Meet Matt Haley

We recently connected with Matt Haley and have shared our conversation below.

Matt, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I got my confidence from y father. My dad was the most confident, calm, self-assured person, and he led by example. He was a radio broadcaster for six decades, and did a lot of community outreach and public speaking, which gave me the ability to get on stage without panicking! When first starting in comics as an artist, I was terrified of going up to editors (who do the hiring!) and showing them my portfolio., but again, thinking of how dad would handle it, I’d march right up to them, shaking and sweating, and in a cracked voice ask what they thought of my work!

My self-esteem is a much different story. As a kid, drawing was my passion, but it was also an escape from a chaotic household. My self-esteem grew directly as a result of practicing my craft, and it came with a realization that I didn’t need external validation of my talents, instead the simple joy of watching my art improve gave such happiness that – as I started to define myself to others as an “artist”, they accepted it without question, and thus my self-esteem grew by leaps and bounds! The flip-side, however, was egotism as I experienced early career success, making me a bit difficult to work with. Fortunately, many humbling experiences allowed for personal and emotional growth, and these days I’m just practicing a lot of gratitude that art still pays my bills!

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Longtime comic book artist for Marvel, DC and Stan Lee, more recently brand creator for Microsoft. These days, private corporate creative consulting for businesses large and small!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Can only think of one quality: probably obstinance. I just didn’t want to do anything else!

I don’t really hand out advice, honestly, except to say “don’t give up”. NEVER give up. If your art (whatever form that may take) is your passion, do it, and don’t worry about commoditizing or monetizing it, just create. I won’t say “do what you love, and the money will follow”, because that’s a fallacy. Instead, let creation be its own reward, because then your creations will show originality and passion, and you may be surprised at the opportunities which will arise. Too many people are too focused on the end goal of their art, just do art, and attract opportunity through it!

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

My father provided a stable home for me to develop my skills in, and gave me permission to pursue my craft. He never once belittled my desire, or demanded that I “get a real job”.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.matthaley.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/matthaleyart
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/matthaleyart