Shows
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesWhere Practice Meets PracticalityRecorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library! Featuring Donald Harrison (featured in S1. E5) and Hien Lam (featured in S2. E3).In this live recording, Yen and Hafsah are joined by CadencePod alums Donald Harrison, filmmaker and owner of 7 Cylinders Studio, and Hien Lam, co-owner and designer at Huck Finch, to explore how creative practice can be effectively integrated into real-world applications and careers.2025-06-101h 05
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesMerging Mediums and Staying Agile in a Changing Media LandscapeMultimedia artist and designer Martin Thoburn joins the podcast to discuss how curiosity has driven his diverse career. With a background spanning graphic design, motion graphics, animation, filmmaking, and projection mapping, Martin shares his unconventional journey from film and mixed media experimentation, to a career in corporate work.2025-03-2041 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesBuilding Sustainable Spaces that MatterArchitect, entrepreneur, and community advocate Lisa Sauve shares her journey from early drafting classes to founding Synecdoche. As CEO, she blends architecture, policy, and placemaking to shape urban spaces, local policies, and community culture. Through projects like Do Good Work, she supports creatives and fosters civic impact. This episode explores how design intersects with responsibility, offering insights for architects, designers, and changemakers.2025-03-2046 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesThinking Like a Designer, Building Like a CEOHien Lam, co-founder of Huck Finch, a strategic design studio in Ypsilanti, joins us to talk about building a business with intention, the power of saying no, and creating a brand that resonates. Hien shares his unconventional career path from pre-med to design entrepreneur, and how travel has influenced his work and worldview. We also dive into client experience, pricing strategies, and why great design starts with strategy, not aesthetics.2025-03-2041 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesThe Exhibit Designer’s Playbook: Building Meaningful SpacesHafsah and Yen sit down with Jason Jay Stevens, a creative force in exhibit design and the founder of Flutter and Wow Museum Projects. With a career spanning decades, Jason has played a key role in designing and implementing museum exhibits, interactive technologies, and immersive storytelling experiences. Jason shares insights into how curiosity, adaptability, and storytelling shape the world of museum design. He also reflects on the challenges of leading a creative team, the importance of accessibility in exhibit design, and why history museums are more vital than ever.2025-03-2042 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesDeveloping Digital Experiences with HeartCreative director, web developer, and musician Chris Plumb shares his journey from a digital art-obsessed teen to leading web development at major tech companies like Duo Security, Cisco Systems, and Claroty. He dives into how his passion for music and visual storytelling shapes his approach to web design, breaking down front-end vs. back-end development, the power of hands-on learning, and the role of design thinking in user experience. vChris also offers practical advice for aspiring developers, covering community-driven resources, AI’s growing influence on creativity, and the challenge of balancing career ambition with personal fulfillment.2025-03-2054 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesA Deep Dive Into Our Creative CareersHafsah and Yan take a deep dive into the day-to-day lives of creative professionals. They break down their workflows, tools, and processes, offering insights into the realities of working in design, motion graphics, and graphic recording. From navigating client relationships to finding efficiency in daily tasks, this episode is a practical guide for anyone looking to understand how creatives make their work happen.2025-03-201h 01
ann arbor's 107one Podcasta2VV: Ann Arbor District Library 3/18/25Rich has a sick bird.There's something happening every day at aadl.org!This Thursday from 6-7pm at the Downtown Library, join Yen Azzaro and Hafsah Mijinyawa, the hosts of Cadence: A Podcast for Creatives as they host a live recording of their podcast in conversation with director Donald Harrison and designer Hine Lamb. All-ages Mario Kart Tournament! Sunday, March 23 from 1-4pm at the Downtown Library.
2025-03-1809 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesThe best of the worst-case scenarios - Hafsah & YenIn the final episode of Season 1, hosts Hafsah and Yen reflect on their six-month journey of launching Cadence, sharing lessons learned, growth experienced, and their gratitude for the guests and listeners who've made it all possible. We dive into the importance of commitment, navigating red flags, overcoming imposter syndrome, and finding balance in creative work. As the new year begins, Hafsah and Yen encourage listeners to embrace creativity, trust their instincts, and continue growing both personally and professionally.2024-12-2736 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesHow to protect your business - feat. Chris JohnsonInsurance is not the most fun thing to think about when you're starting out in your career, but it's a vital component of building peace of mind into your journey. Hafsah and Yen grill Chris on what to cover when you're an individual creative versus a mid-sized organization versus a big-sized production. Chris helps us to navigate how to get started with the insurance process and most importantly, and how to cover our butts when the worst case scenario becomes real.2024-08-0642 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesHow to price your work - feat. Linette LaoIt's never easy to talk about money. In this episode Hafsah and Yen dive down this rabbit hole with the principal graphic designer of Invisible Engines, a design consultancy that specializes in working with nonprofits and human-centered organizations. Linette talks about why charging hourly is not always the right fit for everyone, and offers insight on how to reframe the value of the dollar. We also discuss the nuances of being a woman in the workplace, how that affects salary disparity between genders historically, and what actions could be taken to combat that reality.2024-07-1942 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesBuilding client relationships - feat. Donald HarrisonIn this episode, the hosts are joined by Donald Harrison, the lead producer and director at 7 Cylinders Studio. Donald shares insights from his extensive experience in film and video production. With his treasure trove of experiences, Donald shares nuggets of wisdom on everything from tackling the beast of client expectations, to why treating your work like a heartfelt collaboration can lead to magic. He schools us on the gentle art of educating clients, transforming them from question marks into exclamation points of understanding and appreciation for the creative process.2024-02-0750 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesThe long & short project process - feat. Paloma Núñez-Regueiro Artist and printmaker Paloma Núñez-Regueiro shares insights into how she manages her complex schedule, balances long-term projects with immediate tasks, and how she factors in self-care and planning as a key component of her her creative process. In this episode, we fan girl over something you might not expect—project management! Mind maps, Pomodoro techniques, and constructive critique—oh my! The conversation delves into overcoming anxieties related to the creative process, the challenges of embracing change, and the joys of experimentation and play in art-making.2024-02-0746 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesLeveraging your education - feat. Dr. Cam McCombHafsah and Yen talk to Dr. Cam McComb, Associate Professor of Visual Art Education at Eastern Michigan University, about the continued path of learning, regardless of where or how you do it. Dr. Cam talks to us about what her students think that becoming an art teacher means and what it actually entails. She offers insight on what "creative" means and how it's flexible with possibility for reshaping and growth. And she blows our minds when she tells us that "perfectionism is a learning disability".2024-02-0747 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesBuilding your personal brand - feat. Pete BakerHafsah and Yen welcome Pete Baker, photographer, graphic designer, creative director, product design leader, and more recently, bar proprietor. We talk to him about how his personal brand (or more so how he doesn't have a personal brand) and how it's meandered to serve a myriad of markets and clients over the years. Pete talks about why it's so important to demonstrate your usefulness and push away the desire to be transactional in the beginning. He shares the period of his career he was doing his worst work and why Daft Punk was a no-brainer.2024-02-0754 min
Cadence: A Podcast for CreativesThe Genesis of Creative Ideas - With Hafsah & YenHafsah and Yen hash out how they met, who they are professionally and personally, and why they decided to start a podcast.Yen Azzaro is a full time graphic recorder, drawing what people say in real time (no, they don't look like courtroom drawings), illustrator and artist. She talks about the amount of time she's worked for others, and how much more she likes working for herself. Which, makes her kind of a brat.Hafsah Mijinyawa is an actual army brat that moved around a lot and dug into technical and conceptual learning around graphic...2024-02-0732 min