I have started multiple platforms in my life. Ever since I graduated, it has been a dream of mine to be able to learn, share and communicate publicly about the things that I'm passionate about.
But as I mentioned in the first post, both self-critical demons and the practical, nuances of real-life have meant these have not taken off or been continued long term.
For posterity, here’s a quick run down of what i’ve done since I graduated in 2013 (24 years old).
- Started exploring internet business and started a random affiliate review website. It was purely to make money and was deeply unaligned. I realized this after a few months and stopped. It was called kitchencutterpro.
- Built a platform that took my experience in Film Music and Post-production called the Sound of Media. The podcast is still on Soundcloud and is deeply cringy for me to listen to… but as I go into below, I’m keen on embracing and integrating my past now, and not to shy away from the awkward stages. We’re always in a state of becoming. Everything is iteration.
- Built a brand that sold Relaxation Music to Therapists called Music By Mood. Eventually stopped making that my own thing and put my music on Simple Habit. I still earn a little bit each year from them for the tracks that are up there.
- Started a platform called Lean Musician, which, as I write this post, is still online, although inactive. At the time, when I was working on it, it felt like the culmination of everything I'd done before, and like the thing I was going to continue doing for the foreseeable future.
- And in 2020, I came across a tiny startup that was currently in YC called Glide. I contacted the founders and started doing a bit of educational & community work for them… and today, I'm still there — teaching and communicating, not for my own idea or platform, but with a team, and a big mission.
Lean Musician still earns me a good amount of passive income each month and I have over 20,000 students who’ve taken my courses. It was a great achievement. But that too, has run its course.
I have no doubt that I will still make and teach music, but right now it’s clear that iteration is coming to an end. I will probably take it down in 2024 - as this site ramps up.
What’s it all for?
I guess what I'm trying to clarify or understand by writing this is, why am I doing this new thing? It's a simple blog — with the eventual goal of creating a platform. But who cares? No one right now, and maybe not many people ever will. So why do it?
Processing, and the power of the public forum
As I mentioned in the first post, I spend a great deal of time processing things. The urge to do this more publicly has always been there. But the aim is not just to share these thoughts, which might be valuable to some, but also to harness the power that comes from translating private thoughts into the public domain.
It's one thing to write privately, but it's entirely another thing to write (essentially ‘journal’) publicly. You have to translate your thoughts and beliefs through a very strong filter mechanism, which is your perception of how the public will receive it (even if that’s just your mum). To say something here, and leave it for the world to read if they wish, is to stand behind it much more than one might stand behind what one says in one's journal.
Iteration
I also want to be a writer. I write all the time, but I want to improve my writing skill and habit. I tend to start many journals or articles and make a ton of notes for future books, but nothing ever really gets finished, and so I don't benefit from fully consolidating concepts or ideas.
When I was younger, I used to value the blank slate and the final polished, finished, shiny product. I wasn't very good at accepting all the stages in between. As I get older, I'm starting to see the beauty in the imperfection, which is essentially iteration. And there is also something more beautiful about making this public.
Help & service
I have not worked with people much in my career so far, although it is deep within my nature to help and coach others. The idea of service has always been something that I respect, but for whatever reason I have not grown into it yet. But I do feel that growing in me now, at the ripe old age of 34.
Some of my most profound experiences in life have been reading or listening to other people sharing their journey and teaching others. Susan Cain, Aziz Gazipura, David Whyte, John O’Donohue, Elizabeth Gilbert, Oliver Burkeman, Emily Agnew, Joe Hudson and many others have inspired me and I hope one day to do the same for others. This site, is my way of starting that journey.
Public repository
I rely heavily on Notion. It's not only a space for writing and journaling, but also for logging resources, solutions, and tutorials. These help me recall complex work tasks. At times, my organization could be better. Making this process public will encourage me to document things thoroughly, benefiting both my future self and potentially others.
Portfolio
I also work on a lot of cool stuff and need some kind of website to hold it all as my career is growing. Currently I'm a video producer and educator. Maybe one day I'll get back into music and again train as a coach. Maybe I'll even make my own software. But for now this site can primarily be a portfolio thing — with this little place for writing.
What will this be in future?
I'm actually meeting with a few colleagues over the coming weeks to discuss my motivation and the potential direction. Because it feels like there's a lot of diffuse topics that are unrelated right now.
My four current passions; Music, Motion, Mind, and Software, don't seem to connect directly. They make sense to me, but packaging them into a cohesive brand is challenging. I'm accustomed to platforms with a clear USP, and I don’t know if that’s what I have yet.
But maybe that is just putting the cart before the horse. To say "let's define this or lock it down now" is maybe weird. Because this is the period of exploration and iteration.
It's just nerve-wracking when exploration and iteration is public. I'm used to refining and publishing highly targeted media for my job. There's no uncertainty or vulnerability in what I eventually publish for Glide, and the messaging is always tightly packed by myself and members of the marketing team.
I’m out on a limb here, writing and creating to the void.
It's 2024, AI is well and truly here and the idea of a blog is just so unbelievably old-school now. And I kind of like that.
As the world moves faster, I like the idea of getting out my old CDs or vinyl and getting back to my roots. Blogging was something I always tried to do when I was younger, during the phase when it was cool. And now, when reading or following somone’s blog is a little outdated — I feel more authentic approaching it once more.