I spoke with Rob Lawless a few days ago about his journey @Robs10kFriends . Rob is on a journey to meet 10k people by spending 1 hour with them to engage in friendship and connection. I am pleased to share that I was the 10th person and I recall meeting Rob and him feeling very ambitious about his project. 

I am pleased to say he is still just as ambitious. In our conversation we talk about how he manages his own project, working with brands for collaboration and his insights about meeting other people. Rob has met many people from many walks of life, from entrepreneurs, musicians, activists, adult entertainers, and so much more. Rob has even landed on the Kelly Clarkson show while engaging in his journey. Tune in today's episode and learn about Rob's journey and gain some insight on networking and communication. 

As of today 6/5/2020 Rob has met 3467 people. 

Kelly Clarkson Show : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIzbL0p14CY&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0h2jhjxM7mrEIVl7peWkMmAin2XA1byUrii0ytJsRh6bllc9YAaL0b9Q8

Instagram Handle : @robs10kfriends 

I spoke with Philadelphia local Dan Drago . Drago is the founder of Philadelphia podcast 25' O Clock podcast . Dan's mission is to talk to Philadelphia local musicians in long form interview format and highlight the passions of others. Coming from a past touring background, a bonafide record collection and an excellent palate for food in this episode we talk about local music, session playing, the beauty of community in a music scene and being creative during the pandemic. Tune in more at this episode and check out 25'O Clock Podcast. 

https://www.25oclockpod.com/

I spoke to my old college friend and neighbor, Chris Ulmer. Chris is known by many names, from Sunshine, to Chris to Mr Chris. No matter how you know him, his positivity and charisma is contagious. Chris is the founder of Special Books by Special Kids(SBSK). SBSK is a non profit that started in 2016 that seeks to normalize the diversity of the human condition under the pillars of honesty, respect, mindfulness, positivity and collaboration. Chris created an all-inclusive movement that has been seen by over 2 billion people worldwide across social media channels. His organization intends to highlight people of all backgrounds and to destigmatize and normalize the issues associated with neurodivergent individuals across various spectrums. In this episode, we talk about how he manages his own content as a creator, his day to day life, how he manages self-care and how to stay grounded. Chris has also interviewed me about my own depression and how music helps me cope. Listen to more at Dreams Not Memes and follow the journey of SBSK at the links below. 

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4E98HDsPXrf5kTKIgrSmtQ/featured

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/specialbooksbyspecialkids/

Website

https://sbsk.org/?fbclid=IwAR2ziBvnRL77xqpe_0KH7dP-pnMNDD8nnE-hSFzD51guaqwif8xeNjxUFC0

I spoke with my old friend and colleague Mallory about her new venture, Spin City Oakmont. Spin City Oakmont (SCO) is a Pittsburgh centric, new boutique spinning gym that is taking on bringing body positivity to the center of their mission. Mallory talks about her journey of how she maintains a 9 to 5 and is prepping for the launch of a gym, her visions of making the fitness world more community-centered, and using social media to promote her brand. Find out more on Dreams Not Memes.  Spin City Oakmont is expected to open in the Summer of 2020 so follow their updates at the links below

FB: https://www.facebook.com/spincityoakmont/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spin_city_oakmont/?hl=en 

I spoke to Luke Shefski about the dynamics of relationship building as a creator and independent. Shefski is a songwriter, instrumentalist, producer, and mixing engineer. He has worked in the Philadelphia renowned Headroom Studios,  home of many records local to the mid Atlantic, east coast area. 

Luke has been a part of many releases ( 22 releases as a producer, and 20 records as an instrumentalist) including five of my own releases. In addition we are former tour mates and gigging buddies. In our conversation we talk about what it's like to manage his band Port Arthur and navigate relationships as a creator on the collaboration and engineer side.  Learn more about Luke's journey and how he has been able to navigate his wide range of projects as a creator. Check out his website below. 

https://www.shefskiproductions.com/portfolio

I spoke with Stephanie Williams, the founder of Rebel Coast Media(RCM). Rebel Coast Media is a  PR, marketing, social media and events management agency  Stephanie started this organization after working multiple years in the mainstream music industry. Williams talks to me in this episode about her experiences and insights on being her own boss, leaving the west coast to continue her career in Philadelphia and the shifts of promotional management in the music industry for independents while managing with changes in music journalism. Find out more on Dreams Not Memes and check out Rebel Coast Media at https://rebelcoastmedia.com/