Work-Shaped Life is produced by
Sheepscot Creative in Portland, Oregon.
Recent Episodes
13
Sept. 28, 2026
Humility, care and connection | oncology nurse
Episode 13 with Kartika Vasavada. What'd we talk about Social work. Volunteering. Nursing. Compassion from coworkers. Working inpatient versus outpatient. Coping mechanisms. Friends outside of healthcare. Work-life balance. Taking on union duties. Childhood in Michigan. Channeling anger. Stubborn independence. Connecting with patients. Finding joy. What you carry with you. Impromptu sex advice. Remembering why you do the work to begin with. Work-Shaped Life is a production of Sheepscot Crea...
12
Sept. 14, 2026
A portrait of the artist as a young woman | photo textile artist
Episode 12 with Kayla Dantz. What'd we talk about? Weaving and photography. Plaid. The nature of memory. Creating and growing a business. Physical art in a digital world. Social media. Technical skills. Meeting like-minded people in college. Internships. Living in New York. The business and the passion. An in-between age. The global market. Explaining what you do to strangers. Finding an audience. Keeping criticism in perspective.
11
Aug. 31, 2026
Van life with water views | water strategist
Episode 11 with Manon Fisher What'd we talk about? Public utilities, consequential decisions, and tomorrow's lived realities. Identity. Growing up in San Francisco, Guatemala and Tonga. Travel. Where her name comes from. Van life. The whole individual. Performance-driven organizations. Complex systems. Sharing risk. Recognizing alignment. Siloing yourself. Appreciative inquiry. Mentors. How changing lanes can build perspective. What you get from being in the room. Work-Shaped Life is...
10
Aug. 17, 2026
Sculpting a life through strength and community | yoga instructor
Guest: Sarah Kurtz. What'd we talk about? Life transitions. Running. Learning with Bikram in the batting cage on La Cienega. Vinyasa. Guides to living. Mental endurance. Joy and entertainment. Extremely active people. Nursing. Sweating. Locker rooms. Traveling yoga adventures. Choreographing workout playlists. Aging. Great teachers. What the bicep does. Quieting the mind. Breathing. Self-regulation. Yoga Sarah versus Sculpt Sarah.
9
Aug. 3, 2026
Art and the algorithm | social media influencer
Guest: Hannah Louise Poston. What'd we talk about? Identity. Micro-generational mentorship. YouTube. Studying poetry. Making clothes. Beauty and fashion. Architecture. Writing. Working with your partner. Video production roles and responsibilities. Monetizing creativity. Work schedules. Shame freeze. What Roxanne Gay said. The algorithm. Revenue streams. Quakers. Emily Dickinson. Seeking advice.
8
July 20, 2026
Planes, trains and real estate deals | corporate attorney
Guest: Matt Newell. What'd we talk about? What a corporate attorney does. Choosing a college major. Where advice comes from. Logic. Journaling at Starbucks. Technical writing. Questioning your choices. Good teams. Frogs in boiling water. Cross-country travel. Periodic, stress-induced conversations. Vacation standards in America. Trains that don't stop. Things you don't learn in law school. Corporate cultures. Feeling appreciated.
7
July 6, 2026
Creativity can change the world | nonprofit leader
Guest: Kimberly Howard Wade. What'd we talk about? Youth development. Acting. Trying to make your parents happy. Graduate school. Putting your ego in a box. Ten thousand hours. Giving back. Raising twins. Striving. Becoming Ski Mom. Changing your routine to refresh your perspective. Soul expansion. The Lincoln Lawyer. Systems thinking. Cabinet positions that don't exist. Dan Wieden. Saying yes.
6
June 22, 2026
A love of horses and a lifetime of curiosity | equine scientist
Episode 6: Katrin Hinrichs. What'd we talk about? Fascination. Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Horses. Assisted reproduction. Grade school goals. Pet care in the 70s. Ideas. Mentors. Doing something no one thought you could. Curiosity. Management. Ethics. Cloning. The difference between corn and oats. Teaching. Three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles. Elementary school classrooms. Trying new things. Listening to your husband sing.
5
June 8, 2026
Seeking balance at sea and on land | maritime engineer
Episode 5: Sam Stanton. What'd we talk about? Dropping out of college. Rehab. Port Townsend. Morning coffee on deck. Tinkering with things. Trade school. International travel. Leaning into your 20s. Tugboat cowboys in the oil patch. Sleep schedules. Chasing it hard. Lavender farming. Ferries. Going home at the end of a shift. Self employment. Tangerine orchards. Putting your job on the shelf. What is possible.
4
May 25, 2026
Reading, writing, speaking and listening with joy and engagement | literacy specialist
Episode 4: Jen Burkart. What'd we talk about? Literacy. Teaching. Dream jobs. Opportunity gaps. Chest puff-up moments. Raising multiple children. Supportive partners. Hobby time. Work clothes. Leadership books we've never read. Managing complex change. Finding focus. Allocating personal resources. The feeling of agency. Searching for Lake Michigan. Powell's circa 1998. Defining the outcome.
About the Host
Dave Weich
Host
Dave Weich has been interviewing people about their work for thirty years, from authors and artists including Joan Didion, Malcolm Gladwell, Annie Leibovitz and Anthony Bourdain to engineers, ecologists, business leaders, farmers and ranchers, makers and more. As the president of Sheepscot Creative, Dave directs communication strategy and production for public agencies, nonprofits and foundations across the Pacific Northwest.