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Inspiring Stories.
Creative Process.
Growing Upward: My Lifelong Journey with Mental Health – Out Now!
Today is a monumental day for me. After years of reflection, writing, and opening up about my deepest struggles and triumphs, my first book, Growing Upward: My Lifelong Journey with Mental Health, is officially out and available for purchase on Amazon, any online book retailer, or here locally at Underground Books!
Avoiding Project Scope Creep
Client Management 101
As a creative professional, managing clients is just as crucial to your success as honing your craft. Client management goes beyond delivering excellent work—it’s about
setting expectations
building relationships
and ensuring a smooth collaboration process.
The Story Behind ‘Growing Upward’: Why I Wrote This Book
My hope is my story resonates with you and provides solace and understanding. We are not alone in this battle, and together, we can overcome.
Two Kinds of Playlists
Vacationing Well
Navigating Criticism and Feedback as a Creative
Criticism and feedback are inevitable aspects of the creative journey. They can be challenging to navigate, especially when you're deeply passionate about your work. However, when approached constructively, feedback can be a valuable tool for growth and improvement. Here are some tips on how to handle criticism and use feedback to your advantage as a creative.
The Connection Between Music and Creative Inspiration
Self Reflection
Self-reflection is the practice of looking inward and examining your thoughts, emotions, and actions. It involves asking yourself probing questions about your experiences and behaviors to gain a clearer understanding of who you are and how you operate. For creatives, this introspective process can reveal insights into what drives their passion, what blocks their creativity, and how they can better harness their unique talents.
Family Values
I get a lot of questions about our family values. How we came up with them, how we use them consistently, and why we decided they were important to have. So I thought I’d share a brief post answering those questions and maybe inspire you along the way to consider your own family values.
Top 10 IG Accounts Worth Following for Creatives
I love a good top 10 list, don’t you? I thought it would be fun to spend a few weeks listing out some Top 10 Resources for you in the area of the Creative Process. Since I am a sucker for a good Instagram follow, here’s a top 10 list of accounts worth following for creatives:
Top 10 Tools for Creatives
I love a good top 10 list, don’t you? I thought it would be fun to spend a few weeks listing out some Top 10 Resources for you in the area of the Creative Process. Since I am a nerd for any new tools to enhance my creative process, here’s a top 10 list of tools for every creative:
Top 10 Books For Creative Growth
I love a good top 10 list, don’t you? I thought it would be fun to spend the next few weeks listing out some Top 10 Resources for you in the area of Creative Process. Since I love to read and love to talk about what others are reading, here’s a top 10 list of books I suggest to everyone for creative growth:
Top 10 Tools for COO’s
I love a good top 10 list, don’t you? I thought it would be fun to spend the next few weeks listing out some Top 10 Resources for you in the area of Creative Process. Since I get to serve as a Fractional COO (Chief Operating Officer) for a few clients, I thought I would start there. Here’s my top 10 tools for COO’s:
Creating A Culture of Getting Things Done
In the fast-paced world of creative professionals, transforming ideas into reality requires more than just inspiration—it demands action. Creating a culture of getting things done is essential for turning visions into tangible outcomes.
Future You
Most of us KNOW what we ought to do, but for whatever reason we put it off, trading it for anxiety about things out of our control. And while the future is not completely in your control, you can set up your future self for success.
The Calm Before The Storm
The storm refers to the times of sheer chaos: project overload, miscommunication, and oversights. The average percentage of stormy weather for most creatives is about nine months out of the year. In the three months of calm, we can often be misled as if we have conquered the storm, but those more experienced know this is a farce, that the storm is only in a holding pattern until it returns its wrath once more with a vengeance.
Intentional: The Word of the Year
If you’ve been reading my content for more than a few months, you know that in 2023 my phrase, stolen from a good friend of mine, was “WORK HARD. TRUST GOD.” While I have carried that mantra into 2024, the real theme of all of my goals this year is intentionality, thus my word of the year is INTENTIONAL.
Protecting The Creative Engine
Like all professional creative endeavors, the creative engine is the driving force behind innovation and artistic expression. Protecting its integrity is crucial for sustaining our ability to create and inspire. We can preserve this vital aspect of creativity by remembering and implementing these four checkups:
The Ideal Week+ (aka The Perfect Week)
The term “ideal week” was popularized by Michael Hyatt and his team at Full Focus. It’s a concept that allows you to structure your week in such a way that you get things done at assigned times so nothing falls through the cracks.
In my coaching and consulting, I like to take it a step further and implement Carey Neuhoff’s lesson from At Your Best about energy zones, and lastly, I add in batch tasks to create what I call, The Ideal Week+, or if you’re so bold, “The Perfect Week”.