B Jeffrey Madoff, How to Balance Business and Creativity – InnovaBuzz 321
B Jeffrey Madoff, Creative Careers
In this episode, I’m really excited to have as my guest, B. Jeffrey Madoff, the founder of Madoff Productions. His company collaborates with ad agencies, public relations firms, and directly with clients to produce commercials, corporate branding films, live streaming events, social media, and web content.
Jeffrey’s clients include Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secret, Tiffany, Radio City, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Harvard University, and Weill Cornell Medical College. He is also an adjunct professor at Parsons School for Design, teaching a course called “Creativity: Making a Living with your ideas” and is author of the book with the same name.
In our discussion, Jeff and I talked about:
- Why editing is the most important part of the creative process in any endeavour
- Creating your own unique systems and processes, that will lead to creating unique creations
- Ensuring that your product or service ideas are actually providing a solution to a real problem
Steve Sims in episode 243 introduced us to Jeff.
Listen to the podcast to find out more.
Listen to the Podcast
Creativity is the compelling need to effect change. @Jeff_Madoff on #InnovaBuzz podcast Click To TweetShow Notes from this episode with B Jeffrey Madoff, Founder of Madoff Productions and author of Creative Careers
Key points and takeaways from this episode include:
- To pivot means to go in one direction and then making a move into another direction.
- Learning is as you go is a great way to learn.
- Nobody has a recipe for success because there is no such recipe for success.
- You have to charge more than what you are charged for whatever it is that you are selling, otherwise, you won’t last in business.
- Everything that you do informs that next thing that you would do.
- It all starts with an idea. You write that idea down and you illustrate the idea. You have to be able to communicate that idea to others so they can get on board to help you because you can’t do it alone. You have to cost out the materials you need, the labour, and how long it’s going to take. You need to know if there is a market for what you are doing and how much you can sell it for. The idea of the whole cycle of a business is if you can make enough to be able to do it again and again.
- In anything that you do, there is a protocol and a thought process that you have to go through.
- There are many more similarities than there are businesses regardless of the pursuit you are doing.
- Creativity is the compelling need to effect change.
- Never say NO to yourself. Allow yourself to pursue what it is that drives you. Give it a try.
- Part of what you do especially if you are innovating is to give people a reason to buy what you are selling. You also have to be clear that there is a market for what you are selling.
- You can fall in love with your own idea but if nobody else thinks it’s a good idea, it is going to fail. You have to have that proof of concept.
- Make sure that there are people beyond you, who think it is a good idea. More importantly, they should be willing to pay for it.
- Editing is where the magic happens in all art.
- Ask yourself – what does success look like to you?
- Find what really moves you. When you’re doing things that you love, it’s not work anymore.
- Great works of art are usually the result of trauma, be it societal or personal trauma. It can be anything that shakes the foundation of your being. If you can channel that energy and realise that you shouldn’t fear that energy, that fear can fuel your creativity because that is where great stuff comes from.
- You have to authentically allow your emotions to take over and propel your creative impulses.
- Terrible times often bring about the greatest and most innovative work.
- Great art is the economy, efficiency, and velocity of editing.
- You can’t allow anything to be too precious to you. You can’t fall in love with your own stuff. You have to be ruthless when you edit. Get rid of everything that is not essential. The more you do that and the greater you refine that, the better your work will be.
- Focus on what your business is about and be ruthless about it. Know when you have to let go because that is what makes the work better.
- As a host, you need to familiarise yourself with your guest’s work and educate yourself about them, so that you can honour them by doing a great interview. They are giving you your time. You want to make sure that they consider that time as time well spent.
- As a host, you are the proxy for your audience. If you’re engaged and interested, then, your audience will be engaged and interested.
- Writing a proposal is totally different from writing a book.
- Teaching is a fabulous way to learn.
The Buzz – Our Innovation Round
Here are Jeff’s answers to the questions of our Innovatiown round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop.
- #1 thing to be more innovative – Constantly be curious. Constantly expose yourself to new ideas and new people. Keep learning.
- Best thing for new ideas – Be aware of what is going on the marketplace that you are trying to serve. Stay on top of things and stay curious.
- Favourite tool for innovation – My brain.
- Keep project/client on track – Always have a pencil, a paper, and a calendar with you. You remember things better if you write them down.
- Differentiate – Be yourself. Be who you are because nobody else is you. Get in touch with who you are. Get in touch with the unique offerings that you have and be true to that, because nobody is going to be you better than you.
To Be a Leader
Always be curious. Always be questioning. Always be searching. Be a life-long learner.
Reach Out
You can reach out and thank Jeff through his website.
Suggested Guest
Jeff suggested we have a conversation with Michael Roderick of Small Pond Enterprises, author and marketing consultant Dorie Clark, behavioral scientist and author, Jon Levy and Joe Polish, one of the most sought after marketers today. So Michael, Dorie, Jon, and Joe, keep an eye on your inboxes for an invitation from us to the InnovaBuzz podcast, courtesy of B Jeffrey Madoff.
Links
- Website – Creative Career
- Website – Madoff Productions
- Twitter – @Jeff_Madoff
Book
Cool Things About Jeff
- He graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin with degrees in philosophy & psychology.
- He was chosen one of the top 10 designers in the U.S. before he switched careers to film and video production.
- He has written and is producing a play based on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend, Lloyd Price, which is set for a world premiere in May of 2021.