Podcast appearances and mentions of Andy J Miller

"There's a big contract, there are a lot of words in it, and none of them rhyme..." Ah, the perennial conflict with us picture book writers looking to break through. Thankfully for our guest this week, Rebecca Gardyn Levington, she seems to have managed to figure it out, with her 2022 debut Brainstorm quickly followed by this year's Whatever Comes Tomorrow, and apparently many more to come! And hey illustrators, or authors if you're feeling bold, stay tuned (or fast forward if you're pressed for time?) for an illustration challenge at the end of the episode! Tag your entry on social with #PingPongPattyVerse!   DON'T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!  This episode's book reviews: MY DAD IS A TREE by Jon Agee THE UNBUDGEABLE CURMUDGEON by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Fiona Woodcock A PIZZA WITH EVERYTHING ON IT by Kyle Scheele, illustrated by Andy J. Miller (not Pizza, but maybe Pizza? it's very mysterious)   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Don't forget to get your Community Shout-Outs in for our next episode!   WE HAVE MERCH!! Check it out and support the show here!    And special thanks to our sponsor Justin Colon and The Kidlit Hive. Find us on the socials at @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Dies ist eine REPLAY-Folge (Wiederholung einer alten Folge). In der 11. Folge geht es um den Stress, den Du Dir selbst machst. Quasi hausgemachter Stress und zu 99% unnötiger Stress. Stress, der Dich blockiert und verhindert, dass Du in Deinem kreativen Schaffen voran kommst und im Leben glücklich, ausgeglichen und zufrieden bist. Ich gebe Dir in dieser Episode 7 Tipps & Tricks mit auf den Weg, wie Du mutiger wirst und Deine kreativen Ängste überwinden kannst. Außerdem gibt es nochmal ein kleines Special von der Leipziger Buchmesse: Dieses Mal interviewe ich Suse Thierfelder und Lena Anlauf vom Kunstanstifter Verlag. Und am Ende der Folge gehe ich wieder einmal Kaffeetrinken!. Diesmal bin ich dafür in Berlin unterwegs und treffe auf Karolina Zolubak. Zu dieser Folge gibt es ein Live-Video, wie ich den Podcast aufnehme, mit ein bisschen Making-of-Feeling inkl. Husten, Schnäuzen und Versprechen :-) LOL! Das Video findet man in der Facebook-Gruppe "Der kreative Flow" (Link s.u.). ------------------------------------------------------------- Shownotes Folge 11: 1. Mein Sachbuch «Kopf frei für den kreativen Flow», hier in meinem Shop bestellen (gern auch mit Widmung): https://robertabergmann.myshopify.com/collections/buch/products/buch-kopf-frei-fur-den-kreativen-flow 2. Special #1 des Podcasts u.a. mit Phillip Janta: http://www.derkreativeflow.de/special1.html 3. Special #2 des Podcasts mit Felix Scheinberger: http://www.derkreativeflow.de/special2.html 4. Special #3 des Podcasts mit Kat Menschik: http://www.derkreativeflow.de/special3.html 5. Kunstanstifter Verlag, https://kunstanstifter.de 6. Audionachrichten an mich schicken mit Speakpipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/derkreativeflow 7. Karolina Zolubak, https://www.zoluart.com 8. Podcast: Creative Pep Talk von Andy J. Miller, https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/creative-pep-talk/ 9. Facebookgruppe «Der kreative Flow», https://www.facebook.com/groups/kreativrezepte 10. Shownotes und Transkript zur Folge unter: https://www.derkreativeflow.de/folge11.html 11. Meine Paypal-Seite für finanzielle Unterstützung zum Podcast: https://www.paypal.com/donationRB 12. Hier meinen Newsletter zum Podcast abonnieren! 13. Werde VIP-Mitglied und erhalte exklusive Inhalte (z.B. Bonusfolgen!), https://www.steady.de/derkreativeflow Credits Podcast: Der kreative Flow, seit 2019 Idee, Design & Host: Roberta Bergmann, https://www.robertabergmann.de Tonmischung & Sounds: Peter M. Glantz, http://www.glantz.info Alle Infos unter: https://www.derkreativeflow.de Folge direkt herunterladen

In this episode, Gabe reflects on a recent conversation hosted by Co-Loop Podcast Network founders Andy J. Miller and Ryan Appleton, discussing the future of creative podcasts. The chat featured several podcasters on the network (check it out), but for today's episode, Gabe focused on the content discussed by Jessy Bryan and Brian McDonald (of You Are A Storyteller) relating to storytelling.Their message is one of looking deep within to find the story you want to tell — and served as the perfect diving off point for this week's episode of IDK.

"What makes me feel something?" This question from Andy J. Miller in Lisa Congdon's book Find Your Artistic Voice sent me on a journey recently. Being and remaining open to my feelings has always been a challenge for me. So in this episode I'm opening up about what has helped me feel more and how essential yoga has been on that journey. I also share about the specific practice I do to support me in this and how it could support you, too. LINKS : Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic, Lisa Congdon : Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World, Pema Chodron : The Path of Spiritual Surrender, Part 1, Tara Brach podcast : Check All the Windows, Courtney Martin's newsletter from 1.3.20 : Not a member of Curvy Yoga Studio yet? Join us! : Questions, comments, feedback, ideas? Get in touch: podcast@curvyyoga.com or find me on Instagram @CurvyYoga. TRANSCRIPT Get the full episode transcript right here.

Zoom in with Monique Malcolm IG: @starchasersonly Email: monique@keepchasingthestars.com Website:https://pimpyourbrilliance.com/about/ Summary: Creative strategist and serial entrepreneur Monique Malcolm works with creatives to bring their ideas to life. Monique is an expert by experience who conceptualizes the outcome of things. She talks about how to stop letting your fears have all the fun. 3 tips for audience: Figure out what you can leverage (what do you need and what do you have to leverage to meet that need) Be resourceful (Dive deep in your research and be clever with your research) Take the next tiny step - whatever it is, get macro with the next tiny step - even if it’s an email Podcast Recommendations: The Creative Peptalks by Andy J. Miller Courage and Clarity Steph Crowder Words Well Said Amber L. Wright Quote: “I take people from having ideas to getting it done.” “ Do you have results do you have experience “ If you have the ide then you are the perfect person to bring it to life.” “If you don’t support women, I don’t support you.”

Today on the Obsessed Show Podcast, I'm chatting with fellow podcaster, Andy J. Miller, AKA Andy J. Pizza. Andy hosts the Creative Pep Talk Podcast, and has authored multiple books on creativity. We had a blast recording this one, so I hope you enjoy this conversation! If you'd like to help support the show, you can check out our new page on Patreon over at https://patreon.com/joshmiles - even a few bucks an episode would make a huge difference. Thank you for checking that out!

In der 11. Folge geht es um den Stress, den Du Dir selbst machst. Quasi hausgemachter Stress und zu 99% unnötiger Stress. Stress, der Dich blockiert und verhindert, dass Du in Deinem kreativen Schaffen voran kommst und im Leben glücklich, ausgeglichen und zufrieden bist. Ich gebe Dir in dieser Episode 7 Tipps & Tricks mit auf den Weg, wie Du mutiger wirst und Deine kreativen Ängste überwinden kannst. Außerdem gibt es nochmal ein kleines Special von der Leipziger Buchmesse: Dieses Mal interviewe ich Suse Thierfelder und Lena Anlauf vom Kunstanstifter Verlag. Und am Ende der Folge gehe ich wieder einmal Kaffeetrinken!. Diesmal bin ich dafür in Berlin unterwegs und treffe auf Karolina Zolubak. Zu dieser Folge gibt es ein Live-Video, wie ich den Podcast aufnehme, mit ein bisschen Making-of-Feeling inkl. Husten, Schnäuzen und Versprechen :-) LOL! Das Video findet man in der Facebook-Gruppe "Der kreative Flow" (Link s.u.). ------------------------------------------------------------- Shownotes Folge 11: 1. Mein Sachbuch «Kopf frei für den kreativen Flow», hier in meinem Shop bestellen (gern auch mit Widmung): https://robertabergmann.myshopify.com/collections/buch/products/buch-kopf-frei-fur-den-kreativen-flow 2. Special #1 des Podcasts u.a. mit Phillip Janta: http://www.derkreativeflow.de/special1.html 3. Special #2 des Podcasts mit Felix Scheinberger: http://www.derkreativeflow.de/special2.html 4. Special #3 des Podcasts mit Kat Menschik: http://www.derkreativeflow.de/special3.html 5. Kunstanstifter Verlag, https://kunstanstifter.de 6. Audionachrichten an mich schicken mit Speakpipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/derkreativeflow 7. Karolina Zolubak, https://www.zoluart.com 8. Podcast: Creative Pep Talk von Andy J. Miller, https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/creative-pep-talk/ 9. Facebookgruppe «Der kreative Flow», https://www.facebook.com/groups/kreativrezepte 10. Shownotes und Transkript zur Folge unter: https://www.derkreativeflow.de/folge11.html 11. Meine Paypal-Seite für finanzielle Unterstützung zum Podcast: https://www.paypal.com/donationRB 12. Hier meinen Newsletter zum Podcast abonnieren! Credits Podcast: Der kreative Flow, 2019 Idee, Design & Host: Roberta Bergmann, https://www.robertabergmann.de Tonmischung & Sounds: Peter M. Glantz, http://www.glantz.info Alle Infos unter: https://www.derkreativeflow.de

Andy J. Miller (also known as Andy J. Pizza) is an illustrator, podcaster and public speaker. His explosive color drenched illustrations have brought hope and smiles to clients like The New York Times, Nickelodeon, Amazon, YouTube, and Warby Parker. He is also the founder of the Creative Pep Talk podcast. In this episode, Andy shares the story of his relationship with his mother, how ADHD has affected his life, and how Modest Mouse brought him out of a very dark place. soundsgoodpodcast.com/andy

Illustrator, pep professional, and international pizza crackshot, Andy J. Miller, phones in to the executive buffet for a long distance wisdom drop.

The Dynamic Duo That is Super Team Deluxe Our past experiences have the ability to positively or negatively impact and shape the future versions of ourselves. So many times we let the bad things we’ve done or the things we don’t like in life define us. In reality, we should push our story forward by using those experiences as a guide to strive to do the best and to be the best we can. As creatives, I feel we should constantly experiment, share our weird and let our freak flag fly. Your experiences, interests and quirks are the secret ingredients that’ll help you rise above the noise. Sprinkling in a dose of kindness will really add gas to the fire. This brings me to today’s guests of Rogie King and Justin Mezzell. Rogie King is a prolific coder, developer and illustrator who can name every Disney character from A-Z. Justin Mezzell has built a stone solid reputation for his illustrations and witty yet whimsical copywriting. His love for Pokemon and people are second to none. Together this dynamic duo makes up Super Team Deluxe, a collaborative funhouse that churns out merch that speaks to your soul. Hold Onto Your Biscuits Within this whirlwind of a ping pong conversation that feels like it’s fueled by your favorite caffeinated childhood soda JOLT, there is an abundance of value, encouragement and vulnerability tucked between the humor. Hold onto your biscuits as we navigate topics of: Making a positive statement about who you are Creating work that aligns to your identity Finding an outlet that lights you up Cultivating an inclusive creative community Jesus jazz hands, Jaffar and Scyther Most importantly, they let you see the value of why it’s okay to work at your day job while grinding on your dream If you find value in this episode, please give it a share via Instagram or Twitter and share the love. Shownotes Justin Mezzell - Instagram  / Twitter  / Dribbble  / Website Rogie King - Instagram  / Twitter  / Dribbble  / Website Super Team Deluxe - Instagram  / Twitter  / Dribbble  / Website Andy J. Miller - Creative Pep Talk Podcast Dose of Inspiration: @BeGoodStudio Podcast editor: Aine Brennan Podcast music: Blookah Want to Support the Show? Become a backer on Patreon Leave an iTunes Rating and Review Share the show on social media or follow the Perspective Podcast Instagram Crypto Donation Support Bitcoin: 1j5vE64PWgkJHGnGSrAiJK82bnfn7fBgu Ethereum: 0xFf60588C873E34235dE371450d58129d8d7cAC16 Litecoin: LerTFZfvtW4iH7qJM8vSE9mkdQA24yKmB6 Subscribe via your favorite podcast player: iTunes Spotify Google Play Radio Overcast Stitcher

Listen to the raw unedited audio response Losing Sight of Why You Started Sometimes we get down on ourselves and lose our way. Today's episode is in response to an Instagram friend of mine named Gosha Bondarev. To wrap some context around this, Gosha is a young illustrator and letterer from Saint Petersburg, Russia who aspires to be a full-time freelancer. I've watched him amass a following over 20k followers in the 1-2 years. While someone may have a large follower count, this doesn't always translate into confidence and happiness. With Gosha's permission, the following is a message he sent me reaching out for advice followed by my response. Note: I decided to write out a more thoughtful response for this episode based on the raw audio file I sent him which you can listen to here. While I can't respond with audio to each person who sends me an email or message, I felt particularly called to respond to this one as it felt like my old self-talking through him. I hope this wave of vulnerability and encouragement hits you when you need it most. From Gosha Hey man. Sorry if I am bothering you, but I need advice. I re-listened to episode #25 again because I wasn't able to do anything creative for the last month. After that, I felt like I should ask you. The ugly truth is that I gave up, I started learning programming because it seems that I need some valuable skills to pay the bills. I have some pictures to post on Instagram from the last year but I'll run out of them soon and not sure what to do next. I'm realizing that maybe four years of hustling is enough to understand this area isn't for me. I don't fit in here because I see what others are doing and how much more creative and interesting their stuff is. I feel I'm only progressing in using Instagram a little better but my drawing skills are on the same level as years go by. I'd rather I realize it as soon as possible and try to apply myself in a different area. I asked a couple of friends from the creative industry and they tell me that, "If I'm not sure I want to do it than it's probably not for me." I know that I should decide it by myself but I was hoping you'd have something to say. To Gosha Gosha, I'm glad you're able to be vulnerable and trust me not to judge you. What's funny is that I deal with this inner voice of doubt every day as I push the limits of my creative dream. I feel sometimes we get to a point where we suffocate our dreams because we expect so much from ourselves. It causes us to not only lose sight of what we love doing in the first place but maybe miss the signs the universe is trying to guide us towards. When I started Perspective-Collective almost 4 years ago, I had my heart set on becoming a full-time freelancer. I wanted financial freedom, time freedom and the bragging rights of working with the biggest names in the industry. I saw people older and younger than me living out this dream. While I held and still hold a day job, it was hard to see past the $50 logo commissions people were willing to pay me. This slowly killed my freelance dreams. However, I'm lucky that somehow I caught a sign from the universe and I began blogging. I've mentioned this before but blogging radically changed things in my career, even though my blog never blew up. As I've made progress, this new path created new challenges and provides new waves of negative thoughts. I'm most envious of people like Andy J. Miller who hosts an incredible podcast for creatives as he has seemed to find his voice and unique artistic style. Not to mention his client list speaks for itself, but Andy has probably dealt with these same struggles finding his way. I realize these moments of doubt and comparison are normal. Yet dwelling in them suffocates the passion making me forget why I do this in the first place. I do this because I fucking love to create and I am passionate about pushing people to find their best creative selves. It's the coach in me that has lived on after football. So I ask you, why did you pursue art in the first place? Did you put pencil to paper in the beginning to land a client? I highly doubt it. You're incredibly talented, young and full of potential. It seems from my perspective that you're putting so much pressure on yourself to have each post land you a client that you're killing the fun. Who knows, maybe you need a small break from art just to refresh and refocus. This is totally okay and it's totally normal. Maybe take a month off to pursue other interests. Whatever you do, I feel very strongly that you'd regret quitting when you're on your deathbed. You have too much talent to throw in the towel and honestly, I'd be disappointed in you for wasting your gift. You never know who you could've impacted with that next post that was never published. If you're like me, you enjoyed Instagram in the beginning because you loved creating and you posted because it meant something to you. You created and shared because you found joy in it. Somehow things shifted. We now post because we need the engagement, affirmation or job inquiries to feel worthwhile and purposeful as an artist. Maybe you do need a day job like programming that can pay the bills. I rock a day job and while it makes me discredit myself sometimes, I know it's fueling the means to pursue Perspective-Collective without the financial stress. I should note, don't just get a job in a field because it'll net you the most money. Usually, that comes at a cost of killing the passion and adding more pressure. Get a job delivering pizza if it means you can still come home and find time and enjoyment in creating. A Plan of Attack When you do find your groove again and want to attract clients, here's a few things I'd do differently. First off, have a legit website that is a hub for all Gosha on why they should hire you. Show off your personality and show the work you want to attract. Right now, Behance and Instagram are your tools but you need a home base that doesn't rely on a social platform as you are playing by there rules. Next, maybe do some type of outreach. It may be uncomfortable but hit people up locally that could use your services and offer them out pro bono at first. I did my first 3 murals for free before I attracted paid gigs. It sucked but it was worth it in the long run. Make sure to document the process from beginning to end. Not only should you share it on your social platforms but take it another step further and create case studies on your site. This will allow future clients to see your process and how you get an end result. Finally, always remember that the inner critic is going to attempt to convince you that you don't have what it takes. Other people may agree with the critic and tell you maybe this isn't for you. I say fuck 'em. I have to talk myself off the edge from quitting all the time. It's all apart of taking the shit in stride which makes you appreciate the sunny days when things go right. You certainly have what it takes and you've barely scratched the surface of what you'll accomplish down the road. Maybe full-time freelance isn't in the cards for you like it's not in the cards for me anytime soon? That's totally okay. Don't let the inner critic block you from seeing the signs the universe could be sending you. Whatever you do, don't forget why you began creating in the first place as that's what matters most. Much love from Iowa, Scotty Shownotes Gosha Bondarev's Instagram  /  Behance Episode 25: Dealing With Creative Funks & Feeling Invisible Episode 58: Appreciate the Shit and Sunshine - 12 Lessons Learned in 2017 Creative Pep Talk Podcast Podcast editor: Aine Brennan Podcast music: Blookah Want to Support the Show? Become a backer on Patreon Leave an iTunes Rating and Review Share the show on social media or follow the Perspective Podcast Instagram Crypto Donation Support Bitcoin: 1j5vE64PWgkJHGnGSrAiJK82bnfn7fBgu Ethereum: 0xFf60588C873E34235dE371450d58129d8d7cAC16 Litecoin: LerTFZfvtW4iH7qJM8vSE9mkdQA24yKmB6 Subscribe via your favorite podcast player: iTunes Spotify Google Play Radio Overcast Stitcher

Season 3 of Overtime is here! Our first guest is Andy J. (Pizza) Miller. Andy is the creator of the podcast and book Creative Pep Talk. He also has a successful illustration career and has created illustrations for clients like Nickelodeon, Google, Converse, Sony, Smart Car, Oreo, The Boston Globe & Nutella. In this episode, we find out what pizza and Dribbble have in common, how Andy transitioned from illustration to podcasting, and the secret to Creative Pep Talk’s success. Andy also shares how to “find your gift,” what he thinks all creative people have in common, how to embrace change when it comes to your career, his hope for the creative future, and much more. “I always tell people to look for wilderness instead of paved roads. Once there’s 8,000 tutorials and 50 apps to make that thing the easiest thing possible, the treasure at the end of that road is gone.” This episode is brought to you by Wix. Push the limits of design and start creating beautiful, impactful websites that are uniquely yours at wix.com/dribbble. Links Mentioned in Overtime Andy J. Miller Andy J. Miller on Dribbble Andy J. Miller on Twitter Andy J. Miller on Instagram Creative Pep Talk The Dip by Seth Godin Mindset by Carol Deweyck Transcript Transcript forthcoming.

Season 3 of Overtime is here! Our first guest is Andy J. (Pizza) Miller. Andy is the creator of the podcast and book Creative Pep Talk. He also has a successful illustration career and has created illustrations for clients like Nickelodeon, Google, Converse, Sony, Smart Car, Oreo, The Boston Globe & Nutella. In this episode, we find out what pizza and Dribbble have in common, how Andy transitioned from illustration to podcasting, and the secret to Creative Pep Talk’s success. Andy also shares how to “find your gift,” what he thinks all creative people have in common, how to embrace change when it comes to your career, his hope for the creative future, and much more. “I always tell people to look for wilderness instead of paved roads. Once there’s 8,000 tutorials and 50 apps to make that thing the easiest thing possible, the treasure at the end of that road is gone.” This episode is brought to you by Wix. Push the limits of design and start creating beautiful, impactful websites that are uniquely yours at wix.com/dribbble. Links Mentioned in Overtime Andy J. Miller Andy J. Miller on Dribbble Andy J. Miller on Twitter Andy J. Miller on Instagram Creative Pep Talk The Dip by Seth Godin Mindset by Carol Deweyck Transcript Transcript forthcoming.

Artist, illustrator, writer, speaker, podcaster, father, vivid dreamer, Boyz II Men fan club president, and former sandwich artist. Andy J. Miller, aka Andy J. Pizza, is my guest.

Andy J. Miller joins Ghostshrimp to talk about the curse of early success, letting go of other people's expectations, his visit to Ghostscout Training Camp Year Five, and his recent guest appearance in the 12 Week Online Group Workshop!

I'll level with you, I've been a bit of a conference whore in 2017. All for good reasons as I mentioned in episode 49, conferences help you find your people. Another reason is to scope out conferences that I'd like to speak at one day as not all conferences are the same. As I wrap up 2017, I just attended my final conference of the year in Austin, TX. The event was the first Pop-Up Crop Conference held by my good friend Matt Dawson of Studio Gray / Stay Gray Pony Boy along with his wife, Ariadne. I've talked about Crop Conference in Baton Rouge in the past and had Matt on to tell his story in episode 37. Pop-Up Crop is a different story as it was a one-day event filled with powerhouse creatives who either spoke or taught a workshop. The lineup was stacked with speakers like Jason Craig, Lauren Dickens, Steve Wolf, Brian Steely and Aaron Draplin. I had a chance to speak on the Goodtype Panel with Brooke Robinson (Goodtype creator, Bobby Dixon and Drew Lakin. Industry Print Shop not only sponsored the conference and afterparty but taught a workshop as well. Plenty of good times were had and I'm always one who wants to channel my reflections into a summary. I feel the best way to do that is to relay some takeaways you can apply to your creative practices. Here were my top 3 that I think will resonate with you too as you finish your week strong.   Mind the Gaps - Jason Craig Jason Craig is another friend of the podcast and his episode 43 visit has been a listener favorite. The way he weaves his stories and analogies together is legendary. He finds a way to punch you in the gut with his humor yet still drop a ton of jaw-dropping value. The one that stood out the most when he talked about "Minding the Gaps." Throughout your life and especially in your creative career, you're going to have plenty of times when you get knocked on your ass. These are the low gaps between the moments when things couldn't be going better. Without these gaps, it's hard to appreciate when things go right. Those shitty times in between the highlights are the moments who shape who you become. So when things aren't working in your favor, mind the gaps and know that better times are ahead of you. Approach Every Day With Intention - Tony Diaz Next up was my brother Tony Diaz, who's the head honcho in charge of Industry Print Shop. Tony is legitimately one of the most generous souls I've ever met and has an incredible story. I'll be having him on the show sooner than later as you need to know what's he's doing for the creative community. Before he led a screen printing workshop, he gave a brief talk and dropped a little nugget. Tony talked about how approaches each day with intention. This has helped him scale Industry to one of the biggest print shops in the nation. Approaching each day with intention means having a plan and being focused. It also means having some enthusiasm and being ready to attack that goal or vision. I want to challenge you to think about how you're approaching your work each day. Are you winging shit or attacking it with intention? Break Borders Between Life & Work - Lauren Dickens The final takeaway comes from the insanely talented designer, Lauren Dickens. She dropped a smorgasbord of takeaways accompanied by some of the most polished designed slides I've ever seen. To be frank, I've never been more jealous of someone's slide deck. Her talking points ranged from: The Power of Putting on Pants Be in Charge of Your Own Version of Success Your Work is a Wild Animal, Set it Free. The one that caught my attention the most was "Break the Borders Between Life & Work." Basically stating that the things that make you unique make your work unique. It parallels what Andy J. Miller preaches about finding yourself in your work on his Creative Pep Talk podcast. So I ask you: What are those things that are different about you that nobody else can replicate? What are those weird quirks that make you you? Those are the things that need to be showcased in your work and it's something I'm working on revealing more of as well. Get Out of Your Bubble I've talked about this in the past, but get outside of your little bubble. Attending conferences has easily been the one thing I can safely say has brought me the most opportunities. The relationships you'll cultivate and the new skills you'll manifest will launch your creative career out of this stratosphere. Pop-Up Crop was special and they have some big plans for the second one next year. In the meantime, the full Crop is happening in Baton Rouge this April. The lineup just got released on CropBR.com and it's money. I may or may not be teaching a workshop there too... Shownotes Stay up to on the tatest news by Joining my Newsletter team Pop-Up Crop Conference Matt Dawson of Studio Gray / Stay Gray Pony Boy Ariadne Crop Conference in Baton Rouge Industry Print Shop Jason Craig Tony Diaz Lauren Dickens Podcast theme music by Blookah This Weeks Rating & Review: Trey Sprinkle

Creatives are Dangerous I'm a small city dude from Iowa and I need to get out of my bubble to find my people. I find my people by getting out of my comfort zone and heading to conferences across the United States. This past week, I flew solo to Creative Works Conference in Memphis, TN. I heard great things about the conference last year so I kept it on my radar. When they finally dropped the lineup, I literally bought my attendee ticket along with workshops within 10 minutes. In my personal opinion, this lineup was stacked. Josh Horton and Dan Price did an incredible job putting this together. I got to take workshops with lettering legends Ken Barber and Erik Marinovich for only $5o a piece! The speakers were some of the people I looked up to most including Ken, Erik, Andy J. Miller of the Creative Pep Talk Podcast, Ghostly Ferns, Rogie King & Justin Mezzell of Super Team Deluxe to name a few. Not to mention the vendor market flooded with goods from Strawcastle, Josh Emrich, Clark Orr, Mama's Sauce, French Paper, Oxford Pennant, etc. Did I mention outside of pizza that BBQ was my second favorite food because I smashed a ton of that too? As the cool kids of our country would say, this conference was lit. While I'm worn out from travel, I wanted to make sure I documented some of the biggest takeaways I got from the speakers. Here are my top 7 that I think will greatly benefit you as well. Let's get started. Get Off the Floor Leading off to bat was one of my biggest inspirations, Andy J. Miller of the Creative Pep Talk Podcast. Andy's talk was witty, funny and emotional. Basically everything great that you've come to expect from him on his podcast. His talk was powerful, but the biggest call to action that stood out to me was from his "Get Off the Floor" segment. We have to face the truth that we're always going to get knocked down and constantly doubt our creative abilities. You can either lay on the floor and take it, or you can get up, make stuff and keep going. You have to get off the floor not only yourself but for others as well. He followed this up by stating: "You can't help the world thrive if you're not thriving." Safe to say he put a creative pep in all of our steps and set the tone for the conference. Slow & Steady Grind Next up was Odin Clack from Odin Leather Goods. What stuck out to me was his self-awareness, patience, commitment and work ethic of running his own side hustle outside of his day job. Something I struggle with is feeling I have to have it all figured out now, but what am I rushing for? Odin reminds himself daily to focus on the slow and steady grind and enjoy the process along the way. Pioneers Take All the Arrows Austin Dunbar of Durham Brand & Co. filled in due to a last-minute speaker conflict and he absolutely murdered his talk. One of the things that stuck with me was when he said: "Pioneers take all the arrows." As creatives, we are called to take risks and we have to be willing to make sacrifices. When you share your work or take a stand for something you believe in, people will be waiting in line to scrutinize and critique if they don't understand or accept what you're doing. As a pioneer or someone who is trying to build something bigger than themselves, it's important to keep pressing on and pathing the way for others. Relationship > Reward Jesse Bryan of the Belief Agency had one of those talks that spoke to my core. I admit it, his storytelling and well-timed statistics he peppered in choked me up at times. His talk was all about service and that we need to put our focus on the relationship instead of the reward. For example being motivated for the quick sale instead of over-serving and creating a loyal customer relationship. He instilled in us that we all have the ability to be great through the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: "Anyone can be great because anyone can serve." You're Not Done Making Bad Work Not only are Rogie King & Justin Mezzell extremely talented and know how to party, but they are insanely generous and empathetic individuals. Their talk centered around building friendships and not "networks." Cultivating meaningful friendships is a by-product of getting uncomfortable and reaching out to people. They also drove the point home that putting yourself out their takes guts and that you're never done making bad work. I definitely left their talk ready to hug everyone and take a shot of Bourbon. Never Settle & Change Your Style Erik Marinovich is one of the coolest cats and down to earth people I think I've ever encountered. Everyone loves this dude not only because of his work but due to his infectious personality and how he lifts everyone up around him. I'd have to say his talk was my favorite as he combined lettering with the evolution of hip-hop culture. He gave a lot of great takeaways but what hit home the most was his point of, "Never settle and constantly change your style." I struggle with the fact that my work is all over the place and I don't have a set defined style like you see on hyper-curated Instagram accounts. It was encouraging to know it's perfectly okay and that I have to keep pushing my limits with experimentation. If I draw small all the time, I need to push myself to draw bigger. If I use ink pens all the time, I need to push myself to experiment with a paintbrush. Between his workshop and talk, he left me determined to push the boundaries of what I'm able to create and to keep developing my style. Learn to Love the Crust Confession, I've never been to a talk where the speaker didn't use a slide presentation and it raised some concerns. However, Ashley Ford definitely didn't need them as she held the audience captivated with her storytelling and moments of comic relief. The key to her talk was about being vulnerable and sharing your story. Something that really stood out to me was her point about loving the worst thing about yourself and others. She called it "Learn to love the crust of a motherfucker." She closed the conference down encouraging us to tell the story that you're scared to tell. No matter what, you're affecting somebody's day. Find Your People Do you feel alone with your struggle? Do you feel isolated in your own world with no idea how to push your creative career forward? If so, you need to find your people at conferences. See this as an investment in yourself and your creative future. There are people out there dealing with the same demons as you. There are people out there who nerd out obsessively over the same things as you. You can find these people at conferences. You owe it to yourself to get out of your comfort zone and find your people at a place like Creative Works Conference. Want to Support the Show? Become a backer on Patreon Leave an iTunes Rating and Review Share the show on social media or follow the Perspective Podcast Instagram Subscribe on your favorite podcast player: iTunes Stitcher Google Play Radio Overcast

So how do you decide between following your intuition straight off a cliff and getting lost in the strategy? And what do you do in the murky not-so-fun middle parts of your creative work? This week, I'm talking intuition and strategy and breakthroughs and faith with podcaster, illustrator, and speaker Andy J. Pizza (aka Andy J. Miller). I loved, loved this conversation and I'm sure you will too!! Show Notes:  RYHSY Inner Circle Join the RYHSY FB group Let's be friends on Insta Andy J. Pizza: website | podcast | book | Insta Adam J. Kurtz Deep Work by Cal Newport Excellent Sheep by William Deresiewicz Jad Abumrad on 99u: Why “Gut Churn” Is an Essential Part of the Creative Process Christoph Neimann Abstract Sunday on Insta

Andy J. Miller is an American full time freelance illustrator with a background in graphic design, currently living and working in Columbus, OH. Andy was born in Indiana, went to middle school in Western New York, to high school in Indiana, and to the University of Huddersfield in the United Kingdom. He teaches a self promotion for illustrators class to senior level students at the Columbus College of Art & Design. He is most known for his side projects and books; The Indie Rock Coloring Book, the collaborative Color Me _____ exhibit with Andrew Neyer, the daily drawing project NOD and his Creative Pep Talk Podcast. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/andyjpizza In this episode, Andy discusses: -Where the “pizza” part of his name came from and how he has embraced it as a part of his identity. -His history as an illustrator and how the Creative Pep Talk Podcast started. -The value of teaching and mentorship, no matter how much experience you have. -The importance of thinking! -Dealing with critics. -The purpose of his recent “Creative Destiny” series on Creative Pep Talk. -The hero’s journey and the role that it can play in any type of creative career that you have. -Finding your gift and then giving it away. -How, like in Harry Potter, sometimes our own worst enemy is living inside of ourselves. -How political correctness sometimes holds people back from creating because they don’t want to make a mistake and then get attacked for it. -Thinking about 11 dimensions and how our intuition might be tuned into a higher frequency that our animal instincts might be trying to protect us from. -The idea of “gut churn” and forcing yourself to sit in the uncomfortable unknown. Andy's Final Push will encourage you to stop looking for shortcuts and start looking for “sure-cuts.”   Quotes: “You can reinvent yourself, and you don’t have to be owned by the person that you used to be.” “I got obsessed with this idea of drawing invisible things.” “I found teaching to be the ultimate growth hack because when you have to systematically boil down your truths, all the sudden they become so much more potent in your own life.” “What is the true, unique cocktail that you have going on inside of you?  What is that work that just explodes and radiates from your very being?” “All I’m looking for in my creative career is to find my gift and to find who needs it.” “You need to be willing to make mistakes.  Always have the best intentions but don’t stop yourself before you get started.” “In my own experience, the biggest breakthroughs come from sitting in that uncomfortable place.” “Quit trying to go viral.  Quit trying to have overnight success.  Quit looking for shortcuts.  And just get on the journey.” Links mentioned: Jad Abumrad: Embrace the "Gut Churn" of the Creative Process Deep Work: Rules for Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport Connect with Andy: Website / Instagram / Twitter Creative Pep Talk: Website / Soundcloud / iTunes On the next episode: Matthew Quick : Website / Instagram Join the discussion in the Facebook group!

Jane Samuels is an artist and psychogeographer from the United Kingdom.  She has developed a love for the arts, politics, teaching, and animal and human rights campaigning. Currently working as a professional artist from Hare Court Studio and an SpLD tutor in Manchester’s Universities, Samuels continues to develop work grounded in Psychogeography, which challenges the boundaries of legality, public vs. private space, and our relationship with the land.  Her work is housed in several private collections, and she continues to exhibit across the UK. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/janesamuels In this episode, Jane discusses: -The experience of teaching in prisons. -The factors that led to her 10-year gap in art and what finally brought her back. -Her Abandoned Buildings project and some of the exploits that she has gotten into. -The inspiration behind her Anatomical Landscapes series. -The difference between the immediacy of photography and the slow-burn of drawing and her need for both. -Her practice of landscape writing and walking writing and what it allows her to do that visual art does not. -Some of the Resistances that she deals with, such as fear, lack of self-confidence, and imposter syndrome. -Dealing with the things that life throws at you and balancing it with your art. -Her thoughts on the big social media sites: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. -Some of her favorite resources for people who might be interested in pursuing similar creative outlets as her. Jane's Final Push will inspire you to put a little time into your creative passion every day and to realize why you want to pursue your creative passion in the first place!   Quotes: “There’s a very unhealthy dose of fear involved in art practice for me.  It scares the shit out of me.” “There was all this unrealized stuff in my head and a real need to do something with it.” “I think if you didn’t have fear, you wouldn’t produce the work in the first place.  If you’re really ever happy and satisfied with what you did, you’d just stop.” “The beauty of it is that it is always there.  There might be jobs you can never go back to, there might be other things that just end, but your creativity and your process – it doesn’t go away.” “The beauty of creativity is that it creates more creativity.” “Five minutes is better than no minutes.” Links mentioned: Morag Rose from the Loiterers Resistance Movement: Website / Twitter   Fife Psychogeographic   Dr. Immy Smith   Robert Macfarlane   Connect with Jane: Website / Instagram / Twitter On the next episode: Andy J. Miller : Website / Creative Pep Talk Podcast Share what you created this week in the Facebook group!

It wasn't that long ago that Andy J. Miller was in need of a pep talk specifically for himself. His so-called "beginners luck" and initial momentum as an illustrator began to evaporate and the need to fill the income void came in the form of other important, albeit less creative, roles. But as they say: once an artist, always an artist. Getting back on the horse wasn't easy, and Andy learned a lot of things about himself and his craft along the way — things he now imparts on the Creative Pep Talk to thousands of loyal listeners who need a regular dose of creative inspiration. The "doctor" is in for a two-part podcast where he prescribes practical ways forward for creatives and relays his insights about main gigs vs. side gigs, being entrepreneurial vs. an employee, commercial art, the need to evolve, and on being an artist with ADD. He also ends the debate, once and for all, on which pizza version is superior: thin crust or deep dish.

Stay Inspired & Pursue Why You Got Into Art in the First Place This week is a very special episode as I’m doing my first interview on the show with my good friend Eric Friedensohn also know as Efdot. He knows how to stay inspired to create for his personal side projects. Eric is a talented hand lettering artist and designer based out of Brooklyn, New York. He’s worked with the likes of Pat Flynn and taught lettering workshops for Vayner Media. He’s work at We Work and is the creator of the Optimist Project. He’s big into skateboarding and traveling and it’s an honor to have him as the first guest on this show. Why Do You Feel Uninspired to Create in the First Place? The Resistance Steven Pressfield - War of Art The resistance: is a universal force that has one sole mission: to keep things as they are. is the force that will stop an individual's creative activity through any means necessary, whether it be rationalizing, inspiring fear and anxiety, presenting distractions, raising the voice of an inner critic, and much more. will use any tool to stop creation flowing from an individual, no matter what field the creation is in. Steven Pressfield states, "The best way to fight the resistance is to do you work." He encourages the artist to "Go Pro." This mean going from being an amateur hobbyist to becoming a professional because pros don’t make excuses—they do the work. Many search for motivation when Motivation comes from the act of doing, but one may need inspiration in the first place. Eric’s POV On Resistance and Feeling Uninspired to Create Refusing to give into the resistance and doing the work isn't always so simple and straight forward. Everywhere you look there are endless things to pursue and they are designed to be addicting distractions. I find myself uninspired to create when I: give myself too much “free time” am not well-rested don’t have ANY structure / routines overcommit and say yes to too many things (like social obligations) have drama or chaos in my life focus too much on what others are doing and begin losing sight of why I got into making art in the first place. It's important to always remind yourself why you got into creating art in the first place. How to Stay Inspired 1. Vary Your Intake making things recycled from what you’ve been seeing and admiring not following enough diff types of artists inspired to make your work more unique follow people in more diverse areas researching artists beyond their works, like their books, blogs, podcasts If you're always in taking in the same stuff, you're going to end up outputting the same stuff too. If you’re feeling really uninspired to create art, find something to create totally different like a wild recipe. Being Around Other Creatives Community Getting within a community and establishing relationships online or through conferences. When you’re around people who are creating it’s contagious. Engage with people outside of liking their photo. The more people you can be around who are doing what you’re doing the better. Collaboration gives accountability but you end up learning and think in new ways. 2014 agency with chalkboard wall mural example Accountability Get something on the calendar to meet consistently Find others who share similar goals and values Reach out and take initiative to build creative relationships Recharging Change of Environment Change of environment can get you in new head space get outside your normal routine rearrange furniture work in a different setting (diff room of your house or coffee shop) Being Active Partake in things that recharge you mentally, physically or spiritually that fill you up with ideas Being active in sports or exercising Being outdoors Practicing mindfulness through yoga / meditation Key Takeaways: It's important to always remind yourself why you got into creating art in the first place. If your intake is always in the same stuff, you're going to end up outputting the same stuff too. Follow different types of work and art outside of your normal preferences to influence new inspiration. It's contagious when you’re around people who are creating. Take initiative and engage with people outside of liking their photo. Shownotes: efdotstudio.com Instagram: @efdot Eric's Optimist Project Eric's SummerOfSketching.com Steven Pressfield - War of Art Shigeo Fakuda - Masterworks YouTube: Everything's A Remix Austin Kleon - Steal Like an Artist Creative South Conference Andy J. Miller - Creative Peptalk Podcast

In this episode of the Perspective Podcast, Scotty discusses his current top 3 podcasts that will help you elevate your creative brand. Audio is one of the best formats for learning something new every day on the go. You can consume them while your working, showering, doing yard work or even just relaxing. If you don't have time for books then podcasts are for you. The 3 top podcast Scotty recommends are: The Creative Pep Talk Podcast with Andy J. Miller This podcast is for creatives who are pursuing a career in freelance while making great art for a living. However, it's more than that in my opinion and I believe it focuses on creative personal / professional development. his quirky sense of humor and laid-back approach really elevates his honest advice on building your creative career. He has this magical way of blending metaphors and storytelling to paint a vivid picture that inspires action. His “not taking himself so seriously” approach really helps me articulate my own thoughts and to not be so serious myself all the time. The #AskGaryVee Show with Gary Vaynerchuk The reason I find the show so valuable for creatives is because he gives you a real-time pulse of what’s going on in the world with social media and business marketing. We live in a digital age and getting the inside scoop of what’s working, what isn’t and what’s coming in the future is a sure fire way to keep you ahead of the creative curve. He’s got some killer books / audiobooks too that I suggest checking out. Crush It - Thank You Economy - Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook - The #AskGaryVee Book Building a StoryBrand Podcast with Donald Miller This podcast is focused on clarifying and projecting your message in a noisy world. Knowing your message with help you: gain more traffic - convert more leads - make more sales for your growing brand Each week, Donald Miller interviews some of the top influencers across the world. You get an inside look into how these people became successful as they share practical tips you can apply immediately. If you want a list of all my recommended podcasts and audio books, check out my resources page: Perspective-CollectiveResources.com

This episode of the Perspective Podcast is about finding your sweet spot. It’s the 2nd part of a 3 part series of Laying the Foundation to Your Personal Brand. The sweet spot can be defined several ways: The intersection of your greatest strength and passion The intersection of your greatest knowledge / skill with a strong passion point Being equally good at what you love to do Your vocation, life’s work or calling Locating your sweet spot helps you place a ladder against the right wall. Instead of climbing up a wall leading down the wrong path, focus on an area of greatest strength and passion. When finding your sweet spot, create two overlapping circles and create a Venn Diagram. Label the left side Strengths and the right side Passions. Finding your greatest strength: Write down what you’re best at Consult a trusted resource Take a StrengthsFinder 2.0 Test Finding your greatest passion Write down what you enjoy doing the most Don’t overthink it By combining your greatest strength and passion, you’ll not only be about to own a specific content niche, but you’ll get to enjoy what you’re best at too. It’s not something that happens overnight but you have the opportunity to create this circumstance if it doesn’t exist in the world. Music by: Blookah 7 Habits of Highly Successful People Book Eric Friedensohn - Efdot Studio Andy Schneider, aka the Chicken Whisperer StrengthsFinder 2.0 Book Ken Coleman - Sweet Spot Speech Aaron Draplin Andy J. Miller Jessica Hische