Categories: Articles

Lessons On Creativity From The Outside

“You have a podcast about bass players?”

We live in a world where content is everywhere… and it’s 24-hours a day. It’s easy to miss. As a content producer, it’s hard to manage. On one hand, I was extremely excited to announce the news that Twist Image had been acquired by WPP in May of last year. I was equally thrilled to let the world know that Twist Image was changing it’s name to Mirum and becoming a founding partner on this newly-established global digital marketing agency. Still, nearly a year after the acquisition, and almost six months six the rebranding (and all of the media that surrounded it), and people are still surprised when they ask me what’s been happening at the agency, or didn’t see the news.

Content production can be frustrating in a flurry of content being everywhere.

I would love to push out a reminder to the world about all of the things that are happening at Mirum (and in my life), but a brand should never have too much self-centered content. On the other hand, because so much content is happening in so many spaces, if you don’t scream (and scream frequently) about all of your accomplishments, how does the world know, and how do you evolve your brand story in all of this? There’s a fine balance. I remember my friend, Chris Brogan, used to say something like, “for every ten pieces of valuable content that you produce for your community, make one of them self-serving.” This was years ago, so I’m wondering if that needs to be amped up a lot more?

So, yes, I have a podcast about bass players and all of you should check it out.

Why? Odds are that you never heard of these musicians. Bass players, typically, hang out in the shadows of the band. They’re rarely at the front and center. Their sound is often what blends the drum and guitar sounds. All of this is true, but it’s so much more. I have been playing the electric bass since my early teens, and became extremely passionate about the sound of the instrument, and the musicians who play it. From extreme metal to classic jazz. So, last year (and through some strange serendipitous life moments), Seth Godin introduced me to Corey Brown. Corey worked with Seth on Squidoo, and also happened to be the guy behind No Treble. No Treble is the largest publication for bass players in the world (yes, bigger than even the bass-centric magazines). After months of conversations, I was invited to take the model for what I was doing with my Six Pixels of Separation podcast, and bring it to No Treble. The vision for Groove – The No Treble Podcast is to create the largest oral history of bass players in the world. The concept is an in-depth conversation about being a bass player from the angle of musicianship, creativity, inspiration and innovation. We don’t talk gear, techniques, licks or chops. It’s about the artistry and craftsmanship of the player.

So, why should you check it out?

There are three reasons to listen to a podcast:

You like the host.
You like the guest.
You’re interested in the topic being discussed.

It’s a huge win, if you can nail the trifecta, but it’s not always the case. The reason I started this podcast, was to begin a new line of discovery into creativity. I wanted to meet people – not in business or marketing – and try to figure out (through these conversations) if I can be inspired to come up with better and more interesting solutions for what I do. After nearly a year of producing the show, I can (honestly) say, that it has really helped me in the evolution of my thinking. The show comes out once a month, and today episode #8 of Groove – The No Treble Podcast was published. This month, my guest is Steve Lawson. Steve is a creative force, and you will be impressed and inspired by this conversation. You can catch him on YouTube covering Lionel Richie’s famed classic, “Hello”, or see him wearing a Cannibal Corpse t-shirt in a photo shoot. He’s as comfortable composing something with a new age flair, as he is pounding out a rock groove. With that, he’s an academic, thinker, writer, composer and creative firehose.

Watch this:

And, please do check out the latest episode of Groove – The No Treble Podcast, I think you will be inspired:

Mitch Joel

Mitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.