Gift biz unwrapped episode 335.
Speaker:Cause you love it.
Speaker:Love every step of the way,
Speaker:regardless of the outcome Attention gifters bakers,
Speaker:crafters, and makers pursuing your dream can be fun.
Speaker:Whether you have an established business or looking to start one.
Speaker:Now you are in the right place.
Speaker:This is gift to biz unwrapped,
Speaker:helping you turn your skill into a flourishing business.
Speaker:Join us for an episode,
Speaker:packed full of invaluable guidance,
Speaker:resources, and the support you need to grow.
Speaker:Your gift biz.
Speaker:Here is your host gift biz gal,
Speaker:Sue moon Heights.
Speaker:Hi there.
Speaker:And thanks for joining me on this week's show.
Speaker:I have some great fun and inspiration coming your way today.
Speaker:But before we get into that,
Speaker:I want to update you on what's going on in my
Speaker:private Facebook community gift biz breeze.
Speaker:It's time to update the buzz book.
Speaker:And if you're interested in being included,
Speaker:now's the time to submit your information.
Speaker:It's totally free.
Speaker:The buzz book is a compilation of small handmade business owners
Speaker:and provides a way for you to support each other.
Speaker:You can do this by purchasing from each other of course,
Speaker:but it goes deeper than that.
Speaker:The main goal is to provide a way to connect with
Speaker:people who make a similar product to yours,
Speaker:to discuss the nuances of your industry.
Speaker:It's also a way to easily find and get in touch
Speaker:with fellow Breezers in your local area.
Speaker:You can get together for coffee or even establish more formal
Speaker:face-to-face networking type meetings.
Speaker:It's a way to create collaborations.
Speaker:I've seen local brick and mortar shops reach out to regional
Speaker:makers to display their product in store,
Speaker:helping increase visibility for both of them.
Speaker:I've also watched Breezers get together and do virtual shopping shows,
Speaker:offering different,
Speaker:but compatible products,
Speaker:thereby getting exposure to each other's audiences and let's face it.
Speaker:This going live thing is a lot easier when you do
Speaker:it with somebody else,
Speaker:the things we can do through our connections together is far
Speaker:greater than what we can achieve on our own.
Speaker:The buzz book facilitates that.
Speaker:And again,
Speaker:it's totally free for more details and to learn how to
Speaker:be listed.
Speaker:Join the gift biz breeze,
Speaker:Facebook group,
Speaker:all the details.
Speaker:Along with a video,
Speaker:talking more about the program are right there,
Speaker:separated as a special guide for easy access.
Speaker:Today's show is all about winning my guests.
Speaker:Just one big $100,000
Speaker:big for that matter.
Speaker:He's the latest master maker from this season's NBC show making
Speaker:it. Did you watch,
Speaker:oh my gosh.
Speaker:So many unbelievably creative makers,
Speaker:the ideas they come out with and the end products are
Speaker:incredible. The out of the box,
Speaker:thinking the risks to push their creativity beyond the limits.
Speaker:It's such a fun show.
Speaker:And if you haven't seen it,
Speaker:you can still go back and catch the show now because
Speaker:it's available on demand.
Speaker:It's fun to hear the behind the scenes of being on
Speaker:the show and you're going to get all of that,
Speaker:but I want you to be a winner too,
Speaker:by taking away new ideas or inspiration that you can apply
Speaker:to your business.
Speaker:That's always my goal with each podcast episode.
Speaker:And you'll see that I had you in mind the entire
Speaker:time with my line of questioning.
Speaker:We dive deep into things that I know you give thought
Speaker:to regularly,
Speaker:the creative side of being a maker and all that comes
Speaker:with that from an emotional and tactical creative level.
Speaker:Let's turn now and shine the spotlight on our featured master
Speaker:maker. I am so excited to introduce you to Adam Kingmen.
Speaker:Adam is the most recently titled master maker.
Speaker:He's the winner from season.
Speaker:Three's making it show hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Hoffman.
Speaker:Adam is an industrial designer and creative director from lake Tahoe.
Speaker:Growing up the mountains were his playground influencing his stewardship of
Speaker:the planet and resourcefulness of craft with recycled and retired materials.
Speaker:Adam is a modern day MacGyver using designing,
Speaker:thinking to create simple,
Speaker:intuitive solutions outside of work.
Speaker:Adam loves to write stories,
Speaker:direct short films and explore the Sierras.
Speaker:Adam believes we're all just kids at heart and imagination is
Speaker:our finest resource.
Speaker:His dream is to be a Disney Imagineer and someday a
Speaker:design professor,
Speaker:Adam, welcome to the gift biz unwrapped podcast.
Speaker:Hi Sue.
Speaker:Thank you so much for that intro.
Speaker:I was like tearing up.
Speaker:I was like,
Speaker:oh my gosh,
Speaker:I've never heard anybody read it with like heart.
Speaker:So thank you and great to be here.
Speaker:I love what you do.
Speaker:And as we were talking about in the pre chat a
Speaker:little bit,
Speaker:all of our listeners are right in line with you.
Speaker:So I am super excited to get into the conversation,
Speaker:but I have to delay it for just a short second,
Speaker:because I'm going to have you participate in what has become
Speaker:a tradition on this show.
Speaker:And that is having you describe yourself in a little bit
Speaker:of a different way through a motivational candle.
Speaker:So if you were to share with us what a candle
Speaker:would look like,
Speaker:that speaks all about you,
Speaker:Adam, what color is it?
Speaker:And what would be a quote or a saying on your
Speaker:candle? Such a good question.
Speaker:The candle would be yellow.
Speaker:Yellow is my favorite color because it is the color of
Speaker:warmth of sunshine,
Speaker:of happiness and the girl next door when I was five
Speaker:years old and she was five years old,
Speaker:she told me her favorite color was yellow.
Speaker:And we have since grown up and she is the bravest
Speaker:woman I know,
Speaker:and my color has to this day remained yellow.
Speaker:So it always reminds me of her.
Speaker:And my quote would be enjoy the process because I believe
Speaker:process is the most important thing.
Speaker:And the older we get,
Speaker:the more we think about perception and presentation and we lose
Speaker:sight of why we did anything in the first place was
Speaker:simply because we love the process.
Speaker:And that's what I want my candle to remind you and
Speaker:everybody who sees it,
Speaker:Hey, do it because you love it.
Speaker:You love every step of the way,
Speaker:regardless of the outcome or the presentation.
Speaker:Yes. I love that.
Speaker:Enjoy the process.
Speaker:And you know,
Speaker:it's so easy to forget that because we get so involved
Speaker:in taken up with like what our goals are,
Speaker:forgetting that what you're doing along the way and those small
Speaker:points of success and appreciation and interaction with people and all
Speaker:of that.
Speaker:You don't want to lose that because that's the gold.
Speaker:Exactly. I'm sure Winning master maker is amazing.
Speaker:That's what you were going for.
Speaker:But being able to work with other contestants,
Speaker:just this whole process of going through the journey with the
Speaker:show and all of that was steps that I'm sure you
Speaker:got a lot from along the way,
Speaker:too. Absolutely.
Speaker:And you bring up such a good point and it's not
Speaker:often a question I get asked about the show,
Speaker:but there are ideas I have we're on the show.
Speaker:We're told the challenge ready,
Speaker:set, go,
Speaker:or now make it right.
Speaker:The catch phrase.
Speaker:And you know,
Speaker:I start thinking through ideas and there were times where I
Speaker:knew what I wanted to make.
Speaker:I had this idea,
Speaker:I had the vision,
Speaker:the outcome,
Speaker:but then I go,
Speaker:wait a minute.
Speaker:I don't actually want to make this.
Speaker:I wouldn't have fun making this.
Speaker:Like Nick and Amy would come over and they'd be like,
Speaker:out of it looks like you're having a bad day.
Speaker:I'm just foreseeing this happening.
Speaker:And I'm like,
Speaker:well, yeah,
Speaker:because I don't actually like stained glass.
Speaker:I would rather be doing this.
Speaker:And so I catch myself and go,
Speaker:Hey, even if I don't finish,
Speaker:what would I love to make every minute of this show
Speaker:and you're spot on,
Speaker:correct. Love it.
Speaker:It is the gold.
Speaker:And that's where you really add your heart and your spirit
Speaker:and your passion.
Speaker:And it's got to reflect on what comes out through your
Speaker:hands, through the creativity too.
Speaker:Yeah. All right.
Speaker:Well, let's back it up for a second.
Speaker:Share with me a little bit about how you became a
Speaker:maker by passion or profession or wherever you want to start
Speaker:with that.
Speaker:Sure. Good question.
Speaker:I think growing up in lake Tahoe,
Speaker:I lived in the woods and I was always just tinkering,
Speaker:building forts,
Speaker:building snow caves.
Speaker:And I loved creating spaces and architecture rooms houses like anything
Speaker:that I could put myself in would fascinate me because you
Speaker:could create a whole experience and that's very much large-scale,
Speaker:but small scale,
Speaker:I also loved creating the objects within the space and how
Speaker:much joy would be created by interacting with certain things in
Speaker:my life.
Speaker:Like I was very picky,
Speaker:very selective,
Speaker:very interested in,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:the way things have made me feel and ultimately curiosity as
Speaker:well. I just love to figure things out,
Speaker:take them apart,
Speaker:put them back together and understand how they worked and growing
Speaker:up now I'm,
Speaker:let's say 18 and I'm in college and I stumbled into
Speaker:the design major at university of Washington.
Speaker:I always thought I wanted to be an architect.
Speaker:Right. Cause that's what I understood.
Speaker:That's what I thought I liked.
Speaker:And I still do like,
Speaker:but I had never heard of design and I take this
Speaker:class and I fall in love with it right away,
Speaker:because it's all about what is objective versus subjective.
Speaker:How do you solve a problem?
Speaker:How do you create something that makes people feel a certain
Speaker:way? And every question I had always wondered growing up with
Speaker:suddenly being answered,
Speaker:I didn't even know what questions to ask,
Speaker:but I'm being told things that I've always wanted to know
Speaker:and graduated in 2014 with a degree in industrial design,
Speaker:which is all about designing products and spaces and objects that
Speaker:are understandable,
Speaker:intuitive that make you feel good.
Speaker:That bring you joy.
Speaker:Are you using that today in your professional career?
Speaker:Yeah. My day job is I'm an industrial designer at a
Speaker:consultancy and creative consultancy in San Francisco.
Speaker:So it's a mix,
Speaker:big mix of projects.
Speaker:And I still have creative inches on the weekends to take
Speaker:photos or direct short films or be a little sillier.
Speaker:I just love working with my hands and working with people
Speaker:who think like me and who don't think like me,
Speaker:it's such a creative world.
Speaker:And that curiosity kind of pulls me into all sorts of
Speaker:scenarios. I've got to say,
Speaker:I know for sure that we have listeners here who just
Speaker:like, from what you're describing,
Speaker:you've always had that creative vein running through you.
Speaker:It gives you joy and fulfillment and all of that.
Speaker:And you've been very fortunate because you've been able to continue
Speaker:that on as you've gotten to be an adult in your
Speaker:professional career and all.
Speaker:And so many people that I know are listening,
Speaker:have done other things for their profession,
Speaker:become bankers or realtors,
Speaker:name it,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:whatever it is,
Speaker:but now are gravitating back to the,
Speaker:making the craft and things that they enjoy and trying to
Speaker:kind of discover what's possible for them as they continue on
Speaker:either in addition to what their quote unquote professional job is,
Speaker:or possibly transitioning even into a business around whatever their creative
Speaker:art is.
Speaker:So we're in the same group,
Speaker:Adam right here.
Speaker:I love hearing though,
Speaker:that you were able to move this into your professional life
Speaker:too. And I know you have big visions for the future
Speaker:as well,
Speaker:which is amazing.
Speaker:I've watched the whole season.
Speaker:So I have known you from the beginning when you first
Speaker:appeared on the show and it seems to me,
Speaker:first of all are like a magnet for people.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:everyone adored you so much on the show and you're also
Speaker:kind of a sensitive guy,
Speaker:aren't you?
Speaker:Why are you laughing?
Speaker:I guess I am sensitive.
Speaker:That's a new descriptor for me sensitive,
Speaker:but yeah,
Speaker:I do.
Speaker:I feel right.
Speaker:Things, you know,
Speaker:emotions are a gift and if we listen to them,
Speaker:that can be a huge asset.
Speaker:Right? Well,
Speaker:that was kind of where I was getting at with the
Speaker:question is,
Speaker:do you see yourself using that?
Speaker:Like what you're feeling and what you're sensing and all of
Speaker:that as you apply it to your creativity?
Speaker:Yeah. That's such a good question.
Speaker:I go back to like the rules of good design,
Speaker:right? Good design.
Speaker:Not only does it satisfy a function,
Speaker:but it also makes you feel things.
Speaker:Does it make you feel frustrated,
Speaker:angry, upset?
Speaker:Does it make you feel seen or understood?
Speaker:Does it make you feel nothing?
Speaker:Right? It almost disappears.
Speaker:Like some people say good design is almost invisible because you
Speaker:don't even notice that it's there.
Speaker:And I just remember being on the show and the judges
Speaker:would give us the criteria of what they're looking for.
Speaker:And I would always add in a few more bullet points
Speaker:for my own personal goals,
Speaker:right? So if nobody was in this barn with me,
Speaker:what would I make?
Speaker:Like what would I love to have walked away with at
Speaker:the end of the day?
Speaker:And I would always add in can't really want it to
Speaker:be interactive.
Speaker:You have to be able to touch it.
Speaker:You have to be able to push and pull or sit
Speaker:or step into something.
Speaker:So interactive first and foremost,
Speaker:second, there has to be an element of surprise.
Speaker:There also has to be something emotive and there has to
Speaker:be story and always would try to integrate just a little
Speaker:bit more into it.
Speaker:And we look to our past for inspiration.
Speaker:I believe we know what we love and that exists in
Speaker:our memories because they stand out.
Speaker:And so how do we pull from memories to create something
Speaker:special? And so I think certainly a sensitivity and our emotions,
Speaker:if we want them to can play really strongly.
Speaker:And that goes back to what you were saying in the
Speaker:beginning is it has to be something that I'm enjoying making.
Speaker:And then the result is going to be the best,
Speaker:which includes emotion,
Speaker:past experience,
Speaker:what your interests are at the time.
Speaker:And now we know that you added additional goals on top
Speaker:of yourself,
Speaker:so super achiever,
Speaker:but that was what made you happy and continued making you
Speaker:challenged at all.
Speaker:So we have to start now from how did you get
Speaker:involved with making it,
Speaker:how did this whole thing come about?
Speaker:Sure. So this is now mid pandemic and my sister and
Speaker:I are both home in Tahoe.
Speaker:And my sister Abby starts watching this show called making it.
Speaker:I had no idea what it was,
Speaker:but quickly found myself with my sister.
Speaker:It was our nightly ritual.
Speaker:We would watch making it,
Speaker:we loved it.
Speaker:We got so involved and I remember being so inspired by
Speaker:Justine and Justy and their creative approach and almost abstract presentations.
Speaker:I loved it.
Speaker:I had never seen something like that on TV before.
Speaker:And I turned to my sister and I go,
Speaker:oh, this looks like so much fun.
Speaker:And my sister goes,
Speaker:I would have fun watching you on this show.
Speaker:I give her some side-eye and I go,
Speaker:what, what do you mean?
Speaker:She's like,
Speaker:I think you'd be great on the show.
Speaker:I was like,
Speaker:huh. Okay.
Speaker:I don't think they're looking for a guy like me.
Speaker:I don't really have a thing.
Speaker:I kind of just like to make cribbage boards with scrap
Speaker:wood, but maybe we'll see.
Speaker:And so Google casting call making it season three,
Speaker:find the portal,
Speaker:make a little video and submit an application.
Speaker:And a few weeks later,
Speaker:get a call back.
Speaker:And a couple of months later,
Speaker:next thing I know I'm in the barn with the makers
Speaker:and we're making,
Speaker:Was it surreal for you that you were there from this
Speaker:idea, sitting with your sister watching to actually then being on
Speaker:set had to be crazy.
Speaker:It's wild.
Speaker:Cause you're watching through the TV right here.
Speaker:You're watching this thing and suddenly you're in it.
Speaker:It's real.
Speaker:And it's around you.
Speaker:And it just was so fascinating and so wonderful.
Speaker:And I loved watching Nick and Amy and I have never
Speaker:been around actors or actresses before.
Speaker:Right. Entertainment.
Speaker:That's a whole world.
Speaker:I know nothing about,
Speaker:but to be around these two characters who are not just
Speaker:entertainers, but like really,
Speaker:really good entertainers,
Speaker:right. They know how to read the room.
Speaker:They know how to give people joy and laughter and I
Speaker:found myself just so enamored watching them perform and then work
Speaker:and the improv that they do and the way that they
Speaker:can just have these beautiful conversations and joke around as I'm
Speaker:like crocheting,
Speaker:I'm sitting there crocheting like front row seat to an improv
Speaker:theater. It was wild.
Speaker:So yes.
Speaker:Surreal is a great word.
Speaker:Well, an added bonus that you weren't expecting,
Speaker:I guess,
Speaker:but Adam,
Speaker:why didn't you think that it should be,
Speaker:you, you know,
Speaker:you were saying when your sister first suggested it,
Speaker:you're like,
Speaker:I don't know,
Speaker:like me,
Speaker:why would it be me?
Speaker:Why would they want someone like me?
Speaker:Why would you think that?
Speaker:I guess I didn't think it would be me because I
Speaker:have a hard time explaining what I do.
Speaker:And I don't really have a thing.
Speaker:I suppose we always feel like we have to have a
Speaker:thing or a certain craft or a certain medium.
Speaker:We have to commit to one thing and that's it.
Speaker:And if we're a Jack of all trades,
Speaker:then we're actually kind of useless,
Speaker:which I believe the complete opposite.
Speaker:Right? Like the more skills you have or materials,
Speaker:methodologies are familiar with that's when you have fun.
Speaker:Cause that's when you can start merging unlikely mediums and you
Speaker:create these outcomes that you would never expect.
Speaker:I just thought the show wanted somebody a little craftier.
Speaker:I don't know what crowd.
Speaker:I don't know.
Speaker:Well, you know,
Speaker:Well, it's interesting that you say that though.
Speaker:Well, first off and the reason I wanted to ask you
Speaker:that question is I think there are a lot of us
Speaker:who make things who don't feel like we have what it
Speaker:takes or we're not enough,
Speaker:like, or it can be other people,
Speaker:but it can't be us.
Speaker:And then look,
Speaker:you had that initial thought and now you're the master maker.
Speaker:I bring it up for everybody listening who would go along
Speaker:that line of thinking.
Speaker:And there's no reason it can't be any of us,
Speaker:except when we stand in our own way.
Speaker:Because look,
Speaker:if you wouldn't have gone through and just said,
Speaker:oh, I'm going to apply.
Speaker:Let you know,
Speaker:we'll see what happens.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:if you didn't do that,
Speaker:someone else would be master maker.
Speaker:So it was just putting yourself out there,
Speaker:believing in yourself just enough,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:just enough to take that action,
Speaker:to see what could happen.
Speaker:Yeah. I love that.
Speaker:And look at you now.
Speaker:And then I'm going to say one other thing.
Speaker:When you say like everyone has to stand for one thing,
Speaker:you know what I see you standing as the modern day
Speaker:MacGyver, you know,
Speaker:that is your thing.
Speaker:No, because you're taking all these different types of things.
Speaker:Every single thing you make is different,
Speaker:but you're applying your same skills.
Speaker:And that is what makes you,
Speaker:you, that is your special thing.
Speaker:If that makes sense and pulling from the environment,
Speaker:no matter what the end result is,
Speaker:it might be all different types of pieces and products and
Speaker:sheds and everything else.
Speaker:But it's still coming from that same source of inspiration,
Speaker:right? So I'm saying you have a thing at them already.
Speaker:Yeah. What I love about you bringing what guy for backup
Speaker:is, and again,
Speaker:you ask like,
Speaker:why not me?
Speaker:And I go,
Speaker:I don't have a wood shop.
Speaker:I don't have a studio.
Speaker:I don't have a laser cutter.
Speaker:I don't have a sewing shop.
Speaker:Like I don't have all these tools that I think what
Speaker:I assume a master maker would have.
Speaker:I am always on the road.
Speaker:I'm here and there and I travel light and I don't
Speaker:necessarily have all these tools,
Speaker:literally in my duffel bag,
Speaker:I have a pocket knife and maybe a crochet hook.
Speaker:And I let that prevent me from feeling.
Speaker:I have a place on that show,
Speaker:which as you said,
Speaker:I just acted on that feeling of,
Speaker:Hey, who knows?
Speaker:Maybe I have something different to offer.
Speaker:I think that was the push of,
Speaker:okay, this may not go anywhere,
Speaker:but gosh,
Speaker:wouldn't it be cool to meet Nick Offerman?
Speaker:That was it.
Speaker:It was like,
Speaker:I just want to meet Nick.
Speaker:And you know,
Speaker:maybe they won't pick me for the show.
Speaker:Maybe Nick Offerman will see my application video and be like,
Speaker:like high school.
Speaker:And I'll never hear back,
Speaker:but maybe I made him laugh.
Speaker:That was like,
Speaker:step one,
Speaker:right? Like,
Speaker:oh, step one,
Speaker:let's just do this.
Speaker:And we'll see where it,
Speaker:And it's also much more like,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:I'm so proud of you and so excited and happy for
Speaker:you that you did that.
Speaker:This is something I want everybody to think of is we
Speaker:limit ourselves.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:what's possible.
Speaker:If we just don't stand in our own way,
Speaker:you can become a star like Adam,
Speaker:I Want to emphasize what you say of,
Speaker:we get in the way of our own opportunity.
Speaker:We dismiss ourselves,
Speaker:which is so silly.
Speaker:I often have to remind myself,
Speaker:Hey, these ideas,
Speaker:the ideas in my head,
Speaker:they're invitations to create their opportunities.
Speaker:And if I don't act on these ideas,
Speaker:I feel like it's a disservice to myself.
Speaker:It's a disservice to the world,
Speaker:right? For some reason,
Speaker:these things are in my head.
Speaker:I should share them because nobody knows that they're up there.
Speaker:And maybe somebody might resonate with this strange dream I had
Speaker:or this impulse,
Speaker:this thought I had driving from Seattle to Tahoe.
Speaker:And the more I act on these silly ideas,
Speaker:the more people are like,
Speaker:wait, I resonate with that too.
Speaker:And I go,
Speaker:oh my gosh.
Speaker:Cool. Okay.
Speaker:I'll listen to those impulses.
Speaker:Those feelings a little more.
Speaker:Yeah. I love what you said.
Speaker:The ideas in my head are an invitation to create.
Speaker:I love that.
Speaker:Yeah. It's beautiful.
Speaker:Nobody knows what's in your head until you let it out.
Speaker:It was so funny.
Speaker:I like this conversation.
Speaker:You're bringing up thoughts that I have long forgotten about.
Speaker:I remember episode one on the theme of like getting in
Speaker:your own way,
Speaker:tripping on yourself.
Speaker:I remember they said make a family portrait.
Speaker:I'm like,
Speaker:Ooh, what if I made portraits of my family?
Speaker:And I used like cards or baseball cards.
Speaker:I'm just going to use like objects.
Speaker:I remember thinking don't do that.
Speaker:That's stupid.
Speaker:Everyone else is going to do that too.
Speaker:Like the skin skill look like everyone else's and I drew
Speaker:up a few other ideas,
Speaker:but I had to act quick and I had to move
Speaker:fast. And so I just ran outside and made those baseball
Speaker:portraits. And then the clock was up.
Speaker:They call time.
Speaker:And I remember seeing everybody else's and done like holy smokes.
Speaker:They're all so different.
Speaker:Everybody thinks so uniquely.
Speaker:And I kind of was kicking myself,
Speaker:going, okay,
Speaker:get out of your head out of like,
Speaker:don't dismiss your first ideas.
Speaker:Like, Hey,
Speaker:that first idea you have,
Speaker:it's often just waiting to come out.
Speaker:So go with it,
Speaker:see where it goes.
Speaker:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker:Well, and this you've walked me perfectly into another conversation I
Speaker:want to have with you.
Speaker:And that is okay.
Speaker:Here you are on the show.
Speaker:And I'm going to just describe it a little bit for
Speaker:anybody who hasn't seen the show,
Speaker:but you're given an assignment and you're given,
Speaker:let's just go with the last one,
Speaker:which was the stats,
Speaker:right? Or the porches were so fun to those porches.
Speaker:Well, we'll stay with the shots.
Speaker:So you're given a shed.
Speaker:So everyone starts with the same base piece.
Speaker:I guess I'll call it.
Speaker:These are full life sheds.
Speaker:They're not like a little mock up on a table for
Speaker:anyone who seen the show yet.
Speaker:And then there's like a place you go to pull any
Speaker:product that you want to use to make your shed.
Speaker:Right. And you get certain things that you're going to be
Speaker:judged on,
Speaker:which is how they're going to rank and decide who the
Speaker:winner is for that project.
Speaker:Right? So you find all of this out,
Speaker:like within the second.
Speaker:And then you have to go running to decide what you
Speaker:want to pull back and use for your project.
Speaker:How does your mind work?
Speaker:Like you find out what you're doing.
Speaker:You find out what you're going to be judged with.
Speaker:You're running to a set of items.
Speaker:How does all of that work in your creative mind?
Speaker:Adam, are you thinking of what you're designing first?
Speaker:Or are you running into the pile and seeing what's there
Speaker:and then developing it?
Speaker:How does that work?
Speaker:It intrigues me that you can do that so fast.
Speaker:Next we'll get a peek inside.
Speaker:Adam's creative mind,
Speaker:but a short break first to hear from our sponsor.
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Speaker:Thank you.
Speaker:That's such a good question.
Speaker:I have a few different ideas popped into my mind as
Speaker:you're asking that,
Speaker:and I have two things.
Speaker:One is the brain Rolodex and the two is the scrap
Speaker:pile. And if I forget to touch either one of those
Speaker:feel free to loop it back in.
Speaker:But first I want to talk about the brain Rolodex.
Speaker:This is what I call the internal pinup board that we
Speaker:all have in our mind.
Speaker:I feel like we often feel like an idea just happens
Speaker:on the spot,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:and just,
Speaker:we just get this spark of inspiration right away.
Speaker:And it happens.
Speaker:And sometimes that happens.
Speaker:But I think often we observe and we just start collecting
Speaker:ideas. We collect materials and things and approaches that we really
Speaker:like that stand out.
Speaker:And we often don't really know what to do with them
Speaker:in that moment of time because you know,
Speaker:you're buying vegetables or you're showering.
Speaker:That's why I like the shower.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:it's such good ideas in the shower because you're just standing
Speaker:there thinking and we have to store these ideas away.
Speaker:And I remember being in the barn and being surrounded by
Speaker:so many materials that I had never seen before that I
Speaker:didn't even know what they were even tools.
Speaker:I'm like,
Speaker:I don't know what this thing is.
Speaker:What's this little pizza cutter.
Speaker:I still don't know what that thing is in my desk.
Speaker:And you just start storing concepts,
Speaker:storing crafts and materials in my brain relatives.
Speaker:And so when they say,
Speaker:Hey, shed hack,
Speaker:I immediately go,
Speaker:okay, what has been sitting in my head that would go
Speaker:inside, said shed.
Speaker:So meanwhile,
Speaker:that's like the brain Rolodex,
Speaker:it's sort of this like pinup board.
Speaker:And then there's the scrap pile.
Speaker:And I remember being on the show and week after week,
Speaker:I would walk past this section of the barn that was
Speaker:just slowly accumulating,
Speaker:really nice hardwoods,
Speaker:really nice pieces of ripstop lots of embroidery hoops,
Speaker:great canvas fabric,
Speaker:really great durable canvas,
Speaker:even some steel,
Speaker:some like tube steel.
Speaker:And I kept walking past this pile and I would turn
Speaker:to my makers and be like,
Speaker:guys, what's all this stuff.
Speaker:I'm like,
Speaker:oh, that's the scrap pile.
Speaker:And like,
Speaker:what? This is a scrap pile.
Speaker:This is treasure.
Speaker:What are you talking about?
Speaker:Like, this is good stuff.
Speaker:And I was like,
Speaker:wait, what's the future of all this unloved set aside material.
Speaker:So that's concluding topic,
Speaker:number two,
Speaker:scrap pile.
Speaker:And so we're told,
Speaker:Hey, make a shed,
Speaker:make a space,
Speaker:make your happy place.
Speaker:And I immediately go,
Speaker:oh my happy place.
Speaker:This is about for the first time in this whole show,
Speaker:we're being asked to create something for ourselves,
Speaker:not somebody else.
Speaker:And I go,
Speaker:Ooh, what do I love?
Speaker:I love primary colors.
Speaker:I love the playfulness of red,
Speaker:yellow, and blue.
Speaker:And so I'm like,
Speaker:okay, that's my palette.
Speaker:So I first paint the walls.
Speaker:I go,
Speaker:okay, what else is my happy place?
Speaker:The woods.
Speaker:Okay. So it's got to feel woodsy.
Speaker:I go,
Speaker:okay, there's some beautiful Palm trees and trees surrounding the barn.
Speaker:So I have to knock out these windows.
Speaker:So I cut out these windows and I cut them out
Speaker:above eye level.
Speaker:So you only see the tree tops and the blue sky.
Speaker:So when you look out the window,
Speaker:it feels like you're much higher than you actually are.
Speaker:And I go,
Speaker:okay, I want it to be airy.
Speaker:So let's create a porch.
Speaker:Let's create,
Speaker:I'm going to knock out a side door because I want
Speaker:people to move through it.
Speaker:Right. I don't want to dead end.
Speaker:So you walk in and you turn around and walk out.
Speaker:I want you to walk in from the side.
Speaker:You can check it out.
Speaker:You can go out on the porch and it creates this
Speaker:nice flow.
Speaker:And I remember filming Amy turns to me before they start
Speaker:rolling the cameras.
Speaker:And she goes,
Speaker:oh my gosh,
Speaker:Adam, we've never walked in on the side before.
Speaker:I'm like,
Speaker:what do you mean?
Speaker:She goes,
Speaker:we've never walked into the side of a shed.
Speaker:They've all been from entry.
Speaker:And that was fun for her to say.
Speaker:So meanwhile,
Speaker:the shed itself is starting to take shape.
Speaker:And I start looking at these materials.
Speaker:I'm like,
Speaker:okay, what can I do?
Speaker:Okay. I need a place to sit.
Speaker:I need a couch.
Speaker:I have this palette.
Speaker:That's primary color.
Speaker:Primary color goes really good with mid-century mid-century furniture and design
Speaker:aesthetic. And I love Charles and Ray Eames.
Speaker:So I'm like,
Speaker:okay, what would they do?
Speaker:What would Charles and Ray Eames do?
Speaker:And so I made a fire pit.
Speaker:I made it a little asymmetrical.
Speaker:I made a huge bookshelf.
Speaker:And again,
Speaker:with this scrap fabric laying around,
Speaker:instead of painting,
Speaker:I just put fabric on the back of my bookshelf.
Speaker:So it kind of looked like Mondrian.
Speaker:I love monitory on the painter and it's just starts taking
Speaker:shape. And the scrap pile like continues to grow as I
Speaker:take from it at the same time.
Speaker:And so I added trellis and I add this like fo
Speaker:extruded wall.
Speaker:And I keep finding these there's some bowls,
Speaker:there's some shapes.
Speaker:I have extra lamp cord and I just add lamps.
Speaker:And it was just sort of this analog,
Speaker:organic growth of like,
Speaker:I kept finding things and they fit and it worked.
Speaker:And that's,
Speaker:what's fun about the MacGyver approach mixed with a little mid-century
Speaker:is it's very simple.
Speaker:It doesn't have to be elegant.
Speaker:It doesn't have to be too detailed,
Speaker:but the details that are there,
Speaker:just make sure that they're thoughtful.
Speaker:I don't know.
Speaker:That's it It's really interesting because when we watched the show
Speaker:and of course they can't put everything on air,
Speaker:right. But you were made some comments on the show that
Speaker:I understand much better just by your description.
Speaker:Now, like one of the things you talked about is I
Speaker:kept going back to the scrap pile.
Speaker:Well, now I understand better what the scrap pile was.
Speaker:But another thing you said is,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:the doors that you put on your shed that you described
Speaker:as kind of quilt,
Speaker:it was actually out of wood,
Speaker:right? Or that's maybe where you use the rounds,
Speaker:the frames.
Speaker:I'm not sure if that's what you use,
Speaker:but you made the comment about the sun coming in.
Speaker:You, you were saying,
Speaker:I just could imagine at sunset,
Speaker:the sun coming in and reflecting all those colors.
Speaker:Now I'm understanding it better because you were taking the outside
Speaker:into your shed as well.
Speaker:Not it wasn't just the shed itself.
Speaker:It was the extensions of what would happen with what you
Speaker:made in the shed.
Speaker:So I hadn't gotten that before.
Speaker:So that was,
Speaker:that's really interesting.
Speaker:That's a total side personal note from me,
Speaker:but would it be right to say that you didn't have
Speaker:the finished product already imagined it continued to be created over
Speaker:time based on how it started to evolve?
Speaker:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker:And you start with a feeling and you kind of build
Speaker:it out.
Speaker:And because the shed was so big,
Speaker:it was really hard to fathom,
Speaker:like every detail that would go into it.
Speaker:But you start with the hero moments,
Speaker:the door,
Speaker:the couch,
Speaker:the bookshelf,
Speaker:the porch,
Speaker:and you go,
Speaker:okay, now I have moments.
Speaker:What moment I want within the moment.
Speaker:Right? Dream within a dream.
Speaker:Once you get a closer look,
Speaker:then what do you discover?
Speaker:Okay. So I walked through the door,
Speaker:what happens now?
Speaker:And I found this lovely felt also there's beautiful felt in
Speaker:the barn.
Speaker:And so I made these really almost like Danish style,
Speaker:like slippers.
Speaker:It's really quick,
Speaker:really quickly.
Speaker:It just stepped on some cardboard.
Speaker:I made it out of masking tape.
Speaker:I made a masking tape slipper and then cut it in
Speaker:half. And then that became my template,
Speaker:which I traced on felt,
Speaker:and then made a couple of pairs of little felon slippers.
Speaker:I'm like,
Speaker:Ooh, I want right feelings.
Speaker:Like, okay,
Speaker:hospitality, that's important.
Speaker:Well, what makes you feel like a guest?
Speaker:Oh, slippers a gift,
Speaker:a gift when you walk in.
Speaker:And so it was very organic and starting big and hour
Speaker:after hour seeing,
Speaker:okay, well what's next and working big to small was huge.
Speaker:And I think this is a really big point too,
Speaker:is you don't always need to know where you're going in
Speaker:the end yet.
Speaker:You can build it up along the way.
Speaker:Yeah. We were talking about it for a creative challenge,
Speaker:but I think that's important overall.
Speaker:You don't always know how you're going to get there or
Speaker:what it's going to look like in the eye and you
Speaker:just know the direction you're trying to take.
Speaker:Right. That's what I'm hearing from you and how your creative
Speaker:vision built upon itself until you got to the end.
Speaker:Right? I once met a writer.
Speaker:I think I was sitting at a coffee shop and this
Speaker:woman was writing notebook page after notebook page.
Speaker:And I've always admired story and I would love to be
Speaker:a writer,
Speaker:but I've always,
Speaker:I don't know.
Speaker:I don't quite understand.
Speaker:I'm learning.
Speaker:It's interesting to me,
Speaker:we're Always learning.
Speaker:Right, right.
Speaker:And I say,
Speaker:Hey, what's the best piece of advice anybody ever gave you
Speaker:when writing?
Speaker:And she said,
Speaker:write down everything,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:to figure out what you don't.
Speaker:And I loved that.
Speaker:And that applies to what you're saying,
Speaker:Sue with this shit,
Speaker:right. Start with what you know,
Speaker:okay. I know I want this and this and this.
Speaker:Okay. Now that you've got that out of the way,
Speaker:what's next and you don't need to know every single detail
Speaker:to take that first step.
Speaker:So well said,
Speaker:spot on.
Speaker:I'm just trying to get a little view into your creative
Speaker:mind. And that's what I'm coming from listening to is you
Speaker:don't have to know the whole thing.
Speaker:It just new ideas are generated based on what you put
Speaker:together to a point,
Speaker:and then you just continue layering it on.
Speaker:The other thing I was hearing from you is,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:when you were talking about the slippers is you thought about
Speaker:what the piece or the product or the element would be,
Speaker:but you also thought about what emotion would that generate,
Speaker:which adds a whole nother level to what the experience,
Speaker:the atmosphere or the feeling that someone gets when they're looking
Speaker:or interacting with whatever you make.
Speaker:So I think that that's really significant and something worth all
Speaker:of us thinking about when we're making something.
Speaker:Yeah. That's fun.
Speaker:I like how you said that,
Speaker:what emotion start with the emotion and then work backwards.
Speaker:You get a certain number of hours to complete different tasks.
Speaker:Right? Right.
Speaker:Do you always work up to the amount of time you
Speaker:have allocated or is there ever a point let's say it's
Speaker:like half an hour before and you're like,
Speaker:Nope, this is perfect.
Speaker:Where it is.
Speaker:I'm going to leave it alone now.
Speaker:Or do you use up all your time?
Speaker:It's a mix.
Speaker:Sometimes I would finish a little bit early one episode.
Speaker:I finished my hammock chair a little bit early.
Speaker:And so I ran over to help Chelsea with what she
Speaker:was working on.
Speaker:And that was rare.
Speaker:That was rare that I finished early and sometimes I'm working
Speaker:right up to the clock and sometimes I would add stretch
Speaker:goals, what I'd like to call them.
Speaker:It's where I go.
Speaker:Okay. I know I need this in order to have a
Speaker:successful day to feel accomplished.
Speaker:I have to finish this,
Speaker:but how cool would it be if I made this as
Speaker:well? Right.
Speaker:So like the slippers that was like,
Speaker:no way did I need to put slippers in my shed,
Speaker:but wouldn't it be cool if there was slippers?
Speaker:And so I think that's where I would always add these
Speaker:little bullet point footnotes to go,
Speaker:okay. If I have time at this.
Speaker:Cause that would be cool in short the answer.
Speaker:Yes. I was always working up to the clock.
Speaker:It's interesting how those ideas evolved as you were working in
Speaker:completing something else.
Speaker:I've kind of think,
Speaker:you know how sometimes if you keep going,
Speaker:it ruins,
Speaker:like you're adding in more than you need for the impact.
Speaker:And it actually reduces the impact.
Speaker:Like if you just keep adding on and adding on and
Speaker:adding on Yeah.
Speaker:Knowing when to stop,
Speaker:Knowing when to stop.
Speaker:Yeah. And I think you said it depends.
Speaker:Good point.
Speaker:Great question.
Speaker:The baseball portraits on episode one,
Speaker:I was really tempted to paint the faces because I was
Speaker:doing really good on time and I had the faces assembled,
Speaker:but not yet glued in place.
Speaker:And I looked at them and I was like,
Speaker:are these too flat?
Speaker:Are these too boring?
Speaker:Does it look under cooked?
Speaker:And I said,
Speaker:no, no,
Speaker:no, no.
Speaker:I think it's good enough.
Speaker:I think it's good enough.
Speaker:Don't paint it.
Speaker:Do not paint these faces.
Speaker:I'm not a big painter.
Speaker:And that was almost going against my own aesthetic or what
Speaker:I would like.
Speaker:And I was like,
Speaker:no, no,
Speaker:no, don't paint it.
Speaker:Don't paint that finish early.
Speaker:And just don't overdo it as you said,
Speaker:no one to stop.
Speaker:And so yeah,
Speaker:there were times where you're like,
Speaker:okay, I'm done.
Speaker:I done walk away And total judgment call.
Speaker:Right? Like you might've painted it.
Speaker:And it turned out great.
Speaker:But there's something to be said for leaving things to the
Speaker:imagination too.
Speaker:And you've just got to call it,
Speaker:you decide one way or another.
Speaker:So really,
Speaker:really interesting.
Speaker:So if we were to sum all this up,
Speaker:Adam, what would you say overall about your experience now being
Speaker:the master maker?
Speaker:I learned to trust my gut.
Speaker:You have these ideas go for it.
Speaker:And as you said,
Speaker:I would get in the way of my own creativity.
Speaker:I'd get in the way of my own output and what
Speaker:was most unexpected and most wonderful and value from this show
Speaker:was realizing that my craft are so simple,
Speaker:but they're more than enough.
Speaker:And the comments I've gotten since the show has aired have
Speaker:been so kind.
Speaker:And so many people are saying,
Speaker:Hey, this simplicity is great.
Speaker:Or, Hey,
Speaker:I understand this.
Speaker:Or, Hey,
Speaker:I resonate with what you're saying.
Speaker:And so what I always thought wasn't enough.
Speaker:People are saying,
Speaker:oh, this feels great.
Speaker:And I like it.
Speaker:And thank you for being on that show to remind me
Speaker:that this is good.
Speaker:This works,
Speaker:this style.
Speaker:And this approach to crafting resonates with me.
Speaker:And I'm inspired to create too,
Speaker:which has been so great.
Speaker:Well, your whole image,
Speaker:like everything just feels so good about what you're doing as
Speaker:a maker.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:you've got your heart into it.
Speaker:You're using things that you've grown up with that are important
Speaker:to you in terms of the environment and all of that.
Speaker:You don't have all of the professional tools at hand all
Speaker:the time.
Speaker:You're just counting on your gut and your skill and your
Speaker:style and your personality and all of that.
Speaker:Isn't just enough.
Speaker:It's fabulous.
Speaker:It's the best we each have that in ourselves.
Speaker:And then we don't let it come out.
Speaker:So you're a perfect example.
Speaker:No one else can be you Adam,
Speaker:but everyone else has to be themselves and being brave enough
Speaker:to show that to the world like you did through the
Speaker:making it show is I think a great message for us
Speaker:to leave everybody with.
Speaker:And you are the example.
Speaker:So you are even now a double master maker.
Speaker:How about that?
Speaker:I love it.
Speaker:Thank you.
Speaker:Reminds me of that.
Speaker:Is it Dr.
Speaker:Seuss recess today?
Speaker:You are you.
Speaker:That is true.
Speaker:That true.
Speaker:There was no one alive,
Speaker:more you are than you.
Speaker:Beautiful. Absolutely.
Speaker:And we all need to claim it because if we don't,
Speaker:we're not allowing the world to see it.
Speaker:And just like you were saying,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:things that you're making,
Speaker:make people happy,
Speaker:give them certain feelings.
Speaker:If we don't share what we have,
Speaker:we're denying people of having those feelings that we're able to
Speaker:offer. Yes.
Speaker:I love that.
Speaker:Thank you soon.
Speaker:No, I'm Really serious about it too.
Speaker:And that's why I'm so in love with the handmade community,
Speaker:because everyone brings something different to the table.
Speaker:It makes us feel good and makes us happy and is
Speaker:fulfilling as a maker as well.
Speaker:So it all comes full circle.
Speaker:So Adam,
Speaker:if people want to follow you or know a little bit
Speaker:more about you after they've listened to the show here,
Speaker:where would you send them online?
Speaker:First Instagram,
Speaker:most likely Instagram is where I'll be the most.
Speaker:Up-to-date that's just Adam Kingman is my handle.
Speaker:Just like it sounds okay.
Speaker:K I N G M a N Adam Kingman.
Speaker:That's also the same handle for my YouTube where I'm starting
Speaker:to post drawing videos.
Speaker:Cause I just want everybody to be excited to draw and
Speaker:to overcome the fear of a blank piece of paper.
Speaker:And I'd love to start uploading little maker tutorials on there
Speaker:as well.
Speaker:So YouTube Adam Kingman,
Speaker:Instagram, Adam Kingman,
Speaker:and my personal website.
Speaker:If it's interesting,
Speaker:that's the word?
Speaker:A little bit more professional portfolio work.
Speaker:That's just Adam kingman.com.
Speaker:Beautiful fun links to explore and some personal,
Speaker:I love directing short films and you'll find some other little
Speaker:videos on there.
Speaker:Wonderful. Well,
Speaker:all of this information will be on the show notes page.
Speaker:So if you're out and you weren't able to capture what
Speaker:Adam just said,
Speaker:make sure to just look at the show notes page.
Speaker:We'll have all the links there.
Speaker:And Adam,
Speaker:I say,
Speaker:we all rally behind your YouTube channel.
Speaker:Is it up?
Speaker:Now? There are a few videos up.
Speaker:Now I have a handful of drawing videos and I'll keep
Speaker:uploading. Okay.
Speaker:So everybody go over to Adam's YouTube account and subscribe to
Speaker:it so we can get his subscribership up.
Speaker:Okay. That's when we can do for you,
Speaker:for you sharing so much with us about the inside,
Speaker:behind your maker world,
Speaker:and really a lot of beautiful gems for us to understand
Speaker:as makers of how we can trust in ourself and move
Speaker:forward to great things.
Speaker:Just like you've been doing Adam,
Speaker:thank you so much for being with me today.
Speaker:Of course.
Speaker:Thank you.
Speaker:This was wonderful.
Speaker:Didn't you just fall in love with Adam from the second
Speaker:he started talking so genuine endearing and likable.
Speaker:He's also so humble and generous with his thoughts too.
Speaker:I'm sure you're with me and hoping that his dream of
Speaker:being a Disney Imagineer comes true.
Speaker:That'll give us more chances to see his creativity at work
Speaker:up next week.
Speaker:I'll be sharing with you a resource which can take the
Speaker:complexity of doing all the things off your to-do list.
Speaker:They still get done,
Speaker:just not by you tune in next Saturday to hear more
Speaker:about that and as always,
Speaker:thanks so much for spending time with me today.
Speaker:If you'd like to show support for the podcast,
Speaker:will you please leave a rating and review?
Speaker:That means so much and helps the show get seen by
Speaker:more makers.
Speaker:So it's a great way to pay it forward and now
Speaker:be safe and well.
Speaker:And I'll see you again next week on the gift biz
Speaker:unwrapped podcast.
Speaker:I want to make sure you're familiar with my free Facebook
Speaker:group called gift is free.
Speaker:It's a place where we all gather and our community to
Speaker:support each other.
Speaker:Got a really fun post in there.
Speaker:That's my favorite of the week.
Speaker:I have to say where I invite all of you to
Speaker:share what you're doing to show pictures of your product,
Speaker:to show what you're working on for the week to get
Speaker:reactions from other people and just for fun,
Speaker:because we all get to see the wonderful products that everybody
Speaker:in the community is making my favorite post every single week,
Speaker:without doubt.
Speaker:Wait, what aren't you part of the group already,
Speaker:if not make sure to jump over to Facebook and search
Speaker:for the group gift biz breeze don't delay.