Perspective Podcast | Fuel For Your Mind & Creative Grind

Brooke Robinson of Goodtype on Connecting with Yourself to Find Your Art "Some things are better off not being spread too thin: you and peanut butter." I couldn't find the owner of this quote, but it definitely hit home as someone who loves peanut butter and piles too many things on my plate. We love to be busy—at least I do. Often, when we're busy, we focus on the wrong things and tend to fall short of the essentials like self-care. It's important to unplug and connect with ourselves. Doing so not only helps us become more self-aware and grow, but it spills over into our creative grind and business pursuits. Today's guest is someone who knows how to unplug and squeeze the most juice out of life. She's also a spark plug for thousands of people by providing them confidence, connection, and community. I'm talking about my good friend Brooke Robinson, the wizard pulling the strings behind the giant lettering Instagram account and global community Goodtype. Brooke has an inspiring story: she stayed at a

Musketon on Passion Projects, Pushing Your Limits, & Adobe Illustrator Often, as creatives, we take things too seriously and forget why we got started doing this in the first place. We get obsessed with social vanity metrics to fuel our worth. Our happiness is often gauged by analytics and performance. At the end of the day, we can’t lose sight of how much fun it is doing work that lights us up. We can still keep that artistic play and curiosity at the core, but implement some strategy behind it when hitting publish. As my friend Michael Fugoso AKA The Fugstrator says, “Think like an artist, but execute like a designer.” Today’s guest is someone who uses passion projects to push his limits and attract new work. He treats his work like play, which leads to working with massive brands like Nike, Hypebeast, Mazda, MTV, and Coca-Cola. I’m talking about Bert Dries, a guru when it comes to all things Vector and Adobe Illustrator. Today, Bert and I cover topics like: Getting to where he is today Challenging you

The Motto: You Got This If you happen to stick around to the end of each episode, you know I sign off with "Keep showing up, keep putting in the work, and keep creating—you got this." This phrase originated from having internal dialogues in my head—and I promise you I'm not crazy. It's no secret that I'm a big believer in affirmations and positive self-talk. The inner critic in me is alive and well, and I have to do my part each day to shout over its negative and draining influence. If you're like me, you struggle with the comparison trap. There's always someone who has what you desire: a better financial situation, more followers, killer clientele, better physical appearance, etc. Operating from this mindset of lack—instead of abundance—can really fuck you up. Comparison has robbed me of so much joy in my life and has severely damaged my confidence on multiple occasions. "You got this" is the motto. It's my battle cry to fight back and keep pushing forward along my creative path. It's the

Your Permission Slip to Be Weird I grew up under the impression that being weird was a bad thing. Being weird got you picked on and bullied. Being normal is what helped you fit in. I was definitely a weirdo growing up. Getting severely bullied made it hard for me to express myself as I got older. Popularity and acceptance are what I craved, so I did everything in my power to "blend in" with the cool crowd. It's funny how the theme has changed now that we're creative adults. We're told not to lose that child-like imagination. We're told being weird is a good thing and that showcasing your uniqueness is how you'll stand out. Back in episode 81, I gave you 3 Super Convincing Reasons to Show Your Weird and Wave Your Freak Flag. That episode was more of a permission slip for me to dig deep on the weird shit I loved as a kid and the weird shit I love as an immature adult. After attending Crop Conference last month, some of the biggest juggernauts in the creative realm all touched on this theme of embracin

Becca Clason on Dealing with Negative Criticism in a Positive Way Life is full of ups and downs, but you can’t appreciate the highs if you haven’t dealt with the lows. We all deal with adversity, but how you respond to it is a true test of your character. Today, we have someone who responds to adversity with class and finds a spin on her adversity to give some value to her community. I’m talking about Becca Clason, Tactile Lettering and Stop Motion Artist, blowing minds in collaboration with her husband Josh through their creative production studio So Mighty. She’s executed work for some of the biggest brands in the world like Starbucks, Target, Twitter, Nordstrom, and American Express. Her story leading up to landing these gigs will leave you feeling inspired. She’s also the brains behind the Letter West Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 5–8 and the Letter West Retreat in Moab, Utah, September 25–28. Swoop a ticket ASAP to connect and learn from some of the best lettering artists in the world. Today,

Today's episode is an in-depth resource to help lettering artists grow an Instagram audience and potentially land client work. Don’t worry if you’re not a lettering artist, there is so much value in here that no matter what medium or style you create in, this can help you grow an audience and elevate your craft. Instagram Lettering Tips The following are the 6 tips I cover in the blog post / episode. The Art of Using Hashtags -Engage with the Community -Consistency -Proper Presentation -Deliberate Practice -Be Different & Rise Above the Noise Yes, these tips will this help you develop your craft and grow an audience. More importantly, it'll help you stand out and land work doing what you love. Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed and found this episode value, I need your help spreading it! Please, share a screenshot or video of the episode you're listening to and tag me on Instagram at @prspctv_cllctv and @perspectivepodcast—and let’s connect. Shownotes Enroll now to Passion to Paid Summer 2019 course Le

Ben Johnston on Murals 101 & Creating Good Work That Makes an Impact Have you ever had one of those jaw-dropping moments mid-scroll on social media because someone’s work was so incredible and unique? Those are the people to watch closely. They are the ones who are raising the bar and pushing everyone industry to up their game. I originally picked my jaw up off the floor a few years back when our guest’s work showed up on my Instagram feed. I find myself constantly prepared to hold my jaw in place when he drops something new. I’m talking about my homie Ben Johnston who’s a Goliath of painting murals and canvases or designing branding and installations. His mind-bending experiments speak volumes as big brands like Nike, Google, Toronto Raptors, and Aston Martin have come knocking on his door for his one-of-a-kind services. Today, Ben and I chop it up over: Painting Murals 101: tips, process, materials, and pricing Being confident vs. being a dick Having fun while creating work that makes an impact Attract

Chasing What You Want & Growing an Online Empire with Elizabeth Gray If your social media game is boring, and your audience growth and engagement is basically non-existent...then we have on the perfect guest for you. We have the insanely talented, introverted, cat-and-coffee loving lettering queen Elizabeth Gray of @TheGrayterGood on the show today to share her story. She’ll also blow your mind with her unique approach to building her online empire with a following of approximately 150k when this was recorded. Today Elizabeth and I break down: Her 3 tips for growing an engaged online audience Building a theme centered around 5 buckets of interests Setting expectations Chasing what you want in life Pizza, process, cats, and more If you’re ready to dig deep into embracing and showing your true self in your work to attract like-minded souls in your tribe, then this episode was put into the universe for you. Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed and found this episode value, I need your help spreading it! Plea

Mye De Leon on Knowing Who Your Audience is & How to Serve Them I respect those who use adversity to fuel their relentless grind. I respect hustlers—but I’m even more captivated by those who work smarter, not harder. I respect those who put family and serving others above all else because they understand breakthroughs, money, and opportunities will eventually come their way. Someone who I really respect is today’s guest who falls in each of these buckets: Mye De Leon, a lettering artist, designer, and online marketing wizard. She’s the author of Mastering Hand Lettering and professor of the FREE COURSE Styling the Alphabet, where she teaches you the ABC’s of hand lettering, so you can monetize your craft. Today, Mye and I cover: Her inspiring story and the adversity her family has overcome Putting in the work and honing your craft Valuing your time so you know when to say yes Online digital marketing Pizza, pens, process, and more! This episode is sure to get you fired up to start taking yourself, your

Jon Contino on How to Produce Good Work by Being Yourself When you’re on your creative grind, it’s important to get your hands dirty, make mistakes, and get lost in your work. This helps you develop your style, find your voice, and carve your niche. That, in turn, attracts commissions and people to your artistic mission and vision. Jon Contino is someone who’s been doing cool shit before it was cool and unapologetically pours themselves into their work. Jon’s a designer, letterer, illustrator, and branding sorcerer hailing from New York who conjures up dope work for massive brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and AT&T through his Contino Studio Agency. Today, Jon and I peel back the layers of: What branding is and isn’t His illustration process and humbling backstory Creating good work that’s true to yourself Being a design sponge outside of the internet Turning flaws into strengths and more If you need a boost to go the extra mile in showing your true self in your work, then this episode

Making Your Work Speak for Itself on Your Own Terms Everyone’s paths are different. Sometimes you have to do things your own way and go against the grain. It doesn’t have to be pretty or perfect—it just has to work for you. Today’s guest has been blazing his own trail for quite some time by landing killer gigs working with Lollapalooza, Bones Coffee Co, Dickies, and a ton of your favorite bands. I’m talking about Joshua Noom—illustrator, designer, and creative dad—who's slanging dope work out of Florida. Today, Josh and I go deep into: Making your own way in life instead of following the herd Working hard so your work speaks for itself Taking initiative and doing outreach to get work Using comparison as fuel for growth Fonts, Process, and Pizza This episode is going to give you permission to do things your own way and embrace your story and unique style. Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed and found this episode value, I need your help spreading it! Please, share a screenshot or video of the episode you're l

Use Competition to Your Advantage Aristotle said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” We, as a creative community, can accomplish some incredible things when we teach, collaborate, and encourage each other rather than bullying, undermining, and tearing people down. Back in episode 104, I strongly voice my opinion on creative copy cats and stress the importance of creating your own waves. However, at the end of the day, we're all recycling the ideas that came before we did. We can never claim we are the true OG's of making dope shit in whatever style or medium we work in because someone has dipped their toes in it well before we did. Instead of publicly attacking someone and sending your social mobs to do your justice, use competition as fuel to motivate you to constantly step up your game and evolve. Doing this not only raises the bar, but it pushes our whole industry forward. When get so focused on what everyone else is doing and how it can affect us, we undermine our own potential. In my mind,

A 6-Step Game Plan for Finding Clarity to Create Your Own Future “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” Abe Lincoln I’m fired up for this punchy solo episode today. I’ve been answering a lot of questions via IG DMs or in my Private Facebook Community, and there seems to be a theme in a lot of my responses. I compiled a lot of the pattern answers together and crafted this little diddy to help you know what you want out of life and how to make a game plan to go get it. Today, I'm giving you a 6 Step Game Plan for Finding Clarity to Create Your Own Future. I want this to be an episode you can easily go back and reference when you’re lacking clarity or need that spark to keep pushing forward. 1. HAVE A VISION “Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” - Jonathan Swift Lockdown these 3 things and be as specific as possible: Know what you want Know who you want to be Know where you’re going Action Step: Write down a detailed answer for each of the 3 aforementioned areas and note

Tom Ross Design Cuts CEO on Growing a Tribe & Boosting Engagement I thrive when I’m able to engage with other creatives, and I pride myself in building my brand and reputation around serving others. I really vibe to others who approach life and their business in the same way—which is why today’s guest is hella special and a perfect fit for what I want to share with you. Today we have on Tom Ross, CEO of Design Cuts, Co-Host of the Honest Designers Podcast, and the zero bullshit content creator machine with his personal brand The Honest Entrepreneur Show. He's an expert in the online marketing space when it comes to email list growth, website strategy, brand messaging, as well as an expert in growing an audience and boosting engagement. I've mentioned he's been consulting me with a lot of these, too, as I elevate my brand and business in 2019. Get your note-taking utensils armed and ready because Tom’s gonna school you in: Removing the sleaziness from marketing yourself Growing a loyal tribe by listening

The 3 Causes of Self-Doubt = "I'm Not Enough" "Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." -Suzy Kazzem The following concept is from a talk Lewis Howes gave at his Summit of Greatness last October 2018. He mentioned that the 3 causes of self-doubt that hold us back from starting and chasing our creative dreams fall into these buckets of fear: Fear of Failure Fear of Judgment Fear of Success Imagine a 3-ring Venn diagram with each fear located in a circle. At the overlapping center is the feeling of "I'm not enough." In today's episode, I'm giving you 3 reasons to overcome your fear of getting started now, so that your future self will thank you. Avoid the 'What Ifs' On Your Deathbed In the book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bonnie Ware, the number one regret from those on their deathbed was, "I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me." Bonnie states, “This wa

Dangerous Ideas & Living Boldly with James Victore Today, we have on a special guest who epitomizes everything I stand for: serving and empowering creatives while putting my unique work and message into the world. I’m talking about James Victore who’s been kicking ass and taking names from his pocket of the planet in Texas. He’s won an Emmy, been featured in the Museum of Modern Art multiple times, and has received a ton of accolades as an artist and designer. However, his biggest impact, in my opinion, is his role teaching us to live a bold life as creatives. He’s got a killer podcast called Dangerous Ideas on Patreon and Youtube that’s sure to light a fire under your ass. He’s also one of the Keynotes at CROP Conference coming up on April 18-19 in Baton Rouge, so snag your tickets ASAP and use promo code PIZZA at checkout to have a chance to win a free Pop-Up Crop ticket. Buckle in as James as I charge head first into rough-terrain topics like: Having dangerous ideas to avoid being oatmeal Using Pain,

Little Patterns on Niching Down, Pricing, Contracts, & Licensing Our incredibly talented guest today is Maggie Enterrios of Little Patterns. She’s an illustrator, packaging expert, and author of both the Nature Observer Journal and Gather Foraging Journal. Her incredibly-detailed style has landed her clients like Apple, Instagram, and the Chicago White Sox. Soon, she's gonna drop a project with Champagne Pappi...listen to the end, or Google it if you don’t know who that is! While her work is out of this world, I most admire her business chops and willingness to share her knowledge. Today, Maggie doesn’t hold back as we go deep into: Pricing your work for small brands and agencies and pitching The importance of contracts and breaking down licensing How to be more confident and take yourself seriously Defining your label instead of letting others define it for you Double-fisting canned wine and LaCroix’s, pizza, ghosts and more! Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed and found this episode value, we need your

Attracting Life-Changing Opportunities with Scott Biersack Today's guest has done work for juggernauts like Target, Netflix, Starbucks, Adobe, and Facebook to name a few—and he’s only 25 (but remember, we’re all on our own paths now, so kill the comparison). I’m talking about my brother, Scott Biersack aka Youbringfire, on social media. He’s a legend-in-the-making with his style, craft, and creativity; but what I admire the most is the attitude and self-awareness that he approaches life with. It’s truly inspiring and makes you think of the bigger picture. In today’s episode, Scott and I talk about: How his 365 lettering passion project jump-started his career How burnout and rock bottom were necessary obstacles that led to positive change The importance of your mental and physical well-being The Law of Attraction and changing the lens in which you see in the world His favorite video games, typefaces, and of course, pizza Overall, we get stupid deep and transparent in today’s conversation about things like p

People Appreciate Being Appreciated I used to be the kind of person who was always waiting for good things to happen to me. I used to be the kind of person who was always waiting for good things to happen to me. It felt like the world was against because it felt like the ball never bounced my way. I expected these things, but I damn sure didn’t deserve them with how I selfishly acted. What I learned over the years is you have to play aggressively instead of sitting passively on the bench and not getting into the game—the game of love (lol jk)...but seriously. Secret Audience Building Tip: Be Proactive (not the acne medicine) ACTION STEP #1: 5 x 5 Engagement Challenge For the next 5 days, slide into 5 people’s DM’s or comment on a post of theirs to show them some love and appreciation or tell them how their work has made an impact on you. ACTION STEP #2: Show Some Love Instagram Challenge #showsomelove2019 Create a piece with your own rendition of Show Some Love and tag your top 1-3 creators on Instagram. Use

This episode is brought to you by Crop Conference Crop is a 2-day celebration of creativity, community and inspiration April 18th & 19th in Baton Rouge, LA. Register today before it sells out and use Promo Code PIZZA at checkout to be entered to win a FREE ticket to their PopUp Crop Fall event! Check out the full lineup at Cropcons.com Why Concept is King if You Want to Stand Out with Joshua Ariza of Chomp Brand LISTENERS OF THIS EPISODE GET 15% OFF CHOMP MERCH BY USING PROMO CODE PERSPECTIVE at Chompbrand.com. Back in episode 104 titled Don’t Die a Creative Copy Cat, we talk about stealing waves, riding waves, and making waves of your own. Not stealing waves is a given. Riding waves is a little more tricky, especially when you’re starting off. Then you have the wave-making mavericks in the game. These are the creatives who tenaciously find ways to be different, even if it means going against the grain. They take risks. They expect failure and welcome it with open arms. Most importantly, they bet on them