Standout Creatives: Business, marketing, and creativity tips for solopreneurs launching their ideas

Josh Rivedal is the founder and director of the I'mPossible Project. He is also the author of two books and the star of his own one-man show. In this episode, Josh talks about overcoming his near suicide, the importance of marketing for artists, and the lessons we can learn from failure. Here are three things you can learn from Josh: The Power of Storytelling One thing Josh has learned from all his trials and tribulations is the power of story. Josh's career jump started through the help of his one-man show. It helped spark the idea for his second book and the formation of his I'mPossible non-profit organization. Stories are one of the most powerful things we have as humans. We are wired to tell stories. They are what allow us to connect with other people. Josh used the power of his own story to bring awareness to suicide prevention and social justice projects. They have become the foundation of his career. Artist Need to Embrace Business and Marketing Josh believes artists are against the idea of marketing because they are not good at it, but you can't be good at something you don't attempt. Instead of pushing against the idea of business and marketing, embrace them just like you embrace you art. Art businesses, just like other businesses, are here to provide a solution to a problem. Art isn't a luxury when it's good. It's a necessity. So embrace marketing and treat your art like a business. This will help you create and sell more of your work. Learn From Your Failures We need to get over failure. We have been taught to avoid failure at all costs, but it has hampered our ability to grow. When we try to avoid failure, we stop experimenting. We don't try new things because we are afraid they won't work. Instead of avoiding failure, embrace it. That doesn't mean we should try to fail. It just means we need to be willing to fail. The point is to learn from your failures. Josh believes you have to be willing to fail to succeed. Failure is just part of the process. Thomas Edison attempted making the light bulb 10,000 times before finding the right solution. No one is above failure. Once you realize this, you will be able to use it as a spring board for success. More shownotes from episode 40 with Josh Rivedal

Juan Sepulveda is a painter and the creator of The Winding Stairs Podcastand The Gentleman’s Brotherhood. His art focuses around the lessons and symbols of free masonry. In this episode, Juan talks about marketing and creating art, why you must have the right mindset, and why you need to diversify your income streams. Here are three things you can learn from Juan: Marketing and Creating Art Require Different Ways of Thinking Artists are often opposed to the idea of marketing their work. People often criticized Juan for selling his art because they couldn’t sell theirs too. If you are having trouble selling your art, you need to separate your artistic creation from your business. It requires to completely separate parts of yourself to be able to sell your art. You need to be able to put on different hats depending on whether you are selling or creating your art. You can’t let selling get in the way of your creativity. Let your creative side work its magic on the art, but then, when you are done, you have to switch hats. Juan believes you have to be authentic to your inspiration, but you also have to be wiling to sell your work once you are done creating. Your Mindset Means Everything Your mindset determines everything about the way you approach the world. Just look at one of the artists you admire the most. They have the same amount of time as us, and sometimes they have even fewer resources, yet they are still able to create something amazing. Juan believes that you create your own limits. We are the ones who confine or restrict ourselves from achieving our true potential. The good news is, in order to change that, all we have to do is change our mindset. If your favorite artist can get their painting in a museum, you can too. Learn from those who came before you, and apply those lessons to what you want to accomplish. Just know that you can do it, and you are on the way to achieving it. Diversify Your Income Streams If you are relying solely on selling your art to make a living, you are missing out on some great opportunities. Art sales are hardly steady, and if you rely on that income, you can get yourself into some trouble. Diversifying your sources of income can lead to more stability with your finances and with your life. Juan does not just create art. He also does public speaking and a podcast to help promote himself and his art. By creating other income streams, you can have a bad month selling your art and not have to worry as much. These other income streams will allow you to rest more easily without worrying about selling your next painting to survive. View more shownotes for episode 39 with Juan Sepulveda

James Wightman and Kristen Cruz are the co-founders of Rebel Advisorsand the authors of The Rebel Way. They want to show students that college isn’t the only path towards success. Here are three things you can learn from James and Kristen: Conversations Can Help You Make Better Decisions The problem with most students who go to college and don’t finish is, they never stopped to think about what they wanted out of the college experience. They are told by their parents and counselors that college is the path they need to take. They are never given the chance to decide for themselves whether college really is the best path. That is why conversations with those who want to help you are so important. These conversations can help students identify the paths they can take, find something that makes them comfortable, and build the skills they need for what they are seeking. They can help you find the motivation necessary to find what lights you up inside. Finding the Right Path Requires Research and Self-Reflection It can be hard to find what you want to do with your life. The majority of college students change majors at least once and only 27% get their first job in their given major. That is why it is so important to do research and self-reflection before you choose a path. James begins the process of helping students by doing research. He sees what options align with the skills they have. Then guides them towards something where they can use those skills. Kristen begins with self-reflection. She has the student figure out what they want first before she can begin to help them. It is only when you know what you want that people can help you get there. By doing research and self-reflection you can align your skills with what you want to do. These things will give you a better idea of what you should pursue in life. There Isn’t One Right Answer One of the main problems with the education system is, we have taught people that there is only one right answer in life. Schools teach for the test instead of the process, and it has stifled our ability to be creative. This has led to a society of people who are afraid to make mistakes. But mistakes are where you learn the most. The thing is, you shouldn’t try to fail. Failure in itself isn’t the goal. It’s the lessons that you learn from failure that are the key to success. One thing to consider is finding something you want to do, even if you fail at it. What thing are you willing to take risks for? What has a strong enough pull that you are willing to let go of fear? Pursue that thing without fear of consequences and you will no longer look for the single right answer. You will try and try again until you’ve found the path forward. More shownotes for episode 38 with James Wightman & Kristen Cruz

Tim Noxsinz aka Timitude is the creator of CreativeMondays.net  and co-host of the Middle of Nowhere Show. In this episode,  Tim talks about enabling others, seeking what you want, and reaching your potential. Here are three things you can learn from Tim: How to Empower Others Although Tim is a writer and co-host of a podcast show, he believes his greatest strength is enabling others. Through his work on Timitude, Creative Mondays and the Middle of Nowhere Show, he is able to give people a platform to express themselves in an empowering way. Here are Tim's four keys to empowering others: connecting, creativity, catalysts, and challenging. Connecting creates value through the connections you have. Creativity happens through his Creative Mondays platform. He is a catalyst of change through the Middle of Nowhere Show, and he challenges others through consulting. Stop Waiting for Good Things to Happen Tim believes people spend too much time waiting for good things to happen to them instead of seeking them out. If you wait for good things to happen to you, you could wait your entire life. That is why he likes to give people the belief that they can change the world. We often undervalue our ability to make a significant impact. If you truly want to make a difference, you need to believe in yourself first, then you must go out and seek it. You can achieve your goals if you are intentional about it. Stop playing in the small pond of life. Go out and make a big splash in the ocean. How to Reach Your Potential Everyone has the potential to achieve something great in life. We are more powerful than we believe. Don't let anyone tell you you are not good enough. Tim believes it starts with believing in yourself. In order to go from where you are to where you want to be, you must first embrace the man in the mirror. Then you must be willing to test and learn from your mistakes. Mistakes in life are inevitable. It's what you do after making those mistakes that really matters. Don't take failure as a reflection of who you are. They are a part of becoming a more complete person. If you are able to do these things, you can achieve your full potential. Read more shownotes from episode 37 with Tim Noxinsz

Brandon Lee is an an entrepreneur and writer. After spending three years an an international speaker for churches and nonprofits, he reinvented himself and became a real estate investor. In this episode, Brandon talks about reinventing himself, making an impact, and mentorship. Here are three things you can learn from Brandon: You Can Make an Impact While working as a speaker for non-profits, Brandon learned the impact he could have on people. He didn’t need to go to school or take a course to learn it. He discovered it intuitively. After giving speeches, people would approach him and tell him how much his talk meant to them. It was in this moment that Brandon realized that something that seems trivial to you can mean the world to someone else. This just goes to show that everything we do can have an impact on others, regardless of whether we are conscious of it or not. That is why it is so important to be aware of what we do and say around people. An insult can destroy a person’s day and a compliment can make someone else’s. You Can Reinvent Yourself Most people believe once they choose a career they are stuck there. They think they have to live the rest of their life doing the same thing. Brandon proves that statement is completely untrue. After building a successful career as a speaker for non-profits, Brandon felt the need to change. He didn’t think the non-profit space allowed him to to make enough money to make a difference doing what he truly loved, helping people. So he shifted his focus and got into real estate, and he did it without knowing anything about real estate! He taught himself from the ground up and was not afraid to do it. If you do not feel fulfilled in your current situation, make the necessary change. Just because you chose a certain career path does not mean you have to stay there. You Don’t Need to Find Your Passion Everyone seems to be enamored with the word passion. It feels like we need to find our passion or we will never be fulfilled. Brandon sees it another way. Instead of trying to discover what you are good at or passionate about, find something you are interested in and explore it. Many of us feel the need to go all-in on things in order to make something out of them, but that isn’t true. Brandon uses the example of learning All of Me by John Schmidt. One day after hearing the song, he decided he wanted to learn it. So he bought a keyboard and began learning to play it. Does this mean he is passionate about learning to play the piano? Not necessarily. Does it mean he could eventually develop that passion? Possibly. Far too often we live in this black and white world, but the world doesn’t work that way. Instead living in the world of all or nothing, do some exploring. You might be surprised by what you find. Read more shownotes for episode 36 with Brandon Lee

Alex Hanse is the owner of Foolies Clothing and the host of Dream Without Limits Radio. In this episode, Alex talks about why many people don’t pursue their dreams, why you need to have the right mindset to succeed, and why you shouldn’t give up. Here are three things you can learn from Alex: Don’t Give Up Often times, what separates those who make it from those who don’t is giving up. We focus too much on trying to figure out exactly how to get it right. We want to find the instant path to success. Even when he hasn’t made a sale in a month, Alex never gives up. Every time he thinks about giving up, Alex reminds himself up Nick Vujicic. Nick has no arms or legs, but is still a motivational speaker. He has many disadvantages that most of us don’t, yet he still has the power to continue on. Don’t go down without a fight. Fight those negative thoughts away and continue on. The Power of a Good Mindset The problem many people have is adopting the wrong mindsets. Our minds are the most powerful tool we have. It determines how we approach the world and everything around us. If you want to improve your place in life, Alex suggests having a $2,000 mindset, not a $2 mindset. People with $2 mindsets don’t think they can achieve anything. Instead of pursuing their goals, they do nothing because they think they will fail. People with $2,000 mindsets ask themselves the necessary questions to achieve their goals. They are inquisitive and they take actions on their goals. Your success is dependent on you. Stop getting in your own way. Do everything you can to change your mindset for the better. Give People What They Want The key to a successful business is giving people exactly what they want. Alex did not start off wanting to start his own clothing company. He was just wearing shirts he thought were cool. Eventually people started approaching him, asking where they could get his shirt. That’s when he knew he had a business. Instead of trying to come up with ideas out of nothing, Alex asks people what they are having trouble with, then makes shirts out of it. He looks for common problems among the people that he talks to, and creates shirts with positive messages to encourage people who have those thoughts. Successful businesses are always about fulfilling a need. Listen to what people are telling you, and give them exactly what they want. Read more shownotes for episode 35 with Alex Hanse

Jim Hopkinson is an author, speaker, teacher, and, entrepreneur. Jim has worked at startups, big corporations, and for himself at SalaryTutor.com. In this episode, Jim talks about the lessons he learned while working at ESPN and WIRED, why side projects are important, and the best ways to negotiate your salary. Embrace the New Jim has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to emerging technologies. He was a digital producer before that title even existed and he has always embraced new technology. While at ESPN he worked on the team that was creating the ESPN phone before cell phones became a part of every day life. He helped manage the Twitter and Facebook accounts at WIRED, and helped WIRED get into podcasting. All this isn't to tout his accomplishments. It just shows you that embracing change can put you ahead of the curve. Don't be stuck in your old ways. Be willing to pivot and try new things. Importance of Side Projects While Jim was working at WIRED he was also working on his own projects. He was podcasting on the side for five years and wrote his own eBook on salary negotiation.These endeavors may not have paid off immediately, but when he was let got at WIRED, he had something to fall back on. Instead of scrambling to find a new job, Jim was prepared because he was doing things on the side. Right around the time he was fired, he was also offered the chance to speak at SxSW. He has now spoken there six times. He was also able to leverage his eBook into SalaryTutor.com All of this shows you that you can't rely on others to make your living. Jim has been let go multiple times, and each time he was able to get right back on his feet. Research Before Taking an Employer's Offer When most people accept a new job, they take what's given to them. They normally think "I should just be grateful to have a job." Jim doesn't think that way. If you don't negotiate your salary, you could be missing out on thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars. The biggest problem with most people is, they do very little research when negotiating. Here are the five places to learn about how much your job could be paying you: salary research sites, job board sites, industry research guides, your internal network, and your external network. By doing a little research, you can find out exactly what you are worth. Instead of going in blind, be prepared to ask what you're worth. Read more shownotes for episode 34

Michael Zaytsev is a life coach and founder of High NY. Before taking on his current roles, he was a financial analyst for J.P. Morgan and a sales rep for Google. In this episode, Michael talks about lessons he learned at J.P. Morgan and Google, why coaching is important, and why he took up the mantle at High NY. Here are three things you can learn from Michael: The Power of Mindsets Michael learned many lessons while working for J.P. Morgan and Google. One of the biggest lessons he learned was that of being of value. While many people go in to startups expecting to make money from them, Michael created his knowing he would not make a lot of money in the beginning. Instead, he focused on creating value. When you create value, you will be rewarded in the long run. Another thing he learned was analyzing risk and return. Many founders are only focused on the now. Instead of only looking at the present, Michael analyzes whether his actions are worth the risk. He also looks at the short and long term value of everything he does. By weighing risk and reward, he can make sound decisions that will help the long term future of his company. The Importance of Coaches Many people have a misconception about coaches and what their roles are. Before becoming a coach himself, Michael was only familiar with executive coaching. After meeting two life coaches in the short span before his accident, Michael became a life coach himself. When people think of life coaches, they picture people bossing them around and telling them what to do. In fact, the opposite is true. Coaches give you the space to go deep, explore, and push yourself. They provide you with accountability and structure. They give you an objective view of your problems and help reveal solutions to you. Advice on Starting Up Your Own Project Before you can start your own project, idea, or business, there are a few things to keep in mind. Michael’s first piece of advice is to make sure you are creating something of value. If your idea doesn’t provide people with value, it will fail. Another important thing you must do is make sure you have a user base or audience. Without an audience, there is no business. An engaged audience is one of the keys to sustaining a successful business. The last thing to remember is entrepreneurship is difficult and isolating. Don’t go into it expecting everything to work perfectly. Just know that there will be rough times and hard work ahead. Read more shownotes for episode 33 with Michael Zaytsev 

Tam Pham is an author, speaker, podcaster, and teacher. He has spoken to high school students on networking and entrepreneurship and wrote a best-selling Amazon book How To Network: Build Instant Trust & Respect With Anyone You Meet. In this episode, Tam talks about the getting over your doubts,  the importance of mentors, and the key to networking. Here are three things you can learn from Tam: Getting Over Your Doubts No matter who you are, you will have doubts. Even the most talented and influential people in the world have to overcome that voice inside themselves telling them they are not good enough. Tam believes that people do not give themselves enough credit for what they have accomplished. We are too busy comparing ourselves to others and what they think of us, that we begin to doubt ourselves. Tam felt this way when speaking to high school students. What could a college drop out teach others? Instead of trying to give advice, Tam believes we should speak from our own experience. Tell your autobiography and people will embrace it. Stop doubting yourself and speak and learn from your own experiences. The Right Way to Network Most people think of networking as this boring and unbearable activity they have to do. It doesn’t have to be that way. Networking isn’t about making connections. It’s about making friends. You want to look for people who support you, appreciate you, and want the best for you. That’s what you should be looking for, not another name to add to the rolodex. The best way to do this is by forgetting about the business aspect of networking and embrace people for who they are. People are more willing to help people they are friends with. Once you are friends, you must be willing to give. No one wants a friend that always takes. Provide value for people and they will want to provide value to you in return. Don’t give expecting anything, just know it will come back to you in the end. The Power of Mentors When people think of mentors, they think of a guru who will sit down with them and show them the ways of life. Gurus don’t need to be someone you sit down with every day telling you how to maneuver your way through life. They are people who share their experiences with you and help you get where you want to go.In his article, Tam talks about how he has many mentors in life. Everyone from James Altucher, to Peter Thiel, to Ryan Holiday. Their mentorship comes from books and podcasts. You don’t need to meet with people for them to mentor you. You can learn from the lessons that they’ve shared, and employ them yourself. Tam used advice from Chandler Bolt, James Altucher, Charlie Hoehn and Hung Pham to become a best-seller on Amazon. He then told his mentors the results he got from their advice. He is now a testimonial his mentors can use to show the validity of their advice. View more shownotes from episode 32 with Tam Pham

Colin McCann is a web developer who is trying to revolutionize the way we view productivity. In this episode Colin talks about his take on productivity and how he approaches his goals, taking on such an ambitious project, and how beliefs can have a huge impact on self-improvement. Here are three things you can learn from Colin: Big Risks Don’t Need to Be Made with Snap Judgments Just because you are doing something drastic or daring, doesn’t mean you have to do it on a whim. Before Colin thought about quitting his job, he saved up enough money to make the jump. He lined up his finances so he would have the freedom to work on his project without worrying about how he was going to pay for things. If you want to take a risk, don’t make it a blind risk. Make sure you have everything lined up and planned out. Get all your ducks in a row before taking that leap. Break Things Down Into Small Steps Instead of approaching projects like this great big thing you need to tackle, approach them like many small tasks that can be conquered. When you are trying to accomplish any goal, figure out what the next small task is. When you keep tasks small, your brain can focus on the task at hand. Otherwise, you can get bogged down by the enormity of it. Break each task into bite sized pieces. This allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment as you make your way towards your goal. Believing in Yourself is the Best Way to Self-Improvement Self-improvement is all about your beliefs. Before you can better yourself, you must believe in yourself. Your beliefs are not accidental, they are the result of everything you do.If you want to make improvements in your life, you have to believe you are capable of making them. Once you do, everything becomes easier. We may not be conscious of it, but our beliefs shape who we are and how we approach each day. More shownotes from episode 31 with Colin McCann