Slow Stories

Mélanie Masarin — ”You never remember the time you spent on the internet.”

What does it mean to gather? This is a question that

Melanie Masarin

has tackled throughout her entire career. Widely known for spearheading experiential storytelling in her roles at renowned companies like Dig Inn and Glossier, Mélanie's passion for community-building ultimately paved the way for the next chapter of her professional story. Enter Ghia—a new non-alcoholic aperitif brand founded by Mélanie that “inspires new ways to drink, gather, and think.”

While Ghia's roots are inspired by the Mediterranean, closer to home, Mélanie has grappled with building a company rooted in connection in a time of increased isolation. For Mélanie, a shift in perspective—and pace—has become a guiding light during this turbulent time. In this conversation, she shared more about the importance of fostering hospitality even while at home, why she characterizes Ghia as being a “slow” company, and what she's learned about the power of slowing down and setting a new, more inclusive table.

Lindsay Adams — ”Slow storytelling means giving yourself the grace and the space to evolve.”

Art imitates life; it also inspires new ways of looking at the world. The advent of the digital age has created a new palette for artists to make their mark on a scale unlike ever before. Lindsay Adams is among these boundary-pushing creatives, and she has captivated the digital landscape with her work—and her story.

For Lindsay, art is both a respite and a runway to inspire introspection and conversation. In this conversation, she shared more about how creativity has catalyzed her work as a disability advocate and what she’s learned about the power of [slow] storytelling. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Alicia Puig of PxP Contemporary.

Orion Carloto — ”Slowing down is the most beautiful thing you can do for yourself.”

We look to the past to inform our futures, but as we continue writing the chapters of our stories, we often forget to bask in the events unfolding in real time. Creative people have a unique ability to capture the nuances of these particular experiences. Poet and tastemaker Orion Carloto is one of these individuals. 

As she's grown in her creative practice, Orion learned how to look for—and celebrate—the magic in the otherwise mundane moments. For Orion, this appreciation for the little things stems from lived experiences and the growth that's shaped her perspective since writing her first book, Flux. 

Today, Orion is celebrating the release of her highly-anticipated sophomore, Film for Her, which in her words, “is a reflection of all of the instances in my life where I found beauty and poetry in the most ordinary places.” This introspection has allowed Orion to write from a place of acceptance.

As she's grown into her personal, professional, and creative identity, Orion is slowly changing the narrative around what it means to tell stories with meaning and grace. In this conversation, Orion shared more about the inspiration behind Film for Her, her thoughts on language as a tool for beauty beyond aesthetics, and what she's learned about growing up—and slowing down. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Nikki Barnhart.

Makenna Goodman — ”I do think that we want to escape, but I don’t think we want to flee.”

“What if you could change your life? Would you do it? How would you do it?” These introductory questions invite readers into the world of The Shame—Makenna Goodman’s debut novel that follows the yearning and ultimate unraveling of a woman named Alma.

While the book itself is short in length, readers become immersed in a slow buildup to a critical decision that Alma makes revolving around Celeste, a mysterious but pivotal character in Alma's life, who, at first, serves as a source of inspiration for Alma but steadily evolves into infatuation throughout the story.

While Makenna has created a riveting work of fiction, The Shame acts as a vehicle for necessary conversations around the relationship between art, identity, and commerce. For Makenna, these ideas remain top of mind, and in this conversation, she shared more about how she arrived at this transcendent story, her relationship with pace and creativity, and how she's learned to reframe an important question when examining storytelling—and life.

Taylor Sterling — ”I want to be more empathetic to how I can help versus how people can help me.”

The creative process is exciting, messy, and in some cases, uncertain. But it illuminates the depths of our subconscious and creates a runway to tell stories that inspire a shift in pace, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the worlds conjured by some of the most creative minds. Taylor Sterling is one of them, and her multifaceted approach to creativity has come to life most notably in the form of Glitter Guide—a brand and editorial platform that publishes “lifestyle advice, reading recommendations, and tips for boosting and embracing your creative energy.”

While the site has amassed a loyal following over the years, the road to building Glitter Guide hasn't been all sparkles, and Taylor has grappled with how we collectively value—and approach—storytelling in an increasingly fast-paced environment.

As Taylor has paid attention to the big changes that have informed how she's built her business, she's also learned to pay attention to the little moments that are shaping how she's building her life. In this conversation, she shared more about those moments, along with how slowness has informed her relationship with creativity, and what she's learned about surrendering certain expectations to make space for the things that matter most. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Tania Leipold of Laine + Alliage.

Jordan Taylor — ”The most meaningful learning comes from deeper experiences.”

Finding strength in numbers has taken on a whole new meaning as it’s shaped how we navigate a tumultuous time—one that’s called much of how we live and work into question. However, if you ask Jordan Taylor, the question of what comes next ultimately ignites us to look inward and seek to learn things about ourselves—and others. This is the root of what Jordan is exploring with her new company, Medley, which, put simply, “is a membership for curious, growth-minded people who want a structured, social, and accessible way to invest in themselves.”

Medley's mission draws on Jordan's experiences navigating modern life and recognizing that something was missing in an age of individual pursuit. Coupling this with the experiences of her co-founder and mother, Edith Cooper, the duo put their heads together and eventually tapped into the potential that comes when creating space for people from all walks of life to gather and engage in holistic growth. 

In this conversation, Jordan shared more about the people who inspired Medley's inception, the importance of diversity in storytelling, and what she's learned about embracing process over outcome. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Naomi Shah of Meet Cute.

Jenn Tardif — ”You get to define what success looks like and how it feels.”

“When you move half as fast, you notice twice as much.” These words make up the foundation that Jenn Tardif has built for her life and work. With the latter in mind, this sentiment is also one of the pillars that makes up 3rd Ritual—a collective founded by Jenn that, in her words, “creates mindful objects, botanical blends, and esoteric content that make meaning from the ordinary.”

In those ordinary moments of juggling the demands of modern life—and a committed mindfulness practice—Jenn recognized just how disjointed these two aspects had become. So, she decided to take a leap of faith by translating her personal rituals into professional transformation, in turn, breathing new life into what it means to connect today.

While Jenn has created tools to explore, as she mentions in our conversation, “a third way,” she's also created infinite opportunities for people to show up wholeheartedly for one another—and for themselves. In this conversation, Jenn shared more about the origin story behind 3rd Ritual, the importance of creating moments of connectivity both online and offline, and what she's learned about the power of setting intentions. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Stephanie Harrison of The New Happy.

Sophia Amoruso — ”The only way to know is to see the results that come of people’s lives.”

Business is more creative than we give it credit for. Sophia Amoruso understands this sentiment—and while many of us have witnessed the intimate details that have gone into building her past ventures, Sophia is looking forward as she launches her latest endeavor to help fellow entrepreneurs take flight. Enter Business Class, a newly launched course, which is “a one-way ticket for entrepreneurs that covers the fundamentals of starting and scaling your own business to achieve long-term success.”

Sophia's accidental foray into entrepreneurship has informed her current purpose-driven approach to creating content and resources that resonate in our digital age. This same approach is true for Business Class, as students have access to Sophia's extensive knowledge. While she has many lessons to teach—and stories to share—in this conversation, Sophia shared her thoughts on the role of creativity in conscious business, how her relationship with pace has changed, and what she's learned about slowing down—and starting again. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Tayler Carraway of Happy Medium.

Sanaë Lemoine — ”There’s something that’s almost unlocked when I begin writing on paper.”

“The best stories are created when you surrender to uncertainty.” This is a quote from Sanaë Lemoine's debut novel, The Margot Affair. While the context is a work of fiction, these words embody the fact of what it means to live, work, and create in this day and age. If recent months have shown us anything, it’s that uncertainty is in abundance. However, if you ask Sanaë, uncertainty is something that's part of the process in prose—and life.

Born in Paris, raised between France and Australia, and currently based in New York City, Sanaë's global upbringing has given her plenty of stories to tell. Coupling this with her past professional experiences as a cookbook editor and writing consultant, her editorial prowess provided ample runway for her to write The Margot Affair. The story follows Margot Louve, a Parisian teenager who exposes a family secret—shattering her world and simultaneously throwing her into another, more adult one in the process.

Much like the evolution seen within The Margot Affair, the world beyond the pages of this story also changed drastically within the seven years it took for Sanaë to complete the book. In this conversation, she shares what she's learned both personally and professionally, how she's kept a steady pace even in a world of digital distractions, and why she believes in daydreaming—even when the days themselves are uncertain. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Jennie Vite.

Suleika Jaouad — ”Focus on cultivating a practice.”

Our perspectives are shaped by the experiences we collect while writing the many chapters of our lives. However, as we go through life, we brace for the plot twists that have the power to rewrite our stories in ways we could have never expected. Suleika Jaouad understands this sentiment—and has created an extraordinary story of her own rooted in strength and transcendence.

When she was just 22 years old, Suleika was thrown off course with a devastating Leukemia diagnosis. With dreams of becoming a foreign correspondent, she instead found herself, as she says, “reporting from the front lines of her hospital bed.” Today, Suleika is a highly-regarded speaker, writer, and creative professional. But when COVID-19 upended the world earlier this year, Suleika found herself revisiting the notion of what it means to be isolated as a result of illness. Enter her latest project, The Isolation Journals, which has given rise to a vibrant community around the world who are looking to “transform life's interruptions into creative grist.”

While there's something to be said for there being strength in numbers, Suleika has made a compelling case for the creativity—and unexpected sense of connection—that can arise even when we find ourselves in solitude. In this interview, Suleika shared more about the inception of The Isolation Journals, how she indulges in slow storytelling, and why cultivating a lifelong creative practice has brought meaning to her life. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Echo Hopkins of Ordinary Habit.