THE STREET IS YOUR MBA
13 Lessons of History for Creators, Photographers, and Founders
Walk.
See.
Click.
Publish.
Repeat.
That’s the cycle. That’s the compounding.
Forget perfect. Start now. The street is your teacher. History is your syllabus. Your camera is just a pen.
Let’s go.
1) START BEFORE YOU’RE READY (Hesitations)
No one is ever ready. The difference between “someday” and “today” is a single step outside your door.
Do this:
- 10 minutes. One block. Shoot 10 frames. Publish 1.
- Caption with one sentence: What surprised me today.
2) CONSTRAINTS CREATE CREATIVITY (History & the Earth)
You don’t need more gear; you need more limits. One body, one lens, one week. Make scarcity your superpower.
Do this:
- Lock ISO to 1600 for a week.
- Shoot only verticals.
- Title the series: “LIMITS.”
3) COMPETE BY BEING DIFFERENT (Biology & History)
Life is competition. Markets are competition. Your edge is contrast. Don’t be 10% better—be 10x different.
Do this:
- Write your Non‑Consensus Belief about photography or business.
- Make one post that teaches it with proof (photos + one story).
4) STEAL LIKE A SCHOLAR, CREDIT LIKE A PRO (Race & History)
Civilization is a remix. Learn from everyone. Credit your influences. Transcend them.
Do this:
- List 5 creators from wildly different worlds (jazz, architecture, boxing, typography, street vendors).
- Shoot a mini‑series inspired by each, credit them in captions.
5) CHARACTER IS YOUR MOAT (Character & History)
Trends fade. Character compounds. Be the person who ships, who shows up, who finishes.
Do this:
- Decide your Three Rules:
- Publish something every day.
- Walk 10k steps, phone in pocket, camera in hand.
- No doom scroll before you ship.
6) WRITE YOUR OPERATING PRINCIPLES (Morals & History)
Morals = rules that protect your mission. Make your own and live them in public.
Do this:
- Draft your Creator Operating Principles (max 7).
- Pin them to the top of your site/newsletter.
7) BELIEF IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER (Religion & History)
If you don’t believe your work matters, no one else will. Build a mission you’d march for.
Do this:
- One paragraph: Why my photos exist.
- Print it. Tape it above your desk. Read before you leave the house.
8) FOLLOW THE MONEY, THEN MAKE THE ART (Economics & History)
Likes don’t pay rent. Value does. Simple unit economics: help someone, save them time, teach them something, make them feel.
Do this:
- Make a $49 Micro‑Product in 48 hours (mini zine, presets, a 30‑min critique session, a route map of your favorite walks).
- Sell 10. Learn. Iterate.
9) MARKET + COMMUNITY = POWER (Socialism & History)
The synthesis: keep the market’s energy, keep the community’s heart. Build with people, not at them.
Do this:
- Host a free 30‑minute Walk & Talk this weekend.
- One prompt: “Photograph generosity.”
- Share a community album; highlight five creators.
10) SYSTEMS = FREEDOM (Government & History)
Unlimited freedom becomes chaos. Create guardrails so you can go faster.
Do this:
- Two‑Channel Focus for 90 days:
- 1 long‑form (blog/newsletter).
- 1 short‑form (reels/shorts).
- Cadence: M/W/F post, Tu/Th edit/archive.
11) COMPETE WITHOUT SCORCHED EARTH (History & War)
Rivals sharpen you. Attack ideas, not people. Win with generosity.
Do this:
- Write a respectful rebuttal to a popular take you disagree with.
- Offer an experiment readers can try this week.
- Invite the other creator to a joint challenge.
12) RENEW OR ERODE (Growth & Decay)
Stagnation is slow death. Renewal is a habit.
Do this (weekly, 30 min):
- Pattern Scan: What repeated? What worked? What doubles next week?
- Cut ruthlessly: kill one thing that didn’t move the needle.
- Add one tiny risk.
13) YES, PROGRESS IS REAL (Is Progress Real?)
One frame today won’t change your life. A thousand frames will. One blog post won’t build a career. A hundred will.
Do this:
- The 7‑Day Street Sprint
Day 1: 10k steps. 36 frames. Publish 3.
Day 2: Shoot one theme: Hands. Publish contact sheet.
Day 3: Morning light only. 30 minutes. One paragraph reflection.
Day 4: Photograph strangers (ask, smile, thank). Share 2 portraits.
Day 5: Make a 6‑slide carousel: Pattern → Proof → Play.
Day 6: Edit a mini zine (8 pages). Export PDF.
Day 7: Write what you learned. Sell or gift the zine. Announce next sprint.
GEAR NOTE (THE UNBORING TRUTH)
The best camera is the one you carry every day.
If it fits in your pocket and gets you outside, it wins.
Stop hunting lenses. Hunt light.
THE “ONE PAGE” YOU NEED
Pattern → Proof → Play
- Pattern: Name the repeatable thing you see in the world.
- Proof: Show your images. 3 examples. One story.
- Play: Give us the step‑by‑step so we can try it today.
Tape it next to your monitor. Use it for every post.
YOUR MONETIZATION LADDER (KEEP IT SIMPLE)
- Free: Weekly Playbook PDF (1 page, one tactic).
- $49: Street Systems workshop (90 minutes, live).
- $299: Creator Sprint (2 weeks, daily prompts + critiques).
- $1,500: Narrative Day for a client (you design their content system).
- Retainer: You run their editorial for 90 days.
Value first. Money follows value. Always.
METRICS THAT MATTER (AND NONE ELSE)
- Throughput: 3 public assets/week (✅/❌).
- Resonance: Saves + shares ≥ 8% per carousel.
- Conversion: 10 seats per workshop.
- Renewal: Weekly Pattern Scan done (✅/❌).
Ignore vanity. Track compounding.
FINAL PUSH
You don’t need permission.
You need a walk.
History doesn’t give you a script; it gives you patterns.
Improvise with discipline.
Be kind. Be bold. Be prolific.
Open the door.
Feel the light.
Make the frame.
Ship.
See you out there.