For years, I've been connecting with interesting people and documenting insights that might help my clients and myself. What was once private is now (mostly) public.

People often ask: "How do you know all these people?" and "How do you connect these (re: random) ideas?" The answer is simple: consistent relationship cultivation and thoughtful note taking. My north star is trusting my instincts, my maps are the constellations in these reflections.

This approach to multidisciplinary networking has helped dozens of clients, colleagues, and friends strengthen their networks and unlock new opportunities. Find my Personal Archive on CultishCreative.com, watch me build a better Personal Network on the Cultish Creative YouTube channel, and listen to Just Press Record on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and follow me on social media (LinkedIn and X) - now distributed by Epsilon Theory.

You can also check out my work as Managing Director at Sunpointe, as a host on top investment YouTube channel Excess Returns, and as Senior Editor at Perscient.

Feel free to steal these ideas directly - that's what they're for! I can't promise you'll learn FROM me, but I guarantee you can learn something WITH me. Let's go. Count it off: 1-2-3-4!

Introducing... Bill Stephney!

Do you know Bill Stephney? He's the executive producer who helped launch Def Jam Records, discovered Chuck D in an Adelphi University cafeteria, and played a pivotal role in bringing Public Enemy, LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys to the world. From college radio DJ to music supervisor for films like Boomerang (which launched Toni Braxton's career), he's been shaping culture for decades.

If not, allow me to introduce you. Bill represents something rare in creative industries: someone who consistently spots emerging talent and cultural movements before they explode. I wanted to connect with him because he embodies something I value deeply: the ability to recognize and nurture creative genius while navigating the complex balance between art, recognition, and commerce.

AND - extra big shoutout to prior Just Press Record guest, Greg Larkin (and the whole Punks in Pinstripes community), for helping make this episode happen. This is what networks do. Everything is cooler with cool friends.

Our conversation with Bill Stephney and Lawrence Yeo is LIVE now on the Just Press Record YouTube channel (and this Cultish Creative Playlist). Listen and you'll hear incredible stories about hip-hop's early days, the democratization of music creation, and why curiosity remains the mother's milk of creativity.

THREE: That's The Magic Number of Lessons

In the meantime, I wanted to pull THREE KEY LESSONS from my time with Bill Stephney to share with you (and drop into my Personal Archive).

Read on and you'll find a quote with a lesson and a reflection you can Take to work with you, Bring home with you, and Leave behind with your legacy.

WORK: Ask Artists the Three Essential Questions

Key Concept: Bill's framework reveals the fundamental tension in creative careers: recognition, money, and celebrity often work against each other rather than in harmony. By asking these three questions upfront, he helps artists (and their collaborators) understand what they're truly pursuing and prepare for the inevitable trade-offs. Most people assume all three go together, but industry veterans know better.

Personal Archive Note-To-Self: Sometimes, especially in a post social media age, we forget just how high the aspirational ceiling in modern life has gotten lately. You look online and it’s not just the occasional movie star, pro-athlete, pop-star lottery. Now you’ve got the social Joneses sprinting ahead on everything from morning coffee to dinner recipes.

If you are going to be in a race, it helps to know what finish line you’re after. The destinations of recognition, money, and celebrity have three divergent paths. And, if you’ve sat in a record label/distribution partner seat like Bill has, you get the power of choosing one.

You can make a career out of being your favorite artists favorite artist. You can make a career out of building a cash printing machine. You can make a career out of being super-popular.

What you can’t do is be all of those things at once. It’s too big a bite and the odds of you choking are huge. Ask every pro-athlete who recorded a song. The success stories are few and far between for a reason.

I know for me, the recognition driver is the big one. I want the recognition of people I respect and admire. I know they’re a smaller subset of characters in the world, I know they’re a smaller audience to focus on, and - that’s enough to get me going every day. If I’m making stuff I respect for people I respect, it’s the right race for me. What about you?

Work question for you: Of Bill's three categories - recognition, money, or celebrity - which one currently drives most of your professional decisions?

LIFE: Say Yes to Opportunities You Don't Understand

Key Concept: Bill's willingness to accept the music supervisor role for major films without knowing what it entailed led to discovering Toni Braxton and creating a multi-million selling soundtrack. Sometimes the best opportunities come disguised as things we don't yet understand. The key is trusting your foundational skills while being honest about learning on the job.

Personal Archive Note-To-Self: This guy and this Toni Braxton story… But seriously, think about the rest of the people around the ask to dive in.

When you know good people are already involved, when you know there’s forward momentum, sometimes you just have to jump onboard the rocket ship and see where it goes.

It won’t always work out. Sometimes you will crash. But if the quality of the people are THAT high, and they see something where you fit in that you don’t understand yet, trust your gut about the people who are asking and say “YES.”

One of the biggest shifts I’ve made in my personal and professional life in the past 5ish years is saying yes on the grounds of the people asking (and saying no on the same terms too). Everything good that’s happened to me is because I’ve let character and momentum make the decision for me.

Be real with yourself. Make sure others are being real with you. Then, be brave and go.

Life Question For You: What opportunity are you currently avoiding because you don't fully understand what it involves?

LEGACY: Pioneers Don't Know They're Making History

Key Concept: True cultural impact happens when people act from internal compulsion rather than historical ambition. Bill's observation about hip-hop pioneers and civil rights leaders reveals that movements emerge from people solving immediate problems or pursuing genuine interests, not from trying to make history. The legacy comes from authentic action, not legacy-minded planning.

Personal Archive Note-To-Self: I’m flashing back to Keith Morris and Ned Russin telling me the same thing. When you’re busy and having success, you’re still busy. And, chances are, the more success you’re having, the busier you are whiles it’s happening.

On one hand, it helps to step back and be present. On another, it’s good to look back and reminisce from time to time. But the reality doesn’t change - if you’re making good things happen, it’s never as glorious to be doing it as to be aspiring towards doing it, and that’s ok.

You’ll miss out on realizing some stuff in real time. That’s a feature, not a bug. But back to the pick good people to say yes to part - if you pick GREAT people, your odds of being part of something great go up exponentially.

I can’t help but think about how getting great people in front of you also requires you get great people behind you. Bill being willing to get on and teach and talk to people like Lawrence and me in the world tells me he’s doing it right. He’s spreading the influence and experience ahead of him, behind him, and in his current day to day work, and I respect the hell out of that.

Legacy question for you: What are you doing right now simply because it feels necessary or fun, without thinking about its historical significance?

BEFORE YOU GO: Be sure to…

• Connect with Bill Stephney and check out his current work with Lyft Media

• Look into his documentaries "Kaepernick in America" and "Philly On Fire"

• Take a moment to reflect on all these ideas!

You have a Personal Network and a Personal Archive just waiting for you to build them up stronger. Look at your work, look at your life, and look at your legacy - and then, start small in each category. Today it's one person and one reflection. Tomorrow? Who knows what connections you'll create.

Last thing: Don't forget to click reply/click here and tell me who you're adding to your network and why! Plus, if you already have your own Personal Archive too, let me know, I'm creating a database.