Why I didn't publish a solo episode for five months | Episode 43

Getting Clarity on Yourself as a Creator | Episode 44

After creating 700+ YouTube videos, 430 landing pages, 175 podcast episodes, and 10 years of newsletters, I realized the problem wasn't showing up or producing. It was clarity about myself in relation to the work. In this episode, I'm soft launching a new format for the show exploring the creator as the ultimate input into all technology, systems, and processes. I share my personal clarity journey and introduce a 5 step framework to help you get clear on who you are as a creator so you can lead your tools, team, and creative process.  You'll learn why borrowed language keeps you disconnected from your work, how treating content as idea exploration changes everything, and the five elements that become your input for AI, team communication, and better results.   Topics discussed: Intros: The 700 videos problem (00:00) The Input: My background and hiding behind borrowed language (01:00) The Signal: Five Areas of Creator Clarity (06:00) The Output: How clarity changed my creative process (08:00) Wrapping Up: Quick self assessment on the 5 elements (10:00) New Workshop announcement (12:00) Finishing Up: Final thought (13:00)   The 5 Step Clarity Framework: 1. Ideas: Your ownable IP 2. Beliefs: What you stand for 3. Taste: Your quality standards 4. Stories: How you communicate 5. Expression: Your tone and style   Want to go deeper? Join the You First Framework webinar series at www.shawnbuttner.com/ai [https://www.shawnbuttner.com/ai] to get AI prompts that help you define these elements and create your communication document.   Have thoughts on this new format? Email support@shawnbuttner.com [support@shawnbuttner.com]

Why I didn't publish a solo episode for five months | Episode 43

700 videos. 430 landing pages. 170+ podcast episodes. And a decade of newsletters. So why wasn't anything sticking? In this mini update episode, Shawn gets real about what's been happening behind the scenes, and the common thread he found running through all of it. If you've ever felt like you're putting in the work but not getting the traction, this one's for you. Topics discussed: * Where Shawn's been (00:00) * The numbers that forced the question (00:00) * The common thread — and what it revealed (00:45) * What the last five months looked like (01:15) * What's coming next to the podcast (01:45) * How to co-create the new show (02:00)   Listen to Creators That Crush on Apple: https://apple.co/3duh0xG [https://apple.co/3duh0xG] Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPYGHMT5cuFigp3efE8FwNw/ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPYGHMT5cuFigp3efE8FwNw/] Connect with Shawn Buttner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnbuttner/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnbuttner/]

1% Improvement, Exponential Results! | Episode 42 with Joseph Burda

The best thing YouTube does for creators has nothing to do with views — it's the 1% improvements you make every single time you hit record. In this episode, freelance videographer Joseph Burda shares what that growth looked like as a stay-at-home dad and how a no-niche sandbox approach helped him avoid burnout as a new creator. You'll learn how to escape the sunk cost trap that keeps so many creators stuck, find your creator cohort, and actually enjoy the journey. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) What 1% looks like for creators (01:42) The impetus to finally get on YouTube (05:45) How YouTube grows you as a person and creator (07:11) Joseph’s creative process (15:18) The sandbox approach to avoid burnout and just get started (17:28) Finding your YouTube cohort (19:06) Why so many creators lose their agency (23:37) How to live a regret-free life as a creator (27:09) Why you should lean into your interests (32:45) Closing (38:12) Joseph Burda is a creative director, editor, and dad. The Bham Burdas is where he documents real-life experiments with money, mindset, family, and living a regret free life... Among other things. Connect with Joseph:  https://www.youtube.com/@CreatorControlGroup [https://www.youtube.com/@CreatorControlGroup] https://www.youtube.com/@B-hamburdas [https://www.youtube.com/@B-hamburdas]   Listen to Creators That Crush on Apple: https://apple.co/3duh0xG [https://apple.co/3duh0xG] Listen to Creators That Crush on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zm76yT667pFBQfvPYhDl8?si=7f0267d0366742f7 [https://open.spotify.com/show/5zm76yT667pFBQfvPYhDl8?si=7f0267d0366742f7] Follow us on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPYGHMT5cuFigp3efE8FwNw/ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPYGHMT5cuFigp3efE8FwNw/] Connect with Shawn Buttner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnbuttner/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnbuttner/]   This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com [https://podcastboutique.com]

Creator Identity: why copying best practices kills your creative voice

Your creator identity is the foundation of every creator system. If your content sounds like everyone else's, more tactics won't fix it. This conversation explores the creative DNA behind sustainable creator growth. Jeremy Enns joins me for a deep conversation about what actually makes a creator unique. We break down the three forces that shape creator identity: your experiences and beliefs, how you relate to other people, and the knowledge you contribute beyond common best practices. Together, these create the perspective that separates memorable creators from interchangeable ones. Jeremy shares how seemingly unrelated childhood interests—from Lego to video games—became clues to the way he thinks, teaches, and builds today. We explore why creative growth often comes from following curiosity rather than forcing a predefined path, and how repeated practice helps creators discover their own voice. We also discuss why many creators get stuck trying to find the "right" answer instead of developing their own point of view. Jeremy explains how writing, reflection, and paying attention to recurring interests helped him move beyond imposter syndrome and build a creative system grounded in his own observations. If you've ever wondered whether your unique perspective actually matters, this episode makes the case that creator identity is the input behind creative performance, sustainable content creation, and long-term creator growth. Creators That Crush is the show for creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs building a creator system that supports meaningful work and sustainable growth. Hosted by Certified High Performance Coach Shawn Buttner, each episode explores creator identity, creative performance, content systems, and the habits that help creators build businesses around their expertise. Chapters: 1. The three parts of creative DNA 2. What childhood interests reveal about creator identity 3. How game design influences creative work 4. Why following creative curiosity matters 5. The compounding effect of writing and publishing 6. Escaping the search for the "right" answer 7. Developing strong opinions about your craft 8. How creator identity shapes long-term growth About our guest: Jeremy Enns | Founder, Podcast Marketing Academy Helps expert-based businesses grow through stronger positioning, audience development, and creative voice.

Ep 37 - The Case For Enthusiasm

If you’ve ever wondered why some creators stay consistent, grow their work, and keep loving the process while others quietly burn out, this episode will show you the difference. In this solo reflection, Shawn Buttner shares his initial case for enthusiasm as the true currency of creativity, why sustained excitement for your craft predicts long-term success better than hustle, algorithms, or luck. Drawing from his own journey from business school to Walmart, Apple, and finally coaching, Shawn shows how enthusiasm guided every major pivot and how losing it nearly ended his creative drive. You’ll also hear what Shawn learned from studying dozens of “I Quit” creator videos and how fading enthusiasm, not failure, was usually the real reason people walked away. He then unpacks five lasting benefits of protecting and amplifying your enthusiasm: clearer career decisions, creative freedom, contagious energy, sustainable motivation, and deep personal satisfaction. If your spark has dimmed or you’ve been pushing through out of obligation, this episode will help you reconnect with why you started. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ENTHUSIASM? The two questions from the episode are: * When is a time when your enthusiasm helped lead you to success? * When is a time when you were, your enthusiasm dropped and it caused you to quit something? Feel free to email support@shawnbuttner.com [support@shawnbuttner.com] with your answers or thoughts. To see a creator enthusiasm journey, check out Kev Michael's interview here: https://youtu.be/u3mvOCXj5xU [https://youtu.be/u3mvOCXj5xU]