Creators Abroad - The Podcast for Filmmakers

Do you want to be a full-time creator? Whether you're interested in photography, videography, becoming a YouTuber or podcaster, there is a belief that only a few can succeed. But this is not true. Simon Shaw joins me in studio for this special New Year episode to discuss 21 lessons we learnt starting and growing our creative careers in 2021, and what it will take for you to do the same.

How do you get someone's attention online? Voice actor and podcaster, Brimstone, joins me to discuss 1) Using our voices to get and keep someone's attention, 2) What is the difference between being the creator and talent? and 3) How to get into voice acting, specifically for video games. Discover voice techniques, unusual creative career paths and what it takes to bring someone else's creative work to life.

As a creative, are you happy? Do you have the life you want? Or do you experience frustration, burnout and overwhelm? Our own attitude and beliefs determine our reality. Malta's mindset coach, Ken Attard, discusses the importance of mindset to achieve a happier, balanced life with a rewarding career and healthy relationships.

Do you want to make a living as a YouTuber, podcaster or blogger? Or build a creative agency? There are two key questions to ask yourself: What are your really good at or knowledeable about? Is there a group of people interested in this particular skill or topic? Rael Bricker, keynote speaker and serial entrepreneur, applies his business excellence approach to creative industries in this episode. Find out how to identify your talent, align it with your purpose, while understanding the importance of market demand for scaling your business, growing it faster without spending more time or money.

How do you get a job after graduating from film school? What's next after your art or music degree? You can either 1) teach, 2) work for an agency, or 3) get a completely different job. There's a fourth option - the hardest of them all: start your own business and become a creative entrepreneur. What are the most essential skills you need? Edgar Sierra started as a photographer and now runs a creative digital agency, E. Sierra Media. He shares what to avoid and what to embrace to build a thriving business.

To grow as a creative, we have to learn to be comfortable in our own skin and embrace our vulnerability. Brazilian musician, Nadedja, reveals how vulnerability has helped her build a music career in the UK from scratch. Learn how 1) to be yourself without forcing it, 2) overcome fear of putting your work in a public space, and 3) navigate the pressure of social media - what should you reveal and what should you keep to yourself?

Why do we feel the need to do a 9-5 job first before we pursue our dream job? Mike Murray started out as a chiropractor in New York. When he moved to Brussels, he decided to give up his 9-5 and become a full-time musician. Should you also risk everything for your creative career? Find out why most creatives: 1) end up in traditional jobs in the first place, 2) why this makes them unhappy, and 3) how we can break free from convention and turn our passion into a sustainable career.

How is the mental health epidemic affecting creatives working in the online space (i.e. YouTubers, podcasters and bloggers) and what can we do about it? Psychiatrist and composer, Dr Christian Heim, explains 1) why creators, who rely on social media to market their content, have increased levels of anxiety, depression and even suicidality. We also touch on 2) the risks of normalising mental health issues on social media and 3) how much do you reveal of your struggles as a personal brand?

Should you get a plant? Find out how sprigs of lavendar, mint, tumeric etc. can make your workspace pop with colour, add fragrance, reduce stress and anxiety and improve productivity. Devorah Rivers, a regenerative gardener in Switzerland, explains why gardening can transform your life. We touch specifically on 1) coping with anxiety induced by drastic changes, and 2) how nature in visual work (photos / videos) change what viewers feel. She shares easy, practical tips to start an edible garden today (no matter where you live).

Traditional 9-5 jobs are often not the ones we really want to do. This is what coffee roaster, Dave Beattie, discovered while working as a corporate. What did he learn after quitting, travelling the world and starting his own coffee business? In this episode, you'll discover: 1) when is the right time to quit your job, 2) how to find inspiration to build something of your own, and 3) a real-life example to help you navigate the chaos of it all.

Don't crave instant success. It's the quickest route to failure. When you start a creative business, a podcast, YouTube channel etc. you normally experience these frustrations: 1) Things aren't moving quick enough. 2) You're not getting enough clients, views or listens. 3) Your hard work seems to be for nothing. Here, I share the mindset that is essential to create a sustainable business, leading to success in the long-run (as inspired by my favourite YouTuber, Matt D'Avella, and my own experience of setting up a podcast production agency).

Ever felt puzzled by SEO? Not sure where it all fits in? As creators and business owners, if our content ranks highly in search results, we're more likely to get ahead of competition and draw attention to what we do. Dr Morissa Schwartz, founder of Dr Rissy's Writing & Marketing, has years of experience helping clients produce beautiful content and get recognition for it. She explains 1) how your social media presence is linked to SEO, 2) why both is important, and 3) how you can easily implement practices that won't overwhelm you.

Our lives are dominated by two questions: What could I have done differently in the past? What is going to happen in the future? Because these questions make us worry, we forget to live in the present, but not when we’re travelling. Jeff Seckendorf, filmmaker turned scuba dive instructor, explains what happens to your state of mind when you travel and how physical activity (e.g. hiking, swimming, cycling...) help you 1) find a like-minded community that transcends cultural barriers, 2) heighten your creativity, and 3) combat neurological challenges and signs of ageing.

“Everything you can imagine is real.” How do Picasso's words apply to our professional lives? Robert A. Belle, creative champion and award-winning accountant, explains why being rebellious at work (i.e. suggesting radical new ideas) can reinvigorate your career and set you on a path to genuine recognition. Learn 1) why we want to fit in, 2) why creative rebellion should can be a service (not an indulgence), and, 3) maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a creative.

Can you build a career as an artist? Is your talent recognised? Many creatives struggle to transform talent into a thriving career, often relying on another job to pay their bills. Musician and app developer, Mark Hartman, struggled with this exact dilemma and created an app, Alosha, to help solve it. We discuss how technology, and apps in particular, can help artists 1) earn recognition, 2) make money, and 3) build a community around their art.

Are you thinking of moving to a new country? Have you moved already? Here are five reasons people want to live and work abroad but hesitate. Based on my experience of living in France, Japan, South Africa and England, I share a tip on how to overcome each difficulty.

Firefighter turned chocolatier, Zoë Roberston, moved from the South of England to the North, where she started selling her artisan chocolate slabs on Instagram. She built a new life around her chocolate business and now owns a production site. We discuss moving from one part of a country to another and how to grow a creative business on a saturated social media platform by focusing on location and identity.

Cultural stereotypes give us a false impression of what it is really like living in a particular country. Spanish Professor, Fernando Pérez, joins me to break down Spanish and English stereotypes by sharing his experience of 1) moving to England, 2) overcoming language barriers, and 3) career progression in a foreign country. We also touch on the question of 'Shall I return home?'

Is your brand identity or artwork protected from other people copying it? What should creatives know about Intellectual Property (IP)? This episode with patent lawyer, Devin Miller, explains the difference between 1) trademarks, copyrights and patents, 2) why it is important for creators, 3) how to protect your brand identity and work, and 4) which common IP mistakes you should avoid.

Sales expert and podcaster, Romina Muhametaj moved from Albania to the USA at 17. After a couple of years, she found herself a recovering alcoholic, divorced and broke. How did she turn her life around? We explore how to rebuild your life in a foreign context after hitting rock bottom by making the right decisions through 1) applying sales negotiation skills, 2) balancing stubbornness with practicality, and 3) helping others.

Are you a creator living abroad? Looking for advice on how to integrate and set up a creative business? Join Catharina, foreign language teacher, YouTuber and writer on her journey around the globe, interviewing creatives about the lives they left behind and the dreams they built.

Travel inspires us to follow new career paths. Combining travel and the needs of our hometown helps us to come up with new ideas to stand out in saturated markets. Like the yoga instructor, Mike Weeks, founder of the Yoga Mike Group. Get into the nitty gritty of a rapidly expanding industry and how you can distinguish yourself to stay ahead of everybody else.

You have two choices: 1) Apologise for what you do and say, or 2) Be yourself, boldly, openly, uniquely. Which do you choose? Conflicted by her Christian surroundings and experiencing the desire to break away, life coach, Megan Colleen Johnson learned that trying to fit in and apologising for what made her different, stole her creativity and purpose in life. Her story is about how we can avoid cookie cutter molds and live a life of rediscovered magic.

Creatives are: 1) absorbed by their work, 2) insecure at times, 3) introspective and often 4) penniless. That can make us hard to love. Film director, Daniel Hess, joins me to discuss tension between being an artist, having a secure income and maintaining a relationship. He shares his own experience of going from wedding videographer to producing short films at To Tony Productions while going through a major break-up. Learn how he broke free and how you can do the same.

Are you afraid to express your sexuality? Do you feel worried about being misunderstood or harassed? Pole photographer, Rachel Marshall redefines sexuality as an expression of strength, atheleticism and beauty. This journey explores 1) how pole dance helps us embrace our bodies while building strength, flexibility and confidence, 2) how the beauty of Rachel's work breaks down pole dance stigmas, and 3) how you can get more recognition for your art by finding your unique passion.

Do you have a curiosity to solve the world's most pressing issues? Or do you simply want to make someone's life better? Like narrowing the broadband gap in rural communities. Which is exactly what recovering corporate banker, Catherine Cantey did. After leaving the finance world, she became a leadership coach out to make a difference, quietly working away until the world noticed. She shares her strategy for 1) making a major change in the world, 2) securing an investment to do it, and 3) becoming a leader when no one else wants to.

Ray Davies went against the grain when he became one of the few male care workers at the homecare provider: Supportive. Now the Training Officer, Ray's enjoyment of the job and determination led him to progress quickly within his career. This is a short episode exploring a day in the life of a male care worker and making dream promotions a reality.

Have a creative business idea? Don't have any money? You don't need much to start a business online! Serial entrepreneur, Sarah St John runs multiple online businesses under £100 per month. In addition to writing several books about how to manage your business on a budget while making money, she is also the host of The Frugalpreneur. Based on her extensive experience, she shares her secrets and why podcasts are the new websites.

Music has an inexplicable power. Despite what music-career cynics want to tell you, there are possibilities of making a living, but more importantly a difference out of that power. Simon Shaw is proof of that. At 17, Simon received college benefit money for perfect attendance. He bought a bass guitar, an instrument that would provide him with opportunities from that point onwards, including becoming a live music promoter and events manager for major venues in his area.

Are you ready for a lightening taste of your possible future? This is a short episode exploring a day in the life of a job to help you understand what possibilities are available to you. In this round, child and educational psychologist, Béné Katabua, explores her day-to-day working at a medical centre specialising in children's mental health issues and learning difficulties.

Failure doesn't exist. Neither success. There's only action. While the world takes an unpredicted course, you are still in control of your actions and to make an impact is understanding how to serve others irresistably well. Having gone from spectacular failure to spectacular success, Dr Kelly Henry, discovered that it is not a question of if you'll succeed but when. He turned to business coaching, focusing on the obvious, but highly undervalued element that can make a huge difference to any business: Customer Service.

What is the worst that can happen if you advocated for your beliefs? Award-winning PR specialist Tracy Lamourie found Lamourie Media after years working as a telemarketer. Her mission? To make the world a fairer place and combat stigmas like the medicinal and recreational use of cannabis. Her track record goes far beyond that, fighting for racial and gender equality. She shares her wealth of experience on how to get the right message into the media and discovering how we can use our power for the greater good.

What would you do if you were 10% braver? When serial entrepreneur Scott Anderson found himself suffering from burnout, he was double-dared by his coach to make a major change in his life: to start a coaching practice in order to help entrepreneurs combine increasing success with mental wellbeing. He shares his journey as a business coach, experiencing imposter syndrome and discovering who you really are deep down and what that deep-down person wants out of life.

'What you think you become.' Fitness instructor, Michael Weeks' life illustrates this perfectly. Following a traditional career path, he first became a primary school teacher. Yoga, however, was his real passion, so he quit his job against his parents' advice and started his own yoga business, aiming to introduce the benefits of yoga to children in the North of England. What did following an unorthodox path mean for his life? What could it mean for yours?

What is the key to achieving your dream? Resilience. This is according to Olympian judo player, Marlon August, who tells his story of sticking it out, qualifying to participate in the Olympics twice and starting his own marketing consultancy: Story Advantage. As it specialises in business storytelling - creating narratives that reach the right customers at the right time, speaking as much to their hearts as their minds - he also shares in-depth knowledge of effective modern marketing techniques.

You have a goal. You want to achieve it badly. Then it disappears. What do you do? Jodie McGregor relentlessly pursued a career in horse-riding, earning her place on the GB Team. Yet, she wanted something more. She spent a couple of years exploring different options until she started her own business: My Breakfast Box. It's the first breakfast subscription service in the UK. This is her story of raising fast after radical changes.

After a successful 30-year career working as a store manager for Tesco's, Steve Ashman had to make a new start in a small market town in the North of England. Passionate about coffee, skydiving, motorbikes and chaos, he took the plunge and started Mint Hobo, the first specialty coffee shop in Teesside. This is his journey and how we can make changes for the better in our own lives.

Are you ready for a lightening taste of your possible future? Career Blitz is a short episode exploring a day in the life of a job to help you understand what possibilities are available to you. In this round, software developer, Ian Brown, explains why he became a trustee on the board of the charity, Supportive. What do you do as a trustee? How do you know the organisation is right for you? Why might you become a trustee in the first place?

Are you ready for a lightening taste of your possible future? Welcome to Career Blitz! A short episode exploring a day in the life of a job to help you understand what career possibilities are available to you. In this episode we'll be hearing from Leanna Clark, head of Transport at the care provider Supportive in County Durham.

"Joy can be stripped from life if we view life through a lens of fear." Based on her own experience of burying emotions and a tragic event in her marriage, wellness expert, Sherianna Boyle, wrote a book on Emotional Detox. Inventing the CLEANSE method, she explains how we can take control of negative emotions and build healthier relationships at home and at work.

Teri Ellington knows what it means to have nothing to lose. She also knows the power of time to heal, to change us and, if carefully spent, to transform our future. Battling with agoraphobia and anxiety as a teenager, she barely found her feet when she lost her job two months before Christmas. Having only a laptop and £80 in the bank, she decided to pursue her dream. She created Ellington Timepiece: an affordable luxury watch line that expresses our worth through timeless elegance.

Pole dancing is a highly beneficial and addictive form of fitness for a rapidly growing community of women and men across the world. Based in the North East of England, Beth Hamilton has become a renowned instructor and is empowering polers through her growing online presence on Instagram. With no background in dance, how did she do it? And why should everybody try pole fitness at least once?

How do you make a true impact on your industry? Nick Smith went from being a science teacher in the Channel Islands to opening up a highly successful craft beer brewery in the North East of England. Motivated by a love of creativity and a fascination with the science behind beer, he embarked on this journey of flavour explosions with wife Gulen, doubling production capacity on a yearly basis and changing the craft beer industry along the way.

Our lives are works of art. As we age, we develop into masterpieces. But what does it mean to grow old and how do we go on living full and active lives? Debbie Brown is the Deputy Homecare Manager at Supportive, a social care service promoting independence and choice for people in the North East. She became a caregiver 25 years ago and has never looked back in a career which she describes as addictive.

By combining cutting edge science, technology and wellbeing, companies like Sensate are pioneering solutions to the most pressing wellbeing issues of our time. Tech expert, Anna Gudmundson, took on the role of CEO at Sensate to help Co-Founder, Stefan Chmelik develop a device to help us manage stress. Their contribution to the wellbeing tech revolution is creating awareness of the devastating effect of stress and why we should embrace new solutions to create a healthier future.

Business owners have to develop many different skills. Marketing is one of them. Steve Brown is the Founder-CEO of ROI Online, a forward-looking online marketing agency, and author of The Golden Toilet, a hilarious book about the future of online marketing. We delve into Steve's journey in sales and why marketing is potentially a minefield of effectiveness (and return on investment) or disaster (and waste of resources).

Established in 2017, Wander Films is a fast-growing, award-winning, exhilarating film company in the UK. Co-founder and Creative Director, Chloë Clover, shares her positive vibes, start-up advice and extraordinary journey from being a dropout to kickass entrepreneur, helping businesses grab their audiences' attention through video that beats the scroll.

The effort it takes to be successful in the creative industries is often underrated. Artists can feel that what they do is not valued enough and therefore they pursue ordinary jobs. In fact, the route to being a freelancer is not obvious, however it is possible to become successful. Music producer, photographer and videographer, Rob Irish, shares his journey from working an ordinary 9-5 to becoming an indispensable freelance artist.

Having left his job in the corporate world, Founder of Rounton Coffee Roasters, Dave Beattie, embarked on a life-changing trip through various countries. During this trip he encountered coffee farmers which inspired him to start the first speciality coffee roaster in the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire. This is the story of the beginning, the struggles and the incredible growth of a coffee business that aims to bring the best selection of high-quality coffee to the public, while ensuring that everyone in the coffee supply chain gets rewarded fairly.

Intrigued by the dynamics of startup funding, success and failure, entrepreneur, Brian Mac Mahon, founded a training academy and accelerator for early stage entrepreneurs, Expert DOJO. Now, the largest training academy in Southern California, unlike any investment firm, they strive for a world where the greatness of the individual overrides the socio-economic complications that dictate who becomes wealth generators and who falls by the wayside.