Nappi Devi lives five minutes from the stage and still showed up like he was headlining a national tour. That energy is exactly why Detroit keeps pulling him back in.

Nappi Devi is a Detroit based artist, performer, and creative who just dropped a new single and music video called "Ight Bet!" with an EP on the way. He works with producers, musicians, and videographers all across the city because keeping the local creative ecosystem alive is part of how he builds.

In this special Indie Fest segment of Conversations That Count, David catches up with Nappi Devi right before his live set to talk about how he ended up on the bill, what it means to stay rooted in your city while growing your craft, and why connecting with people in your community is the most underrated career development move an artist or professional can make.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why networking through genuine relationships, not cold outreach, is how Nappi Devi keeps landing stages and building creative partnerships across Detroit

How he balances new releases with live performance strategy, dropping a single the same day he performs to keep momentum going

The power of staying local and investing in your city's talent instead of chasing opportunities somewhere else, and how that approach keeps opening doors

Connect with Nappi Devi: Instagram: https://instagram.com/nappidevi Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/nappidevi Facebook: https://facebook.com/NAPPIdevi Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/nappi-devi/1475305936 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/61BB3hPh8PHMagEw1pftW4

Stream "Ight Bet!" on all platforms now. EP dropping October 10th.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8TRphgQBp34 Visit: https://ctcpodcast.media

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

Free Communication Playbook, 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

Gene Belcher grew up in an alleyway in Binghamton, New York with a family of 10 and believed he would be dead by 30. Instead, he wrote a novel that is now in Detroit Public Schools, Detroit libraries, and earning five star reviews on Amazon.

Gene Belcher, writing under the pen name JL James, is the author of "The Other Side of Color: Prejudice Is Not Always an Outside Affair," a novel exploring prejudice within the same ethnicity through the eyes of a light skinned boy named Frankie navigating two worlds. Gene is also a songwriter, businessman, and lifelong storyteller whose work has been recognized by Governor Whitmer and embraced by academia across Michigan.

In this episode of Conversations That Count, David sits down with Gene to hear the full story behind the book, the music, and the philosophy that drives a man who turned a burning story in his belly into a published body of work while holding down a day job for decades.

What you'll learn in this episode:

The hedgehog concept for career fulfillment: find your skill, love what you do, and make money at it, and why most professionals are missing at least one of those three

How Gene went from shoveling snow and shining shoes to self publishing a novel, and the sales and communication skills that made it possible

Why the most powerful stories come from your own personal "alleyway" and how telling them authentically can open doors you never expected

Get the book: "The Other Side of Color" by JL James on Amazon and Barnes and Noble Watch "Soft Pillows" music video: YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn under JL James

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsThatCount-CTC Visit: https://ctcpodcast.media

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

Free Communication Playbook, 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

Three women walk onto a music video set and end up having the most honest conversation about dating, money, cheating, and what they actually want from men that most people are too afraid to say out loud.

Savanna is a model and recording artist whose new single "Girls Just Wanna Have Fund$" was the spark for this conversation. Hailey is studying Health and Human Services at the University of Michigan Dearborn. Adrianna owns HTV Ipsy, a custom clothing and esthetics business in downtown Detroit. Together, they hold nothing back.

In this episode of Conversations That Count, David sits down with all three right after filming Savanna's music video to talk about why women are outpacing men in education and careers, what that means for modern relationships, and why the standards conversation is really a communication skills conversation disguised as a dating debate.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why the way you communicate your value in a relationship mirrors exactly how you communicate your value at work, and how raising your standards in one raises the bar in the other

The real reasons men and women cheat, broken down honestly from three very different female perspectives, and what it reveals about insecurity, scarcity, and emotional intelligence

How to stop settling by writing down the 10 traits you want in a partner and becoming those things yourself first

Connect with the guests: Savanna: https://instagram.com/iamsavannas Hailey: https://instagram.com/haileyalamo Adrianna: https://instagram.com/follow_adrianna Stream "Girls Just Wanna Have Fund$" on all platforms now.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TBZaFC7oVh0 Visit: https://ctcpodcast.media

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

Free Communication Playbook, 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

Title: Self Taught Cosplayer to Convention Judge | How Astra Void Communicates Her Value at 24

Description:

What communication skills does it take to turn a self taught hobby into a professional career before age 25? Cosplayer, makeup artist, and GalaxyCon contracted guest Astra Void shares how she did exactly that.

Astra Void started cosplaying at 12 years old with zero formal training. Over the next decade, she taught herself sewing, foam fabrication, wig styling, LED wiring, and professional makeup artistry. Now at 24, she holds a contract with GalaxyCon, guest judges cosplay contests across the country, and co hosts the Heroes of Cosplay Sanctuary podcast. In this episode, recorded live at GalaxyCon Nightmare Weekend in Chicago, Astra sits down with David Shaft to talk about the communication and leadership lessons behind building a creative career on your own terms.

In this conversation, you will learn:

How Astra earned professional credibility in rooms full of people twice her age by letting her work communicate for her

Why setting boundaries around online safety is a critical communication skill for any public facing creator

How self advocacy and knowing when to say no shaped her path from college student to full time creative professional

Follow Astra Void: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astravoidcosplay/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AstravoidCosplay Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/astravoidcosplay TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@astravoidcosplay X: https://x.com/AstraVoidCos

Heroes of Cosplay Sanctuary Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BApX2BjjTG6VtRL0RhhT6 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heroesofcosplaysanctuary6695

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TNv3UNct6mQ Website: https://ctcpodcast.media

Conversations That Count is a communication skills podcast hosted by David Shaft. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for conversations that help you communicate with more clarity, confidence, and impact.

Grab the free Communication Playbook: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

What happens when a woman engineer realizes she still calls a guy every time her car breaks down? Patrice Banks, CEO and Founder of Girls Auto Clinic, turned that frustration into a movement empowering women through automotive education.

Patrice spent years as an engineer at DuPont before discovering that women are the number one customer in the auto industry, spending $200 billion a year on vehicle purchases and repairs, yet almost no company was speaking directly to them. She went back to school, learned to work on cars, and built Girls Auto Clinic: a full service repair center staffed by women mechanics with a nail salon where customers get a free manicure with every service. Her book, Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide, is published by Simon and Schuster and belongs in every glove box in America. In this episode, Patrice sits down with David Shaft to talk about why clear communication builds trust, how explaining things simply is the mark of a true professional, and what it takes to lead in an industry that never expected you.

In this conversation, you will learn:

Why the ability to explain something simply is the most underrated communication skill in any profession and how it applies far beyond the auto shop

How Patrice uses relatable analogies and plain language to educate women who have never been taught about cars, and why that approach builds trust and loyalty

What the Primary Care Technician concept teaches about long term professional relationships, clear expectations, and confident decision making

Follow Patrice Banks and Girls Auto Clinic: Website: https://www.girlsautoclinic.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlsautoclinic/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlsautoclinic LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricedbanks/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Girls-Auto-Clinic-Glove-Guide/dp/1501144111

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cB787F3O5xo Website: https://ctcpodcast.media

Conversations That Count is a communication skills podcast hosted by David Shaft. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for conversations that help you communicate with more clarity, confidence, and impact.

Grab the free Communication Playbook: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

Ashton Blaise spent her twenties building the perfect career in political media only to realize she was living someone else's version of success. Then she burned it all down and found herself through cosplay.

Ashton Blaise is a cosplayer, pinup artist, streamer, and content creator who left careers in conservative media, liberal media, and crypto marketing before discovering that the things she loved as a kid were the key to her happiest and most authentic life.

In this episode of Conversations That Count, recorded live at Nightmare Weekend in Chicago, David sits down with Ashton to talk about what happens when you stop performing for other people and start communicating who you really are. Whether it is a career pivot, a creative leap, or just the courage to say "this isn't me," this conversation will hit home for anyone who has ever felt stuck playing a role.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why your twenties are spent establishing yourself but your thirties are about rediscovering what made you happy as a kid, and how that shift changes everything about the way you communicate and lead

How Ashton handled the negativity when she walked away from political media and what she learned about staying authentic when people want to keep you in a box

The simple reflection exercise that can reconnect you with your most genuine self and unlock confidence you forgot you had

Connect with Ashton Blaise: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ashtonblaise

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KOMFoHff-y8 Visit: https://ctcpodcast.media

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

Free Communication Playbook, 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

Ashlynne Day showed up to her first convention in a Lady Loki costume she made herself. She didn't even know what cosplay was. People kept complimenting her "cosplay" and she had to Google the word when she got home. Fifteen years later, it's her full time career.

Ashlynne Day is a professional cosplayer and content creator who studied fashion, graduated with honors, worked in the industry, and walked away from it all one year after graduation to build a career doing what she actually loved. In this episode of Conversations That Count, she sits down with David Shaft to talk about what it took to keep going when her family thought she was crazy, how she found her community, and why dressing as a character can make you braver than you've ever been as yourself.

• Why the transition from "everyone thinks you're crazy" to "everyone wants your autograph" requires you to be your own biggest supporter first, because nobody else will believe in it until you've already proven it works
• How finding your community changes everything, and why showing up in costume is the fastest way to make friends with people who share your passions even if you're an introvert
• The advice Ashlynne gives to anyone who's been wanting to try cosplay or attend a convention but keeps talking themselves out of it: just go, and don't let people who don't understand it stop you from having fun

Connect with Ashlynne: ashlynnedae.com | Instagram, TikTok, X, and BlueSky: @AshlynneDae

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tUaWJmO21tU

New episodes of Conversations That Count every Tuesday and Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

Full episodes, show notes, and resources at ctcpodcast.media

Free Communication Playbook with 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

If you open a Where's Waldo book believing you'll never find him, you won't. But if you believe he's in there and you keep your eyes open while you flip through the pages, he's going to pop up. That's exactly how abundance works in real life.

In this solo episode of Conversations That Count, David Shaft talks about the one belief most people are missing after they've built their plan, defined their success, and written out their perfect future: believing there's actually enough out there for it to happen to them. He shares the stat that 79% to 88% of millionaires in the US are self-made, the moment he stopped believing money was scarce and opportunities started showing up out of nowhere, and the conversation with his sister where they both realized the friendships flooding their lives only started when they stopped telling themselves nobody cared.

• Why telling yourself "there's not enough time, money, or opportunity for me" becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that closes your eyes to everything that's already right in front of you
• How David went from pushing people away and believing good friends didn't exist to having more invitations than he can keep up with, simply by changing the story he told himself
• The five minute mirror challenge: spend five minutes this week looking at yourself and reminding yourself that money, love, friendship, and opportunity are abundant and they're all there for you

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsThatCount-CTC

New episodes of Conversations That Count every Tuesday and Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

Full episodes, show notes, and resources at ctcpodcast.media

Free Communication Playbook with 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

The most important communication skill you will ever develop has nothing to do with presentations, meetings, or networking. It starts with the words you say to yourself every single day.

In this solo episode of Conversations That Count, David Shaft breaks down why self talk is the foundation of every other communication skill you will ever build. Following up on his previous episode about defining success on your own terms, David explains how the gap between who you are now and who you want to become gets closed by one thing: how you speak to yourself when nobody else is listening.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why the words you use about yourself shape your confidence, your career development, and every professional relationship you build

How to catch negative self talk patterns and reframe them into language that actually moves you forward (with real examples from David's own career in banking)

A simple homework challenge, find three phrases you say to yourself that hold you back and replace them with something that builds you up

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." Oscar Wilde's words hit different when you realize most professionals would never speak to a colleague the way they speak to themselves.

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsThatCount-CTC Visit: https://ctcpodcast.media

Free Communication Playbook, 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708

Overnight success is not a real thing. The real win is showing up, doing the work, and staying the course when nobody is clapping for you yet.

In this solo episode of Conversations That Count, David Shaft gets honest about a moment that caught him off guard. After a week and a half without talking to his sister, who is modeling in South Korea, he expected to have some huge life update to share. Instead, he realized something most professionals miss: the absence of chaos is not a sign that nothing is happening. It means you are on the right path.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why staying the course matters more than chasing a new breakthrough every week, and how consistency quietly builds the career development most people overlook

The mindset shift that separates professionals who burn out from those who build lasting success: you are not being paid for the work you do today, you are being paid for the years it took to become that valuable

How to stop letting social media and fear of missing out trick you into thinking your steady progress is not enough

"The world is beautiful outside when there is stability inside." David breaks down what that means for your professional development and your communication with yourself.

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsThatCount-CTC Visit: https://ctcpodcast.media

Free Communication Playbook, 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708