Making Waves: Meet Inspiring Women Shaping The Surf, Swim, Fashion + Lifestyle Industries

Naia Creative
  • 5.0 (2)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Welcome to Making Waves, the podcast celebrating fearless, creative women shaping the surf, swim, lifestyle, and fashion industries. Join us as we dive into the journeys of photographers, videographers, designers, models, influencers, and creatives bringing bold ideas to life. In each episode we uncover the challenges, mishaps, and unforgettable adventures that shaped their success, and share inspiring stories and insider tips to help you grow your creative business, work with top brands, and confidently chase your dreams. Let’s make waves together!

Episodes

  1. 06/26/2025

    Runways & Reality Checks: Our First Miami Swim Week, Unfiltered

    🎙️ NEW EPISODE: Our Miami Swim Week Recap!  We’re back from MIAMI SWIM WEEK and wow—what a whirlwind!  In this episode, we’re chatting about our experience of shooting RUNWAY SHOWS for PARAISO, WHY WE ACTUALLY WENT to Miami Swim Week, and now in the aftermath WAS IT WORTH IT?  We made a full blog post JUST FOR THIS EPISODE—check it out to see BTS, photos, and our FAVORITE HIGHLIGHTS from Miami Swim Week! BTS Link Here: https://www.naiacreative.co/blog/adventures-in-miami-our-first-swim-week Plus—a MAJOR shoutout to our girl MARIYA, whose episode was loaded with pro tips that totally saved us in the chaos of the media pit (think: camera Hunger Games, but make it fashion). Haven’t listened to Mariya’s episode yet? She’s a powerhouse fashion photographer and videographer who’s shot NYC, PARIS, LONDON, MILAN, AND MIAMI Fashion Weeks. Get her runway wisdom + BTS stories at the link below! Listen to Mariya’s Episode on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glam-grit-and-getting-the-shot-mariya-on-shooting/id1788998180?i=1000699178784 Listen to Mariya’s Episode on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iO3AQjK1SagExkdggds62?si=o9rO9MTBTiiB2uUmM8sQCA LET’S BE FRIENDS!  Connect with us at @naia_creative on Instagram, and join our email list at naiacreative.co to find out about upcoming meetups, retreats and behind-the-scenes from recent shoots! Thank you for tuning into this episode!  Xx Cassie and Dee

    26 min

  2. 04/24/2025

    Fashion, Tech, and Dinosaurs, oh my! Kelly Kuhl on Unexpected Paths & Big Ideas

    We’re BACK with an absolute CREATIVE POWERHOUSE—KELLY KUHL (yep, it’s pronounced cool, and she 100% lives up to the name). Kelly’s career is anything but conventional—and that’s exactly what makes her magic. With over 18 years of experience building ICONIC BRANDS across FASHION, TECH, FILM, BROADWAY, and WORLD CLASS MUSEUMS, she’s the definition of industry agnostic.  Kelly’s lead CREATIVE TEAMS + BRAND STRATEGY for global companies like TWILIO, L’ORÉAL, MOMA, GHOST IN THE SHELL, EVERLAST and more—Kelly has done it all! IN THIS EPISODE, WE CHAT ABOUT:  Why blending industries (and roles!) is the future of creative work Kelly’s “scientist-in-a-creative’s-body” approach to design and strategy How authentic connections can lead to surprising opportunities (like a dinosaur poster contest, no joke) Building brand nuance and storytelling across wildly different industries Breaking into new spaces without a traditional path—and thriving while doing it This convo is packed with WISDOM, INSPIRATION, and lots of LAUGHS! Whether you’re in fashion, tech, the arts—or just figuring it out—this episode is for YOU!  So grab your fav snack and get ready to rethink what’s possible!  LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Send Kelly some love at @mskuhl  Resources for Creatives:  https://creativemornings.com/  https://www.sidebar.com/  https://www.caveday.org/ LET’S BE FRIENDS! Connect with us at @naia_creative on Instagram, and join our email list at naiacreative.co to find out about upcoming meetups, retreats and behind-the-scenes from recent shoots! Thank you for tuning into this episode!  Xx Cassie and Dee

    1h 5m

  3. 03/14/2025

    Glam, Grit, and Getting the Shot: Mariya on Shooting for Vogue, Fashion Week Runways & More

    We’re back, babyyy! After a little life intermission (featuring an unwanted side of pancreatitis), we’re back in action and this episode is fire! MEET MARIYA!!!  She’s a powerhouse FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER AND VIDEOGRAPHER that has shot some of the world’s most iconic Fashion Week cities—NEW YORK, PARIS, LONDON, MILAN and MIAMI.  Mariya’s worked with major brands like DKNY, GAP, L’ORÉAL and her work has been featured in VOGUE, L’OFFICIEL, ELLE, VANITY FAIR and COSMOPOLITAN to name a few! She’s also captured live events and productions with the UNITED NATIONS—no big deal, right? In today’s episode, we’re diving into the WORLD OF HIGH-FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY, talking about how to navigate the fashion industry and what it’s like working with HIGH-END BRANDS and clients!   So grab your survival beverage of choice—coffee, wine, tea, sparkling water, or a coconut and get comfy bc this is a long one, but it’s soooo good! LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  You can find Mariya + view her STUNNING work at @mariyanicolemvp, and make sure you send her a DM with some love!    LET’S BE FRIENDS! Connect with us at @naia_creative on Instagram, and join our email list at naiacreative.co to find out about upcoming meetups, retreats and behind-the-scenes from recent shoots! Thank you for tuning into this episode!  Xx Cassie and Dee

    1h 1m

  4. 02/05/2025

    From New York to Hawaii: Gwen Carson on Confidence, Business, and Building Your Dream Life

    Meet GWEN!  You are in for a TREAT bc today we dive deep into the world of fashion, creativity, and personal growth with Gwendolyn Carson—an international fashion model, walking the runway for some of the biggest designers at NEW YORK FASHION WEEK, PARIS FASHION WEEK, and BRIDAL FASHION WEEK. Oh, and let’s not forget—she’s been featured in top publications like ELLE Magazine! Casual, right? But Gwen is soooo much more than just a runway queen. She’s also a swimwear designer, splitting her time between NYC and Hawaii (literally living the dream)!  In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the high-fashion world. Gwen shares what it’s really like behind the scenes of modeling, how to BUILD UNSHAKABLE CONFIDENCE, set boundaries, and WHY understanding that YOUR TIME is YOUR MONEY is a GAME-CHANGER. Plus, we get her insider take on influencer marketing and the journey of launching her own swimwear brand! This convo is full of gems, so grab some snacks, get comfy, and let’s dive in!! MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Send GWEN some love at @gwendolyncarsonnyc and check out her swimwear at @gwendolynelizabethswim JOIN US IN PUERTO RICO! Get all the details on our upcoming retreat at naiacreative.co/events Check out photos from our shoot w/Gwen at naiacreative.co/maui-hi-fashion-swimwear LET’S BE FRIENDS! Connect with us at @naia_creative on Instagram, and join our email list at naiacreative.co to find out about upcoming meetups, retreats and behind-the-scenes from recent shoots! Thank you for tuning into this episode!  Xx Cassie and Dee

    48 min

  5. 01/20/2025

    Building Her Dream Life: Underwater Photographer Taylor Dewey on Boundaries, Balance and Bold Decisions

    NEW - Watch the VIDEO version of this episode on Spotify!  Meet TAYLOR! She’s as close as it gets to a real mermaid living on the North Shore of Hawaii and the go-to girl for ocean loving adventurous brands!  In this inspiring episode, Taylor shares about how one bold decision can totally CHANGE YOUR LIFE, and her secrets to finding success on your own terms, staying intentional with your creativity, and building a career you genuinely love!  For creatives working with brands, Taylor offers invaluable insights on setting clear expectations and guiding brands through the creative process for mutual success. If you’re ready for a pep talk and some seriously practical advice, this episode is calling your name! 🎙️✨ Go fangirl over Taylor and let her know how much you enjoyed her episode at @taylorrdewey Mentioned in this Episode:  PADI (the Professional Association of Diving Instructors) - learn about free diving or scuba diving safely https://www.padi.com/ Thank you for tuning into this episode!  JOIN US! Join our email list at naiacreative.co to find out about upcoming meetups, retreats and behind-the-scenes from recent shoots! LET’S BE FRIENDS! Connect with us at @naia_creative on Instagram Xx Cassie and Dee

    59 min

  6. 01/06/2025

    Welcome to Making Waves: Are We Crazy?

    Welcome to Making Waves!  Meet your hosts, Cassie + Dee from Naia Creative, as we dive into our passion for the surf, swim, lifestyle, and fashion industries, and why we started this podcast to highlight the inspiring women making bold moves in these creative worlds. In this candid and fun conversation, we’ll talk about how we’ve navigated our own creative paths, the challenges and breakthroughs we've experienced, and the vision that drives us to amplify the voices of other fearless women shaking things up in photography, videography, design, and beyond.  From the highs to the lows, this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look at what led us to launch Making Waves and why we’re passionate about bringing you inspiring stories, actionable insights, and lots of creativity. Whether you're aspiring to work with top brands or simply looking for the motivation to follow your passion, we’re here to help you ride the creative wave with confidence! Tune in for all the fun, inspiration, laughs and tips to come in the episodes ahead! Mentioned in this Episode:  The online photography course where we met: horizonfound.com The recap from our trip to Nicaragua: https://www.naiacreative.co/blog/nicaragua-surf-retreat-recap JOIN US! Join our email list at naiacreative.co to find out about upcoming meetups, retreats and behind-the-scenes from recent shoots! LET’S BE FRIENDS! Connect with us at @naia_creative on Instagram Xx Cassie and Dee

    25 min
  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to Making Waves, the podcast celebrating fearless, creative women shaping the surf, swim, lifestyle, and fashion industries. Join us as we dive into the journeys of photographers, videographers, designers, models, influencers, and creatives bringing bold ideas to life. In each episode we uncover the challenges, mishaps, and unforgettable adventures that shaped their success, and share inspiring stories and insider tips to help you grow your creative business, work with top brands, and confidently chase your dreams. Let’s make waves together!

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