gangSTAR* Creative Podcast
Welcome to the gangSTAR* Creative podcast where we’re on a mission to annihilate the status quo of the “starving artist.” Here we share real strategies, tactics, and stories from your host, Devona Stimpson, and many other successful creatives and artists. You’ll learn from all types of creatives - from painters and entertainers, to makeup artists and YouTubers. Your most asked questions will be answered, such as “How do I make money doing what I love?” “How do I get clients or book gigs?” or “How do I build a successful career in my creative field?” If you’re a creative who has the desire to thrive in BOTH their business and life, this podcast is for you! Hit subscribe and start listening! New episode every Monday!
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56: From Harvard Educated Corporate Lawyer to Highly Successful Art Advisor, Curator, Author, and MORE with Maria Brito
10/25/2022
56: From Harvard Educated Corporate Lawyer to Highly Successful Art Advisor, Curator, Author, and MORE with Maria Brito
Maria Brito is an award-winning New York-based contemporary art advisor, curator and the bestselling author of “How Creativity Rules The World” (HarperCollins). A Harvard graduate, originally from Venezuela. Brito has been selected by Complex Magazine as one of the 20 Power Players in the Art World she was named by ARTNEWS as one of the visionaries who gets to shape the art world. She has written for publications such as Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Elle, Forbes, Artnet, Cultured Magazine, Departures, and more. For several years, Maria has taught her creativity course in companies and, in 2019, she launched “Jumpstart”, an online program on creativity for entrepreneurs based on years of research and observation in both the areas of business and art. She has curated exhibitions in three continents and in 2019 she created and hosted "The "C" Files with Maria Brito", a TV and streaming series for PBS's new station "ALL ARTS". Maria and her projects have been featured extensively in national and international publications including The New York Times Style Section, T: The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, W Magazine, ELLE Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Time Magazine, New York Magazine, The New York Observer, The Daily Beast, The Economist, Interview Magazine, VOGUE and more. She works with a number of celebrities, including Sean Combs, Gwyneth Paltrow and fitness guru Tracy Anderson. In this episode, we discuss... How Maria went from being a corporate lawyer to becoming a successful art advisor What an art advisor does and how they price their services How she was able to work with celebrity and wealthy clientele Her inspiration for her new book "How Creativity Rules The World" How to navigate the prestigious art and gallery world And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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55: The Journey From Being Broke & Homeless To Becoming A Thriving Full-Time Artist & Muralist
10/11/2022
55: The Journey From Being Broke & Homeless To Becoming A Thriving Full-Time Artist & Muralist
Amy Malkan is a public artist, artrepreneur and community developer. Her family heritage from India and Africa and travels have influenced her artistic expression. She is best known for her community based public art projects. Malkan fundamentally believes that everyone deserves access and exposure to the arts, therefore she strives to engage the public in the design and production of most of her public art projects. Malkan uses art and creativity to bridge the relationships between the public and public places. Over the past 6 years Malkan has facilitated the design, coordination, and production of over 70 public art projects across the Houston area and has recently expanded outside of Texas. Some of these projects have been co-created with the involvement of over 3,000 area youth, artists and hundreds of community stakeholders. Through each public art project, everyone experiences a hands-on involvement and becomes an active participant in the creative process. At the end of each project the participant is left with a deep and meaningful feeling of stewardship and ownership of the final work. Each public space is unique and has its own culture, therefore the design, motifs, and imagery captured in her work, is a direct reflection of the community. This type of public art expands the style, social context and technique for the execution of her work into broad and diverse territory. Her intention with every public art installation is to transform the environment into a cultural and artistic destination to help showcase the beauty and uniqueness each community has to offer. In this episode, we discuss... How Amy got into art and mural work Her journey from leaving an abusive relationship and being homeless, to building a successful life and career How to balance being an full-time entrepreneur and single mom How to go about pricing your work Some of her biggest mistakes made in business How she gets her clients and projects And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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54: Michael Buffington: What It Takes To Become A Successful Concept Artist
10/04/2022
54: Michael Buffington: What It Takes To Become A Successful Concept Artist
Michael Buffington Jr. AKA Drawaholic1124 was Born & Raised in the historic Mission District of San Francisco, Ca. He’s been a professional Concept Artist doing pre-production artwork and design for over 18 years in the Video Game and Entertainment Industry. While Michael has worked on many projects in his career, his most notable gig was working as a designer on season 3 of Clone Wars for Lucasfilm Animation. For the past 17 years he’s also taught at the college level. 9 years ago Michael accepted a full time job as an a College Professor and department head at a prominent University in The Bay Area. As a master curriculum designer, Michael went on to build the #1 Program for Concept Art in the US... from the ground up (BFA & MFA). It was also ranked #3 in the world in 2019. Michael is the founder of Drawaholics Anonymous, an international drawing community with hundreds of members. Most recently he founded “Grind Before Glory”, An art fundamental skill building programmed designed to help young artist develop their foundational skills before they get to College. In this episode, we discuss... How Michael got into drawing and art The kind of skillsets needed to become a concept artist How the concept industry works Balance life as a freelancer and professor Pricing your work as a concept artist And so much more! Social Media & Links: https://www.artstation.com/drawaholic1124 https://instagram.com/drawaholic1124?utm_medium=copy_link https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTd5BtYBE/ https://www.drawaholicsanonymous.com/
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53: Chalk & Brush: The Ins And Outs Of Building A Mural Painting Business - Hiring A Team, Pricing, contracts, Getting Clients & More
06/20/2022
53: Chalk & Brush: The Ins And Outs Of Building A Mural Painting Business - Hiring A Team, Pricing, contracts, Getting Clients & More
Born in Holguin, Cuba, in the late 80’s, Cinthia grew up watching her late father - classically trained Cuban painter and sculptor Daniel Santos - work. Her love of art began at a young age, and grew as a means to send her father photos and letters after his move to Mexico when she was 5. Moving to Miami at the age of 10, Cinthia’s love of art shifted focus to illustration after being exposed to unlimited cartoons and comics upon arriving. While acquiring a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design and Manufacturing, Cinthia’s illustration and design skills quickly turned into internships and job offers, leading to a 4 year career in apparel and textile design. Still in love with visual art, Cinthia was approached by a restaurant designer while painting a mural outside of her employer’s studio in Wynwood in 2013; this was the start of Chalk & Brush! What was initially lettering a chalkboard for a neighborhood bagel shop turned into countless local businesses reaching out to Cinthia for her artistic talents. Her then-boyfriend (now husband) Ben, joined along as projects started getting larger, and eventually left his career as a pediatric ER nurse to focus on the business full time. They invested in professional training to grow their skills and kept up with design trends using Cinthia’s fashion knowledge. As demand grew, Cyn and Ben shifted the focus of their company to murals, and their sign painting skills quickly gained them a reputation for painting the cleanest and most photogenic pieces in town. After eloping in 2017 (and famously sending proposals from their honeymoon), with demands for Chalk & Brush’s work steadily on the rise, they decided to grow their business by assembling a team! Cinthia now focuses on creative direction and design, Ben has assistance with project management, and they both oversee and manage a 6 person paint team. They both pop in and out of projects whenever their skill sets are needed, or when they feel like getting their hands dirty! They have painted countless murals for brands, public arts projects, businesses, and are known for the popularity of their work across social media platforms. Their team helps free up time for them to stay current on trends, keep pricing competitive, and give each client the attention they deserve! Their work has been featured by national brands and truly shines through in countless of their community’s most beloved small businesses. In this episode, we discuss... How Cyn & Ben got into the mural business The things you should have in your contracts to save you time, headache, and money How to hire employees for your creative business How to go about pricing murals What their process looks like when someone hires them to paint a mural And so much more! Social Media & Links: TikTok:
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52: Laurence White's First Solo Show and Exciting Updates On His Art Career
03/14/2022
52: Laurence White's First Solo Show and Exciting Updates On His Art Career
Let's welcome Laurence back for his second time on the show! Inspired by successful Entrepreneurs, Artists and Entertainers, Laurence paints vibrant portraits of some of the most influential people who have helped shape the world we see today. Having always been fascinated by understanding what it takes to achieve success and the individual motivations behind it, Laurence paints figures who have inspired others and his own success. His work focuses on capturing the entrepreneurial spirit, hard work, dedication and persistence required to achieve whatever it is you want from life. Laurence is a self taught artist who continues to produce unique paintings with a positive message. He currently has a solo show/residency running at South Place Hotel in London until April 29th! In this episode, we discuss... Thoughts on whether artists should get their own studio Story behind how he got to collab with Rolls Royce How he partnered with Hobbycraft Different ways he's been building and connecting with his audience Everything about his new residency at South Place Hotel in London And so much more! Social Media & Links: @laurencemwhite (TikTok/Twitter/Clubhouse) Discord: https://discord.gg/8yYWhxMq
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51: Learn The Ins And Outs Of What Goes Into A 6 Figure Painting Commission
03/01/2022
51: Learn The Ins And Outs Of What Goes Into A 6 Figure Painting Commission
Nicole Mueller is a San Francisco, CA based visual artist. Her work includes large-scale paintings, murals, and installations that mimic the effects of stained glass. Driven by process, her abstract works are highly saturated, built with layers of collage-like shapes. Her work explores the complexity of color, states of flux, dichotomies within painting, the transitional nature of being, and the threshold between interior and exterior, the tangible and intangible. Mueller earned her BFA in Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD in 2011. Her work has been exhibited in California, New York, and Maryland. She has been an artist-in-residence at ArtPoint (Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco), the Vermont Studio Center, and Proyecto 'ace in Argentina. She has completed public projects in collaboration with the City of Alameda, California Arts Council and Downtown Alameda Business Association, ArtSpan and the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco, as well as commercial businesses throughout San Francisco. In 2017 she was the recipient of the Mark M. Glickman and Lanette M. McClure Artist Award for emerging artists in California. Mueller is also co-host of Beyond the Studio, a podcast that interviews working contemporary artists about their career paths and aims to increase transparency in the art world by hosting candid conversations about their business practices, time management, financial planning, and how they're navigating the unique challenges of making a living, creatively. The podcast received an Alternative Exposure grant in 2017 from Southern Exposure in San Francisco, with support from Facebook's Artist-in-Residence Program and the Andy Warhol Foundation. Beyond the Studio is a cultural partner of Art World Conference, and a fiscally sponsored project of Independent Arts & Media. In this episode, we discuss... How Nicole became an artist Methods she uses for pricing her different kinds of works How she gets projects booked with big budgets How to break down the costs that go into a big budget of a project All the steps that went into creating the biggest commissioned painting of her career And so much more! Social Media & Links: (Instagram)
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50: From Art Teacher To Full Time Artist With Alvin Codner
08/09/2021
50: From Art Teacher To Full Time Artist With Alvin Codner
Alvin Codner has always wanted to change the world at a young age. He has worked in the nonprofit sector, public sector, and school districts throughout the past 10 years, Alvin Codner has a history of excellence and holds the public interest very close to his heart. Some of his gangSTAR* achievements include Peoples Choice Award at the National Arts Program, feature on FOX News for Community Arts, Arts Coordinator for The Grace Assets (One of Multi-Millionaire Derrick Grace's Business), and Teacher of the Year Nomination. This is Alvin Codner's last year as a Middle School Art Teacher transitioning to be a full-time artist. He has his BFA and his main niche is Acyclic and Oil Paintings. In this episode, we discuss... How Alvin got into the arts Working on projects within the community and for non-profits What his pricing looked like when he started doing art vs what it looks like now What his plans are for the direction of his new artwork Tips for artists who want to transition into full time And so much more! Social Media & Links: (Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Youtube,)
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49: The Journey To Building An Art Agency, Creating A Network Of Artists, And Working With Commercial Clients With Anthony Rose
06/21/2021
49: The Journey To Building An Art Agency, Creating A Network Of Artists, And Working With Commercial Clients With Anthony Rose
Anthony Rose is an artist and experiential art curator working with the world’s most expressive artists and commercial art collectors at United By Design. He is the founder and executive director of United By Design (UXD), an art agency that elevates physical and digital spaces with murals, sculptures, and installations for brands and businesses like Chevron, Gensler, and the Houston Astros. Anthony is co-founder of Satellites Art Project, an initiative documenting the connective beauty of art and technology during moments of physical isolation and distance. Anthony is also an active contributor to nonprofits around the nation like Good Measure, TEDxSanAntonio, and the Prison Entrepreneurship Program. You can follow Anthony on Twitter, get professional on LinkedIn, connect on Clubhouse or view some recent interactions on Instagram. Of course, if you’d like to work together or invite him to speak, feel free to contact Anthony via email. In this episode, we discuss... How Anthony got into doing artwork His experience painting murals before transitioning into graphic design How he made the transition from freelancing to building his art agency His thoughts on how to price your services How to build connections with commercial clients What his biggest mistake in business was And so much more! Social Media & Links: , , , ,
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48: What It Takes To Get Into The Footwear Design Industry And How To Balance Working A Full-time Job While Pursuing Your Creative Passions With David Filar
06/07/2021
48: What It Takes To Get Into The Footwear Design Industry And How To Balance Working A Full-time Job While Pursuing Your Creative Passions With David Filar
David Filar is a footwear designer by trade, but an all around creative. He has the amazing opportunity to work with and manage a design and development team in the footwear industry for his full time job. He's also an artist and painter, new creator of NFT's, podcast host, volunteer on the Worcester Arts Council, and an art teacher. He believes in being a better person every single day and that we should all create to inspire others. On a more specific level, he's super proud of being able to work with Matthew Williams and Nike on a product through Vibram which allowed him to go to Milan to speak on a stage with him and travel to China collaborate as well. In this episode, we discuss... How David got into the footwear design industry What it takes to build a career in the footwear industry Tips for getting the job you really want What it's like to travel to China and other countries for work How David balances all his creative passions Creative burnout and how to deal with it And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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47: Laurence White Shares The Best Ways To Market Yourself As An Artist On Social Media And Truly Connect With Your Collectors & Fans
05/17/2021
47: Laurence White Shares The Best Ways To Market Yourself As An Artist On Social Media And Truly Connect With Your Collectors & Fans
Inspired by successful Entrepreneurs, Artists and Entertainers, Laurence paints vibrant portraits of some of the most influential people who have helped shape the world we see today. Having always been fascinated by understanding what it takes to achieve success and the individual motivations behind it, Laurence paints figures who have inspired others and his own success. His work focuses on capturing the entrepreneurial spirit, hard work, dedication and persistence required to achieve whatever it is you want from life. Laurence is a self taught artist who continues to produce unique paintings with a positive message. In this episode, we discuss... How Laurence got into painting How his previous career helped catapult his art business How to leverage your network to grow your fan and collector base How to use social media to market yourself How to price your artwork Best ways to connect with your audience And so much more! Social Media & Links: @laurencemwhite (TikTok/Twitter/Clubhouse)
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46: How Ade Sanusi Went From Working At Universal Music And Complex Media, To Creating A Successful Platform For Creatives Called Art Meets Culture
05/03/2021
46: How Ade Sanusi Went From Working At Universal Music And Complex Media, To Creating A Successful Platform For Creatives Called Art Meets Culture
At the start of 2014, Ade Sanusi created a pioneering platform that celebrated the next generation of creative talents called Art Meets Culture. The platform is a one-of-a-kind experience, designed to celebrate, promote, and develop artists and musicians. Tapping into the importance of social media in the artist community, this unique event allowed music and art enthusiasts to come together and share their experiences, with a specifically tailored social media campaign for each show. With over 22 events curated since 2014, we have now expanded the brand into an art-driven communications platform. The goal is to continue to develop the platform that champions artists and be the absolute best at what they do. In this episode, we discuss... How Ade got to work at Universal Music and Complex Media Why he created Art Meets Culture What all goes into creating and promoting big events What his first event was like compared to his most recent events Some of the biggest mistakes he made in business And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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45: How The Co-Founder & CEO Of Punkpost, Lex Monson, Created A Solution For People To Connect With One Another In A Deeper, More Meaningful Way
04/12/2021
45: How The Co-Founder & CEO Of Punkpost, Lex Monson, Created A Solution For People To Connect With One Another In A Deeper, More Meaningful Way
Lex Monson is the Co-founder and CEO of Punkpost, where beautifully handwritten cards are mailed by artists for you. Each card is uniquely handwritten to bring maximum delight to both the sender and the recipient. Lex founded the company with her husband back in 2015 when the two decided that it should be easier to deliver happy and encouraging moments, even when you're short on time or resources. Punkpost gives people an accessible way to connect with one another in a deeper, more meaningful way. Before Lex founded Punkpost, she was the managing community editor at Brit + Co. Prior to that, she worked as a senior editor at Yelp. In this episode, we discuss... How Lex and her husband came up with the idea for Punkpost The journey from where Punkpost started and where it is today Best ways to go about pitching your idea Who her team is made up of and what their roles are Best ways to manage a virtual team What they have planned for the future of Punkpost And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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44: How Nina Arce Built A Successful Career As A Makeup Artist Working With Music Artists, Influencers, & Celebrities
03/15/2021
44: How Nina Arce Built A Successful Career As A Makeup Artist Working With Music Artists, Influencers, & Celebrities
Nina Arce is one of the top working makeup artists in California and Miami. Nina has worked on numerous music videos, Americas Next Top Model contestants, numerous Fashion Weeks, with many well known designers, as well as being the personal makeup artist to a number of artist and celebrities. Her work has graced the pages of several magazines and on television. Nina's calm, peaceful demeanor and incredible artistry has made her one of the most requested artists in her field. She is famous for her professionalism and incomparable art! Nina is a leader and has learned to maneuver the fashion scene and work her way to become a successful, working artist. Her ability to lead, organize and her knowledge of artistry and event planning has made her stand out amongst other makeup artist. In this episode, we discuss... How Nina got into doing makeup How she was able to work with artists, influencers, and celebrities What people look for when hiring a makeup artist What it takes to become a successful makeup artist Her journey balancing being a new mother and entrepreneur And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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43: Conquering Life As An Entrepreneur, Boss Babe, Partner, Mother, & Designer With Telli Swift
03/08/2021
43: Conquering Life As An Entrepreneur, Boss Babe, Partner, Mother, & Designer With Telli Swift
Telli is the star of WAGS Atlanta a reality television series that premiered on E! in early 2018. She is a fashion influencer/brand ambassador, working with companies such as Fashion Nova, Karl Kani, Pretty Little Thing, Monet Brand, Hairfinity, Dermalogica , Mario Badescu, and Beauty Blender , Fight Camp, and Nordic Track to name a few. She is also an entrepreneur and motivational speaker to help women empower themselves. Along with that she has created Boxing Wags Association, raising funds and delivering them into the hands of service providers and non-profits who support children and families in a variety of ways. Her events have been epic in helping raise awareness and funds to women with breast cancer along with helping out people with Spina Bifida . Not only has she modeled NY and LA fashion week, she also is a fashion designer who launched her first collection called Imperium in Los Angeles Fashion Week 2019 (that made the cover of Elle Europe and Cosmopolitan Ukraine ). In addition she now has luxurious 4 way mask that donates one free mask to frontline workers with every purchase. With the same passions as many other women, she is a partner, mother, and businesswomen, who aims to inspire and empower others. In this episode, we discuss... How Telli got onto WAGS Atlanta and what that experience was like How she's able to balance being a mom, partner, boss babe, and everything in between The details that go into the decor of her new home The process behind creating her new collection of luxury face masks What some of her biggest mistakes in business were And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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42: How The Top World Ranking Ballroom Dancer Patricia Kaniowski Created A Successful Real Estate Business Purchasing & Selling Over $77 Million Dollars Worth Of Real Estate
01/25/2021
42: How The Top World Ranking Ballroom Dancer Patricia Kaniowski Created A Successful Real Estate Business Purchasing & Selling Over $77 Million Dollars Worth Of Real Estate
Patricia Kaniowski is an active Real Estate Investor, who redevelops high-end homes in the Los Angeles area. As co-owner of Legacy Homevestments LLC, her job responsibilities include marketing, financing, acquisitions, project managing and design. For over 20 years, Patricia traveled the world competing in Ballroom Dance competitions and ranked in the top 7 in the world, as a Rising Star Professional. Some of her gangSTAR* accomplishments include: - Profiting over $500k on a single flip - Being featured on HGTV's Flipping 101 (Currently filming season 2) - In 8 short years have rehabbed 40 homes - Purchased and sold over $77million worth of Real Estate In this episode, we discuss... How Patricia got into ballroom dancing What it takes to be a top world ranked ballroom dancer Whether or not there's money in dance How she transitioned from professional dancing to real estate The process of how she finds and flips her properties How she got on HGTV's Flipping 101 What kind of team it takes to do what she does And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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41: Growing & Leveraging Your Network To Build Your Art Career with Thomas 'Detour' Evans
01/04/2021
41: Growing & Leveraging Your Network To Build Your Art Career with Thomas 'Detour' Evans
Thomas Evans, a.k.a. Detour, is an all-around creative specializing in large scale public art, interactive visuals, portraiture, immersive spaces, and creative directing. His focus is to create work where art and innovation meet. A born collaborator and “military brat,” Detour pulls from every conceivable experience that shapes his landscapes and perspectives. Explaining Detour’s work is no easy task, as ongoing experimentations in visual art, music, and interactive technologies have his practice continually expanding. With his ever-evolving approach to art, Detour’s focus is on expanding customary views of creativity and challenging fine-art paradigms by mixing traditional mediums with new approaches—all the while opening up the creative process from that of a singular artist, to one that thrives on multi-layered collaboration and viewer participation. In this episode, we discuss... How Detour started his art career How he grew and leveraged his network to grow his art career How past jobs help you become a better business owner Different ways to go about pricing murals A look into the different streams of income Detour has in his business The importance of delegating tasks as you grow your business And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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40: 30 Life Lessons I Learned In My 20's - Birthday Episode!
12/21/2020
40: 30 Life Lessons I Learned In My 20's - Birthday Episode!
Today is my 30th birthday!!! And I'm turnin' up.....quarantine style! LOL I thought it would be cool to share some of the lessons I learned in my 20's since I'm about to embark on a new chapter entering my 30's. Tune into this episode, grab a drink, and reflect with me :) In this episode, I discuss... 30 Life Lessons I Learned In My 20's And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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39: How To Get More Clients & Sales Using Outreach
12/14/2020
39: How To Get More Clients & Sales Using Outreach
You gotta stop waiting and expecting clients and customers to come to you. You gotta go after clients and put yourself out there. It's time to start doing outreach so you can get more clients and sales! Tune into this episode to learn different ways on how to do outreach that will grow your business. In this episode, I discuss... How to do outreach on different social platforms Examples of how I do outreach Helpful tips to do successful outreach And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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38: Finding Success As An Artist After 40, Dealing With Imposter Syndrome, & Growing Your Art Biz With Lisa Congdon
11/23/2020
38: Finding Success As An Artist After 40, Dealing With Imposter Syndrome, & Growing Your Art Biz With Lisa Congdon
Illustrator and author Lisa Congdon, living and working in Portland, Oregon, is best known for her colorful, graphic drawings and hand lettering. She works for clients around the world including Comme des Garçons, Crate and Barrel, Facebook, MoMA, REI, Target and Harvard University among many others. She is the author of eight books, including Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artist and her latest book Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic. She was named one of 40 Women Over 40 to Watch in 2015 and she is featured in the 2017 book, . With over 400k followers on Instagram, and 14+ online classes centered around creativity and art business with well over 100k students, my convo with Lisa Congdon is definitely one you're gonna wanna tune into! In this episode, we discuss... How Lisa got into an art career as a second career and her journey to becoming a full-time artist in her 40s How she was able to quit her job and go all in on her art business What her experience was like dealing with imposter syndrome and how she got through it What it's like to work with an agent and how to go about finding one What streams of income she has in place and which one is her bread & butter Who her team consists of and how to let go and delegate And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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37: Creating Processes & Systems For Your Creative Business
11/18/2020
37: Creating Processes & Systems For Your Creative Business
Business can be stressful and overwhelming. And this is the exact reason why it's important to create processes & systems for everything in your creative business! In this episode, I discuss... Creating Processes & Systems for your creative business And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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36: 10 Steps To Creating A gangSTAR* Brand
11/03/2020
36: 10 Steps To Creating A gangSTAR* Brand
Branding is THE most important part to creating a business. One could argue sales is more important, but branding is what ultimately creates sales! Branding isn't just the pretty stuff like your logo and colors, it's actually much deeper than that. Branding is what people think, say, and feel about you when you're not in the room. With the branding agency I run with my husband, we've helped tons of entrepreneurs from all over the world create premium badass brands. So take a listen to this episode if you're ready to take your brand to the next level! In this episode, I discuss... 10 Steps To Creating A gangStAR* Brand And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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35: 5 Ways To Boost Your Sales Online
10/19/2020
35: 5 Ways To Boost Your Sales Online
Making money online is essential to all creative businesses, especially during times like these. So I wanted to share some tips that you can take action on within the next 24 hrs to help bring more money online into your business! This is a quick listen filled with lots of value bombs, so you're gonna wanna tune into this one! In this episode, I discuss... 5 Ways to boost your sales online 6th bonus tip And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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34: The Process Behind Creating Public Art For Commercial Clients and Communities With Erin Miller Wray
10/12/2020
34: The Process Behind Creating Public Art For Commercial Clients and Communities With Erin Miller Wray
Erin Miller Wray is an artist and designer specializing in hand painted visual branding. Erin partners directly with clients to develop unique murals and artwork designs for branded content, commercial use, outdoor advertisement, social media installations and public art. EMW founded her company after merging her love of producing and design as a one-stop-shop for production, design and installation for clientele looking to create alternative forms of artwork for public engagement and commercial use. Her work focuses mainly on large-scale mural projects in an effort to increase social benefits through public artwork in communities. Through her exploration of modern, energetic shapes and colors, she hopes to enhance the well-being of community members through access to public art. EMW’s pieces are inspired by the community and the history of the area around the mural site and are designed to encourage audiences to explore creativity, possibility, healthy lifestyles and engagement with others. In this episode, we discuss... How Erin got into painting murals How Erin was able to transition into being an artist full-time Some of the biggest turning points her art career What it's like to work with big corporate and commercial clients What things you should have in place to attract commercial clients How she goes about pricing her services Some of the biggest mistakes she made and what she learned from them And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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33: How To Grow Your Music Career And Make A Good Living Without A Record Deal Or A Huge Fanbase With Kristine Mirelle
10/05/2020
33: How To Grow Your Music Career And Make A Good Living Without A Record Deal Or A Huge Fanbase With Kristine Mirelle
Kristine Mirelle’s life journey has been an interesting variety of adventures. From working in a tortilla factory in her childhood, to traveling 6 continents performing and sharing her music, her love for life and exploration has given her a multitude of stories and lyrics to share with the world. We could go on about her talents and accomplishments, like how she performs 250+ shows a year or won 4 consecutive national piano competitions. She’s hit not only the club circuit of Los Angeles, but also entertained high rollers in Vegas at spots like Palms, the Mirage, Wynn Las Vegas, and is in especially high demand at private events for the NFL, Porsche and many more! To fully understand Kristine Mirelle, however, it’s worth digging a little deeper. From her hometown of Roswell, NM, she has also displayed a knack for entrepreneurship and benevolence. Her “Lil Kristi’s” line of Mexican food can be found in Whole Foods, Sprouts, and more than 100 stores in New Mexico, while appearing on various cooking shows! Perhaps most importantly, Kristine actively volunteers in countries around the world performing and teaching music. From special education centers in Thailand to AIDS stricken communities in Africa, it’s part of her mission statement to counteract suffering of the world with the joy of music. Kristine is currently working on her new project "Spanglish" where she is revisiting the sounds of her Latin upbringing. She also creates resources and courses to help artists take charge of their own music careers independently. Find more info at In this episode, we discuss... How Kristine got into music Stepping outside your comfort zone and going after your goals Different ways to make a living with your music Record deals vs going Independent How Kristine created a tortilla chip company How she balances being a mom, musician, business owner, and educator How she got on X Factor and what her experience was like And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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32: How To STOP Working For Free In Exchange For Exposure
09/21/2020
32: How To STOP Working For Free In Exchange For Exposure
Are you an artist or creative that finds themselves working a lot for free in exchange for "exposure"? Or just working free in general? If you said "Yes"... it's okay because we've all done it. A lot of prospects offer "exposure" as a means of payment for creative services. Unfortunately, this is because the creativity community has set this standard by saying "yes" to these kinds of opportunities, and many people aren't used to paying for creative services. This is why we have to come together as a community to set the standard, and to either get paid for our services or get something of immense value in return. It's important for you to know that "exposure" is NOT valuable because it's not guaranteed. The artist NEVER wins in these kinds of deals. This is why I wanted to share some ways to better navigate these conversations and help you come out the other end of the deal feeling like a winner! In this episode, I discuss... Why artists and creatives should stop doing work for free Ways to turn those "work for exposure" conversations into a win-win How to get clients to pay you if they want you to work for free What you should tell your friends and family if they want work for free Different ways to work with charities without having to do work for completely free And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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31: How Creating Her Own Opportunities Lead Sarah Stieber To A Successful 10 Years In Her Art Business
09/14/2020
31: How Creating Her Own Opportunities Lead Sarah Stieber To A Successful 10 Years In Her Art Business
Sarah Stieber says she's a color-obsessed painter with healthy self esteem and terrible sense of direction. She's wanted to become an artist for as long as she can remember and has been striving and thriving in pursuit of her passion for the past decade. She spent the summer after Junior year in High School studying figure drawing in Italy and her teacher encouraged her to pursue art in college. She majored in painting at Boston University and had the opportunity to return to Italy to study abroad. In her Venice art studio she shined colored lights on her model and created her first “Electric Realism” painting, a style that has informed her work ever since. In Boston and Italy her peers and teachers always said that her paintings screamed “California!”, so upon graduation she returned home to San Diego to pursue art in the place that inspired her early work. Now she create celebratory paintings out of her San Diego art studio exploring themes of social justice, resilience, and joy. Every painting has a story, and she likes to produce films and curate exhibitions and installations (mostly covered in rainbows) to spark dialogue and offer more insight into her work. Her paintings have been showcased at the Oceanside Museum of art, the Wausau Museum of Art, and in art galleries from London to Australia. She was a featured artist At Spectrum Miami and was named by CBS On Mogul as one of “15 Female Artists You Need to Know from Miami Art Week”. And over the past few summers she has hosted “Stieber Summer Gallery”, an interactive pop up art gallery in San Diego. In this episode, we discuss... How Sarah became an artist What it's like to study art abroad How to create opportunities for yourself and ask for what you want The crazy pitch that got Sarah into Art Basel How to go about pricing your artwork How she pre-sold a series of uncreated artwork Who makes up her team and what roles they play in her business And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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30: How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome
09/07/2020
30: How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is something detrimental that creatives face and struggle with frequently - myself included. It is also one of the biggest reasons creatives don't value themselves and turn into "starving artists". This is why I wanted to dive deep into this topic and share a few points to help you overcome it. In this episode, I discuss... Some of my experiences with imposter syndrome 3 mindset tips Why you should never think you and your work are not valuable The best way to gain confidence and knock imposter syndrome to the curb And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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29: My Story - How I Quit My Day Job And Became A Full Time Entrepreneur
08/31/2020
29: My Story - How I Quit My Day Job And Became A Full Time Entrepreneur
I wanted to share my journey of how I became a full-time entrepreneur so you can get to know me better :) I always love hearing other people's backstory because everyone's journey is so different and inspiring. So I hope this episode inspires you in some way and pushes you to keep going after your goals and dreams. I shared a condensed version of my story on my Instagram. So if you want to check that out or see photos and visuals that go along with my story, just click "My Story" in my highlights! In this episode, I discuss... How I got into graphic design How a bump in the road became blessing in disguise that helped me discover my love for painting Why we started Strive & Grind and how we pivoted from a blog to a branding agency How I fell into a depression during the success of Strive & Grind and how I got through it How an art show made me angry and gave me the idea to create gangSTAR* Creative And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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28: How Neal Malek Became A Sought After Award Winning Hair Stylist
08/24/2020
28: How Neal Malek Became A Sought After Award Winning Hair Stylist
At 25, Neal Malek found his calling and purpose in life as a hair stylist. Neal has now been doing hair for 6 years and often credits finding this gratifying art form with saving his life. Starting out as an assistant for just 3 months, he quickly found himself leveling up at one of the larger retail corporate salons in Orlando, Florida. In that first two years of doing hair, Neal had managed to enter and win 5 different contests that were on national and global levels! Some of the contests that he won first prize in were the Kenra’s simply blonde contest for Best Ombré’ Of The Year, and the Ulta Beauty and Living Proof blowout contest in 2016! He is a 4 time nominee for Behind The Chair’s One Shot Hair awards for Best Pastel Hair, Festival Hair and Best Wig, but perhaps he is best known for his winning with Pravana's "Show Us Your Vivids" contest in 2016 with his “Colors of the wind” inspired work! This win catapulted Neal's career into national and global publicity. He found himself in major magazines and has even traveled to the opposite side of the world to Thailand. Neal paired his love for doing bold and bright vivid hair colors with the creation of his Instagram @Nealmhair where he has reached over 100,000 organic followers and has recently become a verified Instagram account! Hair has brought new meaning to his life and he couldn’t feel more blessed and grateful. “Finally, I have a purpose in this life and I have found where I can fit in and actually make a difference!” He says. He feels like there’s no other industry and career that would allow him to live up to his full potential as he is now! In this episode, we discuss... How Neal's troublesome childhood led him to spending time in jail What got Neal into doing hair in the first place What it takes to be sought after award winning hair stylist Different ways you can make money as a hair stylist Some of his biggest mistakes in the hair business How he rose to Instagram fame And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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27: Unlocking Your Creativity And Breaking The “Starving Artist” Stereotype With Sam Bennett
08/17/2020
27: Unlocking Your Creativity And Breaking The “Starving Artist” Stereotype With Sam Bennett
Sam Bennett is a critically acclaimed author, speaker, and leading authority on Highly Creative People. Sam's work has earned praise from experts and leaders around the globe like Seth Godin, David Neagle, and Keegan-Michael Key of The Key & Peele Show, using her decades of experience as a professional actor and branding consultant to unlock the creativity within others and teach them how to use it successfully within their business or career. Her genius has also been featured in publications such as NPR, Self Magazine, Daily Word, PsychologyToday.com, and ReadersDigest.com. Sam has trained over 10,000 people and sold 40,000 copies of her two bestselling books, while leading a global creativity movement, helping even the most creatively challenged people unlock their inner genius. As a professional actor, she has performed in countless shows (including roles on network television), hob-nobbed with Hollywood Elite, wrote a musical, and built a successful business helping people tap into their creativity and productivity. In this episode, we discuss... How Sam got into acting How to break the "starving artist" stereotype How to beat procrastination How you can make money as a creative Some of the mistakes a lot of creatives make And so much more! Social Media & Links:
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