Artup Bootcamp's Podcast

Tom and Sean talk puppets and life with filmmaker and master puppeteer Clay Achee. So much about the journey in building your own career in the Arts is about zeroing in on what you are really great at and what you really love. The bullseye where passion lives. And if you are lucky, some fabulous puppets and opportunities. Clay talks about letting your imagination take a leap and letting life unfold with great work and fun. He also talks about growing his new business organically and with determination. 

This episode we are not talking about creativity or business.  We are talking about the Presidential Election. One thing we have always tried to do is not make this podcast political.  And hopefully after this episode it will be back to business as usual. But another aspect of our show is that we always want to be open and honest to you guys.  So we figured we would discuss our thoughts and opinions on what went down last Tuesday.   So strap in and we hope we can spark a discussion with everyone about this election and grow as nation.

Sean and Tom talk about the great time they had with the young entrepreneurs of Bourbon Bay Clothing and what we learned from this great energy and focus of a start-up in high school as they prepare to graduate...

Tom and Sean welcome their youngest entrepreneurs yet to the sho, The Bourbon Bay Clothing company, started by 3 guys in high school at the age of 16. Already live on ecommerce and selling products, the guys share how they came up with their idea, got it funded and then sourcing materials from overseas, manufacturing, fulfillment and branding and much more. These young guys are inspiring and are the wave of the creative economy and artrepreneurs coming with this Generation ArtUp.

That's right! This is the last DAILY podcast. We are moving to a weekly show.  We just got back from DC Podfest and was blown away with what we got to take away from that amazing conference.  We wanted to make the move to weekly to focus on delivering quality over quantity.  So let us know what you think and trust me we will be listening.     Check out DCPodfest

We are so excited for Sean to have the opportunity to be a speaker at the DC Podfest 2016 in Washington, DC this year.  For his session he is going to be talking about how to commit to your own podcast along with all of the excuses and reasons you will put in your own way in order to find ways to not even start.   It's one of the hardest things to commit to something. And we all know why: because it's a whole lot easier to do nothing than to actually start something. In this episode Sean is talking about how excited he is to return to DC with his wife again, and to be a part of such an amazing conference.   Check them out at DCPodfest.com

Sales are the life-blood for every business. But it can make a lot of folks very uncomfortable when they are first starting out. Think in Art terms: like an audition, you prepare, sketch, practice, all in hopes of solving problems using your product or service in order to help your customer. It can be like jazz, listening and responding to help the clients and customers get exactly what they need and knowing that you care. And if its done well, its like the movie Casablanca, "the start of a wonderful friendship". And then you have a customer for life, and probably great word of mouth to the very folks you need to talk to. You got this.  

Customer Service might be one of the most overlooked areas of creative businesses. As artist and creatives, we have a unique ability to excel in this area because artists really pay attention, listen, and have empathy for others - key attributes in customer service.  Customers and clients are collaborators and are the core of your income. We talk about how to leverage the best of who you are to deliver excellent customer service no matter what you are delivering, be it a service or product.  

The title of this episode is, "We create because we give a damn."  That is what you find when you walk into Andrew Reilly's office.  It's what they live by.   We had a great conversations talking about what it really takes to be creative and to play by your rules.  To make your own way.  As a business owner you are tempted to stay on the path.  Play it safe and not take risk.  But Drew is doing it his way.   Check out this great interview and check out more on Slash at  S/ash  

Happy Halloween Bootcampers! Now we get down to brass tacks. Tricks or Treats? Join Tom and Sean as they talk start up Artup, what it means to really make it and what we all want out of it. On this special day when candy corn is the coin of the realm!  

Can't end a special Halloween Week without talking about the Classic Monsters. We all have our favorites and is there some art lesson of these classic characters that can speak to the creative community today as we ArtUp and StartUp and reinvent our lives. Dr. Frankenstein, Dracula, the Werewolf, and the gang help us get to the 'chewy center' of it all....

You KNEW we had to do it... our first ever Zombie Themed Artup Bootcamp. What can we learn from zombies? More than you might think! This season is one of play and remembering our inner kid. Dress up and monsters and all the metaphors of the season. The creative community is at its best during all these great holidays. License to dream. Join us as we suit up and take these damn zombies seriously. What are they trying to tell us? 

In keeping with Halloween Week, Sean and Tom talk about F.E.A.R. and what it really means to an artist, artrepreneur. Its an acronym and you will love the way it makes you re-think the stuff that scares you. Removing obstacles and making doubt and fear your allies and plowing forward. F.E.A.R. sounds like an organization from a tv show or movie villains. Grab some candy corn and join us!!! Boo!!

Halloween week makes Tom and Sean think about the metaphor of costumes and trying out new ideas. Part of change is the new identity of your true life. Try putting on the costume of the life you want to lead and give it a spin. Talk to mentors or folks you aspire to be. And have fun. It really is about making your best life. You got this... 

This week...HALLOWEEN WEEK! We are going to be having a Halloween themed week. This episode we talk about what scares you as an Entrepreneur and what's worse to be scared to succeed or too scared to even try.   Spoiler...GO FOR IT!

For our Special 50th Episode we asked the CEO of the Pennington Family Foundation to join us to talk about all things ArtUp. Lori Bertman as CEO has seen the crisis of imagination up close as a major thought leader in disaster philanthropy, art philanthropy, social justice philanthropy and so much more. The Pennington Foundation has been on the front lines of the work to bring the value of the hearts and the principles of business together. We know this for certain. The Pennington Family Foundation and their CEO, Lori Bertman have believed in our work from the very beginning and we received our first major grant from them. Join us to talk in very specific and clear ways how the creative class is the path to create the solutions we need in our lives and in our communities and in our worlds.

Sean and Tom talk about what its like dealing with mental health in the creative workplace.  How to deal with mental health and to be comfortable with being yourself. 

Tom and Sean talk about how you identify who your tribe is and how to make the most out of working with them, and growing yourself and your business.

Jamey Firnberg came into the studio for a great interview. We got to talk about his photography studio Rockit Surgery.  We discuss how to have a side business where you have a passion and start turning it into a business while having a full-time job.   Check out more of Jamey's work at RockitSurgery.com

This episode we get into what its like developing a routine.  We talk about how journaling can make your day way more productive, and help you keep track of your thought, ideas, and your time.    Enjoy Episode 46!