People Like Us
Ever tried to change someone’s mind? It’s exhausting. You lay out the facts, craft a compelling argument, maybe even throw […]
Self Promotion
Many artists, entrepreneurs, and freelancers will tell you the same thing: They love making the work. But marketing it, promoting
Start with Why
In a world flooded with content, where everyone is doing more, posting more, selling more—it’s easy to get lost in
Thought Partner
Many creators and entrepreneurs are thinking about AI all wrong. They treat it like a to-do list assistant. A shortcut
Three Piece Marketing
Most creators believe the biggest challenge in marketing is getting noticed. If more people just saw your work, everything would
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Everything In Its Right Place
We love to sort things. We put books and music in genres, products on bestseller lists, and people into categories.
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How Change Actually Happens
If you’ve ever tried to push a new idea into the world—whether it’s a creative project, a product, or a
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Impact
You’ve done the work. You’ve created something smart, well-crafted, maybe even groundbreaking. And yet—nothing. Meanwhile, something mediocre is raking in
Price Tags
Every creator, entrepreneur, and artist wrestles with the same question: How do I charge for my work in a way
High Risk
Once upon a time, starting something new meant betting it all—your savings, your stability, maybe even your house. If it
Wayfinding
Every creator, entrepreneur, and builder faces the same question, whether they realize it or not: Am I serving an existing
You’re Up
Everyone wants good ideas. Original ideas. The kind that spark something new, build an audience, and create momentum. But the
Shortcuts
In every creative and entrepreneurial space, shortcuts are everywhere. Tools that promise instant growth. Hacks that claim to save time.
What Is Social Media For?
Social Media promised connection, visibility, and impact. But if you’re a builder—whether in music, design, podcasting, or entrepreneurship—you have to
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Scoreboards matter
As a parent with kids in elementary, middle, and high school—and with my oldest on the verge of college—I’ve been
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Freemium
If you create online—music, writing, podcasts, design—you’ve felt the squeeze: everyone expects content for free, but free doesn’t pay the
Better ChatGPT Prompts
This post is a much more tactical piece than what I usually sit down to write, but my hope is
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The Status Quo Isn’t Broken
If you’re in the business of change—whether as an entrepreneur, artist, podcaster, or creator—you’ve likely run into a brick wall
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We’re All Marketers
For decades, marketing was a department—a function within a business responsible for advertising, branding, and selling products. It was about
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Better Podcast Guests
If you’re struggling to book great guests for your podcast, you’re not alone. Most new podcasters think it’s a numbers
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By Design
Every decision—big or small—swings on an invisible hinge. Before we act, before we build, before we invest time and energy,
The Blacksmith’s Dilemma
Imagine you’re a blacksmith in the early 1900s. For generations, your craft has been essential—shaping iron, forging tools, shoeing horses.
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Same As It Ever Was
“You furnish the pictures, and I’ll furnish the war.”— William Randolph Hearst, 1897 It’s easy to assume that misinformation, media
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The Brand Print
A few years ago, when I was leading Research & Strategy for a digital transformation agency, one of the most
Move Your Desk
Most people don’t fear change itself.They fear what change might cost them. A loss of comfort. A loss of status.
Speak Clearly
Public speaking isn’t what it used to be. A few decades ago, most people saw maybe one or two speakers
That’s Not Fair
From playground squabbles to boardroom negotiations, the idea of fairness is one we wrestle with constantly. Kids argue over whose
Cutting, Shaping, And Sanding
A dull blade doesn’t just make the work harder—it makes it dangerous. In woodworking, sharp tools cut cleaner, require less
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The Cost of Yes
Debt isn’t just about money. Every decision we make in our work—every project, commitment, and responsibility—comes with a cost. Sometimes
Better Stories
Stories shape who we are. They’re the threads that weave together our shared human experience, building the fabric of culture
Bad Ideas
Somewhere along the way, we were sold a lie: that great ideas arrive fully formed, perfect from the start. That
The Big Game
Every year, brands drop millions for 30 seconds of airtime during the Super Bowl. It’s the gold standard of advertising,
On Cookies
The internet used to be blind—every visitor was a stranger. Then came cookies. Cookies were invented to solve a basic
Emotional Labor
In an era where AI can write an essay, generate an image, and respond to customer inquiries in seconds, one
Your Music Streams Don’t Matter
Independent musicians are bombarded with numbers—streams, followers, likes, monthly listeners. But here’s the truth: most of these numbers don’t matter.
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Win Small
Many businesses fail, not because they’re bad, but because they try to be for everyone. In a world obsessed
Brands and Desire
Every brand that has ever built deep loyalty has done so by aligning with something much deeper than commerce: emotions,
Creativity Loves Constraints
There’s a myth that creativity thrives on unlimited freedom. That the best ideas come when we have endless time, resources,
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Stop Polishing
We’ve been conditioned to believe that success belongs to those who plan the best, prepare the longest, and execute flawlessly.
What’s In The Shadows
“Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.” – Schopenhauer
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It’s The Process
We love a good origin story. The overnight success. The sudden breakthrough. The singular “aha” moment where it all clicks.
When is a Podcast Not a Podcast?
You’ve seen them—those engaging, fast-paced podcast clips popping up in your feed. They make you stop scrolling and listen. But
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Hooked
On February 9, millions of Americans will gather for the Super Bowl, a spectacle that’s as much about selling as
AI And Average Work
When the steam shovel was invented, ditch diggers had a choice: become obsolete or evolve. If your job was simply
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Next Time Is A Trap
Every day, we’re faced with decisions—some small, some big, all seemingly inconsequential in the moment. The easy ones? We handle
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The Placebo Effect
The placebo effect—a term that sounds like it belongs in a science textbook but has real-world implications for anyone trying
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Creativity and AI
Remember when digital cameras first hit the scene in the ’90s? Professional photographers panicked. “This is the end of real
Generous Creation
In the world of creative work, the old saying holds true: you have to give before you can receive. Whether
Failure in advance
We all feel it—that gnawing, gut-churning fear that shows up just when we’re about to take a leap. Whether it’s
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Ideal Conditions
Change doesn’t happen in isolation. Whether you’re trying to improve workplace culture, launch a new initiative, or introduce a fresh