The Ultimate Creative

In this episode I had the opportunity to interview my wonderfully talented friend Aba Amuquandoh about her career as a sketch comedian in Toronto. Not only is she hilarious, she’s an award winning playwright and member of the well-known sketch comedy troupe The Sketchersons, AND, I’m lucky enough to call her my friend!

Update: Aba now a regular writer and performer on This Hour Has 22 Minutes! Totally called the fame thing, Aba is a regular superstar! AHHHH!!!!!!!

I met Aba almost a year ago in our conservatory class at the Toronto Second City Training Centre. In this time I’ve been so grateful to have the opportunity to learn alongside her, for many reasons. As a writer and performer, one of Aba’s key talents is her ability to rapidly generate deeply layered points of view with improv and sketch comedy, which consistently blows me away and challenges me to work harder at the craft. Add the bonus of her unwavering support for her troupe members, her ability to cultivate an inclusive community of learning AND her friendship, and you’ve got one of the coolest people in Toronto. 

Aba also shares how she holds herself accountable for jumping on opportunities to grow and develop her career as they come her way. By recognizing imposter syndrome when it emerges and reminding herself that she absolutely can accomplish her goals, she continues to challenge herself to keep moving forward. Often times imposter syndrome will come out of comments she hears about her work from others. 

“At the beginning of my career I definitely took those comments for face value. I thought they were worth something. Newsflash, they’re fucking not.”

“Sometimes I have this, I have this habit of making things feel a lot bigger than they are in my mind. You know, you make them so grand in your mind, you inflate them. they seem way more important than they are. And when you don't do well, it can, it can be a blockage. It can feel as though, while this is the end of the road, or like, why try anymore? Like, I embarrass myself so bad that I don't, maybe I'm not cut out for this and all those things, all those moments that I felt two years ago, now that I look back, you know, they they're absolutely nothing.”

And the big takeaway from this conversation was understanding our own definitions of balance within our careers, and how it looks for everyone individually.

“I think near the, end of last year, though, I did begin to realize that I need to take more time for myself as a creator, as somebody who is, who has to be on. In order to do the jobs that I do, It's important to have periods of rest. I think that for a lot of young creatives or people who are up and coming, we sometimes imagine that our schedule is going to have time for a day job that gives you a good paycheque every two weeks. And then underneath that, you're going to have your creative career where you can perform at night. Then you can schedule vacation time and hang out with friends. 

“And unfortunately it doesn't work like that at all. I think I expected that. And instead what I got were these weird periods, like two, three months at a time where everything is so busy and I'm getting not that much rest, but then a month or so after that I'll have an extended period of not working and not getting gigs and kind of just chilling at home.

“I think that is also a type of balance. And for everybody our balance doesn't have to look the same. It can be this organized schedule of taking time off, or it can be working in these crazy spurts and then having extended periods of rest.”

Links mentioned in this episode:
Nostalgique Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/nostalgique/id1492223483 
The Sketchersons https://www.sketchersons.com/
Aba’s Twitter https://twitter.com/abaistalking
Aba’s Instagram @abaquann 

If you’re working on building a network, this episode is for you. I interviewed Toronto comedian and podcaster Matt Ardill about his journey of podcasting, and how it helped him to go from watching comedy, to rubbing elbows with the likes of Patton Oswalt and Weird Al’s PR team, to performing it.

Matt’s podcast “Comedy Album Book Club” invites comedians to talk about the comedy album that most influenced their careers, book club style. Everyone watches the same comedy special, and then they chat about it!

But where to find guests?

Matt and Jason would attend comedy festivals, clubs, you name it – and quickly started booking bigger and bigger names. And then one day, they booked Patton Oswald! Kind of a huge deal amiright? Meanwhile, Matt’s rolodex was getting bigger and bigger with more names of comedians than you can fit into… a rolodex! So he got a smartphone like everyone else.

Alright maybe I made that last part up, but he did interview Patton Oswalt and he does know a LOT of comedians.It wasn’t long before Matt started feeling the itch to try comedy himself. Being around so many funny people gave Matt the boost he needed to try his hand at COMEDY SCHOOOOOOL! Which is where I met him!

Taking improv classes, Matt started to feel a different sense of community building, one that supported his ambition to get up on stage with a microphone and tell jokes – one that is very scary to do and something I myself have not yet even attempted. After finishing the improv program he switched into stand up, and started crushing it immediately.

Since he knew the ropes of the industry, finding opportunities to get on stage was a cinch, and because he knew what to expect when he got up there, it was much easier to finally achieve his goal of being a stand up comedian.

Producing Podcasts and Comedy Shows
Now you can find Matt producing the podcasts of other comedians around the city (like Love is Everywhere, a podcast by comedian Tracy Hamilton), AND producing comedy shows via zoom, drawing from his huge network of comedian friends with Comedians in Apartments Drinking Water!

Links mentioned in this episode:
Comedy Album Book Club: https://comedyalbumbookclub.podbean.com/
Love Is Everywhere: https://www.loveiseverywherepodcast.com/
Interview With Patton Oswalt: https://comedyalbumbookclub.podbean.com/e/comedy-album-book-club-vol-7-supplemental-our-interview-with-patton-oswalt/

If you struggle with stage fright or tripping over your words, this episode is for you. 

In this podcast I’m going to give you my strategies for getting past that little voice in your head that says “don’t be such a dumb dumb” so you can start being yourself on your podcast.

1. Warm up before you record
2. Have your notes handy but don’t just read them
3. When you’re starting out, try recording the same episode a few times
4. If you stumble over your words, accept it and move on
5. If you catch yourself feeling totally lost, choose a point that sounds very interesting to you, and ask your guest to elaborate on it.
6. Pretend you’re talking to a super close friend or sibling
7. Think about the tone you want to set, and adjust your actual face to match it. Fun = smiling. Serious = serious. Fun never equals no smiling. Smiling’s my favourite. 
8. If you totally zone out because you’re nervous, practice bringing yourself back to your main focus. 
9. Take a deep breath
10. Remember that you are 100% amazing and so frickin’ cool - people want to be around you. They want to hear from you. So let them have it!

If you're thinking about starting a podcast, grab my mini course, How To Start A Podcast now! https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

In this episode I interview comic book author and editor Stephanie Cooke. Stephanie shares with us how she developed her career through podcasting. 

She joined a regular weekly comic book show and interviewed people for 3-4 years which spun off into other shows and other projects, including a podcast radio play called VRMP (which yours truly co-produced!) and ultimately built out her network of industry professionals.

If it had’t been for podcasting, Stephanie’s career would have been totally different. The opportunities she created for herself by jumping in and being the industry expert she is on various shows absolutely helped her along her thriving career journey!

Thinking about starting a podcast? You’re in luck! I’ve just launched Podcast Rocket, a brand new course that starts on May 25, that will take you from just a podcast idea to a fully launched show with 4 episodes ready to go in just 5 weeks! I’ll teach you everything you need to know starting with your podcast purpose and how you’ll use it to generate income, as well as different types of recording setups (including interviewing guests for great sound quality), and how to edit your podcast. 

Then we’ll cover how to use your podcast content to make your content marketing strategy more effective as we prepare for launch and develop a marketing campaign that boost your listens! If you’re thinking about starting a podcast there has literally never been a better time, and you can absolutely establish yourself as an industry leader now, and stand out from the crowd with your expertise. Check out https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-rocket and book a free podcast strategy call with me to find out if Podcast Rocket is right for you! 

Links mentioned in this episode:
https://stephaniecooke.ca/
http://twitter.com/hellocookie
http://instagram.com/hellocookie
http://www.facebook.com/hellocookie

On this episode I’m going to give you the essentials you need to get your podcast live! Use this podcast launch checklist to make sure your show is accepted to the podcast apps the first time you submit!

1. An intro and outro
2. Podcast Artwork
3. A Podcast Host
4. A podcast!
5. A Marketing Plan

Still need help?
Check out my mini course “How to start a podcast” over at https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast 

Links mentioned in this episode:
Podcast Rocket - A complete guide to launching your totally successful podcast! - https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-rocket/
Sounds Like An Earful - https://soundslikeanearful.com/

In this episode I interview Westin Grove, a multi-hyphenate creative entrepreneur who is both a trained audio engineer and social worker. He combined his two career streams to create the Mobile Arts Program with his business partner, which brings a music recording studio into different types of assistance facilities all over Toronto. And it all started more than 15 years ago.

Wes tells me how his passion for helping others through music was always part of his life. In his teens, he volunteered at a bereavement centre, helping other youth manage loss. He brought his guitar in one day to help them find another way to express what they were feeling, and the rest is history. As the Mobile Arts Program grew, Wes and his partner decided to start telling the stories of the front-line social workers who manage the clients that take part in their recording program. Their podcast, Bittersweet Stories was born. 

Wes explains that the podcast developed out of a desire to tell the stories of the social workers, and it ultimately ended up being a great marketing tool for the Mobile Arts Program. Not only is this guy super creative, he’s got some fantastic business savvy to make his ideas a reality!

Of course, Wes has more than one creative passion!

Wes also talks about the value of having multiple creative passions and how they can be an influence on one another. One of his “hobbies” is woodworking, which he gets a lot of creative fulfillment from. Working with organic material is a challenge that really gets his creative juices flowing!

He also plays music with others and for others both for work and for fun - AND, he’s an avid baseball fan, which led him to develop a second podcast called Jays Jam (for those of you who are especially missing sport right now!)

It’s all about flexibility.

In order to do everything he does, Wes says that he has balanced his creative career along with part time work as a bartender and server. He says that it has afforded him the ability to actually pursue his creative career to the point that he’s now able to do more on the creative side than ever before. Wes’ advice? Be patient, it takes time but it will happen if you keep going.

Links mentioned in this episode:
http://mobileartsprogramming.com/
https://www.instagram.com/mobileartsprogramming/
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/jays-jam/id1499291163

In this episode I want to give you some tactics to help you relax. I know, scary word right? Especially for those of us that are just constantly working (I say this having just “finished” an 8 hour day and I’m jumping into more work!). 

Look, it’s really not easy to relax when you’re ambitious and you have so many ideas. There’s just no way that you can justify not working hard on everything! But in order to really move forward, you have to. I know this, I’m learning this, I’m still struggling with this. I wish it was easier to relax. 

If you’re in the same boat as me, here are a few ideas you can use to try to consciously relax so that you don’t totally burn out on all of your amazing projects and businesses:

• Schedule in time to do physical activity - even if it’s just jogging in place while you stare out the window wishing you were outside.
• Spend dedicated time away from screens. If you’re not in a mentally awesome position to read, do some very light housework for an hour. You’ll feel accomplished with the benefit of time away. My favourite chore is supervising my Roomba whilst it deals with my messy floors.
• Call someone! Randomly! And talk about anything! Don’t make a big deal about it, just do it!
• Stretch every morning and every evening. It’s also great for your physical health.
• Practice meditation, even for 5 minutes a day and hold yourself accountable to it. You’ll be amazed at how much more present you can be with just 5 minutes a day.

What do you do to relax? Drop some ideas in the comments! Let’s support each other together while we do amazing things!

In this episode, I interview Justin Decloux (my partner) about the career he created for himself through his passion for everything film - and we get into his time management tricks and the nitty gritty details about how he manages to do it all! 

Justin Decloux is a filmmaker, podcaster, film programmer and author of two books. Because he has accomplished so many things throughout his career to date, we thought he'd be a great inspiration to help you figure out how to create your own career that includes many different elements, inspired by one of your passions. 

Justin explains why his passion for film generated multiple revenue streams while keeping himself interested, which is especially important for those of you with shiny object syndrome! By breaking up his time with different activities - whether it be editing one of his many podcasts or burning Blu-rays in his home production setup - Justin has created his own ideal working situation that allows him to do what he loves most as often as possible, which is watch movies. Like all the movies. So many movies!

Justin also discusses his own time management tricks, and how it's not always a one-size-fits-all approach. In fact, some time management techniques didn't last very long for him, which just goes to show that no matter what, it always comes down to your ability to motivate yourself. 

If you're in the mood for a podcast episode with some super hot tips on how to manage your time AND you want some inspiration to create your own career, this episode has exactly what you're looking for. 

Links mentioned in this episode:
Justin Decloux's Website https://justindecloux.com
The Important Cinema Club https://importantcinemaclub.com
Radioactive Dreams: The Cinema of Albert Pyun https://amzn.to/2V5NHGa
The Important Cinema Club Journal https://amzn.to/2RyLHEh
Bay Street Video Podcast https://soundcloud.com/thebaystreetvideopodcast
No Such Thing As A Bad Movie Podcast https://soundcloud.com/nosuchthingasabadmovie
Film Trap https://filmtrap.com
Impossible Horror Feature Film https://impossiblehorror.com
Teddy Bomb Feature Film https://teddybomb.com
The Laser Blast Film Society https://www.laserblastfilmsociety.com/
Managing Your Multi-Hyphen Career: https://theultimatecreative.com/multi-hyphen-career/

Managing Your Multi Hyphen Career 

Why hello there! You might be asking, "Emily, what's a Multi-Hyphen Career?" Well, dear friend, I'm about to blow your mind. A multi-hyphen career is one that incorporates more than one skillset or interest. "MORE THAN ONE?" you ask? YES! MORE THAN ONE! Insane, right? WRONG.

I'm guessing you probably grew up hearing a lot of the same messages I did. "Everyone has one true calling they need to follow!" Or, "you need to find your passion to be happy!" Well that's bullshit! I bet "they" never told you that your one true calling and passion could be a multi-hyphen career, did they? And you were probably told to focus on one thing to get very good at it, because nobody likes a generalist.

A multi-hyphen career is definitely a real thing that many people are gainfully employed with. But it doesn't mean that this type of career is easy - in fact it definitely will put you at a higher risk for burnout if it's not managed with a lot of empathy for yourself. So I put together a few ideas to help you manage your multi-hyphen career. 

Don't forget to like and subscribe! Follow me on Instagram at https://instagram.com/the_ultimatecreative and on Facebook at https://facebook.com/theultimatecreative

Leave a comment, ask me a question, let's get your shit done! WOO!

Let me just start by saying that to this day, I still have no idea what I’m doing or how I’m going to do it. The thing about building a creative career, or any career, is that most of the time, it’s just guessing until you figure something out. 

Once you’ve figured the same things out a few times, it becomes much easier to grow your career, but there will never not be a time when a curve-ball is going to come at you hard and fast, when you least expect it. 

Look I don’t know much about sports, is it possible to have a hard and fast curve-ball?

Don't forget to like and subscribe! Follow me on Instagram at https://instagram.com/the_ultimatecreative and on Facebook at https://facebook.com/theultimatecreative

Leave a comment, ask me a question, let's get your shit done! WOO!