Transcription

• Speaker #0

  Hello, my creative cutie. How are you? I so love the episode we did last week about money and art and whether they can coexist. Spoiler alert, yes. And if you haven't listened to that one, please go back and listen. It is a must, especially in today's climate. We need money in the hands of good people and in the hands of people who are thinking creatively and using their creativity and their artistry to change the world. and that episode gives you practical tools to do so. Given the success of last week's episode and how much hunger I can feel there is around this concept, I wanted to reshare with you one of my very favorite episodes I've ever done. It's just short and sweet, a mini-sode, and it's all about how to think like a rich person. I learned a very valuable lesson when I was creatively coaching a rich person a while back. And I teach you in this mini-sode how to use the tax They use to fund your art projects, your creative projects. And I just think these concepts are really important right now. We need artists more than ever to be speaking out about the atrocities happening in the world and to turn their pain into purpose. And they deserve funding and resources and to be paid very well to do so. So check this episode out. It's all about how to create like a rich person and get the top funding secrets every indie creator and artist. must know. Love you. Enjoy it. And I'll talk with you next week. Hi, Cutie. I want to tell you about a podcast I think you might like. It's called Metra. It's an original musical fiction podcast about how we can change the world. Metra weaves ancient myth, storytelling, and music to tell a story of a dangerous climate future and the fight for the world we deserve. The year is 2043. The world is hot, water is scarce, the weather is unpredictable, and the fossil fuel industry continues to thrive. The wealthy are comfortable in their air-purified, cooled, humidified, hydrated bubble cities. But in a roadside bar on the outside, an unlikely group of revolutionaries is about to demand a new story. This show is created by married couple team Emily and Ned Hartford. They're channeling their desperation, determination into what they know best, making art. We need creative solutions to the world's problems, and this is certainly one of those. If all that sounds interesting to you, you can listen to Metra on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• Speaker #1

  Are you an indie creator who is constantly putting your own money into your work only to end up feeling completely disappointed, depleted, and frankly, broke once the project launches? Don't worry, you are not alone. And today I'm going to share with you my advice on how to start thinking and creating like a rich person. Welcome to Unleash Your Inner Creative Minisodes. I'm your host, Lauren LaGrasso. I'm a Webby Award-winning podcast host and producer, keynote speaker, and creative coach. And every other Wednesday through the end of September, I am coming on the pod to give you bite-sized Unleash episodes. Each show will contain actionable advice about creativity, working toward your dreams, and self-development. They are full of tools and inspiration you can implement into your life immediately. So let's get to it. Today's topic is how to think and create like a rich person. I'm going to share how this revelation came to me and how you can start using the mindset of rich and mainstream creatives to make your work from a place of literal abundance. So I will explain. Several years ago, I was working as a creative coach to a multimillionaire. We discussed her project, the production needs, the costs, everything. We estimated it was going to cost about $20,000. Then she said this thing that I was like, She said, okay, now we just need to figure out who's going to pay for it. And I thought to myself, what do you mean, sister friend? Like literally open up the Chase Bank app. That's who will pay for it. But I decided to stay silent instead of saying that. Also, that would have been rude. But I did stay silent. And I was just like, I'm just going to let her explain what she's talking about. She continued and said something like, you know, we need sponsors, investors, etc. before we can make this project come to life. And it was in that moment that I realized something. Rich people don't spend their own money much at all, and they definitely don't spend it when they're making something new. Whether it's a business, creative project, or political campaign, they don't spend their own funds, and that's why the rich keep getting richer and keep making stuff. But ironically, as an indie creator and non-wealthy human, I had always taken the exact opposite approach. Be my own investor. If I don't have the money, I don't make it, or at worst, I go into debt. This was the wake-up call for me. that we, especially as indie artists, need to approach our creative projects like rich people. We may not have the wealth or the influence, but we need to use what we have and do our best to avoid spending our own money. That is a losing game. If you spend everything that you have to create, it can leave you further depleted, often bitter if things don't go to plan. Like, let's say the thing that you put out into the world didn't have the success you wanted it to. It can really leave you feeling icky. And it puts undue stress on what we're creating. And if you think about it, you know, I was thinking about this the other day. Imagine if you had a friend that every time you went out to dinner, they made you pay and you never got paid back and they never paid for dinner for you. Which if you have to think about it, oftentimes, especially when you're starting out as an indie creator or artist or entrepreneur, that friend is your creative project.

• Speaker #0

  You know,

• Speaker #1

  you're basically constantly giving to them. And yes, you get the joy of having it out in the world back. but you are not getting the money back in return, eventually you would start to resent that friend. And I really think the same thing happens with our creativity. So what can you use to not have that bitterness between you and the thing you love the most in life outside of your friends and family, which is your creative outlet? There's a lot of different ways. There's crowdfunding. There's also grants. You know, getting corporations who are aligned with your work. Recently, you know, on the show I had on... MTV's head of impact, Erica Soto. MTV and other corporations like that, they have these impact departments where if you're creating work that's coming from a place of impact and advocacy, you can reach out to them and say, would you like to partner with me on this? We have to start thinking outside of the box. There's aligning with nonprofits for the same reason. And you can even think about, I mean, not everybody has a network where they have one or more wealthy individuals that they might know. But think of wealthy individuals, you know, who might fund your work or, you know, especially this is something that I've actually seen happen firsthand, not to me, but for other people. There was a wealthy couple that I knew that they just love music and they literally would fund young artists and established artists, music careers and projects because they didn't actually go toward that and they didn't feel that they had the talent to do it, but they just loved watching someone else's dreams come to light. So that is a thing. There are so many different options out there. And I know these things aren't the easiest. It's definitely not easy asking for crowdfunding. It's definitely not easy applying to grants. It's not easy to go out to a corporation and pitch an idea. But it's also not easy going broke, doing what you love, and creating bitterness between you and the thing that you love the most in life outside of your friends and family. So does this add another step? Yes. And is it worth a try? Yes. Take it from me. You can trust me. I am an indie artist who used almost all of my spare money in my 20s and early 30s to fund my music career. Please, just take it from me. Try to get investors. It will put you in a much better position financially, spiritually, emotionally, and just joy-wise when you're launching your project out into the world. There is a reason why artists used to have patrons. This era shouldn't be any different. There are tools, and we can create opportunities to secure funding And without depleting ourselves. By thinking like a rich person, you not only preserve your resources, but you also open yourself up to a network of support that can propel you to new heights. So when these people partner with you, for instance, when you're part of a crowdfunding thing, now that person is a part of your success. I know every crowdfund I've ever donated to, I'm like, oh my gosh, they made the movie. I'm so proud of them. You feel like you are literally part of the fabric of their success. And you are. So give someone that opportunity. And that goes for any of the other ways of doing it, with the grants, with potential angel investors and rich individuals or corporations or nonprofits. There's so many ways. Something I feel very passionately about right now is we not only need to be creative in the work we're doing, but in how we do the work. And I'm going to do a whole episode about that. But this is just one example of it. So next time you're ready to bring a project to life, don't ask yourself if you can afford it. Instead, ask, who will invest in this vision with me? Embrace the mindset of abundance and collaboration and watch your creative endeavors flourish without the burden of total financial strain. Remember, your creativity is priceless. Treat it as such and let others share in the value and the joy you bring to the world. So remember, Indie creators and artists start thinking and creating like rich people. You deserve it. Go get your patron, honey buns. Thank you so much for listening to this mini-sode. It was hosted and executive produced by me, Lauren LaGrasso, and produced by Rachel Fulton. Music was by Liz Fole. For more information about me and the show, follow us at Lauren LaGrasso and at Unleash Your Inner Creative on social media. If you like what you heard today, especially if you like these mini-sodes, leave us a rating and review so that we know you like them. and please suggest any ideas for topics you'd like to hear me speak on. I also want to remind you that I do offer creative coaching. I would love to offer you a free discovery call. Email me lauren.lagrasso at gmail.com and we will set something up there. I love you and I believe in you. I'll talk with you next week.