Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nick Yeste. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Nick, thank you so much for making time for us today. Let’s jump right into a question so many in our community are looking for answers to – how to overcome creativity blocks, writer’s block, etc. We’d love to hear your thoughts or any advice you might have.
One word. Maestro.
In all seriousness, this question is what actually led us to develop our product.
To expound a little more though, I have struggled a lot with writers block over all the years I have been making a living from my creativity. I am a jack of all trades so to speak, and have had to maintain at the very least a rudimentary knowledge of most forms of digital mediums and tools to complete the projects I have had to work on. Never has this been more true than now where I have launched my own company and product and have to wear most, if not all, of the hats at one point or another. Whether that be photography, graphic design, music, video, etc., I’ve had to do it all. One of the hardest things in the world is opening a program and seeing a blank page and then deciding where to start. Sometimes it used to cripple me for a while until I was “inspired.” However, as I have spent most of my adult life working in creative fields, I have developed a few tips to help with overcoming a creative block.
First, I consume art in the medium I need to work in in order to “fill the tank.” Many people consume entertainment for face value, and this leads them to judge all consumption of entertainment as a “waste of time.” What I find is the key difference between productive consumption and merely consuming media for entertainment, is your intent. If you are watching a movie or listening to music, and your mindset is trying to decipher what you like about it or why this particular piece inspires you, then this becomes a tool and it’s just as vital a part of the creative process as anything else. None of us can create without some sort of consumption first. The key to doing it effectively is a mindset of “I am going to break this down and analyze it into smaller parts that can be a reference in my own creations,” rather than just consuming and hoping to be inspired.
Second, I schedule designated time to be creative rather than just waiting for inspiration to strike. I find that telling myself I am going to sit down and create something rather than waiting until I feel like it is a big part of the discipline of being a creative professional. A hobbyist has the luxury of creating when they feel like it. A professional knows they need to produce and how to get into a mindset conducive to creating. Being self-aware and figuring out how to summon inspiration by surrounding yourself with things you enjoy and reference allows you to be in a more creative mindset when needed. The other side is knowing that when it’s time to work, eliminate distractions. I will oftentimes not turn on music or other background noises until I have overcome that initial paralysis of creating something new and I am well into the flow state.
On that note, distractions are something I have struggled with greatly. One side effect of being a creative in so many disciplines is it’s easy to lose sight of the task at hand. Multiply this by the stress and responsibilities of running your own business and you can be ground to a halt without tools and processes. It was this issue specifically that led to the creation of Maestro. I am someone who knows they struggle with zeroing in on one idea or task at a time, and I am also someone that does not like to take pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary. This led me to a desire for a product that was beyond the typical energy drink that I would consume at the time for so called “focus,” something I think many creatives can relate to. What I found was though caffeine is a powerful nootropic, it’s not enough to dial in on focus on its own. We spent two years formulating a product that combined caffeine with a host of adaptogens and nootropics in a quest to capture “Flow State” in a shaker cup; something I believe we achieved.
Third, realize that not every project will be releasable, and that’s ok, but every project is worth completing. You will be amazed at what you learn seeing a mediocre project through to completion. If we all stop when we dislike something we are creating, we will never get the exercise in of making that better and it will remain a weak point. When I am working on a project, rather than scrapping something that I am not feeling, I work until I find a way to bring it as close to my original vision as possible. This allows me to have a better starting point on my next attempt, rather than just getting really good at a set of processes that lead me to something I dislike.
Finally, realize sometimes you have to make something for release and it may not be up to your level of expectations of art. However, released always beats perfected. Every time.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Nick Yeste and I fuck shit up.
Constantly. It’s part of my process. But that has led me to where I am now. Where is that?
Currently I own Maestro, a lifestyle brand that develops products to elevate people’s performance in creative and artistic fields. Our first product, Maestro Energy and Focus, is a next generation energy drink with a heavy focus on, well, focus. We have developed our version of an energy drink that delivers on what most people want when they take an energy drink: alertness, clarity, and focus. Outside of the gym, few people want the jitters and skin tingles of highly caffeinated drinks. Yet, that is the current trend in the industry, releasing a new product where the only “innovation” is just upping the caffeine dose. Part of this is due to the form factor we are used to when grabbing a can of energy at the gas station. That can with liquid in it can really only hold so many ingredients and be shelf stable without sediment. This has led us to accept the limitations of current energy drinks and create an environment where the only real choice is caffeine content, and flavor. Choose your poison so to speak. The first way we overcame this is by switching up the delivery method. Our product comes in a ready to shake powder, a form you likely associate with a pre workout. In fact, that is the number one question and hurdle we have had to overcome. As soon as someone sees our tub of product their initial reaction is “Oh, a pre workout.” We have chosen to overcome this in various ways and have had some serious fun with it. One of which being a sign at events over our drink mixers that states in large red letters: “NOT A F***ING PRE WORKOUT.” I can’t even begin to tell you the amazing reactions we have had to that. A particular favorite being someone missing it, then proceeding to ask us if it’s a pre workout, and us just pointing to the sign. (A laugh and questioning of if we are mind readers always follows.) By switching to this form factor however, we were able to develop a formula that is not only effective, but could not be delivered in a liquid state. One such ingredient is an extended release caffeine which makes up a quarter of our overall caffeine amount. This caffeine is coated like an extended release pain medication to allow it to be delivered to the system later than the initial caffeine dose. This allows us to have a product that tapers your caffeine dosing to get the majority upfront, and as your day goes on to deliver a little back end caffeine dose to eliminate crashes. This also allows the user to not get hit with a full dose of caffeine upfront and to avoid those negative side effects that we are used to with highly caffeinated products. The powder form factor also allows us to include ingredients such as: Lions mane mushroom (an ingredient notoriously hard to flavor and is usually in a coffee, tea, or pill form,) B6, B9, B12, a full antioxidant blend, and a litany of nootropics. (Our full ingredient list can easily be found on our website and we are fully transparent with no proprietary blends.) Also, we do not use any artificial dyes (something we should all be trying to consume less of), and no sugar. All of this comes together to be a formula many have found to be very effective for them as a coffee, energy drink, and even pharmaceutical replacement. (Though such things should always be discussed with a doctor before changing anything, we have found many of our clients have been able to replace their focus pharmaceuticals with our product and were grateful to find a natural alternative.)
It was always my vision to build a brand that had a lifestyle behind it. Specifically, one that caters to our target demographic of creatives and artists, as well as those who enjoy being a part of such endeavors. Apparel and accessories have always been a part of the business model as that is something I am personally very passionate about. I honed my skills in bands throughout a large portion of my adult life, and I had to learn these skills in a DIY til I Die mindset. Creating designs for merchandise, and artwork for bands is where I honed my graphic arts skills. I also owned a recording studio where I recorded bands and filmed their videos, and that developed the audio and video side of my skillsets as well. At the time, I never knew they would transfer to a skillset for launching my own brand, but here we are. Though now, my wife Antoinette has jumped in and helped me with many of these areas so I no longer am a solo act.
Our desire to support the creative community has also led us to create what most would probably find as our most creative marketing vessel: the bass bus. The Maestro Bass Bus is a 40 foot school bus that we have converted into a mobile music festival stage and DJ booth. My wife and I slowly built out a workshop to work out of for our DIY and creative projects, and we used our fabrication skills and resources to convert a school bus to suit our purpose. We have installed solar panels and full solar electrical system, LED video panels for visuals, a full 20,000 watt sound system with four 21 inch subwoofers, and a plethora of lights. We also had two 13 foot inflatables of our logo personified made for good measure to cap off the ends of the bus. This has led to some amazing experiences as we have been around the country participating in various events. Most notably of recent was Home Bass in Orlando, a hotel takeover afterparty for EDC Orlando, something we are may or may not be doing again this year (can’t disclose any information just yet ;), though there will be 2 this year). Needless to say, it has been an interesting journey thus far, and an adventure all its own as Maestro has taken on its own persona and grown bigger than we ever anticipated.
The last thing I do want to mention is how instrumental my wife has been in helping me build my vision. She left her job teaching and has tackled every wild ass curveball I have thrown at her with zero hesitation. We joke that she went from teaching her students to now DJ’ing at the festivals they attend, and just how crazy of a prospect that truly is. On top that, the million other things she has to achieve each day that on their own would be crazy to most people. I do think it takes a particular type of crazy to do what we do.
As I said at the beginning, I am constantly fucking up and questioning my decisions; though at the end of the day, we seem to be doing something right. I am blessed to have built a company and product I can be proud of and a life with my wife that I can enjoy building every day. We may be a small fish in a big pond, but with each day we are expanding our own little slice of the proverbial industry pie. However, we are doing it together and that to me is worth the world.
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?
1. The ability to acquire new skills quickly and effectively.
– Don’t be afraid to screw up. No one is perfect right off of the bat, despite what our “illusory superiority” bias may have us believe.
– The more skills you develop the more you realize how many things share the same basic principles and the faster you become at attaining new skillsets. For example: if you have used a non-linear editor in audio, you will probably pick up a non linear editing video software much faster as many skillsets and thought processes overlap.
- It’s been said a million times: don’t care about what others think.
– If I can get one idea across to anyone starting out, it’s that people are negative by default, and very few will believe in you until you have already proven yourself. Don’t let this discourage you, and instead use it to fuel your fire. - Be kind. Seriously, just get over yourself and strive to be the kindest person in the room. You may be shocked at the doors this opens.
– Being a go getter entrepreneur does not mean you have to be an asshole, despite what any alpha male / boss bitch guru may tell you. (This advice is gender agnostic.) - Drink Maestro.
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?
Growing up with a single mother is not the easiest thing for any child or parent. However, my mother is the single most amazing person in the world and is responsible for so many of my traits that others seem to admire. I always get comments on my “good energy / vibes/approachability” and I always credit this to a mother who never let life get her down and prioritized her family’s happiness over her own. She is a woman who worked herself to the bone to provide for me and my siblings, while always making sure she provided a loving and comfortable home on very little means. She has been my biggest role model and has allowed me to escape becoming a lot of the stereotypes that are prevalent in both the corporate and creative industries. I believe in hard work and presenting oneself in the most positive light possible while prioritizing authenticity, a life outlook that can only be accredited to my mother.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.bethemaestro.com
- Instagram: @maestrosociety
- Facebook: @maestrosociety
- Other: TikTok: @Maestrosociety (we are just getting this going.) @maestroinvasions ( Our IG dedicated to our events, we are also just launching this, as the events have become their own entity. )
Image Credits
Chris Morini – @bluesunglassprod
