Best Michelle Cowan Podcasts (2024)

1
The Money Pie Chart, with Amy Kaufman 51:52

18d ago51:52

51:52

How do new museums make money — really? In this episode, we lift the veil on new museum projects and money. What is “the peril of the bicycle wheel”? Is it bad to rely on “anchor funding”? How many kinds of revenue should a new museum project have? What happens if you have the wrong number? (Hint: eh, not so good.) How much money do endowments make…

1
Ep 25 - Kera Sanchez shares the unexpected loss of her mom and the dynasty she is building in the grief community. 45:03

1M ago45:03

45:03

Our guest on episode 25 is our "grief" friend Kera Sanchez. She shares with us the loss of her mother and when she died and how it pushed her into a role of a grief journey she didn't understand. Kera shares her creation of her journal called "Legacy Letters Journal" and how you can turn lemons into legacies. She has since created a second journal …

1
Circus Lessons for Museum Professionals, with Jennifer Lemmer Posey 50:12

1M ago50:12

50:12

What’s the role of wonder in experience design? What can the circus teach us to make our exhibitions better? (Spoiler alert: a lot.) Could being “with it and for it” be the secret to success for museum projects? How much technology is too much? Can we really design for all five senses? Can an exhibition be a high-wire act — literally? Jennifer Lemm…

1
Beyond “Exit Through the Gift Shop”, with David Franke 57:18

1M ago57:18

57:18

Do museum stores actually make any money? What are they really for? Can a store act like an exhibition? What does “cap rate” mean? How big should a museum store be? What percentage of visitors go into one, and how many of them buy something? Why should you get an expert to design your store, and what happens when you don’t? David Franke (museum sto…

1
Ep 24 - Chris shares the life & death of her son Nate and how he has shown up to her in the afterlife and more 51:08

2M ago51:08

51:08

Our guest Christina shares the very deepest part of the illness that claimed the life of her child. Her son Nate died at 18 years of age from a lifelong journey of seizures. Christina has always been in the nursing field, so she understands the depth of what death can look like, but when it happened to her, she spiraled. She had to learn to say "It…

1
Ep 23 - Sandy Thomas shares her story of loss from a very young age, her journey with spirituality and her journey with her best friend's death 53:22

2M ago53:22

53:22

Our guest this week is Sandy Thomas; Sandy shares her families tragedy that happened in 1962 when her families vehicle was hit by a train. Her sister Diane died on the scene and her sister Linda died on the way to the hospital. She shares how her family navigated this devastating time and how Sandy learned about who her sisters were years after the…

1
An Economic Planner's Advice to Museums, with James Stevens 49:00

2M ago49:00

49:00

Why is economic planning so vital to any new museum project? What happens if you don’t do it? What is “dark tourism”? Why do economists think about audiences? Can a museum have “ROI”? Which is more important, a profitable museum event, or one that advances a museum’s mission? What can economics teach us about how to make our projects better? James …

1
Ep 22 - Liz with Healing Hearts Podcast shares her losses of her baby daughter, both her parents and how she has journeyed through her losses to light 36:08

2M ago36:08

36:08

Episode 22 is with our special guest Liz Quinn who shares her story of loss from her baby girl to both her parents and how this has formed her understanding of grief and how the power of sharing your story is SO powerful. Liz herself has started an amazing wellness journey of self care and recently launched her own podcast called "Healing Hearts". …

1
A Guitar That Teaches Civil Rights, with Michele Y. Smith 44:04

3M ago44:04

44:04

What is the “humanities gap” — and why is it a huge opportunity for museums? Why can’t everybody be a philanthropist for the day? What does “cultural literacy” mean, and how can it unlock new approaches to the collections we put on display? Why could a shortfall in humanities funding suggest new ways for museums to be relevant? Why shouldn’t a muse…

1
The Questions You Have to Ask Before the Project, with Carolynne Harris (Remastered April 2024) 34:54

3M ago34:54

34:54

We might think a design concept is the first step — but it’s not. What do you need to ask yourself, before you even start? What does your community want from your new museum, and how can you find out? What happens when you have funding for 10 staff, but you design a museum that will take 25 staff to operate? What’s more important, the cost of creat…

1
Ep 21 - Victoria Wolf shares her colorful adventures after she had to shut down their business and how her artwork has transformed her life. 38:45

3M ago38:45

38:45

Episode 20 is full of color and our vibrant guest Victoria Wolf shares her story of losing her business with her husband and how they picked up the pieces for them to travel in their RV and finding their path along the journey of life. She shares her artwork and dreams with all of us! Victoria is an artist, an author, a designer, and a cook! This c…

1
Rethinking Climate Control in Museums, with Roger Chang 50:09

3M ago50:09

50:09

Why is “70/50” the gold standard? Should it be? Who decided? Does every gallery really need to be 70 degrees, plus/minus two? Does every storage space really need to be 50% humidity, plus/minus five? Is that a reasonable goal for most museums? At what cost? What’s the difference between “AA” climate control, and just “A”? How much energy could we a…

1
Embracing Chaos, with Jon Maass 59:26

3M ago59:26

59:26

What if chaos in cultural projects is something to embrace, not fear? Can chaos theory give us new insights about how to manage complex work? Are we advocates for the owner of a project, or for the project itself? What are the three things upon which the success or failure of a project depends? Sometimes, is it better to let a few things change, ra…

1
Ep 20 - Tom & Melanie share their son Max's life & death with us and how they wrestled with their faith and the community that showed up for them. 49:12

3M ago49:12

49:12

In this episode we listen to Tom & Melanie share the story of the loss of their beloved son Max. Max died in December 2012 due to complications from the flu. They share wonderful and beautiful stories of their son Max and how he continues to make impacts on so many lives. Tom & Melanie started a foundation called "Love to the Max foundation" that s…

1
The New Louis Armstrong Center, with Regina Bain and Sara Caples 46:21

3M ago46:21

46:21

What’s the secret to success, when a project lasts years longer than planned? What keeps us going when our work takes more time? How does the subject matter of a project relate to the form of a project? Why should we be thinking equally about the budget for what happens after a project opens? What is the “architecture of delight”? Why do “reverbera…

1
Episode 19: Dave and Cassy Lawrence sharing their Sailor's amazing story of life and laughter. They dive into their non profit and how it helps so many. 50:47

4M ago50:47

50:47

***ANGIE'S AUDIO WAS A LITTLE DISTORTED DURING THIS EPISODE, PLEASE JUST IGNORE THE HIGH TONE, BECAUSE OUR GUESTS TONE'S ARE PERFECT AND THEY SHARE A BEAUTIFUL STORY THAT SHOULD BE HEARD*** Meet our two amazing guests Dave and Cassy Lawrence as they share the story of their son Sailor and the amazing non profit they created in his memory called Sai…

1
Episode 18 - Shannon Sell Rubes shares her loss to light journey after losing her daughter Sara and also sharing her journey to Heaven after an illness 41:21

5M ago41:21

41:21

On this episode you will listen to Shannon share her story of her loss to light, in particular her daughter Sara that had died in a car accident. Shannon connects with the other side as she is an intuitive and was able to see and hear from her daughter Sara the night she died. Shannon also found her light after she almost lost her own life and was …

1
Flourishing in Museums (New Book), with Dr. Kiersten F. Latham and Professor Brenda Cowan 55:26

5M ago55:26

55:26

What is a “growth mindset” — and why is it more important than ever for our industry? What happens when we combine museology with the fast-growing field of positive psychology? How do exhibition teams get through projects with tough subject matter? Why should we always “put our own oxygen mask on first”? What’s the opposite of love (hint: not hate)…

1
The Real Bilbao Effect, with Andy Klemmer 58:41

5M ago58:41

58:41

Can an eye-catching museum revitalize a city? The answer might surprise you. Getting the right designer is vital. If you don’t like a painting you can put it away, but if you don’t like a building, you can’t take it down. Why is it important to have the goals of a complex museum project fit in a mantra of a few words? What comes first in museum arc…

1
Episode 17 - Doug Burns shares amazing insight into the loss that changed him after his family owned a publication for 93 years 38:40

5M ago38:40

38:40

Our guest for episode 17 shares with us how he has found his light after the loss of his identity after the sell of his families 93 year business. Doug shares amazing insight and advice for all of us to lean into for ANY life lessons. Give this episode a listen through as we talk about so many aspects of loss and how light is found and perspectives…

1
Raising the Voices of People of Color in Museums and Exhibitions, with Sierra Van Ryck deGroot and Jinelle Thompson 1:08:31

5M ago1:08:31

1:08:31

How can we raise the voices of people of color in museums and exhibitions — and what stands in the way? What is Museum Hue? What constitutes a sustainable museum job, a sustainable career? What percentage of staff at museums are folks of color, and what roles do they have? What do we see happening in the exhibitions that museums create? Many cultur…

1
The Near Future of Experience Design, with Neil Redding 1:00:39

5M ago1:00:39

1:00:39

What do technologies like the Apple Vision Pro mean for exhibitions and experiences? For people who create cultural destinations, the pace of technology has now become so fast it’s hard to keep up. AR, VR, AI. What’s happening in the “near future” of the technologies that will define our field for years to come? What is spatial computing? Are proje…

1
Episode 16 - Stacey Powells on life breakdowns, living through the hardest times, to becoming an author 46:45

6M ago46:45

46:45

In Episode 16 we chat with Stacey Powells on her breakdown to eventual author and how she has managed her struggles with great drive and empathy and humor towards others. She is funny and shares so many "AHA" moments that many of us journey through. Her journey through life is interesting from the beginning as she shares her dad's career as "THE" B…

1
Assembling a Collaborative Project Team, with Beth Van Why 1:06:11

6M ago1:06:11

1:06:11

Great projects happen because of great teams. But how do you build that team in the first place? Who should a museum hire first, to start a major project? How do you decide whether internal staff should run a big project, or if you need help from outside? Should you hire an architect before you hire an exhibition designer, or vice versa? Who else d…

1
5 Secrets of Digital Experience Design, with Patrick Snee 57:40

6M ago57:40

57:40

How can we make digital experiences work for all visitors — whether kids or grandparents? Hint: it has to do with recognizing “diverse digital literacies.” When should you bring in a creative technologist? Why should you aim for the strong verbs? What is “sneaky attract mode”? How do you do paper prototyping? Are a lot of digital experiences in mus…

1
Episode 15 - Kelly Cervantes sharing the journey of losing their daughter, writing her book, and her husbands role as Hamilton on Broadway 48:35

6M ago48:35

48:35

On this episode we sit down and chat with author Kelly Cervantes. Kelly and her husband Miguel lost their little girl Adelaide to epilepsy. The road from the beginning of her life to her young death has been nothing short of hard for this family. They navigated the loss of their daughter the the crazy epidemic of covid that hit the world, to an unb…

1
Start With "Who's It For?", with Liza Rawson 1:13:26

6M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

What’s the very first question we should ask — before we start our projects? Should we start designing … by designing? How do we make sure we understand our audience, before we start making experiences for them? Why is prototyping so important? How many of our ideas should we expect to survive the creative process? And what does microbiology art ha…

1
Episode 14 - Beth M. Howard - the original "The World Needs More Pie" author, pie baker, and her amazing story of Loss to Light through pie 50:42

7M ago50:42

50:42

We were honored to have a special guest, Beth M. Howard on our podcast sharing her story of loss to light through the making of pie. Yes, making pie has transformed into something I'm sure Beth never saw coming, but is running with it and thriving. Beth M. Howard is an author, blogger, pie baker, TEDx speaker, world traveler, peace advocate, and an…

1
Episode 13 - Sarah Speichert on her son's battle with a brain tumor and their mission to help others. 38:21

7M ago38:21

38:21

Episode 13 is here and we are chatting with a special Loss Mom, Sarah Speichert. Sarah and her family's young son Jack died from a brain tumor. She tells us the story of how they found out he had a brain tumor, what the initial process and testing all entailed, their journey to St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis and their brave journey to bring Jack ho…

1
Museum Research: Big Data Meets Thick Data, with Elena Kazlas and Adaheid Mestad 1:04:39

7M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

Cultural projects should be data-driven — but which *kind* of data? What’s the difference between the “big data” we all know — and “thick data”? Which is more important? (Hint: trick question.) What does cell phone data have to do with sculpture gardens? What’s a “two-hour ring”? What if we just recorded visitors narrating their entire experience —…

1
Episode 12 - Cathy Fox and all things Holiday Grief tips and advice 44:00

8M ago44:00

44:00

In episode 12 we welcome our special guest Cathy Fox, Field Education Director for the Social Work Program at Creighton University. Cathy has a stealth knowledge of grief and loss. Cathy has been a pillar within the Omaha, NE community with grief work and working in many areas building the guidance and knowledge of how to cope with loss in a person…

1
How to Build a Museum, with David Greenbaum, FAIA 57:00

8M ago57:00

57:00

What if there were just five important things to remember when you build a museum? What if the most important one of them all — had nothing to do with architecture? Which costs more in the end: building the museum, or operating the building? (The answer might surprise you.) Is it better to be bold, or to be subtle? What’s the difference between how…

1
Episode 11 - Betts Blum Jones shares her story of her traumatic accident, her recovery journey, then her life into widowhood 32:20

8M ago32:20

32:20

Episode 11 is a beautiful story of recovery with our guest Betts Blum Jones. Betts shares a traumatic story of an injury she endured when a headstone fell on her legs. She tells the scary details of the most freak accident that happened. She goes into her recovery journey and then when the unthinkable happens within the year of her recovery. Betts …

1
Experiential Tech Insights, with Will Bullins 1:07:12

8M ago1:07:12

1:07:12

What’s the #1 thing to know about experiential technology? How long do LED walls last? (The answer will surprise you.) Is a project done when it opens, or are growing pains normal? What happens when you use technology just to have technology? What’s an “integrator”? Is sustainability a thing in experiential tech? How? What missteps waste money, rui…

1
Success In Iowa Ep 19 - Kelli Erwin 49:23

8M ago49:23

49:23

By Todd Studer

1
Episode 10 - Sue Roberts shares her daughter's brain cancer journey and their impact in the Omaha, NE community 48:54

9M ago48:54

48:54

Episode 10 is showcasing our guest Sue Roberts. Sue shares the beautiful and loving story of her daughter Heather. Heather died November 8, 2016 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor; Heather lived and fought with such dignity. Jon & Sue Roberts have created a lasting legacy in Heather's honor by creating an organization called "Leap for a Cure"…

1
Episode 9 - Wenday's Part 2 - Her spiritual journey, relapsing, and finding her true self 1:02:16

9M ago1:02:16

1:02:16

***TRIGGER WARNING - THE TALK OF SEXUAL ASSAULT & SUICIDE ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE*** Welcome to our 9th episode with the Wenday Cooper from Iowa! In this episode Wenday dives into her spiritual journey, her drive to receive a couple very important degrees in life, a relapse, and her eventual sobriety and where she is at today. Wenday is truly…

1
Episode 8 - Wenday Cooper's story of abuse, addiction, and eventual sobriety! 52:41

9M ago52:41

52:41

***TRIGGER WARNING - THE TALK OF SEXUAL ASSAULT & SUICIDE ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE*** Welcome to our 8th episode with the amazing Wenday Cooper from Iowa! She is going to share her loss to light from sexual assault as a young child to journey through a suicide of her abuser and finding her light after years and years of addiction and relapses.…

1
"Rapid Experience Design", with Clare Brown 1:01:27

9M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

What if there were a better way? Are the normal exhibition planning and design methods actually way too risky — and is there a way to “de-risk” them? Are our concepts not good enough, because we’re not developing enough of them, fast enough? What would happen if we merged effective web techniques like “Agile” with established physical development p…

1
DEAI: Meeting ADA Standards Isn’t Enough, with Beth Ziebarth & Jan Majewski 1:08:06

10M ago1:08:06

1:08:06

What’s the A in DEAI, and why are the ADA guidelines not enough anymore? What’s intersectionality? What’s a “user expert”? If ADA isn’t our goal, what comes after? This is a must-listen episode, featuring two of the most important voices in museum accessibility today. Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) is joined by Beth Ziebarth (Smith…

1
Episode 7 - Carrie England's journey to sobriety while living through loss 28:47

10M ago28:47

28:47

***WARNING - THE TOPIC OF SUICIDE IS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE IN DEPTH*** As a reminder Angie & Michelle are not therapists, but simply are having the discussions of loss in many forms. If anything is triggered by listening to an episode, please reach out to the appropriate channels regarding the specific discussion. Our main goal is to have an op…

1
"Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook", with Dr. Dori Tunstall 1:09:06

10M ago1:09:06

1:09:06

How can exhibition teams help to decolonize design? What are the pitfalls cultural organizations should watch out for in their DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives? What’s a supertoken and why are cluster hires a better strategy? And what does it mean to approach the process indigenous-first? The new book, “Decolonizing Design: A Cult…

1
Episode 6 - Samantha Cooper's "three" awakenings in life 42:10

10M ago42:10

42:10

In this Episode, we chat with Samantha Cooper as she dives in and tells us about the 3 awakenings in her life. She starts her story by telling us the story of her family life growing up, but realizing what she was experiencing at age 40 surrounding her parents. She speaks eloquently about her realizations and will shed light into so many emotions m…

1
Episode 5 - Angie & Michelle chat about PTSD, podcast stuff, and all around triggers 18:57

11M ago18:57

18:57

***TRIGGER WARNING*** On this episode we dive into PTSD and self care, what that all means. We do talk about suicide in this episode. Michelle talks about her eye issues and what that means and some other recent losses that she has experienced and how it has triggered her. Angie chats about how we are all "better together" and how we can move throu…

1
Episode 4 - Becky's story from widowhood to today 46:57

11M ago46:57

46:57

In this episode, we are introducing our beautiful friend Becky Nicks. Becky and Angie were introduced back in 2009 when their worlds collided through widowhood. Michelle also came into the widowhood world with us as we all met on a widow/widowhood online group. Becky's story is full of love, sadness, and loneliness, but most of all a young widowed …

1
The Visitor Engagement Lifecycle, with Samir Bitar 1:09:34

12M ago1:09:34

1:09:34

What if the best way to market an exhibition — wasn't marketing? What do we need to do better to help visitors find us in the first place? When they do, how do we engage them? When visitors arrive at our institutions, do they know where to go? What happens to the visitor's experience when we haven't thought enough about the restrooms, the stairs, o…

1
Episode 3 - Todd Studer's story 45:54

12M ago45:54

45:54

In this episode, Todd Studer shares his story of childhood abandonment, learning to grow as a child feeling alone. Todd, talks us through the therapy and the hard work he has had to do to find his light through his traumatic losses. Todd shares how his divorce has left him not involved with his own children's life, but the love and hope he shares t…

1
Learning from "Matters of Experience", with Abigail Honor and Brenda Cowan 59:02

12M ago59:02

59:02

Three podcast hosts join forces in a single show to discuss the latest in experience design. It’s a fast-paced three-way session covering half a dozen broad themes, and countless smaller ones. What are we hearing out there? How can we apply it to the work of cultural institutions? Is the biggest creative trend of them all the resurgence of … empath…

1
Behind the Scenes at "Exhibition" Journal, with Ian Kerrigan 1:00:40

1y ago1:00:40

1:00:40

What if there were a high-quality, peer-reviewed journal for the whole exhibition community? What if it featured the leading organizations, practitioners and ideas that shape the whole industry? What if back issues for the past 30 years were available — for free to see online, right now? “Exhibition,” the Journal of Exhibition Theory & Practice, pu…

1
Episode 2 - Angie's story from losing a child to widowhood to a bereaved sister and more 49:42

1y ago49:42

49:42

In this episode, Angie Hanson native of Nebraska, shares her story of the death of her son Garret in June 2006, her husband Jack in February 2009, her brother Seth in April 2009; then her sister-n-law Brooke in 2018. She shares how she navigated the grief journey while supporting and raising her young daughter Graci. She walks us through tools she …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Michelle Cowan Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide