Creative Elements
Creative Elements explores how your favorite creators do what they do.
Through narrative interviews, Jay Clouse dives into the nitty-gritty of how the world's best creators like Seth Godin, James Clear, Austin Kleon, and Lauren Hom make a living from their art and creativity. You'll hear the specific elements of their personality, style, or approach that have helped them thrive – elements like focus, vulnerability, revision, and constraints.
By learning how these creators make a living with their art and creativity, you'll gain the tools and confidence to do the same.
Most Popular Episodes
New to the show? Check out some of our most popular episodes.
![#89: Hrishikesh Hirway [Willfulness] – From full-time musician to Song Exploder and back again Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F45474f9a-3da4-11ec-bb56-2f07b5063c00%2Fimage%2F89_Hrishikesh_Hirway.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=cfca49ea870bbafaf0bd337d37d9cb9d "#89: Hrishikesh Hirway [Willfulness] – From full-time musician to Song Exploder and back again")
Jan. 25, 2022
#89: Hrishikesh Hirway [Willfulness] – From full-time musician to Son…
Hrishikesh Hirway is a musician and podcast creator. He’s the host and creator of Song Exploder, an award-winning podcast and a N…
![#78: Marie Poulin [Inconsistency] – Earning $40,000 per month as a course creator Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2Feee370e4-ad9c-11eb-b55d-933b3e9bd513%2Fimage%2F78_Marie_Poulin.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=67db215404952d9525aca47e34023fb9 "#78: Marie Poulin [Inconsistency] – Earning $40,000 per month as a course creator")
Nov. 2, 2021
#78: Marie Poulin [Inconsistency] – Earning $40,000 per month as a co…
Marie’s transition from agency job to full-time freelance, her discovery of online education, her foray into creating a software …
![#77: Andy J. Pizza [Storytelling] – Writing with pictures and developing your taste Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2Feedd5a6a-ad9c-11eb-b55d-e35db184c551%2Fimage%2F77_Andy_J._Pizza.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=792eb2947d3ec5096cba3582df9031f1 "#77: Andy J. Pizza [Storytelling] – Writing with pictures and developing your taste")
Oct. 26, 2021
#77: Andy J. Pizza [Storytelling] – Writing with pictures and develop…
Andy J. Pizza is an illustrator and the host of the Creative Pep Talk podcast.
![#65: Austin Kleon [Luck] – 10 years as a full-time writer and stealing like an artist Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2Fee7f1fe0-ad9c-11eb-b55d-5731de93ec10%2Fimage%2FAustin_Kleon.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=48698564ddfa662c0a2f6a5102243f57 "#65: Austin Kleon [Luck] – 10 years as a full-time writer and stealing like an artist")
July 20, 2021
#65: Austin Kleon [Luck] – 10 years as a full-time writer and stealin…
Austin Kleon is the New York Times bestselling author of a trilogy of illustrated books about creativity in the digital age: Stea…
![#41: Tim Urban [Struggle] Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2Fa22e1aca-52ce-11eb-84ad-ab210dffd847%2Fimage%2Fuploads_2F1610892965561-oxz6nu0e9r-32ef0d0bab0c97bf91f3827fdcb67094_2F41%252BTim%252BUrban.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=4ec71c1fae8ca6987b2cbd2748f80b49 "#41: Tim Urban [Struggle]")
Jan. 19, 2021
#41: Tim Urban [Struggle]
Why the author of Wait But Why focuses on quality over consistency
![#37: Ali Abdaal [Efficiency] Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F406053e0-3d4c-11eb-988f-838688e1488a%2Fimage%2Fuploads_2F1608243325530-a0qtgxtfwdr-3e554cb0cc2dcf8bf10a54f546cf71ad_2F37%252BAli%252BAbdaal%252B2.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=2986244c40c15e229eb91c010248391d "#37: Ali Abdaal [Efficiency]")
![#21: Matt D'Avella [Experimentation] Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F03aae8fa-df4d-11ea-941a-33ec64d97b6f%2Fimage%2Fuploads_2F1597533237484-bbsw2eb6nzo-d6effffae4a16c5d09a0a167cba8828f_2F21%252BMatt%252BD_27Avella.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=dd3e193e1345cb085b9e7340107971d6 "#21: Matt D'Avella [Experimentation]")
Aug. 18, 2020
#21: Matt D'Avella [Experimentation]
Freelancing, filmmaking, podcasting, and finding success on YouTube.
![#11: Vanessa Van Edwards [Pivot] Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F7d55e00c-a27a-11ea-ae37-0b7c53e748f8%2Fimage%2Fuploads_2F1590845722752-w4px7mjk81-4852504acaa59bc50c491269e465ed97_2F12%252BVanessa%252BVan%252BEdwards.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=afdf457b1e7b9e9edb5b19bad4253b9f "#11: Vanessa Van Edwards [Pivot]")
June 9, 2020
#11: Vanessa Van Edwards [Pivot]
Conversation starters, overcoming awkwardness, passive income, and pivoting around challenges
![#2: James Clear [Revision] Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F47c03594-6f78-11ea-b90a-6fc53bd2e3ec%2Fimage%2Fuploads_2F1585237227959-bl6tajf056m-2fffe978b580268e78628b1a64f04811_2F2%252BJames%252BClear.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=ede866ab0b30fa0596dd785196adee1a "#2: James Clear [Revision]")
March 31, 2020
#2: James Clear [Revision]
Habits, research, and how to create A+ work from a New York Times best selling author
![#1: Seth Godin [Empathy] Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F5c905938-6ca6-11ea-9d32-4b61b8b62f8c%2Fimage%2Fuploads_2F1584928286883-eab3zb6ysa-60bc780dbaed054da0eb060876e807fa_2F1%252BSeth%252BGodin.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=7f0934ebfe8ab0ca6b1398f5b9d0493d "#1: Seth Godin [Empathy]")
March 24, 2020
#1: Seth Godin [Empathy]
Art, freelancing, building a personal brand, and the problem with being authentic
Recent Episodes
Jan. 25, 2022
#89: Hrishikesh Hirway [Willfulness] – From full-time musician to Son…
Hrishikesh Hirway is a musician and podcast creator. He’s the host and creator of Song Exploder, an award-winning podcast and a N…
![#88: Tori Dunlap [Service] – Building an audience of millions on TikTok with Her First $100K Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F4527f802-3da4-11ec-bb56-1733f26fa7c7%2Fimage%2F88_Tori_Dunlap.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=cf7a3ebec502f982d01dcd4f61c5db4d "#88: Tori Dunlap [Service] – Building an audience of millions on TikTok with Her First $100K")
Jan. 18, 2022
#88: Tori Dunlap [Service] – Building an audience of millions on TikT…
After saving $100,000 at age 25, Tori quit her corporate job in marketing and founded Her First $100K to fight financial inequali…
![#87: Dan Runcie [Focus] – From business school to music industry insider by covering the business of hip hop Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F450865a0-3da4-11ec-bb56-a7c65b5ebd4d%2Fimage%2FDan_Runcie.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=692c63bcea1a1deba24a23ee919a97d9 "#87: Dan Runcie [Focus] – From business school to music industry insider by covering the business of hip hop")
Jan. 11, 2022
#87: Dan Runcie [Focus] – From business school to music industry insi…
Dan Runcie is the founder of Trapital, a media company covering the business of hip hop.
![[BONUS] Resonance Revisited with Jay Acunzo on Unthinkable Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F8ac5ca4c-6dce-11ec-9318-57221d4b112c%2Fimage%2FUnthinkable.jpeg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=a59b5c872fbd2d71741ba98d4fcb1ade "[BONUS] Resonance Revisited with Jay Acunzo on Unthinkable")
Jan. 6, 2022
[BONUS] Resonance Revisited with Jay Acunzo on Unthinkable
Re-examining how far we’ve come in trying to understand one key concept of the show: Resonance.
![#86: Mitch Long AKA OG Pickle [Networking] – Building brands for influencers and becoming a professional streamer Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2F44e6b7e8-3da4-11ec-bb56-6760cad6b499%2Fimage%2F86_Mitch_Long.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=44d6999ceea4e08a3edc23dfa72d53b0 "#86: Mitch Long AKA OG Pickle [Networking] – Building brands for influencers and becoming a professional streamer")
Jan. 4, 2022
#86: Mitch Long AKA OG Pickle [Networking] – Building brands for infl…
Mitch Long (also known as OG Pickle) is a professional streamer, Twitch Partner, and PUBG Partner.
![#85: Todd Henry [Deadlines] – Practices to help you be more creative on-demand Image](https://podpage.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fmegaphone.imgix.net%2Fpodcasts%2Fef12d42e-ad9c-11eb-b55d-2f4ba15efee6%2Fimage%2F85_Todd_Henry.jpg%3Fixlib%3Drails-2.1.2%26max-w%3D3000%26max-h%3D3000%26fit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat%2Ccompress?auto=format&h=720&w=600&s=d28c8e80e053abdc11951b0a24741a3b "#85: Todd Henry [Deadlines] – Practices to help you be more creative on-demand")
Dec. 28, 2021
#85: Todd Henry [Deadlines] – Practices to help you be more creative …
Todd Henry is an author, podcaster, and keynote speaker.
About the Host
Jay Clouse
Host and Producer
I started Creative Elements because, as a full-time creator myself, I wanted to understand how some of my favorite creators actually make a living from their art and creativity.
My guests are no strangers to being interviewed. But more often than not, they talk about their work itself – but I wanted to pull back the curtain on how they built a business around their work.
So you'll hear different questions on this show. Instead of asking James Clear how to form effective habits, I ask him how someone can get started as a blogger today. Instead of asking Seth Godin about marketing, I ask him how he thinks about the Seth Godin personal brand.
Outside of this show, I also write a newsletter called Creative Companion that I think you would love.
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