Creativity, Crisis, and Starting Again: How to Move Forward by Letting Go

Send us Fan MailThis week on Unstuck Career, I sit down with Scott Kurtz for a raw and revealing look behind the scenes of a creative career—one that’s been anything but a straight line. Scott shares his journey from dreaming of being a cartoonist since the fourth grade to building a wildly successful webcomics business, only to have it upended by a one-two punch: becoming the primary caregiver for his father after a series of strokes, and then facing the seismic disruptions of Covid. We talk honestly about the highwire act of balancing family responsibility with creative ambition, and what happens to your confidence and sense of self when the work you love suddenly disappears.You’ll want to listen in as Scott unpacks how he reinvented himself in his fifties, pivoting from webcomics to the world of traditional publishing with his new kids' book series, Table Titans Club. We dive deep into the guilt, inner programming, and “imposter syndrome” that plagues so many creatives, especially when old ideas of what’s “responsible” or “real work” collide with following your passion. Scott opens up about the bittersweet reality of second acts, why doing what you love sometimes feels like cheating, and what it really takes to sustain joy and impact through your work—even when the path forward looks nothing like you planned.Ready to hear how a career can unravel and rebuild in unexpected ways? You won't want to miss Scott’s story. To check out his comics, business, and kids’ books, head to toonhoundstudios.com or look for Table Titans Club at your local independent bookstore (or Amazon, if that’s your go-to).If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck