Pickles & Pasta with Steph and Jay

What does it really mean to be creative, and what does it actually take to turn an idea into something real? In this episode of Pickles & Pasta, Steph and Jay dive into the psychology of creativity, from where ideas come from to what happens after inspiration hits. This is an honest, layered conversation about instinct, execution, and the often-overlooked gap between being creative and building something sustainable. They reflect on how creativity showed up early in their lives, from first-grade daydreaming to feeling “different”, and how those instincts evolved into real-world pursuits. But this episode goes beyond inspiration. It gets into the reality of bringing ideas to life: the mistakes, the money lost, the pressure, and the lessons learned the hard way. Jay shares how he started a tennis racket stringing business before the age of 20 with zero experience, while Steph opens up about walking into Bendel’s with hand-sewn dresses, landing a major moment with Brooke Shields, and still having to figure out the business side behind the scenes. They talk candidly about undervaluing your work, navigating creative blocks, and why not every idea needs to become a business. Sometimes the smartest move is knowing what to build—and what to keep as a passion. This episode also explores: Why daydreaming might be your greatest creative tool Letting ideas “come through you” vs. forcing them The difference between creativity and business acumen Pricing, marketing mistakes, and lessons from ~$100K in losses Creative intuition and recognizing “the tap on the shoulder” Fear of success and self-sabotage The importance of environment and the people around you How to move through creative blocks and actually execute Books & References Mentioned: The Creative Act: A Way of Being – Rick Rubin The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron Stutz (Netflix) – Jonah Hill & Dr. Phil Stutz New Crits artist talks (NYC) Artist Cam Roone (Whitney Biennial) Follow & Connect with the Show! Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PicklesAndPastaPodcast Follow ephelants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ephelants/ Steph’s brand: Have Some Fun Today This show is hosted by Steph and Jay and produced by Rainbow Creative (https://www.rainbowcreative.co/) & ephelants (https://ephelantsz.com/) with Matthew “MoJo” Jones as Executive Producer. For sales and partnership inquiries, please contact [email protected] Timestamps: 0:00 – Welcome & intro: the psychology of creativity 0:18 – Were we always creative? Growing up “different” 1:27 – Steph’s first-grade daydreaming & Sister Alisan 2:46 – Jay’s first day of school: kicking and screaming 4:14 – Daydreaming as a superpower: visualization vs. fantasy 6:57 – Rick Rubin & letting ideas come through you 14:49 – Steph’s painting In Your Dreams 22:29 – The Artist’s Way & creative process 25:41 – The origin of Have Some Fun Today 28:19 – Deadlines, pressure & creativity 32:01 – The idea Steph almost ignored 35:23 – Protecting your creativity 44:02 – Fear of success & self-sabotage 52:38 – The “snapshot” trap (Stutz) 57:16 – Creating with purpose 1:02:49 – Creative blocks & how to move through them 1:07:27 – Environment: stimulation vs. stillness 1:16:57 – Takeaway exercise 1:22:01 – Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices