Podcasts about Creative Entrepreneurs

After struggling for far too long, I decided it was finally time to switch things up in the backend of my business. Tune into this episode to hear:What wasn't working for getting things done in my businessCommon annoyances with Notion and why I ended up ditching it for task managementWhy I no longer care what my workspace looks likeThe simplified way I am tracking tasks nowWhy I'm loving Google Workspace and a peak into my productivity setupHow I love to use Google Calendar, Google Drive, Tasks, and Google Meet to cut costs in my annual business expensesHow you can get my free training on Getting Started with Google Workspace in your business!Register for the Google Workspace Workshop here.Send us a textFind more resources over at SarahSteckler.comCome say hi on Instagram @sarahsteckler

Derin Lindsey is an established Branding, Marketing and Creative Entrepreneur. He is the Founder and President of For Black Men's Health Inc. Derin is a wellness advocate dedicated to educating and empowering men of color to prioritize their health.

In this episode, we sit down with Carrie Scott, Financial Advisor with Cetera Investors, to talk about building real, sustainable wealth as a creative business owner. Whether you're a hairstylist, solopreneur, or growing your side hustle, this conversation is packed with approachable tips on setting up financial systems, the biggest mistakes creatives make with money, how to plan for slow seasons and long-term wealth, shifting from hustle mode to intentional money moves. Carrie breaks down complex topics with warmth, clarity, and zero judgment. This is the episode every creative didn't know they needed.   Find Carrie Scott here: website: https://scottwealthmgmt.ceterainvestors.com/ or feel free to contact by email. Carrie recommends you read this book Our 6 figure stylist guide here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/622541789b7136a9e313da40  Key Take-aways: 1. You can open a RothIRA for your working child to help them get started with their long term wealth building. 2. As a small business owner, look over your spending and income month to month & start with an emergency fund. 3. Set yourself up for success by putting yourself first and start investing for your future plan. 4. Would you rather pay yourself or the IRS? 5. The average age that someone starts to invest in their future is 40. Imagine what it would look like to start earlier. 6. Start with the end in mind. Have the final number you want to retire with and get clarity on what you should be putting away. 7. Monthly installments can help over the one lump sum to accrue interest over 8. Get the mindset of how you'll start your investment; short, medium, or long term for the best success.  9. Debt accrual is a financial killer and can hold you back from moving forward. Do you want to sacrifice now or later? 10. Index means the money is split between all companies. 11. Investing into a mutual fund or ETF is a safe way to invest. 12. A Simple IRA maxes at $16,500 for the year 2025 if you're under 50 & have at least 1 employee. There is no cost to set it up, and the employer has to match up to 2%. 13. SEP IRA is for a solo $70k per year or 25%. 14. Both Simple & SEP IRA's have matching as well as separate requirements.  15. If you put $300 away in an investment account, you're not actually putting away $300 because $80-100 would have been counted toward taxes, so your check looks like it drops closer to $200 instead. 16. Financial advisors not only help you with choosing how to invest in the right type of account to fit your needs a goals, they also help you come up with a plan to pay off debt, save, and get to your goals faster. 17.Short term typically don't have fees & don't pay much, intermediate (5+ year goal) mutual funds which compounds over time, but you don't have to be 59 ½ before you can touch the money. Long-term don't touch until you're 59 ½  18. IRS charges a 10% fee if you take money out prior to 59 ½  19. Annuities you don't have an age limit when you want to take money out of an account. You only pay taxes for the income, and it's a nice way to build a legacy and pass over the generations. 20. You have to take income at the age of 73 on your IRA. 21. CDs and HYSA (high-yield savings account) interest payments and terms change all the time. Email & text marketing is the quickest way to increase your income and GlossGenius has AI support to make this as simple as clicking a button! Try it out for 2 weeks FREE: https://glossgenius.biz/AmbrosiaCarey Get 15% off Pharmagel, our favorite skincare line with code SSA15: http://www.pharmagel.net/discount/ssa15?redirect=%2F%3Fafmc%3Dssa15  

“You're not going to be persecuted for doing things differently.” In this episode, Michael Dargie connects with Beatrice Gutknecht, a brand strategist, former hotel manager, and founder of Badass Reby B. Now based in Valencia, Spain after a decade in Myanmar—including living through a military coup—Beatrice is helping people badass their brands by doing the exact opposite of what the world expects. This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. Beatrice opens up about the personal journey that shaped her, from a precocious kid who made fake ad jingles to losing both parents and rediscovering her voice. She shares the pivotal moment that led her to say “yes” to discomfort and finally stop waiting for permission. She created a tool that diagnoses brand problems and gives businesses a clear path to improvement—and she's giving it away for free. We talk about her favourite brunch spots, obsession with dark chocolate, passion for questioning industry norms, and the global experiences that shaped her approach to business and life. Beatrice even shares how her human design type helped her embrace the way she processes decisions (hint: talking is everything). Whether you're building a brand or figuring out who the hell you are, this episode is a refreshing and rebellious reminder to stop blending in and start showing up. Quotable Quotes “Pushing back against the norms will only help you. It won't detract from you.” – Beatrice Gutknecht “Do I even have a voice? That's how deep under the mud I was.” – Beatrice Gutknecht “You're not going to be persecuted for doing things differently.” – Beatrice Gutknecht “Question the shoulds.” – Beatrice Gutknecht “This was freaking amazeballs.” – Beatrice Gutknecht “Just show the tree your pancakes.” – Michael Dargie Episode Highlights Valencia Life | Beatrice shares why she chose Spain Free Branding Tool | A prescription for brand problems Operations-Led Branding | Her unique approach to strategy Origin Story | From hotel manager to real estate to rebel Losing Her Voice | How school, culture, and loss silenced her Getting Uncomfortable | Why saying yes changed everything Leaving Myanmar | Surviving a coup and starting over Dark Chocolate & Brunch | Guilty pleasures and Sunday rituals Branding Truth | Stop copying your industry, look elsewhere Rebel Advice | “Question the shoulds” Favourite Place | Valencia vs Myanmar vs Florence Pet Pirate Dreams | Parrots, pirates, and planning Human Design | Projector mode: talk first, think after Maple Syrup | Field trips, taps, and Canadian trees LINKS FROM EPISODE Badassery by B (https://www.youtube.com/@badasserybyb) Beatrice on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatricegutknecht/) Get Your Copy of Michael's Book: "BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable" Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com

Just because there's money in the bank doesn't mean your business is truly profitable. In this episode, Danielle lays out the most common (and sneaky) financial mistakes she sees entrepreneurs and small business owners making without even realizing they're doing it. From undercharging to over-relying on your gut, Danielle is not here to shame you—she's here to show you how to avoid them so you have the tools you need to build your business with confidence, clarity, and a financial plan that supports your vision.  Key Takeaways:  Your Bank Balance is Not the Full Picture: Why real profitability lives beyond what's in your checking account. Profit is not the same as cash flow, and both matter in different ways.  You Don't Have to Do It All Yourself: You're not a bookkeeper—and you don't need to be! Delegating your money tasks is one of the most empowering moves you can make. Outsourcing your books (or any task that's not your expertise) isn't giving up control, it's giving yourself the ability to make smarter business decisions.  Knowing Your Numbers Puts You In Control: Reviewing your financial statements monthly isn't just “nice”, it's necessary. It keeps you from guessing and it's how you grow with intention.  Pricing for Profit, Not Panic: Undercharging leads to burnout. You deserve to get paid what your work is worth—and then some. Create a Plan for the Slow Seasons: Feast-or-famine is not a strategy. Use data to build stability and breathe easier year-round. Think In Terms of the Long-Game: Even if you love your work now, it's never too early to plan for the future. Building a business that runs without you means real freedom. Topics Discussed: (00:49 – 01:43) Mistake #1: The Illusion of a Healthy Bank Balance (01:44 – 02:47) Mistake #2: Doing Your Own Bookkeeping and Ignoring Your Financials (02:47 – 03:16) Mistake #3: Not Looking at Your Financials on a Monthly Basis (03:24 – 04:47) Mistake #4 & 5: Not Charging Enough and Not Raising Prices Regularly (04:48 – 05:30) Mistake #6: Not Tracking Return of Investments on Expenses (05:31 – 06:22) Mistake #7: Chasing Revenue Over Profit (06:24 – 08:07) Mistake #8 & 9: Hiring a Team and Asking for Help Too Late (08:07 – 08:53) Mistake #10: Not Planning for Slow Seasons and Creating a Money Buffer (08:53 – 09:59) Mistake #11 & 12: Ignoring Financial Red Flags and Relying on Your Gut Alone (10:00 – 10:34) Mistake #13: Allowing One Client or Revenue Source to Dominate Your Business  (10:35 – 11:10) Mistake #14: Not Having Standard Operating Procedures In Order to Delegate (11:11 – 11:42) Mistake #15: Inconsistent Invoicing and Follow Up  (13:57 – 14:45) Mistake #16: Not Creating an Exit Plan and Having a Long-Term Vision for the Future   Resources:  Kickstart Accounting's CFO Services | kickstartaccountinginc.com/cfo   Book a Call with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.: https://www.kickstartaccountinginc.com/book    Connect with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/Kickstartaccounting YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@businessbythebooks  Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/kickstartaccountinginc  

Just because there's money in the bank doesn't mean your business is truly profitable. In this episode, Danielle lays out the most common (and sneaky) financial mistakes she sees entrepreneurs and small business owners making without even realizing they're doing it. From undercharging to over-relying on your gut, Danielle is not here to shame you—she's here to show you how to avoid them so you have the tools you need to build your business with confidence, clarity, and a financial plan that supports your vision.  Key Takeaways:  Your Bank Balance is Not the Full Picture: Why real profitability lives beyond what's in your checking account. Profit is not the same as cash flow, and both matter in different ways.  You Don't Have to Do It All Yourself: You're not a bookkeeper—and you don't need to be! Delegating your money tasks is one of the most empowering moves you can make. Outsourcing your books (or any task that's not your expertise) isn't giving up control, it's giving yourself the ability to make smarter business decisions.  Knowing Your Numbers Puts You In Control: Reviewing your financial statements monthly isn't just “nice”, it's necessary. It keeps you from guessing and it's how you grow with intention.  Pricing for Profit, Not Panic: Undercharging leads to burnout. You deserve to get paid what your work is worth—and then some. Create a Plan for the Slow Seasons: Feast-or-famine is not a strategy. Use data to build stability and breathe easier year-round. Think In Terms of the Long-Game: Even if you love your work now, it's never too early to plan for the future. Building a business that runs without you means real freedom. Topics Discussed: (00:49 – 01:43) Mistake #1: The Illusion of a Healthy Bank Balance (01:44 – 02:47) Mistake #2: Doing Your Own Bookkeeping and Ignoring Your Financials (02:47 – 03:16) Mistake #3: Not Looking at Your Financials on a Monthly Basis (03:24 – 04:47) Mistake #4 & 5: Not Charging Enough and Not Raising Prices Regularly (04:48 – 05:30) Mistake #6: Not Tracking Return of Investments on Expenses (05:31 – 06:22) Mistake #7: Chasing Revenue Over Profit (06:24 – 08:07) Mistake #8 & 9: Hiring a Team and Asking for Help Too Late (08:07 – 08:53) Mistake #10: Not Planning for Slow Seasons and Creating a Money Buffer (08:53 – 09:59) Mistake #11 & 12: Ignoring Financial Red Flags and Relying on Your Gut Alone (10:00 – 10:34) Mistake #13: Allowing One Client or Revenue Source to Dominate Your Business  (10:35 – 11:10) Mistake #14: Not Having Standard Operating Procedures In Order to Delegate (11:11 – 11:42) Mistake #15: Inconsistent Invoicing and Follow Up  (13:57 – 14:45) Mistake #16: Not Creating an Exit Plan and Having a Long-Term Vision for the Future   Resources:  Kickstart Accounting's CFO Services | kickstartaccountinginc.com/cfo   Book a Call with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.: https://www.kickstartaccountinginc.com/book    Connect with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/Kickstartaccounting YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@businessbythebooks  Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/kickstartaccountinginc  

Are you ready to take your photography career to the next level? In this episode, we sit down with Jean Carlo Peñaloza—renowned portrait and underwater photographer, educator, and host of The Outspoken Artist Podcast. Jean Carlo shares his personal journey from creative struggles to professional triumphs, giving real-world advice on how to stand out as a photographer in 2025.Discover essential strategies for building a strong photography brand, finding your unique artistic voice, and navigating the ever-changing world of photography business. Jean Carlo opens up about the realities behind the lens—balancing passion, creativity, and business success while maintaining mental health and resilience.We cover everything from branding, marketing, and client management to the power of community, podcasting, and embracing authenticity in your work. Whether you're just starting out, looking to grow your photography business, or seeking inspiration from industry leaders, this interview is packed with actionable insights and honest advice.Subscribe for more interviews with top photographers, creative business tips, and the latest trends in photography and videography. Join our community and keep your creative edge sharp!Subscribe for more deep-dive interviews and practical tips!Hosted by Kersten Luts#CameraShakePodcast #JeanCarloPenaloza #theoutspokenartist******************************************************************SUPPORT THE PODCAST: www.buymeacoffee.com/camerashake******************************************************************JOIN THE CAMERA SHAKE COMMUNITY for the latest news and some behind the scenes insights:  www.camerashakepodcast.com******************************************************************Check out our sponsor: www.platypod.com******************************************************************THIS WEEK'S LINKS:Jean Carlo on the web:https://theoutspokenartist.com/Jean Carlo on Social Media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoutspokenartistInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/outspokenartist_podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OutspokenArtistJOIN THE CAMERA SHAKE COMMUNITY for the latest news and some behind the scenes insights:  www.camerashakepodcast.com======================================CAMERA SHAKE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:https://www.youtube.com/camerashakeFULL EPISODE 261 ‘How to Stand Out as a Photographer in 2025 – JEAN CARLO PEÑALOZA' IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON: YouTube - https://youtu.be/rhb0n0JWy38Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2Y2LmfmSpotify - https://spoti.fi/304sm2G FOLLOW US ONInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/camerashakepodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camerashakepodcastTwitter: https://twitter.com/ShakeCameraKersten's website:www.kerstenluts.comKersten on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/kerstenluts/https://www.instagram.com/threeheadsinarow/

Are you hyper-independent? Do you struggle to ask for help, but deep down yearn for community, creative partners, and support? In this solo episode, I'm sharing the (honestly hilarious and kind of painful) story of how I finally learned the power of collaboration--and why trying to do everything alone was costing me my creativity, my energy, and yes…some of my actual hair. I'll walk you through how to know when it's time to bring others in, how to call in creative collaborators and community, and how to let go of the pressure to do it all by yourself.This is your invitation to release burn out, find some balance and stop white-knuckling your creative life. From this episode, you'll learn:-How hyper-independence may be blocking your creative growth-The signs it's time to call in support and collaboration-How to find the right creative partners for your project or business-Tips for setting boundaries and expectations in creative partnerships-Why co-creating with your inner child or higher self also counts

There's a massive shift coming in the creator economy - but are you ready for it? The industry built around the intersection of content creators, brands and communities - commonly referred to as the 'creator economy' - is shifting faster and faster into brand new territories, and you might feel like you're hopelessly behind. Don't stress...prepare. There's hope and priceless information shared in this episode. In this powerful interview, leading Youtuber, creator educator and author Roberto Blake breaks down how you can prepare for changes happening right now in the creator economy and get positioned for sustainable success - even if you don't have a big following. You'll learn why implementing systems and structure are vital  to your future success, and why sustainable creator income is not only possible - it's well within reach even if you don't have a huge following. LEARN MORE ABOUT ROBERTO BLAKERoberto Blake is a Creative Entrepreneur, Keynote Speaker and currently the head of Create Awesome Media and the Founder of Awesome Creator Academy, where he and his team help other Creators grow their audience and income to become full-time Creators. Forbes named Roberto as one of the 20 Must Watch YouTube Channels that Will Change Your Business.Roberto is the Bestselling Author of the book “Create Something Awesome: How Creators Are Profiting Their Passion in the Creator Economy”.  Roberto educates creators on how to start creating high-value content, grow an engaged audience, and generate a full-time income from YouTube, Podcasting, and Live Streaming.  On the YouTube channel where Roberto educates aspiring Creators and Entrepreneurs he has gained over 600,000 Subscribers and over 40 Million Video Views.   To date, Roberto has earned over $2M in revenue as a full-time Creator grown his audience to over 600,000, and generated over 40M views. He has worked with over 500 Creators who collectively have generated 5 Billion views.https://robertoblake.comGet Roberto's Book "Create Something Awesome" https://amzn.to/3HM1EUnPre-order his upcoming book "The Creator Economy" https://amzn.to/4kT4sgGWatch the 12 Week Creator Beginners Videoshttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUg-IRiErnOgE2LJz1Ta4xiCAe006c1-&feature=sharedTap to send us a text! Support the showJoin our Creative Community In our 360 Membership, you get focused encouragement, guidance, and training on how to thrive as a faith-focused creative. Joining gives you access to our exclusive app, workshops and community conversations, as we change from being creatively confused to creatively confident! GodandGigs.com/membership PODCAST MERCHGet God and Gigs themed gear, clothing and accessories HERE! GOT VALUE FROM THIS PODCAST? If so, please share your: TIME: Send this episode to someone who you know would enjoy it TALENT: Email your art or music to add to our community to allen@godandgigs.com TREASURE: Tap HERE to help support God and Gigs with a donation!

Hey Rainmakers! Chelsey and Stephen here, and this episode is just plain sweet—literally.

Alexa Bigwarfe and Hannah Jacobson dive deep into business-building for authors and publishing pros. They cover funding models, pricing mistakes, automation, AI tools, and the essential mindset shift from "just an author" to entrepreneur. It's honest, funny, and full of hard-won wisdom. A must-listen for creative business owners!

Jeffrey Madoff is, as you will discover, quite a fascinating and engaging person. Jeff is quite the creative entrepreneur as this episode's title says. But he really is so much more.   He tells us that he came by his entrepreneurial spirit and mindset honestly. His parents were both entrepreneurs and passed their attitude onto him and his older sister. Even Jeffrey's children have their own businesses.   There is, however, so much more to Jeffrey Madoff. He has written a book and is working on another one. He also has created a play based on the life of Lloyd Price. Who is Lloyd Price? Listen and find out. Clue, the name of the play is “Personality”. Jeff's next book, “Casting Not Hiring”, with Dan Sullivan, is about the transformational power of theater and how you can build a company based on the principles of theater. It will be published by Hay House and available in November of this year.   My conversation with Jeff is a far ranging as you can imagine. We talk about everything from the meaning of Creativity to Imposture's Syndrome. I always tell my guests that Unstoppable Mindset is not a podcast to interview people, but instead I want to have real conversations. I really got my wish with Jeff Madoff. I hope you like listening to this episode as much as I liked being involved in it.       About the Guest:   Jeffrey Madoff's career straddles the creative and business side of the arts. He has been a successful entrepreneur in fashion design and film, and as an author, playwright, producer, and adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design. He created and taught a course for sixteen years called “Creative Careers Making A Living With Your Ideas”, which led to a bestselling book of the same name . Madoff has been a keynote speaker at Princeton, Wharton, NYU and Yale where he curated and moderated a series of panels entitled "Reframing The Arts As Entrepreneurship”. His play “Personality” was a critical and audience success in it's commercial runs at People's Light Theater in Pennsylvania and in Chicago and currently waiting for a theater on The West End in London.   Madoff's next book, “Casting Not Hiring”, with Dan Sullivan, is about the transformational power of theater and how you can build a company based on the principles of theater. It will be published by Hay House and available in November of this year. Ways to connect Jeffrey:   company website: www.madoffproductions.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-jeffrey-madoff-5baa8074/ www.acreativecareer.com Instagram: @acreativecareer   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Well, hi everyone. Welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. We're glad to have you on board with us, wherever you happen to be. Hope the day is going well for you. Our guest today is Jeffrey Madoff, who is an a very creative kind of person. He has done a number of things in the entrepreneurial world. He has dealt with a lot of things regarding the creative side of the arts. He's written plays. He taught a course for 16 years, and he'll tell us about that. He's been a speaker in a variety of places. And I'm not going to go into all of that, because I think it'll be more fun if Jeffrey does it. So welcome to unstoppable mindset. We are really glad you're here and looking forward to having an hour of fun. And you know, as I mentioned to you once before, the only rule on the podcast is we both have to have fun, or it's not worth doing, right? So here   Jeffrey Madoff ** 02:13 we are. Well, thanks for having me on. Michael, well, we're really glad   Michael Hingson ** 02:17 you're here. Why don't we start as I love to do tell us kind of about the early Jeffrey growing up, and you know how you got where you are, a little bit or whatever.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 02:28 Well, I was born in Akron, Ohio, which at that time was the rubber capital of the world. Ah, so that might explain some of my bounce and resilience. There   Michael Hingson ** 02:40 you go. I was in Sandusky, Ohio last weekend, nice and cold, or last week,   Jeffrey Madoff ** 02:44 yeah, I remember you were, you were going to be heading there. And, you know, Ohio, Akron, which is in northern Ohio, was a great place to grow up and then leave, you know, so my my childhood. I have many, many friends from my childhood, some who still live there. So it's actually I always enjoy going back, which doesn't happen all that often anymore, you know, because certain chapters in one's life close, like you know, when my when my parents died, there wasn't as much reason to go back, and because the friends that I had there preferred to come to New York rather than me go to Akron. But, you know, Akron was a great place to live, and I'm very fortunate. I think what makes a great place a great place is the people you meet, the experiences you have. Mm, hmm, and I met a lot of really good people, and I was very close with my parents, who were entrepreneurs. My mom and dad both were so I come by that aspect of my life very honestly, because they modeled the behavior. And I have an older sister, and she's also an entrepreneur, so I think that's part of the genetic code of our family is doing that. And actually, both of my kids have their own business, and my wife was entrepreneurial. So some of those things just carry forward, because it's kind of what, you know, what did your parents do? My parents were independent retailers, and so they started by working in other stores, and then gradually, both of them, who were also very independent people, you know, started, started their own store, and then when they got married, they opened one together, and it was Women's and Children's retail clothing. And so I learned, I learned a lot from my folks, mainly from the. Behavior that I saw growing up. I don't think you can really lecture kids and teach them anything, yeah, but you can be a very powerful teacher through example, both bad and good. Fortunately, my parents were good examples. I think   Michael Hingson ** 05:14 that kids really are a whole lot more perceptive than than people think sometimes, and you're absolutely right, lecturing them and telling them things, especially when you go off and do something different than you tell them to do, never works. They're going to see right through it.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 05:31 That's right. That's right. And you know, my kids are very bright, and there was never anything we couldn't talk about. And I had that same thing with my parents, you know, particularly my dad. But I had the same thing with both my parents. There was just this kind of understanding that community, open communication is the best communication and dealing with things as they came up was the best way to deal with things. And so it was, it was, it was really good, because my kids are the same way. You know, there was always discussions and questioning. And to this day, and I have twins, I have a boy and girl that are 31 years old and very I'm very proud of them and the people that they have become, and are still becoming,   Michael Hingson ** 06:31 well and still becoming is really the operative part of that. I think we all should constantly be learning, and we should, should never decide we've learned all there is to learn, because that won't happen. There's always something new,   Jeffrey Madoff ** 06:44 and that's really what's fun. I think that you know for creativity and life at large, that constant curiosity and learning is fuel that keeps things moving forward, and can kindle the flame that lights up into inspiration, whether you're writing a book or a song or whatever it is, whatever expression one may have, I think that's where it originates. Is curiosity. You're trying to answer a question or solve a problem or something. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 07:20 and sometimes you're not, and it's just a matter of doing. And it doesn't always have to be some agenda somewhere, but it's good to just be able to continue to grow. And all too often, we get so locked into agendas that we don't look at the rest of the world around us.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 07:41 I Well, I would say the the agenda in and of itself, staying curious, I guess an overarching part of my agenda, but it's not to try to get something from somebody else, right, other than knowledge, right? And so I guess I do have an agenda in that. That's what I find interesting.   Michael Hingson ** 08:02 I can accept that that makes sense.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 08:06 Well, maybe one of the few things I say that does so thank you.   Michael Hingson ** 08:10 I wasn't even thinking of that as an agenda, but just a way of life. But I hear what you're saying. It makes sense. Oh, there are   Jeffrey Madoff ** 08:17 people that I've certainly met you may have, and your listeners may have, also that there always is some kind of, I wouldn't call it agenda, a transactional aspect to what they're doing. And that transactional aspect one could call an agenda, which isn't about mutual interest, it's more what I can get and or what I can sell you, or what I can convince you of, or whatever. And I to me, it's the the process is what's so interesting, the process of questioning, the process of learning, the process of expressing, all of those things I think are very powerful, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 09:03 yeah, I hear what you're saying. So for you, you were an Akron did you go to college there? Or what did you do after high school? So   Jeffrey Madoff ** 09:11 after high school, I went to the University of Wisconsin, ah, Madison, which is a fantastic place. That's right, badgers, that's right. And, and what really cinched the deal was when I went to visit the school. I mean, it was so different when I was a kid, because, you know, nowadays, the kids that my kids grew up with, you know, the parents would visit 18 schools, and they would, you know, they would, they would file for admission to 15 schools. And I did one in my parents. I said to them, can I take the car? I want to go check out the University. I was actually looking at Northwestern and the University of Wisconsin. And. And I was in Evanston, where Northwestern is located. I didn't see any kids around, and, you know, I had my parents car, and I finally saw a group of kids, and I said, where is everybody? I said, Well, it's exam week. Everybody's in studying. Oh, I rolled up the window, and without getting out of the car, continued on to Madison. And when I got to Madison, I was meeting somebody behind the Student Union. And my favorite band at that time, which was the Paul Butterfield blues band, was giving a free concert. So I went behind the Student Union, and it's a beautiful, idyllic place, lakes and sailboats and just really gorgeous. And my favorite band is giving a free concert. So decision made, I'm going University of Wisconsin, and it was a great place.   Michael Hingson ** 10:51 I remember when I was looking at colleges. We got several letters. Got I wanted to major in physics. I was always science oriented. Got a letter from Dartmouth saying you ought to consider applying, and got some other letters. We looked at some catalogs, and I don't even remember how the subject came up, but we discovered this University California campus, University California at Irvine, and it was a new campus, and that attracted me, because although physically, it was very large, there were only a few buildings on it. The total population of undergraduates was 2700 students, not that way today, but it was back when I went there, and that attracted me. So we reached out to the chair of the physics department, whose name we got out of the catalog, and asked Dr Ford if we could come and meet with him and see if he thought it would be a good fit. And it was over the summer between my junior and senior year, and we went down, and we chatted with him for about an hour, and he he talked a little physics to me and asked a few questions, and I answered them, and he said, you know, you would do great here. You should apply. And I did, and I was accepted, and that was it, and I've never regretted that. And I actually went all the way through and got my master's degree staying at UC Irvine, because it was a great campus. There were some professors who weren't overly teaching oriented, because they were so you research oriented, but mostly the teachers were pretty good, and we had a lot of fun, and there were a lot of good other activities, like I worked with the campus radio station and so on. So I hear what you're saying, and it's the things that attract you to a campus. Those count. Oh,   Jeffrey Madoff ** 12:35 yeah. I mean, because what can you really do on a visit? You know, it's like kicking the tires of a car, right? You know? Does it feel right? Is there something that I mean, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you do meet a faculty member or someone that you really connect with, and that causes you to really like the place, but you don't really know until you're kind of there, right? And Madison ended up being a wonderful choice. I loved it. I had a double major in philosophy and psychology. You know, my my reasoning being, what two things do I find really interesting that there is no path to making a good income from Oh, philosophy and psychology. That works   Michael Hingson ** 13:22 well you possibly can from psychology, but philosophy, not hardly   Jeffrey Madoff ** 13:26 No, no. But, you know, the thing that was so great about it, going back to the term we used earlier, curiosity in the fuel, what I loved about both, you know, philosophy and psychology used to be cross listed. They were this under the same heading. It was in 1932 when the Encyclopedia Britannica approached Sigmund Freud to write a separate entry for psychology, and that was the first time the two disciplines, philosophy and psychology, were split apart, and Freud wrote that entry, and forever since, it became its own discipline, but the questions that one asks, or the questions that are posed in Both philosophy and psychology, I still, to this day, find fascinating. And, you know, thinking about thinking and how you think about things, I always find very, very interesting.   Michael Hingson ** 14:33 Yeah, and the whole, the whole process, how do you get from here to there? How do you deal with anything that comes up, whether it's a challenge or just fulfilling the life choices that you make and so on. And philosophy and psychology, in a sense, I think, really are significantly different, but they're both very much thinking oriented.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 14:57 Oh, absolutely, it. And you know, philosophy means study of life, right? What psychology is, yeah, so I understand why they were bonded, and now, you know, understand why they also separated. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 15:15 I'll have to go look up what Freud said. I have never read that, but I will go find it. I'm curious. Yeah,   Jeffrey Madoff ** 15:23 it's it's so interesting. It's so interesting to me, because whether you believe in Freud or not, you if you are knowledgeable at all, the impact that he had on the world to this day is staggeringly significant. Yeah, because nobody was at posing those questions before, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 15:46 yeah. And there's, there's no doubt that that he has had a major contribution to a lot of things regarding life, and you're right, whether you buy into the view that he had of a lot of things isn't, isn't really the issue, but it still is that he had a lot of relevant and interesting things to say, and he helps people think that's right, that's right. Well, so what did you do? So you had a double major? Did you go on and do any advanced degree work? No,   Jeffrey Madoff ** 16:17 you know it was interesting because I had thought about it because I liked philosophy so much. And I approached this professor who was very noted, Ivan Saul, who was one of the world Hegelian scholars, and I approached him to be my advisor. And he said, Why do you want me to be your advisor? And I said, because you're one of the most published and respected authors on that subject. And if I'm going to have an advisor, I might as well go for the person that might help me the most and mean the most if I apply to graduate schools. So I did in that case certainly had an agenda. Yeah, and, and he said, you know, Jeff, I just got back from the world Hegelian conference in Munich, and I found it very depressing as and he just paused, and I said, why'd you find it depressing? And he said, Well, there's only one or two other people in the world that I can speak to about Hegel. And I said, Well, maybe you want to choose a different topic so you can make more friends. That depressing. That doesn't sound like it's a mix, you know, good fit for life, right? But so I didn't continue to graduate studies. I took graduate courses. I started graduate courses the second semester of my sophomore year. But I thought, I don't know. I don't want to, I don't want to gain this knowledge that the only thing I can do is pass it on to others. It's kind of like breathing stale air or leaving the windows shut. I wanted to be in a world where there was an idea exchange, which I thought would be a lot more interesting. Yeah. And so there was a brief period where I thought I would get a doctorate and do that, and I love teaching, but I never wanted to. That's not what I wanted to pursue for those reasons.   Michael Hingson ** 18:35 So what did you end up doing then, once you got   Jeffrey Madoff ** 18:37 out of college? Well, there was a must have done something I did. And there's a little boutique, and in Madison that I did the buying for. And it was this very hip little clothing store. And Madison, because it was a big campus, you know, in the major rock bands would tour, they would come into the store because we had unusual things that I would find in New York, you know, when I was doing the buying for it, and I get a phone call from a friend of mine, a kid that I grew up with, and he was a year older, he had graduated school a year before me, and he said, Can you think of a gig that would earn more than bank interest? You know, I've saved up this money. Can you think of anything? And I said, Well, I see what we design. I mean, I see what we sell, and I could always draw. So I felt like I could design. I said, I'll start a clothing company. And Michael, I had not a clue in terms of what I was committing myself to. I was very naive, but not stupid. You know, was ignorant, but not stupid. And different. The difference between being ignorant and being stupid is ignorant. You can. Learn stupids forever, yeah, and that started me on this learning lesson, an entrepreneurial learning lesson, and there was, you know, quite formative for me. And the company was doubling in size every four months, every three months, and it was getting pretty big pretty quick. And you know, I was flying by the seat of my pants. I didn't really know what I was doing, but what I discovered is I had, you know, saleable taste. And I mean, when I was working in this store, I got some of the sewers who did the alterations to make some of my drawings, and I cut apart a shirt that I liked the way it fit, so I could see what the pieces are, and kind of figure out how this all worked. So but when I would go to a store and I would see fabric on the bolt, meaning it hadn't been made into anything, I was so naive. I thought that was wholesale, you know, which it wasn't and but I learned quickly, because it was like you learn quickly, or you go off the edge of a cliff, you go out of business. So it taught me a lot of things. And you know the title of your podcast, the unstoppable, that's part of what you learn in business. If you're going to survive, you've gotta be resilient enough to get up, because you're going to get knocked down. You have to persevere, because there are people that are going to that you're competing with, and there are things that are things that are going to happen that are going to make you want to give up, but that perseverance, that resilience, I think probably creativity, is third. I think it's a close call between perseverance and resilience, because those are really important criteria for a personality profile to have if you're going to succeed in business as an entrepreneur.   Michael Hingson ** 22:05 You know, Einstein once said, or at least he's credited with saying, that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, right and and the reality is that good, resilient. People will look at things that didn't go right, and if they really look at them, they'll go, I didn't fail. Yeah, maybe I didn't go right. I may have made a mistake, or something wasn't quite right. What do I do to fix it so that the next time, we won't have the same problem? And I think that's so important. I wrote my book last year, live like a guide dog, true stories from a blind man and his dogs about being brave, overcoming adversity and moving forward in faith. And it's all about learning to control fear, but it's also all about learning from dogs. I've had eight guide dogs, and my wife had a service dog, and it's all about learning from dogs and seeing why they live in an environment where we are and they feed off of us, if you will. But at the same time, what they don't do is fear like we do. They're open to trust, and we tend not to be because we worry about so many things, rather than just looking at the world and just dealing with our part of it. So it is, it is interesting to to hear you talk about resilience. I think you're absolutely right that resilience is extremely important. Perseverance is important, and they do go together, but you you have to analyze what it is that makes you resilient, or what it is that you need to do to keep being resilient.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 23:48 Well, you're right. And one of the questions that you alluded to the course that I taught for 16 years at Parsons School of Design, which was my course, was called creative careers, making a living with your ideas. And I would ask the students, how many of you are afraid of failing? And probably more than three quarters of the class, their hands went up, and I said to them, you know, if that fear stops you, you'll never do anything interesting, because creativity, true creativity, by necessity, takes you up to and beyond the boundaries. And so it's not going to be always embraced. And you know, failure, I think everyone has to define it for themselves. But I think failure, to me, is and you hear that, you know, failure is a great way to learn. I mean, it's a way. To learn, but it's never not painful, you know, and it, but it is a way to learn if you're paying attention and if you are open to that notion, which I am and was, because, you know, that kind of risk is a necessary part of creativity, going where you hadn't gone before, to try to find solutions that you hadn't done before, and seeing what works. And of course, there's going to be things that don't, but it's only failure if you stop doing what is important to you. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 25:39 well, I think you're absolutely right. And one of the things that I used to do and still do, but it started when I was working as program director of our radio station at UC Irvine, was I wanted people to hear what they sounded like on the radio, because I always listened to what I said, and I know it helped me, but getting the other radio personalities to listen to themselves was was well, like herding cats, it just wasn't doable. And what we finally did is we set up, I and the engineer of the radio station, set up a recorder in a locked cabinet, and whenever the board went on in the main studio, the microphone went on, it recorded. So we didn't need to worry about the music. All we wanted was what the people said, and then we would give people the cassettes. And one of the things that I started saying then, and I said it until, like about a year ago, was, you know, you're your own worst critic, if you can learn to grow from it, or if you can learn to see what's a problem and go on, then that's great. What I learned over the last year and thought about is I'm really not my own worst critic. I'm my own best teacher, because I'm the only one who can really teach me anything, and it's better to shape it in a positive way. So I am my own best teacher. And so I think you're right. If you really want to talk about the concept of failure, failure is when you won't get back up. Failure is when you won't do anything to learn and grow from whatever happens to you, even the good stuff. Could I have done it better? Those are all very important things to do.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 27:19 No, I agree. So why did you think it was important for them to hear their voice?   Michael Hingson ** 27:25 Because I wanted them to hear what everyone else heard. I wanted them to hear what they sounded like to their listeners. And the reality is, when we got them to do that, it was, I say it was incredible, but it wasn't a surprise to me how much better they got. And some of those people ended up going into radio broadcasting, going into other kinds of things, but they really learned to hear what everyone else heard. And they they learned how to talk better. They learn what they really needed to improve upon, or they learn what wasn't sounding very good to everyone else, and they changed their habits.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 28:13 Interesting, interesting. So, so part of that also helps them establish a certain on air identity. I would imagine finding their own voice, so to speak, right,   Michael Hingson ** 28:30 or finding a better voice than they than they had, and certainly a better voice than they thought they had. Well, they thought they had a good voice, and they realized maybe it could be better. And the ones who learned, and most of them really did learn from it, came out the better for it.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 28:49 So let me ask you a personal question. You have been sightless since birth? Is that correct?   Michael Hingson ** 28:56 Yeah, I've been blind since birth. And   Jeffrey Madoff ** 28:59 so on a certain level, I was trying to think about this the other night, and how can I phrase this? On a certain level, you don't know what you look like,   Michael Hingson ** 29:15 and from the standpoint of how you look at it, yeah, yeah.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 29:19 And so, so two, that's two questions. One is so many of us for good and bad, our identity has to do with visual first, how do you assess that new person?   Michael Hingson ** 29:39 I don't look at it from a visual standpoint as such. I look at it from all the other senses that I have and use, but I also listen to the person and see how we interact and react to. Each other, and from that, I can draw pretty good conclusions about what an individual is like, so that I can decide if that's a a lovely person, male or female, because I'm using lovely in the sense of it's the kind of person I want to know or not, and so I don't obviously look at it from a visual standpoint. And although I know Helen Keller did it some, I'm not into feeling faces. When I was in college, I tried to convince girls that they should let me teach them Braille, but they had no interest in me showing them Braille, so we didn't do that. I actually a friend of mine and I once went to a girls dorm, and we put up a sign. Wanted young female assistant to aid in scientific Braille research, but that didn't go anywhere either. So we didn't do it. But so Braille pickup. Oh, Braille pickup. On the other hand, I had my guide dog who was in in my current guide dog is just the same chick magnet right from the get go, but, but the the reality is that visual is, I think there's a lot to be said for beauty is only skin deep in a lot of ways. And I think that it's important that we go far beyond just what one person looks like. People ask me all the time, well, if you could see again, would you? Or if you could see, would you? And my response is, I don't need to. I think there's value in it. It is a sense. I think it would be a great adventure, but I'm not going to spend my life worrying about that. Blindness isn't what defines me, and what defines me is how I behave, how I am, how I learn and grow, and what I do to be a part of society and and hopefully help society. I think that's more important.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 31:53 You know, I agree with you, and it's it's also having been blind since birth. It's not like you had a you had an aspect that you lost for some reason, right?   Michael Hingson ** 32:04 But I know some people who became blind later in life, who attended centers where they could learn about what it was like to be blind and learn to be a blind person and and really adapted to that philosophy and continue to do what they did even before they lost their their eyesight, and were just as successful as they ever were, because it wasn't so much about having eyesight, although that is a challenge when you lose it, but it was more important to learn that you could find alternatives to do the same things that you did before. So   Jeffrey Madoff ** 32:41 if you ever have read Marvel Comics, and you know Daredevil has a heightened sense of a vision, or you know that certain things turn into a different advantage, is there that kind of in real life, compensatory heightened awareness of other senses.   Michael Hingson ** 33:08 And the answer is not directly. The answer is, if you choose to heighten those senses and learn to use them, then they can be a help. It's like SEAL Team Six, or Rangers, or whatever, they learn how to observe. And for them, observing goes far beyond just using their eyesight to be able to spot things, although they they certainly use that, but they have heightened all of their other senses because they've trained them and they've taught themselves how to use those senses. It's not an automatic process by any definition at all. It's not automatic. You have to learn to do it. There are some blind people who have, have learned to do that, and there are a number that have not. People have said, well, you know, could any blind person get out of the World Trade Center, and like you did, and my response is, it depends on the individual, not necessarily, because there's so many factors that go into it. If you are so afraid when something like the World Trade Center events happen that you become blinded by fear, then you're going to have a much harder time getting out than if you let fear be a guide and use it to heighten the senses that you have during the time that you need that to occur. And that's one of the things that live like a guide dog is all about, is teaching people to learn to control fear, so that in reality, they find they're much more effective, because when something happens, they don't expect they adopt and adapt to having a mindset that says, I can get through this, and fear is going to help.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 34:53 That's fascinating. So one I could go on in this direction, I'll ask you, one, one other. Question is, how would you describe your dreams?   Michael Hingson ** 35:08 Probably the same way you would, except for me, dreaming is primarily in audio and other interactions and not using eyesight. But at the same time, I understand what eyesight is about, because I've thought about it a lot, and I appreciate that the process is not something that I have, but I understand it, and I can talk about light and eyesight all day. I can I when I was when it was discovered that I was blind for the first several years, I did have some light perception. I never as such, really even could see shadows, but I had some light perception. But if I were to be asked, How would you describe what it's like to see light? I'm not sure how I would do that. It's like asking you tell me what it's like to see put it into words so that it makes me feel what you feel when you see. And it's not the excitement of seeing, but it's the sensation. How do you describe that sensation? Or how do you describe the sensation of hearing their their senses? But I've yet to really encounter someone who can put those into words that will draw you in. And I say that from the standpoint of having done literally hundreds or 1000s of speeches telling my story about being in the World Trade Center, and what I tell people today is we have a whole generation of people who have never experienced or had no memory of the World Trade Center, and we have another generation that saw it mainly from TV and pictures. So they their, their view of it was extremely small. And my job, when I speak is to literally bring them in the building and describe what is occurring to me in such a way that they're with me as we're going down the stairs. And I've learned how to do that, but describing to someone what it's like to see or to hear, I haven't found words that can truly do that yet. Oh,   Jeffrey Madoff ** 37:15 fascinating. Thank you.   Michael Hingson ** 37:20 Well, tell me about creativity. I mean, you do a lot of of things, obviously, with with creativity. So what is creativity?   Jeffrey Madoff ** 37:29 I think that creativity is the compelling need to express, and that can manifest in many, many, many different ways. You have that, you know, just it was fascinating here you talk about you, describing what happened in Twin Towers, you know. And so, I think, you know, you had a compelling need to process what was a historic and extraordinary event through that unique perception that you have, and taking the person, as you said, along with you on that journey, you know, down the stairs and out of the Building. I think it was what 78 stories or something, right? And so I think that creativity, in terms of a trait, is that it's a personality trait that has a compelling need to express in some way. And I think that there is no such thing as the lightning bolt that hits and all of a sudden you come up with the idea for the great novel, The great painting, the great dance, the great piece of music. We are taking in influences all the time and percolating those influences, and they may come out, in my case, hopefully they've come out in the play that I wrote, personality and because if it doesn't relate to anybody else, and you're only talking to yourself, that's you know, not, not. The goal, right? The play is to have an audience. The goal of your book is to have readers. And by the way, did your book come out in Braille?   Michael Hingson ** 39:31 Um, yeah, it, it is available in Braille. It's a bit. Actually, all three of my books are available in with their on demand. They can be produced in braille, and they're also available in audio formats as well. Great.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 39:43 That's great. So, yeah, I think that person, I think that creativity is it is a fascinating topic, because I think that when you're a kid, oftentimes you're told more often not. To do certain things than to do certain things. And I think that you know, when you're creative and you put your ideas out there at a very young age, you can learn shame. You know, people don't like what you do, or make fun of what you do, or they may like it, and it may be great, but if there's, you know, you're opened up to that risk of other people's judgment. And I think that people start retreating from that at a very young age. Could because of parents, could because of teachers, could because of their peer group, but they learn maybe in terms of what they think is emotional survival, although would never be articulated that way, at putting their stuff out there, they can be judged, and they don't like being judged, and that's a very uncomfortable place to be. So I think creativity is both an expression and a process.   Michael Hingson ** 40:59 Well, I'll and I think, I think you're right, and I think that it is, it is unfortunate all too often, as you said, how children are told don't do this or just do that, but don't do this, and no, very few people take the next logical step, which is to really help the child understand why they said that it isn't just don't. It should be. Why not? One of my favorite stories is about a student in school once and was taking a philosophy class. You'll probably have heard this, but he and his classmates went in for the final exam, and the instructor wrote one word on the board, which was why? And then everybody started to write. And they were writing furiously this. This student sat there for a couple of minutes, wrote something on a paper, took it up, handed it in, and left. And when the grades came out, he was the only one who got an A. And the reason is, is because what he put on his paper was, why not, you know, and, and that's very, very valid question to ask. But the reality is, if we really would do more to help people understand, we would be so much better off. But rather than just telling somebody what to do, it's important to understand why?   Jeffrey Madoff ** 42:22 Yeah, I remember when I was in I used to draw all the time, and my parents would bring home craft paper from the store that was used to wrap packets. And so they would bring me home big sheets I could do whatever I wanted on it, you know, and I would draw. And in school I would draw. And when art period happened once or twice a week, and the teacher would come in with her cart and I was drawing, that was when this was in, like, the middle 50s, and Davy Crockett was really a big deal, and I was drawing quite an intricate picture of the battle at the Alamo. And the teacher came over to me and said she wanted us to do crayon resist, which is, you know, they the watercolors won't go over the the crayon part because of the wax and the crayon. And so you would get a different thing that never looked good, no matter who did it, right? And so the teacher said to me, what are you doing? And I said, Well, I'm drawing. It's and she said, Why are you drawing? I said, Well, it's art class, isn't it? She said, No, I told you what to do. And I said, Yeah, but I wanted to do this. And she said, Well, you do what I tell you, where you sit there with your hands folded, and I sat there with my hands folded. You know I wasn't going to be cowed by her. And I've thought back on that story so often, because so often you get shut down. And when you get shut down in a strong way, and you're a kid, you don't want to tread on that land again. Yeah, you're afraid,   Michael Hingson ** 44:20 yeah. Yeah. And maybe there was a good reason that she wanted you to do what she wanted, but she should have taken the time to explain that right, right now, of course, my question is, since you did that drawing with the Alamo and so on, I'm presuming that Davy Crockett looked like Fess Parker, right? Just checking,   Jeffrey Madoff ** 44:42 yeah, yep, yeah. And my parents even got me a coon   Michael Hingson ** 44:47 skin hat. There you go, Daniel Boone and David Crockett and   Jeffrey Madoff ** 44:51 Davy Crockett and so there were two out there. Mine was actually a full coon skin cap with the tail. And other kids had it where the top of it was vinyl, and it had the Disney logo and a picture of Fess Parker. And I said, Now I don't want something, you know, and you are correct, you are correct. It was based on fess Barker. I think   Michael Hingson ** 45:17 I have, I had a coons kid cap, and I think I still do somewhere. I'm not quite sure where it is, but it was a real coonskin cap with a cake with a tail.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 45:26 And does your tail snap off? Um, no, yeah, mine. Mine did the worst thing about the coonskin cap, which I thought was pretty cool initially, when it rained, it was, you know, like you had some wet animal on your Well, yes, yeah, as you did, she did, yeah, animal on your head, right? Wasn't the most aromatic of the hub. No,   Michael Hingson ** 45:54 no, it's but Huh, you got to live with it. That's right. So what is the key to having great creative collaborations? I love collaborating when I wrote my original book, Thunder dog, and then running with Roselle, and then finally, live like a guide dog. I love the idea of collaborating, and I think it made all three of the books better than if it had just been me, or if I had just let someone else do it, because we're bringing two personalities into it and making the process meld our ideas together to create a stronger process.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 46:34 I completely agree with you, and collaboration, for instance, in my play personality, the director Sheldon apps is a fantastic collaborator, and as a result, has helped me to be a better writer, because he would issue other challenges, like, you know, what if we looked at it this way instead of that way? What if you gave that power, that that character, the power in that scene, rather than the Lloyd character? And I loved those kinds of challenges. And the key to a good collaboration is pretty simple, but it doesn't happen often enough. Number one is listening. You aren't going to have a good collaboration if you don't listen. If you just want to interrupt and shut the other person down and get your opinion out there and not listen, that's not going to be good. That's not going to bode well. And it's being open. So people need to know that they're heard. You can do that a number of ways. You can sort of repeat part of what they said, just so I want to understand. So you were saying that the Alamo situation, did you have Davy Crockett up there swinging the rifle, you know? So the collaboration, listening, respect for opinions that aren't yours. And you know, don't try to just defeat everything out of hand, because it's not your idea. And trust developing a trust with your collaborators, so that you have a clearly defined mission from the get go, to make whatever it is better, not just the expression of one person's will over another. And I think if you share that mission, share that goal, that the other person has earned your trust and vice versa, that you listen and acknowledge, then I think you can have great collaboration. And I've had a number of great collaborators. I think I'm a good collaborator because I sort of instinctively knew those things, and then working with Sheldon over these last few years made it even more so. And so that's what I think makes a really great collaboration.   Michael Hingson ** 49:03 So tell me about the play personality. What's it about? Or what can you tell us about it without giving the whole thing away?   Jeffrey Madoff ** 49:10 So have you ever heard of Lloyd Price?   Michael Hingson ** 49:14 The name is familiar. So that's   Jeffrey Madoff ** 49:16 the answer that I usually get is, I'm not really sure. Yeah, it's kind of familiar. And I said, Well, you don't, probably don't know his name, but I'll bet you know his music. And I then apologize in advance for my singing, you know, cause you've got walk, personality, talk, personality, smile, oh yeah, yeah. I love that song, you know. Yeah. Do you know that song once I did that, yes, yeah. So Lloyd was black. He grew up in Kenner, Louisiana. It was he was in a place where blacks were expected to know their place. And. And if it was raining and a white man passed, you'd have to step into a mud puddle to let them pass, rather than just working by each other. And he was it was a tough situation. This is back in the late 1930s and what Lloyd knew is that he wanted to get out of Kenner, and music could be his ticket. And the first thing that the Lloyd character says in the play is there's a big dance opening number, and first thing that his character says is, my mama wasn't a whore. My dad didn't leave us. I didn't learn how to sing in church, and I never did drugs. I want to get that out of the way up front. And I wanted to just blow up all the tropes, because that's who Lloyd was, yeah, and he didn't drink, he didn't learn how to sing in church. And, you know, there's sort of this baked in narrative, you know, then then drug abuse, and you then have redeemed yourself. Well, he wasn't like that. He was entrepreneurial. He was the first. He was the it was really interesting at the time of his first record, 1952 when he recorded Lottie, Miss Claudia, which has been covered by Elvis and the Beatles and Bruce Springsteen and on and on. There's like 370 covers of it. If you wanted to buy a record by a black artist, you had to go to a black owned record store. His records couldn't get on a jukebox if it was owned by a white person. But what happened was that was the first song by a teenager that sold over a million copies. And nobody was prejudiced against green, which is money. And so Lloyd's career took off, and it The story tells about the the trajectory of his career, the obstacles he had to overcome, the triumphs that he experienced, and he was an amazing guy. I had been hired to direct, produce and direct a short documentary about Lloyd, which I did, and part of the research was interviewing him, and we became very good friends. And when I didn't know anything about him, but I knew I liked his music, and when I learned more about him, I said, Lloyd, you've got an amazing story. Your story needs to be told. And I wrote the first few scenes. He loved what I wrote. And he said, Jeff, I want you to do this. And I said, thank you. I want to do it, but there's one other thing you need to know. And he said, What's that? And I said, You're the vessel. You're the messenger, but your story is bigger than you are. And he said, Jeff, I've been waiting for years for somebody to say that to me, rather than just blowing more smoke up my ass. Yeah. And that started our our collaboration together and the story. And it was a great relationship. Lloyd died in May of 21 and we had become very close, and the fact that he trusted me to tell his story is of huge significance to me. And the fact that we have gotten such great response, we've had two commercial runs. We're moving the show to London, is is is really exciting. And the fact that Lloyd, as a result of his talent and creativity, shattered that wall that was called Race music in race records, once everybody understood on the other side that they could profit from it. So there's a lot of story in there that's got a lot of meat, and his great music   Michael Hingson ** 54:04 that's so cool and and so is it? Is it performing now anywhere, or is it? No, we're   Jeffrey Madoff ** 54:12 in between. We're looking actually, I have a meeting this this week. Today is February 11. I have a meeting on I think it's Friday 14th, with my management in London, because we're trying to get a theater there. We did there in October, and got great response, and now we're looking to find a theater there.   Michael Hingson ** 54:37 So what are the chance we're going to see it on Broadway?   Jeffrey Madoff ** 54:41 I hope a very good chance Broadway is a very at this point in Broadway's history. It's it's almost prohibitively expensive to produce on Broadway, the West End has the same cache and. Yeah, because, you know, you think of there's that obscure British writer who wrote plays called William Shakespeare. You may have heard of   Michael Hingson ** 55:07 him, yeah, heard of the guy somewhere, like, like, I've heard of Lloyd Price, yeah, that's   Jeffrey Madoff ** 55:15 it. And so I think that Broadway is certainly on the radar. The first step for us, the first the big step before Broadway is the West End in London. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 55:30 that's a great place to go. It is.   Jeffrey Madoff ** 55:32 I love it, and I speak the language, so it's good. Well, there you   Michael Hingson ** 55:35 are. That helps. Yes, well, you're a very creative kind of individual by any standard. Do you ever get involved with or have you ever faced the whole concept of imposter syndrome?   Jeffrey Madoff ** 55:48 Interesting, you mentioned that the answer is no, and I'll tell you why it's no. And you know, I do a fair amount of speaking engagements and that sort of thing, and that comes up particularly with women, by the way, imposter syndrome, and my point of view on it is, you know, we're not imposters. If you're not trying to con somebody and lying about what you do, you're a work in progress, and you're moving towards whatever it is that your goals are. So when my play became a produced commercial piece of theater and I was notarized as a playwright, why was that same person the day before that performance happened? And so I think that rather than looking at it as imposter, I look at it as a part of the process, and a part of the process is gaining that credibility, and you have to give yourself permission to keep moving forward. And I think it's very powerful that if you declare yourself and define yourself rather than letting people define you. So I think that that imposter syndrome comes from that fear, and to me, instead of fear, just realize you're involved in the process and so you are, whatever that process is. And again, it's different if somebody's trying to con you and lie to you, but in terms of the creativity, and whether you call yourself a painter or a musician or a playwright or whatever, if you're working towards doing that, that's what you do. And nobody starts off full blown as a hit, so to speak. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 57:44 well, I think you're absolutely right, and I think that it's all about not trying to con someone. And when you are doing what you do, and other people are involved, they also deserve credit, and people like you probably have no problem with making sure that others who deserve credit get the credit. Oh, absolutely, yeah, I'm the same way. I am absolutely of the opinion that it goes back to collaboration. When we're collaborating, I'm I'm very happy to talk about the fact that although I started the whole concept of live like a guide dog, carry Wyatt Kent and I worked on it together, and the two of us work on it together. It's both our books. So each of us can call it our book, but it is a collaborative effort, and I think that's so important to be able to do,   Jeffrey Madoff ** 58:30 oh, absolutely, absolutely, you know, the stuff that I was telling you about Sheldon, the director, you know, and that he has helped me to become a better writer, you know, and and when, as as obviously, you have experienced too, when you have a fruitful collaboration, it's fabulous, because you're both working together to create the best possible result, as opposed to self aggrandizement, right?   Michael Hingson ** 59:03 Yeah, it is. It is for the things that I do. It's not about me and I and I say it all the time when I'm talking to people who I'd like to have hire me to be a speaker. It's not about me, it's about their event. And I believe I can add value, and here's why I think I can add value, but it's not about me, it's about you and your event, right? And it's so important if, if you were to give some advice to somebody starting out, or who wants to be creative, or more creative and so on, what kind of advice would you give them?   Jeffrey Madoff ** 59:38 I would say it's more life advice, which is, don't be afraid of creative risk, because the only thing that you have that nobody else has is who you are. So how you express who you are in the most unique way of who you are? So that is going to be what defines your work. And so I think that it's really important to also realize that things are hard and always take more time than you think they should, and that's just part of the process. So it's not easy. There's all these things out there in social media now that are bull that how people talk about the growth of their business and all of this stuff, there's no recipe for success. There are best practices, but there's no recipes for it. So however you achieve that, and however you achieve making your work better and gaining the attention of others, just understand it's a lot of hard work. It's going to take longer than you thought, and it's can be incredibly satisfying when you hit certain milestones, and don't forget to celebrate those milestones, because that's what's going to give you the strength to keep going forward.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:07 Absolutely, it is really about celebrating the milestones and celebrating every success you have along the way, because the successes will build to a bigger success. That's right, which is so cool. Well, this has been a lot of fun. We've been doing this for an hour. Can you believe it? That's been great. It has been and I really appreciate you being here, and I I want to thank all of you who are listening, but please tell your friends to get into this episode as well. And we really value your comments, so please feel free to write me. I would love to know what you thought about today. I'm easy to reach. It's Michael M, I C H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S i b, e.com, or you can always go to our podcast page, which is Michael hingson, M, I C H, A, E, L, H i N, G, s o n.com/podcast, where you can listen to or access all the of our podcasts, but they're also available, as most likely you've discovered, wherever you can find podcasts, so you can get them on Apple and all those places and wherever you're listening. We do hope you'll give us a five star review. We really value your reviews, and Jeff has really given us a lot of great insights today, and I hope that you all value that as well. So we really would appreciate a five star rating wherever you're listening to us, and that you'll come back and hear some more episodes with us. If you know of anyone who ought to be a guest, Jeff, you as well. Love You to refer people to me. I'm always looking for more people to have on because I do believe that everyone in the world is unstoppable if you learn how to accept that and move forward. And that gets back to our whole discussion earlier about failure or whatever, you can be unstoppable. That doesn't mean you're not going to have challenges along the way, but that's okay. So we hope that if you do know people who ought to be on the podcast, or if you want to be on the podcast and you've been listening, step up won't hurt you. But again, Jeff, I want to thank you for being here. This has been a lot of fun, and we really appreciate your time. Thank   Jeffrey Madoff ** 1:03:16 you, Michael, for having you on. It was fun. You   **Michael Hingson ** 1:03:23 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

In this episode, Paris Wedding Photographer Elodie joins Rahul Khona as she shares her journey as a wedding photographer in France, reflecting on her evolving business, a fresh new website design, and a strategic shift in her target audience. She opens up about navigating changing trends in the wedding industry, the importance of confidence when connecting with clients, and finding the right balance between documentary-style and posed photography. We also dive into the challenges of booking weddings, the power of strong client relationships, and how adaptability is key to thriving as a modern photographer.JOIN THE NINEDOTS MEMBERSHIPWe know that being a wedding photographer isn't just a job – it's your passion, your art, and your calling. That's why NineDots membership was created by photographers who understand exactly what you're going through, whether you're capturing a couple's first dance or building your dream business from the ground up.Here's how we support your journey:Learn From Those Who've Been There: Immerse yourself in hundreds of hours of heartfelt tutorials from photographers who remember exactly what it felt like to be where you are now. They share not just their techniques, but their struggles, breakthroughs, and the emotional wisdom they've gained along the way.Make Your Business Flourish: Get caring guidance on the parts of running a photography business that nobody teaches you – from pricing your work with confidence to attracting your ideal clients through authentic marketing.Find Your Photography Family: Connect with fellow photographers who understand your dreams and challenges. Share experiences, celebrate successes, and build lasting friendships at our intimate events and gatherings.Ready to transform your wedding photography journey? We'd love to welcome you into the NineDots family. JOIN HERE: https://nine-dots.co/join/ Join PicTime using the code 'NINEDOTS'  and new users will receive one bonus month when upgrading to any Pic-Time paid planGet 15% off AfterShoot - The AI editing software Andy + Rahul use ALL THE TIME!Click here to get 30 days free trial and then 15% off: https://aftershoot.com/friends?ref=ninedotsSupport the showSupport the show

After last week's launch of The Base Notes Handbook, I've been overwhelmed by your messages and questions. What I've discovered is that many of you want to understand more about building around your natural strengths before diving in. So I'm doing something I rarely offer - I'm hosting four live sessions next week, where I'll share the foundational concept behind The Base Notes approach that has changed everything for the creative entrepreneurs I work with. They will be intimate small groups, they're live, (not recorded), they're completely free, and places are limited to keep them genuinely personal. I'd love for you to join me for what could be the conversation that shifts everything for your business.   Key Moments: [00:00] A personal and unique invitation to join me live for a small intimate group conversation [01:21] Why I'm hosting these live calls and what makes this opportunity different. [01:55] Four live group session times available: Choose the slot that best suits you. Places are limited so will be first come first served .[03:30] The single insight that can move your creative business forward—and how to put it into action with one simple step. [06:19] What I'm most excited about.. [08:48] Why I'm keeping it small and intimate [11:16] How to book your place and get your personal questions answered live.   Notable Quotes: "There's something special about live conversation that just can't be replicated in recorded content - the ability to ask follow-up questions, to delve deeper into specific challenges, to have those spontaneous 'aha moments' that come from real-time discussion."   Resources Mentioned: Registration: Link To Book Live Sessions  Direct link: The Base Notes handbook Subscribe to our Weekly newsletter Website: www.philippacraddock.com Email: news@philippacraddock.com    Share Your Insights: I'd love to hear your thoughts about these live sessions! Are you planning to join one of the calls? What questions are you most curious to explore with me? Send me a DM on Instagram  - I read every message and always respond personally!   Never Miss an Episode: Subscribe to my weekly newsletter  for behind-the-scenes insights, exclusive resources, and first access to new offerings like The Base Notes handbook. You'll get practical guidance for building sustainable creative business success delivered straight to your inbox.

Welcome back to The Power Lounge. In "Pin With Purpose," host Amy Vaughn engages with Pinterest marketing strategist Dana Joan Johnson, founder of Styled Pin Collection. Together, they explore how Pinterest can revolutionize strategies for creative entrepreneurs and business owners seeking an alternative to the relentless pace of daily social media posting.Amy and Dana discuss Pinterest's potential as a visual search engine, emphasizing its ability to generate consistent, high-quality traffic to websites, content, and offerings. Dana shares her transition from the wedding industry to digital marketing, highlighting her dedication to sustainable marketing systems that prevent burnout. If navigating ever-changing social trends feels overwhelming, this episode provides practical strategies and valuable insights.Tailored for both product-based businesses and service providers, listeners will learn how to repurpose existing content, optimize with effective keywords, and develop a Pinterest strategy that continues to deliver results over time. Additionally, Dana addresses common Pinterest misconceptions and explains the importance of clarity, consistency, and relevance in achieving pinning success.Dana Johnson brings a unique perspective as a former wedding professional turned educator. Through The Styled Pin Collection, she empowers creative entrepreneurs with strategic, on-brand Pinterest content. By focusing on simplicity and authenticity, Dana helps businesses enhance their visibility and traffic without the constant pressure of daily social media engagement.Join this conversation to refine your Pinterest strategy and drive meaningful results for your business.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction01:58 – Pinterest: Beyond Aesthetic Inspiration04:06 – Pinterest Strategies for Wedding Planning09:38 – "Timeless Wedding Content Strategy"11:38 – Educational Content Drives Quality Leads15:14 – "Maximize Impact Through Repetition"19:12 – "Unbranded Searches and Content Strategy"19:53 – Empowering Consumers Through Value26:24 – Content Refresh and Repurposing27:49 – Maximizing Pinterest for Existing Content31:24 – Effective Visual Communication Strategies35:33 – "Encouragement to Speak at Conferences"37:26 – Twitter's Marketing Challenge: Unrelated Trends41:00 – "Year-Round Barbecue Marketing Strategies"46:08 – "Show Your Face in Marketing"46:56 – "Upcoming Master Classes Announcement"49:34 – OutroQuotes:"Work smarter—create evergreen content that delivers lasting value."- Amy Vaughan"Strategy beats hustle. Plant the right seeds to ensure your business grows long after you're done."- Dana Joan JohnsonKey Takeaways:Pinterest is a Powerful Search Engine, Not Just a Social PlatformStrategic, Sustainable Marketing Beats Social BurnoutEvergreen Content is Your Secret WeaponKeywords (and Simplicity!) Unlock Pinterest GrowthRepurpose, Schedule, and SimplifyEducate and Empower to Inspire TrustMeasure What Matters: Beyond ImpressionsPinterest's Future: Visual Search & Year-Round OpportunityConnect with Dana Joan Johnson:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-m-johnson/Website: https://ddvirtualmanagement.com/Check out PROJECT 300:PROJECT 300 Website: https://www.project300.co/PROJECT 300 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-300-llcPROJECT 300 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/project300llc/Support the show

Feeling overwhelmed in your creative business? In this solo episode, Ekaterina Popova (Kat) walks you through how to do a Creative Business Audit—a practical process to clarify what's working, where your time and energy are going, and how to boost your profit without burning out. Whether you're an artist, coach, designer, or creative founder—this episode will help you reset your priorities and build a business that actually supports your life and art.  

Are you struggling to grow your email list because you're short on time, not super tech-savvy, or just feeling stuck? You're not alone. In the latest Blogger Genius Podcast episode, I shared exactly how I snagged 500 new subscribers in just 30 days—using a simple, fast, and affordable strategy that works even if you're overwhelmed or busy. Here's how you can do it too. Show Notes: MiloTree AI Ebook Prompt Generator Free Canva ebook template AI Freebie Prompt Generator Email Sales Templates Join The Blogger Genius Newsletter Become a Blogger Genius Facebook Group Subscribe to the Blogger Genius Podcast: YouTube iTunes Spotify Why “One Perfect Lead Magnet” Isn't Enough Here's the big myth: Create one perfect lead magnet, and your list will magically explode. Sounds tempting, but it rarely works. Why? Because: Today's online audience is fragmented. People are picky with their email addresses. A one-size-fits-all freebie doesn't meet everyone's needs. The real solution? Multiple bite-sized, hyper-relevant freebies that solve specific problems. Enter: The Cheat Sheet Freebie (My Favorite!) A cheat sheet is a one-page quick win. It's easy to create, easy to consume, and it feels like a shortcut—a little inside scoop that makes people click. Plus, it taps into our brain's love for instant gratification. Here's how you can make one in minutes. Your Fast-Track System for Creating Irresistible Freebies Get Your AI Prompts Freebie

In this episode of The Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal Waddell sits down with AI and SEO expert Andrew Ansley to discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence, SEO strategies, entrepreneurship, and modern parenting. Here's what you'll learn:How to leverage AI tools (like ChatGPT and Claude) to organize your business and creative projects.The critical skills kids need for the future—and how parents and educators can support them using AI.Why traditional education is broken and how AI can help every child learn in a personalized way.

Crafting a Brand That Shines: Insights from Brigitte Bojkowszky Ever wondered how to transform your brand into a standout success? In this episode of the Your Creative Mind Podcast, we chat with Brigitte Bojkowszky, a leading expert in brand identity and the author of the bestselling book, Significant Women: Leaders Reveal What Matters Most. Brigitte shares her proven strategies for crafting compelling brand identities, fostering a culture of shared values, and delivering exceptional client experiences. Whether you're building your personal brand, leading a team, or managing a corporate image, Brigitte's insights will help you attract the recognition and clients you deserve. Tune in to gain actionable tips and elevate your brand to new heights! Website BridgetBrands: https://www.bridgetbrands.com * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bojkowszkyb/ * Book Significant Women: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0927YG1FH * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BridgetBrands * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brigitte.bojkowszky * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgetbrands * Twitter: https://twitter.com/BridgetBrands * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bridgetbrands   Book your 30-minute complimentary brand clarity call: https://calendly.com/bridgetbrands/30-min-brand-clarity-coffee-chat Download Your Entrepreneurial Branding Starter Checklist: https://courses.bridgetbrands.com/f/entrepreneurial-branding-starter-checklist Connect with Izolda Ready to "wow" the people you speak with? Work with me. Flip Your Inner Script to Stop Negative Thoughts From Ruining Your Day. This episode is brought to you by my upcoming book, Get Booked: A Performer's Guide to Working with Booking Agents in the Gig Economy, launching January 2025! If you're ready to succeed as a gig worker, start with my Nailing Holiday Gigs Checklist—your go-to guide for negotiating, prepping, performing, and securing future bookings. Nail your holiday gigs with this checklist.. Don't miss this chance to step up your gig game and own the holiday season! This episode is also brought to you by my favorite productivity and well-being app, Brain.fm*, my book on how to become a stellar communicator, Speak From Within, and this podcast's host, Podbean (Get a one-month free trial of Podbean with this affiliate link. https://www.podbean.com/CreativeSolutions).  Leave me a voice message. Do you like the show? I'd love it if you would buy me a coffee.   Listen on These Channels Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Podbean | MyTuner | iHeart Radio | TuneIn | Deezer | Overcast | PodChaser | Listen Notes | Player FM | Podcast Addict | Podcast Republic |  

Feeling like there's never enough time in your business? You're not alone.In this episode, I'm joined by photographer and educator Jamie Fisher to talk about the biggest time sucks creative entrepreneurs face and how to fix them. From constant inbox overwhelm to getting stuck in planning mode and never taking action, we cover it all.Jamie shares her signature quiz, What's Your Time Suck?, and breaks down three common types:✨ The Overwhelmed DIY-er

Are feeling overwhelmed by the constant demand for fresh content? Do you feel confused about how to actually repurpose your marketing content across several platforms? This episode of the Vibrant Artist Podcast is your go-to guide. I dive into why repurposing your content is powerful and time-saving, what content repurposing actually is, and actionable strategies - including specific examples related to creative art businesses - to help you repurpose your existing marketing content effectively.In this episode, you'll learn how to transform a single piece of content into multiple formats, saving you time and amplifying your message across various platforms. This episode is both practical and inspiring, ensuring you can implement these techniques without adding stress to your creative process.Tune in to discover how to make your content work smarter for you, allowing you to focus more on your art and less on the marketing grind. This episode is perfect for artists, designers, and creative business owners looking to streamline their marketing efforts while staying true to their authentic voice.Don't miss this opportunity to learn how to maximize your content's potential and keep your creative energy flowing.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Links:Opus Clip Pro (for pulling short clips from long form videos)FREE Aligned Habits Challenge (through May 31)Send a Fan Mail Message!If you've found this episode helpful or inspiring, feel free to support the podcast via Ko-fi

In this uplifting and practical mindset episode, I'm joined by transformational coach and author Olga, whose new book It's Already Yours offers a refreshing and accessible approach to identity, mindset, and aligned creation.   We dive into: How your subconscious mind shapes your day-to-day reality The role of identity and nervous system regulation in reaching your goals Tools to gently shift out of doubt and into creative flow Why success comes from alignment—not from pushing harder How to move forward without needing everything to be “healed” first   If you've been feeling stuck or unsure of your next step, this episode is a reassuring reminder that you're not broken—and your next level might be closer (and simpler) than you think.   ✨ Brought to you by CreateU.co – On-demand micro-courses designed to support creative entrepreneurs.  

This week on the Anxious Creative Podcast, I'm getting real about the messy intersection of anxiety and imposter syndrome. I'm sharing my own hilarious (in hindsight) and cringe-worthy experience of quitting my dream job because my anxiety convinced me I was a fraud. We'll dive into the oh-so-familiar feelings of panic, the urge to please everyone, and that deep-seated belief that you're just not good enough. But don't worry, it's not all doom and gloom! I'm also dropping some hard-won wisdom and actionable tips on how to actually move through these feelings without resorting to hiding, quitting, or those tearful bathroom floor moments.If you've ever felt like anxiety is running your life or that little voice of self-doubt is screaming louder than your ambition, this episode is for you. We'll explore:why taking imperfect action is crucial, how to feel your way through anxiety instead of overthinking it, and why sometimes, the most rebellious thing you can do is disappoint others to step into your own power. Plus, I'm sharing a book recommendation that's been a game-changer for me. If you're ready to ditch the overwhelm and build a business with genuine confidence and integrity, stick around – and maybe check out my free masterclass!Links & Resources:Join Rock Your Business to align your decisions with your goals.Get instant access tp my FREE Masterclass on From   Overwhelmed to ProfitableFollow me: Instagram: www.instagram.com/dawnbradleyYoutube: www.youtube.com/dawnbradley  For more info on RYB, Retreats etc: www.dawnbradley.com

In this episode, Rahul Khona sits down Cotswolds Wedding Photographer Joab Smith where we dive into the balancing act of life as a creative professional. From managing work-life balance and the constant demands of editing, to keeping your creativity alive while navigating the pressure to follow trends—we're covering it all. We also explore the importance of embracing new ideas and how thoughtful curation can help you stay true to your vision while evolving with the times. JOIN THE NINEDOTS MEMBERSHIPWe know that being a wedding photographer isn't just a job – it's your passion, your art, and your calling. That's why NineDots membership was created by photographers who understand exactly what you're going through, whether you're capturing a couple's first dance or building your dream business from the ground up.Here's how we support your journey:Learn From Those Who've Been There: Immerse yourself in hundreds of hours of heartfelt tutorials from photographers who remember exactly what it felt like to be where you are now. They share not just their techniques, but their struggles, breakthroughs, and the emotional wisdom they've gained along the way.Make Your Business Flourish: Get caring guidance on the parts of running a photography business that nobody teaches you – from pricing your work with confidence to attracting your ideal clients through authentic marketing.Find Your Photography Family: Connect with fellow photographers who understand your dreams and challenges. Share experiences, celebrate successes, and build lasting friendships at our intimate events and gatherings.Ready to transform your wedding photography journey? We'd love to welcome you into the NineDots family. JOIN HERE: https://nine-dots.co/join/ Join PicTime using the code 'NINEDOTS'  and new users will receive one bonus month when upgrading to any Pic-Time paid planGet 15% off AfterShoot - The AI editing software Andy + Rahul use ALL THE TIME!Click here to get 30 days free trial and then 15% off: https://aftershoot.com/friends?ref=ninedotsSupport the showSupport the show

In this powerful episode of the Busy to Boss podcast, Holly Bray gets honest about the quiet burnout behind the scenes of “successful” businesses, and the myth that ease and strategy can't coexist. She breaks down the five hidden tensions keeping high-capacity creatives stuck in cycles of hustle, guilt, and fragmentation, and introduces a new rhythm rooted in clarity, capacity, and systems that actually support your life. Whether you're scaling fast or spiralling quietly, this is your permission to stop building for your highest-energy self and start structuring your business for who you are right now. Holly also introduces her 90 in 90 Intensive - a done-with-you planning session designed to help you reset your strategy and move into the next quarter with sustainable momentum. If you're ready to lead with ease (and still get results), this episode is your blueprint. Book your 90 In 90 Intensive here: https://abranchofholly.com/90in90 

Relebogile Mabotja speaks to Pepsi Pokane a prolific TV producer and Creative Entrepreneur about Amalanga Awafani, his career, experiences and lessons learned from failure. 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja is broadcast live on Johannesburg based talk radio station 702 every weekday afternoon. Relebogile brings a lighter touch to some of the issues of the day as well as a mix of lifestyle topics and a peak into the worlds of entertainment and leisure. Thank you for listening to a 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja podcast. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 13:00 to 15:00 (SA Time) to Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/2qKsEfu or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/DTykncj Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this honest chat, Kat shares an unfiltered look at what artists like you and me truly need in 2025 and beyond. From navigating overwhelm and distraction to embracing deeper purpose and aligned visibility, this conversation is a reminder that you're not alone—and that your art, your voice, and your vision still matter. This episode offers grounded encouragement to help you reconnect with your mission, regulate your nervous system, and create from a place of clarity. If you've been feeling stuck, burned out, or unsure about your next step, this episode is for you. You'll hear Kat's personal take on what's working right now (and what's not), including why being seen, building intentional income streams, and honoring your energy are some of the most important things you can do as an artist in this season. This isn't a marketing episode or a how-to—it's a permission slip to be human and to keep going. This episode is sponsored by Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Entries are now open for the 2025 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize! Now in its 8th year, this annual non-acquisitive international art prize is administered by Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and celebrates diversity and excellence in the representational visual arts—including all static mediums: traditional, digital, and photographic. From realism and hyperrealism to pop surrealism and lowbrow, this prize honors it all. With over $77,000 in cash and prizes, including a $10,000 grand prize, this is an incredible opportunity to gain funding and global exposure for your work. Finalists will also have a chance to exhibit in the 2025 Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery in New York, alongside 70 of the world's top contemporary artists. You don't need to submit a physical artwork—just upload an image of your favorite piece (even if it's already sold). This year's six award categories are: MPB Photography Award Digital Art Award The RAYMAR Painting Award Victoria Olt Gallery Drawing Award Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Catherine K. Gyllerstrom Emerging Artist Award There's also a People's Choice Award, offering a second chance to win with an additional $1,000 prize and a bespoke promotion package with Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. The team looks at every single entry—and many are shared online and on social media before the deadline—making this a powerful way to get noticed.

After 19 years in education and an ADHD diagnosis, Cindy Baker made a bold pivot—leaving the classroom to launch her own business as a productivity coach for entrepreneurs. In this inspiring episode of the Second Act Success Career Podcast, host Shannon Russell sits down with Cindy to discuss her career evolution, her late-in-life ADHD diagnosis, and how she turned her challenges into a business that helps others.Cindy retired early from teaching career to venture into coaching to help other entrepreneurs with her proven productivity strategies and focus techniques. She is now teaching creative professionals and neurodivergent entrepreneurs how to approach their work in a more productive way.Whether you're exploring a second act, starting a business, or learning to manage ADHD as an adult, Cindy's story will leave you empowered to move forward with purpose. SHOW NOTES:https://secondactsuccess.co/193Connect with Cindy Baker:https://www.instagram.com/cbc_cindybakercoaching/https://www.facebook.com/groups/productivityforprofitshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/productivitycoachcindybaker/https://cindybakercoaching.com/bit.ly/procrastinationcourse------- You are listening to the Top 2% globally ranked podcast Second Act Success!READ Shannon's Book - Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life at https://startyoursecondact.com. Book a FREE Strategy Call with host and career/business coach Shannon Russell - https://www.calendly.com/second-act-success/coaching-strategyFREE Resourceshttps://secondactsuccess.co/resourcesLISTEN to the How To Quit Your Job and Start A Business Podcast! https://secondactsuccess.co/listenLET'S CONNECT!Instagram - https://instagram.com/secondactsuccessFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/secondactsuccess.coTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@secondactsuccessFREE Resources - https://secondactsuccess.co/resources REVIEW & SUBSCRIBE THE PODCAST!

If you've ever dreamt of turning your creative passion into a thriving business, this episode is a masterclass in doing just that. Tyler Jorgenson welcomes Katie Hunt, founder of Proof to Product, who shares how she went from making custom wedding stationery to leading 45+ rounds of her acclaimed wholesale coaching program. Katie opens up about her scrappy early days, the fire marshal shutdown that almost tanked her first trade show, and how collaboration—not competition—became her superpower.Dive into Katie's insights on the difference between selling DTC and wholesale, what most entrepreneurs get wrong about SKUs and inventory, and why knowing your customer is the ultimate growth hack. She doesn't just preach systems—she's built a business that runs while she takes three-week trips to Europe with zero emails. Yep, she's that dialed in.Whether you're a creative looking to scale, or a seasoned entrepreneur curious about the future of retail and product-based business models, this episode is packed with gold. From indie shop secrets to navigating big box partnerships and economic shifts, Katie reveals how to thrive in today's market—and build a business that supports the life you want to live.TakeawaysStart scrappy, but systemize fast. Trial by fire leads to wisdom—just don't forget to fireproof your trade show booth.Wholesale isn't just easier—it's scalable. With the right structure, it can outperform DTC with less burnout.Know your numbers and your customer. Inventory, pricing, and product lines must match your business model and target buyer.Big box isn't always better. Indie retailers bring repeat business, feedback, and deeper relationships.Simplicity scales. Streamlining systems doesn't just help the team—it creates freedom for the founder.Chapters00:00 From Paper to Powerhouse: Meet Katie Hunt  01:30 Starting a Creative Business & Learning the Hard Way  04:20 From Side Hustle to Coaching: Birth of Proof to Product  06:20 Systems, Strategy & the Truth About Wholesale  10:20 SKU Balance & Building the Right Product Line  13:00 DTC vs Wholesale: What Founders Need to Know  17:40 Retail Trends, Tariffs & Economic Shifts  22:35 Wholesale Mistakes to Avoid  24:10 Katie's Vision & Building a Business That Supports Life  27:20 Final Advice + Free Training

Get your notebooks out for this one, friends.  This episode is perfect if you've grown up hearing that “passion” isn't a realistic career goal, yet deep down you don't fully believe that. Press play to learn how to prove yourself right with Haley Thomas. She's a business strategist, speaker, podcast host, and founder of The Passion Pursuit.  In this interview, we uncover: What it really means to identify as a “creative” person. How to leverage the creative process to launch ideas with optimal success. The most common mindset and strategy gaps that keep creatives stuck in overwhelm instead of profitable flow. Haley's favorite habits and business tips to ensure you AND your business thrive. And SO. much. More.   More on Haley and The Passion Pursuit www.thepassionpursuitco.com www.instagram.com/thepassionpursuitco   MORE FROM DAISY: Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/theliberatedlatina FREE 10 Minute Vocal Activation: https://daisyalopez.ck.page/9fab884771 Apply To Work With Me: https://daisylopez.as.me/?appointmentType=15318278 Contact Me: theliberatedlatina@gmail.com

Special Guest Nadja Fromm www.fromm-consulting.com In this episode of The Podcast Profits Unleashed, I sit down with Nadja Fromm, a seasoned marketing coach and former global brand strategist for household names like Colgate, Kraft Heinz, and Weber. Nadja shares her powerful journey from corporate burnout to building her own business where she helps driven misfits and corporate escapees launch bold, profitable startups. We unpack the real reasons so many startups never get off the ground—and it's not lack of passion. It's the absence of strategy. Nadja breaks down her signature three-step process that every aspiring entrepreneur needs: ✅ Define Your Ideal Client Profile (ICP) – Know exactly who you're serving, their urgent problems, and whether they can invest in your solution. ✅ Craft a Clear & Irresistible Offer – Tailor your product or service so that it speaks directly to your dream client. ✅ Develop Messaging That Converts – Communicate in a way that makes your ideal client say, “Finally, someone gets me.” I couldn't help but relate—if only I had this clarity when I was starting out, I would've saved myself a lot of time (and headaches!). We also tackled one of the biggest entrepreneurial traps: perfectionism disguised as procrastination. Nadja reminds us that action beats perfection every time. Stop waiting to feel "ready." You don't need to master every business function. Just focus on your zone of genius and bring in expert help where needed. The most powerful insight? Shifting from employee mindset to entrepreneur mindset. In corporate life, we're trained to wait for permission. But in entrepreneurship, no one's coming. It's up to us to trust our gut and take the leap. If you're tired of the Monday-to-Friday misery loop and know you're made for more, Nadja's message is your wake-up call.

Executive stage presence coach Erin Duffy returns to discuss how authentic leadership presence transforms careers and inspires others, whether on camera or in person. She shares practical techniques for creating meaningful connections in virtual environments and challenges common misconceptions about what it means to be a leader.• The key to camera confidence is seeing beyond the technology to connect with the person on the other side• Leaders create "a 3D world in a 2D space" by bringing their full selves to virtual environments• Leadership isn't about managing people but taking initiative on things that matter to you• Mid-career professionals need to reclaim dormant parts of themselves to advance to the next level• Women often feel they need to be 100% qualified for a role while men apply with only 60% qualifications• The "inner game" involves reconnecting with past successes and what truly energizes you• "When we show up 100% our authentic self, we have no competition"• Your presence affects everyone in the room - by owning your authentic self, you inspire future leadersLearn about Erin's new book "How to Build Empowered Partners to Skyrocket Your Visibility and Income for Creative Entrepreneurs" and subscribe to her newsletter for stage presence and leadership tips.Connect with ErinExecutive Edge Newsletter - https://inspirationsqrd.com/subscribe/LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/erin--duffy/YouTube - @erinduffy-inspirationsqrdInstagram - @inspirationsqrdEmpowered Partner Workshop Series kicks off Monday, May 12th 2025, and features 12 live virtual workshops led by 10 expert contributors from the book. If you're ready to stop networking aimlessly and start building relationships that truly move you forward — this is your moment.Register at:  https://gr187.isrefer.com/go/wkshpseries/ErinDuffySupport the showThanks for listening! To book a free consultation with Aideen visit https://www.confidenceinsinging.com/contact/

Margo and Abby catch up on pink taxes, party store shakeups, and grandma hobbies making a comeback in the latest episode of Creative Current Events. This special segment of Windowsill Chats dives into cultural shifts, small business realities, and brand storytelling that's catching their creative eye. They also explore how big-box stores like Michaels are filling retail voids left by Party City, how hobby shops in the UK are struggling, and what all this means for the crafting world. The conversation also dives into the rising conversation around the Pink Tax and Pink Tariffs—and how these unseen costs hit both consumers and creative entrepreneurs. Plus: a fresh look at niche content creation, a POD platform for artists, why Uniqlo is serving coffee now, and the nostalgic charm of slow, tactile hobbies like embroidery, crochet, and calligraphy. Articles Mentioned: Michaels & Party City https://finance.yahoo.com/news/michaels-seeing-void-left-party-133819782.html HobbyCraft Decline in the UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y651327eko The Pink Tax https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/taxes/articles/the-pink-tax-costs-women-thousands-of-dollars-over-their-lifetimes Pink Tariffs on Women's Clothing https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/16/business/womens-clothes-pink-tariffs/index.html eeBoo Founder on Tariffs Impacting Small Businesses https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBRplSmhI-8 Canvastry Print-on-Demand Platform https://www.canvastrywholesale.com/ Grandma Hobbies Are In https://theeverymom.com/grandma-hobbies/ Uniqlo's NYC Coffee Shop & Lifestyle Strategy https://ny.eater.com/2025/3/19/24388687/uniqlo-coffee-open-nyc-cafe-manhattan https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/contents/lifewear-magazine/styling/ Den of Pin (Hyper-niche Community Building) https://www.instagram.com/den_of_pin/ Yeti Product Storytelling Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSpdnXWlgJg Huckberry's Cinematic Product Launch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFtu6Bi-blY Amy Poehler & Rashida Jones Launch “Good Hang” Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF-p8z_R2q0     Connect with Abby: https://www.abbyjcampbell.com/ Instagram: @ajcampkcPinterest: @ajcampbell Connect with Margo: www.windowsillchats.comwww.instagram.com/windowsillchats www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill The Foundry at Tantau Studio

"I love thinking about my work all the time. It doesn't feel like an imposition, it feels like the privilege of doing something I'm obsessed with." When a friend said this during dinner recently, it struck a chord... This powerful episode explores why creative entrepreneurs often unconsciously limit their potential by trying to fit into industry norms or downplaying their ambition. We're constantly receiving subtle messages to "stay in our lane" or "be realistic", that our dedication to our creative businesses is somehow unhealthy. Instead, I'm inviting you to embrace your healthy obsession as a vital strength and a pathway to sustainable success. Discover why giving yourself permission to be fully absorbed in your work, to think about it constantly, and to build your business around your natural strengths is the key to standout growth in today's competitive creative market. With real stories and actionable insights on how to break free from limiting beliefs, avoid burnout by aligning your hard work with what energises you, and how to recognise your professional value to create a business that truly reflects your authentic expertise. If you've ever felt guilty for being "too obsessed" or worried your ambition is too big, this episode is your 'permission slip' to dream magnificently, work passionately, and build differently, creating a standout creative business that's unapologetically yours and delivers the business growth you desire.   Key Moments: [00:00] Introduction - The subtle ways we're taught to limit ourselves in business [02:01] The dinner conversation that revealed how passion for work is often misunderstood [04:51] Why it's okay to be obsessed with your business in a healthy, energising way [07:42] Moving beyond standard industry practices - The photographer who transformed her business [10:56] The distinction between depleting hard work and energising hard work [13:14] Why there's no universal "best" business model for creative entrepreneurs [14:56] Building from natural strengths - Creating more value with less struggle [16:46] My personal journey of restructuring my flower design business around my unique strengths [20:18] Announcement of the upcoming Handbook on building exceptional creative businesses Join the Waitlist [22:50] Final thoughts on embracing our natural strengths to create businesses that energise rather than exhaust.   Notable Quotes: "What comes naturally to you is often exactly what makes you exceptional. Your distinctive way of approaching projects, of solving problems, of creating experiences—that's not just a personal preference. It's a huge business advantage."   Resources Mentioned: Read: This Week's Full Journal Post Handbook: Join The Waitlist  Website: www.philippacraddock.com Email: news@philippacraddock.com Share Your Insights: What aspect of your business feels most natural to you? Where do you excel without even trying very hard? I'd love to hear how your business might change if you centered more of your work around this natural strength. Share your thoughts with me on Instagram, where I always make time to read and respond to your messages, however old this episode may be when you listen.   Never Miss an Episode: Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for behind-the-scenes insights into creating a business built around your natural strengths. You'll be the first to receive exclusive resources and learn about new offerings before they're publicly available.

Do you feel uncomfortable with the sales process as a creative? In this candid mini-episode, Martine Severin tackles the topic many creatives dread: sales. Martine breaks down practical strategies for artists to sell their work authentically without feeling like "used car salesperson."  Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Creative Life 00:23 The Visibility to Sales Paradox 03:16 Understanding Sales for Artists 10:19 Building Community and Networking 14:00 Cultivating an Audience and Collectors 20:07 The Sales Process Explained 27:35 Transforming Sales Mindset Perfect for: Artists, photographers, designers, and creatives who feel uncomfortable with the sales process but want to improve their results. Danielle Chutinthranond: E28 Maria Bayer: https://members.mariabayer.com/2025-is/ Maria on Instagram KEEP UP WITH MARTINE: Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin. #CreativeBusiness #ArtSales #CreativeEntrepreneurship #SalesForArtists  

Send us a textIf you've ever wondered, “Is anyone even finding me online?”—this episode is for you.You're showing up. You're posting consistently. You're doing what's “right.” But it still feels like no one's seeing it. I get it—and I'm breaking down why platforms like YouTube and Pinterest (yes, even in 2025) are still game changers for small, local, service-based businesses like yours.This episode isn't about adding more to your plate—it's about doing what works behind the scenes so that when a slow season hits, you know your business is still getting found.

Spirit says straight up, you think too little of yourself. You're overthinking and getting caught up in logic around something that's meant to be your heart-centered, purpose driven mission on earth.  When you strip that away and get back to being focused on what you feel, what you know, and trusting yourself, all the lights are gonna turn green.     If you want help building your next level evolution, apply for Powerhouse Mastermind and I'll walk you from here to there: https://www.intuitiveedgecoaching.com/powerhouse  

Carolyn Dailey, author of ‘The Creative Entrepreneur’, shares lessons from industry leaders, such as Grammy-winner Nile Rodgers and restaurateur Ruthie Rogers, on building purpose-driven businesses. Plus: Mark Roberts talks about ‘The Entrepreneur Within’, his guide for driving innovation from inside any organisation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeling overwhelmed trying to piece together your client experience with clunky systems? In Episode 177 of the Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast, I sit down with Octavia Elease to talk about how to create a seamless and branded client journey using her favorite tools: Showit, HoneyBook, and Flodesk.We're diving into how to strategically connect your website, CRM, and email marketing platforms, why consistent branding across all platforms matters, and how to automate the client experience without losing the personal touch. Whether you're a photographer, designer, or service provider, this episode will show you how to simplify your backend with a tech stack that actually works for you.If you're ready to streamline your systems and elevate your client experience, tune in now!

Send us a textIn this inspiring episode of the Starter Girlz Podcast, host Jennifer Loehding sits down with renowned storyteller and entrepreneur Mark O'Brien, founder of O'Brien Communications Group. Mark dives deep into the transformative power of storytelling, revealing how your personal narrative can become your greatest tool for connection, authenticity, and business success.What You'll Discover:How storytelling reshapes your life and businessWays to merge creativity with entrepreneurshipThe importance of finding your niche and authentic voiceHow passion and purpose fuel meaningful storytellingWriting tips, morning rituals, and creative flow hacksWhether you're an entrepreneur, a creative professional, or someone looking to rewrite your story, this episode will give you the tools to show up more powerfully and connect more deeply.

➡️ Like The Podcast? Leave A Rating: https://ratethispodcast.com/successstory In this "Lessons" episode, Chase Jarvis, creative entrepreneur, reveals how success leaves clues and action is the antidote to endless information consumption. Learn how to deconstruct, emulate, analyze, and repeat the habits of high performers, and understand why directing your attention is the key to turning ambition into achievement.➡️ Show Linkshttps://successstorypodcast.com YouTube: https://youtu.be/gzIq47JO5kQ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chase-jarvis-co-founder-and-ceo-of-creativelive/id1484783544 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/30i7hdiYxBQLEY7dfiBv55 ➡️ Watch the Podcast on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/c/scottdclary See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pete Dailey is the creative director of Postmodern Tectonics.The creative label has collaborated with Casa Ysasi, Amaxi Autosport, and Creative Entrepreneurs.As a Global Director for Ogilvy, he has worked with Samsung, Google, Android, and Ford. Me and Pete sat down for a coffee at The Mandarin in NYC in the morning hours getting to know one another and it felt like we've known each other for years.Applied Imagination. Integrative Approach. Niche Yet Accessible.Please welcome Pete Dailey to Wear Many Hats.⁠⁠instagram.com/petedailey⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/pomotect⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/wearmanyhatswmh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/rashadrastam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rashadrastam.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wearmanyhats.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Kat dives into a powerful and often emotional topic that touches every creative at some point—money. Whether you've struggled with pricing your work, avoided your bank account, or internalized the “starving artist” myth, this episode offers a grounded, compassionate space to begin rewriting your story. Drawing from personal experiences, years of trial and error, and psychology-backed tools, Kat walks you through how to heal your relationship with money, reframe limiting beliefs, and step into empowered abundance—without losing your integrity.   What You'll Learn: Why being an artist is not a punishment or a vow of poverty How to identify and shift your inherited money beliefs The difference between scarcity patterns and your true identity Practical tools: tracking your numbers, affirmations, EFT tapping, subliminals, and more How to embrace abundance as a creative and build a thriving, aligned career   Resources Mentioned: Money: A Love Story by Kate Northrup The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton EFT Tapping with Brad Yates (YouTube) Subliminal tools from Yes Supply   www.createmegazine.com www.aqsociety.com  

Check out the full video version!

In this episode of The Truth in This Art, I welcome back creative entrepreneur Melissa Hunter Davis to the podcast. Melissa is the founder of Sugarcane magazine, a Black art and culture media company known for its commitment to recognizing Black culture's global influence and the rise of Black visual art, music, dance, design, and literature.We explore Melissa's journey as a creative entrepreneur and the vision behind Sugarcane magazine. Melissa shares her insights into recognizing Black culture's global influence, the rise of Black visual art, music, dance, design, and literature, and her commitment to showcasing diverse voices within the art world.Eager to discover more about Sugarcane magazine or Melissa's work?Be sure to check out Sugarcane magazine's website at www.sugarcane.com  and follow them on Instagram at Sugarcane Magazine.   Curious to hear more about Melissa's background and the origins of Sugarcane?Check out Melissa's first interview here Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis. Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Margo is joined by talented writer, editor, and marketing strategist Jessica Suggs. With 19 years of experience in copywriting and a background as Director of Media Services for a top faith-based media agency, Jessica brings a wealth of knowledge about the enduring power of email marketing. These days, she helps entrepreneurs and authors craft messages that sound like them—with services spanning from brand voice development to full-scale book editing and publishing support. As a wife, mom of two, and creative business owner, Jessica is no stranger to balancing big ideas with real-life connection. Margo and Jessica discuss: Why email is still one of the most powerful marketing tools How to develop and maintain a strong, authentic brand voice The magic of welcome sequences and consistent, heartfelt communication Transitioning from a corporate career to creative entrepreneurship Building connection and community through words How AI can enhance—not replace—human messaging Tips for balancing work, creativity, and motherhood The value of mastermind groups and creative support systems Get 50% off your Flodesk Subscription by visiting www.flodesk.com/c/tantaustudio Join the Greater Goods Alliance: A small group virtual mentorship, mastermind community, and in-person retreat for product-based business owners with Lisa Congdon & Emily McDowel (Applications Closing 3/28) https://thegreatergoodsalliance.com/ Connect with Jessica: www.jessicasuggsmarketing.com https://www.facebook.com/jessicasuggsmarketing https://www.instagram.com/jessicasuggsmarketing/   Connect with Margo: www.windowsillchats.com www.instagram.com/windowsillchats www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry  

Chris Do on Personal Branding, Creator Business, and Authenticity. In this episode of Brands On Brands, host Brandon Birkmeyer interviews Chris Doe, an Emmy Award-winning designer, CEO, and founder of The Futur, an online education platform for creatives. Chris shares insights on the importance of personal branding, the journey of starting a YouTube channel, and the challenges of transitioning from teaching at art schools to creating online content. They discuss the essence of branding, overcoming fears of public critique, and making meaningful content. Chris also touches on the balance between personal and professional life, growing a podcast and an online school, and driving forward with authentic, impactful work. This is the Brands On Brands Podcast with Brandon Birkmeyer Don't forget to get your own personal branding scorecard and a free brand strategy call at: https://www.brandsonbrands.com/scorecard CONNECT WITH ME Connect with me on social media: https://www.brandsonbrands.com/mylinks READ MY BOOK - FRONT & CENTER LEADERSHIP I launched a new book and author website. Check it out here. https://www.brandonbirkmeyer.com/fcl CHECK OUT MY COURSES Get tactical trainings and access to one-on-one coaching! https://www.brandsonbrands.com/courses SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER Get the latest news and trends on all things personal branding and the creator economy. https://www.brandsonbrands.com/newsletter

In this enlightening episode of the Inner Edison Podcast, Ed is joined by Maxwell Ivey, affectionately known as "The Blind Blogger," to delve into the world of accessibility and innovation. Maxwell, who began losing his vision at the age of five due to retinitis pigmentosa, shares his inspiring journey of overcoming challenges and establishing himself as a recognized creative entrepreneur. Throughout the episode, Max discusses the current state of accessibility on the internet, revealing that only about 5% of online spaces are fully accessible and shares his personal experiences with navigating digital hurdles. He explains the importance of creating inclusive content, not just for compliance but also for enhancing user experience for everyone. Maxwell also talks about his work as a podcast host and accessibility advocate, working with companies to make their platforms more inclusive. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the steps necessary for making websites and digital content accessible, including practical tips and resources. With Maxwell's candid reflections and Ed's engaging interviewing style, this episode is both a call to action and a source of motivation for anyone interested in technology, entrepreneurship, or disability advocacy. Join Ed and Max for a conversation that challenges us to view accessibility not as a hurdle but as a path to innovation and inclusion for all. **Contact Ed Parcaut:** -

Margo is joined by illustrator, author, and sketchbook enthusiast Mike Lowery, a New York Times Best-Selling Illustrator whose work spans over 80 books, greeting cards, magazines, and even food trucks. Known for his playful, humor-infused drawings, Mike shares his creative journey and insights into the business of illustration. In addition to making books, Mike is an avid sketchbook-keeper and has taught classes worldwide, including more than 30,000 students in-person and online, and encourages others to join him in starting a daily drawing habit and in the business of illustration.   Margo and Mike discuss: How Mike's childhood passion for drawing superheroes in a Filipino grocery store led to a career in illustration The moment he received his first check for his art (and why he still keeps it) His love for humor in art and how it shaped his path in children's book illustration The importance of maintaining a consistent sketchbook practice for creativity and career growth How to build a portfolio that speaks directly to potential clients by focusing on project-based ideas The evolving role of social media for artists and how he approaches it today Finding inspiration through travel, daily life, and keeping curiosity alive Teaching and encouraging others to start a daily drawing habit The intersection of art and business—how to navigate the industry and create a sustainable career   Connect with Mike:  www.gettingpaidtodraw.com www.mikelowery.com www.instagram.com/mikelowerystudio   Connect with Margo: www.windowsillchats.com www.instagram.com/windowsillchats www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry