We were lucky to catch up with Michael Morgan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Michael, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned in school and why that lesson is important to you?

I’ve shared this story a lot recently and think it’s worth sharing more widely. In college, I had a tough illustration professor. Whenever a student put a drawing on the board, harsh criticism was almost guaranteed; sometimes our work was even torn up. I didn’t understand anxiety back then, but that class was my first encounter with it. We spent most days drawing with charcoal, following the professor’s demonstrations before experimenting on our own.

One day, the focus was on abstract art. I was thrilled, thinking the subjective nature of the task would shield me from criticism. I drew various shapes and lines, waiting for the professor’s feedback. When he got to my easel, he pointed at a circle I drew and asked, “What shape is that?” I chuckled and said, “It’s a circle.” Then he asked, “Did you mean to leave that circle open?” He pointed to a tiny gap in the circle. I noticed it and said, “Why does it matter if I meant to leave it open or closed? It’s still a circle! This is all subjective anyway,” to which he responded, “Yes, it is subjective, however, your intention is not. An open circle and a closed circle are two different things. If you meant to leave it open, leave it open. Even emphasize its openness. If you meant to close the circle, make sure it’s closed.” And he walked away.

That brief interaction stuck with me for over a decade. It taught me the value of intention, exaggeration, and emphasis in my work. It also showed me that objective truths exist even in subjective realms.

This lesson came to light again last week in a music studio with my friend’s band, Tired Radio. When someone suggested making a song segment “lush and orchestral,” I pushed to take that idea to the extreme. The outcome was fresh and thrilling.

This short lesson has been a source of inspiration repeatedly. As an educator now, it’s a reminder that the lessons I impart can have a lasting impact, extending beyond the immediate moment into the broader expanse of my students’ lives.

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?

My name is Michael Morgan and I am a strategist, educator, and experimenter based in Brooklyn, New York.

I’ve always been a very creative person, fascinated by entrepreneurship from a young age thanks to my grandfather’s varied small business ventures. After exploring interests in audio production, education, and graphic design in college, I graduated with a degree in graphic design. This diverse background equipped me with skills in communication, understanding clients’ needs, and being intentional with the work I produce.

About 4 years ago I founded my consulting company STTTUS to help small business owners grow through strategy and user experience design. My services include management consulting, market research, and UX design.

Over the course of running my business, I’ve been inspired by many people along the way. Jon Castelli showed me how to balance business success with building strong relationships. Nathan Dantzler demonstrated patience, process, and humility. Ruairi O’Flaherty exemplifies thoughtful, caring friendship. Jared Masters models the power of persistence. Spider Entwistle taught me the importance of taste.

What sets me apart is my constant experimentation and learning, which you can see examples of through projects I’ve started like Attended Sessions (an online school), The Living Room Sessions (a live interview series), Merchhh (an apparel line), and Exploring Creativity (a podcast on the creative process).

I’m most proud of being able to support myself fully through my own work without being employed by someone else. I continue to grow through trial and error, asking experienced people for advice, and reading on various topics.

My personal interests in music, art, comedy, movies, sci-fi, and technology influence and intersect with my professional work in many ways. Sci-fi has encouraged me to dream bigger, technology enables me to do more with less, great creative works demonstrate the power of intention and direction, and comedy reminds everyone to stop taking things so seriously.

Looking to the future, I would love to turn some of these experiments into full-time, profitable ventures. I’d love to have enough money to invest in other people’s creative ventures. I also dream of building a creative space for people to work, experiment, and play.

If you’re looking to grow your business, I’d love to talk. And if you want to learn about AI, you can take my class. Feel free to reach out on Instagram (instagram.com/michaelj.morgan), my website (sttt.us), or email me at hello@sttt.us!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

A Strong Network & Podcasting: – A few years ago, I was on a podcast called Conversations (https://instagram.com/conversations.at) with my close friends. We spoke every Wednesday evening for several months. They are also figures in the music industry whom many people admire. This opportunity helped introduce me to a new audience and allowed me to share my views on topics that matter to me. I believe podcasting also helps humanize individuals; followers can trace your journey and observe how your thinking evolves in different situations. So, a good network and podcast have helped a lot.

Posting Daily & Responding to People – I am big on posting to social media daily, sharing ideas on the internet. I post about topics that matter to me and invite conversation. I respond to every DM I get and have set up calls with anyone who seems interested.

Doing the Work & Having a Great Product – You cannot overlook the importance of “doing the work” and having a great product. If you have cool friends and are in the public eye, but your product falls short, that will resonate more than anything else. So, I am always learning and honing what I do.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Creative individuals need time to think, breathe, try, and fail. We all learn differently. Some may struggle to articulate beautiful, yet complex ideas. We can be challenging to work with because our vision is paramount to us.

Often, we don’t know what we want until we see it. As a previous teacher of mine once said, “to see is to know.” Sometimes we need to try, fail, and pivot before we can be certain of an idea or action.

At times, friends or family discourage creatives from pursuing their work because it’s not generating income, yet those same people will support and consume art from a celebrity without knowing who is behind it, even when the quality is comparable.

Creatives need financial backing to pursue their passions. Liking and sharing on the internet is cool, but making purchases, supporting, showing up to events, donating, etc., does more for the artist in the long term.

Financial insecurity can brew anxiety, and anxiety is known to dampen openness, which in turn, stifles creativity. We live in a capitalist society and can’t exist without some income, so if you’re in a position to support, please do. Support your friends, support your community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sttt.us
• Instagram: instagram.com/michaelj.morgan/
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/michaeljmorgan1/
• Other: http://www.attendedsessions.com

Image Credits
Ryan Rose