The Busy Creator 52 w/guest Adrienne Stortz

04/06/15 • 37 min

The Busy Creator Podcast with Prescott Perez-Fox

Adrienne Stortz (@xoxoadrienne) is the creator and host of xoxo cooks, an online cooking show featuring good food you can make at home. She also consults on digital marketing strategy for classical musicians, helping them craft messaging and promote events.

Our conversation discusses the balance between client work and a passion project, how she arrived in both the classical music and online video sectors, and how the premise of experimentation and continual improvement can be powerful for freelancers and businesses alike.

Catch up with Adrienne on her xoxo cooks YouTube Channel, or on her consulting website, AdrienneStortz.com

Show Notes & Links

Adrienne runs xoxo cooks, a weekly cooking show on YouTube, and works as a digital marketing strategy consultant for classical musicians
Adrienne studied classical piano and Music Merchandising rather than video production or cooking
Her previous employers include Carnegie Hall, where she learned to “sell tickets”
“Musicians are amazing at what they do, but that doesn’t always apply to writing a good email.”
Business card with a photo (like a real estate agent)
Adrienne is adept at working with “artists”, which includes musicians who don’t always make natural clients
Prima donna, a term adopted from Opera
Earn1K, a course from Ramit Sethi
Adrienne is working to serve up-and-coming musicians, essentially her peers
“Layer Cake” pricing vs. three wildly different offerings
“Adult Onset Awkwardness” as discussed on The Busy Creator Podcast, Episode 18 with guest Debbie Millman
xoxo cooks originated from a desire to master YouTube strategy first-hand
An early video from xoxo cooks, admittedly “a little rough” but “still interesting”
Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson On Amazon and On Audible

“It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, you’re actually in the sales business.” —Michael Masterson ← Click to Tweet

Adrienne films right in her own kitchen
That scene from ET where they tent the house
Adrienne doesn’t yet film in batches, largely due to space constraints
John Lee Dumas edits 8 podcast episodes in 90 minutes, according to his appearance The Busy Creator Podcast, Episode 50
Katie Q, fellow YouTube cooking show host
Katie Q’s production workflow
Prescott watches a ton of woodworking videos on YouTube (and isn’t sorry)
Adrienne Stortz on Twitter
Adrienne Stortz on Facebook
Adrienne Stortz on Instagram
xoxo cooks on YouTube

Tools

YouTube

Catch up with Adrienne on her xoxo cooks YouTube Channel, or on her consulting website, AdrienneStortz.com

Show Notes & Links

Adrienne runs xoxo cooks, a weekly cooking show on YouTube, and works as a digital marketing strategy consultant for classical musicians
Adrienne studied classical piano and Music Merchandising rather than video production or cooking
Her previous employers include Carnegie Hall, where she learned to “sell tickets”
“Musicians are amazing at what they do, but that doesn’t always apply to writing a good email.”
Business card with a photo (like a real estate agent)
Adrienne is adept at working with “artists”, which includes musicians who don’t always make natural clients
Prima donna, a term adopted from Opera
Earn1K, a course from Ramit Sethi
Adrienne is working to serve up-and-coming musicians, essentially her peers
“Layer Cake” pricing vs. three wildly different offerings
“Adult Onset Awkwardness” as discussed on The Busy Creator Podcast, Episode 18 with guest Debbie Millman
xoxo cooks originated from a desire to master YouTube strategy first-hand
An early video from xoxo cooks, admittedly “a little rough” but “still interesting”
Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson On Amazon and On Audible

“It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, you’re actually in the sales business.” —Michael Masterson ← Click to Tweet

Adrienne films right in her own kitchen
That scene from ET where they tent the house
Adrienne doesn’t yet film in batches, largely due to space constraints
John Lee Dumas edits 8 podcast episodes in 90 minutes, according to his appearance The Busy Creator Podcast, Episode 50
Katie Q, fellow YouTube cooking show host
Katie Q’s production workflow
Prescott watches a ton of woodworking videos on YouTube (and isn’t sorry)
Adrienne Stortz on Twitter
Adrienne Stortz on Facebook
Adrienne Stortz on Instagram
xoxo cooks on YouTube

Tools

YouTube

Previous Episode

The Busy Creator 51 w/guest Peter Kubilus

Peter Kubilus (@PeterKubilus) is an interiors and architectural photographer based in metro New York. Following studies in both photography and architectural engineering, Peter has created a practice photographing offices, hotels, residences, and more.

Our conversation covers his origins in photography, how he came to specialise in architecture, and the workflow of setting up lights and creating his images.

Check out Peter’s photography at his website, kubilusphoto.com

Show Notes & Links

Peter describes his work as modern, clean, refined, not messy
Previous photographers on The Busy Creator Podcast include Bill Wadman, Christine Blackburne, Taylor Mathis
Peter only photograph’s “The built environment”
Seton Hall Prep, high school in New Jersey
Peter’s first introduction to architecture and building came from visits to his father’s build sites as a youth
Architectural Digest, Architectural Record, Interior Design magazine
Peter’s college classes “activated the creative side his head”
Prescott and Peter grew up in neighboring towns, both attended Drexel University, but didn’t meet until later.
“Circulation” is the term for a person moving through architecture, being at scale, etc.
Colour Temperature (mixtures of LEDs, Fluorescents, Sunlight)
Shooting for a hotel may mean conveying a lifestyle. Shooting for the architect may center around materials.
Peter’s projects range in scale from a kitchen to a 30-story building
Each image can take a few hours to set up, yielding only a few images per day
High Dynamic Range (HDR) composites in Photoshop

“You can’t turn garbage into a masterpiece.” —Peter Kubilus ← Click to Tweet

Center for Architecture, American Institute of Architects (AIA) NY Ch, The Architectural League of New York
200 Lexington, D&D Building

“Networking was what really initially launched my career.” —Peter Kubilus ← Click to Tweet

Felix Sockwell, Illustrator, and past guest on The Busy Creator

“Opportunity + Preparation = Success” ← Click to Tweet

“Just because I’m not out in the field shooting doesn’t mean I’m not working.” —Peter Kubilus ← Click to Tweet

Tools

Next Episode

The Busy Creator 53 w/guest Matt Keefe

Matt Keefe (@MKeefe) is a multitalented designer & developer, and the co-founder of PixelBit, a design and development agency. PixelBit has no particular home base, with staff spread out all over the world. Managing this requires systems and good communication, which Matt discusses in this conversation.

We also cover tools and methodologies that change over time, sometimes very quickly, balancing client needs with constraints of deadlines and technology, and leaving life as a freelancer for one of a business owner.

Show Notes & Links

Matt and Prescott met via the Photoshop Cafe forum c.2001
Prescott bemoans the end of forums in general
Colin Smith, founder of Photoshop Cafe
Facebook groups are nearly impossible to search
Matt helps “clients create products and expand on their brands”
PixelBit was founded in 2011 by Matt Keefe and Philip Neal as a mobile and app development team
Matt was a freelancer for ten years
PixelBit will partner with larger agencies when they’re at capacity

“We’re like an outside force inside their business” —Matt KeefeClick to Tweet

Apple Watch, less of a consumer product and more of a new brand platform
Those guys who grow enormous pumpkins, and how they prune
Blackberry and Flash, once prominent now all-but-abandoned
Developing for Android is often overlooked, but it can be a powerful boost to your brand
The balance between intuitive apps that look like the OS, and user discovery from innovative new UI

“Being a freelancer is like being Batman; one day you’re called on to save the world, but the next you’re an orphan.” —Prescott Perez-FoxClick to Tweet

“Freelancing is all about the journey because there is no ‘freelance destination’ ” —Prescott Perez-FoxClick to Tweet

“As a small business owner, you have to wear 57 different hats.” —Matt KeefeClick to Tweet

Matt is [still] a programmer, but has moved away from design

“You don’t have the money not to market your company.” —Matt KeefeClick to Tweet

PixelBit didn’t find success with Twitter or Facebook ads; it’s hard to sell services in 140 characters
Von Glitschka, Illustrative designer on Dribbble
Vijay Mathews, past guest on The Busy Creator Podcast

“There’s never too much communication ... unless it’s by email” —Matt KeefeClick to Tweet