On episode 35, I have a very special #CreativeConversation with one of my nearest and dearest OG pals, Lee Rutledge.

Lee is actually the creator of this podcast's theme music, but he's more commonly known as an up-and-coming artist/producer who actually goes by two different monikers: Kakuyon and thomTide which are both derived from his two middle names, Kakuyon and Thomas.

Raised in New Jersey and currently based in San Diego, Lee became serious about creating music in high school due to inspiration from other creatives he met as a member of the track team. One of these creatives, Shotta Spence, is now a close friend, frequent collaborator, and also a former P&P guest.

Initially solely focused on producing, Lee decided to start writing lyrics to his own beats and it resulted in the release of his debut album, "Now Go And Flourish" which was later followed up by his collaborative E.P., "Castling: Sky".

While planning his next project, he realized that his vision wouldn't tie in well with the Kakuyon style/branding, so he decided to create a whole new alter ego as thomTide. This led to the release of his episodic album/playlist/series, "Seasons" where he released 1 song every 2 weeks for a year straight!

In this episode, we discuss:

· how music was always in his bones (5:44)

· the making of "thomTide" (23:41)

· wanting to quit as a creative (31:20)

· the effect of Computer Science on his creative process (41:53)

· why being comfortable is a struggle (51:54)

LISTEN TO KAKUYON

LISTEN TO THOMTIDE

SONGS REFERENCED IN INTRO:

• Bag on a Bag - Shotta Spence ft. Kakuyon
• twentySuns - thomTide

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

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On episode 34, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, Rosanna Connolly, the founder of Morena Communications.

It is a startup dedicated to delivering bespoke PR campaigns for musicians who want more than just "press". Bespoke means "custom-made", and in this episode, Rosanna details how she executes these bespoke campaigns from start to finish.

Also in this episode, we talk about: 

· why she decided to cut her hair (5:05)

· her ethical clothing brand dedicated to empowering Women of Color (10:56)

· working with artists such as Ludacris, my twin Ne-Yo, and Rihanna (25:16)

· the easiest technique to help you remember everything (31:24)

· the #1 way for any artist to grow their audience (47:03) 

FOLLOW ROSANNA

MORENA COMMUNICATIONS

MORENA

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

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FOLLOW POL

On episode 33, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, Tom Boyd, a.k.a “Boyder” in a past life.

These days, Tom is a content creator who is strictly dedicated to ensuring other content creators are thriving.

He does this via his brand "Bonus Footage" where he posts short, eye-catching, insightful clips filled with how-to’s, anecdotes, tips, and other resources to help creators create content that actually makes an impact.

He also hosts a podcast called "Creators Are Brands" where he interviews creators who are publicly building brands based on themselves.

In this episode, Tom talks about: 

• what it was like to rap with Asher Roth, meet P. Diddy, and work with Scooter Braun (2:50)
• pivoting out of the music industry and finding his own lane (07:19)
• how he creates his Bonus Footage content (11:53)
• what he's learned from interviewing young Tik Tokers (22:27)
• how everyone is born with natural strengths (47:10)

FOLLOW TOM

WATCH BONUS FOOTAGE

LISTEN TO CREATORS ARE BRANDS

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

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FOLLOW POL AND PALS

FOLLOW POL

In episode 31, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, Julie Verhage-Greenberg. She's the co-founder of Fintech Today, a community and content company focused on the Fintech startup ecosystem. She's also the host of Fintech Today's podcast, Tux Time, which some have said is one of the best, if not THE BEST-PRODUCED podcast of our time.

In this episode, Julie talks about:

● Being the first in her family to attend college (3:11)

● How Journalism Works (9:56)

● Pros and cons of founding a company with somebody drastically different from her (19:05)

● Eloping with her husband during peak pandemic (40:00)

● The importance of finding a mentor (51:44)

FOLLOW JULIE

https://twitter.com/julieverhage

CHECK OUT FINTECH TODAY

https://fintechtoday.co/

LISTEN TO TUX TIME

https://www.podpage.com/tux-time-by-fintech-today/

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKfxTXF27HvCqWKNtgXcRXg

READ NEWSLETTER

https://polandpals.live/read

FOLLOW POL AND PALS

https://polandpals.live/

FOLLOW POL

https://bit.ly/ponyboypol-pod

Living a happy and successful life means not limiting yourself to what others think or what is currently happening in today's society. Going beyond expectations offers a straight path in becoming bigger than your goals. In episode 31, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, Kamil McFadden, an actor who's most notably known for his role as Ernie in Disney's K.C. Undercover. His acting credits also include Tyler Perry's House of Payne, Grown Ups 2, and Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors.

In this episode, Kamil talks about:

· His mother's impact on his life and career (12:50)

· COVID-19 takeaways and shift to video poetry (14:54)

· What it takes to live without expectations (26:00)

· The acronym of SERVE (32:29)

· Most memorable auditions and acting roles (50:15)

· Passion for photography and other hobbies (55:05)

���LINKS���

· FOLLOW KAMIL

· WATCH KAMIL'S FIRST POEM COME TO LIFE: "LUV N ALL DA MAGIC"

· WATCH EPISODE 

· READ NEWSLETTER

· FOLLOW POL AND PALS

· FOLLOW POL

On episode 30, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, Nikita Redkar, who is a stand-up comedian, actor, and screenwriter.

She has been a standup comedian for 5+ years with notable accolades such as a semifinalist for the 2019 Funniest Person in Austin. She also wrote and acted in her debut web series, "Paranormal Disruption" and is currently studying for her Master's in film at the Met Film School in London.

In this episode, we discuss:

• the impact/non-impact of growing up in multiple places (Austin, (Singapore, Germany, etc...) (3:04)
• how she got into stand-up (11:26)
• writing her first-ever web series with no prior knowledge of screenwriting/producing (21:56)
• using comedy to detail her struggles with mental health (34:23)
• if it's necessary to address her sexuality in her comedy (42:03)
• her words of advice (59:31) 

🔗LINKS🔗

• FOLLOW NIKITA
• WATCH PARANORMAL DISRUPTION

• WATCH EPISODE
• READ NEWSLETTER
• FOLLOW POL AND PALS
• FOLLOW POL

On episode 29, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, Benji Bear, Founder of Covidopoly: an online multiplayer card game (based off Monopoly Deal) that's been played over 1 MILLION times and in 150+ Countries!

Benji is also the founder of Benji Bear Photography, and his work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, Newsweek, and the Detroit Free Press.

In this episode, Benji talks about:

- why he's currently in Alaska (1:36)

- why the Empire State Building was lit up just for him (5:34)

- why he didn't continue pursuing pre-med (22:03)

- how Covidopoly came to be (27:42)

- why he hasn't quit his job at Youtube (42:46)

- how his family has influenced him (54:45)

- his words of advice (59:31) 

🔗LINKS🔗

• FOLLOW BENJI
• BENJI BEAR PHOTOGRAPHY
• COVIDOPOLY
• TRAVEL BEAR PHOTOS

• WATCH EPISODE
• READ NEWSLETTER
• FOLLOW POL AND PALS
• FOLLOW POL

On episode 28, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, JoJoe Earley, President/Founder of Earleybird TV: a production company that is re-presenting black and brown stories to the world of cinema by broadening the revelation of their humanity through their magic, power, and spirit.

In this episode, JoJoe talks about:
- why he worked in a jail (8:11)
- how he became a Vine sensation  (12:46)
- the reason behind Vine shutting down (20:10)
- the inspiration behind Earleybird (37:49)
- living with Sickle Cell (44:36)
- why failing is the best success (1:04:04)
- how I have the potential to be the next Will Smith (1:06:36) 

🔗LINKS🔗

• Earleybird TV
• JoJoe (IG)
• J.B. Armstrong Interview
  
  
• WATCH EPISODE
• READ NEWSLETTER
• FOLLOW POL AND PALS
• FOLLOW POL

On episode 27, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, Kinsey Grant, Co-Founder/Host of Thinking Is Cool: a media startup dedicated to answering the question, "What if we all stopped to THINK a little harder?"

In this episode, Kinsey talks about:
- getting her start with Morning Brew (12:00)
- the inspiration behind Thinking Is Cool (23:18)
- building a community of Thinkers  (37:43)
- the 3rd thought (44:19)
- hot takes on potential Season 2 Topics (50:43)

🔗LINKS🔗

• Thinking Is Cool
• Kinsey (IG)
• Kinsey (Twitter)
• Kinsey (Tik Tok)
  
  
• WATCH EPISODE
• READ NEWSLETTER
• FOLLOW POL AND PALS
• FOLLOW POL

On episode 26, I have a #CreativeConversation with my pal, Stacey Ervin Jr., a wellness coach, elite athlete, and content creator.

In this episode, Stacey talks about:
- growing up in a single-parent household (5:58)
- his short stint in the WWE (20:18)
- what it's like to date a high-profile person (25:15)
- how he moved past the loss of his mother (36:34)
- why you should strive for wellness and not just fitness (31:40)
- his daily routine to start each day on a high note (41:46)

🔗LINKS🔗

• Stacey Ervin Jr. Fitness
• 1st Phorm
  
  
• WATCH EPISODE
• READ NEWSLETTER
• FOLLOW POL AND PALS
• FOLLOW POL