Season 2 Premiere: What to Expect and How We’re Putting Art Over Hustle Culture

Hey everyone, I'm back!

It's March 2025 and so much has changed since I wrapped up the first season of Art is the New Wall Street. The show is returning at a time when we’re all feeling the weight of the world. Things feel pretty insane out there and change is inevitable. In the first episode, I summarize season one, set intentions for season two, and shed light on the societal structures that often exploit rather than support us. 

What Happened During My Break

I've got to be honest with you. Last year, I dove into podcasting headfirst with more enthusiasm than wisdom. I set myself an aggressive schedule (an episode every other Monday!) while working as a full-time content director in tech, participating in an intense mastermind program, taking courses, writing poetry, running Wance in Saint Paul, and trying to maintain some semblance of a personal life. 

As you can probably infer by the 13 episodes included in season one, I wasn’t able to keep up with the intended frequency. So that felt like a failure. I realize now it wasn't a failure, just new information. Which is why I’m setting a more realistic goal this season with what I’ve learned. I’ll probably release about one episode per month. If I skip a month, it is what it is. 

The point is, when I launched the first season last year, I was burning the candle at both ends. Something had to give. I wasn’t resting.

Then November hit me with a health scare. When my brain wouldn't allow me to rest, my body decided to rest for me. That wake-up call forced me to reassess what really matters.

Since then, I’m trying to slow down, prioritize health, and ground myself back into the core messages that have been unfolding through each and every conversation with incredible artists on the show.

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." -Lao Tzu

The Impact of Season One

Season one connected with people in ways I never expected. We reached over 1,000 listeners and put out 13 episodes! We talked about creative blocks, questioned AI's role in art and humanity, discussed capitalism’s grip on creativity, and explored why so many of us feel burned out.

The message that resonated most? You aren't what you produce. Your worth doesn't come from your output or paycheck. This toxic "Wall Street mentality" has seeped into every corner of our lives, convincing us that productivity equals value. Hint: it doesn't.

Important reminder: you’re a human being, not a human doing. Society will try to convince you otherwise. You don't have to listen.

Why We Need Art Now

Look around. Democracy feels fragile. The new administration is chaotic, to say the absolute least. People are suffering. Technology is reshaping everything from how we work to how we connect. When the collective is experiencing turmoil, art offers a different way of seeing, of being, and of imagining what our world could be.

Think about Nina Simone's protest songs during the Civil Rights Era, Keith Haring's art-based campaigns creating awareness for AIDS, Ai Weiwei's works that openly criticize the Chinese Communist leadership and advocate for democracy and freedom of expression, or Kendrick Lamar's recent Superbowl performance that lives rent free in my head. Artists have an important role to play in revolutions. Artists have the power to save, shape, and heal our world.

You know things are bad when the art is getting really good.

What's Coming in Season Two

This season I hope to talk with artists who had a major career or life transition. Those who once knew the Wall Street Mentality all too well, but eventually redefined success on their own terms, and pursued alternative paths. 

My first guest is a perfect example of that. Katherine Pomfret walked away from a high-paying career in corporate marketing to pursue things that better aligned with her core values: van-life, makership, community building, and hospitality. She has since diversified her income streams and founded The Society of Alternative Entrepreneurs (which you should go check out immediately). 

I want to hear the messy, raw, authentic stories of people who choose the otherwise unconventional path. I want to connect with people who are betting on themselves.

You'll also see a slightly revised approach from me this season. One episode per month, maybe. I might miss it sometimes. No rigid schedule. No burning myself out to meet arbitrary deadlines I impose on myself. 

The podcast itself is becoming a practice in sustainability and intentional creation. It was feeling like another item on my to-do list last season. That is not the energy I want my listeners to receive from me.

My Final Thoughts About Art Right Now

Julia Cameron said creativity is the natural order of life. Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source. As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity. 

Art is resistance. Not in a grandiose, self-important way, but in a quiet, persistent way like how water shapes stone. Making art means tapping into the very thing that makes you human. 

And when we look back at this time in our country’s history, we'll surely weep. But not all of our tears will be sad. Because we'll also learn of the artists who lived their lives in service of their craft. There will be healers. There will be artists who lead revolutions. There will be beauty. I take solace in that. 

When everything pushes us toward efficiency, productivity, and market value, choosing creativity for the sake of creativity is rebellion.

Whether you're listening while commuting, cooking dinner, or just sitting quietly with a cup of tea, thank you for fitting me into your day.

And if you're new here, thanks for checking it out. You’ll come to find out that we value creativity over productivity, connection over competition, and courage over conformity.

First guest episode drops tomorrow featuring Katherine. Can't wait to share it with you. You can watch the season 2 trailer below or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.