LaRussell (IG: @larussell) is a legendary independent rapper & artist hailing from Vallejo, California. He began to rap at the age of eight and found his early education to be uninspiring. He was subsequently enrolled at Vallejo's Peoples' High School, where he blossomed in comparison. Upon graduating, he became afather to a baby girl, causing any tentative hope of a music career to be puton ice. Needing to provide for his daughter, he took a well-paying job at an aerospace company where he remained for six years before deciding to quit to pursue full-time involvement in the music business.

He ushered in a bold newbusiness model called “Proud to Pay” where he lets fans set their own price forhis music, shows, and even local cook outs in Vallejo, adopting the slogan forthe movement… “it’s not free, it's priceless!” He established the independent music collective, “Good Compenny,” and is pioneering positive change within theindustry. Good Compenny supports independent artists without requiring them to give up ownership of their art. LaRussell’s output of quality content is truly jaw dropping, releasing 24 full length albums since 2019… 7 of these albums were released in 2023 alone. LaRussell has garnered praise from some of the most influential figures in all of music including Charlamagne Tha God, Wallo, Chance The Rapper, Russ, Meek Mill, LA Reid, Erykah Badu, and many more.

Therapy for Artists: https://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

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.

Wayfarer Studios x Variety: https://variety.com/2022/film/news/wayfarer-studios-125-million-investment-justin-baldoni-steve-sarowitz-1235295142/

1:1 Coaching for Artists: https://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 Film Studio, “Wayfarer”

+ How to raise above our instincts towards anger and impatience

+ 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….

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.

1:1 Coaching for Artists: https://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 want to be an artist

+ The consistent unpredictability of following a path in arts 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 after multiple 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