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Ignite The Creative Power Inside With Radiant Wildheart, Shereen Sun

By August 19, 2021Podcast
TGV S2 4 | Creative Power

TGV S2 4 | Creative Power

 

Following your passion should not mean sacrificing your business and profit. What if there was a way you could harness your creative power to help your business grow? Today’s guest, Shereen Sun, is not just your average business coach. She works with clients to help spark the potential already inside. She helps awaken your innate creative power and sacred purpose that allows your brand to stand out. In this episode, Shereen joins host Corin Grillo to share how she pursued her passion, started her successful business, and helped others do the same. Tune in and be inspired by her story.

Listen to the podcast here:

Ignite The Creative Power Inside With Radiant Wildheart, Shereen Sun

I am here with my friend and business bestie Shereen Sun. I’m excited to have her, but before we talk to her, I want to tell you a smidge about her. It’s not nearly enough, but it will get us going. Shereen Sun isn’t your average business coach. Her work helps to awaken your innate creative power and sacred purpose through understanding your unique combination of gifts and strengths so that you can build a brand that stands out. She empowers and strategically supports people who are tired of the same old marketing tactics and want sustainable growth that feels aligned and authentic.

Shereen has been an educator and creative expert for over ten years and has helped hundreds of people bring their dreams and projects to life. When she’s not helping badass creatives build world-changing businesses, you can find her making music, painting, and writing her first book in Los Angeles where she lives. By the way, she is a Hay House author. Find out more at RadiantWildheart.com.

Shereen, thank you for coming.

Thank you so much for having me. I always love getting to speak to your people.

We started our international businesses around the same time. We’ve been tracking each other for a while. What I love is that your age, you’ve always been vivacious and confident, but it wasn’t easy to get there. I would love to pick your brain about your story, your thoughts, where you’re at, and any wisdom that you have for people who were right at the beginning stage or not at the beginning stage. Maybe they’ve been doing it for a long, but they’re ready to take their next level of whatever that is. Shereen, how did all this whole thing get started?

Thank you so much for that wonderful introduction. I have taken your programs myself and learned how to work with angels, guides, and spirit teams through your work, so it’s been fun to get to grow my business alongside you. You’ve seen me go from super broke artist, tippy fairy girl artist, into a very badass multi-six figure entrepreneur for years now alongside you, which has been so fun. This all got started for me when I was a teacher. I was an art educator prior to having a business. I was teaching in schools all over Los Angeles. I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is an interesting place to be a teenager. It was a lot of exploration and fun, but I pretty much graduated high school with a one-point something GPA. I barely graduated high school, in fact, so I fell through the cracks when I was a teenager. My parents were super worried, they’re Muslim, and they wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer and here I was, queer and colorful. Not even going to school most of the time.

What were you thinking about yourself when you weren’t doing great in school? Our Western model is fucking ridiculous and you only have potential if you make good grades, which grades are not an indicator of success.

That was very clear in my family. This is the only thing that matters.

It’s the only path. Did you believe them or what the hell are you thinking?

I was creative and at that time, I was bullied when I was in elementary school. I didn’t connect with my teachers. I had behavioral issues. I was told that I talked to all the time, I was too socialized, asking too many questions, I have ADHD, I was a different thinker in a system that wasn’t ready to accommodate me.

That is officially oppressive.

At first, I went to a prep school and that was great because it taught me how to read and write well. They were pushing me to be advanced, so it’s fine, but I hated all the people around me because they weren’t creative and I was being bullied for being different. I convinced my parents to let me go to a public high school in Vegas. There, I got terrible grades because, for the first time, I was meeting people I started to connect with. I started meeting artists and creative communities. I started finding this whole world of artists of people making are about this culture that we were in the middle of in Vegas.

Don’t do shit that you don’t want to do.

What was the burning man thing big over there growing up for you? Were they burners or future burners or what?

Future burners for sure. I was going to music festivals. I went to Coachella when I was 15 or 16, but it wasn’t the way it is now. It didn’t even sell out at that time. I was into music, I was hanging out with artists, we were putting together art shows, and I would go home, I would eat dinner with my family, and then they would go to sleep. I would sneak out, be out all night and come back home.

You’re such a bad girl.

This was Vegas, so it was just what it was.

When your parents moved to Vegas, they asked for it, right?

It was good, though, because I was doing a lot of the same things I’m doing now, which was connecting to the community, being a part of the creative scene, and processing the world through art and creativity. That was what I needed that I wasn’t getting in school. Maybe someone should have seen me struggling and said, “Let’s put her in art classes,” but nobody did that.

Did you internalize any of the stuff as like, “Is there something wrong with me?”

Yes. That was middle school. Somewhere early on, I rejected the system back because I knew there was no space for me there. I felt misunderstood or whatever. I didn’t know that I could pursue a career in things that I wanted to do, so I was lost when I was in school. I was exploring and partying. It’s a part of it. Finally, my parents, when I graduated high school, let me go to a community college in LA and that was where I started to study the arts and creativity. That led me to become an Art teacher. I got a degree in education as well, then I started going back into schools and teaching in both wealthy prep schools like the one I went to when I was little and public schools.

I taught on Skid Row and in South Central, LA but then I was also teaching Art in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. I’ve always seen all the disparities, helping what comes up for kids in the art classroom, when people are trying to express themselves, I’ve been able to see through being a teacher exactly when those inner critics start to come up that keep us from wanting to share what’s inside.

It was good training that relates to what I’m doing now. I still consider myself an Art teacher. What I’m doing now came from work in the communities, not just in schools. I also taught Art and Mural Making. After I became a teacher, I decided I wanted to leave teaching and do something more creative. I was following my inspiration, which is generally how I live my life. That’s the only thing I can do. You will agree with me on this, don’t do shit that I don’t want to do. I’m not designed that way and that was the problem in my high school, which was the lowest ranking school district in the nation in Las Vegas. Nobody taught me how to go for what I loved or find the things that I was curious about. In college, I was able to do that by creating a path for myself in the arts, art history, and art education. I started learning about artists.

After I was a teacher, I decided to create a nonprofit because I wanted to paint murals with kids. I wanted to be someone that came into schools and brought painting projects. Through that nonprofit, I found a business partner who had a similar vision. She also happened to have the same birthday as me. We created this organization where we would go into communities and we also went to festivals and brought arts experiences, art studios, and paint it with people.

How was that doing for you financially?

TGV S2 4 | Creative Power

Creative Power: If you know what it is you want, then you might as well just create it. Otherwise, you’re always going to be longing for it.

 

Zero dollars.

No dollars, that’s just for fun.

It wasn’t at first. I was thinking it would be my life’s work and I was naive to think that, and I was young as well when I was doing this, but I decided I was going to leave teaching and create a nonprofit. We made no money whatsoever. I learned, and now I coach a lot of my clients who want to be in service to the world that you don’t have to have a nonprofit to be of service. You can be of service through your business and it doesn’t have to be a nonprofit. We were doing a lot of great work, but we were spending money and not making money. That was when I started my business. I told my nonprofit partner for Green Seed Arts that I need to make some money, so I’m going to take a moment and work on this business so I can bring some funds into this project. The business took over, but I do still do painting projects here and there.

A lot of people are curious about the transition when you go from what you think you want to do into more of like, “I need to make some cash. This is the way I’m going to do it.” Did you slowly shimmy out of that or did you go, “I got to block this off for a second and create?”

What I did was I hired my first business coach at that time. I told her I made a decision with myself. I’m going to grow a business because I need to support and sustain myself. I figured at the time I was again 25, I was like, “By the time I’m 30, I’m going to want this to be supporting me at least full-time.” I hired a coach who taught me essentially about growing an audience. That’s when I started to take everything I had been doing around creativity and apply it to creating content online and teaching online. I’m still doing a lot of what I had been doing, but in the process, I was doubting myself the entire time. I had no idea what the hell I was doing at any point in this process.

Was it when you decided to go more online or international that you started doubting yourself? To me, you’re sounding very confident like, “I’m going to start some art stuff and do it.” It took me a little longer to decide I could do shit.

One thing about me is even if I didn’t know how to do something, that didn’t stop me from going for it. For example, creating a nonprofit around mural painting. Was I truly a mural painter before I did that? No. Did I know a lot about mural painting before I did that? No. Did it stop me from going for it because I felt it was what I needed to do? No, I went for it anyway and I learned. Now I can paint murals, it’s great, and it’s not that hard.

In talking to a lot of my clients and they feel like they need to be cooked, have to have it all together, have to be an old timid expert, and be certified. I love that you’re already bringing in this attitude of like, “Why not?” Shameless actually.

I always knew that none of these paths that have been presented to me as the option like my parents’ path to become a doctor or a lawyer. Even being a teacher that was a compromise for my parents because they wanted me to do something stable. I tried it and it was just in knowing that this isn’t it. You also know what it is. If you know what it is, then you might as well create it because otherwise, you’re always going to be longing for it and thinking about it. I’m a little obsessive, I’ll be thinking about things and I can’t stop.

That’s a gift. I know a lot of people where their passions, desires, and juice freezes over in a way from essentially sacrificing who they are to become part of the culture, part of what they perceive people want or need from them.

That’s ancestral. We come from generations of women or people who have had to sacrifice, but now we are in a different situation and we have the internet and all these resources and tools that can help you. For me, it’s always been about art and creativity. My business is what allows me to do whatever the fuck I want to do and create whatever I want to create. That’s why I believe in a business because I guess I’ve always been looking for total creative freedom in my life. In any situation I was in, I didn’t like the bureaucracy.

I remember when I didn’t have a business and I was applying for these art jobs that would be so competitive because everyone who works in the arts needs a job and everyone is overqualified and super talented. We’re competing for jobs that pay us $20 an hour and not even getting called back because there’s so much competition even though we’re over-qualified. It was miserable. I got sick of waiting for somebody else to tell me that I’m knowledgeable. I don’t need someone to tell me how much money I’m going to make. I can decide that for myself.

Even if you don’t know how to do something, don’t stop yourself from going for it.

It seems like you’ve always had a creative drive. I loved that you designed a business around your creativity, which is fricking amazing because a lot of people are like, “I’m a starving artist. I can’t do anything other than paint and hope someone likes my painting or do my thing and hope someone likes it.” You can actualize it and take the next level. When did the notion of success and wealth enter the framework? When did that become important? Do you remember when you decided that’s what you wanted?

It was a long process for me to own the fact that I love making money and I’m good at it, especially coming from activist communities too, in artist communities, there’s a lot of scarcity, fear, and good reasons for some of that scarcity and fear too. My parents had financial access by the time I was around. I’m the first generation and my dad grew up in total poverty, but then through working really hard, he became a surgeon here, and I’m the youngest of five kids. By the time I was around, he was in a very different place, but at the same time, I saw that they had that and they had worked so hard and sacrificed so much for that. They still weren’t satisfied, fulfilled, expressed, or connected, or there’s so much that I wasn’t getting. They worked so hard and sacrificed everything for this “security.”

When you decided, you swallowed your pride and you’re like, “I want to love money too and I want to want to make money.”

They thought I was going to become a farmer or something. My mom would say with horror, “You can become a farmer.” I’m like, “That sounds cool.”

You’re bringing up a good point about that because no matter what culture you’re in, we want to glamorize the art culture, the creative culture, it’s so free and liberating, but it’s not. It’s so limiting. No matter what culture or community you identify with, you still have to deconstruct all of that in order to become who you are supposed to be, who you want to be and claim those bits like, “Am I allowed as an artistic queer brown woman to also be rich as fuck?”

There’s a lot of people who get uncomfortable when you start taking up space, shining your light, speaking your truth, and then getting paid well for it.

You start breaking the old contracts.

I’ve been through a very long journey to get here, to be honest. Even with the conversation of creativity and money, it’s been a lot of spiraling from embodying it, not knowing if I can have that, to forgetting who I am and remembering. It’s been a long process and I feel like that has been the work for me, is integrating all of these things. Now I feel in a place where it’s true. There aren’t very many communities that are creative but are still centering equity and justice while at the same time living in abundance. So many activists, healers, artists are all used to people of color, queer folks, we’re all marginalized and a lot of times, come from communities that have been historically oppressed, with a lot of scarcity, or a lot of ancestral trauma. It goes super deep. A lot of my clients are surprised by the profound level of healing that occurs through growing your business with me.

Let’s talk more about that. What needs to be healed for them in order to reach their next level? What are the things you notice coming up?

What’s interesting, this was a surprise to me from my studies of doing this work.

Do you mostly work with people of color or LGBTQ?

My groups are predominantly people of color. There’s a very high contingent of LGBTQ folks, queer people of color, and non-binary folks. These are truly the most diverse spaces in the personal development industry I feel. It’s awesome. I love it. It’s healing for even me. It’s my favorite community. I’m not saying that because it’s the one that I created.

TGV S2 4 | Creative Power

Creative Power: If someone’s leading with their passion, their inspiration, their values, their creativity, and just being themselves, that’s enrolling.

 

For people to take their next level and to deconstruct the image of what they thought they were and have to heal through like, “This is my history, but this is where I’m going.” What are the things that come up? What do people have to breakthrough in order to have a breakthrough?

What has been interesting to me is that it’s one and the same between what people are healing in their own creativity and self-expression and in their business. Worthiness, being seen, taking up space, and knowing that you have something of value to share. Saying it with your chest and not being afraid of what other people are going to think of you, not people-pleasing, not letting people cross your boundaries and disrespect you, these are all the things that I help people do to make more money and to express themselves and be the artists that they’re meant to be because we’ve been sacrificing ourself for everybody else.

It’s to be pretty in our hearts and in our expression.

Pretty, perfectly manicured. A lot of times, I’m helping my clients get vulnerable and even say things to themselves that they’ve never said before, stop trying to be so perfect and stop trying to be something that they’re not, cultivate themselves as an artist, and share from that place.

I like to think of my work now. I am a life artist right for myself. I help people create their life as art and do what they want.

What I’ve been doing is there’s been a lot of shifting, working on my boundary stuff and my own priorities. I realized that for however many years I’ve been in business, I’ve sacrificed even a lot of myself to make money because I was desperate. I needed it.

What did you sacrifice? This is great because there are different qualities of cash that you’re bringing in and some cash can make you feel someone’s bitch and other cash can help you feel free. Let’s talk about this because it’s important to envision the cash that’s going to set you free and not make you someone’s bitch.

I was in a place where I needed to make money. I was making offers to people I didn’t want to work with. I was ignoring the signs for my body and going hard selling. You know how hard I’ve worked.

I know you’re a hard worker. You work hard. I’ve seen her schedule. If you look at my schedule, I have three appointments fixed every week. I might have five on an intense week and all the rest is I do whatever. You are always working so hard.

I’m changing that now. I didn’t realize that I was doing that. I feel like I had something to prove. I needed to show that creativity is valuable and I can get paid for this. I’m like, “Look, mom and dad, I’m not destitute.”

Your dad’s a super hard worker. Of course, you’re a hard worker.

I also have been keeping my emotions through business and work, but you know what else I’ve done? I have sacrificed my creative practice in the name of money. I haven’t been making my art, my music, I’ve been working around the clock to grow this business and making offers to people that weren’t the right fit. So much has changed over the years now. The people that I’m working with are so aligned and there’s such a good fit because I’m coming from a place of abundance and not feeling like the money is the thing that’s pulling me on a puppet string.

It’s really not the end of the world if something goes wrong.

Let’s talk about coming from a place of abundance and break that down. What does that mean for you so that people reading understands?

You can truly have whatever you want. If there are things or people that are irritating you, behaviors that you’re experiencing that don’t feel good, or if you’re working in a way that doesn’t feel abundant to you, you get to decide whatever you want in your business. You get to decide who you want to make offers to, what you want to charge if you want to keep it small. Right now, I’ve overhauled. I took two days off every week. Now I have a four-day weekend every week and I’ve been working on my album. I’ve been making my music, doing my morning pages, painting, writing my book, and I’m working on my podcast, which is all creatively inspired. It’s not so much about what I think will sell and what I think people will buy, but more about what I want to say and create.

From your heart space, what is exciting and what brings you joy?

That’s such a powerful shift for people because when someone is trying to be something, they’re showing up on the live stream, and they’re saying what they think that the person wants to hear, it’s boring. If someone is leading with their passion, inspiration, values, creativity, and being themselves, that’s enrolling.

It’s so much easier when you come as yourself. Have you seen people have real breakthroughs? If there is one thing that they have to get before they reach the level of success that they’re dreaming of or that next level, what do you think it is or what is the quality? What do they need in order to make that happen? That one quality that no matter what, if you got this thing, it’s going to work out eventually.

It’s about how you are speaking and thinking about yourself and your work. If you’re complaining or if something goes wrong in your business and you let it take you out and go into this whole victim thing, how many things have gone wrong in your business on a weekly basis?

The first Angel Workshop that I did back in the day, my business was full, it was packed, and this woman from this bookstore, she’s like, “I want you to come to teach in Angel Workshops.” I was like, “Thank you, angels, yes.” I go. She’s like, “Here’s the key. everyone should be here soon.” She said that someone would be coming or that there are people signed up and whatever. No one showed up. It’s an incredible failure. I could have packed up my shit that day and said, “I’m never speaking in front of a group. That’s not for me. It’s a private practice from here on out.” Those failures are so important. What do you do with that when you’re like, “That shit did not work. I suck?”

I don’t feel that I have the time to be thinking things like, “I suck.” Even when I do start to go there, my mind instantly starts thinking about, “That is information.” There’s something that needs to be tweaked or adjusted. It’s like when you’re painting something, you put something down, and then you’re like, “That needs to be blue.” For example. It’s all data and information. I am mindful of how I’m speaking about my situation, about my work, and about my mistakes because it’s not the end of the world if something goes wrong. One thing I know, and I think you’ll agree with me is that it always works out. I personally always hit my goals. I have a feeling you do too.

My goals explode. It’s so crazy every time.

No matter how wrong it goes, it’s still fine, actually great. The most important thing is to manage your mindset, watch how you’re talking, speaking about your situation, and stop complaining so much. It’s simple but powerful. Cast spells, speak life into yourself, into other people, make connections, and give yourself that, and also be in your creative bag and practice.

I’m a big magic girl. Let’s talk a little bit more about casting spells. You’re talking about putting a field of energy. I want to hear more about that because I’m sure our people want to know how do you cast spells with other people and you’re talking to them. What do you do?

I speak things into existence. I believe in saying things out loud. I believe in being witnessed, saying things to other people. If I want to create something, I’ll start talking about it. Talk about it only to the right people, don’t talk about it to the wrong people. Dream killers, we don’t talk about this stuff.

TGV S2 4 | Creative Power

Creative Power: Spend some time with yourself, dig into what is coming up for you, how do you feel, what is alive for you?

 

They exist. They’re real. They’re scarier than life.

There’s a lot of people like us, who I call wild hearts, who you can create uplifting relationships with like me and Corin, were business besties, we talk about business all the time. I don’t think we ever let each other sit in complaining for too long. Sometimes, we vent.

We’re venting but mostly cackling and venting at the same time.

We always say in the energy of we are bad boss bitches that are going to hit our goals and make amazing miracles every day.

I’ve interviewed a few people around this topic, wealth and all heart-centered entrepreneurs. Some millionaires, billionaires, all that stuff. I’m looking for that magic key like, “What is the thing that’s going to take you to the next level?” They always start with exactly the mindset. It’s what you’re talking about, optimism. I was watching Mark Walberg’s new show, Wahl Street. I think it’s on HBO. I’m always watching business people, but he’s like, “I am an incredible optimist.” I was like, “There it is again. That’s why he’s doing well.”

It all starts up here because this is affecting your actions. This is affecting what actions you take. If you’re telling yourself, “I suck. This is not going to work and no one’s ever going to pay me,” how many offers do you think you’re going to make? Your energy is all wrong and people don’t even want to hang out with you.

There’s a paradox to me because I do feel that before my big launches or even if I’ve done it at the same launch before and it’s always smashed all my goals or anything I thought was possible, I always go in with this attitude of it’s going to fail. I have a shitty mindset most of the time, but somehow it still works because I don’t let it stop me. I still go through my trial and tribulation of hating myself and hating my work. Did that happen to you too?

Don’t get me wrong, there have been lots of times where shit was not working and I was like, “This shit is not going to work,” and then it does work. At the end of the day, it’s deeper down underneath all of that, we know that this is what’s meant to happen.

It’s not what’s meant to happen. I have survived some insane shit in my life. I dig deep into that well of like, “Whatever happens, we’re going to survive. We’re going to kick ass.” If there’s anything that you want to leave our peeps with, any skill, any technique, anything that you want them to do that’s actionable in order to increase their wealth, success, or make that dream happen, what would it be?

I want you to do your morning pages. Every morning, wake up, and one of the first things you do is give yourself either 10 minutes or 3 pages of free writing. This comes from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. Spend some time with yourself digging into what is coming up for you, how do you feel, and what is alive for you. I want to help you start to cultivate your creative practice. In the morning, give yourself some time and some space to free write, see what’s in there, and spend that time with yourself. I know that all the answers that you’re looking for, you already have them. You’re a lot more ready than you think you are. There’s a lot of business ideas and offers that are already sitting in you. If you would just stop trying to seek the answers outside of yourself and give yourself that time to create, you’re going to find there’s money on the table right now for you.

That’s a great practice. Thank you for sharing that and for sharing your magic. I hate to bring up the age, but it’s so freaking genius because she didn’t have the shame gene. She’s like, “I’m going to try it and do it.” She was an artist and also wanted wealth, which is so cute. You got through that and we’re happy that you did. I’m so happy for your success.

Thank you so much. You too. It’s been so fun to get to grow alongside you. It’s been such a journey and I’m super excited for everyone for what amazing creative life is in store for you. Look at what me and Corin have been able to create. It’s magic on fleek.

Deep down underneath all of that, we know what’s meant to happen.

Stay positive, people. Get your optimism going.

Create the world you want to see in the life that you want to have.

Thanks, Shereen.

Thanks, Corin. I’ll talk to you soon.

If you want to hang out with Shereen, you can find her at RadiantWildheart.com. Is there anything else or anywhere else they should go to follow you?

Holler at me on Instagram, @RadiantWildheart and I have a Facebook group called Wildheart Entrepreneurs that you’re welcome to pop into. Say hi, ask questions. There are 6,000 people in there that are wanting to connect and we call ourselves Wildhearts. I have a feeling if you’re still here, you’re a Wildheart too.

Bye Sheree. Thanks again.

Thank you.

Important Links:

About Shereen Sun

TGV S2 4 | Creative PowerShereen Sun isn’t your average business coach. Her work helps to awaken your innate creative power and sacred purpose through understanding your unique combination of gifts and strengths so you can build a brand that stands out. She empowers and strategically supports people who are tired of the same old marketing tactics and want sustainable growth that feels aligned and authentic.

Shereen has been an educator and creativity expert for over 10 years and has helped hundreds of people bring their dreams and projects to life.

When she’s not helping badass creatives build world-changing businesses, you can find her making music, painting, or writing her first book in Los Angeles, where she lives.

Find out more at www.radiantwildheart.com

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