We were lucky to catch up with Nathaniel recently and have shared our conversation below.
Nathaniel, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I still get this feeling sometimes, but not as often as I used to. I think by starting to master a skill, you gain more confidence in yourself and you don’t worry so much about imposter syndrome.
My stepdad is a lawyer and makes a good living doing that. He is great at practicing law but when it comes to getting to a channel on TV or working on a computer, something that seems easy to me, he needs my help when I’m around. He earns his living off of being a lawyer, so he has no problem asking someone else for help or paying them to do something he doesn’t know how to do. It doesn’t ever make him feel inadequate when he doesn’t know something because he already understands he’s successful and more than capable as a person. He knows he is very ignorant to other areas in life, that just never matters to him. I say this to also convey that intelligence isn’t as simple as being smart or dumb. It is much more nuanced than that! Someone who may be an expert in area “A” may be a novice in area “B” and vice versa.
When someone you respect and admire likes your work, you may start to overcome imposter syndrome. For example, I went to see rapper Larry June in Des Moines several months back! I am a big fan of his music! I wasn’t actually allowed to have my camera in the venue, so I figured out a way to sneak it in. I was so determined to get photos of Larry that night that I was willing to get kicked out of the venue for trying. Which did almost happen, but I was able to get away! I knew this could be a big moment for my photography if I was able to grab some phenomenal shots. It wasn’t easy. Sneaking the camera in was just the first battle, I also had to deal with being in the crowd while trying to get the perfect shot! Normally, if you’re allowed to photograph a show, you won’t have to try and take pictures whilst amongst a moving crowd farther away from the stage. The venue also had problems with the air circulation that night so it was very warm there to, I was sweating like crazy! On top of all that, I was new to concert photography which is a whole different animal than taking photos with good lighting/plenty of time to plan the shot. To my own astonishment, when I went back home and edited the photos the following morning, I was surprised at how many dope ones I got! I knew with all of the movement, lack of experience, and so on that my chances for some amazing photos would be slim, but these photos happened to come out PERFECT! So perfect that within the same day I posted the photos, Larry June shared them to his social media, even giving me the credit on the photos! I was ecstatic. To my surprise, this artist that I highly respect and have been following for years actually seemed to LIKE the photos I hustled that night to grab! Real recognize real I guess! I walked away from that experience with more confidence in my concert photography skills and even in general.
I also attended Florida rapper Caskey’s concert! He is this amazing independent rapper doing big things with even bigger things on the way. I got the VIP meet and greet to support him but also to ask if I could take photos during his show in Cedar Rapids, IA. He was cool with it and let me take photos all night even though he already had his own team for that! In the following weeks of the show, he posted several of the photos I took to his social media! That experience was extremely validating for me, because it made me feel like my photos were up to industry standard if they were good enough for Caskey to feel like posting! He even shared one of my photos as a way to announce his new tour with Yelawolf! Plus I gifted Caskey one of my Creative Freedom hats and he sported it for a quick photo. Which further validated my streetwear ventures because a legend like Caskey isn’t just going to sport just any brand!
Another thing I like to do, which hopefully isn’t too egotistical of me, although if it is I’m still going to do it, is decorate all of my walls with personal memories from various shows, photoshoots and so on! This helps me remember my accomplishments and not forget that I do badass shit on the regular! Think of the pictures as a sort of trophy you’ve given yourself for doing a good job! It might feel weird to decorate a room with pictures of yourself, but if you strategically use pictures that show yourself in empowering moments, it can motivate you when things get tough! We can get so caught up in the day to day grind that we forget about our past wins, which can be damaging if you’re ever at a low point on your journey! Especially in a world where everyone has an opinion to give, (yes I see the irony here), you have to follow your own intuition! Remember, overcoming imposter syndrome takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress along the way.
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?
Since my last interview with Voyage at the beginning of 2023, the brand has experienced many exciting developments! For starters, I have actively participated in numerous events in my local area to promote my brand such as music festivals, open mics, and conventions! I have offered my products at 80/35 Music Festival, Des Moines Con, Twin Cities Con, Ingersoll Live, Iowa Summer Jam, Cornbread Festival, Iowa Pop Art, Good Vibes Movement Open Mic Nights, Historic Valley Junction shows and Quad Cons! It has been an absolute blast meeting with all of my supporters and fellow vendors. This is a brand about following your visions and chasing what energizes you. I remember how lost I felt when I didn’t have any clear goals/direction for myself. It was almost depressing, trying to maintain such a positive outlook while feeling so utterly lost inside about my future. If I can help others find clarity in their own path, I feel like I have accomplished a big part of what I set out to do with this company! I want this brand to embody what it means to “create your own freedom”! It is also true that actions speak louder than words, so by living my life on my own terms I am setting the example I want to see! After all, we don’t know when we are going to die, so you must make the most of your experiences! Does your work leave you feeing excited or depleted? Ultimately, I do understand that everyone’s situation is unique, and it isn’t as simple as just quitting a job you hate and chasing one that your passionate about. But are you even trying to get closer to your genuine interests or have you given up on your dreams for a more “realistic” path? Since I almost died in a car accident, I have noticed that this made me realize how precious time really is, and that none of our tomorrow’s are guaranteed. I don’t want to grow old or unexpectedly die at some other age without even trying to show the world and myself the talent I know that is inside me!
Search for “Creative Freedom Universe” on Apple Podcasts/Spotify. You can also watch our on-set recording of the episodes on my Youtube channel: “Creative Freedom Universe”! In this universe, traverse exciting topics alongside your host: me!, as I interview distinguished guests! Feel inspired and motivated to seek out Creative Freedom in your own life, whatever that means to you!
Recently, I sat down with Kommander Karl for a first-of-its-kind interview, a internet personality and video game 3D artist known for videos in which he reloads random items such as toasters, vacuums, air pods, lanterns, a Keurig, banana, bike pump, stuffed animals, you name it. Kommander Karl has 3.4 million followers on Tiktok and 700k subscribers on Youtube! When he isn’t on social media, he’s taking care of his kids with his wife and working on the Postal video game series!
Another series you will find on my podcast channel is called “The Singularity Booth”. In episode 2, your hosts for this series, my buddy Zach (aka Legible-rapper) and I; sat down and spoke about aliens, Breaking Bad, Ufologists, meeting celebrities, comedians, recent memories, Jeffrey Epstein and more! For this show, you can expect Zach and I to converse on topics ranging anywhere from the paranormal to life in general! Just whatever we feel like talking about! This is meant for the people out there who just want to hang out along side us, question reality and vibe!
In 2023, I also came out with hats for the first time! Trucker hats as well as dad hats embroidered with my various logos! Each hat had over 1,000 stitches! They were my new best sellers! People loved my logos on the hats just as much as they did on the clothing! I had so many colorways for the hats but I think the moon camo’s were some of my favorite! I wasn’t really even a “hat” guy before I made hats but now I love wearing hats!
Lighters were another super cool addition to the product line this year! I thought it would be a great drop for the brand because I actually use lighters quite frequently and they can serve as a mini art piece with utility! I came out with 10 different lighter designs, and people at the shows seemed to love having another lower priced item available to purchase! Each lighter came with it’s own custom packaging! Sometimes, I just love the little things for the brand! I’m just having fun with it!
In the summertime, the crop tops were another success! I found that at the 80/35 music festival, people were enjoying the crop tops! I added the crop tops to the clothing line because I wanted my brand to be more inclusive, after all, Creative Freedom HQ is a brand for everyone, no matter your age, race, religion, sexual orientation etc!
In regards to my photography, you can now book me for photoshoots through my website! There, you can also find a “Celebrity Photos” tab where I’ve included candid photos I’ve taken of various celebrities! One recent candid is of Giancarlo Esposito from a speaking engagement at Iowa State University. His acting credits include Gus from Breaking Bad; Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian; Stan Edgar in The Boys among other roles! I also photographed my first backyard wedding party.
I also acted as a character in a Star Wars fan film! Brought to you by @InquisitionFanFilm on Youtube! The movie takes place 7 years after Order 66, where the ninth brother faces his past once and for all! The teaser trailer is out now! Go watch it! Can you spot my character in the trailer? ;
Dria Danielle’s music video “Baddie Alert” (now at 18k views on Youtube) also features me as one of the extras! Her movement has been really cool to see! Listen to her song “Baddie Alert” on all platforms and let me know what you think! I know I’ve been bumping that record!
In addition to frequenting shows like crazy, dropping podcast episodes, hats and lighters; I released 3 more pairs of Creative Freedom sneakers too! One of the sneakers is pictured in this article! Someday it would be cool to be able to mass produce my sneaker designs! Right now each design is hand painted 1 of 1 on Nike AF1’s! I love conceptualizing sneaker designs for this model because it is the type of shoe I find myself wearing! I swear after I drop these designs I always see more sneakers pop up trying to copy them! Same with other ideas! When that stuff happens you just have to keep it pushing! Take it as a compliment that they would want to copy you! Maybe move differently, be more protective of your ideas, but also understand that no idea is truly original. All art took inspiration from somewhere! Just try your best to be original, paying homage is one thing, but copying without giving credit isn’t cool!
Finally, I have also continued my work with good ol’ Scumbag Dad! We usually get together as a group every month for the videos! I love acting in his silly skits with our Merle hay mall fan club of a friend group! Scummy is a true mentor of mine and someone that I am happy to call a friend! These skits usually pan out by my character drugging someone, being drugged, or selling drugs! While at the same time these videos will have a mind blowing twist plus an actual message behind them! It’s genius!
To view his content, search: @thescumbagdad on Tiktok (over 5.7 MILLION followers) or @ScumbagDad on YouTube (over 3.6 MILLION subscribers)!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
When people buy my products, whether it is just one of the smaller priced items like a lighter or sticker, it is very rewarding that they would support at all! To witness someone’s eyes light up when they see my products; to see the gears turning in their heads when they connect with the messaging is magical! I take it as such a high honor that people would spend their hard earned money on these designs I brought to life! I have even seen my clothing being worn out in the wild on occasion! Whenever that happens you definitely feel the love! When people tell me that the message behind my brand gets them thinking about their own goals, that never ceases to amaze me! I’ve been told so many times that people receive compliments when they wear the merch
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Rick Rubin is a huge inspiration/“teacher” of mine! He wrote a book titled: The Creative Act: A Way of Being. It is straight creative gospel! I highly recommend it to anyone, because we are all artists in one way or another.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.creativefreedomhq.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativefreedomhq
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativefreedomhq
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/createfreedomhq
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwHYDU57gFQ7dGADt1i5KIA
Image Credits
-photo of hats (@creativefreedomhq)
-all other photos by @rawereality
-@sight_lives model/@izzy.k.11: rooftop image
