Connection is Magic with Samson Shulman

Frank Ocean’s Mom on His Evolution, Life Gems & Trusting Your Path — Katonya Breaux

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0000

Katonya Breaux (IG: katonyabreaux) is the mother of visionary artist Frank Ocean. Born in New Orleans and raised in Los Angeles, she emancipated herself at 17 from a toxic family environment and is renowned for her grace and wisdom by those who know her. She founded Unsun Cosmetics, a mineral sunscreen line for people of color, which was carried by major retailers including CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart. Katonya closed the company while navigating her own healing journey following the loss of her son Ryan. Today, she dedicates herself to life coaching, plant medicine, and training as a death doula, guiding others through life’s transitions with clarity and compassion.

Disclaimer: Our Ableton audio session crashed while this interview was being recorded, so we had to use the scratch audio from our Sony 4K cameras. Enhancing it took countless hours and is a real-life example of what we encourage our listeners to always do on this platform… turn lemons into lemonade. We hope you enjoy!

Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative?You don’t have to do it alone.We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive.Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Emancipating herself at age 17 from a toxic family dynamic

+ Folding her skincare business after fighting for it for many years

+ How meditation changed her life

+ There is an order to the world we can trust in… i.e looking at the planets all moving in synchronicity or a child growing in the womb, even when uncomfortable things happen in your life, trust its part of that same order and happening for a reason

+ When she first discovered her son's gift

+ Incredible talent is NOT enough to be successful, you need incredible work ethic to go along with it

+ Discussing Frank’s lyrics to her in his song “Futara Free”

+ The immense luxury & gift of getting paid to do what you love

+ Katonya (even though she grew up in the church) supporting Frank when he came out as gay and how him doing that helped shift the stigma in hip hop & pop-culture as a whole

+ Frank not succumbing to the pressures of our modern-day culture to always post and be visible on the internet

+ How she feels knowing Frank's music has helped and touched so many people

+ How people spend more time WISHING than WORKING for their dreams

+ The intense work and focus it takes over time, i.e. Kobe Bryant shooting / dunking a basketball to hone your skills & the countless hours of work no one truly acknowledges that’s part of it

+ How she will go with Frank to the recording studio and find it so boring because she will hear him play the same segment of a song over 30-40 times working intensely to improve it

+ It’s not 10,000 hours to become a master at something, rather 10,000 iterations to become a master at something

+ Katonya’s favorite Frank Ocean song…

+ How Frank has never struggled with a scarcity mentality when it comes to money

+ When we allow fear to grip us we actually put up energetic blocks to achieving what we want

+ Trusting that you have a sacred team of sprit guides + angels that are always intervening to help you whether you can see it or not, it’s ever-present like wifi and when we tap into literal magic happens

+ We discuss the song “Be Yourself” off Frank’s Blond album

+ How Katonya and I handle our “bad days” and the grace we try to remember to give ourselves to make it back to shore, which we always do if we hang in there (HOPE acronym: Hold On Pain Ends)

+ Katonya answers a fan question in our new segment called “The Magic Moment” and shares advice to parents raising a creative child

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Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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G-Eazy on Inner Freedom, Mac Miller Friendship & Rejection Stories He’s Never Shared

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:49:00 -0000

G-Eazy (IG: g_eazy) was born Gerald Earl Gillum on May 24, 1989, in Oakland, California, is a rapper, producer, and philanthropist whose journey reflects resilience, introspection, and staying true to his roots. Raised by a single mother, he overcame financial hardships and pursued his passion for music, earning a degree in music industry studies from Loyola University New Orleans. His 2014 album These Things Happen marked his breakthrough, featuring the hit single “Me, Myself & I” with Bebe Rexha, which reached the Billboard Top 10 and has over 1.5 billion streams on Spotify. In 2021, G-Eazy faced the profound loss of his mother, a life-changing moment he explored with raw honesty on his 2024 album Freak Show, reflecting on grief, love, and personal growth. Beyond music, he founded the Endless Summer Fund in 2018 to support at-risk youth in the Bay Area with education, mental health resources, and basic needs.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Going from a world tour with screaming fans to just back to your regular everyday life at home just doing laundry and making coffee is trippy AF

+ Discussing cities with rich historical musical legacies

+ G-Eazy’s original rap name which he never disclosed before!

+ Why G-Eazy sold his house in LA and moved to NY

+ The challenge of having to come off both super confident and super vulnerable simultaneously as a rapper

+ How the greatest joys in life come from choosing adversity and challenge and getting to the other side of those things

+ Selling verses for just $50 bucks when struggling early on and some people still popping up to this day trying to promote those songs saying they have a song featuring G-Eazy

+ Living out of a suitcase and on friend’s couches, selling sneakers and barely scraping by trying to get his career going

+ Getting flown out to NY and passed on by major labels, having to shake off the disappointment and keep pushing

+ How to psyche yourself out and achieve the impossible

+ His friendship with Mac Miller and his favorite memories with him

+ Meeting Kobe Bryant and what Kobe shared with him about mindset

+ Forgetting songs that his fans press him to play in his meet and greets before a show and him asking “how the hell do you remember that?”

+ Recalling performing “Me, Myself and I” throughout the world over 1300 times and how the song was created with Bebe Rexha

+ We explore the quote that “happy and healthy people don’t make great art,” and how artists often channel tension and anxiety into their work

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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The Secret Weapon Behind Kendrick Lamar & Travis Scott — Brocky Marciano

Wed, 21 May 2025 02:01:07 -0000

Brock Korsan (IG: @brockymarciano) is a multifaceted force in music and fashion, widely respected as an A&R executive, artist and producer manager, and creative consultant. His career is defined by a sharp cultural lens and a deep commitment to championing artistic talent. Brock got his start on a street team, immersing himself in every facet of the music business. His instincts and relentless drive quickly led to work with influential artists like Travis Scott, Schoolboy Q, and frequent collaborator Kendrick Lamar. Known for his ability to spot and nurture talent, he’s become a trusted voice in the culture. At Interscope Records, Brock worked across a wide spectrum of artists and projects, including co-writing Drake’s global hit “God’s Plan.” Beyond music, he’s a managing partner at No Vacancy Inn, a boundary-pushing collective known for blending fashion, music, and culture through ventures like radio shows, parties, clothing drops, and fundraisers. As Senior Vice President at Warner Records, Brock continues to lead with vision, signing breakout acts like Omar Apollo and developing projects that shape the sound of tomorrow. Whether he's in the studio until sunrise or catching waves at dawn, Brock brings the same passion and intention to everything he does—embodying a holistic, grounded approach to creative success.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Sleeping in his impala to hide his early career moves from his parents who would not understand what he was trying to do

+ Brock’s experiences working at the legendary street wear company, Diamond Supply in it’s early days and Tyler, The Creator working there as a kid packing boxes

+ Leveraging managing producers at first to get around the rappers he wanted to meet

+ Witnessing the early days of TDE and its superstar artists early into the global phenom’s they have become

+ Helping Mac Miller get his first bag of weed and tattoo

+ Touring the world with Travis Scott and watching 70,000 fans attend the Sao Palo, Brazil show and nearly break the concrete stadium

+ How most people just aren’t built for the struggle it takes to be great, especially hype talented people

+ Why getting opinions from too many people is dangerous, because they may talk you out of something great

+ Signing Omar Apollo and helping guide his development & career

+ A real artist needs to make art no matter what, they need to make it to breathe / survive

+ How all the true greats, whether in sports or the arts, give another level of commitment to their crafts even after they’ve reached success

+ Getting a shout out from Kendrick Lamar on “DNA” off of his DAMN album, which he A&R’d

+ What his working relationship is like with Kendrick Lamar and how they’ve both made each other grow

+ Nobody really knows what a hit is and so much it happens off luck and fate, and how so many incredible artists never get a top charting record

+ Sending Kendrick Lamar the iconic “Money Trees” record

+ No matter how much information you are armed with you will get fucked and take L’s in the entertainment industry. Period, but you can choose to become better vs. bitter and also not do the same thing to other people

+ How music is a soundtrack to our lives like a time capsule and how revisiting certain songs takes us right back to those poignant moments earlier in our lives

+ How you can spend your whole life climbing to the top of a mountain and then get bored of being at the top and need a new challenge to feel inspired, i.e. why the children of billionaires are some of the most unhappy people

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Vans Warped Tour Founder on Creating a Cultural Icon — Kevin Lyman

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 05:23:00 -0000

Kevin Lyman (IG: @kevinlyman) is a visionary entrepreneur and influential figure in the world of music and entertainment. Born on October 6, 1961, in Orange, California, Lyman has left an indelible mark on the industry, particularly in the realm of alternative and punk rock. His journey into the music scene began with a passion for bringing people together through shared musical experiences. In 1995, he founded the Vans Warped Tour, a groundbreaking traveling music festival that became a staple in the alternative music scene for over two decades! The tour attracted around 750,000 people annually and is recognized as the longest-running North American festival ever! Kevin’s dedication to supporting independent artists and fostering a sense of inclusivity has made him a respected and beloved figure among musicians and fans alike. He has been involved in numerous charitable initiatives, using his platform to address social issues and make a positive impact on the communities he engages with. His ability to adapt to the ever-evolving music landscape and his unwavering passion for the art form have solidified his legacy as a trailblazer in the industry. In late 2018, Kevin began teaching at USC's Thornton School of Music as an Associate Professor.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Kevin’s upbringing in Claremont, California in “hippieville” and how it shaped him

+ The loneliness epidemic and our ever-present need for community now more than ever

+ The echo chamber we are all living in now due to social media and it’s blocking our ability to be more balanced / harmonious

+ The hardest moments of navigating the building the Warped tour, how Kevin bounced back and what he learned

+ Kevin winding down the Warped tour after 25 successful years, how there was no ambivalence in him and how he felt fully complete after ending it

+ How he was villainized by many people for “ruining punk rock”

+ Kevin attending Cal Poly Pomona where another fellow mega festival creator, Paul Tollett, the creator of Coachella also went to school

+ How taking any days off in the music industry is viewed as negatively, people get judged for not wanting it bad enough, self-care is seen as weakness

+ How Kevin has literally sent artists to rehab mid-tour who were suffering from heavy addiction on the road

+ People on the artist side and the executive side aren’t seen as people but rather seen as commodities and dehumanized

+ The music industry can be so phony at times that when you text someone to say, “how are you doing?” and you don’t ask them for anything people are taken aback

+ Kevin recalling working with megastars Nine Inch Nails and Stone Temple Pilots and being concerned about their addictions and drug abuse

+ Getting to work closely with Trent Reznor and admiring his brilliance and business acumen

+ How to navigate today’s music industry of mass SATURATION and ways to cut through the NOISE

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Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Bars For Breakfast: “Adventure” — Russ Feat. Rexx Life Raj

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:57:14 -0000

The latest installment of a segment called, "Bars for Breakfast" where I highlight a powerful lyric and share how it relates to my personal life experience. Listening to my share, I hope it conjures up for you how it relates to your own personal life journey, and you feel connected + inspired.

***

SONG: "Adventure"

ARTISTS: Russ, Feat. Rexx Life Raj

LYRICS: "When I was at my lowest had to hold my head the highest reconnect with silence otherwise it’s hard to hear the guidance. Thinkin’ that I got a broken version of success until I realized this is the version that I’m supposed to get, I see the way the roads connect if you just keep on drivin’ tried to fight the moment thought my stars need realignin”

***

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Love and blessings!

– TEAM CIM

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LaRussell on Turning Being Different Into Your Superpower

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 04:47:27 -0000

LaRussell (IG: @larussell) is a legendary independent rapper and artist from Vallejo, California, who began rapping at just eight years old. Struggling to find inspiration in his early schooling, he thrived at Vallejo’s Peoples' High School, where his creativity and talent began to flourish. After graduation, fatherhood briefly paused his musical ambitions, and he took a stable, well-paying job in aerospace to support his daughter, where he worked for six years before boldly leaving it to pursue music full-time. A visionary in the independent music scene, LaRussell created the “Proud to Pay” model, allowing fans to set their own price for his music, live shows, and local events under the motto: “it’s not free, it’s priceless.” He also founded the independent collective Good Compenny, which empowers artists to retain ownership of their work while fostering community, collaboration, and positive change in an industry that often undervalues independent voices. Since 2019, LaRussell has released 24 full-length albums, including seven in 2023 alone, showcasing a relentless work ethic and a commitment to quality. His artistry has earned acclaim from some of the most influential figures in music, including Charlamagne Tha God, Chance The Rapper, Russ, Meek Mill, LA Reid, and Erykah Badu, and his story is one of resilience, innovation, and unwavering dedication to his craft, continuously redefining what it means to succeed as an independent artist.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ How to navigate between our innate need to belong / fit inand instead choose to stand out when we feel different from the pack

+ “There’s people who spend time talking about doing things,and there are people who spend time doing things” – LaRussell

+ People will box us in to what they believe we are whichworks against our need to evolve

+ Why record labels will invest in whack artists who havemillions of views vs. investing in dope artists who don’t yet have a following

+ Discussing where LaRussell’s wisdom comes from at such ayoung age

+ If you live your life not trusting other people you willmanifest meeting more untrustworthy people

+ The more shots you take the better you become; peopleblock their development by worrying too much about what other people think

+ People need to be honest with themselves and just say theydon’t actually want what they say they do if they’re not putting in consistentwork to achieve it

+ We discuss the Kanye West lyric from the song “Spaceship” ... “Lock yourself in a room doin’ 5 beats a day for 3 summers that’s a differentworld like three summers I deserve to do these numbers!”

+ How to deal with haters online who don’t even know you:“If you have a problem with me text me, if you don’t have my number then youdon’t know me well enough to have a problem with me.”

+ Why labels get behind toxic music vs. morepositive/nourishing music

+ Why LaRussell calls his company “GOODCOMPENNY”

+ Surreal moment of meeting Diddy and how that meeting impactedhim

+ Learning to work efficiently on a team and how we can keepour egos in check so that we can all fly higher and win more

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Billionaire Behind ‘It Ends With Us’ & Founder of Wayfarer Studios — Steve Sarowitz

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 16:19:29 -0000

Steve Sarowitz (IG: @wayfarerstudios) is an American billionaire businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Steve is the founder of Paylocity, a digital accounting platform which he founded in 1997 and took public in 2014. He splits his time between his hometown of Chicago and Los Angeles. In 2019, Steve co-founded (with actor Justin Baldoni) the small but mighty, Wayfarer Studios, an independent Hollywood film studio dedicated to promoting substantive, meaningful films to uplift humanity. Steve is a practicing Bahai and deeply rooted in the core spiritual tenants of the faith which advocate helping unite humanity and combat divisiveness. His film studio Wayfarer, has produced many noteworthy films including, "It Ends With Us" starring Justin Baldoni & Blake Lively, “Code 3” an action-comedy starring Rainn Wilson & Lil Rel Howery, The Pac Man Movie (based on the hit 80’s arcade game), and "Sonic The Hedgehog" with many more films coming in 2025.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ The power of love being infused into something and how much more it can be felt

+ Steve’s spiritual principles being enhanced, not limited by, his great fortune

+ We are one human family and racism / sexism pollutes this otherwise natural state of ours

+ Steve’s first failed business and what he learned from the experience

+ Learning how to delegate vs. controlling everything so you don’t limit your potential to scale

+ The inception & mission of Steve’s Hollywood FilmStudio, “Wayfarer”

+ How to raise above our instincts towards anger andimpatience

+ Does a ton of money change you or reveal who you really are?

+ Explanation of the Bahai faith and how it speaks directly to the challenges humanity is facing

+ What emotions / thoughts / feelings Steve felt the day he became a Billionaire

+ Mentorship not always being a pre-requisite to being successful, Steve never had a mentor and learned by trying & failing repeatedly

+ Steve’s plans for his film studio in the coming years….

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What It Actually Costs to Be an Artist Today — India Shawn

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:39:37 -0000

India Shawn (IG: @indiashawn) is a silky smooth R&B artist based in Los Angeles, California. Her journey through the realms of music has been a testament to her artistry and authenticity. She has emerged as a powerhouse in the music industry, captivating audiences with her mesmerizing voice and heartfelt lyrics – drawing inspiration from a diverse range of genres, including R&B, soul, and hip-hop. Her notable collaborations include working with Chris Brown, 6lack, Diddy, Anderson Paak, Stevie Wonder, Elton John and many more… Additionally, she was a prominent voice in Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir. India’s music reflects her life experiences, emotions, and a celebration of the human spirit. Her lyrics delve into themes of love, self-discovery, and empowerment, resonating with listeners on a profound level. Check out her latest critically acclaimed project titled “Before We Go (Deeper)” released in 2022.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ How she is a reluctant veteran of the music industry 😊in that she has experienced many high highs and low lows throughout the years of her career in entertainment

+ India once being on a video shoot where she was asked to basically be naked and her enduring a learning lesson of not listening to her intuition and putting her foot down

+ Escaping competition through authenticity

+ Newly parting ways with her record label, Epic Records,and the freedom and anxiety that are showing up for her in the process

+ Growing up in church first gave her the inklings to wantto be an artist

+ The consistent unpredictability of following a path inarts and entertainment

+ How even if she doesn’t pursue singing professionally, she will always take comfort in knowing that she’ll always be singing for the rest of her life

+ The sacrifices made in pursuing the life of an artist /creative

+ Having to get a job postmating / instacarting aftermultiple album releases and being terrified about being seen while doing these jobs because of people thinking of her as a failed musician

+ Being randomly selected to be part of Kanye West’s Sunday Service choir

+ Collaborating with Bruno Mars, 6lack and Anderson Paak all early in their careers

+ Meeting and collaborating with her hero Stevie Wonder

+ When we outgrow friendships, we aren’t breaking up with that person, but rather, we are breaking up with a part of ourselves we’ve outgrown

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Reggie Watts on Ego Death, DUNKING on Elon Musk & Life After The James Corden Show

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 03:21:31 -0000

Reggie Lucien Frank Roger Watts (IG: @reggiewatts) is an American comedian, actor, beatboxer, musician, and a modern-day philosopher of sorts. His improvised musical sets are created using only his voice, a keyboard, and a looping machine. He began piano & violin lessons at age five and moved to Seattle at age 18 to study music. He attended The Art Institute of Seattle before studying jazz at Cornish College of the Arts. Worth noting - Reggie lived in Seattle during the renaissance of the grunge music era. Reggie is also an aficionado of cars and tech, speaking in detail to both during his many appearances on the Joe Rogan Podcast. He refers to himself as a "disinformationist" who aims to disorient his audience in a comedic fashion. Reggie was the house band leader for The Late Late Show with James Corden for 8 seasons.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Reggie enduring / navigating racism growing up in Montana

+ How Reggie first got into music and the influences that shaped him

+ The internet being paradoxical – never being easier to now put your work out, never been harder to cut through the noise and get discovered

+ AI and the theory of singularity, humans merging with AI chips in them one day, good vs. bad aspects

+ Being a new musician playing in Seattle when the grunge scene was emerging

+ How he landed his job working as the band leader for The Late Late Show with James Corden

+ Reggie catastrophizing about having to sell his cars after the Late Late show ended

+ A list of people Reggie acknowledges for his success thus far in entertainment

+ How to not sabotage (all too common) yourself as an artist

+ How Reggie approaches & disarms douchebags

+ How to deal with online bullies & keyboard cowboys 😊

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Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Veteran Music Lawyer Drops $1BN Dollars Worth Of Game (RUN IT BACK!) — Gary Greenberg

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 04:49:59 -0000

This is a "RUN IT BACK" episode! The episode was originally recorded in November 2018, when the podcast was previously called, "The Hustle Sanctuary."

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ We discuss being a creative person and businessperson and the healthy balance of the two...

+ How he discovered his path into music law

+ The huge low of losing his first famous client

+ The fragility of maintaining human relationships

+ Anxiety being ever-present working in the music industry

+ LA having the most talented artists in the world as well as the most talented hustlers preying on them

+ How Gary ended up getting deep into the hip-hop world and how his colleagues were telling him he needed to leave rap because the genre was going to die

+ The process he had to go through to become the main in-house lawyer for AMERICAN IDOL and what he learned in that experience

+ How many of his colleagues left the industry during the lowest points and how it made him 2nd guess if he was next

+ How he stays on his grind even though he has reached a very high level of achievement and success

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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"We HATE on Ourselves More Than Any Hater EVER Will" — Kute Blackson

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 01:24:10 -0000

Kute Blackson (IG: @kuteblackson) is a charismatic and internationally recognized inspirational speaker, author, and life coach. Initially resisting his calling, Kute pursued a more conventional path. He studied finance and business with the intention of entering the corporate world. However, a series of transformative events, including the death of his father (a renowned spiritual teacher himself) propelled him into a deeper exploration of his true calling. His teachings are characterized by a blend of spiritual insights and practical wisdom. He encourages individuals to break free from societal expectations, embrace their true selves, and live a life aligned with their deepest desires. Kute is the author of several books, including the New York Times best-selling book, "You Are the One."

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Rejection is often grace and divine redirection and what creates our suffering in these circumstances is our ego with its very limited vision

+ The goals we get attached to can stem from unmet needs in our childhood

+ How demanding your dreams come to fruition before you’ve been properly developed is akin to eating unripe fruit

+ Kute’s rough early days moving to Los Angeles, California including becoming homeless for a period of time

+ Being offered a management deal from one of Hollywood’s biggest management companies and turning them down

+ How saying “NO” to people + opportunities that are not fully in alignment leads to us manifesting things that are a much better fit. The key to manifestation is letting go.

+ Holding on to what is no longer aligned sends a message to God + The universe that we do not trust and learning to rely on innate divine intelligence

+ As artists & entrepreneurs we don’t choose our path, life chooses us to express something through us

+ How we hate on ourselves and block ourselves way more than our haters block or hate on us

+ We can all learn something valuable from the guy who sells a banana peel taped to a blank canvas for $50,000. There’s a level of boldness and belief to be able to do that and if we took a fraction of it we’d be better off.

+ You owning your greatness will trigger other people who are not going for it. You become a painful reminder to them that they are not going for it

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Bars For Breakfast: "Smile" — Jay-Z Feat. Gloria Carter

Tue, 07 May 2024 19:00:00 -0000

The latest installment of a segment called, "Bars For Breakfast!" where I highlight a powerful lyric and share how it relates to my personal life experience. Listening to my share, I hope it conjures up for you how it relates to your own personal life journey and you feel connected + inspired. Of course, this all goes down while eating a delicious and/or random breakfast item as well!

***

SONG: "Smile"

ARTIST: Jay-Z

LYRICS: "A loss ain’t a loss it’s a lesson, appreciate the pain it’s a blessin”

***

SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS:

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Love & Blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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The Weeknd's Publicist On Tuning Out The Noise & Honing Your Vision — Kathryn Frazier

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 05:24:23 -0000

Kathryn Frazier (IG: @klfbiz3) is an iconic music publicist (and very wise woman) representing some of the biggest names in all of music including The Weeknd, Daft Punk, J. Cole, and Skrillex to name a few... She co-founded & was president of Skrillex’s record label OWSLA throughout its existence. Kathryn founded her boutique PR firm, Biz3, way back in 1996 in a tiny bedroom in Chicago! She got her start working as a publicist when a friend of hers gave her a bootleg copy of Death Row Records contact list. Biz3 has recently expanded beyond music, now handling key press for sports, tech, restaurants, chefs, film, books, festivals, parties, and marketing events. In 2018, Kathryn, a longtime meditator and proponent of personal and spiritual growth, began helping artists and executives alike as a personal life coach. Since then, she has life coached some of the biggest artists and executives spanning all of entertainment.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ How making simple life adjustments can often lead to the most profound shifts in our life

+ Buying a crackhouse as a young adult with a government loan and that experience helping her grow as a person

+ The toughest chapters in life eventually pass and we can use that understanding as fuel to get us through hard chapters

+ Artists being able to tap into their pain and fans connecting to that shared human experience

+ How our life is like an airplane, if we are 1-2 degrees off for a small amount of time it won’t affect us, however, over a lengthy period we will be in a whole different zone than we thought/wanted

+ Kathryn’s daily morning practice that helps keep her dialed in intuitively & spiritually

+ The healthiest way to deal with our haters from the perspective of everyday people to the biggest stars she has worked with at her company Biz3

+ What she admires most about her clients J. Cole & The Weekend

+ Kathryn’s take is that The Weeknd, Tyler, The Creator, Skrillex, J. Cole, have their eyes so locked in on the prize and their visions, they resist getting lost in online noise and other people’s opinions, we should aspire to do move through life this way

+ Needing a healthy ego to be successful in life but learning to balance the shadow side of our ego

+ What obstacles Kathryn had to overcome to start her successful PR firm Biz3

+ Dealing with fake people in the entertainment industry

+ How to not let our negative self-talk win and pull us off our destined path in life and how many people came into this world with a gift that did not get to be fully realized because they let their negative self-talk defeat them, don’t let that be you

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Surviving Today’s Music Industry w/Summer Walker & 6LACK's Label Founder — Justice Baiden

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 17:34:24 -0000

In partnership with the 988 national suicide & crisis lifeline, we’re dropping this very special episode in honor of world mental health day – October 10th, 2023. If you are someone you know is struggling with their mental health please call 988 from any cell phone for support 24/7.

Justice Baiden (IG: @justicewearscoolpants) is an entrepreneur, co-founder and head of A&R at ATL’s hottest R&B label, LVRN. They are one of the only record labels that offers both its artists and staff access to a mental health program, which includes a stipend for therapy, gym memberships, healthy food and more. Some of his most notable signings include the multi-platinum and Grammy-winning artists, Summer Walker & 6lack, two defining voices of their generation in today’s music space. Justice was born in Kennesaw, Atlanta and raised by parents who are both immigrants from Ghana. Earlier this year LVRN received a $100 Million dollar investment from label & publisher, MUSIC, to help scale its operations and impact even further.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ LVRN being one of the only record labels to offer a stipend for mental health support to its artists and how this came to be

+ How Summer Walker was at first super opposed to therapy (sidenote: Justice used to be as well) and how their feelings towards it eventually evolved + how he snuck a therapist backstage and passed her off as his friend to help Summer

+ Having to sneak his way into Summer Walker’s computer, because she was so shy sharing new songs at the time when he was A&R’ing her first project for the label

+ The pivot Justice made into pursuing the business side ofs music after his failed attempt at becoming a rapper

+ A helpful mindset on how to use social media as an artist in with a healthier perspective

+ The importance of having adversity so that we not only appreciate our wins more but to actually end up with a more cool & compelling story to share with others

+ Justice having to figure out how to navigate the music business prior to having all the information on it that’s available today

+ Discovering 6lack and helping introduce him to therapy and witnessing how much he’s evolved as an artist and human being

+ Helpful tips on becoming more resilient and bouncing back after going through bad deals as an artist

+ Why it’s so important when we feel lost to travel and leave our everyday surroundings to get a perspective shift

+ Understanding the dynamics of a team environment and exploring the pro’s & con’s + do’s & don’ts when operating within a team

+ Outgrowing friendships, why it happens and how best to navigate it

+ How we’re taught in school to stay inside the box but paradoxically, all the figures we teach kids about in textbooks are those who have stepped outside the box

+ Drake helping blowup Summer’s career after discovering her song “Girls Need Love” and jumping on a remix after Justice convinced her to ask him via IG

+ Focusing on the work not the results and how it always, always, always comes down to God’s & the universe’s timing no matter how badly we want it to happen

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Discipline Equals Confidence & Remembering The Little Kid Who Still Lives Inside Us — Stan Taylor

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:39:57 -0000

Stan Taylor (IG: @_Stantaylor_) is an LA based, super soulful R&B singer, raised in Central California. He moved to LA in 2009, after winning a reality television competition with ABC/Disney. This appearance would lead him to more opportunities to travel the world performing his music and building a fan base. Throughout his career, Stan has collaborated with many Grammy-winning music producers and served as the resident in-house singer for the popular LA night spot frequented by Drake, The Kardashians and many more called Delilah’s. Definitely go peep Stan Taylor’s most recent project, “Sweet Nostalgia” which dropped in March 2023.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Being super into athletics prior to music and how that drive/discipline served pursuing music

+ Being friends with the nerdy theatre kids while athletes clowned Stan for his choice of not pursuing sports

+ Super key takeaway: “Discipline is confidence”

+ How people get slept on all the time, and how even Kanye initially was slept on as shown in Netflix “Jeen-Yuhs” Documentary

+ The irony of people being so thirsty for authenticity, but most being terrified to share at this level

+ Keep a baby picture of yourself nearby so you can be kinder to yourself and remember your true essence

+ How wins and mini-breakthroughs can be the universe co-signing us and we can use them as signs to keep going

+ Being friends with people who can bless you with opportunities and the fine line of patience for it to happen naturally and asking for things, remembering, “closed mouths don’t get fed”

+ Snapping yourself out of funks by asking yourself… “how long do you want to hurt like this?”

+ Insight: “When we build a home in someone else, they have the power to make us homeless”

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Kanye West Netflix Documentary ‘Jeen-Yuhs’ Emmy-Nominated Directors — Coodie & Chike

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 12:03:36 -0000

Coodie & Chike (IG: @Coodierock & @Cozah) are Emmy-Nominated and acclaimed producers, directors, and documentarians. They are the directors & visionaries behind Netflix’s documentary “Jeen-Yuhs,” the 3-part trilogy showcasing the never before seen, two-decade plus, behind the scenes life of Kanye West, starting from when no one believed in him all the way through launching a multi-billion-dollar shoe and clothing empire. The duo launched their directorial debut with Kanye West’s break through single, “Through the Wire” in 2003. Coodie started out as a comedian and was also the co-founder of the legendary 90’s hip-hop platform “Channel Zero” which featured some of the biggest icons of the genre early in their careers: Wu-Tang Clan, Bone Thugs N’ Harmony, Nas, and many others… Chike, has been a consummate student of the arts from an early age, attending the prestigious, Rhode Island School of Design as well as the Savannah College of Art & Design. Some of their other work includes: 30 for 30 “Benji” Documentary (on the life of an All-American high school basketball phenom who’s life was tragically cut short when he was killed in the south-side of Chicago), many iconic music videos including, Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat” and they are currently working on an upcoming documentary on the life of Ernie Barns Jr. a prolific, African-American artist, well known for his style of elongated characters and movement.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ How their acclaimed, ESPN 30 for 30 “Benji” Documentary came together

+ How it sadly takes tragedy to unite us

+ Being pressured by Hollywood executives into deals they weren’t ready to sign

+ Be patient, it takes time to get good at your craft!

+ Coodie dropping everything to move to NY to document Kanye prior to his success

+ Kanye having a habit of exploding whenever he hears someone use the word “Can’t”

+ Creatives with deep chemistry coming together to work & how rare and special this can be

+ Artists becoming the “character” and abandoning their former selves after success

+ Drake hitting up Coodie days before the release of the documentary saying he wanted to narrate the whole thing and Kanye saying he wanted Drake instead of Coodie to narrate it

+ Kanye West’s life and career spiraling downwards shortly after the release of the documentary they spent years putting together

+ The subliminal message of the documentary not really being so much about the Genius of Kanye West but rather to remind us that we all have a unique genius within and to give us the encouragement needed to push through the NO’s and resistance to cultivate and express it!

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Building A Streetwear Brand & Featuring in HBO's ‘Fake Famous’ Documentary — CM & DJ Wolvie

Thu, 04 May 2023 03:39:48 -0000

Christopher M. Bailey & DJ Wolvie (IG: @Chrisvsmyself & @DJWolvie) are local LA legendary cats by way of Tucson, Arizona. They’re both multi-hyphenate creatives and live on the bleeding edge of culture in both the clothing and music space. Chris established the super buzzing, Last One Left, clothing brand which has been featured in The Los Angeles Times and worn by some of your favorite entertainers. DJ Wolvie is a super talented DJ with a musical palette that spans many genres. He formerly worked at HipHopDX and is a frequent collaborator with the Last One Left brand. Chris’s life story was featured in the HBO Documentary, “Fake Famous,” which is a social experiment that highlights 3 up and coming creatives and manufactures turning them into “influencers” by hyping them up and buying fake followers for them on social media. DJ Wolvie was featured in the documentary as well. If you haven’t seen it, you should go watch it! Wild stuff!

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Showing up to a job interview thinking it was for Pharrell but finding out it was for Jay-Z+ Navigating closed doors and trusting the timing of everything unfolding+ Feeling out of place and getting harassed by bros in the party scene of Tucson, Arizona+ Chris watching his mom spiral out of control from addiction and watching her go in and out of rehabs+ Wolvie leaving Arizona for LA to work at HipHopDX and only getting paid $150 per month+ The origins of Chris’s clothing company “Last One Left”+ The culture and nuances within the thrifting community for clothes and the idea of “compounding karma” within it+ Suggesting an indie NYC nightclub to one of Jay-Z’s friends and then watching the surrealness of Jay-Z and Beyonce pulling up to the club that same night+ Being in HBO’s “Fake Famous” documentary and the ridiculousness that Chris & Wolvie observed+ Being super mindful of who you keep in your inner circle, and why it’s essential to realizing your full potential

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Mike Tyson’s Longtime Therapist On Shifting Your Narrative — Seano McFarland

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Seano McFarland (IG: @teamseano) is a certified addiction therapist, life coach, and interventionist specializing in chemical dependency, sexual addiction and trauma. He’s been a longtime therapist to Mike Tyson helping guide & counsel him the past 15 years. Seano’s overall career in recovery spans 20+ years and he’s made notable impacts within his frame of work, including national lectures, appearances on Oprah, Dateline, and many other major media networks. Since founding Shell Recovery Center in Venice, CA he has helped celebrities and non-celebrities alike, and has also consulted for the NBA & NFL.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //+ Seano getting kidnapped as a child in Arizona+ Overcoming our adversity and seeing it as a homecoming story+ Being in the dark so long that we can run from the light because it’s so foreign to us+ Staying in “the middle of the herd” / in the middle of community, where we are at our safest+ Alcohol & drugs aren’t the problem, they are our maladaptive solution to our living problem+ Why you should NOT keep secrets…. Seano philosophy: “secrets can kill you”+ The shameful things we’ve done which we think are so unique, are truly not and why we need to share them with trustworthy people to heal+ “The world doesn’t need to change, we do” + “the only person you suffer from is you” – Seano Sayings 😊+ Seano receiving a DUI….. on a bicycle+ Jeff Goldbum being a mentor to Seano and what he learned being around him+ Seano getting hit by a car when his life was at a peak of success+ What makes Mike Tyson so unique from others who are successful?+ How Seano helped Mike Tyson navigate his way out of rock bottom

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Cheat Codes to Unlocking Your Full Potential — Zalma

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 05:42:34 -0000

Zalma (IG: @zalmabour) and I sit down for a special birthday episode! :) She is a brilliant singer, musician, producer and model originally from Cleveland, Ohio now based in LA. Over the course of her 15+ years working in music, she has collaborated with many Grammy winning artists & producers. Additionally, Zalma is also steeped in the healing arts and has studied both breathwork and reiki, she is a certified teacher in the latter. Zalma has two forthcoming projects, as a solo artist and as part of an artist collective called, Childish. Both will be dropping in 2023.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Zalma & Samson have a birthday toast!+ Why we don’t want our dreams to happen too early+ Too many artists putting off living to pursue their crafts+ What separates one artist from achieving their dreams vs. one who doesn’t+ Monitoring your energy when you are reaching out to people+ The medicinal aspects of music & podcasting + Zalma shares her new mantra… “This time is different” + The more attached you are to a specific outcome the more you can be hindered+ No one has your unique DNA signature, and we need to use it to touch others

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Kanye West’s Former Label President & Lauryn Hill’s Grammy-Winning Producer — Che Pope

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 15:36:16 -0000

Che Pope (IG: @wrkshpclub) is an American music executive, record producer and songwriter from Boston, Massachusetts. He is the former COO of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D record label. He also is a multi-Grammy Winning music producer most notably for his work on Lauryn Hill’s iconic debut album, “Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.’ Che has worked with and been mentored by some of music greatest minds, including: Dr. Dre, legendary music composer, Hanz Zimmer, and Quincy Jones. Che recently founded WRKSHP, based in Detroit Michigan. It’s funded by Cleveland Cavaliers Owner & Billionaire, Dan Gilbert. WRKSHP is a record label, artist development company and media house. After a lengthy career Che is still hungry and seeks to impact culture in a myriad of ways.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How Che got his start in music with no industry contacts+ Being at Biggie’s first ever live performance+ Losing multiple friends in the music biz to suicide+ Theories on why so many rappers are being killed today+ Becoming COO of Kanye’s record label GOOD Music+ Che’s thoughts on Kanye West when they met back in the day+ The differences between working in Dr. Dre camp versus Kanye’s camp+ Learning from things going left producing Lauryn Hill’s, “Miss Education Of Lauryn Hill” + Life changing advice from Quincy Jones+ Things he learned working with Dr. Dre, Hanz Zimmer, & Kanye West

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Going From Food Stamps To Winning An Oscar w/Eminem, 20th Anniversary Of "Lose Yourself" — Jeff Bass

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 07:06:46 -0000

Jeff Bass (IG: @thejeffbass) is a Detroit native music producer, who is best known for his work grooming and developing the sound of Eminem. He's credited for producing and co-writing the Oscar-winning song “Lose Yourself” from the movie 8-Mile, and has attained multiple Grammy awards during his longtime collaboration with Eminem, including "Without Me", "Sing For The Moment" and many more. His first entrance into the music business was being signed to Quincy Jones at the age 19. Jeff struggled on food stamps and government cheese as a new parent in his 30's and did not reach his breakthrough success with Eminem until he was 38 years old.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //+ The magic of minor mode songs…+ How did fame change you and Eminem?+ Memorable Jimmy Iovine moment?+ The rare occasions when artists call the shots at record labels+ The stars align again.. 8 mile move + “lose yourself” coalesce + Chrysler super bowl commercial x “lose yourself”+ Eminem's 4th album “Encore” where the road began to get rocky+ The importance of being careful with your money in the music business+ The last song Jeff recorded with Eminem+ The last time Jeff & Eminem spoke and how the conversation went...+ Painful memories and lessons Jeff learned along the path+ Jeff's new struggle...+ What advice Jeff would give to his 18 year old self+ Jeff's biggest career HIGH+ Jeff's biggest career LOW+ How to keep your ego in check even after success and how we cannot do anything great without a team...

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Bars For Breakfast: "The Highs & The Lows" — Chance The Rapper Feat. Joey Bada$$

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 21:16:04 -0000

This is a new segment called, "Bars For Breakfast!" I will highlight a powerful lyric and share how it relates to my personal life experience. Listening to my share, I hope it conjures up for you how it relates to your own personal life journey and you feel connected + inspired. Of course, this all goes down while eating a delicious and/or random breakfast item as well!

***

SONG: "The Highs & The Lows"

ARTISTS: Chance The Rapper & Joey Badass

LYRIC: "Beware, believe none of what you see and half of what you hear, the best things in life on the opposite side of fear."

***

SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS:

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CONNECT WITH ME:

Website: https://connectionismagic.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectionismagicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@connectionismagic

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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We’re Not Really Strangers Founder Helps People Feel Seen (RUN IT BACK!) — Koreen Odiney

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 16:39:08 -0000

Koreen Odiney (IG: @Koreen) is the founder of the viral authentic connection card game, "We're Not Really Strangers" (IG: Werenotreallystrangers), which teaches strangers how to connect authentically & vulnerably. The game has been featured in Vogue, GQ, Red Table Talk, BuzzFeed, and many more and their social media platforms have millions of followers. Koreen and I sat down for this conversation to discuss the game when it was in its very early infancy and had just a few thousand followers! Super inspiring stuff. Enjoy! This is a "RUN IT BACK" episode! The episode was originally recorded in July, 2017, when the podcast was previously called, "The Hustle Sanctuary."

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ We’re not really strangers – break down the game for us!+ What’s it like connecting with people with different viewpoints?

+ Early days of discovering photo journalism and photography

+ Has a stranger ever changed your life?

+ Did going up to a complete stranger ever go badly?

+ Talk to us about chance/serendipitous encounters with important people in your life.

+ What’s a recent career high?

+ Biggest career low?+ Favorite thing about modeling?+ How do you achieve internal peace?

+ What comes to mind when you hear the word “LOVE”?

+ Thoughts on people impulsively leaving relationships?

+ Are you lying to yourself about anything?

+ Gem dropped.. “every level has a different devil”

+ Success on the outside, depressed on the inside

+ The value of friends holding us accountable

+ What guides / motivates you to keep pushing & hustling?

+ One of the most powerful quotes Koreen has heard yet…

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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'Euphoria' Original Creator on the LONG JOURNEY to Success — Ron Leshem

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 05:53:20 -0000

Ron Leshem is an Israeli-American television producer and writer, best known for creating the first incarnation of HBO's hit teen drama "Euphoria," in Israel, before the show was ultimately cancelled after one season in 2012. Ron is currently an executive producer of the US version of Euphoria. Additionally, one of Ron's first writing projects EVER, "Beaufort" was nominated for an Academy Award in 2007 for Best Foreign Language Film. Ron has also co-created and written the television series No Man's Land (Hulu), Valley of Tears, and The Gordin Cell. In addition to his career as a television executive. He is also a bestselling author, having had his works translated into 20 different languages. As a novelist, he has won some of the top Israeli literary awards, among them the prestigious annual Sapir Prize for Literature in 2006. Ron shared that production on Season 3 of Euphoria will begin in October, 2022.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Euphoria getting rejected by all the major networks at first in the US, including HBO, where it would later end up.

+ The process Ron went through, releasing Euphoria in the Israeli market at first and getting called into a government office and chastised for not portraying their youth in a better light.

+ D.A.R.E's open letter to HBO and Euphoria cast and crew for negatively influencing today's youth and Ron's thoughts on it.

+ Avoiding the wrong partnerships and harvesting the right ones.

+ The metaphor for characters always banging on doors and being indicative that the characters are always looking outside of themselves and pointing fingers vs. looking within.

+ The problem with networks mandates and creating generic algorithms new shows must fall into, and how that ends up with out of the box shows succeeding.

+ The original life experience that lead Ron's first draft for Euphoria.

+ How today there are so many different distractions that we are unable to have any long thoughts anymore.

+ What separates those who sustain success and lose it.

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Pt 2. "Blurred Lines" Lawsuit, Dr. Dre Playing Superbowl LVI, & Eazy-E Story — Peter Paterno

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 16:11:43 -0000

Peter Paterno started out his career writing software for NASA and would eventually transition into pursing music law. He since became a FORCE in the music industry and over his career has represented Dr. Dre, Pharrell, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Soundgarden, Skrillex, Frank Ocean and many more…. He also had a stint running the Disney owned, Hollywood Records where he signed Queen for $10 million dollars when no one believed they had any success left in them in the US market and they soon after exploded back onto the charts with “Bohemian Rhapsody” featured in Wayne’s World quickly recouping the deal. Peter is a founding partner at the formidable law firm King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano and was legal counsel on two of the biggest landmark cases in music business history… The ”Blurred Lines” copyright lawsuit representing both Pharrell & Robin Thicke against the Marvin Gaye estate, as well as representing Dr. Dre & Metallica in the lawsuit against Napster that would mark a watershed moment transitioning the industry from physical to digital consumption.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS – PART 2

+ Peter Shares a hilarious Easy-E Story

+ Having to hustle quickly to secure the Eminem deal for Dr. Dre

+ Why both Peter and I are attracted to outlier, 1 of 1 type artists

+ Signing Queen when he ran Hollywood Records and no one believing they had any success left in them in the U.S. or Canadian Markets, and them blowing up again after the classic movie Wayne's World

+ Peter starting the domino's falling to get Dr. Dre performing at the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show

+ Rehashing details of the "Blurred Lines" lawsuit between Pharrell/Robin Thicke and Marvin Gaye's estate

+ Hilarious story from when Peter representing Gun's N' Roses in an early meeting with David Geffen

+ The story behind the inception of Beats By Dre

+ Peter's advice to new artists trying to make it in music today

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Pt 1. Pharrell & Dr. Dre's Lawyer Opens Up On The Transitions Of His Journey — Peter Paterno

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 17:52:41 -0000

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS – PART 1

+ Peter’s journey from software engineering & math major into being a lawyer

+ Rejecting his rejection letter sent to him by one of the first law school’s he applied to

+ How as an artist you need to have good business acumen for longevity

+ Getting assigned, a still unknown, Prince as a young lawyer at his first firm

+ How Peter first got involved with Dr. Dre and the impact of the Chronic

+ Writing the original 125 page contract for Geffen Records

+ Meeting Metallica for the first time and discovering they were all living in an apartment with no heat in Brooklyn

+ Artists changing after going from broke to successful

+ Watching James Hetfield go through alcohol addiction and the added difficulty of going through your problems in public

+ Recalling the Napster debacle and representing both Dr. Dre & Metallica in the lawsuit again Napster

+ The reason behind the fall out between Easy-E and Dr. Dre

+ Running Hollywood Records for Disney and the chairman getting angry with Peter for not signing Dr. Dre.. before hearing some of The Chronic lyrics… haha

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Complex Senior Writer & Former Genius Editor-in-Chief — Shawn Setaro

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 09:06:21 -0000

Shawn Setaro (Twitter: @sameoldshawn) is a writer and reporter for podcasts at Complex. Throughout his prolific career he has written for The Atlantic, Vibe, The Source, GQ, Forbes, the Sondheim Review, and many more outlets. He was formerly, the Editor-in-Chief of Genius.com. He was the writer and reporter on Spotify x Complex podcasts…. Infamous: The Tekashi 6ix9ine Story, narrated by NYC radio legend Angie Martinez; a second season of Infamous about Florida rapper YNW Melly; and Complex Subject: Pop Smoke, a biographical series about the late Brooklyn rap star. Shawn created and hosted The Cipher, a podcast that featured interviews with over 200 legendary figures in hip-hop and is a newly published author with his book, Complex Presents: Dummy Boy, Tekashi 6ix9ine and the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, available wherever books are sold.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //+ How Shawn first got into journalism+ Stumbling across and working at RapGenius.com when it was just in embryo form+ How rap music can assuage feelings of PTSD+ Getting signed to a record label and then it falling apart and the trauma that can leave artists with for a long period of time+ Lack of proper resources within the music industry to deal with emotional and mental health+ In a society that glorifies hustle mentality and productivity, it’s crucial to avoid burnout + What got Shawn so interested in the Tekashi 69 saga+ Our fascination with celebrity culture and the history behind it+ Shawn’s biggest adversity in his own journey and what he learned from the experience

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We Are All Seeds With Different Inflection Points — Sophia Esperanza

Tue, 10 May 2022 08:17:27 -0000

Sophia Esperanza (IG: SophiaEsperanza) is an activist, chef, model, vegan, and all around amazing human being. She grew a viral following across her social media channels and is using her platform to make a meaningful difference, promoting health + wellness for both animals and humans alike. She is the founder of the popular vegan recipe site, “Elbows On The Table” because the food is so good you cannot help but throw your manners out the window, put your elbows on the table and stuff your face off! She gained TONS of wisdom along her journey of leaving the traditional modeling space and shares much of it with us in this episode! The episode is a MUST listen!

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ We can’t escape ourselves, wherever we go there we are… + Why we shouldn’t put other people on a pedestal, especially those we admire+ Wanting connection so badly growing up, turning to drugs as of form of maladaptive connection to others+ When Sophia recognized the modeling industry was out of alignment for her+ How witnessing a dairy cow being lifted and dropped on her head alive in a trash bin was her moment of awakening to transform not only how she treated animals, but how she was treating herself+ How things can begin with pure intention but can become corrupted when power sets in+ How the media works to keep us angry and divided so we can be manipulated by those in power+ Change happens when we finally feel enough pain and can no longer bear it - then we take action+ How Sophia blew all of her money at first helping animals who were in desperate need+ Spending years in the modeling industry and realizing the negative impact of not being mentally stimulated or challenged - and not growing or expanding for a lengthy period of time.+ The intense journey of Sophia getting her breast implants removed and having to do this in phases vs. all at once+ The inherent problem with cancel culture+ Carving out more time in silence, day-to-day, to see the landscape of our lives more clearly+ What we can learn from animals

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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We Are Living In A Microwave Society — Chase Anthony

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 06:47:13 -0000

Chase Anthony (IG: Chasecomedy) is an American actor, comedian and former college football player. He’s had notable appearances in the films Journey of a Goddess, Love & Trust and Hidden Treasure as well as television shows Grey’s Anatomy, Lethal Weapon, TheBkdwn, Deal With It, Netflix & Chill and starred in the web series A Whole New Irving, which won him the Best Male Performance from the International Academy of Web Television award. He is presently a leading role in the BET series Bigger, produced by Will Packer and Devone Shepard.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + The importance of having at least one person who sincerely believes in us in our corner + Dealing drugs for a short time period… and being terrible at it + The first time Chase saw flyers he was handing out thrown away and stepped on right in front of him + Already being at rock bottom and final straw being on the freeway and a rock hitting his windshield at this time + Meeting and learning from comedy legend Sinbad + The messaging portrayed as a young black man of utopic happiness being money and how untrue he found it to be when he got money + The transferable skills of being an athlete with working in the entertainment industry + Differences between Gen Z and Millennials and evolution not being linear

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Russell Brand On Breaking Free From Your Ego & Getting Into Divine Guidance — Russell Brand

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:38:42 -0000

Russell Brand (IG: RussellBrand) is an outlier, activist, actor, author, podcaster, spiritual teacher etc. His YouTube channel has amassed more than 5.3 million subscribers. Amongst all of the divisiveness and polarization in today's zeitgeist he has quickly become a mainstream voice for meaningful change and antidisestablishmentarianism.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + What the aim of engaging in spiritual and personal development should be + Why volunteering is not only good for others but also good for us too + "Listening to the whispers of the wind" and staying in tune w/what life is asking of us + Reorganizing what society could look like for us + How technology might evolve from here + The duality of things in life, how they could work for us & also against us + Getting taken over by our ego's has become the cultural norm + How connection is the antithesis to addiction + We discuss how our addictions kept us going until we could address what was underneath, driving them + Why it's so hard for leaders who want to change things to actually do so, because systems are SO static + stagnant and don't create space for them to do so + Using our greatest adversities to become better, more evolved, freer versions of ourselves

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Lady Gaga’s Makeup Artist on Her Wild Journey Around the World — Tara Savelo

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 20:52:36 -0000

Tara Savelo (IG: @Tarasavelo) is originally from Massachusetts and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19 to pursue a career in acting before getting a degree in beauty and hairstyling at MUD Makeup Institute in Burbank, California. Tara ultimately became Lady Gaga's make-up artist after the make up artist she was assisting left, and so Tara stepped into the role, very fortuitously, just prior to her rise to global superstardom.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Leaving her home state with her friends with no money and leaping to LA super young+ First discovering the magic of makeup+ How she got her dream job working for Lady Gaga+ The odd feeling of seeing Lady Gaga’s fame grow from the inside vs. the outside+ Dealing with critics online+ Tara’s most surreal moment on the 6 year journey of working with Lady Gaga+ How when mentally struggling on tour, telling people on the outside, often gets little to no sympathy, because they can’t see past the glamour of it+ How & why her time working with Gaga came to an end and the rollercoaster of emotions+ Her health declining and the journey to finding healing, including a surprise Lyme Disease diagnosis+ The importance of balance and self-care especially when pursuing what you love+ What the early days of life were like after leaving the Lady Gaga whirlwind+ Being a superstar in today’s world vs. when Lady Gaga broke+ More gems on what her experiences have taught her…

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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It's Not Personal, It's Just Business & Other Lies We Tell Ourselves — David Hernandez & Zalma

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 07:11:36 -0000

David Hernandez is a fellow podcaster, he created THE PUSH PROJECT Podcast which digs deep into vulnerable and compelling conversation, he’s also a veteran on-air radio personality and licensed social worker. Zalma is my guest co-host, who's a brilliant singer, artist & music producer. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Breaking generational trauma cycles + Losing our fathers and the impact it had on us + The power of real conversation + Having patience for ourselves in the middle of outgrowing an older version of ourselves and not yet embodying that new version of ourselves yet + Being OK with surrender and change, “we change by design or by disaster” + Having grace for people who transmit their pain onto other people + David losing a foster child to a drive by shooting, not long after his wife filing for divorce + Unpacking the phrase "it's not personal, it's just business" + The trials and tribulations of artists signing record deals in the music industry

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'It Ends With Us' Executive Producer on Life, Struggle & Growth — Jamey Heath

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 22:05:17 -0000

Jamey Heath (IG: JameyHeath) is President of Wayfarer Studios ("It Ends With Us", "Sonic The Hedgehog", "Will & Harper", and More...) and the co-host of the popular podcast on vulnerability, realness, and redefining masculinity, "The Man Enough" Podcast along with Justin Baldoni & Liz Plank. He's also a longtime successful film composer and award winning musician.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //+ The Man Enough Podcast Genesis & Mission+ How being part of the podcast has helped shape Jamey+ How Jamey welcomes slings and arrows from those he's hurt in the past+ How our individual actions ripple onto everyone around us+ Accountability being key to our growth+ How subtle & pernicious things can undermine our life and our progress+ Committing infidelity, going through multiple divorces & hitting rock bottom+ Realizing he wasn't evil, but he was broken, and that could be fixed+ Rainn Wilson having his back when all was lost and holding space for him to turn his life around+ Flipping the switch and looking for the similarities vs. the differences in 12 step meetings, and beginning to turn his life around+ Eventually understanding how he could love yet still betray those he loved, realizing that behavior was modeled in his home growing up+ The importance of joy on our path to spiritual growth

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Gary Vaynerchuk's Secret Weapon Discusses Their Build & The Power Of The Human Spirit — D Rock

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 19:28:51 -0000

D Rock (IG: @Drock) is a New York based filmmaker turned storyteller. He creates compelling content around people & brands. He has worked closely with Gary Vaynerchuk as a videographer, editor, & producer for the last 8 years. He first met Gary, before he was an online sensation, while giving a free talk at Columbia University on business and entrepreneurship. He was also born with a bi-lateral cleft lip and needed multiple surgeries from the day he was born, this adversity contributed to getting him on the path to becoming who he is today.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ How he first met Gary Vaynerchuk via serendipity + Offer massive value for free to those who you want to meet + Why you shouldn't "clout hop" + The duality of today's world & social media democratizing opportunity but but people giving up if it doesn't happen overnight + Always stay humble despite what success you achieve + The importance of "casting" and matching a person to the right role, if not a fit, how pivoting within an organization may allow you to flourish + Try seeing yourself as a human experiment, always try different things to find what you like and don't like so you can grow as a person + How when he first met Gary Vaynerchuk, Gary did NOT want to do motivational content, and how at first he got nudged into trying it + Rejection can 100% fuel you to achieve your dreams & goals + D Rock being at first a beneficiary of serendipity, can now pay it forward and has become more of a driver of serendipity to others + D Rock discusses his multiple surgeries and health ailments he surmounted from a very early age and how it has shaped him + How Gary's path to success was SUPER slow, over 5 years of constant content that didn't blow up, but people think it was overnight + We discuss on keys to networking without feeling cheesy + Major cheat code to life is viewing life more MACRO vs. MICRO, and why we need to zoom out more often

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Build Yourself Back Up Better After A Fall — Shamiqua Wilson

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 20:11:25 -0000

Shamiqua Wilson (IG: shamiquasmp4) is a brilliant up and coming artist & songwriter from Staten Island, New York. Go check out her latest album titled, "The Show Goes On" available on all streaming platforms. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Picking ourselves back up after rejection and closed doors + Quick success fades quickly + Having to delete her Instagram account after building it and beginning again + Being more aware of not comparing herself to other artists + Finding our "flow" and clues that let us know we've found it + Healthy vs. unhealthy ways of depending on others + Not approaching life as fear based + Tons of labels / music managers reaching out to her and then it stopping and how she dealt with the up & down feelings of this experience + Paying attention to signs from God and The Universe

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Growing Up in the Iconic Jackson Family & the Craft vs. Scoreboard Mindset — Austin Brown

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 21:38:00 -0000

Austin Brown (IG: @austinbrown) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He has collaborated with many notable artists, including Pharrell, Q-Tip, Macy Gray, Diddy among others and has released several of his own albums. His most recent release "Heart Over Mind" was written about rekindled romantic relationship that ended for a 2nd time. Austin grew up learning & infusing much of the musical genius within the Jackson family.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ What Austin Was like before / after the pandemic+ A rekindled relationship that went sideways that was super painful+ Why you shouldn't put pressure on your creative channel+ How Michael Jackson taught him early in life that "our thoughts are incredibly powerful things"+ Getting treated differently as a child being part of the legendary Jackson family + Losing his father as a child and wisdom his dad passed along to him+ 2nd hand life gem from working with Pharrell+ Thoughts on the Travis Scott show tragedy + Focusing more on your message vs. your "following"

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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The Payoffs Of Adversity & How This Theme Underpins Hiphop — Trace Bell

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:08:11 -0000

Trace Bell (IG: Tracebelll) is a spiritual teacher and coach based in the Bay Area. He is the son of famed author and spiritual teacher Rob Bell (voted Time Magazine's most 100 influential people). He grew up in both Michigan and LA. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in political science and became interested in how the modern academic system is failing currently and fueling despair and nihilism by teaching based on limited perspectives and paradigms. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Midwest vs. LA comparison + First hip hop album that got Trace into the genre + Life happening for us vs. happening to us + The magic and inspiration behind hip hop music + Trace discusses his frustration with his schooling experiences and what he felt was lacking + What fascinates him about studying consciousness + How to use pain for our growth + Adversity used for good an everpresent theme in hiphop music + Realizing the difference between being in a difficult chapter of your book vs. thinking it’s the whole book of your life + Things he has learned from his highly regarded father, Author & Spiritual Teacher, Rob Bell

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Developing Murda Beatz & How To Stop Mentally Spinning Out — Cory Litwin

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 06:06:24 -0000

Cory Litwin (IG: Cory_Litwin) is a Toronto native, based in Los Angeles and currently Executive Vice President of Hallwood Media. He manages super producer Murda Beatz (Drake, Migos, Ariana Grande and more), he also co-produced the Drake smash "Nice For What" and has a roster of 30+ clients. He is also the Founder of 2wenty 2wenty Music Group and co-founder of Psychedelic Water.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Early come up in Toronto and being a part of a city that shifted the landscape of popular music + Becoming successful as a club promoter and leaving it all behind to pursue the music business + Creating a grills company called "Goldie Rocks" in an effort to break into music + Bottoming out in addiction and the road back + "If someone tells me I've changed, I say thank you" - Cory + How he met and began developing Murda Beatz + How our minds can spin us out and simple advice on how to not let it do that + Trusting that failure, rejection, closed doors are all a part of success + What it's like being a new father and how thats changed his outlook on life + Good message about the need to differentiate yourself in whatever field you are in + Spending time around Drake and what he has observed from him and the OVO camp

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Beginnings Disguised As Endings, Thriving Beyond the Major Label — Jared Evan

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 22:33:11 -0000

Jared Evan (IG: @Jaredevan) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and rapper originally from Great Neck, New York. He was signed to Zone 4 (Polow Da Don's label)under Interscope Records. The song "Frozen", which Evan wrote and produced, appeared on the LeBron James documentary soundtrack entitled Music Inspired by More than a Game. Jared also had a song featured prominently on HBO's hit show Entourage. In 2013, his album Boom Bap & Blues with Statik Selektah peaked at No. 8 on the iTunes Soul charts independently. He has been thriving as an independent artist since he left the major record label system and has a newly release project called "Dark Days" about his time in the traditional music industry.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //+ Nearly Getting Signed By Diddy + How/Why labels get excited about a new artist but just monitor it and don't make a move+ Getting signed off of a song he made off his laptop+ Meeting all of his musical idols during his come up and signing to Interscope+ Jimmy Iovine wanting Jared to re-shoot his music video with the newly created Beats By Dre headphones+ A new song he wrote, that he wasn't feeling, caught like wild fire within the building, and even though Jared wasn't feeling it, he went with it, Interscope pushed the song and it did not succeed commercially.+ Getting to record with Dr. Dre for his highly anticipated / unreleased Detox album+ A/B ing life as an independent artist vs. major label artist

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Transformation Begins With Surrender — Yonas Michael & Zalma

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 13:00:09 -0000

Zalma Bour (IG: @Zalmabour) is a brilliant singer, musician, producer and model from Cleveland, Ohio. She has collaborated with many Grammy winning artists and producers. Yonas Michael (IG: @lovechakraa) is an amazing rapper, producer, DJ and created the clothing line, Earthy Surfy Rock & Soul. His former group U-N-I, was a successful endeavor, MTV VMA appearances, he has done multiple SXSW shows and shows around the world with artists such as Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole opening up for his group. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Everyone is waiting for the other person to drop their armor first so they can actually connect + Why it’s so important to pull back often when you’re on your grind + Ego death = Freedom + Learning to balance internal validation with needing external validation to become “successful” as a creative + How being able to unplug is the new swag + How we aren’t given a playbook for when bigger success hits and how many people stumble through that process + Having healthy boundaries as we continue to grow & evolve + Seeing and getting to know famous musicians early before they blew up and seeing that spark in them before it happened + Yonas's low point, being driven by his ego and hanging onto an old version of himself that was in the ashes and nothing working for him. Then finally being able to let go, step into a new version of himself and things flowing again

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Tyler, the Creator's Manager on Confident Vulnerability — Christian Clancy

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 21:40:20 -0000

Christian Clancy is a legendary dude & music industry outsider very much on the inside. He is the co-founder of 4 Strikes management along with his wife Kelly. They manage the careers of Tyler, The Creator, Mac Miller's Estate BROCKHAMPTON, Domo Genesis, Raveena, Boylife and formerly Solange and Frank Ocean. Clancy also formerly headed up hip hop marketing at Interscope Records in it's gangster rap heyday, helping promote such artists as 50 Cent, Eminem, The Game and more!!

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ The facade he wore at Interscope ultimately weighing him down+ Why music is so powerful

+ Clancy explains what 1st drew him to Tyler, The Creator

+ The curious dance within artists between ego and insecurity

+ Why a slow build career beats a hit single, or immediate success

+ Reflections on being on the receiving end of road rage

+ What were the catalysts that helped you grow into this version of yourself?

+ Leaping from Interscope into 4 Strikes with nearly no money

+ How the music business rewards facades and caricatures

+ Clancy's gratitude practice

+ Seeing depression as a movie in your head to get space from it

+ Meditation as a major key to our well being

+ Personal pain hopefully leads us to more empathy

+ The GIFTS of aging

+ Evolving internally and externally

+ Judging Mac Miller before meeting him & their first meeting

+ Recalling where he was when he got news Mac passed away

+ Clancy's favorite Mac Miller memory

+ When your old ceiling becomes your new floor, the magic of growth

+ Getting trapped in anger & missing a) solution b)the blessing within it

+ Horrible breakup prepping Clancy to become the man who attracted his wife

+ "The things that aren't right for you, will give you up"

+ Everything has its opposite ie. the lower you go the higher you can go

+ Gem advice for up and coming artists...

+ Clancy's relationship to money, having grown up with none

+ How great artists / entrepreneurs can easily get dismissed & overlooked

+ Why tragedy unites us+ Frank Ocean's brilliance and impact on pop culture

+ The magic and appeal of the underdog

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Pt 2. Mac Miller's Unique Genius & Benjy Grinberg's Mental Health Struggles — Benjy Grinberg

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 04:21:55 -0000

Benjy Grinberg is the founder of indie label powerhouse, Rostrum Records. He got his start in the music business working for LA Reid at Arista Records. He was instrumental in the breaking + establishing the careers of both Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller. In 2017 Benjy wrote a 3 page article in Billboard opening up on his battle with OCD titled “We Have To Erase The Stigma of Mental Health Issues.” He is based in Los Angeles, married and a father of two.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ How did you first meet Mac Miller + Mac’s exponential growth between each project + What made Mac so unique in his artistry? + Mac Miller’s influence on his peers and next gen artists + Finding out Mac passed: where he was and the emotions he worked through + Pharrell’s impact on Mac’s artistic direction and what he saw early in him + Going #1 for most albums sold with “Blue Slide Park” and garnering acclaim for doing it independently + Will the pandemic have a lasting positive impact on humanity? + What caused Benjy to open up about his mental health struggles, being diagnosed with OCD + The often ever-present façade of the “music business” not being conducive to opening up + How a lot of calls stopped getting returned after Benjy left LA Reid’s office + Why we should not bottle up and keep our challenges to ourselves + Benjy’s fledgling new career as an artist and plans to release his own music soon!

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Pt 1. The Shaky Path To Breaking Wiz Khalifa and Starting Rostrum Records — Benjy Grinberg

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 12:34:27 -0000

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Difference between superficial and REAL connection + Growing thicker skin and becoming more resilient in music biz over time + Benjy’s very 1st job in the music industry + Reason people should take internships seriously + Benjy’s early days at Arista with LA Reid + Leaving Arista and the scary / humble beginnings of Rostrum + Passion can numb fear when taking risks + Discovering and signing Wiz Khalifa + Wiz label + team having no clue “Black & Yellow” would be a #1 smash + Wiz getting dropped from their first major label deal + Learning hard way you can’t solely rely on a label once signed + Almost leaving his music business path when things got rough + When lucky breaks we could never predict happening happen

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Almost Giving Up to Global Chart-Topping Smash Hit "Old Town Road" — Andy Steinway

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 10:30:01 -0000

Andy Steinway is a Los Angeles based music manager with Hallwood Media. He manages superstar writer/rapper Jozzy and British artist Raissa (signed to Mark Ronson’s label with Columbia Records) among others. He nearly left the music business after much heartbreak and many years of false starts before fate would intervene and open up the right door. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //+ Growing up in North Carolina and the lack of a “unique" music scene+ His transition from wanting to be on the musician side to wanting to be on the business side of music+ His intrigue with watching people evolve and grow + The legendary Steinway Piano empire being part of his bloodline+ Navigating being bullied in high school and how those who are bullied often go onto great things+ Life at Berklee College Of Music in Boston+ When he realized he didn’t have what it took to make it as a musician+ Getting fired from his first exciting gig at ICM… after just 2 weeks+ Almost leaving LA after grinding for years, to go back home to North Carolina and get a job laying cement+ Life changing redirect moment, trying to sign Sara Bareilles, admittedly way above his paygrade at the time…+ Getting hired by legendary UK manager / publisher duo, Tim and Danny (Stellar Songs)and that opening all the right doors for him+ Discovering Jozzy and the path leading to the mega hit record “Old Town Road”+ The wisdom he has gained throughout his journey

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The Story Behind "Old Town Road" — Original Reference Track by Jozzy

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 10:45:01 -0000

Jozzy is a Grammy Award winning recording artist and songwriter signed to Columbia Records. Jozzy has been long celebrated for her strong pen game; she is the woman who penned Billy Ray Cyrus's verse on Lil Nas X's chart obliterating, Grammy Award winning track Old Town Road, as well as tracks for Coldplay and Pharrell Williams. Stay tuned to my conversation with Jozzy's manager Andy Steinway, available tomorrow on all streaming platforms!

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Losing $35,000 in GameStop Stock in 24 Hours, Creating A New Life Path After — Mr Pink

Tue, 18 May 2021 10:30:06 -0000

Mr Pink is a self-proclaimed “Covid-Investor” (i.e. those who picked up learning the stock market during quarantine) based in France. He quit his full time job during the pandemic in hopes of becoming financially independent through learning to invest in the stock market. He initially grew his portfolio value trading solid, fundamentally sound, companies but got swept up in the Gamestop frenzy and proceeded to lose -$35,000 of his account in a 24 hour period. He is now on a new life path as a result pursing YouTube content creation to help others learn from his mistakes and knowledge he has gained from trading. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Starting out as a normal investor focused on companies with good fundamentals, not meme stocks + Reddit / WallstreetBets community blasting stocks and turning them into sinking ships + How leveraged stock investing works + What intrigued him and got him into Gamestop + Experimenting with going “ALL IN” with his portfolio and it working in his favor every single time before Gamestop + Quitting his job to become a full time investor + Actually being up $3,000 dollars on his Gamestop investment initially for a minute, but greed setting in and not taking his profit + Fear and Greed, the two emotions that run the stock market and Greed being a stronger force + Needing to be with his friend when he lost almost $40,000 in one day on Gamestop because it was too much to handle alone + When life turns from our plans it can often be a good thing with new blessings

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Pt 2. Working with Childhood Heroes, Coldplay and Kanye West and Trusting God's Timing — Angel Lopez

Tue, 11 May 2021 10:30:06 -0000

Angel Lopez is a Grammy winning music producer and songwriter who has worked with Sam Smith, Coldplay, Kanye West and many more. He has been groomed and mentored by his musical idol, legendary producer Timbaland. Angel nearly missed his calling. Before he found success in the music business, he came within inches of leaving his path in music to pursue what would have been an arduous career to becoming a gemologist.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Gaining Timbaland’s trust, and working on his 1st record with Tim, Justin Timberlake & Wiz Khalifa + His wife and him growing up on Coldplay and getting to meet and work with Chris Martin + Getting a text in middle of the night from Chris Martin saying he urgently needed to come to the studio to work on a song that just came to him + Chris Martin explaining to him that creating songs together is like “going on a fishing trip” and you never know what size fish you are gonna catch and to be loose about it + Angel going to see Coldplay perform after working in session and getting shouted out by the band at the show and his wife’s surreal moment standing next to Chris at the shows after party + Angel achieving his first #1 record with Saweetie, “Back to the Streets” + His manager texting him out of the blue saying Kanye is rolling up to the studio to listen to and discuss music for the YAHNDI project, and him and his team scrambling to prepare music + Angel explaining how influential Kanye was in his life and how listening to 808’s and Heartbreak helped get him through some of his darkest days as a kid + Kanye meeting Team Timbo for the first time at Hit Factory and after hearing their music, very quickly asking if the studio had showers so they could lock out and finish his album right away + Getting phone call in the middle of the night when he was in Ohio from Kanye saying he wanted to start a church and wanted Angel's help + Not rushing God’s blessings in your life and trusting the process even when things get rocky

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Pt 1. Jack Harlow Producer On Being Mentored By Timbaland, & Nearly Leaving Music — Angel Lopez

Mon, 03 May 2021 20:34:37 -0000

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Moving around and not learning English until age 10 + First hearing Timbaland and having his mind blown + Being intimidated playing a huge concert super early in his career + Working with Josh Dun (21 Pilots) at Guitar Center in Ohio + Thinking we are ready for our break before we actually are + Giving his beat tape to Timbaland’s manager and thinking this was his big break + Asking for his girlfriend’s hand in marriage and his girl’s mother not approving + Having NO money and his now wife, having to work double shifts at Applebee’s to keep them going + Fortuitously crossing paths with Timbaland at Miami airport on his way to getting married in Cancun and this being a BIG sign for him to keep going + Almost leaving his music path to go to Gemology school in his family’s footsteps + Getting the first out of the blue phone call from TImbaland and nearly passing out from excitement + God/The Universe putting people on our path at the right moment to keep us going when we are in the darkness

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Pt 2. Signing Burna Boy, Moving Back In With Parents, Vision Behind Bad Habit — Matthew Adesuyan

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 10:45:01 -0000

Matthew Baus (also known as Matthew Adesuyan) is co-founder of Bad Habit Records, home to breakout artist & 2021 Grammy Winner, Burna Boy, as well as several more exciting artists, both established and up and coming, including The Neighborhood, IDK, Umi, Yeek and more… Back in the day, Matthew was once biz partners with creative and multi-media artist extraordinaire, SusBoy (who’s gone onto to do live concert visual graphics for some of music’s biggest artists including Skrillex, ASAP Rocky and more) full circle moment, Matthew and SusBoy did my very 1st website for my music management company, 5AM Collective.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Being at The Brit Awards and having full circle moment of seeing Tyler The Creator and Burna Boy both there + A gun being left at the Neuro mansion leading to Matthew and his partner SusBoy losing their cushy gig + Doing creative production for Live Strong x Nike during the Olympics and Lance Armstrong scandal happening which lead to the shutting down of their project and their money getting put on hold + Developing the popular LA group Chill Black Guys and it culminating into a near deal with Polo Grounds (ASAP Rocky etc) but it going left at the last minute + How do you handle running into people today who did not believe in you back in the day? + Having to move back in with his parents and them making him go back to school + Attending LMU and not connecting with the kids there at all + Coming up with Billy Walsh (Post Malone, Rihanna etc) in early days in LA + Collaborating with Rhude founder early + Bad Habits early days and how he first came to discover Burna Boy + Matthew winning a Grammy with Burna Boy but feeling like he’s just getting started + Following macro thinking vs. micro thinking

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Pt 1. Mental Health x Music, Co-Founding a Label, Mentoring Earl Sweatshirt — Matthew Adesuyan

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 19:06:19 -0000

Matthew Baus (also known as Matthew Adesuyan) is co-founder of Bad Habit Records, home to breakout artist & 2021 Grammy Winner, Burna Boy, as well as several more exciting artists, both established and up and coming, including The Neighborhood, Umi, Yeek and more… Back in the day, Matthew was once biz partners with creative and multi-media artist extraordinaire, SusBoy (who’s gone onto to do live concert visual graphics for some of music’s biggest artists including Skrillex, ASAP Rocky and more) full circle moment, Matthew and SusBoy did my very 1st website for my music management company, 5AM Collective.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

+ Mental health issues creating some of the biggest artists + We take a trip down memory lane and both of our come ups + Congratulating Matthew on the Grammy win with Burna Boy + Immigrating to America and learning English through music and popular culture + Neuro soft drink founder / gazillionare funding his 1st company with SusBoy, and paying for a $30,000 per month presidential suite at the Sunset Marquee + Directing The Neighborhood’s “Sweater Weather” music video with SusBoy, which today has over 460 million views on YouTube + Getting to know Skrillex before the fame + Being a mentor to Earl Sweatshirt and getting to know Tyler The Creator in the early days of him hanging around Fairfax + Dropping out of college without his parents knowing to pursue his music path

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Legendary Manager to Dave Chappelle, Vince Staples, Mos Def and More — Corey Smyth

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 07:30:00 -0000

Corey Smyth (IG: cblacksmith) is a music industry veteran and visionary executive, whose entrepreneurial drive has always remained unmatched. Corey has guided the careers of world- renowned artists including: Dave Chappelle, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, De La Soul, Vince Staples, Lil' Jon, and more. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Corey has showcased his expertise in the areas of artist management and development, international touring, production, and forging game-changing global partnerships on behalf of his portfolio. Corey's talents have transcended artist management as his impact has been recognized throughout music, film, contemporary art, television and more.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Full circle moment getting to present during crown forum at Morehouse + Early bumps in the road setting out to begin his career + Working at a skate shop with his friends Lil Jon & Baby + How Corey has often felt like Forest Gump throughout his career + His views on the difference between doing business in NY vs. LA + Meeting Dave Chappelle and being introduced to the comedy world for the first time + Putting together the movie, Block Party, flying by the seat of their pants + Going through the difficult chapter of The Chappelle show ending + The ultimate gem for artist to make sure the person representing you has more revenue than just you so they can advise from an unselfish / unbiased place + The cold truth on how most of the industry does not care about artists

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Founder of The Gentle Barn: Animal Sanctuaries for Abused & Neglected Farm Animals — Ellie Laks

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 11:25:00 -0000

Ellie Laks founded The Gentle Barn after adopting a sick goat from a run-down petting zoo in 1999. Now, thousands of animals later (including cows, chickens, pigs, goats, horses and many more), The Gentle Barn has become an extraordinary nonprofit that brings together; volunteers and at-risk children & teens to rehabilitate abandoned and abused animals. The Gentle Barn aims to inspire people through stories and interactions with their animals, so future generations can see reverence for all life, protect our planet, live good healthy, happy lives, and be one step closer to having peace on earth. The Gentle Barn has a second location in Nashville, Tennessee, and a third in St Louis, Missouri. It’s Ellie’s mission to open a Gentle Barn in every state so that everyone in America can hug cows, cuddle turkeys, give pigs tummy rubs, and look into the eyes of these animals and know for certain that we are all the same, and deserving of the same rights, respects, and freedoms. To date, The Gentle Barn has saved thousands of animals lives and hosted over 500,000 people. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Her first memory of being drawn to the animal world + Getting bullied and enduring a rough upbringing, attempting suicide at age 7 + How hard things in our lives got us both into the fields we were meant to pursue + Getting through the passing of a dear animal ways she has learned to do this more gracefully + The behind the scenes story of “Dudley” the viral Gentle Barn cow who Ellie rescued and helped get a prosthetic limb + How Ellie first learned to communicate with animals + How going through our biggest challenges can gift us beyond measure + Being highly sensitive souls we need to be aware of finding healthier ways to cope + We share our near death experiences + Why Connection Is Magic + Cow hug therapy and mediation at Gentle Barn explained

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Discard The Old, Allow The New — Felicia La Tour

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:29:59 -0000

Felicia La Tour is a celebrity make-up artist, entrepreneur, mother of 2 (aka a mom-preneur), and creator of the popular clothing line and IG page “MIndfulFee” where she regularly posts and updates her community with the day to day realness of her journey and process of growth, attaining wisdom. She pays forward positivity and gems she picks up along the way. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Main differences between the bay area and LA + Chasing spirit pulling you versus ego pulling you + Getting paid to simply be who God put you here to be + Giving more brings you more abundance + Money helps our soul fully express itself in the world + The importance of being honest about our bad days + Her mission with her platform MindfulFee + Growth can be scary even what its positive and how to navigate it + Making room for new things to enter our life and discarding the old

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Acclaimed Author, Speaker & Life Coach to The Biggest Stars — Tim Storey

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 11:30:03 -0000

Tim Storey is an acclaimed author, speaker and life coach, well known for inspiring and motivating people of all walks of life, from entertainment executives, celebrities and athletes to adults and children in the most deprived neighborhoods in the country. He has coached Kanye West, Robert Downey Jr., Stevie Wonder among many others… Tim has travelled to over 75 countries and spoken to millions of people. He often meets privately to counsel high-profile leaders in various industries. Tim helps people create the future they desire. He has inspired people from all walks of life, from entertainment legends to professional athletes. From executives to deprived children in third world countries. Using seasoned foundational principles and humor to get honest with people so they can overcome the obstacles that are holding them back. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + What did you observe first hand working with Kanye West? + My affinity for Kanye encouraging us all to be our authentic selves + Tim’s thoughts and observations working with Robert Downey Jr. + Tim’s vote of confidence in me and why he’s a fan + Tim’s background growing up in poverty in Compton with 7 people in a single apartment + Me discovering Tim’s book at my lowest rock bottom point in life living with my Uncle + Tim being with Kanye in the studio when he was writing “Everything I’m Not Made Me Everything I Am” + Society wants everyone to walk in one straight line or cadence together and those who step away from that get judged at first and later on become praised + Not getting offended by those who did not understand you on your way up + Protecting our dreams like they are a petri dish in a sterile lab + Check out Tim’s new book “Miracle Mentality” available everywhere

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Viral TikTok Star on the Dark Side of Fame & Gifts of Breathwork/Meditation — Evan Berger

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 13:40:11 -0000

Evan Berger is a viral TikTok Star with over 2.3 Million Followers as well as a Breathwork Teacher. He gained notoriety for his incredible Trump and Obama parody videos which you can find on TikTok @heyberg. His videos have been featured on BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and many other outlets. He also does product design for big tech companies, starting this journey working for Facebook. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How we both discovered Transcendental Meditation and how impactful it has been for us both + How he got into the practice of breathwork after a soul crushing break up + Some of the best people he knows have been through horrifically painful experiences + His many false starts with getting traction for his Trump & Obama impersonations + Getting a job in tech makes the world your oyster + Creating a daily excel spreadsheet checklist to stay grounded and constantly expand + Chasing fame & money is a never ending rabbit hole

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Pt 2. YouTube's Breakout Rapper With 100+ Million Views & Former Def Jam Artist — Wax

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 12:30:02 -0000

Wax is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and comedian. He became a YouTube sensation after uploading several videos of himself rapping and singing. Wax was signed to Def Jam Recordings by then president L.A. Reid, however, they would eventually part ways before releasing an album. Upon getting dropped, Wax released his hit song “Rosana” independently, which topped Billboard charts globally. The music video for “Rosana” has amassed over 45 million views to date. Wax recently relocated from Los Angeles to San Diego, California, where his twin brother Herbal-T also resides. Wax is also the 1st ever artist I managed during my music career and we take a trip down memory lane! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + More money = more problems + During the time when he had most money he was never more suicidally depressed + Coming up with Anderson Paak (who played drums for him on tours) and getting to witness his ascent to super stardom first hand + How we can’t all be Michael Jordan but society gives us messages we can + His perspective on giving up alcohol and the difference it’s made + Our parting of the ways after getting the Def Jam deal + Blowing most of his record deal advance money on lawyers fighting me after our split + Wax’s advice to new artists… don’t ever have two managers! + How most up and coming artists end up firing managers they come up with + Being able to come super hard from the heart & the brain when writing songs + How the record labels are racing to be 2nd not 1st! Just copying what’s already popular

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Pt 1. YouTube's Breakout Rapper With 100+ Million Views & Former Def Jam Artist — Wax

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 12:30:08 -0000

Wax is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and comedian. He became a YouTube sensation after uploading several videos of himself rapping and singing. Wax was signed to Def Jam Recordings by then president L.A. Reid, however, they would eventually part ways before releasing an album. Upon getting dropped, Wax released his hit song “Rosana” independently, which topped Billboard charts globally. The music video for “Rosana” has amassed over 45 million views to date. Wax recently relocated from Los Angeles to San Diego, California, where his twin brother Herbal-T also resides. Wax is also the 1st ever artist I managed during my music career and we take a trip down memory lane! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + The genesis of his shows, chain reaction and snacks with wax + How he hates getting credit for making leap to LA + How his ex-girlfriend leaving him pushed him to get his act together + Seeing his neighbor, a road worker in a dead end spiral, and how it inspired him not to want to end up like that + Life at audio engineering school + Our meeting with the guy who signed Lady Gaga and how excited I was afterwards (not so much wax lol) + Shitty day job experiences + Lawyers finding sneaky ways to overcharge people + Record labels vision for you vs. your vision for you

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Pt 2. From Touring The World With a Hit Song to Being Shattered Open — Kyle Nicolaides

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 12:57:21 -0000

Kyle Nicolaides led the Led Zeppelin influenced garage punk band Beware of Darkness, before releasing his own rousing indie rock as a solo artist beginning in 2018. He signed to Warner Music / Bright Antenna Records and his debut album was produced by Grammy Winning producer Dave Sardy (Killers, Rage Against the Machine) and he has toured around the world opening for huge acts such as Smashing Pumpkins and The 1975 etc. Recently, Kyle relocated back to his hometown of Santa Barbara, California and is working on a book about depression, hoping to shine a light for others along their own journey’s through anxiety & depression. Episode Highlights // + Being a vessel for channeling songs + When coming from ego nothing works, when coming from spirit everything works + How the tortured artist making better music is actually bullshit + Intentions of doing something and that being essential regardless of how it looks on paper + Kyle writing a book on depression now + Kyle’s personal favorite books and takeaways + Being told to kill himself by team members when he went to then to say he was depressed and nearly suicidal + The magic of chemistry on teams & how to put together the right team + Exploring our subconscious relationships with money + How I experience Kyle’s energy today vs back in the day and how he experiences my energy today vs back in the day

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Pt 1. From Touring The World With a Hit Song to Being Shattered Open — Kyle Nicolaides

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 11:55:08 -0000

Kyle Nicolaides led the Led Zeppelin influenced garage punk band Beware of Darkness, before releasing his own rousing indie rock as a solo artist beginning in 2018. He signed to Warner Music / Bright Antenna Records and his debut album was produced by Grammy Winning producer Dave Sardy (Killers, Rage Against the Machine) and he has toured around the world opening for huge acts such as Smashing Pumpkins and The 1975 etc. Recently, Kyle relocated back to his hometown of Santa Barbara, California and is working on a book about depression, hoping to shine a light for others along their own journey’s through anxiety & depression. Episode Highlights // + A healing and clearing of the air from Kyle firing me soon after I secured a record deal and team + Ego and depression haunting Kyle when we met and me having no idea how dark it was for him when we met + People in his immediate circle telling him to kill himself when he opened up to them about his deep depression + A phenomenal Abraham Twerski quote / excerpt + Discussing the ending of his band and moving back home to Santa Barbara, California + Bottoming out after moving back home and having thoughts of suicide daily + The pandemic hitting and Kyle feeling like now the world knows what his daily life was like for so long in constant anxiety and depression + Discovering Yoga & Ayahuasca - both helping him turn the corner to healing + Kyle's amazing point about humans being treated like computers when really we are like flowers each blooming in our own time

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Don't Let Anyone Diminish Your Spirit — Zalma Bour

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 13:01:14 -0000

Zalma Bour is an artist, singer, creator, Reiki practitioner and host of the online platform, "Safe Space" (titled after her last album)where she leads heart centered conversations with other open souls. She is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. In 2011, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career in music. Since then she has received both critical acclaim for her solo work and has written songs for several chart topping artists. + Leaving Ohio for LA and right when she arrived, getting a eerie phone call from her doctor about a new diagnosis + Not letting others change or rob you of what your soul is here to do + A legendary music producer, who produced Michael Jackson reaching out but them having different creative visions + The gifts that can come to you as a result of health challenges + The drug prednisone having awful effects on her and healing with Chinese medicine + Being a bow & arrow, pulling back to gain clarity to see where you are supposed to go next + Losing her father and relationship very close together and having a new song she created as medicine to get through + Check out her music, follow her page on IG: https://www.instagram.com/zalmabour

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Pt 2. Signing Gwen Stefani, Nearly Signing Alanis Morissette & Suge Knight Story — Tony Ferguson

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 12:12:29 -0000

Tony Ferguson is from the U.K. and one of the very first hires at Interscope Records before the label even existed. He's also a consummate musician, music producer and all around good human. He was also my mentor when i worked in the music business. He signed and discovered Gwen Stefani / No Doubt and fought to keep them on the label when the label wanted to drop them(Gwen and No Doubt would go onto sell 50+ million copies worldwide). EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Interscope wanting to drop Gwen Stefani & No Doubt + Jimmy wanting to make Gwen a solo artist and ex the band + Discovering Alanis Morrissette and coming so close to signing her + Finding a back door through Trauma Records under Interscope to get No Doubt more love +The idea of nothing personal just biz being bullshit + Things got harder, and tony began to think he made a mistake signing the band + Chance meeting with Kevin Wetherly who runs KROQ LA + Gwen and the band becoming upset with Tony + Gwen’s wedding at Jimmy’s house and a funny moment w/Brad Pitt + How Tony managed to stay so grounded even after huge success + Tony’s thoughts on the underhanded nature of the music biz + How Tony secretly holds the world record for longest A&R guy position in the biz + An INCREDIBLE story about a swarm of cops, a new rap group barging into Interscope’s office and Suge Knight going crazy! + Jimmy’s different style of doing business + Fame actually NOT changing Gwen or band after success + A heartfelt thank you to Tony for opening up so many opportunities for me + What Tony saw in me that made him want to be my mentor

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Pt 1. Signing Gwen Stefani / No Doubt & Joining Interscope Before it Was Born — Tony Ferguson

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:29:59 -0000

Tony Ferguson is from the U.K. and one of the very first hires at Interscope Records before the label even existed. He's also a consummate musician, music producer and all around good human. He was also my mentor when i worked in the music business. He signed and discovered Gwen Stefani / No Doubt and fought to keep them on the label when the label wanted to drop them(Gwen and No Doubt would go onto sell 50+ million copies worldwide). EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Growing up playing in bands in London + Touring with ZZ Top and going through the racist south as a Brit + Where he was when he heard the john Lennon had been killed + Touring post riot Detroit + Getting the unexpected / fateful phone call from Jimmy Iovine + Managing bands with Jimmy Iovine + Ted Fields wealthy financier comes in to back Interscope + The very first hit Interscope had.. a cheesy Latin hip hop song + Signing Gwen Stefani & No Doubt, Jimmy wanting to break up the band + How Tony was harshly judged by his peers for signing No Doubt + How Tony ended up discovering No Doubt and how ZERO Producers wanted to work with Gwen and the band at first

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How My Addiction x The Power of Music Birthed a Podcast — Samson Shulman

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 11:30:07 -0000

Samson Shulman is from Detroit and was accepted to law school in 2004 and chose instead to take a leap of faith, at age 23, moving to L.A. to pursue a career in the music business. Since then, he’s worked for Interscope Records, Atlantic Records, The Tonight Show, and secured multiple major record deals for up and coming artists under the talent management company he founded, 5AM Collective. He is currently pursuing a Master's in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University in Los Angeles. Today's co-host, Yung $tanny, is originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has worked for Island Records, BMG and Interscope Records and is also currently pursuing a Master's in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University in Los Angeles. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How the music industry resembles casino gambling in Las Vegas + Gabor Mate's philosophy that we should not be asking ourselves why the addiction but rather asking, why the pain? + What happens when we are fully driven by our ego + Samson's history with Gambling addiction, his darkest days and how he grew and eventually benefitted from having gone through his addiction + How important motives are and what really subconsciously drives us + How a deep feeling of connection is found both in music and in the recovery rooms of 12 step programs and how all people should have access to some version of this

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How A Missed Uber Ride Can Change Your Life — Sky Keller

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 11:30:04 -0000

Sky Keller (aka Amber Jones) is an artist, singer, and a registered travel nurse. She has had several songs buzzing on music blogs, played live to packed out audiences, and auditioned for American Idol. She has also spent much time in 2020 working to help victims of COVID-19 in crowded hospitals. She grew up in Connecticut but through a chance encounter with Tai Bo legend, Billy Blanks ended up moving to Los Angeles and building a whole new life. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + A random invite from her mom to a fitness studio leading to meeting Tai Bo legend Billy Blanks and moving to L.A. + A Cancelled Uber driver, leading to a different driver, leading to meeting one of Maroon 5's managers, working with Samson and finding an amazing group of new friends + How she deals with the ups and downs of pursuing her music career + Auditioning for American Idol and not making the cut + How its ok for music to be a fulfilling hobby in the way bicyclists who spend money on the leisure of biking get enjoyment and fulfillment + The life changing experience of her playing an intimate show and the power of the emotions hitting her and the audience + How some of our BIGGEST blessings in life are unanswered prayers + A play by play description on how she gets herself out of her darkest places in life and things others can also do to help themselves + Her biggest blessing / takeaway from the year 2020

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Division 1 Athlete to Overcoming Heroin Addiction — Jason Bernstein

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 12:00:24 -0000

Jason Bernstein is a current Master's in Clinical Psychology Student at Antioch University (we met in virtual class together as a result of the pandemic). Jason was a Division 1, nationally rated Golfer on scholarship at college in Delaware before being swallowed up by his addiction to pills and heroin. Thankfully, he ultimately, found his way out of the darkness and back into the light and is on a whole new career / life path in psychology with the intention of using his experience to help others. Episode Highlights // + The miracle of Jason still being here considering how bad it got with his addiction + How he was able to hide his addiction from others, which can be more dangerous because no one can see that he was killing himself + How addiction caused him his golfing scholarship at the University Of Delaware + Losing 5 of his close friends to drug addiction + How we are mostly taught alcohol, weed etc is OK but Heroin isn't and how he got into heroin in the first place + We discuss Gabor Mate PhD philosophy on addiction and how we shouldn't ask ourselves why the addiction and instead ask ourselves why the pain? + His first month of becoming clean and sober and the light returning + Making amends with those he hurt as a result of addiction + Society's limited view on mental illness and addiction... still + His advice to those considering abandoning their addiction

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Give To Yourself What You Are Seeking in Another — Zara Michales

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 13:00:19 -0000

Zara Michales is Venice Beach local, Australian native and multi-hyphenate creative. She has had two children's books published. She previously worked in Government and fitness training when she lived in Australia and is currently working on film projects and authoring books as a local Angeleno now. Episode Highlights // + Packing up her life in Australia on a Friday and landing in LA on a Monday + Family pressures + Recites beautiful poetry from one of the children's books she wrote + Finding work / life balance + Rejections experienced pursuing auditions and what she has learned + Going through the hardest time in her life and it teaching her to be appreciative of seconds now in her life + Not chasing people to be in your life and instead realizing you can give what you are seeking in them to yourself

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Pt 2. Demise of Justin Timberlake’s Record Label & Life After Music — Navin Watumull

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 13:30:00 -0000

Navin Watumull is a life transition blackbelt. He is currently a senior marketing manager at Go Fund Me, and former GM of Justin Timberlake's record label, Tennman Records, which was a joint venture with Interscope Records. Additionally, he has a successful foodie blog on Instagram with nearly 8,000 followers, he grew from scratch that highlights LA's best fare check him out at @thebadhindu on IG. Episode Highlights // + The final days of his time at Justin Timberlake's record label + The toxic nature that exists in the music industry + How interviewing for Amazon made him a superstar at interviewing + How to find your personal narrative that makes sense to others + Going over a year unemployed and feeling dismayed about finding his next job, and the experience made him question his self worth + A funny story about the head of hip hop A&R at Interscope + How we all have an underlying through line with what inspires us and our talent, and how we can peel into that like an onion + Dating Advice, and how losing all hope helped Navin find his wife :)

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Pt 1. Former GM of Justin Timberlake's Label & Almost Signing Justin Bieber — Navin Watumull

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 13:46:43 -0000

Navin Watumull is a life transition blackbelt. He is currently a senior marketing manager at Go Fund Me, and former GM of Justin Timberlake's record label, Tennman Records, which was a joint venture with Interscope Records. Additionally, he has a successful foodie blog on Instagram with nearly 8,000 followers, he grew from scratch that highlights LA's best fare check him out at @thebadhindu on IG. Episode Highlights // + Growing up in South India and getting inspired by hip hop culture + Getting fired from a free internship at Interscope + Finding his mentor and the early days of building Justin TImberlake's Record Label + Making yourself *NEEDED* at your organization + How normal "professionalism" (suits and ties etc) aren't respected in the music industry + Setting up a meeting with Justin Timberlake & Justin Bieber + How Justin Timberlake liked to develop the artists at his label + How looking back on how our life path unfolds is mind blowing

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Life Changing Advice From Dr. Dre & The Music Biz "Phuckery" — Malachi Mott

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:42:40 -0000

Malachi Mott is an instructor, producer, rapper, and overall creative from New York. He has worked at Interscope Records, Sean John and for Diddy's record label. He currently works at soundbetter.com where he helps polish and mold songs from developing artists. Episode Highlights // + Hilarious Jimmy Iovine story when Malachi was new to music biz + Why people who take only a few minutes to do a job deserve $$$ + Wisdom from Dr. Dre that changed his life + Observing Diddy when he was an intern and recognizing his unrefined wisdom, different from Jimmy & Dre + Becoming homeless briefly during his transition and break from music + How his family responded when he said he was going to pursue a creative path in life

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School Bullying Leading To Son's Suicide, Author & Speaker — Kirk Smalley

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 11:00:32 -0000

Kirk Smalley is on a mission to end bullying after losing his 11 year old son, Ty, to suicide on May 13, 2010. Kirk has appeared on numerous media outlets including CNN, Today Show etc, and was invited to The White House, by President Obama, to discuss school bullying. Kirk has spoken throughout the world in over 18 countries, on initiatives to end school bullying. Additionally, Kirk’s advocacy has led him to the Oklahoma State capital. He is currently working with the Oklahoma legislature to enact anti-bullying legislation. Episode Highlights // + Bullying in the social media era versus old school bullying + How the impact of being bullied as a kid can last an entire lifetime + What causes kids and adults to bully others in the first place? + The epidemic of bullying that exists in the native american culture + Speaking at over 1600 schools and 1.5 million children + Hearing kids come up to him after he speaks, saying they were going to take their life, but hearing him speak made them not want to go through with it + The importance of remembering if you are being bullied, that school is not a forever thing! + 1 in 4 children have had a plan to commit suicide + My harsh experiences with bullying, when switching schools growing up + Humanity going off course by a couple degrees and this adding up to a big distance. + The bully who targeted Kirk's son, not having any remorse

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Founder of "LA's Best Yoga Studio" Modo Yoga — Emily Morwen

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 12:00:21 -0000

Emily Morwen is a Toronto native, and was first introduced to yoga in 2000 in New York City where she was studying theater. She has been teaching yoga for 10 years. She is the creator of Yoga Theater for Kids (which she taught in schools, and foster youth programs throughout LA). In 2011, Emily and her incredible partners opened up Modo Yoga LA on La Brea, which quickly won Best Yoga Studio in LA in Los Angeles Magazine 2013. She then co-opened Modo Yoga Seattle, Modo Yoga East (in Echo Park) and Modo Yoga West (Venice). When Emily is not teaching or being an entrepreneur/community builder, you can find her immersed in philanthropic work. Episode Highlights // +Landing in LA as a Canadian transplant and having to start from scratch +Opening a yoga studio in the saturated yoga studio environment of LA +Early days of modo yoga studios and running on fumes +Being a mom to newborns and juggling a full life mid pandemic +How anxiety and insomnia led her to find answers in yoga when younger +The most climactic moment on her entrepreneurial journey followed by being forced to close due to Covid-19

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Overcoming Autoimmune Disease To Become a Gaming & Music Entrepreneur — Hudson Wisler

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 12:05:42 -0000

Hudson Wisler is a gamer, health advocate, and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Ebeatz an online music licensing company dedicated to making the process of posting content seamless for gamers using music with their videos. Episode Highlights // + The otherworldly timing of us meeting + My darkest days with my health struggles + Sometimes having to distance ourselves from family relationships + His scary bout with a common cold that almost took his life + Health struggles others can see and cannot see + Reading about your disease and medicines on the internet and getting scared + The serendipity of how he met his girlfriend of 5 years + How Marines who don't know each other automatically identify themselves as brothers because of the struggles they have been through

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Losing His Son, Gaining a Mission and Finding Forgiveness — Ernie Jackson

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 06:26:20 -0000

Ernie Jackson is a former pro athlete, author and international speaker. He is the author of 2 books including "Quinton's Messages." (www.amazon.com/Quintons-Messages-Ernie-Jackson/dp/0986344249 In 2009, the Jackson family was transformed forever when nine-year-old Quinton Stone Jackson, son of Ernie and Kristine and brother of Cheyanne, was killed in a tragic accident during the family's annual vacation. In this memoir. Ernie shares the eye-opening events that followed Quinton's death as Quinton visited them and left messages for Ernie and his family after his transition. These experiences opened the family's reality to a much larger universe. He shares a riveting account of embracing forgiveness at the most challenging level. Episode Highlights // + Running away from personal demons/issues + Feeling the need to always be in control + Finding his purpose through pain + Finding calm within his family facing such deep hardship + Immediately finding forgiveness towards someone who caused such pain + Becoming an author + What prevents people from living more fulfilling lives and how we all have to go through our own journey and everyone's timing in life is different + Not cooperating with the district attorney who wanted to press full charges against the woman who killed his son, and instead pushing to not see her charged.

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Music Lawyer Extraordinaire, American Idol, Snoop Dogg... Drops INSANE Amount Of Free Game!!! — Gary Greenberg

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 00:36:30 -0000

Gary Greenberg is a veteran entertainment attorney based in Los Angeles, California. He has represented 2pac, Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs N' Harmony, and Multi-Grammy winning producer DJ Dahi among others. He also spent 7 years as in house attorney for American Idol representing all of the contestants. He is a graduate from ivy league law school, Brown University. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + We discuss being a creative person and businessperson and the healthy balance of the two... + How he discovered his path into music law. + The huge low of losing his first major client. + The fragility of maintaining human relationships. + Anxiety being ever-present working in the music industry. + LA having the most talented artists in the world as well as the most talented hustlers preying on them. + How Gary ended up getting deep into the hip-hop world and how his colleagues were telling him he needed to leave rap because the genre was going to die. + The process he had to go through to become the main in-house lawyer for AMERICAN IDOL and also what he learned in that experience. + How many of his colleagues left the industry during the lowest points and how it made him 2nd guess if he was next. + How he stays on his grind even though he has reached a very high level of achievement and success.

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The Podcast Reimagined — "Episode One"

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 20:35:59 -0000

VROOM VROOM, WE'RE BACK!!! Check out the pseudo first episode and relaunch of "The Hustle Sanctuary," now called "Connection Is Magic." In this first episode, I discuss the impetus behind what brought me into the Podcast space to begin with, the new iteration of the show and the reason behind the name change as well. Also, please visit the brand new website: CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to find out more about my new coaching services and will also be releasing super dope limited edition hoodies and you can drop your email on the site to be notified on when they drop. Please comment, like and share with anyone who you feel may benefit from the messages shared in this episode. To keep up with all the day to day updates and preview please go to... Instagram: @connectionismagic TikTok: @connectionismagic Youtube: Connection Is Magic with Samson Shulman With love, Samson

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Become Your Future Self Now — Candy Wheeler

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 21:36:15 -0000

Candy Wheeler is a bad ass, captivating conscious business coach, who left the corporate world to help fellow conscious minded women make the leap from the daily grind to finding fulfillment in creating their own business and developing their personal messages to impact the world at large. She founded The Warrior in You- Business Coaching & Retreats in 2017. Episode Highlights // + The jump from corporate grind to entrepreneurship. + Failing is irrelevant, it is who we become in the process. "What would you do if you knew you would fail?" + Importance of coaches being players themselves. + A life rule: hurt people hurt people. + Facebook's new initiatives to prevent suicide. + Money blocks and how to unearth them. + We are 1 of 1's and the importance of our messages, as no one else can bring it like we can. + Quantum leaps and stepping into your future self NOW.

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Discovering Nipsey Hussle to Neglecting His Own Family and Personal Life — Steve Lobel

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 18:33:37 -0000

Steve Lobel is a legendary music manager who came up tour managing for RUN DMC, worked for Def Jam under Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen. He discovered and managed Bone Thugs N' Harmony for the entirety of their career, discovered and managed Nipsey Hussle, and currently manages multi-grammy winning music producer Scott Storch. Episode Highlights // We discuss his early years working under Russell Simmons who became his mentor. + The ethos of artists back in the day vs. the ethos of artists today. + Street smarts vs. book smarts. + How he always remains the same no matter what environment he's in. + How artists today have much less loyalty today to those who helped them ascend vs. back in the day. + NY hustle vs. LA hustle. + Ways you developed artists back in the day vs. how you develop today, (advantages and disadvantages). + How he thought about ending his life when everything was crumbling around him personally and professionally. + How he missed out on getting to have a family of his own because of his obsession with work and wishing he could do that differently. + People doubting his new client Scott Storch because of his previous drug problems. + How balance in the music biz is so elusive for so many and why,

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Drummer for Beck, Thom Yorke & Roger Waters and Steering Clear of Adversity — Joey Waronker

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 02:35:59 -0000

Joey Waronker is an elite studio & touring drummer. He is the touring drummer for Roger Waters, Beck, a full time band member of Thom Yorke's super group Atoms For Peace, and has also spent time as Smashing Pumpkins and R.E.M. He is also the son of Lenny Waronker who ran Warner Music Group for many years. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Growing up in the nascent phase of Pacific Palisades outside of LA, growing up in his father’s large shadow, who ran Warner music group. + Drumming for Beck, REM, Smashing Pumpkins, Thom Yorke, Roger Waters and more… + Beck's blended sonics and his own proclivities aligning. + Almost being offered a band spot with REM. + Working with Smashing Pumpkins as they were breaking up. + The challenges of being rich and famous for big bands. + Beck not being able to book a show and sleeping on couches because no one wanted to book him. + How his own indie band didn't work out and it still can feel upsetting. + How Joey got the gig on the massive Roger Waters tour. + Why you have to be a narcissist to front a band.

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Harvard Law School's First Deaf & Blind Graduate — Haben Girma

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 23:59:38 -0000

Haben Girma is the 1st person to graduate from Harvard who is both deaf + blind. She is a bay area based, disability rights activist attorney. She has been named on the Forbes 30 under 30 for Law and Policy and has made several visits to The White House, and was recognized by the Obama Administration as a "Champion of Change." She enjoys participating in physical activities including surfing, rock climbing, kayaking, cycling, and dancing. Episode Highlights // 0:00 - intro / background 0:50 - what qualities do you admire most in your parents? 2:04 - more interesting facts about your Eritrean ethnicity? 2:27 - where do you get your gift of comedic prowess from and why is it important? 4:03 - why community is so important 5:40 - why there is often a negative connotation with lawyers 6:21 - who is a hero of yours and why? 7:11 - your advice for finding your purpose in the world if you aren’t sure… 8:59 - what separates those who persevere through adversity and those who find fuel from it? 12:14 - why do you have a problem with the word inspiration? 13:35 - what do you mean when you say, “disability isn’t something we overcome?” 16:01 - what do you remember about meeting President Obama? 18:48 - other activities / hobbies you look forward to pursuing? 19:45 - what makes conflict and saying “no” difficult for many people and how can we better handle it? 21:48 - what advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?

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The Early Grind to Producing Miley Cyrus — Oren Yoel

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 22:11:47 -0000

Oren Yoel (IG: OrenYoel) is a multi-instrumental music producer whose first break came when he wrote music for the hit animation series The Boondocks. He’s currently signed to Universal Music Publishing. He was crucial in the early sound & development of Asher Roth and has worked with artists Tori Kelly, Ryan Tedder and Miley Cyrus among others. He produced the most recent album from Miley Cyrus titled “Younger Now” (released on 9/29/17) in its entirety. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // 0 - Intro 0:47 – what does hustle mean to you? 1:52 – what did your early producer grind look like? 2:52 - what was one of your most epic mistakes? 3:30 – whats one major roadblock for most in the early grind days? 6:24 – Have you ever had to be talked into doing a session that you weren’t sure about then it turned out amazing? 8:10 – whats it like working with Asher Roth? 9:40 – one of your first big breaks? 12:44 – musical Influences growing up. 15:55 – Memorable early adversity moments. 20:08 – comparing yourself to others on the journey 23:02 – what do you do for work / life balance? 25:00 – how did you initially end up working with Miley Cyrus? 27:22 – what was process of working with Miley on this new album? 29:27 – Is there Nicki Minaj vs. Miley Cyrus beef? 31:24 - what advice would you give to your 18 year old self? 31:57 – biggest blessing in disguise? 32:48 – whats your favorite quote? 34:20 – something that blocked you mentally 5 years ago that you’ve evolved beyond today?

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Embezzling $7 Million from Alanis Morissette & Overcoming Gambling Addiction — Jonathan Schwartz

Sat, 29 Jul 2017 22:23:43 -0000

Jonathan Schwartz, CPA was a top 5 power business manager in the entertainment industry. His clients included A-List musicians, athletes, and film stars. He developed a severe gambling addiction that lead him to embezzling $7 Million dollars from his clients. He was ordered to repay 8 million dollars in restitution and is now serving a 6 year prison sentence in Oregon. He plans to write a book and educate / empower people on the dangers of addiction and how they can seek a healthier path and avoid the pitfalls he has encountered in his own life. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // 0 - Intro / Guest Background 5:20 - Keeping a façade up is exhausting 8:25 - What was your path to becoming a top business manager in the music biz? 10:25 - Not being phased by celebrity / hollywood glam 11:43 - When did you know you wanted to be a music accountant? 14: 34 - How did your first big lucky break w/Linkin Park come about? 16:49 - Best advice to new artists? 19:39 - Importance of the right TEAM. 23:36 - The people closest to you abandoning you 26:31 - What was the point you turned from functioning addict to full loss of control over your life? 28:49 - What was your lowest point? 32:13 - What new mission / redemption looks like.. 34:40 - Importance of therapy and vulnerability 37:05 - Discuss your upcoming book.. 38:17 - The volatility of the entertainment biz 41:27 - What have been the most valuable tools / help to you in your recovery thus far? 43:15 - A quote to help shift how you help people going through something challenging.. 46:11 - Huge parallel / gem of life, recovery, and business 47:20 - Advice you would give to your 18 year old self? 49:23 - Observing / sitting in on a staged funeral + eulogy and what you learned

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Pt 2. Rise To Fame with Eminem And The Fall Out — Jeff Bass

Sun, 11 Jun 2017 19:18:49 -0000

Jeff Bass (IG: @thejeffbass) is a Detroit native music producer, who is best known for his work and musical development with Eminem. He's credited for producing and co-writing the Oscar-winning song “Lose Yourself” from the movie 8-Mile, and has attained multiple Grammy awards during his longtime collaboration with Eminem, including "Without Me", "Sing For The Moment" and many more. His first entrance into the music business was being signed to Quincy Jones at the age 19.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // 0:00 the magic of minor mode songs… 2:33 how did fame change you and Eminem? 3:26 memorable Jimmy Iovine moment? 4:44 the rare occasions when artists call the shots at record labels 13:02 the stars align again.. 8 mile move + “lose yourself” coalesce 16:15 Chrysler super bowl commercial x “lose yourself” 18:49 4th album “Encore” where the road began to get rocky 20:55 be careful with your money in the music business 23:24 what was the last song you did with Eminem? 25:12 the last time you guys spoke? 25:51 a hurtful memory and lesson… 31:50 the new struggle.. 33:47 what advice would you give to your 18 year old self? 34:28 biggest career high? 35:50 biggest career low? 37:24 keep your ego in check, we can't do anything great without a team...

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Pt 1. Discovering Eminem, Rising To Fame and More — Jeff Bass

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 23:48:02 -0000

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //

0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Guest Background 4:06 - What was a highlight of working with Quincy Jones? 5:40 - What did you do after your Quincy Jones deal phased out? 7:40 - When was the first time you made money off a project? 8:36 - Working with George Clinton 9:27 - What is clap music? 12:11 - How/When did you discover Eminem? 14:20 - Overcoming the white rapper Vanilla Ice hurdle 15:18 - How you got the most from Eminem in the studio? 17:02 - What’s one of the most fond memories of working on the 1st EP w/Eminem? 18:18 - Importance of timing and recycling in music 19:57 - Thoughts on tuning Eminem’s vocals? 21:35 - Eminem losing the finals in the rap battle olympics 22:16 - The first person in the industry to believe in Eminem? 24:09 - Jimmy/Dr. Dre’s response to discovering Eminem? 26:19 - Eminem’s ballsy ultimatum to Universal/Seagrams re-changing his lyrical content 27:49 - How was Slim Shady created? 28:57 - How did the classic blonde Hair and wifebeater come about? 30:00 - What was the moment you all knew that the project was going to go gangbusters? 32:31 - Your advice to those hustling hard to come up? 33:19 - What was the most difficult time along your journey? 35:30 - The magic of synergy and the right people coming together 38:53 - Creating a cohesive body of work with your style and Dr. Dre 39:20 - What was your initial meeting like with Dr. Dre? 42:25 - How did you see fame change Eminem? 43:26 - Your string of mega hits on the Eminem Show album.. 44:45 - Witnessing the power of the song “Lose Yourself” on people

Love and blessings,

– TEAM CIM

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Minty Burns "The Hustle Is Real" (On Location @ Toronto International Film Festival)

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 21:05:19 -0000

Minty Burns has spent years on the Toronto scene honing his craft and making his mark as an artist to watch. Whether it was opening up his own recording studio or performing with major artists in North America, Minty Burns has invested every resource available to him in the interest of supporting, contributing to, and expanding the canon of hip-hop. Episode Highlights // 0:10 - Intro 0:33 - Guest background 3:15 - When did you get started as a rapper 5:02 - Why did you choose the name Minty Burns? 5:47 - Is your family supportive? 6:43 - Side hustles outside of rapping? 8:25 - How did your team come together? 10:35 - Career high? 11:32 - Career low? 13:08 - Any influential mentors? 15:08 - Be open to feedback from those around you... 16:12 - Favorite quote? 17:49 - What OG hip hop figures influenced you? 18:34 - A mental block that was there for you, no longer there for you today? 18:46 - Key piece of wisdom 20:11 - Don’t be afraid to go against the grain... 21:25 - Biggest highlight of 2016?

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We're Not Really Strangers Founder Discusses Platform Prior To Blow Up! — Koreen Odiney

Sun, 20 Nov 2016 03:35:26 -0000

Koreen Odiney is a model, photographer, and entrepreneur. She is the creator of the game "We're Not Really Strangers" which teaches strangers how to connect authentically and she's been featured in ELLE, YMI, and had a billboard up in the middle of TimeSquare.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS //0 - Intro1:27 - We’re not really strangers – break down the game for us!6:37 - Guest background8:21 - What’s it like connecting with people with different viewpoints?11:56 - Early days of discovering photo journalism and photography14:19 - Has a stranger ever changed your life?16:20 - Did going up to a complete stranger ever go badly?18:25 - Talk to us about chance/serendipitous encounters with important people in your life.22:01 - What’s a recent career high?23:19 - Biggest career low?25:56 - Favorite thing about modeling?29:21 - How do you achieve internal peace?32:02 - What comes to mind when you hear the word “LOVE”?38:07 - Thoughts on people impulsively leaving relationships?40:03 - Are you lying to yourself about anything?44:28 - Gem dropped.. “every level has a different devil”46:36 - Success on the outside, depressed on the inside48:09 - The value of friends holding us accountable50:13 - What guides / motivates you to keep pushing + hustling?53:10 - One of the most powerful quotes I’ve heard yet…

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Beating Usain Bolt & Winning U.S. Olympic Gold Medal to Falling from Grace — Leroy Dixon Jr.

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 04:34:26 -0000

Leroy Dixon Jr. is an American sprinter who has won the Olympic gold medal in 100 meters. He has previously been on a contract with Nike, and earned all-American honors while competing at the University of South Carolina. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // 0 - Intro 2:12 - When did you chose running over other sports? 3:39 - The danger of short cuts 7:06 - Why did you choose South Carolina when you could have gone to other schools? 9:20 - Don't most athletes follow intense regimen? 11:46 - Why losing ceased to phase you? 12:48 - The day you signed with Nike 13:58 - Leaving college to go pro 14:33 - Whats it like having a contract with nike? 17:25 - Any thought of a plan B after racing career? 19:45 - The difference between hard vs. challenging 21:46 - What did it feel like winning a gold medal? 24:07 - What was it like racing against / beating Usain Bolt? 27:00 - Tell us what it takes to beat the world record in 100 meter? 28:32 - When you made the decision to leave running professionally 30:36 - Talking out the pressures of the grind / hustle is cathartic 31:03 - Plans are overrated 33:56 - The intense challenge of Income then vs. income now 34:55 - Don't let your identity get enmeshed in your career 35:50 - What advice would you give to your 18 year old self? 36:10 - Favorite quote?

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The Life Pivot after Rock Bottom — Anoush Moin

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 18:03:37 -0000

Anoush Moin is a senior brand and influencer marketing manager for 5 / 4 clothing, one of the fastest growing subscription based online clothing companies. Former music manager, USC degree in entrepreneurship, early associate of the non-profit #hashtaglunch bag, which delivers meals to the homeless on Skid Row. Episode Highlights // 0 - Intro 1:57 - What was your come up like? 5:31 - Skills you gained from moving a lot? 7:49 - How do you deal with closed minded people? 10:46 - Your history with 5/4 clothing 14:53 - Tell us more about your adversity 18:10 - Why did you get into the music industry? 24:08 - Mindset it takes to make it + thoughts on fame 29:20 - Tell us more about the struggle.. 31:20 - Intense challenge of making money in music 32:31 - When things finally came crashing down —> your pivot 34:56 - What kept you in music for longer than you wanted to stay 37:35 – Rock bottom and your mom’s reaction to it… 41:07 – A deal you made with your mom 43:42 – How did your podcast “Mama We Made It” start? 45:14 – The ethos / motivation behind your podcast 46:50 – Biggest blessing in disguise? 48:30 – Hindsight is 20/20 49:16 – What’s one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for you?

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Getting Signed by Kanye West in Paris And Joining G.O.O.D Music — Benny Cassette

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 20:50:18 -0000

Benny Cassette (IG: BennGood) is a multi-dimensional artist and record producer, signed by Kanye West in 2013. He just signed a deal with Warner Brothers for his own record label. He has also produced for John Legend, Miguel, and Kanye West, among others. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // 0 - Intro 0:56 - Guest background 6:16 - Saying yes to a chance opportunity 8:34 - Stumbling on a new life path 11:56 - Doing what you love full time vs. on the side 15:26 - A gift in the unraveling in life 17:35 - Recap of first iteration of our guest 18:01 - Next phase, the road gets incredibly difficult 20:02 - Pain > raw music > new opportunities 23:41 - Life changing moment of serendipity 27:04 - Finding out Kanye West wants to sign you 30:55 - Plane ride to Paris / first initial meeting at Kanye¹s house 35:39 - We all go down, we all go up and round and round it goes 38:30 - Kanye¹s creative process 43:07 - Thoughts on being grateful while continuing to strive for more.. 44:05 - A common mental stumbling block for people 47:04 - A lesson from a major music executive regarding money/wealth 49:28 - Biggest blessing in disguise? 51:54 - A big reminder gem.. 53:32 - Different perspectives.. 58:15 - Advice to your 18 years old self? 59:17 - Favorite quote?

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Arrested in Law School to Appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show — Terry Shulman & Pawel Gwizdala

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 22:25:07 -0000

Terry Shulman is a therapist, social worker and attorney. He created the first 12 step group for shoplifting addiction which proliferated throughout the country. He has appeared on Oprah, Dateline, 60 minutes among many other media outlets. Pawel Gwizdala has a degree in bio-engineering and formerly worked in aerospace at Boeing. Together, they created UNSTEAL.ORG, an anonymous website people can give back items they've stolen. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // 0 - Intro 1:12 - Terry's background 5:12 - First major transition and how you handled it 8:07 - Pawel's background 11:11 - Clean slate and the feelings that follow 13:23 - A new bottom 15:38 - Grand vision for your current endeavor 18:27 - Biggest career high? 22:45 - Peeling the onion layers to discover your truest path 24:25 - When to keep pushing for something and when to find new way 27:30 - Being prepared for your big break 28:08 - Biggest career low? 35:04 - A block that was there 5 years ago no longer there today, Pawel? 38:27 - A block that was there 5 years ago no longer there today, Terry? 39:56 - Misplaced motives of success 41:17 - Favorite quote?

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Early Days at Interscope to Working with Frank Ocean — Joshua Fisher

Thu, 01 Sep 2016 02:08:23 -0000

Joshua Fisher worked for Interscope Records under the head of marketing, he spearheaded Bone Thugs N Harmony's final major label studio album, spent time as part of Frank Ocean's management team, and went on to create his own management company called Mac Media, he currently represents artists, producers, and graphic designers. Episode Highlights // 0 - Intro / background 4:39 - Beginnings at Interscope Records 8:54 - Bigger picture vs. taking things as they come 13:23 - Music industry now vs. then 15:01 - The impact of fear 18:40 - The worst time in the music business 24:40 - Key project in your music career 26:00 - Bone thugs-n-harmony video shoot goes awry 29:28 - Transition from Interscope into management 34:00 - First artist project in management many ups & downs 41:06 - Next iteration of career 42:10 - Working with Frank Ocean 46:07 - Philosophy on working with new artists 48:00 - Timing is everything especially with art 48:43 - Advice to 18 year old self?

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Trusting Our Transitions — Sarah Demarco

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 06:48:02 -0000

Sarah Demarco was one of the very first employees at Rostrum Records, worked at Blue Note Records, and is a jazz musician who's worked with Esperanza Spalding. She launched her very own high end women's bag and accessory line called LDR. Episode Highlights // 0 - Intro 0:55 - The origins of guest's current endeavor 1:55 - Entrepreneur stumbling block? 4:52 - Were your parents supportive? 7:07 - Providence and the way life unfolds 8:59 - Early days at Rostrum Records 10:45 - Biggest frustration with the music business 13:00 - How do you move through fear during your transitions? 16:42 - Traits of best partnerships / teams 19:18 - Blessing in disguise? 22:40 - Craziest experience working in music? 27:06 - Favorite quote? 27:27 - Thoughts on EGO?

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Becoming a Nationally Recognized Award-Winning Poet — King

Sun, 31 Jul 2016 21:27:08 -0000

King is an award winning poet, musician and has written for In Style Magazine, Huffington Post and more. Episode Highlights // 0 - Intro 1:04 - KING’s current projects 2:19 - Serendipity and collaborations 6:49 - Evolution and transitions 12:22 - Learning a new craft 14:57 - How has ego effected you? 20:40 - Authenticity and mainstream media 26:12 - Who inspires you? 30:48 - A desirable disadvantage 32:37 - Handling transition 35:24 - What drives you / blessing in disguise? 39:28 - My intent random deep questions

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Acting in "This Is Us" to Sold Out Shows Dominating Yacht Rock — Phillip Daniel

Sun, 31 Jul 2016 21:09:18 -0000

Phillip Daniel has appeared in national Burger King commercials, national Metro PCS commercials, and starred in numerous independent films. Episode Highlights // 0 - Intro 0:47 - Realizations and life path 4:17 - Painful experiences leading to new awarenesses 9:25 - Side hustles and blessings in disguise 15:11 - The dark side of art 20:32 - A short / important instructional life exercise from our guest 23:44 - Biggest career low? 28:37 - Levity questions, get to know our guest 36: 33 - Your relationship with money? 41:24 - Service to others and what it means to you 43:13 - What advice do you have for up and comers? 45:28 - More levity's outro

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