Nov 03

Affinity Studio vs Adobe Creative Cloud for creative pros: It just got real

For years, the battle for your creative desktop wasn't much of a battle at all. For professionals, Adobe was the only real choice—the industry standard. It was the Coke, the Nintendo. Any alternative, including Affinity, was often dismissed as the "cheap" option, the Pepsi or the Sega: a clunky substitute for those who couldn't afford the real thing. But over the past few years, something shifted. Affinity patiently built a powerful, fast, and streamlined suite... read more ›
Nov 03

Nano Banana Pro (Google Gemini 3) 101 for Photographers

AI image generation tools have been bubbling for a while, but they truly exploded into the mainstream when the "Studio Ghibli" filter trend went viral, powered by the release of ChatGPT-4. Since then, it’s been impossible to ignore the flood of new apps like Midjourney, ComfyUI, Higgsfield, etc - all capable of creating stunning, surreal, and sometimes bizarre images from a simple text prompt. The latest name in this conversation is Nano Banana Pro (Google's... read more ›
Oct 29

Brené Brown Revisited: The Courage to Belong in a Divided World

In this week’s episode, we’re revisiting a powerful conversation that originally aired back in 2017 — one that feels even more relevant today. Brené Brown joined me to talk about courage, connection, and what it really means to find true belonging in a divided world. Her insights on creativity, loneliness, and the power of standing alone have only become more urgent as we navigate today’s culture of comparison and noise. Since our original conversation, Brené... read more ›
Oct 22

Stop Curating. Start Creating.

Hey friends, Chase here. If you’ve ever found yourself hesitating to start a project because it didn’t feel “portfolio-worthy,” this one’s for you. I’ve fallen into that trap more times than I’d like to admit — obsessing over whether something I’m making is polished enough to represent me. The irony? That mindset kills the very creativity that fills a portfolio in the first place. The Portfolio Trap Somewhere along the way, we started treating our... read more ›
Oct 15

The Creative Edge Isn’t Vanishing — It’s Moving.

Hey friends, Chase here. I’m back with a little reflection that’s been brewing for a while—one that hits right at the heart of what it means to be a creator right now. Lately, the number one question in my inbox (and probably yours too) goes something like this: “What happens to creativity now that AI can do so much?” If that question sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We’ve seen this movie before. Back in 2006,... read more ›
Oct 14

Midjourney for Photographers: A Professional’s Field Guide

The rise of generative AI isn't just another tech trend, it's a fundamental change in the creative landscape, a wave that is coming whether we’re ready or not. For photographers, videographers, and visual artists, this can feel unsettling. The conversation is often framed around fear and replacement, but that’s the wrong way to look at it. This isn’t about a machine replacing the artist. It's about the artist gaining a new set of profoundly powerful... read more ›
Oct 08

Mel Robbins Revisited: From The High 5 Habit to The Let Them Theory

In this week’s episode, we’re revisiting a powerful conversation that aired back in 2021 — one that’s just as relevant today as it was then. Mel Robbins has continued to inspire millions with her practical, science-backed approach to behavior change and personal growth. Since our last chat, she’s released a brand-new bestseller, The Let Them Theory, which builds beautifully on the ideas we explored together in this earlier episode. Whether you’re new to Mel’s work... read more ›
Oct 01

The Antidote to Burnout Isn’t Rest — It’s Play

Hey friends, Chase here. I’m writing you today from the south of France, where I’ve been taking a little breather before a busy fall. This episode is a reflection on some of the most popular questions that came up around the launch of Never Play It Safe. In the particular lies the universal — and the questions from our community reflect challenges so many of us face. Burnout, Side Hustles & Tiny Experiments Matt asked... read more ›
Sep 24

The Most Important Question You’re Probably Not Asking: How Much Is Enough?

Hey friends, Chase here. At the height of my career—awards, startups, celebrity collabs—my wife stopped me cold with one question: “How much is enough?” I didn’t have an answer. From the outside, life looked perfect. But inside, I was chasing “more” without knowing why. The Illusion of More The culture around us says: keep climbing, keep grinding, keep stacking. But more for the sake of more eventually costs you—your health, your relationships, even your sense... read more ›
Sep 17

Social Media as a Stage, Not a Sofa

Hey friends, Chase here. If social media feels heavier than it used to, you’re not imagining it. Infinite feeds, algorithm whiplash, and the pressure to post “one more thing” can drain the very creativity we’re trying to share. Here’s the shift: treat social media like a stage you step onto with intent—not a sofa you collapse into by default. Social Media as a Stage, Not a Sofa A stage has purpose: you arrive prepared, you... read more ›