TrueLife - Carly Dutch-Greene - Eluding Conventional Expression

Episode Date: September 5, 2024

One on One Video Call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_US🚨🚨Curious about the future of psychedelics? Imagine if Alan Watts started a secret society with Ram Dass and Hunter S. Thompson… now open the door. Use Promocode TRUELIFE for Get 25% off monthly or 30% off the annual plan For the first yearhttps://www.district216.com/I'm thrilled to introduce Carly Dutch-Greene, a visionary designer who transforms everything she touches into design gold—not just because of her signature gold glasses, but because of her unmatched intuition and internal vision. Carly is driven by a passion for making meaningful connections, approaching every project with a deep commitment to storytelling, ensuring that a clear narrative shapes every visual element she creates.Specializing in transformative branding and design within the psychedelic community, Carly understands the profound impact that good design can have—evoking wonder, sparking possibility, and reflecting the potential of psychedelics to inspire meaningful change. Her work goes beyond aesthetics, crafting visually striking and intellectually engaging solutions that resonate deeply with her clients' aspirations and audiences.With a commitment to balance, authenticity, and radiance, Carly brings humor, insight, and a genuine desire to connect into every aspect of her life and work. Please welcome Carly Dutch-Greene, a designer who embodies the art of design as a powerful force for transformation and connection.https://www.carlydg.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlydg One on One Video call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_USCheck out our YouTube:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPzfOaFtA1hF8UhnuvOQnTgKcIYPI9Ni9&si=Jgg9ATGwzhzdmjkg

Darkness struck, a gut-punched theft, Sun ripped away, her health bereft. I roar at the void. This ain't just fate, a cosmic scam I spit my hate. The games rigged tight, shadows deal, blood on their hands, I'll never kneel. Yet in the rage, a crack ignites, occulted sparks cut through the nights. The scars my key, hermetic and stark. To see, to rise, I hunt in the dark, fumbling, fear. Fearist through ruins maze, lights my war cry, born from the blaze.

The poem is Angels with Rifles, the track, I Am Sorrow, I Am Lust by Codex Seraphini. Check out the entire song at the end of the cast. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the True Life podcast. I hope everybody's day is going beautiful. I hope that you realize there's a miracle getting ready to happen to you, that the world is smiling down on you and just waiting to show you how much it loves you. I am here with an incredible guest, and I think that all of you are going to understand why I think this person is so incredible in just a few short minutes.

Today I am thrilled to introduce Carly Dutch Green, a visionary designer who transforms everything she touches into design gold, not just because of her signature gold glasses, but because of her unmatched intuition and internal vision. Carly is driven by a passion for making meaningful connections, approaching every, project with a deep commitment to storytelling, ensuring that a clear narrative shapes every visual element she creates. Specializing in transformative branding and design within the psychedelic community, Carl understands the profound impact that good design can have, evoking wonder, sparking possibility, and reflecting the potential of psychedelics to inspire meaningful change. Her work

goes beyond aesthetics, crafting visually striking and intellectually engaging solutions that resonate deeply with her client's aspirations and audiences. With the commitment to balance, authenticity, and radiance, Carly brings humor, insight, and a genuine desire to connect into every aspect of our life and work. Please welcome Carly Dutch Green, a designer who embodies the art of design as a powerful force of transformation and connection. Carly, thanks for being here.

Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. Thank you for the amazing introduction. And I got to say, I miss my gold glasses so much. they broke earlier this year and it's it's been really devastating to say the least you know it's it's interesting i'm so thankful for not only like when i read that part about the gold glasses like on some level i can't help but think of the golden ratio and in how that incorporates stuff into what we see but i'm getting way ahead of myself here carly can you just give us a little bit more background on on

on Studio Delic, on what drives you and the passion you have? Yeah, for sure. So I've been a designer for over a decade. I started designing in high school. I was fortunate enough. I'm from Madison, Wisconsin originally. And I was fortunate enough to have a graphic design program in high school. And that was awesome.

And I immediately fell in love. And so it was very early on that I said, I'm going to be a designer. And I just like manifested it. Basically, I just said I am a designer, like as many times as I could. And I went to university and studied design. And my pursuit in design was like my driving force for my life for a very long time and still is.

So as a designer, I've worked for a variety of companies over the course of my career. And a big part of my career was serving a company called Sounds True. I'm not sure if you've heard of Sounds True, but they're a transformational learning company. A lot of cool stuff there, but I really got super clear. I always knew I wanted to design for meaning, for meaningful companies, meaningful individuals to help change the world in some way or another. And Sounds True really afforded me that. So I designed brand and marketing campaigns for some of the world's leading spiritual teachers

through Sounds True. It was absolutely life-changing. I got to say I love my job. It brought me to tears on multiple occasions because of how fulfilled I really felt. And so I knew once my time was up at Sounds True, I didn't want to do something really conventional. And I've had a relationship with psychedelics and drugs, specifically. and prominently psilocybin mushroom since the age of 16. And they've just been a pillar of my life

in creating meaningful change and transformation, all the moments in my life where I felt like I've come up against a wall. Like, I don't know which way to go. I use mushrooms as a tool to provide me clarity. And so I'd been called to incorporate design and psychedelics in some capacity for many years, even during my time it sounds true. But ultimately, at the end of 2022, I got the opportunity to either look for a new job or, I guess, start something myself. Hi, Caesar. Yeah. And I really really. like didn't feel called to look for a job. But even in looking for a job,

like there's no places I can apply in the psychedelic space that like have an opportunity to be an art director, a CD, or even just simply a designer. The industry is so new. So even though I've worked for other companies for my entire career, I was like, all right, now is my opportunity. I can either be that person that always, wishes that they had, you know, because I had the idea. It was like a design and branding studio for

businesses committed to psychedelic medicine. And I could either say, man, I really wish I started that studio, you know, 10, 20, 30 plus years down the line, or I could just do it. And yeah, I think that's a really cool thing about the psychedelic spaces. People are finding gaps in filling them. And I really believe studio delic fills that need for like, to, you know, to, you know, To have a design and branding studio that really deeply understands the psychedelic landscape is like really a game changer. And so that's a little background of me as a designer and an art director and now into Studio Delic, which has been just over a year since the launch.

It's so fascinating to get to hear the way in which that relationship with who you were, what you're doing, and the way you carry yourself is kind of manifesting itself. but I got to just reverse for a second. When we start talking about, especially psilocybin, there is this state of awareness that allows you to build a relationship with what is possible, not only with your ideas, but with everything around you. And when you talk about Studio Delic, when you talk about I had this idea to translate my vision into reality, like, can you just speak to the idea of how maybe psilocybin or mushroom,

made that possible for you because I think a lot of people, I think we on some level are getting to this stage where we are, so we are developing a new sense of an awareness. And that is translating your vision into reality. And I talk to a lot of cool people like yourself that are doing that. And I think mushrooms are a big part of helping us be aware that that is possible. Can you talk about that a little bit? Yeah, absolutely.

I think for me, at least, and it's probably true for a lot of people, there's just so much going on on a day-to-day basis. There's so much noise. There's so many opinions. And when I am deep in relationship with psilocybin, when I am on a journey, when I'm really deep in it, all of that shit falls away. It's like the clarity, the downloads,

they can finally reach me. The messages I think I've been trying to get from life on a daily basis that haven't quite been able to like hit because of the mushrooms. They just like snap right in a place. And that's something that is so essential for growth in all ways is to just be so clear on what's needed, what's next. what I think when I sit with mushrooms, I get immense clarity on my higher self and like what that looks like. And my ultimate goal in life is to just move towards that, to move towards her and to do everything on a daily basis in service of her. So yeah, the mushrooms just they bring clarity. And like that's the tool that I need to keep moving forward.

It's so awesome to hear. Do you feel that that particular clarity is something that helps you bring or manifest the people you work with? Like if you're working with sounds true or different clients that you have or other people in the psychedelic space, is it that same clarity that helps you understand their vision and bring about their vision when you're working with them? Absolutely. 100%. I actually have sort of this ritual. when I get a new client that I like to have a mushroom journey.

And I have notes that I take and, you know, a questionnaire that I have a client fill out. So I have all their information. I kind of just like sit with it in ceremony and like feel really deeply like what's needed for their brand for their business. And like that is a tool that really sets I think me and other designers that have that connection. psychedelic medicine apart is being able to use them as a tool to deeply understand clients and their needs. Yeah, it's interesting. I noticed a while back that you're up for a spot at South by Southwest. Is there anything you could tell us about that? Yeah, that was a really cool development. Honestly, there's so much cool background in how that came to be. If you don't mind me

going into. I'll be offended if you don't tell me. Okay. Okay, cool. So in starting the business last year, I knew the first year would really be about networking. And, you know, people can't hire me if they don't know who I am. I haven't been a part of the psychedelic space. Like, this was full on new. I knew the people that were like really cool and doing things and admired them, looked up to them, uh, Caesar Marin, being one of those. people and I really hustled. I volunteered at conferences. I snuck into parties at those conferences to meet people that I needed to meet to really, you know, just hustle and do what I had to do to like get the studio delic name out there. And it was kind of feeling not fruitful for a while

up until, and I have this idea for the psychedelic professionals networking club, which we can talk about a little bit more later. But all in an effort to just connect with people in the psychedelic space. And ultimately, in like March of this year, I started to see the pieces really come together. And I started to see, we kind of talked about this earlier before jumping on, which is like I started, I started to see the people that I looked up to. as now like peers. And like really, I'm connected with these people. I speak to them on a daily basis. Like we're in the trenches together, building this field.

And so the panel at South by Southwest is really cool because the people I'm speaking with are quite literally the people that I admired and was like, gosh, I hope I get the chance to be in a room with them someday. And to apply for South by Southwest, for a panel on psychedelics with Alexandra Pletner, Dennis Walker, and Caesar Marin is like, pinch me. Like the coolest thing I could have. Like me a year ago, I couldn't fathom that happening.

So it was just like really, really cool to just all of us get on board and get on the same page. Like we want to talk about psychedelics in the media and like how important it is to betray them in the right life, whether it's headlines or articles that are being written. And yeah, there's just so much there. And fingers crossed that we make it. Yeah. There's such a like four heavyweights in there. And I, if anybody is listening or watching,

I think that you should be going and voting. And I'm looking forward to watching all of you put together that panel and see it at South by Southwest. It's almost like a confirmation of dreams coming true. And I don't know. My personal opinion, you guys are shooing, but I don't want to jinx anything. So I'll just leave that right there.

Thank you so much. Yeah. When it comes to networking, maybe you can talk. Like, I've been fortunate enough to get to go and hang out at one of the accelerators that you put on. And there's, I love the method that you use, the way in which you're able to put people together in a format where they can network and talk and exchange ideas. Maybe you could speak to the idea of how that came about, how it's working and your thoughts on it. Yeah, definitely. So in my effort for the first year to network,

and to meet people in the space, I found myself in a lot of rooms with practitioners and facilitators, which was incredible. You know, just meeting people in general who are dedicated to psychedelics as their, you know, North Star is like incredible. But I felt like the odd one out. Like I'm kind of running this business. I'm figuring out the legal part, the things I can't say and can't. can't say. And I know that's the same for the practitioners, but I really had this deep need to

connect with people who are doing more businessy things, marketing, whatever, like anything sort of in the entrepreneurial or business side of things. And I just saw this opportunity to like create a space for people who are committed to this as their line of work to gather. and to talk about really what businesses they're running, why they're running those business, their intention day-to-day, like how they balance like psychedelic, personal psychedelic use with their business, how those things coexist, really just all parts, all the challenges and the wins that that we experienced. So I started Psychedelic Professionals Networking Club to create that space for people in the field.

And we've had three so far. It's been like the responses have been absolutely magical. I was like, okay, maybe I'll get, you know, five, ten people for the first one. First one we had, I had like 60 signups, 30 people show up. And consistently it's kind of been like that. Kind of a pinch me moment, honestly. And creating a space and hearing the feedback from the people who show up to those events of like, wow, the connections have been so fruitful.

and so meaningful. And, you know, I'm featuring this person on this article or like, we're doing a collaborative project. That is like what it's all about. So it's been absolutely incredible. I have so much gratitude for that community. And I'm stoked to see how it grows. It's really just a beginning.

Yeah. Thank you for me. And I think I can speak for the majority or probably everybody there. Like, thank you for putting that on. It has been fruitful. And it's amazing. to get to being a group of people where you're like, oh, these are my people right here.

Like it feels like home. You know what I mean? Like, oh, there is a group of us. Yeah, you get all excited. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I think getting to jump in any of those breakout rooms, I sort of like set the breakout rooms and I can kind of like cherry pick which ones I go in. And every single time,

people are deeply connecting and having meaningful conversations. And to do that so quickly with people you've never met is. such a testament to the type of individuals that are in the psychedelic field. Yeah. It reminds me of, you know, the way getting to go to like some startup parties or some accelerators in person, this is very similar. Like I get the same vibe, like like-minded people that actually have really cool ideas to offer each other.

And it's like, boom, I can reach out of this person. right now and after this meeting, I can go jump on a Zoom with them and we can collaborate and potentially start something. Like that is magical. Like it's tangible. Like that's it translates. You know what I mean by that? Yeah.

I absolutely do. I think people are just really excited. Yeah. To be in this space and to fill those gaps like I mentioned. Like they're and and everyone wants to support each other in their efforts. There's this energy. of you can do it. There's no competition. We're in this together. And I think it's so important to have that because there's an abundance in the universe, right? There's not a limited or finite amount.

We can all be successful. And we're more powerful together when we support each other. And when there's something I don't know how to do, there's no doubt someone knows how to do that. And really well. So to be able to be in those spaces and meet people that like know how to do what I don't know how to do is like so game changing. Agreed. I feel like we're on the ground floor and it's still really early. But I'm curious if you can maybe talk about some trends that you have seen happening or some things that you see on the horizon. I know that we get a lot of headlines with the MDMA and the Likos and facilitators. Like there's all this information out there. I'm just curious like, What kind of trends do you see happening out there right now? Yeah. So what's actually coming into my realm a lot lately is great market products. Okay.

And that's super interesting. I've got a lot of people coming in needing packaging designs or branding for their great market products. And that's a super, it's a challenging thing to do work on. You know, you can have contracts in place, but there's a possibility to be, complicit in that offering. So that has been a huge trend. And, you know, if you're on social media, there's no doubt that you're seeing some pretty surprising ads and accounts that are promoting these products. And so, yeah, that's just one of the trends that I'm really seeing

right now is, and I think it's so important to provide access to medicine, right? Yes. And so, So many people who aren't in the know, who aren't in the psychedelic space, who don't have experience obtaining medicine or drugs, having those great market products makes medicine more accessible. But it's a tricky business to be in. There's no doubt. Yeah, without a doubt, you know, it's interesting to look at the path that cannabis has taken over the years. And it's sort of been in this legal but not really legal framework. And you got dispensaries with like armed cars holding all their cash and stuff. And it moves prices and stuff like that.

Do you think that on some level that psychedelics is taking a similar road or are we learning from that aspect or is there anything we can do about it? Yeah. I mean, we have to learn from the cannabis industry. I think maybe at the beginning there was a lot of good intention there to medicalize and make it accessible. in that way, but I think the legalization route really showed us a lot. Of course, many states generated so much tax dollars to put into things like schools or other beneficial programs. But what we've seen from a legalization standpoint in the cannabis industry is not what I think we want to replicate in the psychedelic space. That's why I'm a really big proponent of decriminalism.

criminalization over legalization. I think there's a place for all of it, for medicalization in having medicine facilitated in a health care setting, no doubt. But I think what's really beautiful about the psychedelic field is it's not just about drugs or just a drug, a substance. I think cannabis can really be used as a medicine if it facilitated in the right way. But it's so much more than that. I mean, we're looking at retreats. We're looking at research and facilitation and products. It's really all of these things together. So yes, we should definitely learn from the cannabis space because there was a lot of missteps and we would be, it'd be a missed opportunity not to. But there's also like so many other industries that are important to like integrate as we

build this together. Yeah, I love that. It's really well said. And on some level, I think cannabis helped, in my opinion, to destigmatize what's happening now. And I know there's still a lot of stigma. Someone who goes out and talks about it yourself, myself, you know, my daughter goes to school around here. They're like, what do you talk about on your podcast, George? You know, and so there is this stigma still out there of people like, you're doing drugs, man. And I'm trying to explain to them in a different way what's happening. But I think it's not too far down the road where we start seeing architecture firms, bringing this in to help brainstorm how to build beauty,

how we see communities coming together to talk about potential use at end of life and how it helped them. And it just sort of manifests in a way, oh, this is something that's healing us. You know, and I'm so excited for that in the future. And this is where I want to turn kind of towards your storytelling and your branding and your design ideas. When you think about whether it's gray market packaging or it's psychedelics in the future, can you share with us a story, a branding story about psychedelic that's emerging? Like, how do you think about it? Like, tell us your story about how you see it emerging as a storyteller.

Yeah, so I think as far as branding goes, I think of it like a tree, right? The brand identity is the roots. And from the roots, the business can grow and, flourish. And so developing a really clear understanding of like what this business is trying to communicate to its audience is the core of how I build a brand and understanding that that mission, whether it's a gray market product, whether it's a retreat center and getting really, really clear. For example, this project I work on with these, worked on with the psychedelic access one. Their mission is to provide access to psychedelic medicine for anybody that needs it.

They just, they foot the bill. Like, if you qualify as someone who cannot have access or cannot afford treatment, they will provide that access to you. And it's a very clear mission. So when, you know, working with them, hearing that mission, everything comes from that. Like, as I'm eye, ideating what the logo is going to look like as I'm figuring out what colors we use, what type of photography we're going to use. Everything dials back to that core message of like we're trying to support people. So I think using that as my checkpoint for as I'm creating, like always consistently going back to what is what are they trying to say?

And when I do that, I'm able to tell the story visually, really. And that's how to resonate with your demographic, with your audience, is through telling stories. And telling a story visually is not just as easy as like, I'm going to pick red, orange, and green. And because they look super cool together, and then I'm going to make this logo that says one thing. It's really like what symbols are we going to use to communicate the feeling of support? What colors really honor that support. So all of those components together, they make the meaning. I love that.

You know, I think one of the many things that really set you apart is your ability to understand the relationship between imagery and the feeling it transmits. Like that comes through when I go to your page and look like the people that you've worked with and the sites that you've developed, like there is a real unique relationship there. And it's like I can feel it. You know, and like that, that I think is the secret sauce in translation. It's almost like a language, right? Like if you can convey your words, it's almost like poetry. You know when you read poetry and sometimes you get goosebumps? Like you're, you're getting more than words, you're getting feeling. And I think that that is something you do really well. And maybe we could just talk about that for a moment, like the idea of imagery as language. Like you've done

some cool stuff on there. How did you learn about that? You talk about symbols and the meaning they carry with them and what they transmit. I know that's kind of a shotgun at the back door, but let's talk about that for a minute. It's so funny that you say that because I use this metaphor all the time. And I'm sort of like in interviews. I'm like, okay, what are some other ways I can say this? Because I don't one of the broken record. But yeah, I really believe designers speak a different language. Like people understand design, but not everybody speaks it. And designers speak it.

And so we're like kind of the translators between the words that that you use on a daily basis and the visual language of design. And I can't say, I think, you know, over time in my training as a designer, in the with the incredible professors that I learned under and the incredible mentors and creative directors that I've had throughout my career, those are the people. It's really about the people that have inspired me and taught me. And I've also, you know, learned through observation, but those people have gotten me to where I am today to be able to channel my intuition, right?

I think design skills can be taught for sure. But for me, my intuition is the most important tool that I use when I'm creating. Because if I am not connected with myself, I can't connect with other people. And I can't connect with businesses to be able to translate into my language. It's so well said. It reminds me of the point in a psychedelic journey where you bump up against the ineffable. You know what I mean? We're like, it's, oh, it's so clear.

I got nothing, you know? But that's what you're bringing back, right? Like maybe it's supposed to be ineffable because there's no words for it. And then your job is to create that, I don't know, that six-figured tetrahedogram that like that you saw in there. But your job is to create that through symbolic. meaning and imagery, but is there a relationship between the ineffable and a psychedelic trip and the work you're doing? Yeah, absolutely. There are so many times where I'll like have an idea, a design idea, and then I'm trying to make it and it's like not happening. So I really

resonate. And I was on a mushroom trip a couple months ago that like they were incredible. But the downloads were coming so fast. I literally had to scream out loud, like, slow down. Like, I cannot obtain this information. I think I started taking notes at one. I know I did. I started taking notes at one point. I remember looking at the sheet after I'm like, this is some alien. Yeah, totally. This is not writing. But yeah, the ideas can often come really fast. And it's up to me to like capture those and translate them into reality. So, yeah, I definitely see so many similarities. And I just have to trust, just like in a mushroom journey, like the ones that are meant to stick, they will stick.

Yeah. I feel like there's seeds being planted. And you catch a small glimpse of what the tree, like they show you, this is what this tree is going to look like. Wait, what does it look like? Don't worry about it. The seeds planted. It's in there, you know, it's mind-blowing to think of. And, you know, another aspect that I think that I see in your work and happens to other people that I speak to is that it gets really scary sometimes.

Like sometimes, I think it was Terrence McKinnon who said, if you take a dose and then you don't say after, holy cow, I took too much, I'm going to die, then you didn't take enough. But that can be scary. You know what I mean? Like you find yourself sometimes in a psychedelic journey like, oh, my God, did I take too much or what's going to happen here? I think that that same feeling corresponds to a creator and entrepreneur in life to like, oh my God, I'm really deep in this. This may not work. But on some level, it builds that trust. Like, okay, I got through that psychological trip.

I can probably get through this actual physical trip. Have you ever had that happen or can you relate to that? Yeah. Yeah. I can deeply relate to that. I actually probably without going into too much detail because I'm still integrating. I just had my first ayahuasca journey a week ago, literally got back a week ago. And I experienced absolute agony, to put it lightly.

It was like so deeply painful for hours and two nights in a row, two ceremonies in a row. And now everything seems easier. I even just in the last week, two weeks, I've just used that as my checkpoint. Like it feels really hard to walk up these four flights of stairs with all my bags. That's not that hard. Yeah. I've been through worse. And there's so much meaning and message that I'm integrating from that experience.

But I know because of the pain that I've experienced in that setting or the discomfort that I've experienced with with mushrooms. Those things make me stronger and make everything easier to navigate in daily life, especially when I'm working with clients, especially when I'm presenting ideas and they're not resonating, which can happen. Of course, I want to get it right on the first try, but it doesn't always happen. And so we go back to the drawing board. and if I have my ego in it, that feels really hard.

Like, I put a lot of love, like presenting this design. This is my soul. I'm bearing my soul to you. But I really have to like take myself out of the equation. It's not about me. It's about how we're communicating that business and their message through the design. And yeah, so everything feels a lot easier because of my experience with the medicine. Yeah.

That's awesome. Did you go to, was it local? Did you go to South America? Can you tell us about the retreat? Yeah, so I'm actually a digital nomad. So I'm currently living in Medellin, Colombia. Whoa. Yeah, yeah, I've been here for the better part of the last five months.

My time is coming to an end soon because of visa issues, which I totally respect. But I had been called to sit with ayahuasca. for about a year. So I've really been preparing for this journey for the better part of a year. And ultimately, the call was just so loud. I couldn't resist anymore. And I found this place that came highly recommended called Calibri Garden. Not only do I recommend them, but like, there's no other option. Like so highly recommend Calibre Garden. So they're just outside of Medellin in Santa Elena and the entire experience was just remarkable. It blows my mind.

I want to jump off on digital nomadding for a minute. Like I've seen a few people. I'm super envious. How did that come about? Like, can you, maybe there's a young Carly or a young George out there like, digital nomad, what? Like, can you maybe help people understand how that's possible? Yeah.

It's possible because anything. things possible if you want to bad enough for sure. I've always wanted to travel like in an extensive way. Ideally, it would have been like right after university. I would just like jump with two feet and just start traveling to maybe backpacking through Europe or Southeast Asia sort of thing. But I fortunately landed a job before I graduated and then gotten a five-year relationship. So like that's not what happened. I did not start. start traveling. I actually rooted more deeply where I was in Denver, where I lived for 12 years. I moved there when I was 18, so through university, post-university, and building my career there.

And then in 2020, the pandemic happened, but what really happened for me was a series of really, really painful experiences and did my relationship. lost my best friend to breast cancer, bought a house, which was awesome. But those three things happened within a two-week period of each other. And then there was a car accident and the loss of a dog within four months post that experience. And so that in the container of the pandemic was like this pressured pot of grief. and misery and rebirth.

I really felt like this house was a womb for me while I was moving through all of this. It changed me, shook me to my core, and made me realize through the deep sadness and hopelessness after all of those things happened, I felt how small my world was. I was just in this house. like locked in this house for all of those reasons, not even just the pandemic.

Really, as the pandemic lightened up and more regulations, I just, I stayed in this house. I couldn't get out and I was so deeply miserable. And my ADHD was debilitating. I struggled to feed myself, not out of lack of desire or hunger, but because decision making felt so challenging, even like what I'm going to eat for breakfast. And so then I just, I wouldn't do that. So I sought out some naturopathic doctors to help me with my nutrition. So I could clear this brain fog and gain more clarity.

I'm like, what? How do I get out of this? Like if you don't nourish your body properly, your brain's not functioning. You can't make decisions. And so it was this vicious cycle, right? So once I started to nourish my body really quickly, it became very clear that I needed to make my world bigger. And so within weeks, I signed up for this program I had heard of years prior called Remote Year.

And Remote Year originally started as a 12-month program where individuals who work remotely or don't have jobs at the time, they live in a different country every month for 12 months, traveling with a group of people that are like-minded, obviously. You have to be to commit to something like that. Remote year facilitates, co-working spaces, living accommodations, and travel between the countries. And I did a four-month program. So over the years they had evolved to have different types.

So I did a four-month program. I committed to living in Portugal, Spain, Croatia, and South Africa for four months. I left in August of 2021. and I have not stopped being a nomad sense. And it's just, it's so fulfilling to me. Over the last three years, I've stayed in places longer and longer. Like one month is not enough for me to be in a place and really feel like I can understand what life is like there.

But when I realize, like, oh, I can do this. I can make this happen. Thankfully, there's really. remote work. Like if I had to go in office every day, it's not possible. But yeah, I really had to learn how to hold myself accountable, go to a cafe or co-working space every day. Like, I can't just go around and do touristy things in these countries. I really, I go there and I live my life like I would every day. If I had an apartment in the States or whatever, it's really real life. And I think looking at it from that perspective, has made this style of living very accessible.

Wow. It's congratulations. I think it's a beautiful way. And I can imagine that it must open up the floodgates to creativity because you have to create. You have to find a way. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I'm so inspired all the time by these different countries,

the way different cultures live, the food. As a creative individual, I really, I rely on the outside, obviously the inside of my intuition, but the outside I get ideas just by looking, like living in Mexico City for most of last year was like the architecture there. I mean, I designed a logo just kind of based off of this little tile that I had seen, just little things like that that I feel. feel like the monotony of the life that I was living before was not providing. It was not providing that inspiration from the outside.

Yeah, it makes me wonder sometimes. Like, it's such, maybe that's the, a big root of depression and being sad is feeling of being trapped. And if you can just get out and see the magic and the environment around you, whether it's in your neighborhood, in your state, or getting the opportunity to go to another country, like that is, that's rewarding, right? Yeah. It's super rewarding.

And I, part of, part of being a nomad is like really breaking the stigma. I mean, I get all the time people are like, don't you want to settle down or don't you feel crazy? Like not being in the same place or, you know, whatever it is, whatever projection. But for me, getting out of the monotony, like, don't get me wrong. I've got my routine. I've got the places I like to go for lunch. day in the cafes I want to work at and my friends and I dance. I've got my things I like to do like everyone does.

I just happen to be in a different country every couple months and get to try new things and be really, really stimulated by that novelty. Yeah, it's, I feel like different environments have a different personality. When I was in Hawaii, it was different than it is here in Northern California. And I'm curious to get your aspect on that. Do you feel like you get to be submerged in new patterns all the time? Yeah. I mean, people all over the world live so differently.

Yeah. And it's not even just like the way things look because like Medellin is like nestled in the mountains. There's all these buildings in the mountains that are like architectural marvels honestly. Like how are they not falling over like dominoes? But it's super cool. So like the visual aspect is great. But seeing and being immersed in the way people live differently is really inspiring. Like the kindness and generosity of Colombians has made me a kinder and more generous person.

And the flavor and the energy of Mexicans has made me a little bit more spicy and fiery and fiery. and living in places like Portugal, you know, the slowness, Portugal and Spain, they got their siesta, their time they take off during the middle of the day, it makes me a little bit more tranquil and relaxed. And like, it doesn't got to be that intense, like the American state of mine. And, yeah, there's so many different countries that I just constantly take inspiration from. and words they say too, like, that are super cool. And, yeah, it's just so inspiring.

It's got to be huge for branding. It's almost like when you learn another language, you get another lens through which to see the world. And when you live in another country, it's like you're given a new personality to be to experience the world through it. Like, maybe, I didn't know you were a digital nomad, but it makes sense now when I see some of the work you're doing and how you're able to change the channels on different things.

It's so creative. Thank you so much. Yeah, the pleasure is all mine. I have a couple questions on the idea of design that I want to get to. And that's, okay, in your design process, how do you reconcile the competing forces of intuition and strategic thinking? It's a good one. I know you'd like that one.

That's a good one. That's a thinker. I'm just trying to think about a project I've been working on recently where I've had to balance the two. So I really think my process, I work out an intuition kind of person foremost. What I feel based on the mission that the client is trying to achieve and I'll create from that and I'll ideate from that. What I intuitively think is the best path. And then from the market research I've done, I'll take. that idea and sort of mold it and shape it like, yeah, this is fun and kind of like funky,

but is it going to align with the target audience? So yeah, it's a fine line and fine balance of like making what I think is really dope. And also like, is this going to work? So yeah, it's kind of my process is I start from a heart centered place and then I move into like, Let's refine this and tweak it and make it make sense for what this business is actually trying to do. I've noticed in a lot of your work too. I think you try to bring like you try, it seems to me that you try to create an aspect of humor to make people smile in the designs you're doing. Is that something, are you trying to design a life where people see it and they smile? Like how do you design humor into things?

Maybe you could talk about that aspect of it. Yeah, I mean, this project comes into mind immediately. I did a branding and marketing campaign for a course that Jason Silva did. I don't know if you know Jason Silva, but he's kind of like he's a modern day philosopher. In the way he talks, he's so animated and so accessible. The messages that he shares are so profound, but accessible. And he uses a lot of film references and is pretty quirky and loves to integrate humor. And I consider myself a funny person, but when I get to work with someone like that,

it just like amplifies it. And so working on the branding campaign for him, I used a lot of imagery of like whimsical things, like hot air balloons or people like swinging from cliffs. I don't know if you saw that project, but like having that, it was called, becoming awestruck. And I wanted to incorporate these, like, cool elements of awe and also, like,

cleverness and humor. And I think things like that, when you go into the little details and be kind of cheeky, in design, we call them Easter eggs, like hide things within the design. Like, that creates this energy of lightness, like, of levity. in design work and I think it's super important. I also like to be really playful with the colors I use as often as I can be. Like even if we're doing like a neutral palette, what if we add lime green? How can we just make things interesting?

And I think that's the humor in design. I love it. Like to me, it signals a breakaway from the cheapest, quickest consumer driven product. You know what I mean? Like I feel on some level, we've gotten to a point where efficiency is taken over. And it's not a bad thing, but sometimes efficiency just makes things blah. And why not have lime green in there? Why not put that Easter egg in there?

You know, for the younger versions and the next generation of designers to catch their eye and sort of, hey, come over here, kind of whisper to them in a way. You know, I love that you're doing that. And I think it also speaks to, you would mention in one of your bios that I read that narrative before visual. So I like the, maybe you could talk to that a little bit more. Yeah. I think this really goes back to using my intuition to understand the mission of the client and telling the story that they want to tell. But also, sometimes businesses don't really know the story they want to tell. So it's up to me to work with brand strategists and copywriters to help businesses and individuals,

understand the story they want to tell. And then through getting clarity on that, I'm able to be that translator, sort of like we talked about earlier. Yeah. Have you noticed a difference in the places that you've been living about the, like,

have you noticed a difference in the way people tell stories and their community? You know, sometimes I feel like where I'm at, there's a lack of, of rights of passage between the older generation and the younger generation. But in my mind, it seems to me in South America and some of these places in Europe, maybe there's still that strong bond and there's still that ceremony. Am I just romanticizing that or have you noticed that?

No, you're not romanticizing it. It's so true. I think there is some of that in the States, but it runs deep in other countries. Like living in South Africa, oh my God, the history in that country is. And the wounding is so deep, but, like, stories pass from generation a generation. And, like, in Colombia, I was talking to a friend, like, the way Colombians tell stories is, like, a song. It's really incredible. And I think many of, I know many of these countries and their cultures, like, people live with their families from multiple generations.

When I lived in Morocco, for example, it was like, and I was dating. It's like everybody lives with their parents and their grandparents. And I think that's the case that a lot of South Africa, South Africa, South America, it's not uncommon. And to have those connections, those deep connections intergenerationalally is it creates this level of depth. I think that can be really lacking in the States. Yeah.

Yeah, we, it's. a lot of places where you grew up, if you're not 17 or 18 and living on your own, you haven't made it, you know? Exactly. Like we, I live, I moved back to be close to my parents now. And when we lived in Hawaii, we were so isolated. It was my wife, myself, and my daughter. And just moving back here and realizing, oh, my God, like, that was wonderful.

But I sort of denied my daughter the wisdom of her grandparents by not being around. And just having them around now, like on a daily basis. It's you can see this relationship forming and it's almost like another lens to which to see the world and they they know way more than I know about raising a kid about adversity and I really hope that we can see sort of a return to that sort of intergenerational living on some sort. I think it's so wealthy. Do you think that that is something that can be incorporated into designs and logos later in in life or what's your take on that? Yeah, for me, my family is incredibly important to me. I'm so blessed. Like my mom and my brother are like my soulmates. Like we look at each other sometimes and we're like, we get to do this.

This is so cool. And I'm fortunate enough as a nomad as someone who works remotely, I get to and my family welcomes me in to spend, you know, a couple months with them. live with my mom for a few months out of the year. And that has truly changed who I am and formed who I am as an adult because there were many, many years like in college, like I moved away and I lived in a different state for 12 years and not being able to spend those long periods of time with family. I think there's, you know, it's nice to have a visit. What really happens when we spend extended periods of time as we develop a deep understanding of who they are.

They can tell stories and we can have some meals. But when you see how they are on a day-to-day basis, for me, it's really influenced even more how I show up in the world. And my mom is an incredible businesswoman, built a business, ground up. And so just talking to her about things like that. and hearing her stories and hearing what she's been through in life, it absolutely impacts the way that I design, the way that I run my business. Yeah, I'm glad to hear that.

I think it's so important. And I hope it inspires other people to rekindle the people, relationships with the people in their life that are meaningful. I know we're kind of coming up on an hour, but what do you got coming up in the future? Are you reading anything or what are you using right now to inspire you that maybe you could give to the audience who might be listening. Yeah, great, great question.

Yeah, I've got a lot on the horizon that I'm really excited about, some new clients that I'm working with. I'm about to start the artist's way. I don't know if you've heard about the artist's way. Let's hear it. It's a workbook for creatives. It's been around for a long time. And I don't know about it.

I haven't started yet. But what I do know is it's a way, to connect spiritually to enhance an artist's creativity. And it's not just for artists or not just for creatives, but it's really to connect the two how spiritual and spirituality and creativity intermix. And so that's something I'm just about to get started on. I've also, in preparation for my ayahuasca ceremony, I was on dieta. And so I changed a lot of the ways in which I showed up in the world journaling practices and meditation, which is something that I fought for a long time. I'm not really a routine person.

I always knew like my highest self does all these things, but I really struggled, especially with being neurodivergent, like really struggled to integrate those healthy practices into my life. And as post-retreat and pre-retreat, starting to integrate some of those things I know is what's going to ultimately help me to be the best version of myself, which is going to reflect in the business that I run. So right now I'm really focusing on how I can take care of myself in the best way possible so I can run a really awesome business. I think you're doing it. And I think it's an inspiration. I'm so thankful for the creative design.

work and the candid conversation you have and the inspiration. Like I, you know, I told you before we were talking. Like, it blows my mind to get to talk to all the people today that are laying the groundwork for an incredible future tomorrow. And I count you in that. Like, you're amazing. I hope everybody takes an opportunity to go and see what you're doing and reach out to you. Or I reached out to you.

You're easy to talk to and you're willing to help people. And I hope people will see that olive branch for what it is. If you're a young creator and you're out there or someone that is looking at, you're looking for some inspiration. Reach out to Carter. She's doing amazing things. And all you need to do is look at what she's done and it'll blow your mind. So Cardam's super stoked you're here.

What are the sites people can find you on? Can you say them out loud? We'll put them in the show notes. But it's nice. Yeah, definitely. So first and foremost, in the works is studiodec.com, all one word. That's the branding and design studio for businesses dedicated to psychedelic medicine and being psychedelic minded.

and my personal portfolio is CarlyD-G-G-com, C-A-R-L-Y-D-G-com. That's some of the work that I've done pre-Studiodelic that you can get a glimpse of. And Instagram at the Studio Delic. And if you want to see my personal life, my personal, I kind of keep that separate from business, but it's at Energy, E-N-E-R-G on Instagram. And that, like I said, I'm a dancer, so I like to show glimpses of that. here and there. So those are those are the main places also you can connect with me on LinkedIn. And then we've got our next psychedelic professionals networking club coming up at the end of

this month doing like the fourth Thursday. So I think it's the 26th this month. So if you follow some of those channels, I'll be able to give you information about all that. Yeah, everybody, check it out. I go into the show notes, check it all out. And Carly, I'm so thankful for our time today. Hang on briefly afterwards. I wanted to talk to you just for a few moments afterwards. but to everybody else who hung out. Thank you so much. Carly, Ben, Clint, Caesar, everybody out there, man. I'm so stoked to everybody listening on channels.

And if you listen to us in the future, thank you for your time. That's all we got, ladies and gentlemen. Aloha.