It’s such an interesting name for a podcast – Creatives Prevail – it makes me think that back in 2022, when Mike re-branded the show – he must have had a crystal ball into the future. Feelings aside – it’s human creativity that is separating us from our machine overlords – so to have published over 270 episodes addressing this topic – well Mike knows a thing or two ;-p
He’s such a good listener,but he also has opinions – this isn’t a one way”tell us your story” kind of interview – it’s more a “why is your story” – “how is your story” – what are the threads that make your story make sense.
If you listen to the pods you’ll find Mike unearthing trends and making connections from one episode to another – doesn’t matter the career path or job title – the themes of burnout, rejection, persistence – to name just the happy ones ;-p – are evident – and yet – there is also an undeniable thread of joy – interviewees openly acknowledge how challenging a creative career can be and yet – every episode I’ve listened to – everyone loves what they do and wouldn’t change a thing.
If you’re feeling isolated or perhaps a wee bit lost in your career – I highly recommend dropping into any of the episodes – I’ve no doubt you’re going to find an insight – a story – a connection – a something, that resonates with where you are and hopefully – some reassurance and some hope – that will keep you moving forward.
Creative Collaboration Makes Us More Human
I sat down with Mike back in July for an episode called “Creative Collaboration Makes Us More Human.” Mike opened with the question: “What does it mean to be human!” – and we were off to the races ;-p. We talk creative collaboration, the practice of creativity when it comes to songwriting, the absolute essentialness of persistence if you want a career in this field, and we established the musicto Foundation’s position on not being an extractive organization and how we won’t take money from artists.
I really enjoyed the conversation – Mike is a joy to chat with – you might dig it too:
Also available on: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Podcast page with transcript
The Host: Mike Zimmerlich
Mike is a friend of musicto – he made a brilliant playlist with us: Intro to Summer – that we published here back in 2021, and he Matt and I have stayed in touch over the years.
He’s a lovely guy but also super switched on – just pulling from his bio to give you an idea: 18+ years in artist development, creator partnerships, sponsorships, and brand strategy, starting with 80/20 Records, the independent label he co-founded. He’s now running Omelette Prevail, which helps brands and creators build real collaborations instead of missed ones. He’s worked with everyone from independent artists to Gibson, Fender, Liquid Death, and Warner Music Group.
If you’re curious – go check out the agency Creative Collaboration Management – oprevail.com – they might just be the good people you need.
