Episode Summary

In this deeply personal episode, attorney Mishawn Nolan interviews her brother, writer/director David Yarovesky, whose films include Brightburn (starring Elizabeth Banks), Nightbooks (Netflix), and Locked (starring Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins).

From dressing as Superman every single day as a toddler and declaring "every day is Halloween for me," to filling their shared bathroom with fake blood and body parts, David's authenticity and vision have been unwavering since childhood. This conversation explores how he converted his obsession with horror into a multi-decade career in one of the world's most competitive industries.

Key Topics Discussed

On Authenticity & Early Vision

• Why David has been obsessed with scaring people since childhood
• The transformative phone call with legendary makeup artist Dick Smith that redirected his path from special effects to filmmaking
• Knowing at 15 years old exactly what he wanted to do for the rest of his life

On the Craft of Horror

• What defines the horror genre (and why Silence of the Lambs isn't actually a horror movie)
• Why the scariest part of any horror film is someone walking through a house saying "Hello? Who's there?"
• The emotional journey from fear to that immediate grin of relief

On Building a Career

• The long road from high school filmmaker to making his first feature at age 34
• Working as a music video and commercial director with everyone from Good Charlotte to 50 Cent
• The brutal milestone of turning 27 when Spielberg, Tim Burton, and Robert Rodriguez had already "made it"
• Realizing at 32: "I bet my whole life on being able to do this and it might not work out"

On Managing Doubt & Staying Focused

• Why David questions himself on every single movie release (and a million times in between)
• The importance of making high-pressure situations look easy, even when you're climbing a mountain
• The profound loneliness of being a director and why there are no peers on set
• The phone call from idol Sam Raimi that reminded David of his original unwavering belief

On Industry Reinvention

• Why the war between industry and artist is shifting in artists' favor
• How democratized tools mean storytellers need the industry less and less
• David's advice for creatives rethinking their path: if you can imagine being happy doing anything else, do that
• The importance of being crushed by feedback, fixing it, trying again, and repeating until someone says "that didn't suck"

About the Guest

David Yarovesky is a writer and director specializing in horror and dark fantasy. His feature films include:

• The Hive - about an infectious virus transmitted through vomit (pre-COVID)
• Brightburn - a retelling of Superman where the hero is evil, starring Elizabeth Banks
• Nightbooks - a family-friendly horror film for Netflix, starring Krysten Ritter
• Locked - starring Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins, about two disturbed men and their twisted relationship

David has also directed numerous commercials and music videos throughout his career.

About the Host

Mishawn Nolan is co-founder and co-managing partner of Nolan Heimann LLP, a law firm specializing in helping creators monetize their creative ventures. Before becoming an attorney, Mishawn was a professional dancer and choreographer, and she brings principles of alignment and flow to her legal practice.

In this episode, Mishawn Nolan explores the economics of transformation with Damone Roberts — an artist turned transformational entrepreneur whose work reshapes how people see themselves.

Damone shares:

• How art school shaped his approach to beauty and symmetry
• Why eyebrows became the ultimate creative niche
• The business logic behind specialization and efficiency
• Building a Beverly Hills salon from scratch
• The leap from services to product development
• Inventing the Brow Blueprint and navigating patents
• Customer experience as a competitive advantage
• Staying inspired through creativity, service, and alignment
• Why following your gut matters more than trends or validation

This episode is a masterclass in Creative Entrepreneurship, Reinvention, and Alignment and Flow — and a reminder that transformation creates lasting value.

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The conversation explores:

• Reinvention as a career strategy
• Identifying talent beyond résumés and reels
• The difference between agents and managers
• Building creative businesses rooted in alignment and flow
• Navigating change in a rapidly evolving entertainment industry

This episode is an insightful look at how creative instincts, business acumen, and human connection intersect in long-term career building.

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

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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.

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

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Emily shares how her path from NBC page to brand strategist was shaped by curiosity and courage — and how she teaches creators and companies to build trust through their authentic story.

Together, they discuss:

• How storytelling creates trust in a post-truth world
• What “creative abundance” means for Gen Z and Gen Alpha
• How to turn authenticity into a strategic business advantage
• Why being seen is the key to bravery and connection

🎧 Listen now to discover how aligning your truth with your story can transform your business and your life.

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A mechanical engineer by training and designer by passion, Zubaida shares how a single moment in a rural clinic sparked her transition from building machines to building solutions that change lives — starting with her groundbreaking JanmaClean Birth Kit.

Together, Mishawn and Zubaida explore:

• How empathy can power innovation and leadership
• Why systems, not just individuals, must evolve to enable women entrepreneurs
• Strategies for overcoming resistance to change
• How organizations stay grounded in their values amid constant disruption
• What “flow” and alignment mean in leadership and life

Zubaida’s journey from engineer to global changemaker is a masterclass in purpose, alignment, and impact.

🎧 Listen now to learn how engineering empathy can transform business — and the world.