May 15

Stephan Moccio: The Power of Pauses in Life (and Music)

Words and tools are powerful, but are they our only way of making a mark? *Pause for emphasis* Stephan Moccio doesn't think so. An artist, composer, and producer, he's the name behind some of the most well-known songs and soundtracks on the planet. But surprisingly enough, all that success with sound has come through silence. In this podcast, I have the privilege of sitting down with him to discuss how strategic refrain and thought can... read more ›
Dec 11

Is Creativity Feeling Like A Grind?

In the world of creativity, there's a common misconception that the process is all about spontaneous bursts of inspiration and effortless genius. However, the reality is often quite different – and that's not a bad thing. Creativity isn’t without hard work, a consistent effort of refining, iterating, and persisting.  It's easy to feel overwhelmed and disheartened when the creative journey feels more like a relentless grind than a path to success. But here's the thing:... read more ›
Nov 15

Mark Manson: Hope in an Sea of Endless Calamity

In this episode, Mark Manson shares insights on his creative process and inspiration. Mark is a three-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, known for his book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck." He has sold millions of copies of his books worldwide and has become a prominent figure in the field of life advice. During the conversation, Mark discusses the challenges of following up on a highly successful book and the pressure... read more ›
Jun 14

Exploring the Birth of Grunge: A Fascinating Look with Steve Turner of MudHoney

Steve Turner is a multidisciplinary musician who played in three of the Grunge genre's most iconic bands - Green River, MudHoney, and Monkey Wrench. While groups like Nirvana are more well-known today, he is largely credited for inspiring the artists behind them. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that this man helped birth and shape a universe of music that's now listened to around the world. That's a pretty big accomplishment. One that makes... read more ›
Mar 13

6 Strategies to Tackle the Messy Middle of the Creative Process

Have you ever started a project and felt inspired and motivated, only to find yourself lost in the middle of your creative endeavor? You know the place I'm talking about: the messy nebulous phase of creativity in between vision and reality. It's where ideas get watered down and "shoulds" start to creep in. But here's the thing: The messy middle is where all of our best ideas are hiding — if we can just permit... read more ›
Nov 11

How to Innovate Ideas and Build a New Way of Seeing with Hussain Almossawi

 The world is creative, innovative, and curious. It’s constantly inviting us to develop new ideas, improve on existing ones, and tap into endless possibilities. It’s also challenging as a creator to maintain an innovative mindset. We have so many pressures coming at us these days. If you’ve ever wondered how great innovators delve into their endless resource of ideas, it helps to learn from the source. Award-winning designer and author Hussain Almossawi has a... read more ›
Oct 26

The Creative Process: How to Get from Garbage to Good with Joey Cofone

 I recently sat down with Joey Cofone, Co-Founder, and CEO of Baronfig. Joey is an award-winning graphic designer based in New York. Joey's work appeals to curious minds. He’s released his new book The Laws of Creativity where he helps us uncover the thinking and science behind the creative process and gets us thinking in a whole new way. How To Turn Skill Into Mastery How does skill turn to mastery? When we understand... read more ›
Sep 27

100 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Try

"It's easier to poke holes in an idea than think of ways to fill them. And it's easier to focus on the 100 reasons you shouldn't do something rather than the one reason you should." - Wendy Kopp, Founder of Teach for All This quote resonated with me so much I figured it deserved its own episode. Good ideas are a dime a dozen. So what separates the ideas that stay on the shelf from... read more ›
Sep 20

If You Build It And They Don’t Come

There's a common mis understanding about the phrase, "If you build it, they will come." A classic quote from Field of Dreams, but an often-deceiving belief we have as creators. Trust in the universe and belief in yourself are paramount, but do you really want to leave it up to chance? Today's episode includes three tactics for strategically getting your work seen. If you haven't already, check out CJ RAW episode, The Other 50 Pct.... read more ›
Jul 28

Old School Photography (+ other musings) with Kai Wong

If you've ever looked up film and digital camera lessons on YouTube, there's a high chance you've bumped into Kai Wong's top-of-the-game photography videos or even come across one of his videos featuring yours truly + a lego camera. Previously known for creating innovative content with a humorous bent for one of YouTube's most subscribed photography channels, DigitalRev, Kai quit his seven-year-long association with the Media House in 2016. After stepping down as the company's... read more ›