In this episode of The Creative Genius Podcast (the finale for Season 4!) Kate sits down with Albert Bramante — talent agent, psychologist, and author — to explore why so many creatives hold themselves back, how to reframe rejection, why fear isn’t the enemy, and how to trust yourself enough to rewrite your own script.

From Kate: Today I’m bringing you a conversation that feels especially alive and needed right now. I sat down with Albert Bramante — a rare soul who bridges the world of psychology and the performing arts. For over two decades he’s walked alongside actors, dancers, and other artists as both a talent agent and a guide through the invisible terrain of mindset, fear, self-doubt, and that sneaky self-sabotage we all bump up against when we dare to put our true selves out in the world.

In this conversation, Albert opens up about how rejection isn’t really rejection, how fear can be a strange protector, and how staying open to the unknown — in our art, our work, our relationships — can free us to live bigger, truer lives.

I hope as you listen you feel a soft invitation to loosen your own grip a little, to see where you might be clinging too tightly to other people’s scripts for you — and maybe, just maybe, to let yourself play again.

Highlights:

Why rejection is rarely personal

How our childhood shapes creative courage

What fear of success really means

The power of playing instead of performing

Real stories about people pleasing, burnout, and letting go

About This Episode

What if the collapse of old systems — the patriarchy, relentless productivity, and hollow doing — is really the birth pangs of something necessary and beautiful? In this conversation, I sit down with Leo Marrs, a writer, creative strategist, experience designer, and the author of the upcoming The New Creator: Rise of the Mindful Artist in the New Meaning Economy.

Leo’s story begins in the wilds of Alaska and weaves through entrepreneurship, breathwork, altered states of consciousness, and a deep remembering that we are it — the universe expressing itself creatively through us.

In this episode, we explore:

How the collapse of old systems can feel like existential fight-or-flight — and yet a creative rebirth.

Leo’s spontaneous awakening that revealed the creative intelligence suffusing everything.

The essential role of art, vision, and imagination in shaping futures worth living.

How to engage with technology — including AI — without losing our humanity.

Why presence might be our greatest creative “technology” yet.

How to drop the striving and become the mindful artist you already are.

If you feel called to make things that truly matter, this conversation is for you.

Listen Now

Apple Podcasts: [listen here]
Spotify: [Lissten here]

Links & Resources

Connect with Leo Marrs: https://www.leomarrs.com

Leo’s upcoming book: The New Creator: Rise of the Mindful Artist in the New Meaning Economy (sign up on Leo’s site for updates)

Referenced in this episode:

Integral Theory by Ken Wilber — https://integrallife.com/

The Image of the Future by Fred Polak — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Polak

Moga Dot (AI & ethics)

The Telepathy Tapes podcast — https://thetelepathytapes.com/

Aphantasia resources — https://aphantasia.com

Timestamps

00:00 — Welcoming Leo and the collective moment we’re in
04:00 — Leo’s spontaneous awakening in the shower
12:00 — The power of image, vision, and art to shape the future
20:00 — Engaging with AI and collective intelligence mindfully
30:00 — Aphantasia, inner knowing, and hidden gifts of not seeing
42:00 — Why we must learn to trust uncertainty
50:00 — The billboard message: You’re it — becoming the mindful artist you already are

Go Deeper

Read my blog reflections on this episode inside Patreon

Get bonus episodes, reflections, and community connection: [Patreon]

Subscribe to the Creative Genius Newsletter here

If You Loved This Episode

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Join our warm, growing community on Patreon for more bonus episodes, guided reflections, and ways to connect with others on this path.

Stay Connected

Follow me on Instagram: @kateshepherdcreative & @thecreativegeniuspodcast
Follow Leo: @theleomarrs
Reach out to me directly here

Thank you for listening — keep making things that matter.

In this episode of The Creative Genius Podcast, I talk with designer, writer, and thinker Ben Rennie, author of a new book that explores the transformative power of curiosity and creativity. Together, we unpack the dynamic relationship between curiosity, creativity, and confidence, and how this path can guide us to overcome fear and step more fully into our potential. Ben shares his personal story—sparked by a promise to his late mother—that led him to examine how people find themselves in powerful, unexpected places.

We explore the idea that creativity isn’t limited to the arts but is instead the ability to see things differently, solve problems, and bring ideas to life. Through vivid stories and practical wisdom, Ben and I explore how curiosity is the antidote to fear, how creativity naturally flows from curiosity, and how confidence is built by simply beginning—and continuing—to create.

From imposter syndrome at a Dolce & Gabbana event to finding inspiration in nature, this conversation is a powerful invitation to get curious, stay creative, and be kind to yourself in the process.

Topics Covered:

How curiosity dissolves fear

Why creativity is about seeing possibilities, not just making art

Reframing repetition: why doing what’s been done before is still meaningful

How creative confidence is earned through action

The role of environment and nature in creative flow Navigating imposter syndrome

and Honouring your path

Resources & Mentions: Ben Rennie's new book Ben’s “Wednesdays” blog on Medium Brene Brown Steve Jobs: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward…” Meredith Hite-Estevez: “Join a song already singing” Rick Rubin: on creativity and remixing existing ideas

Takeaways / Call to Action:

Follow your curiosity—it’s the best antidote to fear Just start, even if it’s been done before—your voice matters

Practice regularly and create space for your creativity

Capture your ideas on the go

Be gentle with yourself

Spend time in nature to reset and reconnect