Your World of Creativity

We are back for another great interview on our podcast on how to unlock your world of creativity. Our guest today joins us on our around-the-world journey where we talk to creative practitioners about how they get inspired and how they organize ideas. And most of all, how they gain the confidence and the connections to launch their work out into the world. Our guest Michaell Magrutsche is an Austrian/Californian multimedia artist (painting, writing, music, film) and art adviser. Who recognizes many similarities that showed up in each art form. His passion is to discover patterns that reveal hidden functions in art. He is known to specialize in using his findings to elevate the exposure of art and foster clearer communication between all involved in the Arts. Today we have a conversation about the starving artist, a topic that is well illuminated in his last book, The Smart of Art: A New Art Consciousness To Awaken Our Enthusiasm For Art. A book he wrote because of the insane phenomenon that 95% of all artists worldwide exist around the poverty line. We talk about reclaiming artists’ value and their passion and how a lot of creatives undervalue themselves and their work as well.In our conversation, we discover that artists have never defined their value. When you go to other professionals, they can tell you exactly why you're paying $3,000 for their work but an artist has no idea how to value his masterpiece. Because the value of art is ultimately mostly assessed through the foreign system of capitalism and economy where other values are the rule. There is little incentive for the economy to make art a tangible system.The market decides the value of an art piece when an artist creates a piece of art. In our talk, we realize that we know the art market, but we don't know art itself. As art is perceived today, it can no longer reveal its properties and true values because its ultimate evaluation is always tied to success, money, and fame. This is a huge misunderstanding since the art itself is where the value is. That's the purity of creativity is in artHis top tips to artists so that they are not categorized as starving artists are:Artists have to compartmentalize the magical process of creating. Because this is where they grow and get instant feedback on their creations.An artist has to disengage when they are done with their creation. Although that is a  hard thing for artists. They can't disengage because the experience of creation was so magicalThey need to learn to detach after being done with the magic of creation. After they have milked the moment and they are now saturated. They can give the painting to the market so that their art can be pieced accordingly.If they cannot detach themselves then they need to get an expert, a businessman gallerist, or a manager is usually the best because they are detached. Because your attachment to your creation as an artist blinds and blurs, the sales.If we knew more about creativity and art, we would know that as a creator one can abide but never submit to the creation of ourselves such as economy or technology. It always and only can lead to self-destruction if we try to submit to a system we created. Nature and humans are the most advanced systems on this planet.Therefore, AI is ultimately nothing more than human frailty on steroids because the data stems from human imperfection. And therefore what the observation of art does is it pushes you into humanity and that's magic.In conclusion, agree that  we shouldn't be able to name art & poverty in the same breath.Michaell educates us that art is the language of wisdom and that we should get in touch with our wisdom. He invites artists to create art without bothering about the market. And he reminds them to milk the process because there is not a spiritual discipline stronger than the one experienced during the creation of art. Which is a way to keep in touch with your wisdom. That's why he calls art the language of wisdom. Lastly he urges artists to have this systems approach to have the business side and the valuation side of their work and to keep their egos a little bit more neutral so that they don't undervalue their work.More on all Michaell’s work: Michaellm.comMichaell Magrutsche Michaell's Website I am a multimedia artist, educator, author of 5 art-related books, and creator of the bi-weekly podcast THE SMART OF ART - The Power of Art and Creativity. I am a passionate creativity/art researcher that looks for art/creativity's true values for humans outside of any system. I am raising the awareness of our human potential, contrarily to man-made systems like technology and economy. I point to our untapped human abilities. Especially our truth compass and super-powers of humans’ inherent tools of creativity and healthy discourse. I try to plant seeds of awareness without selling something to STOP humanity from pondering problems to create more systems that humans have to deal with. We can heal the world and others by everyone “being the best YOU that you can be for YOURSELF." Humans need to understand non-man-made systems like nature and be the stewards of OUR habitat instead of man-made system like technology. #TheSmartofArt #MichaellArt Michaell on YouTube LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaellart/ 

We are back for another great interview on our podcast on how to unlock your world of creativity. Our guest today joins us on our around-the-world journey where we talk to creative practitioners about how they get inspired and how they organize ideas. And most of all, how they gain the confidence and the connections to launch their work out into the world. Today we have the pleasure to chat with Deborah Johnson. As an entertainer, pianist, vocalist, and composer, she has toured the world and has been up for multiple Grammy Awards. As an educator, Deborah taught at every level through graduate school. As a speaker and podcast host, her words touch the mind and her music touches the heart. Authoring multiple books, producing over two-dozen albums, and writing three full-length musicals makes her one of the most prolific women composers and writers in the world. Deborah has won multiple awards, but she claims her biggest accomplishment is successfully raising and launching three sons.On today’s show, we pay particular attention to a creative’s mid-career midlife and the next steps to perhaps not just refining, but reinventing the craft and personal brand. Deborah has a program, called hero mountain summit, that is a guide on getting out of your roundabout. If you're in the middle of a roundabout, which many people right now are, especially after the two and a half now or almost three years that we've just experienced so much upheaval, people have found a way to reinvent and that's what is getting out of that roundabout. She also is vocal about it in her book Women at Halftime: Principles for Producing Your Successful Second Half.Her latest book The  Summit: Journey to Hero Mountain, is an allegory. Which is a story within a story, the character’s original name is Mallery which means not good enough or ill-fated. And it has to change for her to get to her summit. And it changes to Andreette, which means a strong and courageous one, but she has to go through all these little different lands. Because in the book before this, she goes through hero mountain, which is her woman at half timesIn her work, there is an emphasis on women at halftime. We've been talking about mid-career midlife, which by definition says, we're not done. There's still another half of the game left. As an experienced creative, she teaches us some lessons to hold onto at that midpoint.You've got to develop the actual business plan. And ask yourself, what are your residuals like as an artist? What are the products that you're putting out? Does it help you move your business ahead?You have got to understand that in the creative sector we are in the gig economy which particularly presents a unique challenge. So your network is extremely important in establishing the business part, the arms of your business, and what is going to actually generate the most money. Not only the most money but what gives you the most satisfaction. What do you love to do? And how can you develop that further? And what's gonna actually pay offYou have to study and you have to see what's out there.You need to think about the business side of creativity, the pricing, the contracts, and the negotiation.You have to be able to put together your own contracts. And understand that they are letters of agreement. You've got to have those because you may forget some important details. You have got to study those, all of those details, and make sure those are very clear. You don't have to be demanding, but just make sure they're very clear on what your needs are to be able to give the best performance.Show up early enough that you can provide a great experience for everyone involved, including yourself.You have to hire the right team. From the agents and the bookers and the negotiators to the sound people, logistics, and everything in between.It is still your job as an artist to learn how to promote and how to market your work despite having a great team.Always own your own land, always own your own newsletter, and your own property on your website.The imposter syndrome does not end. So she encourages creatives to journal just to get those thoughts out. Those little negative voices have to be pushed away. That might be the voices in your head or the naysayers you have to silence all of them.In conclusion, she reminds us that there are many similarities and differences between writing music, composing a score, and writing this book, especially as an allegory. And that writing is rewriting first of all, and you need to finish whatever it is you are working on, but you have to be willing to put the work in to finish it as well. Put in deadlines so you can be able to emotionally get to a point of saying, it may not be perfect, but it's done, and done is better than perfect.keynote speaker: Deborahjohnsonspeaker.comGet in touch with Denora and get her newsletter: goalsforyourlife.com/newsletterPodcast: women at halftimeYou can find lots of her music on: DJworksmusic.comDeborah Johnson Deborah Johnson, M.A. has not only written multiple books and albums, but hundreds of songs, three full-length musicals and is the producer of the popular podcast, Women at Halftime. Her fifth book, The Summit: Journey to Hero Mountain, an allegory, came out fall of 2021. She relishes the creative process and has focused on helping those at mid-career or the halftime of life maximize their skills, talents and resources to make their second half better than their first. Deborah was past president of the National Speakers Association, Los Angeles and has written & produced multiple online courses. She enjoys being outside and traveling with her husband and also loves spending time with her children and grandchildren. Up for multiple GRAMMY Awards and spending over 20 years in the entertainment industry, she's built multiple self-driven businesses and is an expert on how to constantly reinvent yourself in a gig-economy. Deborah speaks and performs for both live and virtual events.Deborah's Website @deborah_johnsonworks on Instagram Deborah on YouTube Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahjjohnson/Mark Stinson Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson Listen to Your World of Creativity Your World of Creativity website Mentioned in this episode:THE ALAURA SHOWHey, it's Alaura Lovelight. And if you're enjoying "unlocking your world of creativity," make sure to check out my new show, "The Alaura Show" ... on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.

Episode 201 - highlights and samples from music featured on the podcast.Playlist:Olive Klug - https://oliveklug.com/Lindzey Autumn - https://www.lindzeyautumn.com/CerVon Campbell (with John Oates) - https://www.liinks.co/cervoncampbellNatalie Soma - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0YReEni47rNn6Eg4oo1ibp?si=Kl6uNUBYRROmBGQijTZkQg&nd=1Bon Mofar - https://www.facebook.com/officialzimplybonAmerica - https://www.venturahighway.com/Angela Soffe - https://www.angelasoffe.com/Rebecca King Crews - https://www.audible.com/pd/Stronger-Together-Audiobook/B08Y9BZ385Emilia Pederson - https://www.playandfollow.com/r/icmg/with-youMoody Bank$ - https://www.moodybanks.com/Teedeevee - https://linktr.ee/teedeeveeGabe Furtado - https://linktr.ee/gabe.furtadoAlaura Lovelight - https://linktr.ee/alauralovelightBill Small - https://billsmallmusic.com/Banji and Mayuri - https://kahanirecords.com/All music is copyrighted by the artists and used with permission.

I want to welcome you to the 200th episode of our podcast. Unlocking your world of creativity,Who would've thought two years ago, that we would sustain this momentum of interviewing 200 creatives from around the world, and how they get inspired. It's been wonderful. You know, I set out to learn by interviewing authors musicians, restaurant tours, marketeers scientists, and actors; I even interviewed a celebrity dentist from "Extreme Makeover."I wanted to invite a few of the guests to give you an update on what they're currently doing. so you're going to hear in this episode messages from many of the creatives that we've talked to, but I also thought I'd give you kind of a six-point recap of my main takeaways and it inspired me. I'll be doing a future episode on some of the takeaways from all these interviews, but I thought for now I would give you six points. Number one is that all of the great creatives I've talked to had a signature method, there was some process or style that they could name and describe and document and teach that became their own brand of creativity.Number two, they have resilience. They don't just brush off rejection, but instead, they have a true drive to fulfill what they think is a creative dream. And even on the level of a mission, these creatives literally didn't take no for an answer. They learned from their mistakes. They adjust to advance, but this persistence and resilience was something I was really inspired by. The third thing I took away was the collaboration. these creatives sought collaborators that they could work with, who would complement their craft, and who could accelerate their art. It might be a producer, it might be another artist. It might be a songwriter to complement their, you know, a lyricist to complement their song. So there might be another rock band to interview, and there might be other writers to collaborate with.Number four was a grasp of the numbers, the data, the finances, you know, successful creators viewed their craft as an enterprise, a business that also needed financial management, even profit and loss. So I spoke with an accountant. I spoke with, producers who were focused on the financial management side, not just the creative production. I talk to people who taught classes, even on pricing your services, to get an idea that we don't just get paid by the hour or by the download. But by the value of our creative work, number five is that we have contingency plans. There's a sense of what if we know we're going to face obstacles. So we have to have backup ideas, several angles. We have to try even in times of difficulty. So I was impressed by the creatives who, you know, tried one way and went one medium and tried another one or that somebody might have even tried a pseudonym, or I tried to perform under one name and I decided to go back to my original name. All of these stories were quite inspiring. number six, the last thing I took away was the leadership that we not only admire leaders and emulate leaders in our industries, but also leaders in all industries, but also people who embrace their own leadership and recognize they need to serve as a role model and an example to others. And that might be speaking to you that says, you know, you can look outside your craft, but what about inside to see what sort of mentorship and leadership you could provide? So enjoy these conversations and updates from the guests.also, remember, and I mentioned this at the end of almost every episode, I do have an eBook of about 12 or so interviews from our very first series of "a world of creativity," plus some bonus content. And this is the full eBook. This is 200-plus pages of interviews. You can find it at my website, mark-stinson.com. It's right on the homepage, easy to download the PDF of the full eBook of the world of creativity. Hey, by the way, the next episode will be highlights of all the music we've featured in our podcast. So I hope you'll come along then, but for now enjoy these guest messages from:Christof Zürn - linkedin.com/in/creativecompanionDeborah Claire Procter - linkedin.com/in/deborahclaireprocter ; clearinsight.co.uk Dennis Morrison - linkedin.com/in/dennismorrison ; audiencemagnet.comG Mark Phillips - linkedin.com/in/gmarkphillipsAngela Soffe - linkedin.com/in/angelasoffe ; https://www.angelasoffe.com/Mark Graban - linkedin.com/in/mgraban ; markgraban.com/ Yiqing Zhau - linkedin.com/in/yiqing-zhao-329a11a6 ; coaching.yiqingzhao.com Diego Kolsky - linkedin.com/in/diegokolsky ; diegokolsky.com Jude Warne - https://judewarne.com/Wayne Mullins - linkedin.com/in/fireyourself ; UglyMugMarketing.comRebecca De Ornelas - linkedin.com/in/rebecca-de-ornelas ; https://www.yourstoryartisan.com/

We are back for another great interview on our podcast on how to unlock your world of creativity. Our guests today join us on our around-the-world journey where we talk to creative practitioners about how they get inspired and how they organize ideas. And most of all, how they gain the confidence and the connections to launch their work out into the world. Today we have the pleasure to  travel to one of my favorite cities in the world, Stockholm, Sweden, to have a chat with Fredrik and Erik of the SNASK agencySNASK is an internationally renowned creative agency that makes kick-ass branding, design & film. So much so that some of their clients have described them as “Disneyland for graphic designers.” They are a different kind of company they also describe themselves as a creative agency of misfit geniuses conquering the world through fine-looking design and real emotions. Often reminding their clients that they are their client’s future romance.A few tips that they share with us that all hold steady to their stellar performance in their industry are:Passion as a creative is very important.Build a team around you that is equally passionate about what they do. It makes it easier for them to show up.They remind us that when people have a creative passion they do not come to work at 10:00 A.M. They get up early and go after it. We should not be afraid to stand out in the world no matter what our craft is. And it is ok to be bold and colorful even as a  brand agency in a Minimalistic place like Stockholm Remember to have a balance of both work and fun in order to thrive.In a  professional world built on conservative ideas and frameworks and structures, one look at their website and you will immediately notice that their work is very emotional. It's very provocative. It's very colorful and energetic. Which has made them stand out as an agency over the years which in fact gave them the creative consistency they needed to stand out in the industry.In conclusion, they also give us some insight into, pitching the work and how to convince the client which campaign to go with. Both Erik and Fredrik agree that it's all about taking the client by the hand and leading them through the process. Like you lead someone to the dance floor. You can't just throw a new design in their face without an explanation. You need to take them on a journey on the thought behind the strategy, and how it connects with the brand. And then make sure that this makes a lot of sense to them as much as it does make sense to you as the pitcher.You can find more information about this agency of misfit geniuses on their website https://snask.com Instagram: snasksthlmFrederik Öst’s Instagram: freddiemeupErik Kockum’s Instagram: fessus Meet partners in crime - Fredrik Öst and Erik Kockum, Branding Experts with vulnerability and anti-machismo. First off, let me tell you a little about who Fredrik Öst & Erik Kockum are…"Freddie" was adopted from South Korea and raised in Northern Sweden after being found outside a police station. Erik is a confused and misunderstood misfit genius who believes that the feeling of freedom and allowance of making mistakes is the key to creativity.Fedrick and Erik have co-founded a kick-ass creative agency, combining their expertise in branding, design & film. This of course after being told they needed 10 years of experience in the industry before starting their own agency. They ditched the norms and started up Snask with zero years of experience 14 years ago! Snask is a rare combination of real emotions and playfulness. Of fine lookin' design and kick-ass branding. And I guarantee through their stories, insights, and just being in their presence you will have an awakening to your inner creativity! Here are some highlights of our conversation:How to'sWhat's the key to creativity?How to build brands and connect with customers The process of creating any service- Films, branding etcHow to turn an idea into content How to go beyond the 'BS' in client meetingsHow they create a brand strategy for brandsSnask 101The meaning behind their mantra – Make Enemies & Gain Fans.What does "Snask" mean? How Snask creates a culture of trust and creativityTheir new Beer Shower Beer - SnaskLife lessons What is machismo and how to break out of it Realizing that "being wrong" isn't that scaryHow not to be afraid of what other people think.Why lead with vulnerability and empathy?Mark Stinson Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson Listen to Your World of Creativity

Today we are combining our storytelling and our creativity to promote social good to overcome some of the issues and challenges we face in our world today. And that's the focus of the creativity of our next guest. Aalia Lanius. She is a multiple Award-Winning Novelist, Award-Nominated Executive Producer & Podcast host. As founder of Unsugarcoated Media, a 501(c)(3) social enterprise, she is passionate about using her leadership skills to build a unique media company that focuses solely on projects in media geared at social impact through storytelling. Aalia is also the Producer and host of "Unsugarcoated with Aalia", a social good-centered podcast. The show was nominated for Best Use of Podcast for Social Good in 2020. A powerful advocate for survivors of trauma and mental health education.She believes as creatives, we have an immense gift that comes with accountability and we have to use it to create a positive social impact in everything. She only chooses to speak on social issues unsugarcoated. Hence the name of her company.  In our chat, she tells us that the most important part of what  Unsugarcoated Media does is provide a place where other creatives can come and collaborate with them, knowing that the goal is social impact.According to Aalia, “What's the message?” is the first and most important question a creative needs to ask themselves if their goal is social impact through their work. She also enlightens us that If you wanted to have a social message, as an artist, you have to show up to those spaces and say, “This is important to me. This is what I want to happen and if I don't see it, then I'm gonna start creating a wave myself.”She has experienced so much turmoil. From homelessness to the trauma of domestic abuse, and the cancer fight. And yet there's resilience. Through that, she was able to write a book that has helped so many people who are in those particular situations. Once again she gives us a lesson through it all. She teaches us that that is what influence really is. When you empower the right people to see their own brilliance, and to see their own capacity, and potentially even see a life past trauma.We need to learn and take away from the experiences that life throws at us how we can learn to be better. It's about understanding that, you wanna grow and that you wanna upgrade your belief systems. You have to yearn to understand yourself better so that you can be more powerful.  So that you can be more concerted on whatever the effort is you're trying to do as navigate the journey life has set before you, and maintain your high creative energy.In conclusion, she reminds us that there is only trying so long as you learn to fail forward. And that is part of the creative process. And learning about yourself is the most powerful thing and then keep growing. And only look back to see how far you've come. And recognize that that is your big thing. Even though sometimes it may take so long to see, there's always hope. And the hope is you.To get more on her amazing work: unsugarcoatedmedia.comInstagram: aalia_unsugarcoatedAalia Lanius Aalia's Website Aalia Lanius is an International Multiple-Award Winning Novelist, Executive Producer and host of the award-nominated globally top-rated social good podcast, UNSUGARCOATED with Aalia. As founder of UNSUGARCOATED Media, a 501(c)(3) media social enterprise, Lanius is creating social impact through storytelling while building community, providing education, and ending isolation for trauma survivors. Aalia's role extends to leadership as a creative, and she is considered a thought-leader in approaches to media, believing that artists are pioneers of the human mind with great potential and responsibility to positively influence society through proper representation and accountability. Aalia's Facebook page @Aalia_unsugarcoated on Instagram Aalia on YouTube Mark Stinson  Mentioned in this episode:THE ALAURA SHOWHey, it's Alaura Lovelight. And if you're enjoying "unlocking your world of creativity," make sure to check out my new show, "The Alaura Show" ... on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.

Elan Thunderfeet is a writer, hip-hop artist, and creative mentor that is here to inspire collective actualization.Whether through his own creative practice or through his creative mentorship, Elan Wayne Thunderfeet is driven to help the world thrive. Creativity has helped him to navigate the challenges of being human in a world that often feels increasingly inhumane. He seeks to use his experience and expression to support other to overcome the obstacles they face. With over a decade and a half of experience in hip hop and creative writing, and two years as a creative coach and teacher, Elan strives to explore and embody the impact that creativity can have. The Prince of OppositesWhether through his own creative practice or through his creative mentorship, Elan Wayne Thunderfeet is driven to help the world thrive. Creativity has helped him to navigate the challenges of being human in a world that often feels inhumane. He strives to use his experience and expression to support others to overcome the obstacles they face.WritingElan Thunderfeet’s debut full-length novel is a story that will launch the Trashpunk genre. It is the evolution of cyberpunk while also providing contemporary reflections on the relationship between humanity, technology, and the environment.Learn more at https://www.theprinceofopposites.com/Elan's Facebook page Elan on YouTube @theprinceofopposites on Instagram Music track is copyrighted, provided by the artist, and used with permission.THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: MAGIC MIND, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog & fatigue.Take advantage of the special offer just for listeners atwww.magicmind.co/creativityPromo code "Creativity20"Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson Mentioned in this episode:THE ALAURA SHOWHey, it's Alaura Lovelight. And if you're enjoying "unlocking your world of creativity," make sure to check out my new show, "The Alaura Show" ... on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.

Manny Lai Technology senior leader during the day. Entrepreneur in the evening. My passion is giving back to my community through wholesome, ethical, and delicious food. www.amazon.com/ExcaliBar Discount code HPStreet20 Manny's Website @heavenspantry on Instagram Sample whole box at www.Amazon.com - search "Excalibar Chocolate" - code HPStreet20Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson

Meet Jay Goldman. As the CEO of Sensei Labs and New York Times bestselling author, he enables Fortune 1000 leaders to execute and evolve faster with Enterprise Orchestration.For nearly 20 years, he has been focused on technology, design, and the art of leadership. Sensei Labs is Jay’s second tech start-up success, as he also co-founded and led Radiant Core. Additionally, he took on leadership roles as the Head of Marketing at Rypple and Managing Director at Klick Health.Jay regularly speaks with teams and companies across the globe about the Future of Work, including at TEDx, NASA, Harvard Business School, Google, and Twitter’s World Headquarters. He’s also written for publications like the Harvard Business Review and been a panelist on CBC’s The National.About the book, "The Decoded Company"A powerful guide to building a data-centric corporate culture that unleashes talent and improves engagement Amazon delights customers with recommendations that are spot on. Google amazes us by generating answers before we’ve even finished asking a question. These companies know who we are and what we want.The key to their magic is Big Data. Personalizing the consumer experience with the collection and analysis of consumer data is widely recognized as one of the biggest business opportunities of the 21st century. But there is a flip side to this that has largely been missed. What if we were able to use data about employees to personalize and customize their experience – to increase their engagement, help them learn faster on the job, and figure out which teams they should be on?In this book, Jay and his colleagues outline the six principles they’ve used to decode work and unlock the maximum potential of their talent, and share success stories from other organizations that have embraced this approach. The Decoded Company is an actionable blueprint for any company that wants the best from its people, and isn’t afraid of radical approaches to get it.Now, he spends his days helping the largest enterprises in the world execute their most critical programs through Enterprise Orchestration, alongside his amazing crew of more than 80 Senseis.Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson

Honey LarochelleSacred Artistry Summit CoachSinger and Vocal Producer Performer with Fungineershoneylarochelle.comTHIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: MAGIC MIND, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog & fatigue.Take advantage of the special offer just for listeners atwww.magicmind.co/creativityPromo code "Creativity20"