Creavo Cast

Jake Van Ness & Carl Grivakis

Creative Conversations to Foster Collaboration

Episodes

  1. Episode 7: Stop Bleeding Money - How Creative Business Owners Should Audit Subscriptions + Expenses

    MAR 30

    Episode 7: Stop Bleeding Money - How Creative Business Owners Should Audit Subscriptions + Expenses

    In this episode of CreavoCast, Jake Van Ness and Carl Grivakis dig into a topic every solopreneur and creative small business owner needs to pay attention to: auditing your business expenses. From software subscriptions and email accounts to Zoom licenses, domain names, phone plans, storage platforms, bookkeeping, and debt, they unpack how easy it is for costs to quietly pile up when you are busy running a business. They also talk about why reviewing expenses should not be a once-a-year task, but an ongoing habit that helps protect profitability and keep your business running lean. Jake and Carl also explore the bigger picture behind cost cutting. They discuss when it makes sense to save money, when it makes sense to keep paying for tools that truly deliver value, and when hiring help or bringing in contractors may actually be the smarter move. Along the way, they touch on pricing creative work, the difference between being seen as a vendor versus a consultant, and why staying visible with clients can help keep you from becoming an easy budget cut. If you are a solopreneur trying to make better financial decisions, cut unnecessary business expenses, and build a more intentional business, this episode will give you plenty to think about. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Show Links: Shamayne Brown LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shamaynebrown_i-thought-i-knew-where-my-dollars-were-going-activity-7439720966542299136-qQoX?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAADAOKQBkMfoXw1lxrTaLVHRlPxJ1h9x9GI WaveApps: https://www.waveapps.com Alignable: https://www.alignable.com/ Affinity by Serif: https://affinity.serif.com Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/ Marcus Brownlee Interview: https://youtu.be/Df10asLzwlY?si=LZdjIGTDfgkIIOe Being Gordan Ramsey (Netflix): https://www.netflix.com/search?q=Being%20Gordan%20Ramsey&jbv=81901623 Poddecks: https://app.poddecks.com xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx _

    26 min
  2. Episode 6: AI Can’t Replace Creatives | AI, Creativity, and the Human Edge

    MAR 16

    Episode 6: AI Can’t Replace Creatives | AI, Creativity, and the Human Edge

    In this episode of CreavoCast, Jake Van Ness and Carl Grivakis dig into the growing role of AI in creative work, business, and everyday life. They start with the recent court decision that leaves AI-generated art without copyright protection under U.S. law, then unpack what that means for designers, branding, and the future of creative ownership. Carl shares a real-world story from a branding project where AI-generated ideas kept missing the mark, while human design instincts, strategy, and real-world application won out. From there, the conversation shifts to the practical side of AI. Jake and Carl talk about how they’re actually using these tools in their own work, from research, proposals, and press release processing to podcast clips, transcripts, accessibility checks, and writing support. Rather than replacing creatives, they make the case that AI works best as a tool that speeds up workflow and supports better output when guided by experience. They also touch on privacy concerns, government use of AI, and why it’s worth paying attention to the technology without living in fear of it. This is a thoughtful, honest conversation for creatives, solopreneurs, and business owners trying to figure out where AI fits and where the human element still matters most. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Show Links: US Supreme Court - https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-supreme-court-declines-hear-dispute-over-copyrights-ai-generated-material-2026-03-02/ Jake's Substack - https://solopreneurfieldnotes.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips Carl's New Website - https://holycarpdesign.com Jake's Website - https://graphicprecision.com PodDecks - https://app.poddecks.com Unconference - https://www.theunconference.live/2026 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    36 min
  3. Episode 2: The Power of Accountability in Achieving Goals

    03/05/2025

    Episode 2: The Power of Accountability in Achieving Goals

    In this episode of CREAVO Cast, Jake and Carl discuss the significance of goal setting in business and personal life, especially at the start of the year. They share their experiences with various goal-setting techniques, tools for planning, and the importance of accountability in achieving goals. The conversation also touches on the idea of gamifying tasks to make them more engaging and the necessity of breaking down goals into manageable steps. As they look ahead, they emphasize the need for specificity and measurability in goal setting, while also encouraging listeners to surround themselves with supportive individuals to help elevate their ambitions. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Show Links: Rob Shauger and Blueprint Leadership Development Trello: Manage Your Team's Projects From Anywhere 24 x 36 Dry Erase Calendar (affiliate) Hero's Journal (affiliate) Side Quest Deck (affiliate) Are you interested in learning more about the TTT Planner? Message Jake at Graphic Precision Ed Mylett's Podcast: Your Next Breakthrough Requires a New You WhatsApp xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Chapters 00:00 Setting the Stage: New Year, New Goals 05:35 Tools for Success: Strategic Sprints 06:21 Tools for Success: Planners, Calendars, Trello 09:57 Gamifying Goals: The Hero's Journal and Creative Projects 12:55 Tactical Thinking Time Planner 16:36 The Importance of Specificity and Measurable Goals 18:56 Accountability and a podcast from Ed Mylett 20:31 Collaboration and Accountability: Building a Support System 24:54 Creavo Collaboration 28:17 Looking Ahead: Setting Goals for the Future xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    31 min
  4. Episode 1: We are Back! (with a new brand)

    02/22/2025

    Episode 1: We are Back! (with a new brand)

    In this inaugural episode of CREAVO Cast, hosts Jake Van Ness and Carl Grivakis reconnect after a six-year hiatus from their previous podcast, Rookie Designer. They discuss their personal and professional journeys during the pandemic, the evolution of their businesses, and the impact of COVID-19 on the creative industry. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration and creativity in their work, the rebranding to Creavo, and their vision for future episodes that will explore various aspects of creativity and collaboration across different industries. Scroll down to view this episode on YouTube. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Carl's Businesses HolyCarp Design - www.holycarpdesign.com 321and We're Live - www.321andwere.live Jake's Businesses Graphic Precision - www.graphicprecision.com Elevated Virtual - www.elevatedvirtual.com Rookie Design Podcast - www.rookiedesigner.com Episodes are still available from Episode 1 all the way up to episode 183. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Chapters 00:00 We are back! 02:26 321 and We're Live - Virtual Production Company 02:50 COVID effects Car's Businesses 04:23 Jake adjusts to the COVID business world 05:43 Jake makes a pivot into the virtual producer world 08:14 Shifts in the Training Industry Post-COVID 09:27 Carl's favorite parts of producing during COVID 09:56 Jake's favorite parts of producing during COVID 11:11 Fostering Collaboration Through Creativity 14:56 The Birth of Creavo: A New Brand Identity 18:12 Transitioning from Rookie Designer to Creavo 22:11 Looking Ahead: Future Topics and Conversations xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    28 min

About

Creative Conversations to Foster Collaboration