When the bad news about our economy is getting worse...how do you keep your creative career moving upward and onward? According to John Mike, acclaimed producer, musician, clinician and creative entrepreneur, you must start by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, stepping out in faith toward your goals, and making a commitment to bettering yourself through high-quality instruction and training. John Mike is a husband, father, entrepreneur and music producer who owns and runs educational platforms for musicians and producers, including CreatingStems.com and GospelProducers.com. Having begun his career as a music educator, John Mike has stepped forward to become one of the world's leading authorities in Gospel music production, loop creation and musical technology. His YouTube videos and tutorials are watched by thousands of viewers eager to learn about state-of-the-art production techniques, new software and the latest hardware applications. In this powerful and practical conversation from our archives, this dynamic musician and producer breaks down why investing in high-level training, instruction and personal growth is a top priority for the successful creative, and why true success is impossible without first making a financial and emotional investment in yourself. In this interview, you'll learn: How a difficult season can actually be a benefit – if you push forward and find new avenues for your gifts How to pivot into a new creative outlet How to choose the right training materials and courses (free AND paid) How investing in new skills increases your profitability Why paying for high-quality training is often a necessity How you can become a better musician, producer and creative by investing in quality courses MORE RESOURCES FOR CREATIVES Join our membership for highly motivated creatives who want to gain complete confide We’ve love to hear your thoughts about this episode… Tap HERE to send us a text! Support the show NEW DEVOTIONAL ON YOUVERSION! Would you like to understand God's creative process and apply it to your life? Check out our new YouVersion Bible reading plan here! NEW "DISCOVER YOUR CREATIVE PERSONALITY" QUIZ! We've developed this quiz to help you diagnose and discover where you currently stand in your journey as a faith-focused artist. You'll find out which of the 5 Christian Creative Personalities you're currently operating in and how to improve on your strengths and get help with your weaknesses. Take the 5- minute quiz HERE PODCAST MERCH Get God and Gigs themed gear, clothing and accessories HERE! GOT VALUE FROM THIS PODCAST? Exchange VALUE 4 VALUE! You can share: TIME: Send this episode to someone who you know would enjoy it TALENT: Email your art or music to add to our community to allen@godandgigs.com TREASURE: Tap HERE to pick an amount to support the podcast monthly, OR: Get a modern podcast app that allows you support us IN REAL TIME by sending us value digitally! Get a new podcast app that supports these new features HERE.