In this conversation, Alex Hillman shares his journey from web developer to co-founder of Indy Hall, one of the first co-working spaces in the United States, exploring how community building, meaningful relationships, and iterative learning have shaped his entrepreneurial path.

Links

• Indy Hall
• 10k Independents

Creators & Guests

• Marie Poulin - Host
• Benjamin Borowski - Host
• Alex Hillman - Guest

Jessica Abel shares her extensive journey as a creative, starting as a cartoonist and evolving into a business coach for creatives. She discusses her experiences in the comics industry, the challenges of making a living as an artist, and the importance of teaching business fundamentals to aspiring artists. The conversation highlights the need for creatives to adapt their business models and find ways to support their artistic practices while navigating the complexities of the art market.

Links

• Website
• Autonomous Creative Conference

Creators & Guests

• Marie Poulin - Host
• Benjamin Borowski - Host
• Jessica Abel - Guest

In this episode, we dive deep with Rob Hardy, a writer whose "devotional pursuit of a more beautiful internet" has led him to craft powerful manifestos that challenge the status quo. Rob shares his journey from filmmaker to manifesto writer, including the emotional roller coaster of entrepreneurship and his transformative experience writing "The Source", an article on perfectionism that resonated deeply with Ben and Marie.

Links

• Ungated Life
• Ungated Media
• Manifestory

Takeaways

• Metrics and views destroy what makes the internet meaningful—connecting with our unique people
• Manifestos contain three elements: articulating what's wrong, envisioning what's possible, and building a bridge between them
• Perfectionism oscillates between shame and grandiosity, while healing happens in the uncomfortable valley between
• Community support systems show us our struggles aren't unique and we don't need to face them alone
• Sustainable businesses start from safety, not scarcity, which leads to chasing metrics and "best practices"
• Writing a manifesto transforms the creator by forcing confrontation with deeper values and identity
• Manifestos help startups clarify values, improve decisions, guide hiring, and attract aligned customers
• Creating from conversation rather than control allows for genuine connections and surprising insights

Creators & Guests

• Marie Poulin - Host
• Benjamin Borowski - Host
• Rob Hardy - Guest