Here is a list of 10 things I've learned the hard way that every photographer, designer, creative--hell, every creative person--should know. 1. Experts aren’t the answer. The blogs, the teachers, the mentors, the seminars aren’t the answer. They’re not there to tell you exactly what you need to know. If they’re good, then they are there to give you some ideas, some guidelines, or some rules to learn and subsequently break. This isn’t about the... read more ›
84.7K reads
Oct
24
May
01
I’m a self-taught photographer. I progressed in fits and starts and plenty of dead ends. Yet no one was telling me what to learn. I was following my curiosity- just trying to take photos I wanted. Successes helped me solidify new techniques, and failures gave me opportunities to figure out what I did wrong. But here’s the thing. If you want to be the noun, you need to do the verb. I wanted to be... read more ›
953 reads
Feb
06
Getting personal and a little scientific here... Once our basic three needs are met (and often even when they're not), there exists within the human species a hard-wired desire to pursue happiness. For me, happiness has always been inextricably linked with creativity, the two enjoying a direct relationship. The happier I am, the more creative I am. Or more metaphysically speaking, the happier I am, the more open I am to inspiration and creativity. As... read more ›
4.6K reads
Jan
02
Are you someone with so many competing interests and ideas, you're not sure where to focus or how to build these passions into a single career? You're not alone. This week I'm diving into two questions from the community. The first question explores this very popular question. I deconstruct how some of the top performers have built unconventional paths to shape their passions into successful careers. The other is about how to transition from one... read more ›
1K reads
Sep
15
When you’re creating something, there are emotions that evolve with it. What you’re building grows and develops, and as it moves forward, the question that comes up is, “Why did we create this in the first place?” We’re talking with Alex Strohl about how ideas turn into businesses and everything that comes it. Alex and I have been long time friends. You might remember him on CJRAWand he helped us dissolve the mystery of how we... read more ›
990 reads
Apr
20
If you're pursing a photography career, you'll want to lean into my latest conversation on the Chase Jarvis LIVE show with Chris Burkard. I have had the great privilege of knowing Chris for darn near a decade now. As an accomplished photographer, explorer, author, creative director, and speaker, he has travelled to some of the most remote places on earth capturing stories and images that connect us to nature and the importance of protecting... read more ›
1.6K reads
Apr
13
What sets memorable stories, presentations, and speeches apart from the ordinary? If you think it has to do with the speaker's innate ability, you'll be surprised to learn that it doesn't. Fortunately, Victoria Wellman knows how to craft compelling messages and overcome our fear of public speaking. Victoria is the Co-Founder of The Oratory Laboratory, a Manhattan-based boutique creative agency for public speakers. Formerly a journalist, copywriter, producer, a trained actress and voice-over artist, Victoria... read more ›
1.4K reads
Apr
06
Pain and suffering are fundamental to the human experience. We come into this world with the belief that there’s a better, more beautiful world out there, and we long to return to it. This pain can consume you if you let it, but it can also be a potent catalyst for creativity. Questions to get things rolling: Do you typically repress the pain, internalize it, and let it damage the way you treat yourself and... read more ›
1.6K reads
Mar
02
Building Charisma with Non-Verbal Cues Is charisma a born trait? Or can it be learned? On today’s episode, Vanessa Van Edwards—a renowned expert on social skills and interpersonal intelligence is in the building with a toolbox of techniques and non-verbal cues that will supercharge your communication. "I used to think you're either born with charisma, or you're not. Then I stumbled upon research that showed highly charismatic people have a very specific blend of two... read more ›
3.1K reads
Aug
23
A while back I received an e-mail from a guy named Mike Ducille. It was an invitation to Mike's book club, which includes a number of other like-minded creators and entrepreneurs. Some topics we get into: Lessons learned from a failed app launch- what do you do after a major failure? I'm not talking about a little mis-step. How do you bounce back from a potentially career-stifling blow? The psychology of money (check out Ramit... read more ›
267 reads