a man who defied expectations, blending logic and creativity to break cultural stereotypes.

Discover how he went from struggling student to respected academic, and how his passion for music and writing became a powerful outlet for self-expression and healing. We explore the pressures of growing up in Sri Lanka, the pivotal moments that shaped his journey, and why he believes everyone! Yes, even you, has creativity within.

Whether you’re a student, a creative, or someone searching for purpose, this episode will challenge your assumptions and ignite your curiosity. Tune in for a conversation about overcoming failure, embracing your unique path, and unlocking the creative genius inside us all.

Keywords: Sri Lankan math professor, songwriter, creativity, overcoming failure, inspiring stories, podcast, cultural stereotypes, personal growth, creative journey, academic success

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In this deeply honest episode, I share the story behind one of the hardest creative decisions I’ve ever made: telling my podcast co-host I needed to go solo. Not because of conflict. Not because of ego. But because of a whisper I could no longer ignore.

We’ll talk about:

• 🎧 Why I stepped away from a creative partnership that was working
• 🧠 The power (and pain) of being multipassionate
• 🔥 How community helped me transform chaos into courage
• 💡 The exact 4-step Creative Courage Framework I now use to make bold moves

Whether you’re a storyteller, content creator, or just someone trying to follow your curiosity — this one’s for you.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between who you were and who you’re becoming… this episode will meet you there.

🔔 Subscribe and leave a review — it helps this podcast reach more creatives just like you.
 📩 Want to share your story or get in touch? DM me on Instagram @sheranstories or email thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

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In this episode of The Creative Odyssey, we’re joined by two storytellers from vastly different disciplines but deeply connected by purpose: Mason Bufkin, an author and educator who writes character-driven fiction for young adults, and Sunami Rodriguez, a Colombian-born actress whose art became her lifeline through immigration, motherhood, and self-discovery.

Together, we explore:

• How childhood, culture, and family influence creative identity
• The breaking points that almost made them quit—and what pulled them back
• Writing and acting as tools for empathy and healing
• What it really means to "help a character speak"
• The hidden emotional labor of storytelling
• Rejection, burnout, perfectionism—and how they’ve learned to move through them

Sunami shares how acting saved her at a time when she felt most lost. Mason opens up about rejection letters, abandoned manuscripts, and what kept him writing. Through honest, unscripted reflection, this conversation reminds us that creativity isn’t about the spotlight—it’s about staying connected to who you are, and daring to shape the world through your voice.

🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube for full visual experience
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in
📥 Download our free listener resources below to support your own creative odyssey

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In this episode of The Creative Odyssey Podcast, we sit down with Charles and Kyra, the creative powerhouse behind Breakthrough Sounds, one of Cleveland’s rising creative hubs. Their story is anything but typical—no funding, no fancy connections, just $3,000, prayer, and pure grit.

Charles shares how bombing a rap show pushed him to reinvent himself—and how he turned that moment into fuel for something bigger. Kyra opens up about walking away from a “safe” career in computer science to pursue graphic design, trusting the path before she could fully see it.

We get into:

•The messy truth about starting from scratch

•The myth of “natural talent” and why creativity is for everyone

•How to build a creative career withouta million-dollar budget

•Navigating the real-life dynamic of growing together as a couple and collaborators

•And what it means to be part of Cleveland’s creative renaissance

Whether you’re stuck in your own head or sitting on an idea you’re scared to start—this one will light a fire under you.

Start where you are. Build what you can. Stop waiting for perfect.

🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube for full visual experience

00:00 Intro

03:00 Charles’ first rap performance (3rd grade!)

10:50 Kyra’s leap from computer science to design

26:40 The creative shift happening in Cleveland

34:00 The $3,000 studio story

44:30 Creativity + relationships: how they make it work

51:20 A message to creatives who are scared to start

Let’s keep creating:

Follow us on IG →[@Thecreativeodysseypodcast]

Kyra wells [@Kyrajwells] 

Charles Pratt[@toobefresco]

Listen + subscribe for more creative stories that don’t skip the real parts.

If this episode hits home, leave a review or share it with a fellow creative.

It helps more dreamers find their people.

#CreativePodcast #BreakthroughSounds #StartBeforeYoureReady #CreativeProcess #DIYCreatives #ClevelandCreatives #CreativeCouples #CreativeJourney #BuildWithoutPermission #EntrepreneurshipForCreatives

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We also reflect on our journey from 2024, the success of Odyssey Sounds, and how this podcast has evolved. Plus, hear about our upcoming guests and creative plans for 2025!

Key Takeaways:
🎨 How curiosity fuels creativity
🛠️ Why creating a prototype is more important than making it perfect
🧠 Reframing your mindset for creative freedom
💡 Setting small creative challenges to push past fear
🎶 Behind the scenes of Odyssey Sounds and our creative meetup

Join the conversation! What creative ideas have you been curious about but hesitant to start? DM us or tag us on Instagram @yourhandle with your thoughts!

👉 Follow, rate, and review to help more creatives find their people!

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms

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The hosts discuss why breaking out of old patterns and trusting new ones is essential for evolving as a creative. Through personal stories and examples (like Seinfeld’s George Costanza!), they unpack the importance of allowing yourself to explore, make mistakes, and follow the spark of curiosity wherever it leads.

This episode challenges you to reframe your creative process—viewing it as an ongoing, messy, and deeply personal journey rather than a race for perfection. Plus, Sheran and Ben share actionable tips to help you identify and commit to your own “new pattern” this week.

🎨 Key Takeaways:

•Creativity thrives on curiosity, not perfection.

•Embrace “messy” creativity—it’s often where the magic happens.

•Trust your intuition and let your creativity lead the way.

Join us as we ride the wave of creativity and discover how to create freely, authentically, and joyfully.

🎧 Tune in now, and let us know: What’s one new pattern you’re ready to trust this week?

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In this exciting episode of "The Creative Odyssey," Sheran and Ben welcome their first guest, Joey Liberatore, a musician with a deep passion for creativity. Joey shares his journey from learning to play the guitar to becoming a versatile creative, exploring how music has been a means of self-expression, escape, and healing for him.

Key Highlights:

• Introduction to Joey Liberatore: Joey discusses his background in music, photography, and how he combines these passions in his creative process.
• The Creative Process: Joey delves into the challenges and rewards of the creative process, including how he deals with creative blocks and the importance of community support among creatives.
• Healing Through Creativity: Joey explains how creating music helps him process emotions and overcome personal challenges, highlighting the therapeutic power of creativity.
• The Prototype State of Mind: The conversation explores the concept of the "Prototype State of Mind," emphasizing the importance of creating without the pressure of perfection.
• The Role of Community in Creativity: Joey, Sheran, and Ben discuss the significance of supporting other creatives and how collaboration can lead to growth and new ideas.
• Overcoming Perfectionism: Joey shares his struggle with perfectionism and how he has learned to release his work, understanding that it doesn’t need to be perfect to be impactful.
• The Future of Creativity: The episode concludes with a discussion on the evolving nature of creativity and the excitement of exploring new projects and ideas.

It is a must-listen for anyone who has ever felt stuck in their creative journey. Whether you're a musician, artist, or someone simply interested in the creative process, Joey’s insights will inspire you to embrace your creativity, overcome obstacles, and find healing through your art. The conversation is packed with actionable advice and personal stories that resonate with the challenges and triumphs of being a creative.

Tune in to hear how you can unleash your creativity and join a community that celebrates the creative journey!

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Send Us A Message! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Support the show

Send Us A Message! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Support the show

Send Us A Message! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Support the show

Send Us A Message! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Support the show

Send Us A Message! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Support the show

They discuss the value of creative groups and communities that support and inspire each other, stressing that even brief interactions with other creatives can be energizing and motivating. 

As they wrap up, Ben and Sheran reflect on the importance of seizing creative opportunities and following through with ideas, even if they initially seem daunting or crazy. They plan to continue their podcast with the goal of inspiring others and fostering a community where creativity can flourish.

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 Hi, my name is Sheran, and I'm a creative who is passionate about creating with others. I'm into working, creating music, while telling stories one video at a time. 

 Hi, I'm Ben, and I'm a creative with a passion for creating and producing music, video editing and effects, and I also love carpentry and creating things out of wood and metal. 

You see, being a creative comes with a unique set of challenges. Challenges that we all go through, that we want to talk about, walk through with you, and understand at a deeper level. And most importantly, we want to create a space where you feel like you belong. All while not taking ourselves too seriously and having a lot of fun along the way. If you're a fellow creative and dying for some inspiration, you need to come hang out with us. It's going to be a good time

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