Perspective Podcast | Fuel For Your Mind & Creative Grind

Stay In Your Own Lane & Create Your Own WaveIt’s so easy to get wrapped up in what other people are doing or to give into the temptation to jump on the latest trend.One of the hardest things to do as a creative is to go with your gut and pursue work that’s true to you.I like to call this staying in your own lane instead of swerving into someone else’s and riding their wave.I feel this is self-mastery at it’s finest, and it’s not something you can attain overnight. It takes years and tons of hard-learned lessons to get to the point where you’re self-aware of the artistic voice blooming inside of you and pouring that onto your canvas.I’m five and a half years deep, and I’m just now feeling like I’m finding my artistic voice. I'm using this voice to construct the lane I want to navigate for the next 20 years.This show exists to challenge and empower you to find your own groove over time.Today’s episode, I’m bringing back my mentor and one of the people I look up to the most in this creative sport.The King of

Steering Your Ship with Clarity & ConfidenceI’m hella proud to say that we’ve made it to Episode 150.There seems to be a massive shift every 50 episodes in the message and direction in which I’m steering this ship.The more I continue to niche down and follow the direction of my internal compass, the more clarity and confidence I continue to findThe more clarity and confidence I find, the more I’m able to enjoy this wave that I’m making and riding.As we approach the end of what’s been the craziest year of my life and embrace what I’m sure will be an even crazier 2020, we’re entering into a new and exciting season of the podcast.The topics will get deeper. More resources will be created. The community will get tighter, and more targeted value will be served to your front door like a piping hot pizza from your favorite local joint.It’s up to you to consume and take massive action to get the results you want.Episode 150 with Chris Do of The FuturToday’s episode is a big one and will set the tone for the rest

Winning the War in Your HeadWith tomorrow being Thanksgiving here in the States, I wanted to take a second to just say thank you for giving the show a chance and sticking with me as the show evolves.There’s a lot of creativity-based podcasts, resources, and content out there...I know my style and approach aren’t for everyone, and that’s totally okay! Just know it means the world to me that you vibe out and tune in to what I’m building out of my little home studio.I try to create fuel for you when, in reality, you are the fuel that drives me to keep showing up and pouring my soul into this—especially during the craziest season of my life, which I’ll touch on later in this minisode.So thank you, from the bottom of my pizza-loving heart. Thank you for giving me a chance and growing with me as I try to blaze my own little trail on this earth’s surface and tap into my unique purpose.With that being said, today's episode is a shorter one that I know will hit home if you deal with the same inner critic and negative

Football Coach to Creative CoachThis one is special today, and it's the longest episode I’ve ever published but for a good reason.If you’ve followed my story, you know I have a background in coaching football.I reluctantly started my coaching journey in college after playing two years and then blowing out my back twice at Wartburg College in Cedar Falls, IA. Even though I was bitter, I stayed on the team and became a student coach so I could be a part of something bigger than myself.Once I graduated, I volunteered for three years coaching Varsity Wide Receivers at my Alma Mater West High in Waterloo, IA.From there, I was a personal trainer for about two years at a local Snap Fitness.Behind the scenes, I was always doing some type of side hustle, like creating t-shirts, logos, and tattoo designs...but nothing ever seemed to stick.The coaching side wasn’t paying the bills, and the art side wasn’t gaining any traction and was more depressing than anything.It felt impossible to connect coaching with creativity, b

Tinlun Studio on Leveraging Failure & Passion Projects to Thrive & SurviveSo many people love pizza but hate the crust. I’m here to tell ya you gotta learn to love the crust.The first few bites of a slice of pizza are when you’re high on life and things seem to be working in your favor. The crust is the low moments of adversity and failure.You can’t have pizza without the crust, and you can't appreciate the highs without the lows.The crusty times test our character and mold us into the next version of ourselves. It’s up to us on how we respond, so we can evolve into the version of who we want to be.Someone who’s dealt with waves of crust and always comes back bigger and better than ever is my homie Terence Tang of Tinlun Studio, aka The Tenacious Turnip aka Tinman the Terrific.Terence and I go back a for a few years now, and I’ve seen his lowest moments set him up for something great each time he responds with a positive attitude.He’s one of the best humans I know, and his story is sure to inspire you

Steve & Danielle Wolf with Tips on Design, Freelancing, & ProductivityDo you show up each day winging it and doing what feels good, or do you have a plan of attack and a system you thrive in?Sure, some people can just show up and figure it out, but what if there’s room to optimize your workflow while still acting in the muse?It tends to be a little bit easier for people who do their things full time, as there’s a little more margin and room for flexibility.If you’re like me and you hold down a day job, your time is already scarce...so winging it each day is most likely not going to yield the type of results you’re wanting.Having a plan, scheduling your success, and optimizing your productivity is key...plus you gotta leave a little margin in there for play to stay sane.My friend Steve Wolf and his wife Danielle are people who have a plan and have been consistently crushing it. They are the brains behind Steve Wolf Designs, a design and branding studio in Austin, Texas. They crush work for brands like

Molly Jacques on Freelancing, Passive Income, & Marketing for CreativesWhere are you right now? Not your physical location, but the current state of your side hustle during this season?...and by season, I don’t mean fall (if you’re in the U.S.).Just like books have chapters, our lives have seasons.I’m currently in a season where I’m making a huge transition in my business. I’m fully embracing myself as the side hustle guy and going all-in on the podcast, the coaching program, and assets/resources to help people like you take the next steps.It’s where I’m supposed to be right now and where my energy’s supposed to be focused.Unfortunately, there’s not much time to play and responding back to every person every minute every day falls down the list of priorities during this shift.I have to give myself permission to not do all the things all the time like I used to with freelance, selling merch, etc. It is what it is, but then again, it’s only for this season.Maybe the season you’re in is all about exploring a

Side Hustle Special | Live From Creative Works with Rogie & LittlePatternsI have a special episode for you today for those of you who couldn’t attend Creative Works Conference in Memphis, TN.Maggie Enterrios of Littlepatterns and Rogie King of Super Team Deluxe and Dribbble joined me on the stage for an hour-long discussion that no doubt melted the faces of all 400 creatives in the audience.We specifically dropped a ton of valuable takeaways on:leveraging passion projectstaking your freelance to the next level (buy this freelancer's bible)value-based pricing > hourly pricingside hustling outside a day jobfinding what drives you to createplus a ton more...seriously, this shit is entertainingIf you’re side hustling outside your day job or pursuing a career in freelancing, you definitely need to listen to this one.ShownotesConnect with Creative Works: Instagram | WebsiteConnect with Rogie: Instagram | Website | DribbbleConnect with Maggie: Instagram | Website | BehanceMust Own Book: Graphic Artists Guild Han

Side Hustler’s Series Part 4 of 4: 6 Ways to Carve Out Time to Grind & Execute Outside Your Day Job A PROVEN SYSTEM FOR KNOCKING SHIT OUT EACH DAY Hands down, the #1 thing creatives like you tell me you struggle with the most? Finding time to grind on your side hustle. I’m hella qualified to talk on this topic because I’ve gotten pretty damn good at: carving out pockets of time in my day to knock out my top priorities that align with my main goal/vision. In five years, I’ve been able to build Perspective-Collective, freelance, and handle a weekly podcast all outside of my full-time job. Not to mention, I’m a husband and father to the dopest little dude this side of the Mississippi. This shit isn’t easy, and I’m not trying to brag. I’m just trying to convince you that if I can do it, anyone can. If finding time to grind is one of your biggest pain points, I feel the following system can improve your productivity immediately. Note: I also have this available as a guide in the Side Hustler’s War Chest. In

Side Hustler's Series Part 3 of 4: 5 Killer Tips for Managing Your Side Hustle to Maximize Results Back in May, I had the chance to jump on an episode of The Happy Ever Crafter TV with the calligraphy queen, Becca Courtice. I came prepared with some notes to help her niche calligraphy and lettering audience to get the most out of their side hustles. What kind of a jerk would I be if I didn't go more in-depth and share it with you? Regardless if you do calligraphy, lettering, knitting, underwater basket weaving, etc., there is something in this episode that can help you take your side hustle to the next level. Today, I'm giving you 5 Killer Tips for Managing Your Side Hustle to Maximize Results. Prepare to take some notes! Hopefully, there's a missing piece here that gets you one step closer to putting your peculiar yet promising puzzle together. 1. Have a Plan & Show Up with Intention How comfortably can you answer the following questions with conviction? What do you want to accomplish in life and why? W

Side Hustler's Series Part 2 of 4: 9 Benefits of Side Hustling The Dream You've Been Sold Most likely, you’re a listener/reader for two reasons: You’re ready to transform your hobbies into a side hustle You’re ready to take your current side hustle to the next level If so, you've tuned into the right place. I focus on the side hustle part because hustlin' is a habit, and it's all I know. Not everyone is fortunate enough to do their own thing full-time right out of the gates. In fact, I'd say the majority of people don't go this route. You were sold the dream of the traditional route of getting student loans to fund college, so you can land a good job. You then get married, get a mortgage, have kids, and do the same routine day-in and day-out. The goal is to pay your dues at your day job to help someone else’s dream come true in hopes of retiring around sixty. Supposedly, that's when your life begins? If you're like me, you've realized this isn't your dream at all. Something deep inside you craves to go agai

Side Hustler's Series Part 1 of 4: 3 Levels to Find Your Wolf Pack Humble Side Hustle Beginnings “Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it.” — Ziad K. Abdelnour I've been side hustling for a hot minute now. One of my bigger side hustles was right out of college when a buddy and I started a clothing brand called Daydreamin' Clothing Incorporated. We quickly changed it to Company because we were far from a corporation, but it just sounded cool. Well, before lettering was a thing on Instagram, I was making hand-lettered logos and graphics for our brand back in 2010. We started off with our logo on a few shitty Gildan logo tees, then ordered some business cards through Vista Print and called ourselves a business. While our original launch was hot garbage, I'm proud of it because we were young dreamers taking big action. Those first few logo tees evolved into more complex designs as we filed an LLC. Two years into it, we were sponsoring rappers, skate

Josh Horton on Creative Works & the Power of Community I want to start this one off with a quote from Jim Rhone: “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Trying to make it big by doing it on your own is hard. It’s easy to burn out and feel like you don’t have anyone in your corner during hard times. I tried doing it solo and shouldering the load by myself. It led to a lot of creative funks and wasted time. The people I did surround myself with couldn’t provide me any value or insight, so I continued to blindly try to find my path. I know I preach this often, but finding a creative community has been one of the biggest keys to my creative transformation. I wouldn’t have become the “side hustle pizza podcast guy” if I continued to pretend that I could figure it out on my own. Going to conferences is what opened my eyes to the power of relationships. They gave me a glimpse of my future potential and allowed me to attach myself to people who were doing what I strived to accomplish

Ruben Rojas on Murals, Creating for Impact, & Avoiding Mediocrity Our lives are like a book. It’s a story comprised of chapters strung together which reach a conclusion. Thankfully, we’re the authors of our own story. We call the shots on how the next chapter will be written and how our story will end. When a chapter doesn’t fit the bigger picture that you see for yourself, you have the ability to recreate and reinvent yourself to change the plot of your story. Today’s guest was an all-star in the real estate and then the financial world. He’s experienced rock bottom and bankruptcy when the stock market crashed, which caused him to reinvent himself multiple times to get to where he is today. I’m talking about the newest homie in the Perspective Podcast family, Ruben Rojas. He's a lifestyle artist/muralist, activist, speaker, and creative jock (it’s always nice to find more of these rare hybrids) who's making plays in sunny California. Ruben’s mission is to create global change and to empower communities t

Celebrate All Life's W's, Whether Big or Small Imagine you just watched your favorite sports team win a championship or witnessed a Golden Buzzer performance of a lifetime on The Voice. Wouldn't it be weird as hell if they didn't celebrate that accomplishment? Now, think of this on a smaller scale—like getting a small $.50 raise or landing your first online sale. Isn't that something worth recognizing too? You'd think that having any type of win, whether small or big, would be cause for some type of celebration. However, when you're wired like I am, a lot of these small wins gets shoved to the side because there are bigger mountains to climb. If you listened to last week's part one of this two-part episode series, you know the blessing and the curse that comes with being a mountain climber. It's great to constantly chase becoming the best version of yourself, but at the same time, you can't lose sight of life in between the mountains. Part two of this Climbing Mountains & Popping Bottles series is all abo

The Blessing & Curse of the Mountain Climbing "What's Next" Mentality Back in episode 56, my brother Tony Diaz of Industry Print Shop shared his inspiring story of how he went from being a punk rocker in a band on the Warped Tour to starting one of the most successful print shops in the U.S. He talked about his mentality of "climbing mountains." Whenever he accomplished his main mission, he immediately set his sights on an even bigger target. Ya, it was cool that he accomplished something like being on the Warped Tour, but what's next? You know the phrase, "There are two sides to every coin?" To me, to be able to climb mountains and relentlessly pursue the next big accomplishment is no doubt a blessing. At the same time, it's a curse. The Blessing The mountain-climbing business is a blessing as it enables you to: Tap into your potential. Cultivate a killer work ethic. Not gonna lie, I naturally gravitate towards people who operate in this fashion and love to observe them. I

Lauren Dickens on Blazing Your Own Successful Path & Fighting Burnout Two things we all deal with as we relentlessly pursue "success" in our creative grinds? The comparison trap and burnout. Often, one fuels the other and vice versa. You compare your work and consistency to those who seem to be doing more, and it's all-too-easy to burn yourself out. Or you get burnt out because you're not living the curated life people seem to be living on your phone. Those are just a few examples, but I'm sure you could think of 50 more scenarios off the top of your dome in less than a minute. That's because we all struggle with these dilemmas. I personally feel it's because many of us, including myself, haven't defined success for ourselves. We're wrapped up in what success is for others. Today's guest, ever since she was a curious young girl trying to figure out her place in the world, has been blazing her own path and defining what success means for her. I'm talking about my talented friend Lauren Dickens. S

Pretty Useful Co. on Taking Action & Protecting Your Time I've learned that people trying to work a side hustle struggle with two things: getting started and valuing their time. Getting started can be paralyzing. If you don't have a plan, strategy, or ability to show up regardless of what people will think, it’s practically impossible to take action. When you don't value your time, it's hard to know when to say no, when to charge more, or when to create boundaries. I personally believe you won't succeed in transforming your hobbies into a monetized side hustle or business without cultivating these two skills. Cultivating those two skills will no doubt help you fail faster, overcome adversity, and maximize your progress. Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Allie and Clare of Pretty Useful Co. crush these two areas in their personal lives and side hustles. They make clever goods for fun people that are...pretty useful (like their notorious pin keeper). They've turned a passion project into a monetized side-bus

Grits on Side Hustling, Finding Your Niche, & Staying in Your Lane Have you ever had someone in passing conversation ask you, "Are ya workin' hard or hardly workin'?" I used to get this from some of the older folks who would come through my cash register when I worked for a Midwest Grocery Chain called Hy-Vee. Of course, my answer was always, "Hardly workin'." When I think about this phrase now, I feel most people I come across are hardly workin'. They're the same ones complaining that nothing good is poppin' off in their lives when, in reality, they're coasting and seeking shortcuts. At the end of the day, hard work pays off—and there aren't too many people working harder than today's guests. I'm talking about Reuben and Toya Levi who tag team Grits. It's more than just dope merch flexin' Reuben's design and handy craft: it's a Southern Lifestyle Black Americana brand out of Houston, Texas, that has gained national attention with no signs of slowing down. Grits started off as a passi

Run Your Own Race & Avoid the Comparison Trap “Never compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.” – Jon Acuff from his book Start. I often allowed comparison to paralyze me from becoming the person I’m supposed to become. Much of that comparison stems from the social world of the internet. I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I feel fortunate enough to know how life worked before it, as well as experience the rise of it. In high school, I was on the early days of MySpace and felt the dopamine rush that notifications give you. When I graduated in 2006, I joined the new wave of Facebook. You actually needed a college email to get access, long before your parents and grandparents were on that shit. In 2013, I joined Instagram. In 2o14, I shifted to using it as a business portfolio. That’s when my life as a creative drastically changed, as I started to take my craft and message more seriously. The Beautiful Toxicity of Social Media Social media is a huge blessing in my life. It gives me con