Episodes
152 - The Most Powerful Marketing Technique that’s Massively Underused (Marketing Series Pt 3)
Marketing can be so discouraging when you’re not focusing your efforts on what really works. In my experience there are only a few styles of marketing that really work today and one of them is ‘influencer marketing’. Influencer marketing is like 'word of mouth' on steroids. Now, if you can resist puking in your mouth at the sound of the word ‘influencer’, I think we can learn some things from this marketing style that will not only help us grow our creative careers but also do so in a way tha…
151 - The Most Powerful Tactic for Growing Your Creative Career (Marketing Series Pt 2)
These days, most creatives market their work with what we call ‘personal projects’, but often our personal projects don’t get the results we want. If your marketing efforts feel like playing the game Operation with giant BBQ grill tongs instead of precise effective tweezers, you have to listen to this episode. NOTHING has changed my career like understanding and properly utilizing content marketing. In this episode we will learn how to apply the principles of effective content marketing to our…
150 - The Marketing Method that I Built My Career On (Marketing Series Pt. 1)
Do you want to market your creative work, but you feel unsure how to do so effectively? Do you ignore marketing because you’re not really sure how to invest your time in a way that will actually turn into results? In this episode I share the process I’ve used to market my work over the past 8 years. These ideas were game changers for me. I’m convinced this process is one of the core contributors to the career breakthroughs I’ve had in my life and I’m super excited to share them with you! This…
149 - Stay Ahead of the Curve with The Heads of State
Staying relevant over the long haul is a concern of almost every designer I know. So how do you do it? What does it take? What better way to find out than to chat with someone (or in this case someones) who has actually done it? The design duo (now full studio) The Heads of State have had many lives. These guys cut their teeth in the early 2000s gig poster scene, transitioned to illustrators for the likes of The New York Times and now take on larger design projects as a full on design studi…
148 - An Easy Trick for Unlocking Your Most Successful Side Project (Deep Dive Series Pt 4)
We all know self-initiated work is essential for pushing forward in your creative career, but finding the discipline and dedication to make it happen can be pretty tough. This episode contains a strategy for unlocking the deep well of discipline and drive that you never knew you had, so that you can make a big splash in the creative world.
147 - Don't Chase the Likes... (Dive Deep Series Pt 3)
It’s so easy to get caught up chasing likes and followers, but should you let these numbers guide your creative career? In this episode I don’t tell you to disregard social media feedback or tell you it’s irrelevant, but instead encourage you to shift your perspective and look for more helpful metrics.
146 - Get Super Psyched About Your Work (Even When Things Are Hard)(Dive Deep Series Pt 2)
Things feel a bit nuts in the world right now, right? Many creative people keep asking themselves this question: does my creativity even matter? In this episode, I want to help you tap into the meaning of your creativity and show you that when you do, it will change everything.
145 - Meg Lewis on Your Purpose, Personal Brand & Where You Live
Super fun chat with my friend Meg Lewis! We covered a range of topics including some tips on unearthing your personal brand and your purpose in life. Big thanks to Danielle Evans for co hosting! :)
144 - You Are More (Dive Deep Series Pt 1)
If you’re only playing in the shallow waters of creativity, you’re only going to reap shallow rewards. In this episode we talk about the power of diving into the deep end of creativity, career and innovation. Tap into your full potential.
143 - Rogie King on ADHD, Faith & The Power of Combining Your Skills
Buckle up. This episode gets DEEP and it's chocked full of PASSION and ENERGY. This is two dudes cut from the same ADHD cloth. You've been warned! ;) Rogie very graciously shares his journey to becoming the Illustrator / Designer / Developer that he is today. We dive into ADHD and meds, the ups and downs of personal faith and how combining your unique skills can set you apart in the industry. If you are a hardcore Creative Pepperoni, this might just be your new favorite episode!
142 - Are You Using the Universe's Most Powerful Secret? (Part 6 of Creative Destiny Series)
Are you working hard on your creative work, with your head down, locked in your room, trying to make progress, but still unhappy about the pace of your growth? In this episode we talk about the one thing that has the potential to grow your work and your career unlike anything else. If you’re trying to build a creative career without this element, I don’t think you stand a chance!
141 - Are These Beliefs Holding You Back? (Part 5 of the Creative Destiny Series)
Do you have false beliefs about marketing that are keeping you from your full potential? Today on the show we identify the beliefs that are keeping you from selling your work properly and how to change your perspective, so that you can give your creative work the best chance to succeed.
140 - The Difference Between Hobby & Business(Part 4 of the Creative Destiny Series)
For creatives, nothing hurts more than lukewarm feedback. Up and down, Inconsistent, random praise or radio silence is even more maddening. In this episode, we’re digging deep to answer these questions: What’s at the heart of a thriving creative career? Or how do you steadily grow your audience over a lifetime? What's the key to going from creative hobby to creative business?
139 - The Key to Making Authentic Work (Part 3 of the Creative Destiny Series)
If you’re not making a deep connection with your audience, you don’t stand a chance. The first step is having an authentic deep connection to your creative work. Easy right? Wrong. In theory it sounds so simple, but anyone who’s attempted to ‘put themselves onto the page’ so to speak, knows that this is trickier than it sounds. In this episode, I identify what I believe to be the key to making more authentic work.
138 - How to Find Your Creative Superpower (Part 2 of the Creative Destiny Series)
I believe that your creative career doesn’t get super interesting until you find why you are super unique. But you can’t figure this out in an afternoon by starring in the mirror or taking a career aptitude test. The information you need is collected while on the journey of making stuff! In this episode we talk about what that journey looks like so that you can recognize the stages and maximize your results! This episode is part of our series on Creative Destiny AKA your creative career hero’…
137 - How to Know if You're Going the Right Way (Part 1 of the Creative Destiny Series)
This episode is the definitive foundation of Creative Pep Talk and contains my favorite ideas at the heart of this show. This is your creative destiny compass. In this episode we answer the question: what are the signposts pointing to my CREATIVE DESTINY? How do I know which direction will take me to my full creative career potential. Should you keep going on the path you’re on or do you need to try something else? Is it about grit or should you be pivoting? Just keep swimming or fail fast a…
136 - Debbie Millman and The Questions You Need to Ask Yourself
I am honored and privileged to have DEBBIE MILLMAN on the show! Debbie and I talk through some of the questions you need to ask yourself to help uncover your personal brand, clarify your goals and finally connect with what you really truly want for your life. If you don’t know Debbie is the host of THE design podcast Design Matters, for 20 years she was the President of the design division at Sterling Brands and co-founder of the graduate program in branding at SVA. This interview shook me u…
135 - How to Get Out of Creative Career Limbo
Do you feel like you’ve been stuck in the same place in your creative career for far too long? In this episode we explore how to get through the desert AKA how to get out of the belly of the whale and into the next right season and take the next right step to fulfilling your creative career destiny! Oh yeah and it’s mostly about sandwiches too.
134 - Illustrator Daniel Fishel's Top 5 Creative Career Lessons
Daniel Fishel is a top notch illustrator with the accolades to prove it: clients like The New York Times and The Washington Post, an MFA from SVA, and the 2016 Forbes Magazine 30 under 30 in Art / Style. But more importantly to me, he's a great dude with a heart to share what he's learned for the benefit of others. Daniel's put in real sweat equity and deep work to get where he is now, and he's never shy about sharing what's working for him. In this episode Daniel shares the top 5 things he c…
133 - The 3 Obstacles Blocking Your Creative Magic (and How To Move Through Them!)
When done right, creativity is like magic or even alchemy. If you know what you’re doing, you can turn a blank page into something truly valuable! In this episode we will explore what might be holding you back from making your own creative gold! And what better inspiration for finding creative magic, than the one and only Harry Potter? Let’s dive deep into the wizarding world to find our own sorcery. In other words, this episode could be called “Harry Potter and The Creative’s Stone” haha!!
132 - Lettering Legend Erik Marinovich
It is my honor and privilege to bring you an in depth interview with lettering legend Erik Marinovich. Erik is such an inspiration to me, both in life and art. He’s such a sweet guy and is also just INSANELY talented. This episode is jam packed with creative wisdom! A few of the topics we cover in this week’s episode: - Creative Community - Passion - Advice for Electricians - Curiosity - Insecurity - Raisin Farms! We also have background vocals provided by none other than my buddy Bob Ewing …
131 - Find Your Roadmap
A creative career can feel like randomly stumbling in the dark. In this episode, I’ll tell you how you can find a model for success that can guide you into making the next right move for your creative business. If you're feeling lost in the dark, this episode can help you find your path.
130 - Win in Business without Winning the Creative Lottery with These Are Things 00:0001:05:29
Today I talk with pin and patch masterminds These Are Things. These Are Things is a partnership between Jen Adrion and Omar Noory. In this episode we talk through the rollercoaster of running your own business and how to build a sustainable business with blood, sweat and tears, rather than on pure luck. These Are Things just launched a new business to help YOU make your own Enamel Pins & Patches.
129 - How to Remedy Creative Burnout
What do you do when your creative spark goes out? What happens when you've lost the will to grind out that good side hustle? How do you recover and relight the fuse when you can't get out of bed, you can't see the point and you've lost your inspiration and excitement? In this week's episode I want to talk about a very real and recent encounter with my own burnout and how I relit that spark in a major way.