Get Your Foot in the Door And Kick That B*tch Down!

Kick the Door Down, Creative People

Whatever you want to do, find a way in. Find a path or make your own. Find like-minded people. Network. Put yourself out there!

I know. It’s not that easy. Right?

Sure it is. For example:

Read a few books. (You don’t have to read every word; you can give em the ol skimaroonie.) Read some magazines. You can get em free from the library so you don’t have to buy all those subscription. Can’t get to the library easily? Use the internet and find articles online. Not a big reader? Watch YouTube videos. More of a learn-by-talking-to-people type? Join a facebook group. Start a podcast. The point I’m trying to make is a simple one.

Do something towards your ultimate goal.

From there work on getting as much experience as you possibly can. Do it for fun. Volunteer. Get an internship. Believe in yourself, invest in yourself, and bet on yourself. And keep looking for experience and opportunity.

My Buddy Ivan Does Everything

I first met Ivan Labra when…

I was helping set up a comedy show behind Carbon Stories, where Ivan works. He was the liaison between the business and the comedy people.

A week or two later I saw him working at (what has since become my favorite coffee shop) Has Heart, which you may remember from the last couple episodes:

Ep.75 | Tyler D. Way – Custom Shoes, Painting for LeBron James, & HAS HEART Coffee Shop – A Podcast for Creative People

Tyler D. Way is a soft spoken, brilliant creative. He got his start sneaking into NBA arenas and pitching custom shoes to any player who would listen to him, which ultimately led to being invited to the Nike campus to meet LeBron and present him a painting. He's worked in graphic design, fashion, and most recently coffee. HAS HEART serves coffee but it's more than that. HAS HEART also allows veterans to connect with artists to tell their story. As a veteran myself, I love that there's a social space where people can share their military experiences and get a free cup of regular coffee, as well as discounted specialty drinks and food. . . . Follow my guest, Tyler D. Way: on Instagram and/or LinkedIn, check out his Bio Site, and for the love of God, check out HAS HEART on Instagram or their website. Follow me, Christopher Tallon: on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram, check out my website where you can buy my novel, Switchers, about teens in 1996 who get into a time travel war against their adult selves. Thanks for listening. Hit me up on social media and let me know what you think of the show! . . . Shout outs to HAS HEART and every one of the wonderful people who work there, Cpl. Joshua Hoffman, Mike Posner, Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups, World Wide Wes, Chris Paul, Threadless, Treetops Collective, Brian Cousins at Wolverine Footwear, Phil Knight and Nike, Memorial Park, ArtPrize, and the City of Grand Rapids (MI).    

When I went to a local event, Ivan was there shooting video of the event and taking photos. We talked there for the first time really and I made it a point to get him on my podcast.

Ivan’s background

Ivan Labra became a videographer and photographer who graduated from “YouTube University” and got his foot in the door with the creative community when found a community of like minded people online who had regular in-person meetings. That parlayed into working somewhere, getting better gigs and more responsibility, and doing really cool shit.

We talk about all that kind of stuff, plus getting over self doubt, having a healthy sense of competitiveness, the creative process, how to manufacture inspiration, and so much more. We also talk a little trash…

Listen to Episode 112 of A Podcast for Creative People with my guest Ivan Labra!

Ivan joined me on my podcast, A Podcast for Creative People, for episode 112. (I know—starting to get up there…)

If you hadn’t already gathered as much, my buddy Ivan is a videographer and photographer at Carbon Stories, where he’s also the office manager. When he’s not there, he also works at Has Heart Coffee Shop. He does a lot of cool stuff that has recently taken him across the country to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX.

Listen to Ivan. He’s got an interesting take on things, as well as some great insights and advice for creatives of all types. And really just anyone who’s trying to do anything, “creative” or otherwise.

Ep.78 | Ivan Labra – Photographer, Videographer, and Coffee Maker – A Podcast for Creative People

Learn on your own. Network. Get a mentor. Do awesome stuff. If you've got your foot in the door somewhere, kick that bitch in! Bet on yourself! Get ready to take the world by storm after you listen to this one, folks. Ivan Labra is a self taught photographer/videographer who graduated from YouTube University (not a real thing), and does cool stuff all over the country. We recorded at Carbon Stories in Grand Rapids, MI, where Ivan shoots and manages the office. When he's not shooting content, he's making coffee at Has Heart Coffee Shop. Topics range from creative process, inspiration, being self taught vs. classically trained, overcoming doubt, how to get into something without training, coffee, Carbon Stories, film (specifically Christopher Nolan), and music. Follow Ivan Labra Instagram: @ivan.labra_ Website  LinkedIn Shout Outs Carbon Stories Has Heart Coffee Shop Keep up with Christopher Tallon @tallonwrites on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X Buy my ebook or paperback Go to http://www.christophertallon.com for news and updates about books, podcasts, appearances, and more. 

And if you do listen, to this or any other episode, please rate and review it wherever you listen from. It is one of the biggest things you can do to help grow the podcast. Or you can give me money. Money’s good too. You’re call.

Choose wisely.

Thanks for stopping by. Follow me on all social media: @tallonwrites

-CT

Christopher Tallon is the author of the dark, adventurous, time-travel novel Switchers.

CT’s LINKTREE