Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aaron David Roberts. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Aaron, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
As I’ve grown older and gained over a decade of experience as a creative, my understanding of “happiness” and what it means to be happy has evolved throughout my artistic journey. In the early years of my career, I mistakenly associated happiness as an artist solely with tangible measures of success. Factors such as a higher day rate, acquiring new clients, or receiving awards for my projects became the yardstick by which I gauged my happiness.
However, relying on these external factors as the sole source of fulfillment proved to be unsustainable in the long run. This kind of fuel is transient, hard to consistently find, and burns out quickly. The creative journey is filled with more lows than highs. Doubts about one’s abilities arise from both internal and external voices. Even the most accomplished creatives face external criticism and internal uncertainty at every stage of their artistic lives.
Around 2019, I hit a wall chasing after this short-term fuel and reached a point where I felt completely disillusioned. I had defined my success and happiness solely based on a goal that typically takes a lifetime to achieve in my industry—and I was only 25 years old.
When COVID-19 struck, bringing all my Hollywood projects and daily creative agency work to a halt, I found myself questioning my purpose and contemplating a shift to different jobs or industries.
Being a self-employed creative is challenging. There’s no boss to hold you accountable, no shift times to make sure you don’t spend all day asleep, or any external factors present to prevent procrastination. It all boils down to your own work ethic and self-discipline.
Sometimes a day job does seem easier. Built in vacation time. Set hours.
However, once I grasped the entirety of the creative journey, I gained a newfound perspective on what happiness truly means as an artist. As cliché as it may sound, finding faith in trusting the process and embracing “the trip” rather than fixating on the destination revitalized my worldview and passion as a creative.
Reflecting on the years spent pursuing my ambitious creative goals used to cause anxiety when I found myself falling short of my self-imposed benchmarks. Yet, when I began appreciating the progress, growth in my skills, and the confidence I had developed in my craft, I discovered happiness in each present moment.
The artist’s journey is long and arduous. Some aspire for massive mainstream success, while others simply aim to make a living from their craft. Regardless of the scale of your creative goals, there will always be a multitude of highs and lows to navigate—much like life itself. Learning to adapt to the challenges and finding joy in the fact that you are on a path towards your dreams, no matter how much longer it may take than anticipated, is what propels me forward even on the most difficult days.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Since a young age, I have been immersed in the film/entertainment/media industry, growing up on the commercial sets of my father’s award-winning production company. With an unwavering belief in the attainability of a career in the creative space, despite my parents best intentions for me to become a doctor or lawyer, I entered into the field right after high school.
While I continually keep my “Hollywood dreams” alive with a full slate of unscripted and scripted projects in production and being pitched to streamers and agents, it is the creative agency I founded in 2020 that has truly blossomed into a source of immense pride for me.
Rising Tides Creative has become a well-oiled machine that delivers exceptional results.
We are a one-stop shop for all types of creative services needed to thrive in the digital age. Our specialization lies in the hospitality and restaurant space, collaborating with major San Diego brands and top restaurant tech companies such as Toast, Restaurant 365, and Popmenu, among others.
Our mission is to unlock the creative potential of every brand we work with, allowing business owners to focus on what they do best: running their business.
We offer a comprehensive range of digital marketing solutions that encompass website optimization, content creation, social media management, graphic design, event planning, and any other creative services required to elevate a brand’s presence.
At Rising Tides Creative, we have cultivated the best partnerships in San Diego to provide our clients with cutting-edge digital and tech tools necessary to thrive in the technology age. In the restaurant space, our agency operates with an unmatched scope, combining industry expertise with innovative strategies. We understand the unique challenges businesses face in the ever-evolving digital landscape, and we strive to create customized strategies that deliver tangible results. Rising Tides Creative is not just a service provider; we are a trusted partner in helping brands rise above the competition.
Rising Tides Creative represents the culmination of my lifelong passion for the creative industry and my commitment to empowering businesses to reach their full potential. With a focus on the hospitality and restaurant space, our agency brings together a team of experts and a comprehensive suite of digital marketing and tech solutions to ensure our clients’ success.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
The United States, in particular, faces significant challenges in nurturing and supporting its arts community. With one of the lowest federal arts budgets per GDP globally, and major cities becoming unaffordable for artists, it is crucial to address the lack of resources and opportunities.
One of the biggest challenges young artists face is the lack of resources and guidance on how to turn their artistic talent into a sustainable source of income. Unfortunately, our society often derides art school as a waste of money, while degrees in liberal arts disciplines like Communications are subject to jokes and skepticism.
While increased funding for arts endowments, grants, and education at the state and federal levels would be beneficial, it is essential for artists to take the lead in creating safety nets and ecosystems of success. Instead of waiting for external forces, artists can drive change by empowering themselves and each other.
In stage two of our journey at Rising Tides Creative, our plans involve deeply embedding ourselves in the creative community and becoming a central hub for all things creative. We believe that teaching emerging creatives how to develop their business acumen alongside honing their artistic skills is of utmost importance. By equipping young artists with the knowledge and tools to navigate the business side of their craft, we empower them to pursue sustainable careers.
Beyond providing education and creative skill development, our goal is to connect artists to a wide range of business opportunities within the creative space. By forging partnerships and fostering collaboration, we can create a thriving artist ecosystem where artists can thrive both creatively and financially. Through networking, mentorship programs, and curated events, Rising Tides Creative aims to facilitate these connections and foster a supportive environment for artists to flourish.
Nurturing and supporting the arts community is a collective responsibility. While the United States faces challenges in terms of funding and affordability, artists have the power to initiate change by taking charge of their own success. Rising Tides Creative is committed to playing a pivotal role in this transformation. By becoming a hub of creativity, teaching the business skills necessary for artistic success, and facilitating connections to business opportunities, we aim to empower artists and foster a vibrant and thriving arts community.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The current state of “Hollywood” and the creative system at large is deeply flawed. We witness a constant stream of major motion picture flops and canceled TV shows, many of which are unoriginal retreads of existing stories or intellectual properties. It is evident that Hollywood’s corporate culture is stifling creativity.
Hollywood has become a breeding ground for unoriginality. Countless successful movies and TV series have endured years of development across various networks, faced potential cancellation due to low early ratings, and encountered skepticism from everyone involved in production only to defy expectations when they are given a chance to find an audience.
Our mission is to restore power to the hands of creatives and produce content that resonates with audiences on a deep level. We aim to move away from the endless cycle of remakes and superficial attempts at edginess (looking at you, HBO’s The Idol). Instead, we aspire to create stories rooted in fundamental human experiences and values.
By prioritizing authentic storytelling and meaningful connections, we can breathe new life into the creative landscape. It is essential to listen to the voices of writers and creators, allowing them the freedom to explore their craft without corporate interference. Only then can we produce content that genuinely resonates with audiences and reflects the diversity of human experiences.
To bring about this transformation, it is crucial to foster a culture of collaboration and mutual respect within the industry. By dismantling hierarchical structures and encouraging open dialogue, we can create an environment that nurtures creativity and supports the visions of writers and creators.
And it’s not only the world of film & TV that have faced these challenges, as corporate culture has also had a detrimental impact on the music industry.
The once vibrant and diverse landscape that allowed for the discovery and elevation of up and coming musicians has been overshadowed by the pursuit of profit and marketability. Record labels and executives often prioritize commercial viability over artistic innovation, leaving aspiring musicians struggling to find avenues for success. Many talented artists are overlooked or forced to conform to a predetermined mold, stifling their creativity and hindering the industry’s ability to evolve.
By challenging the prevailing corporate culture, we can pave the way for a revitalized creative industry that embraces originality and empowers emerging artists to thrive.
Contact Info:
- Website: risingtidescreative.com
- Instagram: @alwaysarob
- Facebook: @alwaysarob
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-david-roberts-a7287b187/
- Twitter: @alwaysarob
Image Credits
Photographers: Andrew Barrack, Emily Merwin, Michon Davis