Advertise on podcast: Connection is Magic with Samson Shulman

Katonya Breaux (IG: katonyabreaux) is the mother of visionary artist Frank Ocean. Born in New Orleans and raised in Los Angeles, she emancipated herself at 17 from a toxic family environment and is renowned for her grace and wisdom by those who know her. She founded Unsun Cosmetics, a mineral sunscreen line for people of color, which was carried by major retailers including CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart. Katonya closed the company while navigating her own healing journey following the loss of her son Ryan. Today, she dedicates herself to life coaching, plant medicine, and training as a death doula, guiding others through life’s transitions with clarity and compassion. Disclaimer: Our Ableton audio session crashed while this interview was being recorded, so we had to use the scratch audio from our Sony 4K cameras. Enhancing it took countless hours and is a real-life example of what we encourage our listeners to always do on this platform… turn lemons into lemonade. We hope you enjoy! Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative?You don’t have to do it alone.We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive.Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Emancipating herself at age 17 from a toxic family dynamic + Folding her skincare business after fighting for it for many years + How meditation changed her life + There is an order to the world we can trust in… i.e looking at the planets all moving in synchronicity or a child growing in the womb, even when uncomfortable things happen in your life, trust its part of that same order and happening for a reason + When she first discovered her son's gift + Incredible talent is NOT enough to be successful, you need incredible work ethic to go along with it + Discussing Frank’s lyrics to her in his song “Futara Free” + The immense luxury & gift of getting paid to do what you love + Katonya (even though she grew up in the church) supporting Frank when he came out as gay and how him doing that helped shift the stigma in hip hop & pop-culture as a whole + Frank not succumbing to the pressures of our modern-day culture to always post and be visible on the internet + How she feels knowing Frank's music has helped and touched so many people + How people spend more time WISHING than WORKING for their dreams + The intense work and focus it takes over time, i.e. Kobe Bryant shooting / dunking a basketball to hone your skills & the countless hours of work no one truly acknowledges that’s part of it + How she will go with Frank to the recording studio and find it so boring because she will hear him play the same segment of a song over 30-40 times working intensely to improve it + It’s not 10,000 hours to become a master at something, rather 10,000 iterations to become a master at something + Katonya’s favorite Frank Ocean song… + How Frank has never struggled with a scarcity mentality when it comes to money + When we allow fear to grip us we actually put up energetic blocks to achieving what we want + Trusting that you have a sacred team of sprit guides + angels that are always intervening to help you whether you can see it or not, it’s ever-present like wifi and when we tap into literal magic happens +  We discuss the song “Be Yourself” off Frank’s Blond album + How Katonya and I handle our “bad days” and the grace we try to remember to give ourselves to make it back to shore, which we always do if we hang in there (HOPE acronym: Hold On Pain Ends) + Katonya answers a fan question in our new segment called “The Magic Moment” and shares advice to parents raising a creative child Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

G-Eazy (IG: g_eazy) was born Gerald Earl Gillum on May 24, 1989, in Oakland, California, is a rapper, producer, and philanthropist whose journey reflects resilience, introspection, and staying true to his roots. Raised by a single mother, he overcame financial hardships and pursued his passion for music, earning a degree in music industry studies from Loyola University New Orleans. His 2014 album These Things Happen marked his breakthrough, featuring the hit single “Me, Myself & I” with Bebe Rexha, which reached the Billboard Top 10 and has over 1.5 billion streams on Spotify. In 2021, G-Eazy faced the profound loss of his mother, a life-changing moment he explored with raw honesty on his 2024 album Freak Show, reflecting on grief, love, and personal growth. Beyond music, he founded the Endless Summer Fund in 2018 to support at-risk youth in the Bay Area with education, mental health resources, and basic needs. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Going from a world tour with screaming fans to just back to your regular everyday life at home just doing laundry and making coffee is trippy AF + Discussing cities with rich historical musical legacies + G-Eazy’s original rap name which he never disclosed before! + Why G-Eazy sold his house in LA and moved to NY + The challenge of having to come off both super confident and super vulnerable simultaneously as a rapper + How the greatest joys in life come from choosing adversity and challenge and getting to the other side of those things + Selling verses for just $50 bucks when struggling early on and some people still popping up to this day trying to promote those songs saying they have a song featuring G-Eazy + Living out of a suitcase and on friend’s couches, selling sneakers and barely scraping by trying to get his career going + Getting flown out to NY and passed on by major labels, having to shake off the disappointment and keep pushing + How to psyche yourself out and achieve the impossible + His friendship with Mac Miller and his favorite memories with him + Meeting Kobe Bryant and what Kobe shared with him about mindset + Forgetting songs that his fans press him to play in his meet and greets before a show and him asking “how the hell do you remember that?” + Recalling performing “Me, Myself and I” throughout the world over 1300 times and how the song was created with Bebe Rexha + We explore the quote that “happy and healthy people don’t make great art,” and how artists often channel tension and anxiety into their work Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brock Korsan (IG: @brockymarciano) is the Swiss Army knife of music, fashion, and culture. A respected A&R executive, manager, and creative consultant, Brock has built his career on a sharp cultural instinct and a gift for recognizing and championing exceptional talent. He got his start on a street team, immersing himself in every facet of the music business. His instincts and relentless drive quickly led to work with influential artists like Travis Scott, Schoolboy Q, and frequent collaborator Kendrick Lamar. Known for his ability to spot and nurture talent, he’s become a trusted voice in the culture. At Interscope Records, Brock worked across a wide spectrum of artists and projects, including co-writing Drake’s global hit “God’s Plan.” Beyond music, he’s a managing partner at No Vacancy Inn, a boundary-pushing collective known for blending fashion, music, and culture through ventures like radio shows, parties, clothing drops, and fundraisers. As Senior Vice President at Warner Records, Brock continues to lead with vision, signing breakout acts like Omar Apollo and developing projects that shape the sound of tomorrow. Whether he's in the studio until sunrise or catching waves at dawn, Brock brings the same passion and intention to everything he does—embodying a holistic, grounded approach to creative success. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Sleeping in his impala to hide his early career moves from his parents who would not understand what he was trying to do + Brock’s experiences working at the legendary street wear company, Diamond Supply in it’s early days and Tyler, The Creator working there as a kid packing boxes + Leveraging managing producers at first to get around the rappers he wanted to meet + Witnessing the early days of TDE and its superstar artists early into the global phenom’s they have become + Helping Mac Miller get his first bag of weed and tattoo + Touring the world with Travis Scott and watching 70,000 fans attend the Sao Palo, Brazil show and nearly break the concrete stadium + How most people just aren’t built for the struggle it takes to be great, especially hype talented people + Why getting opinions from too many people is dangerous, because they may talk you out of something great + Signing Omar Apollo and helping guide his development & career + A real artist needs to make art no matter what, they need to make it to breathe / survive + How all the true greats, whether in sports or the arts, give another level of commitment to their crafts even after they’ve reached success + Getting a shout out from Kendrick Lamar on “DNA” off of his DAMN album, which he A&R’d + What his working relationship is like with Kendrick Lamar and how they’ve both made each other grow + Nobody really knows what a hit is and so much it happens off luck and fate, and how so many incredible artists never get a top charting record + Sending Kendrick Lamar the iconic “Money Trees” record + No matter how much information you are armed with you will get f****d and take L’s in the entertainment industry. Period, but you can choose to become better vs. bitter and also not do the same thing to other people + How music is a soundtrack to our lives like a time capsule and how revisiting certain songs takes us right back to those poignant moments earlier in our lives + How you can spend your whole life climbing to the top of a mountain and then get bored of being at the top and need a new challenge to feel inspired, i.e. why the children of billionaires are some of the most unhappy people Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lyman (IG: @kevinlyman) is a visionary entrepreneur and influential figure in the world of music and entertainment. Born on October 6, 1961, in Orange, California, Lyman has left an indelible mark on the industry, particularly in the realm of alternative and punk rock. His journey into the music scene began with a passion for bringing people together through shared musical experiences. In 1995, he founded the Vans Warped Tour, a groundbreaking traveling music festival that became a staple in the alternative music scene for over two decades! The tour attracted around 750,000 people annually and is recognized as the longest-running North American festival ever! Kevin’s dedication to supporting independent artists and fostering a sense of inclusivity has made him a respected and beloved figure among musicians and fans alike. He has been involved in numerous charitable initiatives, using his platform to address social issues and make a positive impact on the communities he engages with. His ability to adapt to the ever-evolving music landscape and his unwavering passion for the art form have solidified his legacy as a trailblazer in the industry. In late 2018, Kevin began teaching at USC's Thornton School of Music as an Associate Professor. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Kevin’s upbringing in Claremont, California in “hippieville” and how it shaped him + The loneliness epidemic and our ever-present need for community now more than ever + The echo chamber we are all living in now due to social media and it’s blocking our ability to be more balanced / harmonious + The hardest moments of navigating the building the Warped tour, how Kevin bounced back and what he learned + Kevin winding down the Warped tour after 25 successful years, how there was no ambivalence in him and how he felt fully complete after ending it + How he was villainized by many people for “ruining punk rock” + Kevin attending Cal Poly Pomona where another fellow mega festival creator, Paul Tollett, the creator of Coachella also went to school + How taking any days off in the music industry is viewed as negatively, people get judged for not wanting it bad enough, self-care is seen as weakness + How Kevin has literally sent artists to rehab mid-tour who were suffering from heavy addiction on the road + People on the artist side and the executive side aren’t seen as people but rather seen as commodities and dehumanized + The music industry can be so phony at times that when you text someone to say, “how are you doing?” and you don’t ask them for anything people are taken aback + Kevin recalling working with megastars Nine Inch Nails and Stone Temple Pilots and being concerned about their addictions and drug abuse + Getting to work closely with Trent Reznor and admiring his brilliance and business acumen + How to navigate today’s music industry of mass SATURATION and ways to cut through the NOISE CONNECT WITH ME: Website: https://connectionismagic.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectionismagicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@connectionismagicHit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest installment of a segment called, "Bars for Breakfast" where I highlight a powerful lyric and share how it relates to my personal life experience. Listening to my share, I hope it conjures up for you how it relates to your own personal life journey, and you feel connected + inspired.   *** SONG:  "Adventure" ARTISTS:  Russ, Feat. Rexx Life Raj LYRICS:  "When I was at my lowest had to hold my head the highest reconnect with silence otherwise it’s hard to hear the guidance.  Thinkin’ that I got a broken version of success until I realized this is the version that I’m supposed to get, I see the way the roads connect if you just keep on drivin’ tried to fight the moment thought my stars need realignin” *** Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic   Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers!  Love and blessings! – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LaRussell (IG: @larussell) is a legendary independent rapper and artist from Vallejo, California, who began rapping at just eight years old. Struggling to find inspiration in his early schooling, he thrived at Vallejo’s Peoples' High School, where his creativity and talent began to flourish. After graduation, fatherhood briefly paused his musical ambitions, and he took a stable, well-paying job in aerospace to support his daughter, where he worked for six years before boldly leaving it to pursue music full-time. A visionary in the independent music scene, LaRussell created the “Proud to Pay” model, allowing fans to set their own price for his music, live shows, and local events under the motto: “it’s not free, it’s priceless.” He also founded the independent collective Good Compenny, which empowers artists to retain ownership of their work while fostering community, collaboration, and positive change in an industry that often undervalues independent voices. Since 2019, LaRussell has released 24 full-length albums, including seven in 2023 alone, showcasing a relentless work ethic and a commitment to quality. His artistry has earned acclaim from some of the most influential figures in music, including Charlamagne Tha God, Chance The Rapper, Russ, Meek Mill, LA Reid, and Erykah Badu, and his story is one of resilience, innovation, and unwavering dedication to his craft, continuously redefining what it means to succeed as an independent artist. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How to navigate between our innate need to belong / fit inand instead choose to stand out when we feel different from the pack + “There’s people who spend time talking about doing things,and there are people who spend time doing things” – LaRussell + People will box us in to what they believe we are whichworks against our need to evolve + Why record labels will invest in whack artists who havemillions of views vs. investing in dope artists who don’t yet have a following + Discussing where LaRussell’s wisdom comes from at such ayoung age + If you live your life not trusting other people you willmanifest meeting more untrustworthy people + The more shots you take the better you become; peopleblock their development by worrying too much about what other people think + People need to be honest with themselves and just say theydon’t actually want what they say they do if they’re not putting in consistentwork to achieve it + We discuss the Kanye West lyric from the song “Spaceship” ... “Lock yourself in a room doin’ 5 beats a day for 3 summers that’s a differentworld like three summers I deserve to do these numbers!” + How to deal with haters online who don’t even know you:“If you have a problem with me text me, if you don’t have my number then youdon’t know me well enough to have a problem with me.” + Why labels get behind toxic music vs. morepositive/nourishing music + Why LaRussell calls his company “GOODCOMPENNY” + Surreal moment of meeting Diddy and how that meeting impactedhim + Learning to work efficiently on a team and how we can keepour egos in check so that we can all fly higher and win more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Sarowitz (IG: @wayfarerstudios) is an American billionaire businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.  Steve is the founder of Paylocity, a digital accounting platform which he founded in 1997 and took public in 2014.  He splits his time between his hometown of Chicago and Los Angeles.  In 2019, Steve co-founded (with actor Justin Baldoni) the small but mighty, Wayfarer Studios, an independent Hollywood film studio dedicated to promoting substantive, meaningful films to uplift humanity.  Steve is a practicing Bahai and deeply rooted in the core spiritual tenants of the faith which advocate helping unite humanity and combat divisiveness. His film studio Wayfarer, has produced many noteworthy films including, "It Ends With Us" starring Justin Baldoni & Blake Lively, “Code 3” an action-comedy starring Rainn Wilson & Lil Rel Howery, The Pac Man Movie (based on the hit 80’s arcade game), and "Sonic The Hedgehog" with many more films coming in 2025. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + The power of love being infused into something and how much more it can be felt + Steve’s spiritual principles being enhanced, not limited by, his great fortune + We are one human family and racism / sexism pollutes this otherwise natural state of ours + Steve’s first failed business and what he learned from the experience + Learning how to delegate vs. controlling everything so you don’t limit your potential to scale + The inception & mission of Steve’s Hollywood FilmStudio, “Wayfarer” + How to raise above our instincts towards anger andimpatience + Does a ton of money change you or reveal who you really are? + Explanation of the Bahai faith and how it speaks directly to the challenges humanity is facing + What emotions / thoughts / feelings Steve felt the day he became a Billionaire + Mentorship not always being a pre-requisite to being successful, Steve never had a mentor and learned by trying & failing repeatedly + Steve’s plans for his film studio in the coming years…. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India Shawn (IG: @indiashawn) is a silky smooth R&B artist based in Los Angeles, California.  Her journey through the realms of music has been a testament to her artistry and authenticity.  She has emerged as a powerhouse in the music industry, captivating audiences with her mesmerizing voice and heartfelt lyrics – drawing inspiration from a diverse range of genres, including R&B, soul, and hip-hop.  Her notable collaborations include working with Chris Brown, 6lack, Diddy, Anderson Paak, Stevie Wonder, Elton John and many more… Additionally, she was a prominent voice in Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir.  India’s music reflects her life experiences, emotions, and a celebration of the human spirit. Her lyrics delve into themes of love, self-discovery, and empowerment, resonating with listeners on a profound level. Check out her latest critically acclaimed project titled “Before We Go (Deeper)” released in 2022. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How she is a reluctant veteran of the music industry 😊in that she has experienced many high highs and low lows throughout the years of her career in entertainment + India once being on a video shoot where she was asked to basically be naked and her enduring a learning lesson of not listening to her intuition and putting her foot down + Escaping competition through authenticity + Newly parting ways with her record label, Epic Records,and the freedom and anxiety that are showing up for her in the process + Growing up in church first gave her the inklings to wantto be an artist + The consistent unpredictability of following a path inarts and entertainment + How even if she doesn’t pursue singing professionally, she will always take comfort in knowing that she’ll always be singing for the rest of her life + The sacrifices made in pursuing the life of an artist /creative + Having to get a job postmating / instacarting aftermultiple album releases and being terrified about being seen while doing these jobs because of people thinking of her as a failed musician + Being randomly selected to be part of Kanye West’s Sunday Service choir + Collaborating with Bruno Mars, 6lack and Anderson Paak all early in their careers + Meeting and collaborating with her hero Stevie Wonder + When we outgrow friendships, we aren’t breaking up with that person, but rather, we are breaking up with a part of ourselves we’ve outgrown Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reggie Lucien Frank Roger Watts (IG: @reggiewatts) is an American comedian, actor, beatboxer, musician, and a modern-day philosopher of sorts.  His improvised musical sets are created using only his voice, a keyboard, and a looping machine.  He began piano & violin lessons at age five and moved to Seattle at age 18 to study music.  He attended The Art Institute of Seattle before studying jazz at Cornish College of the Arts.  Worth noting - Reggie lived in Seattle during the renaissance of the grunge music era. Reggie is also an aficionado of cars and tech, speaking in detail to both during his many appearances on the Joe Rogan Podcast.  He refers to himself as a "disinformationist" who aims to disorient his audience in a comedic fashion.  Reggie was the house band leader for The Late Late Show with James Corden for 8 seasons. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Reggie enduring / navigating racism growing up in Montana + How Reggie first got into music and the influences that shaped him + The internet being paradoxical – never being easier to now put your work out, never been harder to cut through the noise and get discovered + AI and the theory of singularity, humans merging with AI chips in them one day, good vs. bad aspects + Being a new musician playing in Seattle when the grunge scene was emerging + How he landed his job working as the band leader for The Late Late Show with James Corden + Reggie catastrophizing about having to sell his cars after the Late Late show ended + A list of people Reggie acknowledges for his success thus far in entertainment + How to not sabotage (all too common) yourself as an artist + How Reggie approaches & disarms douchebags + How to deal with online bullies & keyboard cowboys 😊 CONNECT WITH ME: Website: https://connectionismagic.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectionismagicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@connectionismagic Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a "RUN IT BACK" episode!  The episode was originally recorded in November 2018, when the podcast was previously called, "The Hustle Sanctuary." Gary Greenberg is a veteran entertainment attorney based in Los Angeles, California. He has represented 2pac, Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs N' Harmony, and Multi-Grammy winning producer DJ Dahi among others.  He also spent 7 years as in house attorney for American Idol representing all the contestants. He is a graduate from ivy league law school, Brown University. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + We discuss being a creative person and businessperson and the healthy balance of the two... + How he discovered his path into music law + The huge low of losing his first famous client + The fragility of maintaining human relationships + Anxiety being ever-present working in the music industry + LA having the most talented artists in the world as well as the most talented hustlers preying on them + How Gary ended up getting deep into the hip-hop world and how his colleagues were telling him he needed to leave rap because the genre was going to die + The process he had to go through to become the main in-house lawyer for AMERICAN IDOL and what he learned in that experience + How many of his colleagues left the industry during the lowest points and how it made him 2nd guess if he was next + How he stays on his grind even though he has reached a very high level of achievement and success Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kute Blackson (IG: @kuteblackson) is a charismatic and internationally recognized inspirational speaker, author, and life coach. Initially resisting his calling, Kute pursued a more conventional path. He studied finance and business with the intention of entering the corporate world. However, a series of transformative events, including the death of his father (a renowned spiritual teacher himself) propelled him into a deeper exploration of his true calling. His teachings are characterized by a blend of spiritual insights and practical wisdom. He encourages individuals to break free from societal expectations, embrace their true selves, and live a life aligned with their deepest desires. Kute is the author of several books, including the New York Times best-selling book, "You Are the One." Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Rejection is often grace and divine redirection and what creates our suffering in these circumstances is our ego with its very limited vision + The goals we get attached to can stem from unmet needs in our childhood + How demanding your dreams come to fruition before you’ve been properly developed is akin to eating unripe fruit + Kute’s rough early days moving to Los Angeles, California including becoming homeless for a period of time + Being offered a management deal from one of Hollywood’s biggest management companies and turning them down + How saying “NO” to people + opportunities that are not fully in alignment leads to us manifesting things that are a much better fit. The key to manifestation is letting go. + Holding on to what is no longer aligned sends a message to God + The universe that we do not trust and learning to rely on innate divine intelligence + As artists & entrepreneurs we don’t choose our path, life chooses us to express something through us + How we hate on ourselves and block ourselves way more than our haters block or hate on us + We can all learn something valuable from the guy who sells a banana peel taped to a blank canvas for $50,000. There’s a level of boldness and belief to be able to do that and if we took a fraction of it we’d be better off. + You owning your greatness will trigger other people who are not going for it. You become a painful reminder to them that they are not going for it Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest installment of a segment called, "Bars For Breakfast!" where I highlight a powerful lyric and share how it relates to my personal life experience. Listening to my share, I hope it conjures up for you how it relates to your own personal life journey and you feel connected + inspired. Of course, this all goes down while eating a delicious and/or random breakfast item as well! *** SONG: "Smile" ARTIST: Jay-Z LYRICS: "A loss ain’t a loss it’s a lesson, appreciate the pain it’s a blessin” *** SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS: Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic Visit CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list to get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love & Blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kathryn Frazier (IG: @klfbiz3) is an iconic music publicist (and very wise woman) representing some of the biggest names in all of music including The Weeknd, Daft Punk, J. Cole, and Skrillex to name a few... She co-founded & was president of Skrillex’s record label OWSLA throughout its existence. Kathryn founded her boutique PR firm, Biz3, way back in 1996 in a tiny bedroom in Chicago! She got her start working as a publicist when a friend of hers gave her a bootleg copy of Death Row Records contact list. Biz3 has recently expanded beyond music, now handling key press for sports, tech, restaurants, chefs, film, books, festivals, parties, and marketing events. In 2018, Kathryn, a longtime meditator and proponent of personal and spiritual growth, began helping artists and executives alike as a personal life coach. Since then, she has life coached some of the biggest artists and executives spanning all of entertainment. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How making simple life adjustments can often lead to the most profound shifts in our life + Buying a crackhouse as a young adult with a government loan and that experience helping her grow as a person + The toughest chapters in life eventually pass and we can use that understanding as fuel to get us through hard chapters + Artists being able to tap into their pain and fans connecting to that shared human experience + How our life is like an airplane, if we are 1-2 degrees off for a small amount of time it won’t affect us, however, over a lengthy period we will be in a whole different zone than we thought/wanted + Kathryn’s daily morning practice that helps keep her dialed in intuitively & spiritually + The healthiest way to deal with our haters from the perspective of everyday people to the biggest stars she has worked with at her company Biz3 + What she admires most about her clients J. Cole & The Weekend + Kathryn’s take is that The Weeknd, Tyler, The Creator, Skrillex, J. Cole, have their eyes so locked in on the prize and their visions, they resist getting lost in online noise and other people’s opinions, we should aspire to do move through life this way + Needing a healthy ego to be successful in life but learning to balance the shadow side of our ego + What obstacles Kathryn had to overcome to start her successful PR firm Biz3 + Dealing with fake people in the entertainment industry + How to not let our negative self-talk win and pull us off our destined path in life and how many people came into this world with a gift that did not get to be fully realized because they let their negative self-talk defeat them, don’t let that be you Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with the 988 national suicide & crisis lifeline, we’re dropping this very special episode in honor of world mental health day – October 10th, 2023. If you are someone you know is struggling with their mental health please call 988 from any cell phone for support 24/7. Justice Baiden (IG: @justicewearscoolpants) is an entrepreneur, co-founder and head of A&R at ATL’s hottest R&B label, LVRN. They are one of the only record labels that offers both its artists and staff access to a mental health program, which includes a stipend for therapy, gym memberships, healthy food and more. Some of his most notable signings include the multi-platinum and Grammy-winning artists, Summer Walker & 6lack, two defining voices of their generation in today’s music space. Justice was born in Kennesaw, Atlanta and raised by parents who are both immigrants from Ghana. Earlier this year LVRN received a $100 Million dollar investment from label & publisher, MUSIC, to help scale its operations and impact even further. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + LVRN being one of the only record labels to offer a stipend for mental health support to its artists and how this came to be + How Summer Walker was at first super opposed to therapy (sidenote: Justice used to be as well) and how their feelings towards it eventually evolved + how he snuck a therapist backstage and passed her off as his friend to help Summer + Having to sneak his way into Summer Walker’s computer, because she was so shy sharing new songs at the time when he was A&R’ing her first project for the label + The pivot Justice made into pursuing the business side ofs music after his failed attempt at becoming a rapper + A helpful mindset on how to use social media as an artist in with a healthier perspective + The importance of having adversity so that we not only appreciate our wins more but to actually end up with a more cool & compelling story to share with others + Justice having to figure out how to navigate the music business prior to having all the information on it that’s available today + Discovering 6lack and helping introduce him to therapy and witnessing how much he’s evolved as an artist and human being + Helpful tips on becoming more resilient and bouncing back after going through bad deals as an artist + Why it’s so important when we feel lost to travel and leave our everyday surroundings to get a perspective shift + Understanding the dynamics of a team environment and exploring the pro’s & con’s + do’s & don’ts when operating within a team + Outgrowing friendships, why it happens and how best to navigate it + How we’re taught in school to stay inside the box but paradoxically, all the figures we teach kids about in textbooks are those who have stepped outside the box + Drake helping blowup Summer’s career after discovering her song “Girls Need Love” and jumping on a remix after Justice convinced her to ask him via IG + Focusing on the work not the results and how it always, always, always comes down to God’s & the universe’s timing no matter how badly we want it to happen Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stan Taylor (IG: @_Stantaylor_) is an LA based, super soulful R&B singer, raised in Central California. He moved to LA in 2009, after winning a reality television competition with ABC/Disney. This appearance would lead him to more opportunities to travel the world performing his music and building a fan base. Throughout his career, Stan has collaborated with many Grammy-winning music producers and served as the resident in-house singer for the popular LA night spot frequented by Drake, The Kardashians and many more called Delilah’s. Definitely go peep Stan Taylor’s most recent project, “Sweet Nostalgia” which dropped in March 2023. Feeling stuck, anxious, or burned out as a creative? You don’t have to do it alone. We offer therapy and coaching to help you thrive. Book your FREE 15-min session: calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Being super into athletics prior to music and how that drive/discipline served pursuing music + Being friends with the nerdy theatre kids while athletes clowned Stan for his choice of not pursuing sports + Super key takeaway: “Discipline is confidence” + How people get slept on all the time, and how even Kanye initially was slept on as shown in Netflix “Jeen-Yuhs” Documentary + The irony of people being so thirsty for authenticity, but most being terrified to share at this level + Keep a baby picture of yourself nearby so you can be kinder to yourself and remember your true essence + How wins and mini-breakthroughs can be the universe co-signing us and we can use them as signs to keep going + Being friends with people who can bless you with opportunities and the fine line of patience for it to happen naturally and asking for things, remembering, “closed mouths don’t get fed” + Snapping yourself out of funks by asking yourself… “how long do you want to hurt like this?” + Insight: “When we build a home in someone else, they have the power to make us homeless” Hit up CONNECTIONISMAGIC.COM to sign up for our email list and get access to new episodes before they drop, special animated story clips from our most powerful episodes and other special goodies & offers! Love and blessings, – TEAM CIM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices