Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Timothy Scahill. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Timothy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

Whenever I start any project, I always make an outline. It doesn’t matter if I’m writing poetry or songs, building websites, or helping a freelance client with their marketing strategy. An outline helps me to get my thoughts organized and makes it easier to get a team together to work on the project.

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 Timothy Scahill, but you can call me Tim. I’m a father, a husband, a musician, a poet, a doodler, a marketing guru, and more.

I grew up in Nebraska. My mom was a media specialist who always brought technology around the house. She was also a musician at our church, so she had many instruments for me to play around with. My dad was a Methodist Minister with a booming voice and friendly disposition. But even more so, he was a guy who executed plans, pulling churches he worked for out of debt, helping council families, etc. My hero!

In the first or second grade, my parents convinced me to join the church choir, even though I was hesitant. During the first session, we went around the room to introduce ourselves. When it was my turn, I proudly stated to the group that I could leave if I didn’t like choir. I, of course, fell in love with singing and have been doing it every day since. That experience taught me that trying new things and stepping out of my comfort zone could lead me to find something I love.

During my college days, I was a part of a touring band, which helped me develop my marketing and networking skills and also developed my tastes as a designer. I remember those long nights spent launching Rent Money Big’s third website within two years. Anyone remember Flash MX? Though my dreams of living off my musical talents alone fizzled out with R$B, I found solace in poetry, digital media, and making websites for other bands and artists.

I’ve always enjoyed working as a freelancer via TimothyScahill.com, but because of my collabrative musical roots I’ve always felt a strong desire to be a part of a team. So, I shifted my focus from the Lincoln music to working in the marketing scene in Lincoln, Nebraska, working for a few startups. That was my real education into the Marketing world. I’m proud of my Nebraska roots. The state has consistently produced a talented group of professional creatives.

After meeting my incredible wife, we both felt a strong desire to be close to the ocean. So, I took up a job as a Digital Marketing Specialist at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, which is one of the most stunning places on Earth. Those who are familiar with it can attest to that. It was there that we started our family, with our son Jules and four pets. Furthermore, I was able to pursue my passion for giving back to the creative community by teaching creative tools online.

We spent 9 wonderful years in Southern Oregon, but we have since relocated to the Portland area. Currently, I am engaged in a lot of freelance work and teaching online at Southern Oregon Community College. Additionally, I have recently taken on a new role as the I’m Marketing Director at the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette. Furthermore, this spring, I am beginning to teach Community Education course at Portland Community College.

On top of all that, I am super excited to announce that my brand new DIY poetry book is coming out this month! Check out my website athoughtbytim.com/read.html to keep up with the latest updates. I can’t wait to share it with you.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

There is a video circulating online of Rick Rubin telling Anderson Cooper that he doesn’t know how to record music; he only knows that he trusts his taste. While the sentiment in the clip is certainly true, those familiar with Rubin’s career know that his taste also comes from a lot of experience in the music industry. While I believe the most important thing is to have a plan/road map, it’s essential not to ignore that gut feeling and to trust the values/techniques that you’ve learned along the way.

Sometimes, we get talked out of great ideas or are too proud to admit when someone else’s idea is better than ours. Or even worse, I can do this all by myself!!! But we need to trust our creative instincts and the team around us to avoid ending up regretting it down the road.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is when ideas become a reality. It is not easy for everyone to conceive a melody and combine the necessary tools to turn it into a song. Similarly, not everyone can visualize a design or use creative tools to bring it to life. Moreover, not many people can hear about a business problem and immediately come up with a few achievable ideas to solve it. Creative problem-solving is a constant process, and sharing my completed ideas with others makes me happy. :)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://timothyscahill.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharpteethontrees
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/athoughtbytimbo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/athoughtbytim/
• Other: Art Website: http://athoughtbytim.com/

Image Credits
Photo 1: Sunset at Bandon Dunes by Erik Peterson Photo 2; Me playing Bass by TJ Martin-Lokey Photo 3: My Family by Marilyn P. Scahill Photo 4: My Son and I by Marilyn P. Scahill