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

Tim Lawrence is a copy editor, writer and adversity researcher. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Barclays Center, and Lincoln Center, and has copyedited for New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling authors. In this episode, Tim talks about growing through adversity, the benefits of a minimalist lifestyle, and the power of listening. Here are three lessons you can learn from Tim: You have to challenge yourself if you want to grow When we grow up, we do everything we can to make life easier on ourselves. We are taught to seek comfort instead of adversity. While this may lead to an easier life, you will also stagnate. Challenging yourself is the only way to grow as a person. It forces you to be in the moment. You become more aware of you body and mind, and grow outside of your comfort zone. Otherwise you will be left unfulfilled and bored. Instead of running from adverse circumstances, confront them. That is the only way to grow. The benefits of a minimalist lifestyle One of the great revelations Tim had was the power of owning less. When he was making a lot of money, he also owned a lot of stuff, and was still unhappy. Now that he is making a lot less, he also owns less, which has made him a happier person. What he has come to realize is that by owning less, you are able to serve people more effectively. You have less distractions and you are able to focus on what is truly important. Instead of owning more things, he recommends saving money so you can have experiences. When you travel, you come face to face with cultures that are different from our own. And you realize that things like possessions, status, and power are valued a lot less than they are in the Western world. The power of being a good listener Early in life, Tim discovered that listening was a very important aspect of connecting with other people. When people were going through tragedy, they would come to him because he knew how to be a good listener. He now uses this skill to help both people who are going through adverse circumstances, and those who are trying to share their message with the world. It has been crucial in his work with successful people. Through listening he is able to dive into other people’s worlds. He allows people to expose themselves for who they are without judgement. This had led to strong relationships that can last a lifetime. Shownotes for episode 23 with Tim Lawrence

Brad Beckstrom has built a career in advertising, but has found happiness in living lean and his creative pursuits. On his blog The Frug, Brad talks about what it is like to live lean, work lean, and travel lean.  In this episode, Brad talks about what it was like going into advertising and owning his own agencies, how he began living lean, and his creative quest to take 100,000 photographs. Here are three lessons you can learn from Brad: It's Hard to Balance Business and Passion Before going to college, Brad wanted to pursue a creative career. Since his dad was helping to pay for college, he had a say in what Brad should study in college. Instead of following his creative calling, Brad chose to study business and marketing. He tried to take photography classes on the side, but his creativity was put on the shelf to focus on his business courses. This led to the creation of multiple advertising agencies. While working in these companies, Brad wanted to work on the creative side, but was tasked with sales and operations. He always felt the creative itch, but wan't able to balance the operations side and creative side of himself. It's Never too Late to Pursue What You Love After many years working in marketing, Brad took a sabbatical to Thailand. While there, he felt a pain in his knees.  While in that moment of pain, he thought of his creative interests and thought to himself "What if I've waited too long?" That moment, coupled with watching a documentary on Vivian Meyer and Chris Guillebeau's The Happiness of Pursuit set him on a creative quest. He was going to take 100k photos in 100 cities and 1,000 places. Instead of waiting til retirement to pursue something he loved, he was going to seek it as soon as he could.  The Importance of Living Lean Early in his life, Brad was in the rat race of life just like everyone else. He wanted the big house with eclectic and creative things in it. At a certain point, he realized these things would not bring happiness to him. He saw how people were spending the rest of their lives paying for the big ticket items everyone tells you to get, a big house and fancy car. Brad has chosen to live in a modest house and drive his car into the ground. Instead he has chosen experiences over things. That is the essence of his creative quest. Shownotes for episode 22 with Brad Beckstrom.

Mark McClung is the creator of My Daily Mark, a blog dedicated to helping people, especially high school students, take action in their lives. In this episode Mark talks about the lessons he has learned, why you need to find your passion, and leveraging projects to your advantage. Here are three important lessons you can learn from Mark: Taking Action is Essential One of the most important lessons Mark has learned is the importance of taking action. Every success he has seen was the result of taking action on the ideas he has. One thing Mark said really stood out to me. He says that inspiration alone is not enough to get you where you need to go. "Without action, inspiration is nothing more than entertainment." I can't agree with him more. Anyone can watch inspiring talks or read inspirational books. Only people that take action on that inspiration actually achieve something great. It doesn't require much to take action. All you need to do is break down your goal into individual action steps. Once you break things down into small, actionable parts, it becomes much easier to accomplish them. Find Your Passion Another thing that Mark advocates is finding your passion. Once you find your passion, it becomes much easier to move forward with your idea.Just because you don't know what your passion is doesn't mean you won't be able to discover it. When you pursue things you enjoy, you may discover your passion. This quote perfectly describes passion and taking action, "You don't have to know what your passion is. You just have to take passionate action." The most important thing is to take actionable steps. It doesn't matter how big or small those steps are, just as long as you are taking them. Leverage Your Projects Mark is a huge advocate of starting projects through your passion. He has used these projects to make himself stand out from his peers and get new job opportunities.In college, he started his own advertising company which lowed him to learn many aspects of business. He was able to turn a $100 budget into a company with 20 clients. This separated himself from other recent college graduates when he went to get a job. Mark and his wife also started a social network for teachers. Although he eventually moved on from the project, it taught him valuable lessons and allowed him to start his next project. These projects have allowed him to rise the ranks of his career ladder, they have taught him lessons that he might not have learned otherwise, and they have allowed him to experiment and find things he was passionate about. Shownotes for episode 21 with Mark McClung

Stephen Pirie is the director of many companies including Nurture Change, Unleash Travel, and Spirit of Sharing. Through these companies, Stephen is creating retreats for business leaders, building a safe travel experience for youths from New Zealand and Australia, and giving back to the youths of Fiji. Shownotes for episode 20 with Stephen Pirie

Dan Galperin is the man behind the Man Power Project, the Fight Club for the Soul. Through one on one coaching and group calls, he helps men discover what it means to live well. In this episode Dan talks about his travels around the world, why you need to love yourself, and how you can become more confident. Here are three important lessons you can learn from Dan: The Key to Confidence One of the most common limiting beliefs he found in people is not believing in themselves. When he was younger, Dan used to get so angry that he would punch himself in the face. He realized this was a self-destructive practice and changed the way he viewed the world. He now regularly says “I love you” to himself. This is a reminder that he is good enough. He wants to take this lesson and share it with others. In order to become confident, you must first love yourself. We are All the Same After talking to many people, Dan has come to the realization that we are all the same. We all have the same doubts and fears. Even the most famous celebrities and self-help gurus have these doubts and insecurities. It doesn’t matter how much success you have, we all feel these things because we are human. This fact is quite liberating. When you are going through times of doubt, just remember, everyone has those same doubts. We are not alone in this journey. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others One thing that holds many people back is the fact that we are always comparing ourselves to others. We look at other people’s lives and are jealous of what they have. We never compare ourselves to people who we think are lower than us. We are always comparing ourselves to people who we think are above us. Instead of comparing yourself to others, we must be comfortable with who we are. There’s no point in comparing your journey to anyone else’s. We must fight this internal battle and realize we are the only thing holding us back. When we compare ourselves to others we are holding ourselves back. Dan believes everyone has a greatness inside them, and I can’t help but agree. Show notes for episode 19 with Dan Galperin

Dorie Clark is a marketing strategy consultant, speaker and contributor to the Harvard Business Review, Time, and Entrepreneur. She authored the books Reinventing You and Stand Out, and is also an adjunct professor of business at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. In this episode, Dorie talks about how she went from working on Howard Dean’s political campaign to being a business consultant, how you can reinvent yourself, and what you can do to stand out. Here are three important lessons you can learn from Dorie: 1. The Path to Success Is Never Linear Dorie did not start her career as a marketing strategist. She worked her way there. Before she ever started advising businesses and teaching business courses at Duke, she was a journalist, political campaign strategist, documentary film maker, and head of a non-profit. It was only after going through this journey that she found her calling. Instead of accepting the fact that you can’t change your status in life, figure out how you can change it instead. The way to do this is through experimentation. While making the documentary, Dorie discovered she was much more comfortable with words than she was making videos. The only way she could have discovered this was by trying it first. By experimenting, you can discover what resonates with you. Try things until you find the thing that lights you up inside. 2. You Can Reinvent Yourself Through her journey, Dorie was able to reinvent herself multiple times until she found what she wanted to do. If you want to make a career change or you want to change how people perceive you, you must first discover your brand. The problem is, it is hard for most people to know what their brand is. We know far too much about ourselves to know what our brand is. Dorie advocates asking half a dozen people close to you “If you only had three words to describe me, what would they be?” This will give you a good idea of how others perceive you. If they chose words you don’t want to describe you, you must determine how to close the gap between those words and the words you do want to describe you. 3. How to Stand Out In this noisy and competitive world, the only way to become successful is to stand out. Dorie wanted to systematize a process for talented people to be recognized and heard. For Stand Out, she spoke to thought leaders such as Seth Godin, David Allen, Robert Cialdini, Daniel Pink, and Tom Peters. She also spoke to regular professionals in a variety of fields. Through this process she discovered the three things people can do to stand out. Build a Network This starts with building one one one connections with trusted people. This allows you to gain feedback from people you respect. Build an Audience Once you have a network of trusted people, you can build an audience. You can only get so far communicating one on one, so you must communicate your ideas publicly. Build a Community If you have ideas that people resonate with, you can leverage it through a community. Ambassadors of your idea are the most powerful asset you can have in order to stand out. When your ideas are bigger than yourself, you will stand out. Show notes for episode 18 with Dorie Clark

Josh Barad is the founder and chief Uncomfortable Officer of In the Middle Seat, a coaching company that helps millennials embrace discomfort and create adventurous experiences. In this episode, Josh talks about why he embraces discomfort, how we should be authentic with each other, and why you should have a group of supportive people around you. Show notes fo episode 17 with Josh Barad

Jason Alster is an artist who has merged the worlds of science and art. He is a researcher who has studied the brain and how kids with ADHD can learn. In this episode Jason talks about using science in his art, solving multiple mysteries, and hosting a TV show for authors, among other things. Show notes fo episode 16 with Jason Alster

Janice Dalager is the co-host of the Middle of Nowhere Show. Along with her co-host Tim, she hosts a weekly call where their sole expectation is "good things ahead." She also helps coaches host webinars through her site Online Event Hostess. In this episode, Janice shows you how to live in present, let go of expectations, and explore creativity in everyday life. Show notes fo episode 15 with Janice Dalager

Tyler Bel is the founder and vision director of There is No Sky. Through There is No Sky Tyler helps empower people and shows companies how they can enrich the world. In this episode Tyler breaks down what you need to do to build good relationships, how you should be of service to others, and why you need to take action. Show notes fo episode 14 with Tyler Bel