5 Ways to Get People Talking About your Creative Business

We can’t be the only people out there that find ourselves in a rut when the buzz surrounding our hard work goes silent. The truth is, putting the product together is the easiest part. Keeping people talking about your work once the initial “hype” that surrounds it dies off is much, much harder. In this week’s Youtube series from Carlee she’s giving you 5 steps that will help your word of mouth grow, and keep buzzing.

1. CREATE. Create something that provides value to your community, that really stays current to your brand (ie. your art and what it’s all about). If you know that you’re community is filled with 22 year old women  in the throws of navigating adulthood, that is perfect. Play to that demographic and develop a freemium, a free tool (often a PDF) that reflects your brand and their wants/needs. Do they want funky art like yours, but have no idea how to incorporate it into their living room? Give them 5 tips for doing so! Do they want a work of art that reflects their personal style? Walk them through how to find it! Make sure that this is information and advice  that you are willing to pass along for free. Remember, we want to start the conversation about your business and what you have to offer.Having something that reflects exactly what you are offering, and being able to put it directly into the hands of your target audience is something that is immeasurable to your success. This is going to cause a chain reaction. Word of mouth will start to spread, and your reach will start to expand organically.

2. BUILD A VEHICLE FOR DISTRIBUTION. Draft the template or email that you will use to distribute your new freemium that you have worked created. You are going to want to round up your list of friends in the industry, bloggers, vloggers, peers with any type of social media following, and those who resemble your brand’s target demographic. Having a template to use and in place makes it so much easier to send yourself out into the cyber land when you receive a new contact or connection. We use MailChimp for exactly this service. You can check them out, here. Be careful not to sound too salesy or pushy, people detest sales pitches!Make sure to leave the line of communication open in your template, so that you are always able to have feedback from these people.
3. PRESS SEND - OR NOT. MailChimp takes care of the automation aspect of correspondence. With the automated system in place you can make sure that you are getting your freemium to the right people at the right time. What’s even better than the automation, is having the analytic feedback that MailChimp breaks down for you. Get your content into the hands of the people who you want to start talking about your work.

4. KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. Check back in after they have had your brand’s product in their life for a few days. ...and keep checking in and providing value whenever you can. What you are doing is building a email list--and this list is going to help you succeed. You reaching out and following up keeps that line of communication open, and of course after a little cultivation...ask them to buy something. Remember, for all intensive purposes your business is closed unless you asked for money that day. .

5. REPEAT. Repeat steps one through four every so often, and with no hesitation! This should all become a part of your Hustling Repertoire. You’ve got this.

We want to hear what you have been doing to get people talking about your art and business!

Happy Hustler S.E. Tyler

Tell us a little bit about your hustle and your happiness journey.

Right now I am working as a social media designer and outreach coordinator for AIDS Fund Philly by day. It's meaningful work being able to help the 19,500+ people living with HIV in the Philly region improve their quality of life. I consider myself as an advocate for the LGBTQ community and it is a blessing to be able to carry this passion into my professional work.  By night you can find me howling at a full moon and teaching painting classes at Painting With a Twist in Haddonfield, New Jersey. My work can feel like a heavy burden, but when I stop to think of all that I have accomplished it makes me excited to the next chapter of my journey.

When I think of how this all began, my mind is taken back to the 3rd grade when I first started to write stories that were accompanied by my drawings. By the time I reached 12, I would be staying up past hours to draw on printer paper in my bed, eraser shavings falling in between my bed sheets. The next day I would walk into the lunchroom excited to share my comics and cartoon strips with my friends. At 13 I vowed that I would attend an art college, admittedly I was torn between a career in visual arts and a life as a musical theater performer.

Fast forward 8 years to my Sophomore year of art school and you would have found me still awake past the strike of midnight, furiously working on my next piece for critiques. This became a common practice, working all night and then finding 2 hours to nap before it was time to make the commute into the city. Art school was my childhood dream. I kept pushing myself harder and harder until the very end. After I graduated, I spent a good half hour staring at the honor cords I had earned from my four years as an Emerging Leader of the Arts Scholar. In that moment I finally released all the feelings from the stress and anxiety of the past four years with tears streaming down my face.

Up until that point I had viewed my life as a series of hurdles I had to jump in order to reach happiness. I will be happy once I am a great painter, I will be happy once I complete my thesis, I will be happy once I land that art job.  These are the thoughts that went through my mind until that point. Now I am trying to be present, keeping in mind that I am the only person responsible for my happiness. Choosing to be happy and to live in the moment, I can enjoy life so much more than before when I was always looking towards the next milestone.

What do you do to de-stress after or during a long, stressful day?

After I'm done work I usually have a long bike ride waiting for me. I channel the big feelings left over from the day into energy for the ride, accompanied by fast punk or metal music to get my blood pumping. When I get home I sometimes listen to more mellow music and sit in the dark with candles or Christmas lights. I also talk to my friends and family. Chances are they have had a stressful day too and we can help each other feel more grounded. And of course I will draw in my sketchbook. When I'm sketching I can slow down the anxious hamster wheels that are spinning nearly 24/7 in my head to focus on making something.

Where do you go for inspiration?

Music has always been a huge inspiration for my work. When I was 14 I once created a graphic novella with a story and characters all based off of Iron Maiden songs. My BFA thesis was a series of illustrations celebrating many of the American music icons that I have come to love. Whether you are tuned into Bone Thugs n' Harmony or Buddy Holly, music can transport you to another world, make you feel the joys and sorrows of someone you may have very little in common with day to day. Music can be a loud voice for the oppressed, it can be a silent confession. Music creates culture, and connects us all.

I am inspired a lot by my own life's experiences. Some ideas for my comics come from taking difficult feelings I have around navigating the world as a trans masculine non-binary person- and putting in in a light hearted humorous view. These are troubling times for folks who do not identify with their assigned birth gender, with laws being passed to keep us out of bathrooms, and not enough legislature available to protect people's rights to safe housing and employment. My comic Tranpire is an account of a gender nonconforming creature of the night. This vamp is full of spunk and keeps their head & their limp wrist up high, despite being a pariah from the living world, including the LGBT community. Luckily for me I have plenty of people in life that keep me from feeling like a lost soul, I hope my comic can bring a smile to the face of a gender rebel who feels broken down by society. If we can laugh, we can heal.

What are you currently reading or listening to (podcasts, books, blogs, etc.)?

I recently discovered a podcast called Season of the Witch on YouTube and it has a lot of great talk for people interested in spiritual magic practice. To me, magic is the willful manipulation of the energy around you- whatever energy you put into the universe you are bound to get back. This is very important in my pursuit of happiness- I am conscious to avoid negative energy being projected onto my future. If you believe you can't win, then you have already lost.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting their happy hustle journey?

Sometimes the best opportunities are not going to be served to you on a silver platter. One summer I was tasked with finding an internship position. I applied to many of the big names in the industry, my heart was set on landing a spot with a leading toy company. I was met with rejection from every place I applied, until I opened my mind. I searched for small non profit organizations that were in need of a graphic designer. I got accepted not once, but twice. So I carried out two internships as the sole designer on the staff, and learned alot more of my skills and problem solving than I might have otherwise. I made closer relationships, and was more valued on the team as the only person able to get the job done. One position I held even lead to a job that I currently work today.

Don't be afraid to ride your unicycle down the side avenue to success, rather than waiting on the highway breathing in exhaust from all the other SUV's in front of you.

What are some of your favorite quotes or words to live by?

This quote comes from a woman that I met once while waiting outside of a train station. She was complimenting me on my bright pink hair at the time, saying she was excited to turn her grey hair purple as her first dye job at 74. Why was she suddenly confident to make such a bold style choice?

She told me this: "One thing I have learned in my life is that most people only truly care about themselves. They are too busy worrying about their own lives to be truly concerned with what you are doing or how you look. So you should just do what you like. Live like nobody is watching- do whatever you can to be happy and free, because they aren't watching, and they don't care."

In one word, sum up your life as a Happy Hustler.

D.I.Y.

What are the three core values of your hustle and how do those values relate to your happiness?

My three core values have to be positivity, faith, and hunger.

Finding a space for positive energy in my hustle has taken me far. People recognize me as a good energy to have around, which has opened the way to many opportunities. If you are dredged with negativity, you are bringing everyone else down around with you. It's an unattractive quality and prevents you from having some appreciation for life- even when life is sad. I would be lying if I said I felt happy all the time. Its normal to be sad. Its not a bad thing. A sad time in life can still be enjoyed with some positive vibrations.

Next is faith, and no I don't mean George Michael with a choir of angels. I am not sure what my next career move will be, I might return to a position as a substitute teacher, I may be auditioning for a theatrical production for the first time in 4 years. I might make a book that is a total failure, I could spend a long time hustling before I reach the place of security I am seeking. What keeps me going is my faith in the universal powers that be- whatever road I travel, I will be provided for. The next chapter might result in a lot of money, or I could learn a completely new skill. I might even live on another continent for a few months, just to see what is out there for me. Wisdom is the ability to release control, release yourself from the idea of a prescribed route to happiness and success. I have faith that whatever choices I make for my future, the journey will be all the more colorful for it.

And lastly I am and will forever be stricken with hunger. Hunger for change, hunger for growth, hunger that I use to propel me over seemingly impossible obstacles. Someone once told me that they believed musicians create worse music as soon as they have achieved a stature of fame and fortune. If you have nothing else to work towards, then your intentions become less sincere. This is why I stay hungry. To appreciate all that I have worked hard to gain, and to keep my focus on all there is left for me to conquer. I will never settle for satisfaction, I starve for excellence.

Where will APOP be next?

 

What: The 2016 Leadership Conference For Women In The Arts

When: Saturday, October 15, 2016 from 8:30am-4:00pm

(Registration deadline is Friday, 10/7/16)

Where: Moore College of Art & Design -- 20th Street and The Parkway

Leyline and APOP are excited to announce that they are taking their partnership to the 2016 Leadership Conference For Women In The Arts! APOP founder and Moore College of Art & Design alumna, Carlee Myers, will be running a breakout session at the conference called Social Media and Branding Identity. The session will be a “round robin” style where Carlee will be speed mentoring attendees. As an Alumnus of Moore College of Art & Design, Carlee knew that she wanted to bring Leyline into the event. After APOP identified the opportunity, Leyline drafted a proposal and were accepted! Leyline will also be hosting their own breakout session during the conference.

Why is this a huge deal? Because, APOP and Leyline will be presenting at the first and ONLY women’s art and design college in the country!

We all know that devoting funds to professional development can be a super financial nightmare, but the best news of all is that the conference is only TEN DOLLARS for non Moore students, and FREE for currently enrolled students.. Yes, $10.00 for the full day of sessions, mentoring, and featured speaker, Michelle Angela Ortiz. Did we mention that your registration fee also provides you with breakfast and lunch?

Register by this Friday, October 7th.

How To Make Your Network Hustle With You

We’ve all heard, countless times, that it’s all in who you know, not what your work looks like. The importance of networking has been instilled in us for ages, but how many of us can honestly look at one another and say we have a great network established? Using the term network just sounds like work though, doesn’t it? We used to view networking as the cold and distant way that we make connections, for most of us, we need to reprogram our brain into seeing and reading the word “network” as “genuine connection”. Because when we make and build on a genuine connection with our peers or audience, that’s when the magic happens.

But why is a network essential for our hustle? Because if you have a great opportunity, naturally you want to share it. So share away! Tell them about what you have going on and WHY this opportunity popped them into your mind. In turn, they will want to send opportunities YOUR way. Funny how easy networking can be, right? Your network can be anyone from your friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances, clients...whomever you know and have cultivated this relationship of mutual support with. This mutual support will not only help to move them onto bigger and better things...but it’s going to help you as well! (Pro Tip: You’re not just doing something for someone in your network with the expectation that they are in turn, going to do something for you.)

In this week’s YouTube video Carlee is sharing how ‘Art for Art’ can be an easy starting point. If you are new to hustling, you likely do not have the funding to invest outright. If you have something that you can offer someone, and they have a product that you need--like Carlee and her graphic design pal--you can organize a great exchange between the two. Carlee traded a piece of her original art in exchange for the APOP logo.

‘Share for Share’ is also a great, no cost way to support the hustle of your network. Are you great at social media? Awesome. Use that to benefit your network, and in turn it can benefit YOU. Sharing via social media and email blasts is an easy way to expand and be seen by an entirely different world of viewers and followers!

Guest Posting/Featurettes is one of our favorite ways to hustle. (Do you know someone you want to see featured on APOP? Click here to nominate someone for us to feature.) If you write a fashion blog, but have a friend who’s blog features mostly lifestyle pieces...swap for a day. You can share a piece with your fashion and art expertise that their readers may not see elsewhere, and they can provide some great lifestyle insights for your readers. Both of you win, with cross traffic being drawn to both of you AND your readers get something out of the ordinary that they have come to expect from you. Featuring someone who is really exceptional at what your readers/followers are interested in is an amazing way to gain networking traffic as well. If I know that a graphic designer in my community is killing it at the game, why wouldn’t I want her to share her tips and tricks with my network to help us all get some much needed insight?

We all hustle for different reasons. We all have different areas of expertise. Why not bring your network along with you for the ride? I guarantee that if you are absolute rubbish at marketing but amazing at writing--there is someone in your network who is crap at writing and great at marketing. Help build up those around you, and your network will only grow stronger.

How have you used your connections during your creative hustle? Share with us what you are doing, and why it’s working for your hustle!  Shoot us an email or comment below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu8RSPFe6nI

Happy Hustler Maria Sweeney

About:

Maria Sweeney is a Moldova-born, New Jersey based freelance illustrator. Recent graduate of Moore College of Art and Design, Maria Sweeney has worked extensively in digital, oils, and other traditional mediums which are showcased in her commission works and sketches. Aside from illustrating her current project, In A Rut Comics, recreational time is generally used in some sort of artistic outlet ranging from working on self-published zines to sketching a possible unhealthy amount of portraits.

Q&A:

Tell us a little bit about your hustle and your happiness journey.

I wasn’t always outwardly artistic growing up. I wasn’t a child that drew the moment she could hold a pencil or was entertained in arts and crafts class. But with the start of high school, so came drawing to occupy some of my class time. By junior year, I was teaching myself daily how to draw, using online resources, the library, and anything I could get my hands on to improve. Getting accepted into art school continued much of the discipline I was already applying, but with tenfold the amount of responsibility and workload. Art school is notoriously difficult and as a recent graduate, the need to hustle in order to progress in my field is just as much as it was when I was hustling to get into art school.

What do you do to de-stress after or during a long, stressful day?

Like most artists, and as ironic as it is, to de-stress myself I usually end up churning out a few sketches in my moleskine or painting a quick piece digitally. Sometimes I don’t need a break from art-making, just from the specific piece of art itself. Drawing something that isn’t for my comic project or for a commission can provide the energy I need to continue these projects. Reading, listening to music, snuggling with my bunny are also great alternatives for me to do if doodling isn’t cutting it!

Where do you go for inspiration?

I take a lot of inspiration from classical painters, particularly those from the Pre-Raphelite Brotherhood period. Some of my favorite painters come from this group: Waterhouse, Rossetti, Millias — the list goes on. Classical and Neo-Classical work will always be a source of inspiration for me.

Other sources of inspiration for me are alternative manga (such as Taiyo Matsumoto and Kyoko Okazaki) and indie comics (the Tamaki cousins, Glyn Dillion — to name a few.)

Often times, I am most inspired after reading work by some of my favorite creators.

What are you currently reading or listening to (podcasts, books, blogs, etc.)?

The last book I read was really great, it’s a comic called My Friend Dahmer by John “Derf" Backderf. It tells the story of the notorious serial killer, Jeffery Dahmer but from a very unique perspective. The creator of the comic actually grew up with Dahmer and the combination of thorough research and first-hand experiences interacting with him was really surreal to read about. The art is great and the storytelling feels much like the pacing of a movie — which is cool because it’s actually being made into one now!

As for blogs and anything else, I read MuddyColors blog regularly. The blog has rotating writers, all different artists and art directors in the illustration and fine arts field. Many of the artists that contribute are ones I look up to and it’s very insightful about how the business of illustration functions.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting their happy hustle journey?

My advice is to establish if hustling is something you actually want to do for your career. While often fulfilling and inspiring, hustling isn’t always happy and by definition, it isn’t easy. I wish creating art, getting paid for illustrating, and having consistent commission work wasn’t always a hustle, but it makes me happy in the long run and a sense of accomplishment. Art functions as both an outlet and a source of income, but both are work and require quite a lot of hustling! I would advise others to find what makes them want to hustle and to keep in mind that hustling is hard, but can be very rewarding.

What are some of your favorite quotes or words to live by?

As cliché as it may be, the painter and teacher Bob Ross often says it best, “You do your best work if you do a job that makes you happy.” And while art isn’t always easy, it ultimately makes me happy and happy enough to want to continue to illustrate.

In one word, sum up your life as a Happy Hustler.

Create!

What are the three core values of your hustle and how do those values relate to your happiness?

Discipline is essential — without discipline, art wouldn’t be made. When I’m disciplined, I can see the rewards through work being done on time, or improvement in a particular area of drawing that I lack in. Another core value would be to remain opened to criticism. Like most, this isn’t always easy for me, but it’s imperative to anyone wanting to improve in anything they do. Thankfully, I am blessed with supportive friends, often artistic ones themselves, that are able to give me constructive input and help me improve. Learning to rest is a final core value that I think is important. I don’t always do it and it seems contradictory to being disciplined, but they actually work together. Just as important as it is to be focused in illustrating, it’s also important to be disciplined in being healthy, getting enough rest, learning to take breaks when you are drawing, and allowing yourself time to go out of the studio and enjoy time with others. Often times, experiences outside of my work end up being reflected in it.

Connect with Maria:

Website // Facebook // Instagram // Tumblr 

APOP Studios Partners with Leyline, Philadelphia

 

APOP Studios is more than excited to announce our new partnership with Leyline, an artist-run, member-based project that aspires to form connections between artists. Leyline allows artists to enter into like-minded, regenerative dialogue with their peers. APOP will be partnering with Leyline to provide free and discounted workshops and coaching for their members. This amazing opportunity will help remind Philadelphia local artists and beyond how balance can be the foundation for a more fulfilling life. “So you found a way for us to maintain a social life, balance work and our studio practice, and keep ourselves healthy?” This partnership was as much of a no-brainer for Leyline as it was for us.

APOP will be providing free and discounted workshops, and other programming for Leyline throughout the year. Free workshops will be exclusively accessible for Leyline Members. On the flip side of our partnership, Leyline will be connecting clients of APOP Studios to their own artist community allowing for the fostering of friendships, potential partnerships, exhibition opportunities, and a truly endless list of benefits. Soon, Leyline members will be able to participate in juried shows that APOP is plans to curate within the Greater Philadelphia Region.

What’s on the horizon for exclusive workshops for Leyline Members?

Cardio & Coloring: September 21, Indiegogo Bike Station--FREE event for Leyline members!

An event focused on connecting artists and helping them with both their mental and physical health through cardio and the arts.

Digging Deep: Data Mining for Happiness: Estimated Date October 2016 at a discounted rate for Leyline members.

APOP’s founder, Carlee Myers, will discuss why tracking happiness, and self reflection is vital to each participant’s personal and professional journey. Join Carlee to cover the basics of how to use minimal journaling to track key factors in your happiness and utilize that data to live a happier and more fulfilling life.  Each participant will leave with a custom journal to use at home.

Feeling Salty: Date TBD.

A mindfulness class during which we build a stress box (almost zen garden-like) and learn how to record the breath in salt as a moving meditation practice....definitely a de-stresser.

Happy Hustler Dan Metts

"Hi! My name is Dan Metts.  I live in Athens, Ohio.  As a little kid, I was in sports all year round - football, basketball, baseball, you name it.  During the summer, I played on a few baseball teams.  Until high school, I stayed pretty busy with team sports, that was when my life calmed down a bit. In high school I just played football and baseball, which allowed me to spend time in the woods hunting and fishing every chance I got. I did well enough in football to have colleges looking to recruit me.  Football was my life!  My whole high school career I lived in the weight room and ended up going to Marietta college. I played there for two years - two entire years of the sport I loved...at the next level.  Then life started calling.

At this point, I came home and worked with my father.  He owned his own electric company, but after a few years working together, he finally closed up shop.  That's when I was hired with Sun Electric. I'm still there today.  Around this time I had my first born son, got married, had my daughter, life was great!  Then the darker days came.  The big 'D' word came along. We all struggled with the fact that our family was falling apart.  What's worse... I found out that my 7 year old son was actually not mine at all.

That's when the alcohol came into play.

It helped me cope. It helped me feel a little better, even if it was just for a minute, but eventually I came back from it. It took a little while, but one day a light bulb went off... I realized I still had a beautiful little girl. I had a daughter that still needed her daddy and I had a mission to accomplish. My son was still my son. According to the courts, I needed to adopt him to make him mine in again.

By this time, life was full of soccer practices, games and tournaments.  Bradley, my son, was on a travel soccer team and Brooklyn, my daughter, was just starting in a recreational league.  Of course, I was coaching them both. I coached them both through the years... until November 9, 2013.  That's the day our worlds were turned upside down.

Bradley had an ear infection that had spread to his brain.  The surgeons went in and took all the infection out that they could find.  Then something happened, with the lack of monitoring of brain swelling and the pressure in his head, he ended up having a brain-stem stroke at 9 years old.  It was so surreal. He had just walked into the hospital himself. Two weekends before his soccer team won a tournament in Dayton, Ohio...  A week before that he went to basketball tryouts for the first time. He did great!  At this point, he was in the hospital where he stayed for a total of five months. He passed away three times there.

Now Bradley is in a wheelchair, on a ventilator, has minimal controlled movements, and communicates by blinking his eyes.  Now, with all that, he still doesn't qualify for rehab, so I do all his rehab, everyday when I get home from work, but I also have to be a father to Brook. I'm doing Bradley's rehab and helping Brooklyn with her homework. I'm taking her taking her to soccer practices and games. I'm cooking dinner and making sure she is showered.  I'm giving her the daddy/daughter time she needs to grow up healthy and happy.

 Of course, I just can't say enough about Bradley. We've made slow, but sure progress. We are going on 3 years since the stroke. He is still positive and works hard everyday to get better.  No one knows how much he can be rehabilitated, but as far as we are concerned, the sky is the limit.  He is also starts back to school one day a week, the day after labor day, this year!"

What do you do to de-stress after or during a long, stressful day?

After a long day at work, I for one, know a little about stress.  I constantly deal with deadlines and contracts on the jobs at work. Sometimes we all have to push a little harder to get a job done, or worry about material showing up.  Normally, I'm dealing with doctors appointments all day for Brad. He has numerous and I have to work with the school. I have to get things ready for Brad to go back.  The highlight of my day, is walking in the house after work. As soon as I come in, Bradley has a big smile on his face, and he's ready to work.

Everyday his smile melts away all my stress. Him and I set in and work for another 6 or 7 hours and, Brook, well I work with her too. We work on her homework and more.  So after everything, I'll either lift weights, jump in the hot tub, or just sit in silence and reflect on the day... the great work Bradley did, or get excited about things I can do with him the next day.  I try, when the weather permits it, to get some wind therapy on the weekends.  I just jump on the Harley and let everything from the crazy week, just blow right off.

Where do you go for inspiration?

I find inspiration in a lot of places.  Throughout the community there are many people that have it worse than I do, and they keep pushing forward.  I have a few friends that I can looks towards for a good boost.  I'm also on social media sites for stroke victims and locked in syndrome victims; hearing people's unbelievable stories and actually chatting with them about their experiences has pushed me to keep going.

But, of course, the biggest source of inspiration for me, is my son.  It has been almost three years post-stroke, and he is still ready and willing to work.  As long as he's ready, it doesn't matter how tired, or sore, or how bad a day I've had. ITS GO TIME!

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting their happy hustle journey?

The biggest piece of advice I can give to anyone is to learn patience.   Take it from someone who had absolutely no patience, once you watch your son walk into a hospital, have a supposedly simple operation, code three times and every doctor tells you that you will never have your son back, time limits and deadlines don't matter.  Every little step, as little as an eye movement, or being able to monitor your own blood pressure or temperature, is HUGE.  After one accomplishment, start over and go for another.  No rush, just keep working and waiting for the next tiny thing, that will mean the world!

What are some of your favorite quotes or words to live by?

"Small steps are more sturdy than big steps.  You fall easier with big steps, especially if its slippery."

 "Let's Go Headhunters!" -Dan's Father

 "If it doesn't happen today, it just might tomorrow."

In one word, sum up your life as a Happy Hustler.

Positive-  I am a firm believer that a person's outlook and mood will determine the outcome of any situation.  I have tried to be positive from day one.  As soon as someone walks through the door and into my house, all negativity stays outside.  I not only have to keep myself positive, I have to keep Bradley positive too.  I honestly feel, he would not be as far as he is if he hadn't stayed positive all this time!

What are the three core values of your hustle and how do those values relate to your happiness?

Initiative- I tell Bradley this all the time, numerous times a day.  If you can't take the initiative to make yourself better, then you'll never get there.  You can't depend on someone else to get you to your goals.  If you set reachable goals, but you don't put forth the effort to reach them then there is no reason for anyone else to put forth the effort for you.  Work while you're laying in bed all day, even if its on little things.  Work on moving your tongue, work on moving a finger, work on something, don't just lay there.

Honesty-  I feel that if you are not honest, it will come back and bite you in the butt.  First, you have to be honest with yourself.  That's the hardest person to lie to!  If you can't be honest with yourself when setting goals, then you can't set goals that you will ever reach.  Being honest with others, keeps you on top of your game, it lets you focus on your goals instead of focusing on the next lie.  Honesty gets you further in life.

Hope-  I'm not sure if it's a core value, but even in the early days of Bradley's injury, I never lost hope.  I never had a hopeless feeling.  Even when the doctors spent 2 and a half hours arguing with us about pulling the plug and not five minutes later I walk in and start talking to Bradley's lifeless body and he moves a foot! There is always hope.  Do not let yourself get filled with false hope, but fill yourself with hope keeps you going, keeps you moving forward, and drives you to never give up!

Why We love 'The Notebook' and How to Make Your Own

https://youtu.be/8fJLVHzs-G0

Fear of Failure and Why It's Holding You Back

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu9Foi9hrx8

Why the Bucket List is Bullshit

https://youtu.be/xDZ_RBhVMR4

Two Things to Do to Stay on Track

https://youtu.be/0syA1UOklpQ

Distractions: A Small Change in Perspective

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnwKuY2QlLU

How to know if you are Headed in the Right Direction

https://youtu.be/c4H8yLdT7Q8

Loving Yourself Means Not Selling Your Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfJljv3TLcU

The Top Two Factors that Influence Our Happiness

https://youtu.be/KLq2GQ7U8QA

CALL FOR ARTISTS

'Positive Affirmations' Juried Exhibition

Curator: Carlee Myers, APOP Studios

Email: info@apopstudios.com

Description of Exhibition: APOP Studios' first ever online juried exhibition of artwork surrounding the theme “Positive Affirmations.” The exhibition seeks to promote work that demonstrates an artist's’ positive outlook on themselves, society or otherwise.

Duration of Exhibition: September 2, 2016 through October 28, 2016

Awards: First place ($25 and three free creative coaching sessions) and Honorable Mention (two free creative coaching sessions)

To apply submit your $10 application fee at paypal.me/APOPFitness/10 and send info@apopstudios.com the following:

• Name
• Email
• Phone number
• Website
• Medium resolution or higher images of each artwork you would like to be considered (Limit 10 pieces per artist)

Deadline: August 22, 2016 11:59pm

*Note:

• All decisions of the curator/jurors are final.
• If you are accepted, by submitting your entry you give APOP Studios the right to publish your images for marketing and exhibition purposes. We may ask select artists to provide higher resolution jpegs suitable for publishing.

Why Your Network is the Most Important Thing for Your Hustle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu8RSPFe6nI

Happiness Equals Finding Your Niche

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTLI1ttTPC0

How to Price Your Artwork/ Using Your Time Wisely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6vyWuWK42Q

Happy Hustler of the Month: Nathan Hale

About:

"My Name is Nathan Hale of Albany, Ohio, a small village located in Southeast Ohio. The youngest of four boys and I was born with Bilateral Congenital Vertical Talus also known as Rocker Bottom Feet. In short my Achilles Tendons were about 1.5inches to short and my arches are upside down so I walk on a bone mass located in the middle of my feet where the arch normally is located. This would become a big problem for me by the age of twelve as I was active in three sports and developed a love for football. Starting at age twelve the pain had gotten so bad I finally met a sports medicine doctor who was willing to try and help. From age 12-17 I had 2 complete reconstructive feet operations and 2 more screw removal operations. At age 18 I had one more major foot operation in hopes that if it worked I could have the same operation on my other foot then I could go back and play college football. A few months before that operation I was instructed by my surgeon to quit college football after bones shifted in my left foot crushing my Plantar nerve and artery. I tried this last big operation in hopes that it would allow me to go back to play college football, it was unsuccessful.

This was the start of some bad years in my life. I moved home and I started drinking heavily and using drugs. The pain of losing a game I loved and working so hard to make it to the next level crushed me. I was able to hide my troubles from the world and worked building houses while I attended Ohio University where I would eventually earn a degree in Specialized Studies in Psychology and Child and Family Life Studies. Then at the age of 28 I was told by my surgeon that double below the knee amputation would be my best option. I understood it could be an option due to the kind of pain I felt daily. From the time I woke up till I went to bed my feet hurt and if I did any activity it made my knees hurt worse than my feet and on some days my hips would start hurting bad too. Over the next 4-5 years I visited many Podiatrist and Orthopedic doctors. Most agreed with amputation, some didn’t and some had never even seen a case of what I had in real life. One thing they all agreed on is that I would experience a lot of pain my whole life living on these feet especially if I wanted to remain active. So at the end of all that it came down to this a choice, my choice to in my early 30’s amputate or start living a life of pain and take serious pain medicine daily to try and have some “normalcy” to life. At that moment I also knew I could not make this choice living the hidden life of addiction and feel 100% confident in it. I was able to stop using and became a man of faith, changed the way I thought and the kinds of thoughts I would allow myself to have and nothing has been the same since and life has been amazing. After a year of prayer, weighing my options and even seeing a therapist a few months I made the choice to have my right foot amputated on September 15, 2016. That fall I spent a lot of time in the woods during archery season healing both physically and mentally as I adjusted to learning how to live as an amputee. All that time setting in such a beautiful place watching life at its most basic gave me time to think on where I would like to take my life from here and the impact I would like to make with my story.

As I continue to heal physically and am now back on my feet I am currently working on starting a career in public speaking. I want to focus on high school and college athletes and share my story of losing college football, the fight with addiction that followed and how I was able to fight back from that to become a happy, healthy amputee (and possible double amputee) who loves life as much now as I ever have and am excited for a future of making others the best they can be by sharing my life, the mistakes I have made and the life of hope and happiness I have created for myself."  

Tell us a little bit about your hustle and your happiness journey.

I would describe my hustle as “humble and serve.” With all I have been through physically from operations at a young age, the loss of a personal dream (college football) and overcoming addiction and a negative thought process it has made me very humble from a young age. To hurt so bad after an athletic competition at such a young age made me grateful to even be able to compete. Getting up early to get to the woods to watch the sun come up and then take a walk through the woods knowing I would hurt worse for a couple days makes you enjoy that sunrise and the world waking up just a bit more. Watching my physical ability decline like it did in my mid 20’s brought about a feeling of humility I would have probably never of had if not born with Bilateral Congenital Vertical Talus. This condition has also given me a chance to serve others. By simply sharing what I have been through and living my life as a victor people have an example they can relate to and realize there is nothing stopping them from doing things they thought they could not do. If an amputee with his other foot being bad can get up, keep a happy mindset and love others while living the most active life he can there really is no reason those who are healthy cannot do the same or better. With hard work and persistence I hope that I am able to serve others further by speaking publicly and sharing my entire story to make sure others don’t have to go down the road I did at times in my life and give them hope for a better life for themselves.

What do you do to de-stress after or during a long, stressful day?

I know in my own life that high levels of stress lead to nothing positive. There are a few things I do to de-stress when life sometimes gets to be getting the better of me. As a man of faith I pray, it’s something I can do and always have a little peace about what I prayed over. I am not saying that it fixes everything but to have a little peace to where we can think more clearly and make better decisions is a big help.  I realize that faith is not everyone’s thing so I would say meditation or finding just 10 minutes of quiet time where you can simply slow your breathing, focus on the things that are good and get your thoughts going in a more positive direction. I also like to spend time outdoors when things are stressful. In the woods and in nature brings such calmness over me. Seeing the wildlife in its environment and how natural it all is brings peace and my mind is quiet and just lets goes of the stressors it was thinking about. The final thing I do for stress relief is exercise. The gym gives me a place to tap into doing something physical and positive for my body. By losing some of the physical ability I once had it feels good mentally to go to the gym and work my body to the best of my ability. I feel like I am accomplishing something that I used to take for granted and always feel better when I leave the gym then I did before I went.

Where do you go for inspiration?

I often am inspired by other people. In this day of social media and YouTube a person can find someone doing something to inspire or be their best daily. I will get on YouTube and watch a speech from Inky Johnson or Eric Thomas, watch one of those guys and tell me you do not want to be a better you. I also follow people on Instagram and other social media outlets that I look up to or people who are using their lives to make others better, the Rock, Cameron Hanes and Inky Johnson as well as people I have met or people in and around my community. Inspiration is everywhere if we choose to look for it.

What are you currently reading or listening to (podcasts, books, blogs, etc.)?

I try and read some of the Bible daily, even if one is not a person of faith there is so much information about life in that book, how to treat others, how to live your life and as a man of faith it is very helpful to me. I am also currently reading the Napoleon Hill classic Think and Grow Rich. I also enjoy the author Andy Andrews and many other books that focus on success or the power of thought. I also listen to the podcast Cameron Hanes “Keep Hammering” an amazing podcast that inspires so many to live a healthy life and enjoying the outdoor lifestyle. An often I will try and listen every week to Inky Johnson’s “Inkspirations” and Eric Thomas “TGIM” Thank God it’s Monday. One very important thing I have learned is that if we feed our minds positive we will get positive from our minds.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting their happy hustle journey?

Persist, and realize that change does not happen overnight. You have to be persistent in your actions, habits and thoughts. There will be days we don’t feel like being happy or sticking to the changes we are trying to make, on those days persist. Keep your thoughts focused on good things, keep doing the positive habits and actions when you don’t want to and at the end of the day you will have made it through a bad day still one step closer to the person you are trying to become. One last thing, for anyone going through a major life change or battle, like fighting cancer, becoming an amputee or losing a loved one. There will be days when you just can’t fight and that is ok. On those days let someone who loves you fight for you, let them cry for you or carry the burden for that day and then come back strong the next day. Just do your best, some days your best may be a little better than other days but always just do your best.   

What are some of your favorite quotes or words to live by?

“No problem can be solved with the same consciousness that created it.” –Albert Einstein

“If decisions are choices…and our thinking dictates our decisions then we are where we are because of our thinking.” –Andy Andrews

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says IMpossible”

I empty my bucket –Inky Johnson

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”  Phil 4:13

In one word, sum up your life as a Happy Hustler.

BLESSED

What are the three core values of your hustle and how do those values relate to your happiness?

1. Honesty- Being honest with others is always important but honesty with yourself is paramount. We can talk ourselves into any excuse or negative thought pattern so easily, yet when we look in the mirror we justify it because we are not honest with ourselves. Being honest with yourself is not about condemning yourself when we don’t do our best or we mess up. It is so when we do mess up we can be honest with ourselves and come to a conclusion about how to make it right much easier and faster than if we are constantly making excuses for ourselves.
2. Purpose- One of my favorite speakers Dr. Eric Thomas explains it as “know your WHY.” When we have a deep desire to accomplish something all the challenges that come our way are easier to battle if we have a vision, a purpose for the pain. Finding my “why” or my purpose has given me an understanding that for so long I didn’t have as to why I was born with Bilateral Congenital Vertical Talus. I used to think why me, why was I born with this? Why not someone who didn’t love an active sport or someone who didn’t want to be great? As I began to study my purpose I also gained understanding. I understand that my purpose was to share this story with others to provide them an example and hope. My football career ended like it did and I went down that bad road so I could go back and save other young athletes and people from doing the same thing. I can use this amputation (and possible double amputation) to show others we can get through the hardest choices and struggles of our life and yet, live in happiness with a peace about us that others want and need and we can help them attain it.
3. Faith- I understand that not everyone is a person of faith and I can respect what others choose to believe in. For myself however, my faith has kept me going in the toughest times of my life. When I was living in a world of shame and addiction I still felt loved even though I couldn’t love myself. While making the choice to let doctors amputate my right foot I spent so much time in prayer and thought and was able to reach the decision to amputate with peace and no regrets. I am not saying this is what others should do or have to do but one thing I would say is find something to have faith in, something bigger than yourself. Volunteer; join an organization that is making an impact in your community and in people’s lives. When we have faith in something bigger than us it allows us to take the focus off of ourselves, we don’t think about our problems near as much and the feel good emotions we get from what we have faith in often helps provide answers for problems that do arise in our life. Those three values along with others have kept me positive, happy and driven through the biggest physical challenge of my life since becoming an amputee. I personally know others who are facing challenges much greater than mine; yet, they have remained steadfast in positivity, love and inspiration. I am learning we all have a story, we all are unique in our own way and can make a difference in others lives. It is up to us to step out on faith and become the people we want to be that makes this world better because we are in it. One great step in becoming that person is living a life of love and happiness and watching as your happiness hustle develops into a lifestyle that can and will literally change your life.  

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