Pioneers Podcast

Andy Mock was a very successful graphic designer (working with heavyweights in the auto industry) when something unexpected happened: his labor of love eclipsed his main “gig.” At this moment of uncertainty in our culture, it’s CRUCIAL to know that pivots are more possible than you realize. Subscribe to hear the full episode on the Pioneers Podcast Patreon.

I wanted to talk about something I have encountered many, many times throughout my career: the end of creative partnerships. In general, saying goodbye is just a part of life in the entertainment industry (and really, a part of life in general). 99% of relationships are finite (especially in music), and I talk about the reasons why. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing…it’s just a fact of residing in an industry with short-lived trends, attention spans, and therefore the need to reinvent almost constantly. Keeping things fresh is a necessity, and this requires forging new collaborations at every turn. I have experienced some healthy endings, as well as some pretty dramatic ones. I wanted to delve into some of the lessons learned in this episode in the hopes that there might be a few pieces of wisdom that can help those who listen.

7 Principles on how to build a team.   1. Resume’ and skill is an entry point only 2. Choose based on shared passion 3. Loyalty is a must 4. Build incentives for performance 5. Remain thankful and considerate 6. Recognize, don’t just reward 7. Don’t be a control freak

Seven principles to live by: 1. Take a step away 2. Competition is your friend 3. When in doubt, follow your heart 4. Please yourself first when it comes to your work 5. When in doubt, consult the past 6. Dig past the obvious 7. Choose the right heroes These short episodes are meant to give you a small leg-up, no matter your sphere of influence or area of commerce. Give a listen and leave a review/rating on Apple!

Matt Jameson is a self-taught digital animator who works with Facebook, Google, Apple, and many others. HE IS GREAT AT WHAT HE DOES. Matt and I discuss how he started his career, plus how he has been able to transition from working as a part of a firm to 100% freelance. It’s no accident that he has been very successful in this line of work, and throughout this podcast he shares a goldmine of information which can be applied to any type of endeavor. Lots of practical content in this episode, plus some juicy tour stories in the Breakdown segment!

Reese Roper is a great frontman, lyricist, and dude. He is also one fo the funniest people I have ever spoken to in my life. We had a blast catching up, telling stories, and talking about learning how to pivot when the “genre’s” which defined our bands came and went. This is a completely unscripted episode; we just had fun talking about our origin stories and how we originally connected. In the bonus content for this episode, we discuss the clash of faith and artistic integrity, then we discuss lyrics from a number of different fun angles in the Breakdown segment. To gain access to the bonus content, please subscribe on Patreon. I will give you a personal phone call to say thanks!

Gothix is a youtube content creator who has not shied away from the hot-button issues of our age.  In fact, she is very courageous in speaking about identity politics, cancel culture, and more.  I really admire her ability to effectively communicate her ideas with fact-based rhetoric and critical thought.  We delve into her journey as a Youtube content creator in this segment, then explore cancel culture and identity politics in the following two segments.  This is the most “political” episode in the life of this podcast, and I hope it spurns healthy dialogue and not divisiveness. You can find the Gothix Youtube channel here: youtube.com/gothixtv I highly recommend you check it out. Subscribe to Pioneers Podcast on Patreon and I will give you a phone call to say thanks…plus gain access to over seventy-five hours of bonus content and more.

Seven ways to not be stupid. Yes, I’m still stuck on Idiocracy (see: Episode 71). For your fridge/desk/wallpaper: 1. Act like a drone, not a clone 2. Diversify/give yourself an exit strategy 3. Play the tape all the way through 4. Treat sources, not symptoms 5. When people show you who they are, believe them 6. Follow the money 7. Show me the money Are you feeling the Schwabisms? How about my narcissism? Are you feeling isms in general? NEXT UP: Generals episode (for $50 subscribers) on what is going on in my world post-the big P86 announcement. SUBSCRIBE AT ANY LEVEL ON PATREON and I’ll give you a personal shout via phone to say thanks. Access over 75 hours of juicy, bonus content when you subscribe (depending on your tier-each “level” unlocks more content!)…Stories behind every P86 record. Private thoughts. Real-world practical instruction from guests. Secrets that will never be made public. The keys to the universe.

Mike Judge (Office Space, Beavis and Butthead) made a film which was released in 2006 about a dystopian future future where everyone is stupid. 20th Century Fox subsequently squashed its release primarily because they didn’t know how to market a very intelligent satire that was posing as a very dumb comedy. I feel gross when I watch this movie, primarily because it makes me feel disturbed about the actual state of our world. Good art produces a response…even if the response isn’t pleasant. This segment is a review of the film where I can’t stop laughing. In the bonus content I cover modern parallels and answer the question, “Is humanity getting stupider?” Subscribe on Patreon and receive up to 75 hours of bonus content, a call to say thanks, and more.

What does it take to stand out? What does it take to be respected and remembered? What does it take to develop a reputation that will result in others seeking you out for help, answers, and solutions? Here is a list of ten (10) principles the help set you apart from others. If you will apply these to your person, your creativity, and your career, you will be surprised at how much it changes the way people perceive you. Here is the list. Jot it down, print it out, or copy it to your wallpaper! Put it somewhere you will see it every day: * Under promise and over deliver* Be a person of your word* Be a light in every situation* Meet your deadlines* Be a student of your craft* Communicate regularly and clearly* Respect the confidentiality of your relationships* Build your reputation on integrity, honesty, and ethics* Treat every client, customer, or coworker as if they are your family member* Take interest in others If you subscribe to Pioneers on Patreon, you can view all recent guest episodes in video format. You will also receive perks with each subscription tier, including up to seventy (70) hours of bonus content. Also receive more juicy/practical content. Highest tier is executive producer, mentioned by name in every episode, plus you get access to episodes no one else does, including in-depth, private episodes covering the entirety of P86 catalogue in depth. I will also give you a phone call to say thanks for subscribing at any level. Visit Pioneers on Patreon to learn more.

Kail Letkemann is a subscriber to Pioneers on Patreon! He has built a very respectable following on Instagram for literary reviews, and has transferred that audience over to his podcast as well. We discuss BOOKS in this first segment…then in the PRIVATE segment we discuss 1984 and how WE ARE LIVING INSIDE THIS BOOK TODAY. Then, in our BREAKDOWN segment, KAIL GIVES CHEAT CODES on how to build an Instagram following and, well, an audience in general. He is successful at what he does…and I want you all to learn from his success…which is the whole point of this podcast! Subscribe to Pioneers on Patreon here and Follow Kail on IG here and listen to his podcast here.

Lono, first and foremost, is an excellent content creator in the gaming space. He’s also a great dude. Lono has developed a very large platform as a streamer, and is a very influential voice in the gaming community. In this segment we discuss the video games that influenced us over the years, including old-school arcade visits, NES, and much more. This episode (like every guest episode) gets deeper in the bonus segments. In the Private segment, Lono discusses how he built his streaming brand, and in our Breakdown segment, we talk about the recent controversy he has encountered regarding Cancel Culture in the gaming industry. To access over one hour of bonus content on this episode (and up to 70 hours of bonus content across all episodes), please visit Pioneers on Patreon and subscribe. I will give you a personal phone call to say thanks!

I was on the phone with my good friend Josh a few days ago, and we started discussing a few things that I thought would make a good episode. So, I stopped the conversation and we agreed to have it on record, for posterity, for all of you. The first segment of this episode is our discussion about the Wu-Tang solo records. We give our favorites (admittedly, having not listened to every single one of the 50,000 which exist). This convo is vital to the fate of civilization as we know it, and we attempted to treat the subject matter with the level of reverence, honor, and respect it deserves. From there, in the bonus content segments, we discuss the most recent election, the media, big tech, social media, cancel culture, Gina Carano (The Mandalorian), and more. METAL! Want to see the video version of this episode and many others? Subscribe on Patreon! Also, get access to up to 65 hours of bonus content spread out over all episodes. Phone call to say thanks!

Andy Atkins is a funny dude. For years he fronted the band A Plea for Purging, whose blend of comedy and metal was very unique. More recently, Andy built a very successful career in stage design until the pandemic hit. Nowadays he has a Youtube channel for motorbike design and repair. Always a ton of fun, we talk about his work ethic and unique attitude in this episode. He’s just one of those guys that seems to land on his feet no matter what life throws at him. We all have a ton to learn from him. For more of Andy, visit partyonforever.com. Subscribe to Pioneers on Patreon and get access to up to 65 hours of bonus content, and a phone call to say thanks!

I recently finished the book I had been reading titled DISNEYWAR and found it to be so captivating/relevant that I wanted to dedicate a podcast episode to it. The book chronicles the goings-on behind the corporate veil of all things in the life of the highest level of management at Disney from 1984-2004, which was a very significant time in the company’s history. Trust me when I say this book is both a page-turner and 100% applicable to everything I have been talking about in the life of this podcast. This first segment is a book review of sorts (and it runs pretty long – just short of an hour). In the Private segment I will discuss insights and lessons to be learned, and in the Breakdown segment I will discuss parallels to my own experience in the entertainment industry. Subscribe to Pioneers on Patreon here and receive up to 65 Hours of Bonus content and interviews. Subscribe now and I will give you a phone call to say thanks!