The Futur with Chris Do

Most creatives think their pricing problem is a pricing problem. Nidhi Tewari, LCSW and author of Working Well, says it starts much earlier, in the messages you absorbed about whether this career was ever going to pay. She and Chris trace how old rejection turns into shame, and how shame quietly shows up in the way you pitch, negotiate, and discount. From there it gets practical: the three traps in a sales conversation, fixers, avoiders, and connectors, what an explorer does instead, and the four domains of attunement she calls FRSC. Chris pushes back hard on the word relational, and the disagreement is the best part. If you keep saying yes to a lower fee, this one's for you. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:24) - Where Limiting Beliefs Start (03:00) - Social Expectations and Career Limiting Beliefs (03:57) - Proving Yourself to Your Parents (04:48) - Why a No Hurts So Much (08:43) - Rejection and Shame Are Cousins (10:57) - Avoidance Is the Real Blocker (15:27) - Relational Selling vs. Transactional Selling…

At twenty-eight, Dr. John Demartini took 300 best-selling books on positive thinking, underlined every positive word, compiled 2,000 index cards, then chanted them 108 times a day for two years while monitoring seven areas of his life four times a day. At the end he ran the numbers. It came out zero. In the second half of his conversation with Chris, he makes the case that negativity is a signal to read, not a defect to delete: hedonic adaptation, moral licensing, why insomnia tracks both resentment and infatuation, and the fifteen unrealistic expectations that produce almost all of it. There is also a 500-page list of questions he watched a prince and princess work through over dinner at the Ritz. If you have been trying to think your way to a one-sided life, this one takes the illusion off you. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:51) - Why the Mind Goes Negative (01:16) - Told He Would Never Read (02:32) - The Father of Positive Thinking Confesses (05:04) - 300 Books and 2,000 Index Cards (06:19) - Two Years…

A woman still resents the friend who broke her trust years ago. The story she tells about it is that people tear you down when you shine too bright. Chris Do hands the room to Dr. John Demartini, who runs his method on her live and in front of everyone: narrow the story to one specific act, find where she has done the same thing herself, then account for what that act actually gave her across career, money, family, friendships, health, and identity. Twelve minutes later she is not forgiving as a favor, she is thanking the friend, and she means it. Dr. Demartini has spent fifty-two years on these questions. If someone owes you an apology you are still waiting on, start here. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:41) - What the Demartini Method Is (02:06) - Quality of Life, Quality of Questions (05:31) - The Fear of Shining Too Bright (06:46) - The Friend Who Told the Husband (10:11) - Whatever You Judge in Others, You Have Done (12:18) - Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Stored Shame (16:33) - Producer Break and What Is…

There's a version of Hawk Tuah Girl in every algorithm feed: one clip, one accident, one viral moment that turns into an identity overnight. Chris Do says that's not a strategy, it's luck, and luck runs out. What actually holds up over years comes from solving the same problem for the same person long enough that your name becomes the answer. Chris explains his own 90-day blueprint for finding that thread: a month to experiment, a month to narrow in, and a month to commit fully. He ties it to Seth Godin's "The Dip," the flat, unrewarding stretch where most people quit right before the payoff kicks in, and makes the case for why staying past that point is the whole game. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:22) - The Hawk Tuah Girl Story (01:09) - Lean Into Your Gift (01:52) - The 90-Day Content Framework (02:36) - Seth Godin's The Dip (03:24) - Pushing Through the Dip Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses:…

Brittney Carlini taught herself Photoshop to make thumbnails for her husband's YouTube channel because they couldn't afford to hire anyone. Now she builds tension into every frame she designs, a bar of soap forged from steel, a jet-powered go-kart racing a closing railroad crossing, the eye of a man about to swallow a pill. Chris compares the work to movie poster marketing, the cracked egg on the Alien poster, the shark in Jaws, neither of which appears in the actual film. The two land on where exaggeration turns into a lie, and whether AI tools now generating thumbnails in seconds will ever learn that difference. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:36) - Brittney’s Path to Thumbnail Design (01:56) - Learning Thumbnails Through Reps (03:13) - The Steel Soap Story (06:15) - Chris Do's Thumbnail Concept Test (08:58) - Finding the Moment of Tension (10:24) - The Thumbnail Style Spectrum (13:03) - Clickbait vs. Movie Poster Marketing (16:53) - The Movie Poster Analogy: Alien and Jaws (19:45) - AI and the Future of…

Joanna Wiebe invented conversion copywriting, and after eight years of barely-there YouTube growth, she grew her channel 3,000% in three months. She demonstrates the problem-agitate-solution and desire-obstacle-solution frameworks live with Chris, argues that voice of customer data beats clever taglines every time, and outlines the three-part moat she's building against AI: a book, YouTube, and stages. She also names the mistake founders make when they hire someone to fix a problem they should be solving themselves, and makes the case for personality over polish in a world where AI can summarize anything. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:20) - Who Is Joanna Wiebe (03:13) - Conversion vs Direct Response Copywriting (04:07) - Problem, Agitate, Solution (PAS) Framework (08:16) - Desire, Obstacle, Solution (DOS) Framework (10:16) - YouTube Channel Turnaround Story (16:00) - 3000% YouTube Growth in 3 Months (19:44) - Building a Content Moat Against AI (22:15) - Personality as an AI-Proof Moat (26:36) - Quality…

Brooke Hopper is Adobe’s first Senior Principal Designer, and one of the people building Firefly from the inside. She tells Chris why Adobe licenses every image it trains on and pays the artists behind it, why she still gets bad results out of the tool she helped build, and why she's skeptical anyone should learn taste from a machine. She makes the case for designing for "intentional friction" instead of removing it, defines what agentic AI means past the buzzword, and names what she wants gen AI to do for designers: less content generated for its own sake, more time spent on the ideas they're genuinely excited about. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:33) - Brooke Hopper's Path at Adobe (03:26) - The Firefly Love-Hate Relationship (04:58) - Where AI Helps the Creative Process (09:55) - Intentional Friction in Creative Tools (14:41) - AI Patterns and Breaking the Rules (16:27) - Can AI Teach You Design Taste (20:51) - What Is Agentic AI (23:18) - Adobe's Five-Year AI Vision Check out today's guest, Brooke…

John Lee went from selling prawn crackers and used game cartridges as a teenager to closing property deals with none of his own money, and eventually building a career across real estate, sales training, social media, and AI. In this conversation, Chris Do and John break down WIIFT (What's In It For Them), a mentor lesson that reframed John's failing investor pitches by moving the ask from "do you have the money" to "here's what's in it for you," turning years of rejection into funded deals. They also get into how to tell a real pivot from quitting too early, why doubt (not lack of skill) is what actually blocks people from making money, and John's case for AI as an amplifier of human wisdom rather than a replacement for it. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:40) - Who Is John Lee (02:32) - Money Unlocked Book (03:15) - Childhood Hustle Story (05:00) - CGI Animator to Real Estate (09:24) - The WIIFT Pitch (11:09) - No-Money Property Deals (12:28) - Multi-Passionate Career Philosophy (17:25) - Demand, Joy,…

Matt Essam, author of The Creative Studio Roadmap, joins Chris Do for a live episode recorded in front of a studio audience to break down the pillars of turning a solo creative business into one that scales: differentiation, communication, and delivery. Chris and Matt pull audience members into the hot seat to work through real pricing blocks, story-driven positioning, and the shift from selling yourself to selling your process, live and in real time. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:02) - Freelancer vs Business Owner (03:10) - Charging By The Job (05:37) - What Are Phantom Loops (09:14) - Coaching Ray On Pricing (13:49) - Differentiate Through Your Story (15:25) - The River Of Life Exercise (18:27) - Hector's Hot Seat Story (25:39) - Sell Symptoms Not Services (35:13) - Selling Process Not People Check out today's guest, Matt Essam: Matt's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/matt_essam/?hl=en⁠ Matt's LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mattessam Matt's Book The Creative Studio Roadmap:…

Dr. Justin Sung was a practicing physician before he became one of the most-watched learning coaches online, and in this conversation he takes apart the biggest myth people believe about how they learn: that everyone has a fixed "learning style" they should lean into. Justin walks Chris through what actually drives fast, durable learning: the discomfort of overwhelm, the discipline of turning confusion into questions, and why understanding something is not the same as remembering it. They get into how this applies to neurodivergent learners, what makes a great teacher versus a great instructor, and why the hardest, least visible part of building any skill is the part right before you start seeing results. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:28) - Learning Styles Myth (03:15) - From Doctor To Learning Coach (04:40) - How To Learn Anything Faster (08:42) - Turn Uncertainty Into Questions (11:56) - Building Your Knowledge Schema (13:34) - Learning vs The Feeling Of Learning (15:11) - Learning With Dyslexia (18:26)…

Matt Gray built and exited companies, grew audiences into the millions across three ventures, then turned that same systems thinking toward his own personal brand and scaled it to over 3 million followers. In this conversation, Matt walks Chris through the full arc: getting sober and using a messy, unstructured writing practice as the starting point, learning to ship imperfect content instead of waiting to get it right, building a content waterfall system that turns one piece of work into dozens, and eventually structuring an offer simple enough to sell off a single Google Doc. It is a practical breakdown of what it actually takes to go from posting online to running a real business around your name. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:04) - Matt Gray's Background (02:43) - Getting Sober and Finding Focus (07:21) - Building an Audience From Zero (11:51) - Overcoming Perfectionism (18:04) - The Piano Analogy on Fear (23:11) - The Ikigai Framework (24:31) - Platform Specific Growth Tactics (31:12) - Personal Brand…

Chris Do welcomes stylist and archetypal coach Kimberly Parry to explore the deep connection between clothing, confidence, and identity. Parry walks through her Succeed with Style framework, the psychology behind why people sabotage a new look the moment they try it on, and the Bro Pro, Faux Pro, and GOAT archetypes she uses to help clients figure out who they actually are before they touch a closet. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:27) - Fashion vs Image vs Style (06:00) - What Swag Really Means (09:03) - Why Men Resist Change (14:14) - Fashion and Identity Formation (21:56) - Coaching Through Style (23:47) - The Ideal Body Shape Myth (28:19) - The Bro Pro Archetype (31:37) - Men of Fashion vs Men of Style (34:21) - Five Layers of Style Framework Check out today's guest, Kimberly Parry: Kimberly's Website: https://www.emergencelifecoaching.com/ Kimberly's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-parry Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses:…

Most people build a brand around what they do. Chris Do says that's exactly why no one remembers them. In this episode, Drigo sits down with Chris to dig into the philosophy behind his new workbook, Unbland Yourself, and what it actually takes to stop blending in and start building a brand that compels some people and repels others by design. Chris breaks down the three principles of personal branding, the one-word framework that anchors everything, why owning a specific space matters more than being broadly good, and the surprising reason your clothes are a tool, not a choice. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:27) - Unblend Yourself Workbook (02:24) - When Chris Started Unblending (04:18) - Fear of Being Yourself in Business (06:20) - What to Do vs. Who You Are (10:59) - Talking About What You Do vs. Building a Brand (13:07) - Finding Your First Post (18:00) - The Three-Part Personal Brand Framework (20:30) - Owning Your Space or Finding a New Lane (21:21) - Why Brands Need an Enemy (25:56) - The 3 Principles…

Tyler Chou spent nearly 20 years as a Hollywood attorney at Disney, Buzzfeed, and Skydance before a midlife crisis and a layoff pushed her into the creator economy. Now she's the legal strategist behind some of the most valuable creator-led businesses on the internet, including one valued at $100 million. In this conversation, she and Chris break down what separates a YouTube channel from a real, sellable business: clean IP, an owned email list, the right revenue mix, and partnership agreements from day one. Whether you're chasing a $10M exit or just want to stop being one algorithm update away from losing everything, this one's worth your time. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:00) - Tyler's Origin Story (03:00) - YouTube Channel vs. Actual Business (06:55) - Email Lists and Building Owned Audience (08:00) - Best Niches for Creator Businesses (09:40) - Professionals Entering the Creator Space (11:05) - YouTubers as Startup Founders (12:40) - Equity Deals and Advisory Positions (15:35) - Clean IP and…

Chris's cousin, Chau Nguyen, was one of the first guests ever on this podcast. Now he's back, nearly a decade later, with a different kind of company. After exiting Campus Special for $20 million and watching his VC-backed follow-up fail, Chau started messing around with an old Ford Bronco in his garage and accidentally built Vintage Modern, a custom vehicle company doing $60 million in revenue, selling cars to J.Lo, Usher, and LeBron, and shipping a new build every single day. This is a conversation about what happens when you follow the thing you actually love, what discipline looks like when you've already made money and choose not to use it, and how four million social media followers became the most powerful sales channel in a business that sells $300K vehicles. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:33) - Vintage Modern Origin Story (05:18) - Instagram Growth from Zero (06:00) - J.Lo and Usher Fight Over a Bronco (08:26) - Identity Blocking Opportunity (09:30) - What Makes Content Grow on Social (11:30) -…

Most creatives wait until the very end of a sales conversation to bring up price. By that point, they've been half-present the whole time, one ear on the client and the other on the clock, trying to find the right moment that never comes. Chris breaks down why that pattern hurts you before you ever quote a number, and what it actually looks like to bring up budget, scope, and price upfront without making it weird. This one covers the mindset behind price avoidance, the practical language to open the money conversation early, and how to stay grounded when a prospect pushes back hard. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:27) - The Energy Cost of Holding Back (02:06) - When Should You Bring Up Price (03:00) - How to Open the Conversation (04:03) - Why Retail Pricing Exists (04:27) - The Anchor Drop: Stating Your Number (05:28) - Handling a Negative Reaction (06:23) - Coercion vs. Conviction (07:06) - The "With or Without You" Energy Check out The Futur: Website:…

What happens when two people who've both manifested real results sit down to compare notes? Chris and Jodie Cook dig into the mechanics of manifestation; not as a spiritual exercise, but as a practical framework for getting what you want without becoming obsessed with it. From vision boards to agency exits to the danger of desperation, this one gets surprisingly tactical for a woo topic. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:00) - Vision Boards and Manifesting Wrong (02:15) - The Four-Step Manifestation Framework (04:45) - Chris's Take: Belief Has to Be All-In (06:57) - Chris's Own Manifestation Process (09:18) - How Many Things to Manifest at Once (10:12) - The Problem with Wanting Too Badly (11:06) - Jodie's Agency Sale and the Power of Detachment (12:46) - Desperation Is Repulsive (13:54) - Does the Universe Read Your Intentions? Check out today's guest, Jodie Cook: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-cook/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Jodie_Cook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Websites:…

In this episode Chris breaks down one of the most studied sales moments in sports history: how Nike's Sonny Vaccaro walked into a room as the clear underdog and walked out with Michael Jordan's signature. Using scenes from the film Air, Chris unpacks the psyop, the competitor takedown, and the negotiation move that changed the business of sports forever. Plus, a real-world story from a friend that shows exactly how to apply the same tactics in a creative business pitch today. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:44) - The Underdog Psyop (01:50) - Dismantling Converse (04:05) - Taking Down Adidas (06:30) - The Trap Question (08:12) - The Carrie Story (10:45) - Priming Price Expectation (11:00) - The Royalty Negotiation (13:35) - The Deal Stats Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linkedin:…

Matt Lakajev is back. His first appearance on The Futur was a hit, and this time he brings a complete framework for one of the most common creative business problems: niching down. Not the vague "pick a niche" advice that floats around online, but a step-by-step formula for identifying whether your offer is even viable, who your ideal client actually is, and how to signal to them so clearly that they see your content and think, "Wow, that's me." If you've been building on referrals and wondering why online marketing isn't working the same way, this one's for you. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:01) - Why Niching Scares Creatives (02:08) - Online Marketing vs. Referrals (05:08) - The Offer Viability Formula (10:07) - Curse of Knowledge and Prospect Language (13:22) - Niching as Recognition (14:05) - Identity, Location, Stage of Life (16:15) - Using Insider Language (19:13) - Authenticity and Showing Up Online (19:52) - Cultural Rules and Unwritten Norms (21:12) - Real Client Example: Videographer in Sydney…

Chris Do and Jule Kim sit down to talk about the one question most people avoid asking themselves: what are you actually supposed to be doing with your life? Jule is a coach who has spent years watching clients struggle to answer this, and she's honest that she's still working through it herself. What follows is a real, back-and-forth conversation about focus, latent talent, the danger of building a life around money, and why going back to who you were as a child is often the most useful move you can make. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:38) - Doing stuff vs. doing work (03:06) - The three problems every entrepreneur has (05:18) - Chris's design career and the case for focus (09:28) - How Chris chose motion design (11:39) - When everything feels fun and focus is the problem (13:29) - Latent talent: how to find what you're built for (15:42) - Jule's childhood journalist moment (19:03) - Money as a false goal (20:25) - The one question Chris asks every time (23:20) - Hope as the takeaway (24:03) - The hard…

Most experts are invisible. They've put in the work, they know their field cold, and nobody has heard of them. Matthew Byrd built his authority from an entry-level position in land surveying to founding a global industry conference, and the path wasn't a big platform or viral moment. It was consistency, proactive networking, and content rooted in real expertise. In this episode, Chris and Matthew break down the five-part framework for going from unknown to authority in any niche. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:27) - Matthew's background and the authority gap (01:45) - The five lessons: expertise, consistency, and clarity of audience (06:26) - Proactive LinkedIn networking before you have a following (08:52) - How to filter connection requests (and who to remove immediately) (10:17) - Leading with generosity, not asks (13:32) - Patience as a framework (16:45) - How Matthew learned to teach through content (18:06) - Outcomes over features: the Andrew Kramer example (20:38) - Content that creates outcomes for…

Chris Do identifies the invisible distance between who a creator is and who they present to the world, a phenomenon he calls the authenticity gap. He explains that performing for acceptance rather than showing up authentically leads to creative burnout, attracted the wrong audience, and inconsistent growth. By examining the difference between performance marketing and long-term brand building, Chris offers a four-column framework to help professionals discover their unique intersection of skills and passion. This episode challenges listeners to stop hiding behind a curated facade and start building a personal brand rooted in their true self. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:13) - Defining the authenticity gap (01:01) - Five signs that you are performing instead of being (02:23) - The snowball effect of operating from a misaligned place (03:56) - A real-life example of the stress caused by hiding the truth (06:12) - Why being yourself has become the exception, not the norm (08:11) - Moving away from "normal"…

Most people think they're world-class. Most people are wrong. In this conversation, Chris sits down with Jodie Cook, entrepreneur, powerlifter, and author, to break down what it actually means to operate at the very top of any field, and what separates the truly elite from everyone else who just thinks they are. They get into the five markers of world-class performance, the four stages of competence (and which one is most dangerous), why the "curse of knowledge" makes mastery hard to teach, and how obsession, not talent, is the common thread across every elite performer Jodie studied. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:21) - Defining World-Class (02:05) - Popularity vs. True Mastery (05:20) - Beyonce, Abundance, and Letting Go (06:27) - The Four Stages of Competence (08:43) - The Curse of Knowledge (12:24) - How to Demonstrate World-Class (13:38) - From Bullied to Celebrated (15:58) - How to Spot Real Mastery (18:27) - Is Jodie World-Class? (20:48) - Is Chris World-Class? (23:35) - The Path to the Top (25:54) -…

Chris Do speaks with Mikon van Gastel about the critical gap between being a design practitioner and a strategic business leader. Van Gastel, co-founder of Sibling Rivalry, shares insights on how to "lead the witness" during pitches, the shifting value of experience in a millennial-driven market, and why the future of advertising lies in immersive ecosystems like the Sphere. Listeners will learn how to transition from making beautiful frames to building lasting client trust through deep listening and shared experiences. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:43) - Early career at Imaginary Forces (01:57) - Practitioner versus business leader (03:52) - Improving your pitching skills (06:00) - The true meaning of a client's thank you (06:42) - Signs you won the pitch (08:22) - Keys to industry longevity (10:38) - Designing immersive 5D experiences (14:36) - The future of advertising ecosystems (16:41) - Career reflections and the next 30 years Check out today's guest, Mikon van Gastel: Sibling Rivalry:…

In this episode, Chris Do speaks with entrepreneur and #1 New York Times Best Selling author Marie Forleo about designing a business and life centered around joy and fulfillment. Marie unpacks the dangers of a scarcity mindset and explains how reframing our relationship with money unlocks new levels of abundance. They explore the reality of being a multi-passionate creative, offering a framework for focusing on a "winning game" tailored to the current season of life. Listeners will walk away with actionable advice on hiring the right team, prioritizing personal development, and pursuing work that genuinely aligns with their core values. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:57) - Leaving Wall Street (08:50) - Discovering life coaching (11:42) - Designing a business you love (18:57) - The multi-passionate entrepreneur (22:30) - Overcoming scarcity mindset (26:29) - Reframing money as an energy (28:35) - Core values and team culture (31:14) - The date-to-marry hiring strategy Check out today's guest, Marie Forleo:…

This episode explores the growing anxiety creatives feel around AI and reframes the conversation toward long-term relevance and value. Chris Do breaks down six high-income creative skills that AI cannot replace, emphasizing that these are not job titles but human capabilities to strengthen and lead with. He explains why strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and original creativity remain essential in a world where tools can execute faster but cannot define purpose or meaning. Throughout the episode, he highlights how lived experience, intuition, and human judgment create a moat that automation cannot cross. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (01:12) — Strategic thinking over execution (02:18) — Emotional intelligence in branding (05:54) — Original creativity and big ideas (07:48) — Taste and creative judgment (15:02) — Trust and client relationships Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses:…

Chris Do sits down with artist and designer Scott Clum to explore the evolution of snowboard and skate culture's visual language. In an era increasingly dominated by AI and push-button gratification, Clum champions the tactile, utilitarian process of making art and embracing the beauty of mistakes. Drawing from his 40-year career shaping brands like Sims and Morrow Snowboards, he unpacks the crucial difference between personal self-expression and commercial design. Creative professionals will discover why staying true to the manual process builds a more valuable creative perspective and get a glimpse into Clum’s upcoming print magazine, WALK. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:15) - Personal versus commercial work (04:13) - The value of utility and the design process (07:02) - Transitioning from fine art to graphic design (09:19) - AI tools and the loss of creative curiosity (10:43) - 40 years of snowboard graphics with Sims (14:22) - Building the Morrow Snowboards aesthetic (16:18) - Hand-cut graphics and…

In this continuation of their dialogue, Chris Do and Matt Essam tackle the confusing distinctions between having a personal reputation and building a true personal brand . Many creative professionals experience internal resistance when considering a personal brand, often fearing the required effort or doubting the return on investment . Chris breaks down why audience size does not inherently equal income and reveals the unique advantages of a strong personal brand, such as the ability to jump verticals and command higher value . Listeners will walk away with a clear framework to determine if they are ready to commit to the long-term work of discovering and amplifying who they truly are. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:02) - Content strategy and sharing (02:02) - Audience size versus income (04:02) - Reputation versus personal brand (06:09) - Industry positioning and jumping verticals (08:26) - Disadvantages of personal branding (08:50) - Social media as the new resume (11:53) - Resistance as a sign of…

Chris Do and Jule Kim explore the hidden costs of holding back and the profound impact of saying exactly what you think. Many professionals struggle to speak up due to cultural conditioning, fear of judgment, or social anxiety. By unpacking real-world scenarios—from navigating social discomfort at industry events to confidently stating a $45,000 project price—Chris demonstrates how direct, precise communication empowers operators. Listeners will learn how to shift focus away from internal discomfort and articulate their value without relying on unprompted proof. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:30) - The breakthrough of speaking your mind (01:56) - Asking basic questions to clients (03:45) - Cultural conditioning and stereotypes (05:46) - Navigating social anxiety and fitting out (07:35) - Releasing stress through positive communication (11:51) - Reverse engineering desired outcomes (13:00) - Overcoming the fear of discussing money (15:15) - Stating project pricing confidently (20:21) - Practicing direct…

Many creative professionals detest sales because they focus on selling services rather than tangible business value. Chris Do unpacks the five biggest lessons from Kevin Daly's book, Socratic Selling, offering a framework for those who hate manipulative sales tactics. By learning to dollarize value, ask open-ended questions, and practice full-value listening, creatives can shift the dynamic from pitching to problem-solving. This permission-based approach empowers buyers to articulate their own needs and allows practitioners to close deals using hypothetical agreements. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (00:20) - Dollarizing value to sell money (02:20) - The power of open-ended questions (05:27) - Full value listening and taking notes (07:27) - Finding the compelling event in the past (09:30) - The conditional close framework (12:15) - A fresh perspective for introverts Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses:…

Chris Do discusses with Mo Ismail the burden of over-diversification and the necessity of "burying" one's old professional identity to achieve a business breakthrough. By adopting the "Five Ones" framework, Chris explains how narrowing focus to a single target market and offering creates the pressure needed to punch through industry noise. This episode serves as a strategic roadmap for creative professionals who feel diluted and are ready to trade complexity for a potent, high-growth personal brand Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:24) - Taki Moore and the Five Ones framework (01:36) - The cost of a complicated business model (02:21) - Transitioning from your old professional identity (03:55) - Why picking a lane increases brand potency (05:42) - Case study: From generalist to motion design specialist (09:50) - Physics of business: Force divided by surface area (11:18) - Benefits of a strong authentic personal brand Check out today's guest, Mo Ismail: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/moismai⁠⁠…

Chris Do sits down with brand identity expert Tinna Loaiza to explore why many creators feel disconnected from the businesses they have built. Tinna shares her journey of growing a faceless Instagram account to 400,000 followers before transitioning into a more authentic personal brand. They discuss a practical framework for shedding external expectations and "removing the pieces" of your identity to find clarity and professional fulfillment. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:42) - Meet Tinna Loaiza and her marketing background (01:15) - Building a faceless brand to 400,000 followers (02:37) - Why we struggle to be ourselves in business (03:57) - The "Silhouette Collage" exercise for identity (05:31) - Recognizing signs of professional resentment (07:32) - Steps to pivot into a new creative venture (08:18) - Defining your minimum viable window for growth (10:36) - How to package and test a new service offer (13:38) - Content strategy: The 90-day implementation phase (17:17) - Overcoming the pressure to fit a…

Chris Do sits down with LinkedIn expert Richard van der Blom to deconstruct the myths surrounding the platform’s algorithm and what actually drives reach. They explore why content value and human intuition often outperform data-crunching and why your audience, not the algorithm, is the ultimate judge of your work. Listeners will walk away with a four-part social selling framework designed to build authority and convert engagement into real business opportunities. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:32) - Why the algorithm doesn't punish bad content (02:31) - Blaming the algorithm vs. creating value (03:49) - Four traits of "terrible" LinkedIn content (05:52) - Using personal storytelling to sell from the heart (07:27) - Finding your unique tone of voice (09:15) - The 4 pillars of a successful social selling strategy (10:12) - How to optimize your profile for your target audience (11:06) - Proactive conversion and engagement strategies (13:51) - Future trends: AI and the importance of authentic voice Check out…

Chris Do and Jodie Cook challenge the myth that a personal brand makes a business entirely reliant on its founder. They explore how shifting from a "process-dependent" team to a "founder-vibe" culture allows a company to scale and even sell without the owner's constant involvement. Listeners will learn the systems and psychological frameworks needed to build a brand that carries the founder's confidence without requiring their presence. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:07) - The "Accidental" Personal Brand: Jodie’s Story (02:45) - What Buyers Actually Look for in a Business (04:47) - Lessons from Apple: Scaling Beyond the Figurehead (06:24) - The Rule of Five: Managing Teams Effectively (08:03) - Avoiding the Choke Point: Scaling to 100 People (09:32) - Building Systems and the "Gentle Handoff" (12:48) - Training Your Team to Have "Founder Vibes" (15:51) - Creating a Culture of Confidence (18:22) - Playing Big: When to Fire and When to Empower Check out today's guest, Jodie Cook: LinkedIn:…

Building a successful personal brand isn't about inventing a new persona, but uncovering one's true origin. Chris Do shares ten actionable tips distilled from over a decade of trial and error to help creators stand out in a crowded market. He explains why "different" is superior to "better" and how perceived flaws can actually become a competitive advantage. This session covers the strategic importance of social media as a modern resume and how to cultivate a tribe that champions the brand. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:16) - Rule 1: Don't chase new, be original (01:37) - Rule 2: Pursue different over better (02:30) - Rule 3: Social media as the new resume (03:31) - Rule 4: Reclaim your "extraness" (04:28) - Rule 5: How to push through "the dip" (05:23) - Rule 6: Avoid the authenticity gap (06:06) - Rule 7: Create a repeatable story (07:22) - Rule 8: Play against type in your space (08:24) - Rule 9: Be meaningfully different (09:47) - Rule 10: Develop unique catchphrases Check out The Futur: Website:…

In this episode, Mo Ismail sits down with Chris Do to explore the dilemma of having multiple passions while trying to build a focused personal brand. Chris explains the concept of "picking a fight" to cut through the noise and why being a "correct contrarian" is essential for true thought leadership. They discuss the difference between symbiotic and parasitic interests, using the analogy of a shark and suckerfish to determine which side hustles actually support the main business. Chris shares his personal journey of integrating his background in design, video production, and business coaching to build The Futur, emphasizing the importance of building a strong "trunk" before branching out. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:58) - The concept of "picking a fight" (02:33) - Becoming a "correct contrarian" (03:13) - Bullying vs. punching up (Big Pharma example) (04:35) - Professional concerns regarding speaking up (06:22) - Contributing to the noise vs. true expression (09:47) - Marketing disguised as thought…

Chris Do sits down with Goldie Chan, author of Personal Branding for Introverts, to discuss how introverts can build powerful reputations without compromising their nature. They explore the distinction between reputation and personal branding and how the digital landscape offers a "virtual room" for quieter voices to be heard. The conversation reveals personal strategies for navigating social anxiety, the concept of "loud introverts," and how to use distinctive style as a networking asset. Goldie also shares her framework for "ideal daydreaming" to help design a life that balances work and personal well-being. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (03:58) — Reputation versus branding (05:42) — Branding beyond physical rooms (08:14) — Speaking as an introvert (11:09) — Social anxiety explained (14:47) — Managing introvert energy (18:32) — Belonging and identity (22:08) — Networking without performing (26:04) — Loud introverts defined (31:18) — Visual identity shortcuts (36:49) — Ideal daydreaming concept (41:32) —…

Chris Do explores the intersection of art and engineering with Lovepop co-founder and CEO Wombi Rose, the show's first guest to successfully secure Shark Tank funding. They discuss the grit required to pivot from a failing retail model to a $400 million e-commerce powerhouse and how high-level naval architecture training informs their intricate paper designs. Listeners will learn why failing spectacularly is often better than moderate success and how to use customer data to build a defensible creative brand. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (01:23) - The Lovepop mission: 1 billion magical moments (03:09) - Hitting $400M in lifetime retail sales (08:48) - Shark Tank prep and the 15% equity hard line (10:49) - The $200k mistake: Why the kiosk model failed (15:08) - Choosing Kevin O’Leary: Intuition in negotiation (22:48) - Why spectacular failure is better than moderate success (34:43) - Growth strategy: Unlocking UGC on social media (40:01) - Engineering logic: Applying naval architecture to art (46:24) - Building…

In this episode, Chris Do sits down with Panache Desai to explore why so many high performers feel burned out despite outward success. Panache challenges the idea that people are broken or need fixing, reframing burnout as a symptom of living from survival, identity, and fear rather than from wholeness. Together, they unpack themes of acceptance, self-trust, and why true power comes from releasing control over the past. The discussion positions peace—not productivity—as the most honest definition of success . Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (08:05) — Redefining success as peace (15:10) — Identity, ego, and burnout (22:20) — Acceptance over self-fixing (29:35) — Powerlessness and true power (36:45) — Giving without attachment (43:55) — Burnout and performance traps (50:10) — Body-based transformation (56:40) — Multidimensional identity (01:02:55) — Breath awareness practice (01:08:10) — Living from inner alignment Check out today's guest, Panache Desai: YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/panachedesai…

In this episode, Chris Do challenges the belief that content performance should be measured by likes, views, or algorithmic wins. He explains why treating social media as a scorecard disconnects creators from their true intentions and ties self-worth to external validation. Drawing from over a decade of experience building a multimillion-dollar brand, Chris shares how creating from honesty and self-expression leads to clarity, confidence, and deeper connection. Rather than chasing metrics, he argues that content should serve as a tool for self-understanding and meaningful communication. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (02:03) — Metrics distort self-worth (04:09) — Content creates connection (06:18) — Hidden agendas break trust (08:27) — You don’t need CTAs (11:02) — Don’t create from insecurity Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linkedin:…

In this episode, Chris Do sits down with Jodie Cook for a wide-ranging conversation about playing the long game in business, relationships, and life. They unpack the difference between short-term wins and infinite games, emphasizing why building something you never want to sell leads to deeper fulfillment and clarity. Chris reflects on his own journey through financial security, meaning, and redefining success beyond money. Together, they explore how scarcity thinking shapes decisions and why authenticity compounds over time. The discussion sets the foundation for choosing purpose-driven work that can sustain decades, not just seasons. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (05:56) — Discovering financial security changes motivation entirely (10:31) — Why pursuing meaning creates money naturally (15:24) — Letting go of outcomes to regain creative freedom (21:37) — How childhood patterns shape adult decision making (28:12) — The danger of living for others’ expectations (34:48) — Why mastery requires long-term commitment…

In this episode, Chris Do challenges the belief that creative work is a commodity and explains why lowering prices is rarely the right solution. He reframes competition through the lens of imagination, using everyday examples to show how value is created through differentiation, convenience, and storytelling rather than cost-cutting. By breaking down familiar products like lettuce, money, and stock certificates, he illustrates how perceived value can increase dramatically with the right positioning. The episode pushes listeners to reconsider how they describe and package their own services instead of racing to the bottom on price. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (01:10) — Commodities and imagination (02:35) — Adding value through packaging (04:05) — Time to result pricing (05:40) — Certainty and guarantees Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linkedin:…

In this episode, Chris Do sits down with Dr. John Demartini for a wide-ranging conversation on human perception, trauma, and the power of reframing life experiences. Dr. Demartini shares his extraordinary personal journey—from severe learning challenges and homelessness to becoming a prolific researcher, educator, and author—highlighting how adversity became a catalyst rather than a limitation. The discussion explores how values, awareness, and conscious questioning shape behavior and long-term outcomes. Throughout the conversation, listeners are invited to reconsider the stories they tell themselves about hardship and success. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (04:58) — Early life learning challenges (09:42) — Dyslexia and reading breakthrough (14:55) — Surfing and street life lessons (19:58) — Perception versus trauma (24:57) — Reframing painful experiences (29:56) — Accountability and awareness (34:59) — Balancing emotions and judgment (39:58) — Gratitude and resilience practice (44:55) — Purpose driven living…

In this episode, Chris Do and Mo Ismail explore why personal branding works best when it starts with generosity rather than self-promotion. They break down how leading with genuine care lowers defenses, builds trust, and creates natural reciprocity in both business and personal relationships. Through real-world examples, the conversation highlights how making people feel seen and included is often more powerful than any pitch or tactic. The episode emphasizes that authenticity isn’t a strategy—it’s an operating system that shapes long-term connection. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (01:14) — Making people feel seen (02:28) — Reciprocity builds trust (03:18) — Identity before business (04:32) — Authenticity attracts audiences Check out today's guest, Mo Ismail: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/moismai Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/moismai/?hl=en Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses:…

In this episode, Chris Do and Jule Kim unpack why feedback is both essential and emotionally difficult for creatives. Drawing from decades of teaching, coaching, and public critique, they explore the difference between honest feedback and destructive criticism, and why many people interpret any suggestion for improvement as a personal attack. The discussion challenges the idea that feedback should soothe feelings, arguing instead that clarity, accountability, and truth are what actually lead to growth. Throughout the episode, Chris and Jule reflect on how upbringing, education systems, and generational shifts have shaped our collective tolerance for critique. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (10:05) — Setting expectations early (20:01) — Critique versus roasting (30:12) — Accountability in education (40:18) — Coddling culture explained (49:55) — Honesty over comfort (01:00:03) — Fear of critical feedback (01:10:22) — Teaching truth responsibly (01:19:40) — Crossing the critique line Check out today's guest, Jule…

In this episode, Chris Do breaks down why most creatives struggle to market their services effectively—and how that changes in 2026. He explains the critical difference between designing for “anyone” versus building services for a clearly defined, high-value client. Through real examples and audience interaction, Chris shows how understanding psychographics, not just demographics, unlocks better offers, clearer messaging, and higher pricing. The conversation emphasizes why targeting clients with money, urgency, and alignment is not selfish but strategic. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (01:03) — Psychographics over demographics (02:10) — Identifying your best clients (03:58) — Why broke clients limit growth (05:22) — Pricing math and marketing budgets (07:05) — Levels of business competition (12:02) — Clarity creates massive value Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linkedin:…

In this episode, Chris Do sits down with designer, publisher, and entrepreneur Jesse Reed to explore the intersection of design systems, business, and long-term creative impact. Jesse shares his journey from Pentagram to co-founding multiple ventures, including Standards Manual, Order, and Standards, and explains how each evolved from curiosity-driven projects into sustainable businesses. The conversation highlights the importance of focus, simplicity, and decision-making in both design and entrepreneurship, especially when building systems meant to scale across teams and industries. Throughout the discussion, Jesse emphasizes that timeless design principles—typography, structure, consistency—remain unchanged even as tools and platforms evolve. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (06:45) — Founding Standards Manual (13:30) — Crowdfunding lessons learned (20:10) — Balancing multiple companies (27:05) — Focus versus simplicity (33:50) — Business models in design (40:20) — Brand guidelines evolution (46:55) — Emotional…

In this episode, Chris Do breaks down a powerful lesson on positioning, marketing, and sales using a scene from the TV series Better Call Saul as an unexpected case study. By analyzing Saul Goodman’s pivot from selling cell phones to selling “privacy,” the episode illustrates how redefining a product around a specific pain point can instantly create demand. The discussion highlights how effective positioning isn’t about changing the product itself, but about reframing who it’s for and why it matters. This real-world example makes abstract marketing concepts tangible and easy to understand Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (01:37) — Creating customer demand (02:36) — Selling privacy positioning (06:35) — Positioning definition explained (08:28) — Go where customers are (10:55) — Blue ocean strategy Check out The Futur: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thefutur.com/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linkedin:…

In this episode, I’m back with my friend, entrepreneur, author, and powerlifter Jodie Cook, for another incredible conversation about discovering your personal success system. Jodie’s got an inspiring journey — from building and selling a 20-person social media agency to launching Coachvox and becoming a Forbes contributor. In this episode, we explore what it means to have a success system, why simplifying your communication matters, and how persistence and visualization play a huge role in achieving your goals. We also get deep into personal reflections — like the lessons we learn from childhood and the hidden power of discomfort as a sign of growth. If you’ve ever wondered what your unique formula for success might be, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (02:00) - Jodie’s journey and recent achievements (06:15) - The power of children’s books in storytelling (10:30) - Personal success systems explained (13:45) - Success stories: Taylor Swift, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk (17:00)…

In this episode, Chris Do sits down with Mo Said, founder and creative director of Mojo Supermarket, to unpack what it really means to build an interesting life, business, and brand. Through stories from Mo’s journey—starting an agency with little structure, growing it into a global creative force, and constantly chasing curiosity—they explore why interesting work comes from interesting people living intentional lives. The conversation weaves through personal risk, creative courage, and the idea that misalignment, not overwork, is often the true cause of burnout. Timestamps (00:00) — Intro (06:12) — Taking risks without fear (12:05) — Failure builds personal value (17:48) — Finding what interests you (23:31) — Why boredom causes burnout (29:14) — Stories make people memorable (34:52) — Applying interest to branding (40:33) — Creative strategy in practice (45:58) — Pitching bold campaign ideas (51:27) — Selling ideas with confidence (56:49) — Creativity versus business tension (01:02:15) — Structure fuels…