Nov 30

Helping others = helping yourself [add this to your playbook]

Fact: creativity is a team sport. Yes, the actual act of making the work is sometimes a solo activity (drawing, writing, editing a film, etc) but the real driving force behind every creative pro is their community: their clients, collaborators, peers and the rest of the humans in the complex web of symbiotic relationships that give us inspiration, support and (ultimately) an income. Creativity cannot live in a vacuum. We depend on each other, like... read more ›
Aug 19

Ijeoma Oluo: So You Want To Talk About Race

Ijeoma Oluo is a writer, speaker, and Internet Yeller. Her NYT bestselling book So You Want to Talk about Race has had a huge resurgence as of late, and it's no wonder given the times we are in. Ijeoma has been named The Root’s 100 Most Influential African Americans, one of the Most Influential People in Seattle by Seattle Magazine and Seattle Met for her work on issues of race and identity, feminism, social and mental... read more ›
Jul 11

You Must Do. Advice for New Grads + Anyone at a Crossroads

Meet Jordy, a 23 year old soccer player and student, who’s trying to find his way and figure out what to shoot for after college and how to get there. He’s optimistic, excited, and at a crossroads in his life. He’s just like I was at his age, and is probably just like you are now or have been in the past. In this raw, gritty, intimate, and windy 28 minute conversation we talk about... read more ›
Mar 28

Celebrating Your Weirdness with Thomas Middleditch

Thomas Middleditch is an actor and comedian best known for his starring role on HBO’s Silicon Valley where he plays Richard, the struggling startup founder. He started his career doing improv theater for the likes of Second City and UCB, and certainly showed off his improv skills during our conversation. Silicon Valley is the only TV show that I watch religiously, due largely in part to its authentic portrayal of the startup world that I... read more ›
Jan 30

Say NO unless a project has at least 2 of these 3 things…

For most creatives, the biggest challenge isn’t doing the work, it’s getting the work. Few of us are natural marketers or adroit at selling our vision, so many creatives live in a state of constant anxiety about where the next project (and paycheck) is going to come from. Because of that, it’s tempting to jump on any project that comes your way, especially if you’re -- as I was at the beginning of my career... read more ›
Jan 11

How to Find Mentor (and what to do when you get one)

As I've said countless times before, there are no magical, hidden secrets that will catapult you to success. By almost any measure, sustained success is a ton of work. And when the going gets tough, we can get sucked into spinning our wheels looking for direction or help. That's where a mentor comes in. It's the ONE PLACE YOU CAN MAKE USE OF A SHORTCUT...one that will make the path to your goals much straighter... read more ›
Dec 07

What To Do With What You’ve Got

There are so many challenges to living our dreams: not enough money, not enough time, not enough knowledge, etc.... But the truth is, those are all one kind of problem...a lack of RESOURCES. And if you're putting off living your own dream because of a lack of resources, then I've got news for you. NOBODY has all the resources they need. In fact, the very nature of big dreams is striving for something that's not yet within our... read more ›