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

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.

1:1 Coaching for Artists: https://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.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectionismagic TikTok: 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

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.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://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

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."

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://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

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

LYRIC: "A loss ain’t a loss it’s a lesson, appreciate the pain it’s a blessin”

***

SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS:

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: calendly.com/connectionismagic

CONNECT WITH ME:

Website: https://connectionismagic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectionismagic

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.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

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.

Are you a struggling creative looking for support? Book a coaching clarity session with Samson, spaces are limited, follow this link: https://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