LightMinded Arts #29 - The Job That Couldn’t Save Him - Jeff Kikel

LightMinded Arts #34 – When Your Dream Dies and You Still Win

When Bart Merrell’s lifelong dream of joining the FBI collapsed overnight, he faced the kind of identity death every creative fears. But instead of breaking, he rebuilt — turning loss into freedom and failure into fuel. In this episode, Brent Lindstrom dives into Bart’s wild journey from pig farms and bungee towers to amputations and side hustles, uncovering how the worst moment of his life became the blueprint for financial and creative independence. It’s a brutally honest conversation about resilience, reinvention, and the mindset that keeps artists working when the world says “no.” Learn more about Bart at: https://ai.bartmerrell.com/blindspot [https://ai.bartmerrell.com/blindspot] Don't forget to check out my website at https://lightmindedarts.com [https://lightmindedarts.com]

LightMinded Arts #33 - Writers Don't Make Money? He Made Hundreds of Thousands Proving Them Wrong - Kern Carter

When writer and filmmaker Kern Carter stopped believing the starving‑artist myth, everything changed. In this conversation, he opens up about becoming a father at eighteen, dropping out of high school, and rebuilding his life through words. From ghostwriting to book deals and film distribution, Kern shares how financial stability became the key to creative freedom—and why commitment, not suffering, defines a real artist.

LightMinded Arts #32 — Following Your Passion Might Not Pay The Bills (with Daniel Rodgers)

Most creatives grow up hearing the same promise: “Follow your passion and the money will come.” Daniel Rodgers believed it too — until poverty, debt, and real‑world pressure forced him to abandon art and chase a degree that simply paid the bills. In this conversation, Daniel opens up about the moment his creative dreams collided with financial reality, how growing up in deep poverty shaped every decision he made, and why so many artists stay trapped in the “struggling creative” identity far longer than they need to. He shares the story of his son’s premature birth, the NICU nights that changed his entire relationship with time, and the long road that led him to write Escape the Clock — a book built to help creatives reclaim their lives before burnout or fate makes the decision for them. We talk about: * The lie that keeps artists broke * Why passion alone isn’t enough * How ignorance gets preyed upon in the financial world * The wake‑up call every creative eventually faces * What it actually takes to build a creative life that pays * And why time — not money — is the real currency of an artist If you’re a creative trying to build a life where your art and your income can finally coexist, this episode is a must‑listen. Visit Daniels website at: https://escapetheclock.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=6956f7a21d45911b18d28561c&id=c86361031d

LightMinded Arts #31 – Creativity, Regret, And Roots with Joseph Bolton

Author and retired space‑operations officer Joseph Bolton shares how loss, ancestry, and rediscovery turned his life into art. From grief to legacy, he reveals the moment creatives realize their story didn’t start with them — and how that truth can transform your work forever. 🎙 Hosted by Brent Lindstrom — LightMinded Arts: helping creators build a creative life that pays. Learn more about Joseph at: https://oldgrandmotherstree.com/ [https://oldgrandmotherstree.com/] https://www.lightmindedarts.com/ [https://www.lightmindedarts.com/]

LightMinded Arts #30 - When the Creative Dream Starts to Break, w/ Justin Younts

Actor and podcaster Justin Younts joins Brent for a grounded, vulnerable conversation about what really happens when the creative dream stops feeling magical and starts feeling heavy. Justin opens up about the years he spent trying to “earn” his suffering, the auditions no one watched, the teachers who left him more confused than confident, and the slow unraveling that happens when you start believing you’re invisible. They talk about burnout, identity, the pressure to prove yourself, and the strange relief that comes when you finally admit you can’t do it alone. Justin shares how podcasting, meditation, and finding real creative community helped him rebuild his confidence and stay in the game. If you’ve ever felt stuck, unseen, or worn down by the work you love, this episode will feel like a deep breath. It’s a reminder that you’re not alone, and that the creative life doesn’t have to break you to shape you. To learn more about Justin, check out his podcast at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dmf-with-justin-younts/id1519589071 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dmf-with-justin-younts/id1519589071]