This is Digital Podcaster hosted by Dylan Schmidt. Welcome to Digital Podcaster. I'm your host, Dylan Schmidt. And today I have my first interview episode for you. So this is if there was a recipe for this, this would be equal parts. kind of hilarious the universe works in mysterious ways. For I set this up and introduced who the guest is. So check this out. This in the last episode, I talked about how I've been doing audio for years, and yeah, they're still making mistakes from time to time. Well, on this podcast episode, the had just like technical malfunction after technical malfunction, and I know what the issue is, you know, after words, of course, but in the moment, you know, you don't always get to recognize those issues. So I had a few things that I was testing out, I love different gear, different apps. If you know me, you know, I love my tech stuff. I'm a tech nerd at heart. And so I just can't help but laugh because when I did this interview with Brett, I was trying out new software I was using. I don't even I guess I need to say it. I use this app called Riverside FM. I thought it was like cool alternative to zoom. I've used it a few times since I don't know that I'm completely sold on it, to be honest with you. Because there was a setting in there. That was quite sneaky. And it had some feedback issues. So the audio came out just a complete mess. On my side of things on Brett side. It was good. On my side of things it was I had a little bit too many things going on. And it wasn't you know, in the moment, as far as I know. I mean, Brett didn't say that he heard anything weird. I didn't hear anything weird. On my side, everything sounded good. But that went up. And then, you know, I was I've been doing work from home stuff for years. And, and my camera kept dying. It was like a weird, I don't know if it was Friday the 13th if there was a full moon and Teen Wolf was out there just howling away. And he just short circuited everything or something. But it was just like one thing after another and kind of comical because, you know, this is digital podcaster. And my focus is on podcasting. And I just hit one thing after another. But the good news is the meat of the interview is still there. And it's a lengthy one. And I listened to the whole thing. Now, quality control, and not saying like, I was in it and I just listened to the moment. No, I really listened to it, of course, and everything sounds good. And there's no parts in there that you're like I just there's just cuts out or anything like that. It's been cleaned up quite a bit. So I hope you enjoyed this episode with Brett. Introduce a little bit about Brett Shuford. So he is his background is in Broadway. And he's been on different Broadway acts. And we get in a little bit about that. But why I had him on. And we'll talk about this in the episode Why hadn't gone is because he teaches a lot about confidence. And he has a pretty good sized following on Instagram. And I was looking for people to interview on Instagram. I was looking. I mean, how do I rephrase that? I was looking on Instagram for people to interview for the podcast. That's it. And I was somehow landed on his page. And within like seconds. I was like this is exactly who the type of energy I need on the podcast. And I'm so grateful because he said yes. And we've become friends since and yeah, so three huge takeaways for this episode. So you know what you're getting into. So you're not walking into to to blind is how to be confident even when you don't feel like it because I have been secretly surveying some people in the audience that saying it's you. Maybe it's not you. Maybe it is you. But confidence was a recurring thing that came up when I was putting my feelers out. And then so yeah, we'll talk a bit about confidence because let's face it, there's nothing more terrifying. I don't know about you speak for myself here. There's nothing that sounds more terrifying than doing live performances in front of people. There's no like editing. There's no cleaning up the audio. There's no second tries. I mean, yeah, you could get a second try but everyone would see in the moment the first thing and then we're talking like I think he said something like you would perform eight times per week I believe. I mean, that's a lot that is demanding. Like there is you know, acting is way more forgiving like for film than Broadway like Broadway. I'm the older I get, the more I realized that's like some true artistic endeavor that not everyone can translate like, not everyone could just translate to Broadway. So kudos to people doing Broadway and I think that's There's a lot of, we can learn from that. And, you know, that's a very live skill. So that was another, you know, one of the reasons why I wanted to talk to Brett, I don't know a lot about the Broadway world, I'm not a big Broadway fan. But I have a super, you know, curious mind in all things in life. And, you know, Broadway is one of those things. And I would love to learn more about it, I just don't feel like I've been introduced correctly, because it wasn't something that my parents were into, I don't know, I just never been properly introduced to it. And then another takeaway that you'll get in this that we dive deep into is, Brett strategies for putting himself out there consistently. He is super consistent, especially on Instagram that I've seen. And it's inspiring just to see the level of consistency, but the level at which he, you know, consistently puts himself out there, the heart is so inspiring. And I know you'll walk away with that inspiration. And then the last thing is how to identify who you make content for. So if you're a content creator, which most likely you are, you know, one of the things that's important is identifying who you're making the content for, and protip, it's not yourself. Or maybe part of it is yourself, but there's also someone else out there. And Brett talks about his strategy for identifying who he's making content for which I love that you will hear my brain visibly open, go, oh, oh, is in the episode. So all of this helps with not only your personal brand journey, but your own personal growth journey, and the journey of your audience. So I know you'll, you'll love this. I know you'll love Brett. And there'll be more interviews coming soon. But after the episode, check the show notes to learn more about Brett and find him on all the socials and give him a follow. But thank you for bearing with the audio craziness, you know, I just I'm running with it, and then it'll get smoother over time. Which is funny, because this is not something that would happen is if I was doing it for someone else, then I do it for myself. And that's what happens. So enough about that. The audio is great. We'll leave it at that. Thank you for being here. And here is my interview with Brett Shuford. Thank you, Brett, for me on digital podcaster I was just just chatting with you before I hit record saying I was just putting it out into the universe as I was looking for people to feature on digital podcaster. And I've been getting messages about confidence. And it's something that I don't know if I struggle with I'm not like too aware that I do I guess but I know that a lot of people in my audience struggle with it. And I'm not like the confidence person like I am not at the most sensitive to the needs of someone who's not feeling confident. And what do I do when that happens? I don't try and force something that I don't know. I look for people that are better at it than me. Which there's a lot of things in this world. Yeah. Which that gives me a lot of opportunity on the show. I guess. So yeah. So Brett, thank you again. And I'd love to chat with you. Because I was I was going through your your social identity, I guess for the lack of a better word. And you do Broadway, you do acting. You do social media videos. You do it all. You make it look incredibly easy. And my goal in our short chat for the time we have is to ask you what's so easy to you is is not easy to like 99% of people out there. Is there is there some type of trick or something to make it look as easy as you do. I know you've done it for years. So like obviously you have the time and skill. But are you always just like, or is it even not that easy for you? And I'm just filling in words for you tell me? No. I mean, I I think there's always something fascinating when people say it looks easy, because it's a lot you know, and it's vulnerable and vulnerable isn't easy. And I think that, you know, repetition is the mother of skills. So yes, there's that I've, I have spent most of my life in front of an audience in some form. So it's easy for me to want to put myself on a platform because I've put myself on stage since I was a kid, you know, but and I realized not everybody has that drive and that passion to be on display. But Hello 2021 This is the thing now right and I think I take for granted how I wouldn't even say that it's easy for me to do it. It's just easy for me to risk it. Right? It's not that it's so I always say that like clients. Confidence is not the absence of our self doubt. I think a lot of people are waiting to feel confident so that once they They're no longer doubting themselves. But the confidence is the acceptance of ourselves all those people that you see that as confident. It's not that they don't have self doubt, it's that they've accepted it and they move forward anyway. Yeah, I can see that I can do that. That's what confidence is, is the acceptance of your doubt it is the acceptance that yeah, that stuff's gonna come up, and I'm gonna hear that, but I called the itty bitty shity committee in my head telling me all the reasons why this isn't gonna work like that. Right. I mean, I don't like that committee, but I can relate with that committee. I got that committee. They the Los Angeles chapter over here. Yeah, they there's a lot of chapters. And a lot of intersections for that. And you know, it's going okay, I'm going to hear it, but I'm going to hear that voice. It's going to come up and but I'm going to take action anyway. Yeah. And risk and risk, like, risk it. Yeah, just take the risk. Yeah. And so like, personally speaking, I'm only speaking for myself here. Like I found when I I started digital podcasts, or you start putting putting myself out there more being behind the scenes for quite a while. And I've noticed that acceptance is a huge part of it. And I could pick apart any piece of everything I've ever made of, there's an issue with it. Whether it's like something on my shirt, something on my lip, hair's not perfect. lightnings weird, whatever it is. And I've started to realize that to that acceptance, it seems like it's just something that keeps going there, right? Someone like yourself, who has been in front of the camera in front of people so much. Does that do you? It seems so foreign to me that one day there? Is this just complete acceptance? Or is it like before you hit publish on something? Are you still Yeah, no. Acceptance is a daily action. Yeah. Right. I have to constantly let go of my need to control everything and feel like you know, and mostly, I think a lot of us are afraid of what other people are going to think. And that if we fail on social media, we're going to fail publicly, and that it lives on the internet forever, and BSB SBS but the truth is that most people who are on social media, they're not thinking about you. Mm hmm. Yep. They're thinking about themselves. Yes. What's in it for me? They're looking to escape what gets some entertainment or something? They're thinking about you some of like, make a creative and especially now when you have 800 followers, you might as well risk failing now. Yeah. Until it's a you don't do it when you have 13,005. Okay, you don't say that. Yeah, that's a good point, though. And so like, I have so much stuff I want to ask you, but I have a friend getting into Broadway here in LA, he actually just moved from New York and which is probably the opposite thing he would want to do. But he has the sound so LA, I'm sorry, this He has connections. So he's comfortable moving out here. And I'm you know, chatting with him about just that that approach in general, because you know, living in LA like a friend, I got friends that are actors, and I know you're in both worlds here. But there's, there seems something so unforgiving about Broadway. Like, you can hit stop. We can edit out anything in this podcast. You don't have to posts, the Instagram reels. There's email doesn't have to be sent the audition tape can be tweaked but Broadway, it's like in the moment. And that seems like another level of acceptance that's like, that's like the special forces of acceptance of that video and and podcasting specifically doesn't really have to deal with Yeah, I think that maybe you're right that that's a skill that transferred over to for me in real life because it's you just adjust like something goes wrong on stage, you adjust, you know, you tried to snow and gets hurt you get off the stage. The story gets told and at the end of the night, you know, you do it again tomorrow and it's it's one of those things where the repetition of that as taxing as it can be you always use it. It trained I think it trains a lot of theater people's brains just go you know what, the moments gone. Live joy of live theater, they always say that right? And then I can do it better tomorrow. And that's a great rule for anyone who's trying to create stuff online is just to go you know what, it matters more than I did it. And I didn't let perfectionism be the enemy of good I just let it be good so that it can get better. Yeah, yeah, that's I love that so much. How many shows would you to me pretty naive sorry to like, just Broadway work in general, but how many shows like, was like a tip The cool thing like in a week, we used to do eight shows a week. That's typical eight shows a week and show is how long usually to two and a half hours? And would, how much of a show out of let's just say two hours? How much of a show? Would you be in? Are you in? Is there so many cast members that like you might only have a 15 minute partner? I don't know. It depends on the show. It really depends on the show. So usually, the ensemble does spend a lot more time on stage than the principles to be honest. So you know, it's taxing and that you have to have your energy up. You got it? Yeah, you got to be vocally warmed up physically warmed up, you know. And then you also are usually commuting to Time Square, which takes a lot of energy. So that's a performance. Chris is trying to get to work, you know. It's a high stress, high adrenaline job. And however, like out of each show, could you point out like mistakes in each show like, that people had made? Or because I know the audience wouldn't pick up on those but like, or is it just like, well, I know that that like a different level, even at the high level? Are there still mistakes being made? In a show? Oh, absolutely. Every show something, something can go wrong. You just never know something. Somebody misses an entrance or a set piece doesn't work or costume zipper gets stuck. I mean, there's so many things that can happen. Yeah. And I sort of look at it like, you know, if I if I, when I go see shows, I can definitely tell if somebody flubs a line. Or even if it's a show, I don't know, I can just be like, oh, oh, they mess that up. I can usually tell that. But I can tell you 99% of people who are sitting in the audience can tell yes. It's just but that's just the you know, when you've done it for so long, I think. I think that, you know, I forget, I see things that I'm like, Ooh, maybe they should have done that. And people like, No, I was looking over there. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That's why I love theater. Yeah, I love it. And that's like the mark of a true expert that even when something seems perfect to someone else, they're like, Yeah, but they could have done this better. And not critiquing, like, putting it down way, but like in an actually an enhancing and constructive way. That's so cool. That's so cool. So primarily, are you working with other coaches? Are you working with people looking to get into Broadway? How do you work with people? Yeah, most people I work with are creatives of some sort, right? So I have people, I have some actors who maybe have a side hustle, and they're trying to figure out how to market both. I have some people who like I have a person who's a fitness trainer, and he just wants to build a personal brand. And so I'm helping him get really clear on that. So it really depends on on who it is. I mean, I've mostly since the pandemic, it's been a lot of social media marketing and personal branding that people are coming to me for. And I think mostly because a lot of people in theater, kind of poo pooed social media and felt like it wasn't a theater thing. And then when the pandemic hit, they were all like, Well, shit. I wish I'd had an online brand and there started going bread cheaper does bread. That's been it's been kind of interesting. That's cool. And has there been like a Have you noticed people move into just kind of the influencer route? Or have they moved into I'm sure it's all sorts of different, you know, ways people are showing up on social now that their industry has changed. But is there a common thread you've seen? I think most people just want to get really comfortable. Like we're even talking about being authentic. Yeah, they want to feel safe, sharing themselves. And I think there are a lot of people are afraid to do that. They think they need to just share what they do. And it's hard for people to see the value in sharing who they are. Because it's such a gift to be, you know, as if you're going to be a public person, if you decided to be a public person. Like your responsibility now is to, you know, show up for your four people and be present and help them know they they don't, that they belong. Yeah, show them that they belong in the world. Yeah, check wires. Yeah, that requires you to be vulnerable. That requires you to be honest. And I think for too long social media has been dominated by people who weren't being vulnerable, who were sharing only the good only the perfect only the curated perfect, like feed and color schemes and all that stuff. And I think it's really shifting and I think that that's a result of this time and people spending more time online and they really want to feel seen and connected and that's the opportunity we have i So I love that I mean it, it does kind of turn into influencer space. If you want to create income, that's an option you can do but But ultimately, I think it's really for most artists, at least in my experience and creatives, it's just they want it to feel like them. They want it to match their personality. Yeah, I could see that. I could see that. And it's interesting to me when people have the conversation about like, how to stand out online. And, you know, the conversation. Typically, if I'm having a conversation with someone, it kind of goes back to just being authentic being yourself. And it's funny, because I don't know what it is. And this is, and this is part of the reason why a big reason why I'm having you on is I feel like I'm myself, like, I'm weird. And like, my weirdness doesn't even fully shine through all the time, because it's not like I'm recording all the time. But I am like, I just, I don't know, I'm just like, just weird. It doesn't matter if like, it's my brain by myself, or I go to a restaurant and it's, you know, the person going to see us or something. It's I just my brain just doesn't shut it off. Yeah, I don't really know what that is. But I would imagine you probably see it more with with people that you're working with, is there steps that you give them challenges you give them to a process to get more authentic? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's challenging, and everyone operates differently, right? And what authenticity means to some people, it, you know, doesn't mean the same to others. And so I think part of that is number one, just looking at your imposter syndrome, because everyone has it. And just going okay, what, what is my version of this? Because everyone has some version of it. It's probably one of the most common I hear as well, who's gonna care about nice food or meat eating breakfast? Like no one cares about that? Yeah. Why should I put that in my stories? And or, you know, another one that people say as well? Is it professional? Does it seem professional? Yeah, I do that am I going to come off, you know, if you are a professional like, then trying to make your feed professional isn't double on Tom, like it, see, you're just, you're you're layering on, you're laying the professional on a little too thick, you're already are professional. So just share who you are. And so the first thing I say to people most of the time is, if you're feeling like it's too promotionally and too fake and smoothie, then you're forgetting why you do it. Right? You, it has to go down to your why what why do you do this? Who do you want to serve? And how do you want to move the world? And what difference do you want to make an impact you want to make and you got to get down to that core, when you're talking about the why is it typically relate back to themselves that they want to do it? Like for themselves, because it doesn't seem like now it's usually well, I really want people to change, I'm going to see transformation, I want the world to be better. I want to make people laugh, or cry, or you know, every now and you get that person who's like, I just want to be famous, or I want to be rich, or I want to make a living, right? I want to make a full time living being a creative and that but then you have to go but why? What? What is that going to do? And then usually the lower you dig, the harder you kind of get to this route. And it's usually about making a difference leaving a legacy and changing the world or helping somebody feel something or, you know, as a performer, I've always said my wife was like, I want to help people see the world differently. And I try to do that. Even with the reels that I make, I try to do that even with, you know, the shows I do. So if you're you know, if you're feeling like it's fake, it's because you're forgetting why you do it. And then the second thing I do is we talk about who you're doing it for and creating what I call an ideal audience. A lot of marketing people would call it you know, and an avatar, you know, but I like to call an ideal audience because your audience like and I and I usually try to create one person not like a broad audience, not like someone between the 30s and 60s, it's like, this person is 24 years old. They're, you know, openly gay. They live in Manhattan apartment with a roommate, they work at a restaurant, they're auditioning, like, I work they love. You know, to watch the other two on HBO they shop at these get really specific. Because the thing I learned as an actor is the more specific you are with your characters. You know that if I'm doing a character development, the more the audience believes that. Ooh yeah. You know, yeah, yeah. So getting, getting really specific about who you serve and making, creating your ideal audience member. And then every piece of content you make serves that person, because we all I look at what I do is an act of service. Right? And if I can make someone laugh or see something differently, or help somebody build their brand or whatever, then I have been of service. And that is to me, like the ultimate gift of living. And and so yeah, keep going. Don't stop. Yeah. So. So I usually start with who do you serve? What problem do you solve? What do you do for them and get really specific, even if you just try it out for six months, if you don't feel like it's a solid thing, try it out. Just try it out and be willing to fail, and see what happens. You're going to just get a little bit closer to figuring out what is your ideal audience as well, that usually helps. Yeah, I love the ideal audience too. Because you know, that yeah, they talked about like, ideal client, I love that you call it ideal audience because I like, you know, something about like, business lingo to me has never really resonated, because people will say, like, ideal client avatar, or things like that, and it just feels so not of service, it feels so inauthentic. And I think that the lingo we use, you know, kind of seeps into our message. And when we're going from that place, like, I focus on value, and, you know, service similar, like, totally in alignment with you there on everything you've said, Really, but it just Yeah. And then, you know, you read these books, and you're like, Oh, who's the ideal? Who's the ideal client you're trying to go and it just like, it doesn't feel good to go to service when you're like, hi, client, it's but audience is softer on the brain, at least for the word for me is softer to hear that. And more actionable than anything else? I've heard. I love how you phrase that and more on that, like, yeah, I you know, I would rather build so much trust with my audience. That whether they buy or not, you know, and they purchase or not, it doesn't matter. Like, they're, they're there and they're with me. And I just see so much online marketing space of people just trying to get TEDx. TEDx your sales. Oh my gosh, this index cracks me up. Oh, my gosh, yeah. Like when I got into clubhouse when clubhouse started. And we go into this rooms and be like, This is so gross. Like, you're not talking about making connection with at all I could just trying to get I've signed up on there twice. I'm just like, I'm I'm out. I like my I'm realizing and I don't know, if it's I as I get older or something like, my, my circle, my ideal audience in my head and externally, is not as wide as I thought that, you know, as I as I see more of, of what other people do when they get any platform, you give them the mic, and they're like, Hi, how you doing? Like, today? We're in this what is going on here? Who are you? This isn't what you would talk about if I passed you on the street, or I saw you at you know, somewhere, and I've spent time with people with very large platforms. And to me the ones that like I love the most are like the most the same both places. Like you go, Oh, I know that person. You know, that's, that's that person? That's my friend and not. They're not. They're not weird on social media. Yeah, it's so I feel like it's pretty rare. Yeah, I find people who the experience in person is the same experience online. It's true. Yeah, it's true. And, and I, I don't know, but I think that authenticity that you you help people with and that you bring in what you're doing is so findable. I knew within literally seconds I'm talking less than three seconds of seeing not not even like just landed on your Instagram, not even scrolling down. Like there's like a magnetism to it that I'm just like, This is my type of person. This is I didn't you know, and that shines through that authenticity shines through in a way that like, you know, there's no 10x strategy to like, be more of yourself. That sums me out that that is stuff is so loud. But it because it gets it does get people fast fix right? Yeah, I think that you can Yeah, you can probably get a ton of followers and you can probably make a ton of money really quickly. But is it sustainable? Are they gonna be with you for life? Because is it quality? Like in the Yeah, they purchased it, but did they do it? Did it fix it? It changed their lives. And would they purchase from you again? Yeah, probably not. Probably not. Yes. Because the because what you sold wasn't Real Yeah. And, and I just see that so much. And I was like, and that's really where I hope to make the biggest difference now is like, How can I help people? People who aren't that loud, because there's so many people who are in that space who are so loud, but then there's people who are actually really good at what they do, but they're not loud. Yeah. And I want them to feel like they can take what they do and put it out into the world and make a living and make money. And, and that's my hope. And I want to create visibility for LGBTQ people in businesses. And you know, and help creatives because I just think I don't need to see somebody else sell another purse. I would rather see somebody sell a piece of art, sculpture. Yeah, right. I mean, something that like, that makes the world look prettier. Yeah, yeah. And, you know, there's all this talk of like, Instagram, I don't I don't read or sounds weird. I don't expose myself to too much news, just because it's just like, there's only so many hours in the day and dedicated and mental health. Yeah. And mental health. I mean, yeah, I guess I don't really need explain why I don't consume what a news, you know, anyone that I in my life that consumes a lot of news. When they like, tell me something, they go, Oh, I didn't know that. I don't really watch the news. They always go. I need to do that. That's always the responses. I need to do that. I'm like, that's just further confirmation. I do not need I'm like, I'm not missing out of the office. Yeah, I like all the headlines or anything I need to know will make its way to me. But yeah, yeah. It's, it seems like the people with with that, that have this real thing to share with the world, almost see these other like, internet marketers, and they see these TEDx things? Because that stuff is like hyper strategized, optimized to rise to the top on stuff like Instagram, but correct keyword keyword maximize? Yes. Right. He would maximize? Yeah. And what's interesting is I'm also speaking with a lady who does SEO, which I don't know a whole lot about SEO, but to me, it's like, what if you could combine? What if you could use SEO for like authenticity? And I think there's something there, you know, obviously, it's not like only the internet marketing strategies work. But yeah, like you said, you can use them. Yeah, but if you can take those strategies, and I no, I will say I tend to sort of stray away from those things. And I need to do them more, because I would like to grow my following. And there is something to learn there. And I'm not going to knock that. But it's it's the it's got to be balanced. Right? I always say the same thing on our feed, right? I always say the best the people who have the most success in creative, the creative world's any creative industry really, are the people who can perfectly balance their credibility with their vulnerability. Right? If you can show not just what you do, but who you are. I look at Oprah. Yes. Very successful journalist interviewer. And we also Oprah, as a journalist, it's so funny, you say that? I'm like, oh, yeah, she is. Yeah, but I mean, I just like, I just don't think but it's, it's so true. But it's also Yeah, she's a journalist. We know all these things about her background, her family history, her life and things that her mission to change the world and help people find their souls and, you know, so, you know, I just feel like a lot of people are, either they're either too vulnerable, and they share TMI, or they're, like, way too credible, and they only share what they do. Yeah, you got to find that balance. And I feel like it's the same thing and your marketing like, yes. How do you learn from people that put your own language and, and PR and personality into it and make your own rules? Yeah. And it looks like magic when it's done. Right? Honestly, because that's when someone like you, you want to look at it, you go, wow, Brett is like, what's, what's going on here? This is just the magic happening. And it is it's so that mix of credibility and vulnerability, because, you know, we've all seen the people that share too much on social media. And then we're like, okay, this person is got marshes on me. And then they're like, the next slide on their stories is like, trying to sell you some personal development thing. And you're like, What do you mean, you were just went through a divorce. Your kids are yelling at you, your kid just posted all these negative things about you and now you're selling me a marriage bootcamp? Come on, you know, what's going on here? Okay, I'll buy it. No, just kidding. Yeah, sure. Here's the $97. But there is something to what you're saying to the, the, the confidence like coming back to that and this idea of authenticity is understanding that you're not going it'd be everybody's cup of tea. And that person who's messy divorce and Kid hates them. They may be exactly what somebody needs to help their marriage, you know, and that, and that's okay. That's your thing. And I'm not his ideal audience. Yes, yeah. Yeah. And so it always comes back to that it's, you know, people will say, Oh, if I post that this casting director or this producer, or this other person's gonna see it. And I was like, Are they your ideal audience? Because they're probably not your ideal audience. And if the stop get thinking about them, you're not making this for them. I'm not this person's target demographic. Yeah. Yeah, I could see that too. Because yeah, if you if you try to be what there's, I'm sure there's some saying there. But if you try to be, you know, something to everybody, you're basically nothing. You know, yeah. You're gonna resonate, trying to be everything to everyone. You're nothing to no one. Yeah. Yeah. And I could really see that interesting. Yeah. So when, what is the balance, though, when someone doesn't feel, you know, confident. And one thing I see with clients is, they're like, how, what do I talk about? What if and say they're like, you know, I have one client, I'm thinking of in particular, who's like, wanting to go into more personal development stuff. And he was saying, you know, I want to do this, but I don't feel, you know, like, what, what makes me qualified? Yeah, so number one, like, I always say to people, you are an expert to somebody, you don't have to be an expert doesn't mean that you have years and years of experience, it just means you're one step ahead of somebody else. So again, maybe his audience has just a version of himself five years ago. Yeah. You know, yeah. Hello, in. And then understanding to that there are people out there successfully navigating that space. What are they doing? Steal Like an Artist? Yes. Look at what they're, you know, look at what they're doing. That works, that getting success and create your own version of that, right. Yeah, I mean, everyone in nothing's even. West Side Story is Romeo and Juliet. Right? It's like, you can't you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Mm hmm. Yeah, yeah. That's that's a good point. That's a good point. What about I'm just, this is not on the same track, but kind of when you would be performing, and you'd maybe be feeling off that day. And you're like, I don't really? I mean, there had to have been days, right where you're like, okay, yeah, there's no way you know, how would you turn on? Well, usually, I would think about the, ironically enough, who's my audience? Right, I would think, you know, like, when I was doing the Little Mermaid, I would think I would be dressed up as a sting ray. And I'd be like, okay, just making sure I just made sure I was gonna be ready to cut this thing. No, that wasn't me. Not guilty. But, you know, ready to make an entrance for under the sea on a Saturday matinee not wanting to be there, just kind of not in the mood. And I'd have to think there's literally a 10 year old in that audience who's seeing her first Broadway show. And I'm doing it for her. Mm hmm. You know, and that's what would get me out there. And I would turn it on for her and I would think of her and I would usually find some kid out there. And I would just imagine this the first time seeing and, and I wouldn't want it to be memorable. Yes, yes. Yes. And that that's so key, because, you know, people talk about you know, yeah, the Find your why, but when you really attach it to something real like that. That's better than any cup of coffee. That's better than you know, any. You know, it's doesn't even seem like a mindset trick or anything like that. Because you're genuinely existing in service that seems like the deepest form of not only gratitude, but you know, service you could possibly make use of this time you got on you know, the short time we got on this planet. Beauty man. Yeah, he's I love that. I love that. I mean, it's better. It's not as good as the the 5x trick I was gonna use were just get I'm just gonna teach me all the hacks still. And I don't know, I hacks. I mean, I was at USC. Here's your hacks. I'm like, yeah. I don't want to be a hack. No, right. I don't want to hack. I don't want to have to remember 83 tips for my next thing you know, and they're like, You Here's 46 foot, the numbers, the numbers, but I think it's all optimized, you know. And at the end of the day, when it comes to showing up on whether it's social media, or podcasting, or videos, if you want to make YouTube videos, really starting off with it's, it's like almost cuz I'm always thinking of like content, right? Like content just is in my brain. And I'm thinking of things that lands whether I want to or not. And people will think content strategies naturally. And you don't really need a content strategy. When you're thinking of your audience in mind as much, it comes a lot easier, I guess you could say, because you're thinking, what does this person need? Or what am I making? discursively? Exactly, right. It's everyone. And, and then I say to people, like every day that you don't show up, that person isn't getting what they need. Oh, well. She's. So that's a great motivator, right? Yeah. Give them what they need. And it may just be a laugh. Yes. I'm just making something because it's funny. Yes. Yeah. So when you when you're making your own content, are you I mean, you're thinking of this person in mind, this audience in mind, and I've noticed that like, you don't stick to one way, like one thing, you're not like, you know what I'm saying you're not, you're not like one angle. You're, you're coming with different, like, different value adds, I guess that sounds so murky, but you know, it's like laughs or it's things that like, I don't know, it's not, it's not so one way, which is like really refreshing, rather than trying to jam a perspective down someone's throat, you know, it's yeah, I probably would have a bigger audience if I was more. You know, here's all the Instagram tips, everything, Instagram and sermons. Right, but and so then people kind of know me as Oh, he's that Instagram, I bet that's not what I want to be known for. I want to I'm a creative, and I want to make people laugh. I like that. I want to serve people, but also entertain. Yeah. And that's just in my bones. So it's not everybody's tea cup of tea. And that's bigger, though, than I think because, you know, there's this Instagrams, like, speaking about Instagram, but it like goes for YouTube, because for part, it goes for any of the platforms, but they build it in with the numbers, so you can see obviously, what you're doing. And it tribes, people, you know, it's, we've lost, we don't, I don't know if they can even figure out the numbers of how many people we've lost to just the fact of like, comparison to the numbers and all that stuff. The mental health effects it has, and which is is just, it's just so hard to think about, but it comes from that, you know, well, they have a million followers, and they literally just post pictures on the beach, you know, so like, why am I not get any, any, I'm adding all this value of all these different things, you know, it's built into the thing of comparison. And I love your approach of just, this is who I am. This is who I'm serving. And I don't know, I feel also there's like a tipping point to where if you do your thing long enough, eventually the audience then finds you. And then then what looks like they're like, Well, how can they post a picture on the beach? Because they've been doing that thing long enough, that it just attracted all the people who just wanted the beach pictures, you know? And yeah, I do think that there's their compare, I would say compare and despair, right? So comparison isn't that is an issue for everybody. Because it's very easy to just get focused on numbers. And because you can try to measure your success by numbers, but your success can't be measured by the numbers because everyone's path is different. Everyone's audience is different. Like you can't measure it that way. And I you know what knees you can only measure success by the amount of times you show up. And that means like serving people, whether they respond or react or comment or not, you show up and serve because it you know, it grows it builds on itself. But if you don't show up not only do you not trust yourself, but you're not going to get your audience to trust you. Right Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like that part of you know, how do you expect your audience to show up if you're not showing totally thanks to their you know, it's a two way street. Yeah, I mean, on Broadway, this show goes on. Even if there's 10 people in the audience Yes. I'm gonna be thinking now moving forward as making content of of you. And then just knowing all these mistakes happening, but just the show goes on and, and just when there's Broadway like, this is easier than Broadway. That'll be my mantra. This is easier than Our way. I love that. I love that. Oh, so final question. Is there anything that I didn't ask you that you want people to know about anything? Could be anything doesn't have to be confidence doesn't have to be? Could be anything. LGBTQA could be any Yeah. No, no, I would just I would just like to say, you know, in regards to social media and building a personal brand, or whatever it is you're focusing on is you don't have to have been on Broadway and have a huge history of being a professional performer or creative, to be considered a creative, we are all endowed with the gifts of the Great Creator, whatever you think that is, right. God or whatever you believe we are connected to that source. And so us putting, even if it's energy or whatever you consider, like when we put our creativity out into the world, we are extending our spirit and our in the light and this a power greater than ourselves out into the world. And you had this ability with social media to just extend your creativity out into the world and help somebody today feel connected and feel less alone and feel something. It feels like a big responsibility, but at the same time, super empowering. And so extending that ability that we all have, how can people work with you? Oh, come follow me on Instagram at Brett Shuford. I have a free download for anyone who wants to check out what I call the imposter to influencer map. Good an imposter imposter to influencer map.com It basically is like I think that of marketing yourself or your personal brand, like you're you are a theme park. So it's basically you building your own theme park and I use this maps as a guide you through it. And yeah, so what experience do you create? You know, it's that's that idea and it's super fun so that you can go to imposter to influencer map.com Awesome. And I'll link that in the show notes. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Brett, for taking the time. Thanks for having me. I want to thank again, Brett for coming on the podcast and talking all things creativity, confidence and courage today, I've put all the links to Brett in the show notes. So please check that out and give Brett a follow on all the social channels. His Instagram I'm telling you is equal parts creativity. And funny. He is so he's such a breath of fresh air. And if you'd like to create, grow or monetize your own podcast, please visit www dot Digital podcaster.com. For all the information on how we can work together. I'd love to help you execute your vision and read your podcast and content goals. I'll talk to you soon