This is a talk I gave at ignite Denver about how teaching people how to sell themselves will change the world for the better. Kisses!

2. It’s easier to show your personality in a blog than it is in a traditional portfolio site, and it’s easier for people to get attached to personality than it is for them to get attached to work.

3. Broadcasting your personality also makes it far easier to attract like-minded people whom you love working with.

4. Most people aren’t using a blog for their portfolio, so you stand out.

5. It gives you a reason to interview people who inspire you that you might not otherwise meet.

6. You learn how to build an online following which clearly demonstrates the efficacy of your creative and strategic thinking to potential clients/employers.

7. If you’re a designer/art-director you can practice writing. Copywriters can build a visual blog like The Oatmeal or Darcel Disappoints.

8. Adding new content to your site on a regular basis forces you to develop your thinking and makes you a smarter, more focused creative.

9. You have the opportunity to help and inspire others because your site is dynamic and invites discussion.

11. The SEO plugins for WordPress make it easy to implement an SEO strategy and teach you new ways of building an audience online.

12. Great brands aren’t static, they’re constantly engaging. Having a blog compels you to act more like a brand and less like an overworked advertising employee.

13. Because they are so dynamic, blogs take on a life of their own and take you places you never anticipated going.

14. You create a traditional portfolio site. You act as creative director on a blog. It becomes a project you get to develop over time, which brings a lot of personal satisfaction and takes the pressure off of your day job to be your only creative outlet.

15. Building a blog gives you a much better understanding of all the non-creative roles in an agency because you take on account, planning and development roles yourself.

Building a blog has made me smarter, introduced me to incredible people I never would have met otherwise, and got me a job I love. If you want to start your own blog, the post “Build a Life-Changing Site Part 3” gives a step by step guide. Advertising professionals develop a skill set that can change the world for the better. Building a blog teaches you how to apply that skill set to your own personal enterprise. I can’t wait to see what you create.

Faithfully,

Fernando

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I launched Fashion Denver after starting up my own line of handbags, b.shigley designs.  b.shigley designs was simply a passion for creating one of my favorite accessories… the handbag! About a month after I started making bags, I wanted to get the attention of the fashion editor of the Rocky Mountain News, but I didn’t think I was good enough.  A friend said, “If you don’t try, you’ll never know!” I contacted her and the next thing I knew, I was featured in our Sunday paper. That article ended up being syndicated in papers all over the United States and thus, b.shigley designs was born. That article had a snowball effect and articles were popping up everywhere. I had to learn how to have a business fast as the media coverage really launched my business.

Because of the snowball affect in the media, I was forced to figure out how to be able to handle the orders that were coming in so fast. I hired a couple of sewers to help make the bags and because of that, I had to learn how to handle quality control. My communication skills quickly grew! When I was able to manage my sewers and have orders coming in and going out smoothly, I was able to create a sustainable and growing business.

I’ve often overcome business challenges by finding somebody in a similar business and asking advice.  Many people were grateful in sharing what they’ve learned through their own growing pains.  Also, learning to have patience with myself and understanding if it doesn’t work right the first time, there is always another way to make it work.  It’s all through trials and tribulations.

My favorite part of Brandi’s story is the fact that she doubted whether she was good enough to be featured in the paper but she went for it anyway. The most important part of starting a business you love is to actually start it by getting other people involved. If you have any questions for Brandi please post them in the comments below and I’ll make sure she gets them. And if you’re ready to launch a blog and build something that lets you do what you love click here for the step by step guide I wrote, “Build a Life-Changing Website Pt 3.”

Faithfully,

Fernando

Did you know that you can get every Big Fucking Logo post delivered to you? To receive them via email click email . To receive them via RSS click RSS. To get them delivered via schozberry, talk to Willy Wonka.

“Well, kinda.”

“And have you talked to anyone upstairs?”

“No, I mean, wouldn’t that just be awkward?”

“That’s one of the blessings of this business, you become immune to awkward. I’m going to get you in front of some people.”

It took me ten minutes to take her picture, put it on the company intranet with the headline “Meet Our Newest Producer” and then write a little paragraph telling her story and inviting people in production to stop by and talk to her.

I wish I moved that fast when I had an idea for a project of my own, but somehow it’s easier for me to sell someone else than it is for me to sell myself. That made me think, what if I treated selling myself like I treat selling someone else? How can I do that? And the answer I received is, “I’m never selling my Self.”

This is the part of the post where we get into some Eastern philosophy. Your “Self” is the part of your mind that watches your life, observes all the tiny details of your existence. “Self” doesn’t do anything, “Self” merely witnesses the thoughts that pass through your mind and the actions you take. Sometimes I think of my Self as a big brother to me. Self doesn’t judge me or correct me. Self just watches proudly as I learn and grow through each new experience. Self gives me the freedom to make mistakes and the confidence to take risks because I know no matter what, Self will always be there with me.

When I learned that a funny, quirky, super helpful and very kind person wanted to get into film production, my instinct to help kicked in automatically. If I can start thinking of each project I undertake as its own person, I can treat those projects with the same mentality that I treated Anne’s. Think about the project you want to launch as a person. That person is young, inexperienced and unsure. You aren’t selling your Self, your Self is watching over the young person that is your project, giving that person love, understanding and limitless patience. Your job is to take care of that project like it was a human being. To nurture that project the way you would nurture a child. Your job is to recognize all the great things that little child wants to do in this world and support him or her so she has the confidence to go for it. That doesn’t feel much like selling, does it?

Faithfully,

Fernando

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Good morning Dan! Would you start by describing Don’t Get Me Started for people who haven’t heard the podcast?

The show is a chat between ad-biz veterans. It’s more about our lives and careers than about trends in the industry. It’s supposed to feel like the listener is eavesdropping on two seasoned ad professionals, talking over beers.

One of my favorite things in the world is to sit and have a heartfelt conversation with someone who is passionate about the same things I am, so listening to your interviews is such a glowing feeling for me. I like listening at night. I’m too distracted during the day to really take it in.

Cool. Thanks for saying that.

How did the idea for DGMS come to you?

I didn’t look for the idea. The idea for the show found me. I teach four or five classes every quarter at The Creative Circus, and I start each class with a rant about either the state of advertising or the state of my career. I talk about challenges, hurdles, victories and realities. Sometimes it feels like I am just talking to myself, so one day I asked the class, “Do you care about this stuff, or am I just talking to the wall?” Nate Millheim, a talented young designer spoke up and said, “No! We love this stuff! We wish every teacher would talk more about what it’s like to work in the business!” So it hit me. I know people. Lots of people. I can record chats about our careers. It could be the perfect complement to classroom teaching.

So you’ve decided you’re going to record conversations with ad pros, then you have to wade through all the challenges of actually producing a show. Was that frustrating?

Yeah, to be honest, it was the first time in my career that I didn’t say “man, I should do that.” I actually said, “I’m going to make this.” It literally kept me up at night, but in a good, excited way. I also have to admit something. I have pretty bad ADHD. I have had it most of my life, if not all of my life. Just before I started this show, I started taking medication for my ADHD. I am convinced that without the medicine, the show may still just have been an idea. That’s because the ADHD prevented me from doing all of the things related to the show that are NOT talking. Production stuff. Medication doesn’t change the brain. It’s not like recreational drugs. It puts the brain in the state it should be in, allowing the natural talent to reveal itself. It’s not a cheat, it levels the playing field. If, of course, it’s needed. But yeah, the idea took on a life of its own.

You see so many students come to you with ideas. Some students follow through, some don’t. Are there some common reasons why people don’t follow through?

I think learning to trust your deepest intuitive gut is a hard lesson. Our education system in America doesn’t reward risk taking. So students fear failure. They avoid following through because they don’t believe in themselves, the idea or their ability to execute. The successful ones don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks. They don’t hear others’ expecations in their heads. I didn’t know if my podcast would suck or not. I actually still don’t know whether it sucks. I just don’t care enough to let it prevent me from making it. I want it to improve — don’t get me wrong — but I don’t do it for approval.

I am so convinced that pursuing creativity is life transforming. I always think of the Magi following the star in the sky to find Christ. They trusted their intuition. It was a hard journey and they were seeking something that had never existed before. But their faith was rewarded so greatly. One thing I’m really trying to do with this series of Launch Stories is to help people believe in themselves and their ideas by showing them the work that others have put into making their ideas a reality. Stories have the power to change our beliefs, change the way we think. Can you describe some of the challenges you’ve faced along the way?

It’s hard to find subjects to do the show. It’s a pain in the ass editing it. And the software I use to publish it doesn’t give me the user data I need; I am shooting the show into the dark. These are frustrations, but they are minor. I am willing to deal with these issues, because this is a venture of which I have almost complete creative control. I am the creative and the client.

It is frustrating for me to see that I got say X number of hits in a given day on my blog but no comments. I’m dying to know what all those people thought!

I had a daily blog for almost three years. It got a lot of traffic, but few comments. That was okay for me. I don’t comment on blogs that make me laugh or think. I think that just comes with the territory when you are a publisher.

Is the podcast more satisfying than your blog was?

The blog was a lot harder to make. And it wasn’t nearly as fun for me. To be able to sit down with Dan Wieden, Luke Sullivan and other incredibly talented people is just FUN. A blog is solitary. That’s just playing to my personality. I am a talker. (With substance, I hope.)

You hate bullshit too much to have a conversation without substance.

I try.

Can you describe the process from realizing you wanted to start DGMS to producing the first show?

I did a test in the basement with my wife, who is also a writer and creative director. It sounded okay, so I did my first real show with my brother (who was also a writer and creative director at the time) and his partner. It was a blast. The levels were way too low, because I used the built-in mic on my laptop and didn’t know how to adjust levels in GarageBand. But the response was amazing. People ate it up.

So you bought a microphone. You had to figure out recording, editing and posting processes…

Yep. Did lots of research on cheap USB mics and gave it a go. I still regularly have techincal snafus, as any regular listener can attest. I am a creative, not a producer. But putting the show together and uploading it is really pretty damn easy.

That’s something that is so important, putting the work out there even though it isn’t technically perfect.

Right. The show doesn’t sound shitty, it’s just not killer.

You mentioned the state of your career earlier. Has Don’t Get Me Started changed the state of your career? The way you think, your creativity?

This may sound meta and philosophical, but it has released some stress in my life. It has accomplished that by giving me something I control. I stress less about other assignments and responsibilities. And — this is big — the show has made me a MUCH better listener. One cannot make a good radio show if he or she has a point to make. You have to be able to go with the flow. The best interviewers are excellent listeners. My wife would disagree about my being a good listener. But “better” is relative.

You just hit on a huge reason why I recommend people launch their own project, it takes the pressure off of your professional life. You don’t get as agitated when you hit a dry spell for a few months where you aren’t working on choice assignments. It frees you up to pick and choose your spots at work.

It does take the pressure off. It allows you to put less emotional weight on your job. 90% of the work you do at your job is worthless for your portfolio or creative satisfactions.

So you’ve reduced your stress levels, become a better listener, had amazing conversations with legendary creatives, other benefits the podcast has brought into your life?

It has solidified my spot as a valuable asset to The Creative Circus. The show has become a great recruiting tool for the school. That was not an original intent, but it is a nice bonus. Also, I have made a few virtual friends through the show, with whom I correspond fairly frequently. That’s fun.

That is fun! I called virtual friends “invisible homies” And I love them.

It’s kinda an all-lowercase fame. Ha. Invisible homies. I love it.

Any advice for creatives considering launching their own project?

Do it. We only regret the things we didn’t do. And hell, it’s your effin’ obligation! You’re a “CREATIVE”. So create something!

Amen. So before we end, I just wanted to share my favorite interviews from your podcast. Erik Proulx. I love what he is doing and I love the vibe you captured in that interview.

Loved it. Super nice guy.

I can feel the positive energy crackling in the room. Same thing with Dave Schiff.

Dude is intense. And so damned easy-going.

There is a different vibrational energy with guys like that who lead with their hearts.

So true. I try really hard to lead them there. Some are more willing than others. The best compliment I have ever gotten on the show was from a guy in Canada who said he had seen two of my guests speaking separately at ad club events, and that the podcast talks were so much better than their presentations. I aim for intimacy by recording in a small room at a small table.

Yes! That hits it entirely. That is what I love about the show, the intimacy. You referenced the sound quality earlier, the sound you capture reflects that. If it sounded “professionally produced” you wouldn’t be able to hear the space that you’re actually sitting in. I think it really adds to the feeling. Again that’s why I like listening at night, I can just relax, put myself in the room, and it’s intimate.

Yeah, I have a noisy chair, and the hallway is just outside my door.

Two people that I went to school with whom I love very much, Jesse Juriga and Andy Pearson. People might not have heard of them but they will. That’s another really cool thing about the show, you meet creatives who are going to be blowing shit up in the future.

Jesse is so gracious, and Andy is just so cool it’s stupid. I want to get Brittany Poole on soon. A future game-changer herself.

Andy is so willing to experiment with his life as a creative assignment.

True about Andy. He is the project.

The way I met him, I had a mohawk, he had a reverse mohawk. We came together like Voltron, literally touched heads, didn’t know each other.

Ha!

I knew that guy was awesome.

Hilarious. And I can totally see it.

No barriers, just open to being alive and creative and new experiences

Exactly.

I don’t think I’ve told you this story. You interviewed Paul Fix and he talked about being laid off. His partner had just been fired like, 10 minutes before, and he still didn’t think he was getting the axe. So he describes walking into the office of doom and being totally unprepared. He can’t really hear what the person is saying he’s so in shock. They ask him to sign some paperwork, he does so numbly, not even comprehending what he is signing. When I listened to that podcast I was 3 months in to my very first job at CP+B and I thought to myself, if I am ever fired or laid off, I will be ready.

Hahahaha

2 months later, I was fired. And I was ready. I am not proud of the thing that got me fired, but I am proud of the way I handled that conversation.

That’s excellent.

So thank you for that

The reason you were fired was a mistake, though, not incompetence or lack of talent or something like that. That is so cool that the podcast helped you with that.

I was smiling to myself while I was getting fired. It was like being in the Matrix. They couldn’t really touch me, I was already prepared.

You were really prepared — in control.

So people can find your podcast at http://balserville.com or search Dan Balser on iTunes. Anything we didn’t touch on that you’d like to say?

This was a great chat. You’ve made me  think and stand back a bit. That’s always a great exercise. I am super excited for your blog and I can’t wait to see what comes next for you.

It was a great chat!!! One last question, was I a good listener?

Superb. Thanks, Matty.

Thank you Dan, I appreciate this and you so so much.

Are you so inspired that you need to launch your own project right now? Check out Build a Life-Changing Website Part 3 for a step by step guide to publishing your own blog and revolutionizing your career. Parts 1 and 2 cover the benefits and the philosophy behind making your site a blog.

Faithfully,

Fernando

The easiest solution to all of these is to develop a blog-style portfolio site that continually engages new people because you’re always adding new content and then sharing/promoting that content via social media, guest posts on other blogs, SEO work, email lists, etc. When you decide to update your portfolio site on a regular basis (I recommend weekly) you make a big step toward treating yourself like a brand. Good brands don’t launch a static site and let it sit untouched for months, they’re constantly engaging their audience, encouraging that audience to help them reach new people.

The Mechanics

1. Purchase a domain name and hosting. I use Dreamhost. On the ease-of-use side, they have one-click WordPress installation which makes setting up your site super easy and their customer support has always been great for me. On the company-I-want-to-support side, they’re employee-owned, they’re carbon neutral and the copywriting in their monthly newsletter is awesome. If you use the code THANKYOUFERNANDO when you sign up you’ll save $20 on a one year hosting plan.

2. Set up your site. Once you’re signed up, login to your control panel and click on the WordPress installation button. Done.

3. Choose a theme. Login to your website administrative client (http://yourlifechangingurl/wp-admin) and click on the Appearance tab to the left. You can now Install Themes directly from the WordPress directory. There are more than a thousand to choose from.

4. Add content. This is where most people throw up their hands and say “Lord have mercy, I just don’t know what on earth I would want to write or draw or blog about every single week!” in a thick Southern drawl. Here is what I suggest:

5. Find your Tingles. Pay attention to the moments in life that leave you vibrating like a bell. For me, Tingles feel hot, wet and electric. They’re at the crossroads of laughing and crying under the deep blue skies of gratitude. It is far too easy to experience these moments and ignore them. Don’t. I get Tingles when I help people. So my Life-Changing Website, bigfuckinglogo.com, was built to help people. And every time I get a comment or email or tweet from someone I helped it feels like Seahorses are swimming through my torso.

The other objection that people have is that they don’t know how to format a WordPress theme to accommodate their portfolio. The solution to that one is easy as well, don’t. I don’t have my portfolio on BigFuckingLogo and yet this site has already helped me get a job. (It has also motivated me to work harder on my career, connect with people who have really enriched my life and made me a much better writer, thinker and businessperson.) Design a blog that compliments your portfolio. Let your portfolio speak for your work and your blog speak for your personality. For more about this check out Build a Life Changing Website Part 2. If you want, you can link to pieces in your portfolio all throughout your blog. Or you can get a lynda.com account and learn how to code for CSS and PHP (which I am currently doing and it isn’t that hard.)

It helps to have an understanding of SEO as you develop the theme for your blog. I partnered with Zach Olsen of bydatabedriven.com to write a post about that here. And if you want to be a badass blogger, I’d recommend Leo Babauta’s A-List Blogger Club. I’m a member, Leo is the founder of ZenHabits.org (150,000+ subscribers) and the author of “The Power of Less,” which is a bestselling book on Amazon. Being a member of the Club gets you access to tons of other bloggers who are very helpful and free admission into his 4 yearly Blogger Bootcamps. You can learn more about the program here.

If I have my way, a legion of you are going to build your own Life-Changing Website, and it will become a spaceship that takes you into outer space, past the reaches of gravity. You’ll build a career that really enriches your life, you’ll feel more connected, fulfilled and whole and in turn you’ll help others feel the same way. So get started! And then let me know if you need any help. You know I got you.

Faithfully,

Fernando

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You, however, are forbidden to touch them. Trademarks, intellectual property rights and copyright law mean advertisers can say what they like wherever they like with total impunity.

Fuck that. Any advert in a public space that gives you no choice whether you see it or not is yours. It’s yours to take, re-arrange and re-use. You can do whatever you like with it. Asking for permission is like asking to keep a rock someone just threw at your head.

You owe the companies nothing. Less than nothing, you especially don’t owe them any courtesy. They owe you. They have re-arranged the world to put themselves in front of you. They never asked for your permission, don’t even start asking for theirs.”

I’m not thrilled about the way Banksy lumps all advertisers into his assessment of our industry, but I agree with his point: we have tremendous potential to cause harm and we often forget about that fact as we get wrapped up in trying to create a successful campaign.

Before they are allowed to practice medicine, doctors have to take the Hippocratic Oath. They vow to do no harm. As advertisers, we “operate” on people’s minds with the most powerful methods in the world. The content we create has incredible influence on people’s beliefs. I believe a person’s beliefs determine his or her life. So why are we not required to take an oath? Why does the government clear roadblocks for us without even checking to see if we have some sort of license to practice?

Because we have such extraordinary influence over peoples’ aspirations, self-image and concept of what is possible in their lives, I believe an oath is fitting. So here it is. If you’d like to publicly state that you abide by this oath or if you’d like to recommend changes, please comment below.

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:

I will honor those who came before me by practicing the craft of advertising with respect and dignity.

I will use my skills for the benefit of commerce in so far as that commerce benefits humankind.

I will remember that regardless of the medium, concept or execution, warmth, sympathy, and understanding underlie the best of our craft.

I will endeavor to benefit those companies who seek to benefit people, even as I endeavor to help each company I work with deepen their service to humankind.

I will remember that I do not create work for awards, ratings, or numbers, but for human beings.

Above all I acknowledge the power afforded to me to influence people because of my role and I vow to ever deepen my understanding of human beings so that my work will cause no harm but will instead uplift, celebrate and amplify the human spirit.

Faithfully,

Fernando

The craft of selling has been practiced rather forcibly by some unsavory characters in our culture. That doesn’t make selling bad. In our current economic structure, selling is the only way to provide for yourself. We help people provide for themselves. That, to me, is pure, honest, full of integrity and beneficial for the common welfare.

It is possible for a person to live outside of our current economic structure, to live without selling anything, but that also cuts them off socially from so many people that it can be alienating to most people.

In medieval times, selling wasn’t really necessary. But our culture has changed. Today, I don’t think it’s possible to successfully provide for yourself without advertising. We help people provide for themselves. Whenever things get complicated, hectic and frustrating at work, I remember that.

It amazes me because we are trained to be creative problem solvers. Bitching does not solve problems. And it doesn’t demand much creativity.

I saw Phil Lockwood do a presentation on why he left Xylem and started Distill and it hit me: when you’re frustrated with something, it’s like the Universe telling you “Hey, over here! Yeah, right here! Here is a huge opportunity to innovate and create something that will make you and a lot of other people very happy!” Angels sing when you’re frustrated. But you can’t hear them unless you’re listening.

Phil’s presentation focused on the differences in business model for both agencies. Xylem had multiple business partners and 100+ employees. Distill has one full time employee, Phil. Xylem had a complex tax structure. Distill’s is very simple. Xylem took on high risk projects. Distill doesn’t. As I watched his presentation I thought to myself, “Every time I’m frustrated, I’m facing a problem I haven’t learned how to solve. If this problem frustrates me, it probably frustrates others. If I can learn how to solve this problem I can solve it for others.” When you solve people’s problems, you’re in business.

I sat down with Phil to talk more about frustration and he hit me with another insight: frustration is essentially competition with yourself. When you’re frustrated, there is a side of you that is angry, a side that wants to bitch. That’s the side you’re competing with. Your goal is to overcome that side of yourself and use it as energy to help you find a solution. Seen in that light, frustration is almost exhilarating.

The next time you get frustrated, ask yourself “Is Fernando right? Is frustration the crucible for innovation? Do I believe I can turn being pissed off into an opportunity?” Turn your frustration into a creative brief. Attack it like a junior straight out of school at his first job. Prove something not to a creative director, but to yourself.

To love, life and advertising,

Fernando

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