What happens when you spend eight years chasing a dream—only to discover that achieving it can’t give you the validation you expected?Filmmaker Joseph Marconi spent eight years bringing his first feature film, *Baby Love*, to life.He endured rejection after rejection, raised the money however he could, lost his lead actress on the second day of production, and spent his nights rewriting while directing all day.But the greatest cost wasn’t the time, money, or exhaustion.For years, Joe carried the belief that finishing this film would finally prove something about him. Then he finished it—and the life-changing moment he imagined never came.The film couldn’t give him his worth. But it did show him what he was capable of.In this episode, we talk about:• What it really takes to make your first feature film• Turning rejection and anger into creative fuel• Why creativity is more like training for a heavyweight fight than waiting for inspiration• The relationship between sobriety, discipline, and healthy detachment• Why achieving your dream may not feel the way you imagined• Writing characters from your own psyche without realizing it• Finding the people who will champion your creativity• Why “the cavalry isn’t coming”—and what to do about itRESOURCES MENTIONED:📖 *The War of Art* by Steven Pressfield:https://a.co/d/04M1wRoz🎥 Mark Duplass’s 2015 SXSW Film Keynote — “The Cavalry Is Not Coming”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZeWOAliA6YIf you’ve ever believed that accomplishing one enormous goal would finally make you feel worthy, this conversation is for you.Subscribe for more honest conversations with creators about turning their darkest moments into breakthroughs—and discovering what else might be possible.#Filmmaking #CreativeProcess #IsThereMorePodcast

At some point, everyone who refuses to give up asks themselves the ultimate question: Am I persistent, or am I just fooling myself? Actor and producer Bert Rotundo has spent over 20 years pursuing his Hollywood dream, experiencing the exhilarating highs of bookings and the devastating lows of constant rejection and financial instability. After hitting rock bottom—delivering Postmates just to afford basic necessities—Bert was forced to completely reevaluate his identity and his career path. In this deeply honest interview, we discuss the brutal reality of the entertainment industry, navigating intense career burnout, and surviving your darkest moments. Discover how expanding your creative identity beyond just being an actor can lead to true reinvention, profound personal growth, and lasting fulfillment.🎙️ In This Episode, We Dive Into:- Surviving 20 years of Hollywood rejection- The psychological toll of the "starving artist" myth- Crying in a Postmates car: The reality of rock bottom- Why tying your entire identity to one job is dangerous- How to pivot from waiting for roles to creating your own- The concept of "compounding interest" in career success- Finding joy and mental peace outside of industry validation

Important Links & Resources:- 🌐 Dialogue Life Skills (Free monthly online mental health classes):https://istheremoreworld.com/dialog-lifeskills/- 🎙️ Is There More? Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@istheremoreworld/playlists- 🌐 Website: https://istheremoreworld.com/- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/istheremoreworld/- 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/istheremoreworld/If you found value in Bert's incredible journey of persistence and reinvention, please hit the LIKE button and SUBSCRIBE to the channel for more raw stories and deep conversations! Share this video with a fellow creative who needs to hear this message today, and let us know your biggest takeaway in the comments below.#actingcareer #hollywooddreams #strugglingactor #creativejourney #reinvention #bertrotundo #podcastinterview #overcomingrejection #mentalhealth #indiefilmmaking

Welcome to a special live episode of Is There More with Megan A Tully! Today, we sit down with the legendary Brand Whisperer, Barbara "Coco B" Newman, and Creators Capital CEO, Jaxon J Huffman, to discuss the launch of a revolutionary new CPG beverage brand: Cowgirl Tea. Dive deep into the art of building a lasting retail brand, from finding your authentic voice and leaning into the cowgirl spirit to avoiding the pitfalls of hype-driven influencer marketing. We also welcome beverage broker Monty Van Brunt to discuss the massive success of Texas Tea and the strategy behind securing national distribution with retail giants like Kroger. Whether you're a creator looking to monetize or an entrepreneur building a lifestyle brand, this conversation is packed with expert marketing strategies and relationship intelligence insights.Episode Highlights- Building Cowgirl Tea- The Cowgirl Spirit- Mental health for creators- Texas Tea success story- CPG retail distribution strategy- Revealing new label design- Influencer hype vs fundamentalsTime Stamps 0:00 - Introduction to Creators Capital6:40 - Meet Brand Whisperer Barbara Newman8:35 - Mental Health & Dialogue Life Skills15:35 - Discovering the Cowgirl Spirit28:05 - Evolving the Cowboy/Cowgirl Culture41:10 - Jaxon’s Roots & The Inner Cowboy44:21 - Monty Discusses Texas Tea's Success47:20 - Influencer Hype vs. Brand Fundamentals52:05 - Partnering Creators with Cash-Flowing Businesses1:14:08 - The Product Label Design Process1:17:53 - Cowgirl Tea Label Reveal1:26:07 - Conscious Capitalism & Youth Programs1:37:15 - National Distribution Strategies (Kroger & Walmart)Important Links & Resources- Texas Tea: https://texastea.com (Available on Amazon with 10% off code in chat!)- Cowgirl Tea: https://cowgirltea.com | Follow on social: @drinkcowgirltea- Wardrobe Partner: Flipstone Vintage in Fort Worth (Dancing Heart)- Recommended Book: *Getting the Love You Want* by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt (Check out my Amazon Library of Love!)- Event Mention: Launching at VidSummit in Dallas, TexasAbout Barbara "Coco B" Newman:Throughout her advertising career, Barbara worked on campaigns and slogans like: “Milk, It Does a Body Good” for the Milk Board, “It’s Magic” for Disney, “Choosy Moms Choose Jif” for P&G, “So Advanced. It’s Simple” for Canon, and the long-running anthem “We Fit America” for Fruit of the Loom. She was the Global Creative Director on Slim-fast and wrote “It’s your Life. Feed it Right.” In just four years, her vision took it from a $200M weight loss product to a billion-dollar lifestyle brand, paving the way for the sale to Unilever.About Jaxon J Huffman:Jaxon is the founder of Creators Capital, a venture studio empowering creators, entrepreneurs, and investors to turn ideas into scalable ventures. A former homeless teen turned world-touring dancer and choreographer for Vanilla Ice, Jaxon went on to build successful businesses in music, media, and tech. Creators Capital operates through Creator Houses, offering mentorship, a hands-on Creator Curriculum with mental health as its foundation, and strategic investments to help creative leaders build lasting wealth through Relationship Intelligence™ (RI). If you found these brand-building secrets and creator economy insights helpful, please hit that LIKE button, share your thoughts in the comments, and SUBSCRIBE for more exclusive interviews and business strategies! Don't forget to turn on the notification bell so you never miss an episode. #cowgirltea #texastea #creatorscapital #brandbuilding #cpgbrands #creatoreconomy #marketingstrategy #retaildistribution #beverageindustry #entrepreneurship

Did addiction cause you to lose everything—or did you give it away?

In this episode of Is There More?, Megan A Tully sits down with St. Louis chef, restaurateur and Spaghetti Wars creator Pepe Khem for an honest conversation about addiction, relapse, sobriety, ego, creativity and spiritual recovery.

After relapsing following nearly a decade of sobriety, Pepe found himself trapped in heroin addiction and returning home to a wife and sister who refused to give up on him.

He says it wasn’t getting shot, being locked up or losing material things that finally changed him. It was experiencing their unconditional love.

Pepe also shares why he no longer believes addiction caused him to lose everything. In his words, he gave it away.

Today, cooking has become part of his recovery: a creative practice that helps him “cook away” his resentments, live from the inside out and use what he has to create the best in himself.In this conversation, we explore:

• Addiction as a physical, mental and spiritual disease

• Relapse after long-term sobriety

• Heroin addiction and the journey toward recovery

• Pride, ego and surrender

• The role of unconditional love in healing

• Cooking as therapy and creative expression

• Learning to accept life on life’s terms

• The difference between wants, needs and love

• Pepe’s creative projects, Spaghetti Wars and Psycho Chef

If this conversation makes you think of someone, send it to them.Subscribe to Is There More? for honest conversations with creators about how their darkest moments became their greatest breakthroughs.

Follow Pepe Kehm:Instagram: https://instagram.com/spaghetti_pepe

Spaghetti Wars Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAqnOCTwPzg

Follow on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/istheremoreworld

Free Dialog Life Skills Class on Sunday 7/26:https://istheremoreworld.com/dialog-lifeskills/

Follow Megan A. Tully:Instagram: https://instagram.com/meganatully

What happens when you choose a career because you want to save the planet — only to realize there may be more money in developing the land than protecting it?

In this episode of Is There More?, Megan A. Tully sits down with Gen Z environmental scientist Jade Reather, a fourth-generation farm kid whose family has preserved the same Missouri land for nearly 100 years.

Jade studied environmental science believing she could build a career creating real change. But after entering the workforce, she discovered a frustrating reality: many of the environmental jobs that pay well exist to help development projects move forward, while the work focused on conservation and environmental protection can be much harder to build a sustainable career around.

We talk about the tension between making money and making change, climate burnout and eco-anxiety, the environmental impact of land development and data centers, the future of small family farms, and why our economy often values what can be built on land more than the land itself.

Jade also opens up about what it means to potentially become the fourth generation responsible for her family’s 52-acre Missouri farm — while still dreaming of traveling the world and building a bigger life of her own.

Can you protect where you came from without giving up where you want to go? Does land have to generate money to have value? And what happens when the career you chose to make a difference doesn’t align with the change you actually want to make?

This is a conversation about environmental science, family farms, conservation, climate anxiety, Gen Z, land development, sustainability, and the complicated relationship between purpose and profit.

Subscribe to Is There More? for more honest conversations about the experiences, questions, and turning points that shape who we become.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Meet Gen Z Environmental Scientist Jade Reather
02:22 Why She Chose Environmental Science
04:47 Make Money or Make Change?
07:12 Climate Burnout & Feeling Powerless
12:01 Growing Up on a Fourth-Generation Family Farm
21:29 Who Will Inherit the Family Farm?
23:51 Data Centers, Development & the Fight for Land
28:34 Can You Keep Your Roots and Still Build a Bigger Life?
35:43 Can Small Family Farms Survive?
47:19 What She Would Tell Her 17-Year-Old Self

Learn More About Texas Tea

(Use code MEGTEXAS10 for 10% off your first purchase)

#EnvironmentalScience #FamilyFarm #ClimateBurnout #Sustainability #GenZ #LandConservation #IsThereMore

In part one of my conversation with Cait Starling, we talked about how to find yourself after getting lost in a relationship.

In part two, we go deeper into what happens once you find yourself again.

Because finding yourself is one thing, but letting someone actually see you is another.

This episode is about self-abandonment, people-pleasing in relationships, dating, vulnerability, and why being the “nice guy” or the “good girl” hurts everyone in the end.

Cait beautifully explains how people don’t mean to be dishonest. They’re just afraid that if they communicate who they are, what they need, and what they want, they won’t be met with approval.

And sometimes, both people are people-pleasing. One person is afraid to ask for what they need, and the other is afraid to say no. So instead of honesty, the relationship gets built on fear, performance, and resentment.

Cait and I explore the question: if we all learned how to be a little more clear with ourselves and with each other from the beginning, would most relationships even happen?

If you’ve ever lost yourself trying to be easy to love, this episode is for you.

Watch Part 1 with Cait Starling: How to Find Yourself After Getting Lost in a Relationship

Join 'Love Dynamics Academy' with Cait Starling on Skool

Subscribe for more conversations about relationships, healing, mental health, creativity, and the question underneath it all: Is there more?

#PeoplePleasing #Relationships #SelfAbandonment #InfluencingPeople #HighlySensitivePeople

If someone you love has dementia, this conversation is for you.In this episode of *Is There More?*, Megan A. Tully sits down with Adria Thompson, a speech therapist, dementia educator, and creator behind Be Light Care, for an honest conversation about dementia caregiving, caregiver guilt, memory care, and the hard family decisions that come after a dementia diagnosis.When Megan’s mom was diagnosed with vascular dementia, she started documenting the experience online — not as a medical expert, but as a daughter, artist, and caregiver trying to understand what was happening in real time. After finding Adria’s dementia education content, Megan invited her on the podcast to talk through what families actually need to know when someone they love is living with dementia.In this episode, Adria explains why correcting someone with dementia can make things worse, how to enter their reality instead of fighting it, and why everything a person with dementia does “makes sense to them.” She also shares practical dementia caregiver advice around communication, caregiver burnout, memory care, nursing homes, assisted living, and the guilt that can come with choosing support.This conversation is for anyone caring for a parent with dementia, supporting a loved one with Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia, considering memory care, or trying to make sense of the emotional weight of becoming a caregiver.

Have you ever felt like your dream was on pause because you were waiting for someone to choose you?In this deeply honest episode of Is There More?, filmmaker Maris Lidaka opens up about what it takes to build a creative life when no one is coming to hand you the opportunity.After graduating film school, Maris spent years believing he needed the perfect budget, the right permission, or the big break before he could make the work he was meant to make. But after losing his father, moving to LA, struggling to find his footing, and eventually cleaning houses just to get by, he had a wake-up call: if this was what life looked like while waiting, he might as well start creating.We talk about grief, identity, perfectionism, filmmaking, the pressure to be “ready,” and the dangerous trap so many artists fall into — waiting to be rescued instead of making the dang thing.Maris also shares the story behind his upcoming feature film, Concrete River, about a homeless music producer with synesthesia trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter, and how that story grew from real discoveries in his own life.If you’ve ever felt stuck, behind, under-resourced, or like your creative life can’t begin until someone finally picks you, this conversation will remind you that completion is better than perfection — and that your career won’t start itself.

Blended Future Project:

https://blendedfutureproject.com/

Maris Lidika Substack:

https://marislidaka.substack.com/

Podcast Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/istheremoreworld

Megan's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/meganatully

Have you ever completely lost your identity while trying to keep a relationship together? In this deeply personal episode of Is There More?, relationship coach Cait Starling opens up about her journey of finding herself after years of chronic people-pleasing, surviving infidelity, and navigating a heartbreaking divorce. Married at just 18 and thrust into the heavy role of a constant caretaker, Cait spent her twenties prioritizing everyone else's needs above her own before finally hitting rock bottom. We dive deep into overcoming emotional disconnection, healing from profound family grief, and navigating the confusing world of dating after marriage. If you've ever felt lonely in a partnership or struggled to set healthy boundaries, this conversation will inspire you to stop abandoning yourself and finally reclaim your true identity.

🔗 Important Links & Resources:☕ Sponsor: Get 10% off your first purchase of Texas Tea!👉 Visit: https://texastea.com (Use Code: MEG10)Connect with Megan & Is There More?:📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/istheremoreworldIf this episode resonated with you, please hit the LIKE button, leave a COMMENT with your biggest takeaway, and SHARE this video with someone who might need to hear it. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE and turn on the notification bell for more conversations about healing, relationships, and mental health!

In this episode of Is There More?, Megan A Tully sits down with filmmaker, author, and history of cinema professor Michael Glover Smith to talk about his new indie film Hekla, premiering in Los Angeles at Dances With Films this month! Get your tickets here: https://danceswithfilms.com/2026-hekla/What starts as a conversation about independent filmmaking becomes a much deeper exploration of art, relationships, divorce, creative identity, and the emotional cost of being an artist.Michael opens up about how Hekla was shaped by his own life — including his divorce, the death and rebirth of identity after a long relationship, and the question so many creative people quietly carry:Can you fully devote yourself to your art without losing the person you love?We talk about the making of Hekla, micro-budget filmmaking, directing actors, collaborating with Elizabeth Stam, giving up creative control, using pain in performance, and what happens when your personal life becomes the material for your work.Michael also shares behind-the-scenes stories he says he has never shared in another interview — including why he wasn’t present for the first two days of shooting, how the fantasy sequences were created, and how walking five miles a day influenced the opening of the film.This conversation is for filmmakers, actors, artists, writers, and anyone who has ever wondered whether their ambition, creativity, or inner world could cost them a relationship.Follow Michael Glover Smith:https://www.michaelgloversmith.com/Follow Megan A Tully / Is There More?:https://www.instagram.com/meganatully/