douglas busch’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

douglas busch shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

douglas, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
I always start a conversation about their immediate family. How do they teach their children and how do they teach compassion for others. An example would be: what kind of father are they even after a divorce. How often do they get your kids and do you spend quality time with them.

Frankly, I do not waist time unless the person or persons I am talking with are intelligent and understand what is going on around them and the world.

Consistent energy is important. Seeing and understanding your vision and moving forward. Speed is not important but consistent progress is important

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Now that I am semi-retired (artists don’t really retire) I have been focused on my new 501c3 Foundation: www.GenosCenter.org. I have closed down many of the projects we were working on (see www.DouglasBusch.com) and have turned down other projects brought to us this year. In this unpredictable political environment and the AI technology push that I am focussed on moving back into my own work of image making with a real camera and NO AI intervention.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
My childhood was not a happy time. I was always told I was not intelligent or able to do great things, etc. As I got out on my own I found out I was not stupid or unintelligent. My mentors in College (Peter Bodnar at Univ. of Illinois and Al Weber in Carmel who taught me how to increase my vision and technical abilities. I learned to go for the vision and water the different ideas in my head. Many were brought into existence and many were not. As I reflect on the years I also wanted to point out if 10% of your ideas come into existence. You have to have a tough skin and be willing to fail to allow one to keep going with new ideas. I do not spend time when a project fails other than to learn why it failed and how should it have been done…I see no point in beating myself up over the failures. USUALLY IT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE AHEAD OF THE TIMES TO REALIZE NEW CONCEPTS NOT YET EVEN IN DISCUSSIONS (AHEAD OF THEIR TIME) OF HEALING SOCIETY AND THE PLANET.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
I review and challenge any project I am to start so as not to make the same mistakes over and try and see all the road blocks which will effect any new project. Some are ahead of their time and others just are not wanted. See answer before this one which I did mention my growing up.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I have been working on the Genos Center Foundation from it’s conception to getting it built to irradiate genocide on the planet and to make sure all societies have food and education to move the world forward. Without knowledge, education, and hope we will not repair our SOCIETY AND planet and bring everyone into harmony

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing? 
Not always following through 100% on projects. If I am working on too many projects I will delegate to others and not always picked the right person or persons to execute it properly. I should have slowed down and spent more time bringing in the right people to move different projects and vision forward LIKE BULLDOGS NEVER GIVING UP.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.GenosCenter.org and/or www.DouglasBusch.com
• Instagram: studioDougBusch
• Linkedin: studioDougBusch
• Yelp: Busch Design Build Inc

Image Credits
Julius Shulman and Douglas Busch