In this episode of Every Deal Is a Dance, Mishawn Nolan sits down with serial entrepreneur, designer, and technologist Nate Siggard—known for creating Skin Motion, the viral Soundwave tattoo concept, and for advising founders through his company Authentic Creative.

Nate shares how a lifelong drive to “take things apart” evolved into building websites in the early days of the internet, writing software as a teenager, and moving through distinct “seasons” of creativity—from tech to tattooing and back again. Together, Mishawn and Nate explore what it really takes to navigate change, build businesses aligned with values, and stay grounded while the future accelerates.

They discuss:

• how Nate went from tech to tattooing (and back to tech)
• what happened when Skin Motion went viral—and what founders face when the internet turns on them
• why creativity is a business superpower (and why mentors are rare)
• how Nate approaches AI as a practical tool and “cultural mirror”
• why authenticity and values matter more as technology amplifies behavior
• leadership realities: paradox, pressure, imposter syndrome, and founder loneliness
• why honesty and psychological safety are non-negotiable in healthy companies
• Nate’s work on wildfire risk solutions, scalability, and community-level resilience

A conversation about reinvention, alignment, and how to build with clarity when the ground is shifting.

In this episode of Every Deal Is a Dance, host Mishawn Nolan talks with the extraordinary Karen Somers—an actress turned filmmaker, photographer, documentary director, music photographer, and now property developer and community builder.

Karen shares her remarkable path from neurodivergent kid with a Brownie camera, to conservatory-trained actor, to commercial producer, reality TV director, Grammy photographer, and embedded documentary filmmaker working around the world. She recounts stories about:

• crawling across Arctic ice to film polar bears
• shooting live music and touring with major bands
• being hired as a one-woman camera/audio/lighting team for studios
• fighting gender bias in camera and directing roles
• creating her first micro-budget film Robert Rodriguez–style
• building a career through grit, reinvention, and stubborn determination

Karen then explains how that same world-building instinct now fuels her passion projects: directing Pursuing the Light about Bill Strickland and systemic poverty, investing her life savings into rehabilitating multifamily housing in Jamestown, NY, launching her ethical development brand Rivet & Roost, and helping creatives leverage grants, community partnerships, and storytelling to build sustainable impact.

This is a wide-ranging, energizing conversation about creativity, flow, courage, risk, and how the creative mind can shape real-world change.

🎧 Listen to learn how world-building on set can become world-building in life.

In this episode of Every Deal Is a Dance, host Mishawn Nolan sits down with David Ackert, CEO and Co-Founder of PipelinePlus, best-selling author of The Short List, and one of the most respected business development thought leaders for professional service firms.

David shares how his early life in theater — from Carnegie Mellon to Los Angeles acting stages — became the foundation for the superpowers he uses today: public speaking, presence, connection, improvisation, and the ability to simplify complex ideas. He and Mishawn explore how creative experiences shape leadership, how professionals can build deeper relationships by focusing on “the short list,” and why embracing imperfection and workshop-style thinking is essential in a disrupted business environment.

This episode is a masterclass in authenticity, flow, reinvention, and the creative roots behind successful business-making.