Brian Mays on Creativity

09/21/18 • 42 min

UPDATE: At the time of this recording, the show was called The Your Voice Podcast. Since this recording, Kay has has rebranded to Life and Mission.

Brian Mays is a dad, husband, graphic designer, artist and teacher. In this interview, he shares his experience as a graphic designer and teacher of creativity.
[00:01:31] As a graphic designer for a church, Brian says, "We offer a handshake to the world and we make sure that handshake's as good as it can be."
[00:37:30] Being a creative professional as a discipline: "When you're living it eight hours a day five days a week, there are times where the ideas just don't come and you've still got to perform, and that's not fun."

[00:40:39] I asked Brian if creativity is something people are born with, or of it's learned.[00:40:58] Creativity in different areas of life, and Brian's biggest frustration.

What's a good critiquing process?
[00:43:03] "I've seen tears in classrooms from from when people get critiqued and it's very, very difficult for - especially younger ones that are just getting their first exposure to this in some kind of creative teaching in school. They may have never had their ideas critiqued before."

[00:48:43] The creative process isn't exactly what people imagine it to be, especially when you're creating advertising. Brian shares how that can pose a problem.[00:49:38] Do limitations make people more creative?[00:52:04] Brian reveals his plan for some upcoming projects.

How to nurture and grow creativity
[00:58:37] Here's what Brian tells someone who wants to grow and develop their creative side:

Keep making stuff. Do it because you enjoy it.
Tell people about it.
Get constructive feedback to help you improve your skills. You'll need to develop a really thick skin: "You don't want to not care what you have but let it not penetrate into your soul."
Take risks.[01:00:30] What's next? More portraits (he's good, y'all).[01:01:05] Advice to young creatives - you don't have to do everything that comes your way.

If you struggle to tell stories, you’ll struggle to raise funds.
In the Mission Writers course:

Learn the exact stories that every ministry, missionary, and nonprofit needs to tell.
Master the fundraising story calendar.
Develop and practice essential storytelling skills to increase funding for your mission.
Build your story library and your confidence.

Details at MissionWriters.org
Support the show

Mission Writers is an online course and group coaching experience where you’ll develop and practice essential storytelling skills to help increase funding for your mission. Get started now, for a year of coaching at over 60% off the regular price.

[00:40:39] I asked Brian if creativity is something people are born with, or of it's learned.[00:40:58] Creativity in different areas of life, and Brian's biggest frustration.

How to nurture and grow creativity
[00:58:37] Here's what Brian tells someone who wants to grow and develop their creative side:

Keep making stuff. Do it because you enjoy it.
Tell people about it.
Get constructive feedback to help you improve your skills. You'll need to develop a really thick skin: "You don't want to not care what you have but let it not penetrate into your soul."
Take risks.[01:00:30] What's next? More portraits (he's good, y'all).[01:01:05] Advice to young creatives - you don't have to do everything that comes your way.

If you struggle to tell stories, you’ll struggle to raise funds.
In the Mission Writers course:

Learn the exact stories that every ministry, missionary, and nonprofit needs to tell.
Master the fundraising story calendar.
Develop and practice essential storytelling skills to increase funding for your mission.
Build your story library and your confidence.

Details at MissionWriters.org
Support the show

Previous Episode

Ethical Storytelling: Rachel Goble and Heidi Burkey

UPDATE: At the time of this recording, the show was called The Your Voice Podcast. Since this recording, Kay has has rebranded to Life and Mission.

Rachel Goble is the CEO at The Freedom Story, and Heidi Burkey is a documentarian and director. We're talking about the Ethical Storytelling community and what it means to tell stories ethically.
[00:01:04] How the Ethical Storytelling community began.
[00:05:50] Heidi began to ask, "What is the human experience in this person's story that someone on the other side of the world can understand?"

[00:08:04] It's not only about making the person feel at ease, but also about explaining how the story will be used. This can include explaining what "online" means. The person to whom the story belongs should always have a voice in the process. We talked about how that process works and what it means.
[00:13:48] Rachel: "The goal is not to create pity stories that involve donors, but the goal is to create stories that show our youth or constituents how strong they are."[00:14:09] Constituent first, donors second stories
[00:16:31] The Ethical Storytelling framework and pledge
[00:20:10] There are several powerful words we hear a lot in non-profit storytelling. I asked Rachel and Heidi for their thoughts on a few of these.
[00:28:15] Heidi "The only stories we own are our own."
[00:29:43] Rachel: "We've geared most of our content towards nonprofit practitioners and storytellers. And the more that I'm having these conversations, the more I'm seeing a desire from donors and foundations to really understand how they too can participate in supporting organizations to these higher ethical standards of storytelling. Through the questions that they ask, or how they consume the media that might be given to them. And so we're starting to develop a webinar and podcast series and some training material for donors, which I'm really excited about, and it'll be kind of a new realm for us to enter into."

Links

Ethical Storytelling @eth

If you struggle to tell stories, you’ll struggle to raise funds.
In the Mission Writers course:

Learn the exact stories that every ministry, missionary, and nonprofit needs to tell.
Master the fundraising story calendar.
Develop and practice essential storytelling skills to increase funding for your mission.
Build your story library and your confidence.

Details at MissionWriters.org
Support the show

Next Episode

Changing Names and What's Next

The Your Voice Podcast is changing into the Life and Mission Podcast.

The overall mission of the show remains the same, only more focused and purposeful in how we help you to find your voice, tell your story, and change the world.

Head over to Lifeandmission.com and sign up for email updates. You'll get show notes, links to resources mentioned on the show, and additional content we don’t put on the pod. Totally free. Straight to your inbox once or twice a month.

You can expect a new show every other week, with a mixed format of interviews and solo programs. Topics include calling and purpose, and living life in pursuit of a greater purpose.
Along the way, we'll help you get focused on what truly matters, give you tips and tools to overcome challenges and get un-stuck, and show you ways to get your message out into the world.

Thank you so much for being here! If you know somebody who could benefit from this program, let ‘em know about it! This is the year to get focused, get moving, and make a difference!

If you struggle to tell stories, you’ll struggle to raise funds.
In the Mission Writers course:

Learn the exact stories that every ministry, missionary, and nonprofit needs to tell.
Master the fundraising story calendar.
Develop and practice essential storytelling skills to increase funding for your mission.
Build your story library and your confidence.

Details at MissionWriters.org
Support the show