Hi, I'm Sean. This site is a collection of things I'm curious about like big-ideas, technology, music and funny stuff.
I run a digital marketing company called Freeworld Media that creates and executes social media strategy.
This is a fun collaboration between Rolyn Barthelman and Tim DeLaughter of The Polyphonic Spree . The calming sequence of simple shapes, ambient sounds and geometric movements was made to stimulate the imagination in young children. I applaud their efforts to inspire future generations to think creatively.
Congrats to my old friend Greg Vanderpool for getting his song “The Only Sound That Matters" picked up for the upcoming Robert Plant album, "Band Of Joy.” Greg and I grew up in Dallas, studied digital media at Baylor and had a lot of fun making student films together. News Release Here
Speaking of college friends and music... I had a chance to catch up with my old roommate Corbett who is making music in New York. He suggested I check out the new album from Brooklyn-based "Grizzly Bear" Here's a video that was made by one of their fans...
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I just re-read a book called "Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity" written by a guy named Hugh McLeod. He doodles cartoons on the back of business cards and inspires readers to follow their passion and do what matters.
From somewhere in Texas, Hugh blogs about internet stuff, promoting creativity, and pursuing your dream. When his writing connects with you -- its right on. If you are ready to carve your own path, go sign up for his daily cartoon email and buy his book. Here's a sample:
1. Ignore everybody.
The more original your idea is, the less good advice other people will be able to give you. When I first started with the cartoon-on-back-of-bizcard format, people thought I was nuts. Why wasn’t I trying to do something more easy for markets to digest i.e. cutey-pie greeting cards or whatever?
2. The idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours.
The sovereignty you have over your work will inspire far more people than the actual content ever will.
3. Put the hours in.
Doing anything worthwhile takes forever. 90% of what separates successful people and failed people is time, effort, and stamina.
4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being “discovered” by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
Nobody suddenly discovers anything. Things are made slowly and in pain.
5. You are responsible for your own experience.
Nobody can tell you if what you’re doing is good, meaningful or worthwhile. The more compelling the path, the more lonely it is.
6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with books on algebra etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the creative bug is just a wee voice telling you, “I’d like my crayons back, please.”
7. Keep your day job.
I’m not just saying that for the usual reason i.e. because I think your idea will fail. I’m saying it because to suddenly quit one’s job in a big ol’ creative drama-queen moment is always, always, always in direct conflict with what I call “The Sex & Cash Theory”.
8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.
Nor can you bully a subordinate into becoming a genius.
9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
You may never reach the summit; for that you will be forgiven. But if you don’t make at least one serious attempt to get above the snow-line, years later you will find yourself lying on your deathbed, and all you will feel is emptiness.
10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.
Meeting a person who wrote a masterpiece on the back of a deli menu would not surprise me. Meeting a person who wrote a masterpiece with a silver Cartier fountain pen on an antique writing table in an airy SoHo loft would SERIOUSLY surprise me.
11. Don’t try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.
Your plan for getting your work out there has to be as original as the actual work, perhaps even more so. The work has to create a totally new market. There’s no point trying to do the same thing as 250,000 other young hopefuls, waiting for a miracle. All existing business models are wrong. Find a new one.
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"School of Rock 'n Roll"
In this clip, Bob Dylan plays a record from Gene Summers on his XM Satellite Show "Radio Hour With Bob Dylan". I grew up with Gene's son, Shawn Summers back in Texas and we used to play in a band called "Juan Madera". The Summers are a real American Rock & Roll family and they are some of greatest, most fascinating people I will ever met.
Here's Gene still rocking it...
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On Thursday, I attended the inaugural Social Business Summit in Austin, hosted by the Dachis Group. This one-day event blew my mind wide open. There are major rumblings in the business world from what 'used to work' in industrial age corporations to the new reality of networked thought-based collaboration. Expect to hear alot more from me about this - it is clear that the social business revolution is gaining powerful momentum.
Thank you to Jeff Dachis, Peter Kim and the Dachis group for being gracious hosts. I hope to return next year.Comments [0]
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