Meet David Nudelman

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to David Nudelman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi David, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

This has been a journey that I still face to this day. There are several things I say to myself and ways to overcome them.

For example “What if I mess up?”

I used to be scared to speak in front of people. I thought I wasn’t good enough. But I learned confidence comes from doing it anyway, not waiting to feel ready.

Now, I stand in front of crowds of people almost every day of the week, sharing my passion for the arts and business.

I used to also think to myself “Why would anyone listen to me?”

I don’t have a teaching degree. I don’t have millions of followers. This had me questioning if I should put myself out there. I eventually remembered what I spent 1/2 my life doing and what lit me up when I talked about it.

If you’ve learned something, you can help someone else learn too.

For the awhile I used to say to myself “Do I need to act tough to be respected?”

I thought strength meant being the loudest or the toughest. But I just couldn’t do it. I realized real strength is being yourself.

I don’t need to pretend to be someone else—I just need to be ME.

Something that took awhile to get over was thinking “I struggled as a starving artist for so long—do I deserve success?”

I got so accustomed to just breaking even I considered it success. My goals kept growing and I needed to level up to be able to help others and support my family.

I eventually had a few breakout moments that showed me to dream even bigger I started to set higher goals believing more was possible – and it was.

You don’t have to suffer forever.
You deserve to grow.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

My name is Dave Noodlez. Growing up, I always wanted to be the only person with an exclusive shirt, hat, hoodie, etc. I took having exclusives very seriously. I used to get all riled up if someone in my class—or even a friend—would “copy” my style. I’d get annoyed when my best friend bought the same shirt I had.
Now, I’m honored when people buy my shirts. I guess I had some growing up to do.

Today, I am the Creative Director for a brand I founded, Stereotype Co. I collaborate with creatives from all around the globe on clothing collections, events, & projects. I also teach youth in different schools how to start their own brand and create businesses. I host T-shirt parties (Tee Parties) where I make shirts at events, concerts, and schools. It’s a collaborative activation we do all over the city.

I love building things that support creatives. On our blog and podcast, we’ve interviewed over 1,000 creators, helping share their stories. I also recently built a 24/7 music station that plays underground music all day: www.type88radio.com.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Love – I truly love what I do and helping others. I love the game. I love the grind. I love learning. I love navigating life and unlocking new achievements every day.

Integrity – My word is everything. When I commit to a project, I give it my all. I care deeply about what I do and the people I work with.

Gratitude – I never forget where I came from or who was there for me. There’s so much to be grateful for—every project I’ve worked on, every school I’ve visited, every collaboration, every person who’s been part of the journey. And above all, GOD.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Delegating tasks and hiring the right people. My whole life, I’ve done as much as I could on my own. I’m a man of many hats–literally and figuratively. But as your dream grows, you start to realize: doing it all yourself isn’t the key to success.
I have been pushing myself to change. It has been uncomfortable, but I see how much of an impact you can make when you work with a team; where everyone plays their role for the bigger picture.
Right now, I have two employees who are both great. I also have an intern that I plan to hire very soon.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Amanda Lee
Jahtiek Long

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