As I enter into this week, I have three things on my mind. We are talking about having the humility to ask for help, surrounding ourselves with morally successful people rather than socially successful, and, finally, we break down why it's more triumphant to succeed in a new place than the place you grew up in. Let's get it!

I have been very fortunate in my career to be surrounded by a number of photographers who believe in lifting each other up rather than pulling each other down. Kevin is one of those photographers. Happy to have him on the mic!

Thomas opens up about who and what inspires him, what gets him out of the bed in the morning, and how he stays driven. Oh, and watching Seinfeld reruns as a second grader.

Ramen baths, grilled cheese contests, and the winning soup recipe – and that's barely scratching the surface. Thomas tracks the trajectory as Janey explains how she turned her hobby into her career in 5 years. Oh, and how celebrities like Michael Simon and Chrissy Teigen follow her – if you're into that sort of thing. Great talk!

Back at it with another solo podcast! Thomas is thinking about making these on the off-weeks when there aren't interviews, but he's not committing to it just yet. We'll play it by ear. Regardless, he just wanted to jump on the mic and share a story this week. He got some really poor advice a few years ago that he was able to dissect and turn into a really beneficial strategy that he still applies to this day.

Another first — podcast from the road! Thomas is couch-surfing through Nashville this week and, not only he sleep on Stefani's couch, he got to sit down with her for a talk. The two talked about how traveling molds us, being a musician in Nashville, and what it's like to make a career transition. Being able to travel and talk to people outside of my little Cleveland bubble is incredible. I'm looking forward to taking this show everywhere I can!

The first solo episode of the Thomas Sawyer Podcast – Thomas dives into the origin story of the program. Starting a podcast without the proper equipment sounds like the wrong move, but it was the best decision he could've made. He also dives into the direction he hopes to take the podcast and how you can get involved!

Pumped to have Lisa on the third episode! We talked about where we draw inspiration, work-life balance, navigating relationships while being self-employed, and leaving a legacy. Oh, and there's plenty of giggling. Lisa is one of the reasons why you're hearing this podcast. She continues to encourage (more like push) me to explore opportunities like writing and speaking and podcasting and just about everything I've ever mentioned having a slight interest in doing. So glad to have her on. Great talk!

Thomas sits down with Alex Mazzurco, a body builder and fitness coach. He fully expected to cover nutrition, exercise, and other things completely outside his wheelhouse, but the two ended up sharing their experiences of being self employed. Great talk!

From writing and preforming in her band, The Whiskey Hollow, to coaching vocalists across the country to managing a publishing company. Madeline's got a hand in just about everything music related. Thomas and Maddy talk about her new record, ways to stay motivated when dealing with stress, and self expression in art.