Nion Radio With Nick Onken

I’m constantly reminding myself to be grateful for what I have and where I’m at, and also to think outward. Today I’m continuing my list of my top books for the creative entrepreneur. You can listen to part one of my list here. These books are great for learning about creativity, both the artistic process and the business side of it. The books on this list will inspire you to create greatness and give back to the community. Whether you’re a creative entrepreneur or an entrepreneur in general, I think these books will be super helpful to you. People skills, I believe, are essential to any entrepreneur, and especially an artist. Some things we learn in this podcast: How to master the money game with Tony Robbins’ book Money: Master the Game [3:10] Why I think every entrepreneur should read Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs [3:55] Distilling your best attributes with help from Sally Hogshead [4:45] Creating greatness with Lewis Howes’ book The School of Greatness [6:00] How The Promise of a P

Time and age and growth are great assets to one’s brain. When you pay attention to do what you do, and you do it well, people will take notice. That’s one of the things Christopher Makos taught me during our conversation, and I can’t wait for you to hear the rest of the amazing advice he has. Christopher Makos is a legendary photographer who has published over 30 books, has photos published in Interview Magazine, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and had works exhibited in the Guggenheim, the Tate Modern, the Whitney Museum, and many more. He has led an incredibly interesting life, working with Andy Warhol, teaching him to use his first camera, and introducing him to other important work. He apprenticed under the famous Man Ray. Listen in to hear us talk about monetizing every aspect of your creative self, the importance of doing something creative every day, and the difference between capturing a picture and capturing a memory. I think you’ll learn a lot from this world renowned photographer who has worked with some

The more that you listen to that inner voice and let inspiration be your guide, the more you are accessing your flow state. Today I’m talking about books for the creative entrepreneur. In the first of a two part series, I want to tell you about five books that have inspired me. These books are great for learning about creativity, both the artistic process and the business side of it. Whether you’re a creative entrepreneur or an entrepreneur in general, I think these books will be super helpful to you. The only way you’re going to get jobs or get feedback is to get your work in front of people. Some things we learn in this podcast: Why I like to use a Kindle or iPad for most reading [1:25] How Steal Like an Artist addresses the idea that everything has been done [2:00] Show Your Work is about getting your work in front of people [2:40] The best form of feedback I’ve gotten [3:25] Why I found Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Big Magic interesting [3:55] Start With Why is all about creating a business that

It’s not just about someone telling us to go do something, they need to be part of it, they need to own it. I believe that art can change the world, and it is empowering and inspiring to meet people who feel the same way. That’s why I’m excited to have Sergio Fernández de Córdova on the show today. Sergio and I met at Summit Series this past year, where we had some awesome conversations about changing the world and making an impact through art and media. Sergio is the founder of Pvblic Foundation, an organization that focuses on creating change through media. He works in pretty much every media outlet that you can think of, using all these different mediums to do good and create positive change in the world. The foundation has had some huge projects, including the It’s On Us Campaign, where they worked with the White House to create a campaign to raise awareness about and stop sexual assault. Listen in to today’s episode to hear Sergio talk more about founding Pvblic, his work with the White House, and the

  You’ve got to decide what makes sense for you and that you feel good going into it. Setting expectations is all about clear communication, and it’s something that I’m still learning. Expectations are like ground rules in the game - once everyone is clear then you don’t have to deal with a lot of issues later. They’ll save you so much headache and unnecessary conflict later. Today I’m sharing my top five tips to help you set expectations for your creative projects so that you can focus on your art while pleasing the client at the same time. I like to set expectations that I can exceed as much as I can. Some things we learn in this podcast: Get clear on what all parties want [2:25] Find your sweet spot [2:45] You have to be careful of jobs where people say they’ll promote you [3:30] Get clear on what you’re going to give [4:30] Make sure you get it everyone’s expectations in writing [5:40] Get written confirmation of receipt [6:50] Under promise and over deliver [7:55] Links mentioned: Mu

As I’m growing older, I’m growing into who I am, more so because I’m starting to love who I am. Today I’m super excited to introduce you to my longtime friend, Arden Cho. Arden not only plays a lead character on MTV’s series Teen Wolf, but she is also a musician and has recorded an album and performed all over the world. We met on a photoshoot for a Reebok campaign many years ago, and it has been awesome to watch her career blow up over the past few years. Arden is a total sweetheart, an overall amazing human being, and in this interview we get to talk about her life behind the scenes: what her why is, the changes she wants to make in this world, and why it’s important to be vulnerable. Listen in to hear her talk about her insecurities as a minority in the entertainment industry and how she has grown through them. We also talk about something that’s very important to me: the importance of creating moments in your life. This time around, we decided to record a video of the podcast that you can watch below:

We’re basically consuming the worst kind of fuel that we can consume without replenishing any nutrients. There are a lot of self-proclaimed health gurus out there giving all kinds of advice on how you can change your diet, eat healthy, and lose weight. We’ve all heard them, right? But changing your habits and quitting sugar can be extremely challenging. Choosing to eat well is one of the hardest decisions to make. I’ve been choosing to try to eliminate things like sugar from my diet, and while it’s difficult, I find that I feel so much better, tips from experts like today’s guest, Rocco Dispirito, definitely help. Rocco is a celebrity chef, a #1 New York Times Bestselling author with twelve titles, and has been on 7 or 8 TV shows. He also has his own protein powders, shake products, and takes on private clients as well. I don’t know how he sleeps because he is doing so much all of the time. Today I’m talking to him about the state of food in the U.S., the food revolution that’s happening, and his new book Th

I’ve been to over 70 countries at this point, and life has been an epic journey. I often get asked what my favorite travel destination is, and it’s a hard question to answer because it’s always changing. I love different places for different reasons. Today I’m telling you my top 12 travel destinations and why I love them. I’ve been to over 70 countries at this point - life has been an epic journey, and I’m so grateful for the experiences that have taken me all over the world. This year I’m hoping to travel to some new places as well as visiting some that I’ve already been to so I can explore more. I’ve been a lot of places where you think it’s going to be something and you go and it just doesn’t quite meet your expectations of the images you had in your head. Some things we learn in this podcast: The first country at the top of my list is Cuba [2:00] Why Cuba is a photographer’s paradise [2:30] The otherworldliness of Iceland [3:10] Why I loved the nomadic cultures in Mongolia [4:10] How Japan j

Part of the problem we have now in society, and I know this sounds crazy, is too much freedom. As a creative entrepreneur, I often wish that there were more hours in the day, that I had gotten better sleep or had been able to be a little more productive today. And there are ways to make that possible. Ari Meisel, the creator of Less Doing, is the king of making the most of your time, a master of productivity. His businesses are all about optimizing, automating, and outsourcing everything in your life so that you can be the most productive, creative, and all around best person you can be. Listen in as we talk about how he overcame Crohn’s Disease, created his business Less Doing, and optimized his life. He’ll give you some biohacks and productivity tips to help get you on track to become the best version of yourself. By learning new things and experiencing new things, that’s how you become creative. Some things we learn in this podcast: How he got into construction [4:30] What happened when he was diag

My vision is to create a positive mental change through art and design. Welcome to the first episode of 2016. The new year is a great time to reflect on where you are going and where you want to go in the next year of your life. You want to set goals for yourself, but more importantly, I like to ask myself, “How do I want to feel?” This year I’m really excited about the three verticals I’m working on - photography, this podcast, and my typography art projects - really coming to life. Plus I’m launching my new brand, Nion Life, which I can’t wait to see out in the world. Speaking of moving up and creating more, my team is looking for new interns. Interested? Listen in to hear more about how to apply. For me, feeling creative resonance is huge. Some things we learn in this podcast: Why I’m pursuing shooting more influencers and celebrities [1:40] Why I want to grow this podcast [2:10] The growth of my art and typography project [2:55] How I’m launching my new lifestyle brand Nion [3:55] The import

Dive into who you are as a person and let that drive your art. I can’t believe the year is over. It was a big year for me, a lot happened. Today, as a way to reflect on all that I’ve accomplished and to be grateful for the things I’ve been able to do, I want to talk about twelve things I learned this year. I also want to say that this podcast wouldn’t be what it is without you. Thank you for listening, for sharing, for reviewing. I am grateful for you, for your writing in, for your comments. It makes me realize that I have made an impact, and that means everything. My goal was to share my experiences, my conversations with the people I come into contact with, and the knowledge they have, so that I could help make your lives bigger, better, and more creative. Thank you for letting me do that. Working at becoming a better human is making life richer and more epic. Some things we learn in this podcast: Why you should be open to synchronicity [2:45] You attract what you put out into the world [3:40] The

The more you stretch as an artist, the more space you have. Have you ever heard a live spoken word performance? The kind that makes you nod your head and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up? That’s how I felt when I first heard In-Q. This man is an uber talented spoken word poet, and he is incredibly skilled as both a writer and a performer; So skilled, in fact, that he has performed with Cirque du Soleil, on Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam, and even for the president. But he’s not just a poet. He’s also a talented songwriter who has written songs with Miley Cyrus, Aloe Blacc, Mike Posner, and Selena Gomez. What I love about In-Q’s poetry is that he writes about the human experience, encouraging people to ask questions about themselves, their environment, and the world at large. Listen in to our conversation to hear us talk about not only art, commerce, and making a living as a spoken word poet, but also about In-Q’s writing process and why he encourages people to express themselves. I want pe

The creative block always happens, no matter where you are in your journey. If you’re an artist or a creative, chances are you’ve hit a creative plateau. Making it difficult to create something new and causing problems with seeing how to get out of the slump, creative plateaus are a part of the process. This week, I’m talking about creative plateaus and how to get out of them. I’ve definitely gone through my share of these periods (in fact I’m in one right now), and there are a few things that I have found that really help me push through. Listen in to hear my tips about how to push and grow through your own creative plateau to stay innovative and adventurous. You have to get through the struggle to get to flow. Some things we learn in this podcast: Creative plateaus are a part of the creative process [1:15] What is a creative plateau [1:20] Why plateaus are shorter at the beginning of your artistic journey [1:45] Why it has gotten harder to expand my default [2:30] Why you have to keep pushing

People are not only essential for our growth but also give us a lot of happiness. You know how important people skills are. You know how important charisma is. You know that human interaction and building relationships are both huge parts of building your own business and brand. But did you know there are things you can do to help people trust you within the first seven seconds of meeting you? Probably not. I first heard Vanessa Van Edwards on a couple other podcasts, and thought the work she was doing at Science of People was so cool that I had to have her on the show. She has a company called the Science of People, where she is researching the science of what makes humans tick, why we act the way we do, and how we can hack our own behaviors. Listen in to hear us talk about how to start conversations, the best place to stand at a party, what charisma actually is, the power behind a smile, and much more. There’s so much more to us than what we show up as. Some things we learn in this podcast: What is th

If you repeat a process, it becomes a habit, and habits create growth. In many ShopTalk interviews, you've heard my guests discuss their morning routines. These routines are such an important part of the day: they get you started on the right foot, get your mind moving, and set the tone for a productive and creative day. This week I’m sharing my morning routine and the reasoning behind it. This routine helps me stay grounded and keep me in the best mindset for accessing my best work and self during the day. Check it out to hear why I always meditate and practice mindfulness, why I push myself to exercise, and why I listen to inspiring podcasts. If we’re grateful for what we have currently, we’re going to receive more. Some things we learn in this podcast: How morning routines can help you stay grounded [1:00] How I’ve been optimizing my life [1:50] Why having a routine can help you adapt to change [2:45] Why I meditate every morning [3:45] What are the three steps of my mindfulness practice [4:4

Sometimes you have to jump before you know where you’re going to land. Imagine being a kid playing with action figures like G.I. Joe. Can you imagine growing up to become a Hollywood film director and directing the G.I. Joe movie? That’s exactly what happened to Jon Chu, this week’s guest. You may know him as the director of G.I. Joe, Step Up 2, Justin Bieber’s Believe and Never Say Never, and Now You See Me 2. Today I’m talking to Jon about what it takes to become a studio director in Hollywood, his path of creativity, and the inner workings of the movie world. Listen in to hear him talk about how his sense of play as a child helped fuel his creativity, why he doesn’t think film school is for everyone, and why you should always be creating, even between projects. Thanks for listening. Let’s dive in. The idea of love and how we love or hate each other, that journey is so part of our existence. Some things we learn in this podcast: What it was like growing up in the Bay Area in the 1980s [3:20] The mo

Staying freshly inspired is something that fuels your new work and evolution. Creating a high profile career in fashion and lifestyle photography is gratifying, but what it took from me to get there is the real gift. During the last ten years of creating this career, I’ve learned a few things that might be useful to the up-and-comers. In this collection of episodes, I break down the process that I used to make a living with my art. These tips go beyond my world of photography and transcend into any creative venture. The lessons can be useful if you’re into illustration, fashion design, fashion blogging, music, performing arts, writing or any other creative hustle. Think of it like the DNA of a creative professional. Think of it like the building blocks of inspiration. This is the fifteenth  installment of my 15 part series on how to make a career in art. If you’re in the act of creating and you’re moving in the right direction, you’re growing. Some things we learn in this podcast: Why evolve or evapora

Greatness is more about discovering and cultivating our unique talents and gifts to pursue and live our dreams. On today’s episode, we’ve got something a little different. I’m talking with Lewis Howes, who is the first ever returning guest on NIONradio. Lewis is a very good friend of mine, and has had a very big influence in my life. He is actually the one that inspired me to start this very podcast. He’s a lifestyle entrepreneur who has built a business around finding out what makes people great. Today he’s releasing his new book, The School of Greatness, which is all about creating greatness in your life and business. It’s a great book for creative entrepreneurs, as it focuses on getting that business side of your brain working. If you want to learn more about Lewis’ story, you can check out episode 6 to learn more about how he got to where he is now. The difference between first place and second place is usually belief. Some things we learn in this podcast: Why he wanted a photo of himself on the co

When people start meditating, they just start feeling a lot more serendipity, a lot more synchronicity. These days, I am always looking for ways to optimize my health and performance, to activate my creative state, and to be an all around better human. That’s why, after hearing Emily Fletcher, founder of Ziva Meditation, speak at a dinner salon about the neurological benefits of meditation, I signed up for one of her classes in NYC. Emily is a former Broadway actress who discovered meditation during an extremely stressful time in her life. She came to love it so much that she started her own practice. She’s extremely knowledgeable about the neurological and health benefits of vedic meditation, which piqued my interest. Today we’re talking about the physical effects of vedic meditation, how meditation helps your creativity, and how it helps you have better sex. When you give yourself this deep rest, the body knows how to heal itself. Some things we learn in this podcast: How she went from Broadway to med

I feel grateful for those that have helped me out along the way, and I want to pass that on. Creating a high profile career in fashion and lifestyle photography is gratifying, but what it took from me to get there is the real gift. During the last ten years of creating this career, I’ve learned a few things that might be useful to the up-and-comers. In this collection of episodes, I break down the process that I used to make a living with my art. These tips go beyond my world of photography and transcend into any creative venture. The lessons can be useful if you’re into illustration, fashion design, fashion blogging, music, performing arts, writing or any other creative hustle. Think of it like the DNA of a creative professional. Think of it like the building blocks of inspiration. This is the fourteenth installment of my 15 part series on how to make a career in art. I believe giving without the intention of getting anything back, you actually end up getting things back ten fold.  Some things we learn i