Podcast Summary: "Dare to Get Rejected" featuring Liz Mosey

Podcast Information:

• Title: Daring Creativity. Daring Forever.
• Host/Author: Radim Malinic
• Episode: Dare to Get Rejected - Liz Mosey
• Release Date: June 30, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of Daring Creativity. Daring Forever., host Radim Malinic welcomes back Liz Mosey, a branding designer renowned for her innovative approach to overcoming rejection in the creative industry. The episode delves deep into Liz's journey, exploring her unique "Rejection Challenge" and how it has transformed her perspective on failure and creative positioning.

Guest Background

Liz Mosey introduces herself as a branding designer specializing in small businesses. Beyond her design work, Liz engages in various creative endeavors, including her podcast Building Your Brand, conducting talks, workshops, and collaborating with different brands. She emphasizes her dedication to helping small businesses enhance their branding and marketing strategies.

Notable Quote:

“[00:36] Liz Mosey: ... I made a decision that I am not going to let my brain go down that path telling myself a negative story. And instead I'm going to be like, okay, this didn't feel good, but there's something that I can learn something from this and then turn it into a positive.”

The Spark of Creativity

Radim explores Liz's early influences, highlighting how her father's passion for painting and photography, despite his profession as a zoologist, nurtured her creative instincts from a young age. Liz reminisces about designing a magazine with a friend during her childhood, underscoring her long-standing engagement with creative projects.

Notable Quote:

“[04:39] Liz Mosey: ... I did get to do some of that, but I was the person who was bringing it all together at the end. And so I think that's why I fell in love with it as a discipline and then basically, yeah, studied it for degree and then have been working as a designer ever since.”

The Rejection Challenge

Liz introduces her "Rejection Challenge," a public project aimed at redefining how creatives perceive and handle rejection. By documenting her rejections openly, Liz seeks to build confidence, attract opportunities, and humanize the design industry.

Key Points:

• Purpose: To make the design industry more approachable by openly discussing rejection.
• Impact: Building personal confidence and attracting genuine opportunities.
• Community Building: Transitioning from feeling like an outsider to becoming a community leader.

Notable Quote:

“[15:50] Liz Mosey: ... all of the things that I share online come under this sort of like, desire to make the design industry, I guess, like more approachable, more community focused, like less what it was when I was younger.”

The Psychology of Rejection

The discussion delves into the emotional and psychological aspects of rejection. Liz shares her personal struggles with a negative internal narrative following rejections and her conscious effort to shift towards a more positive and learning-oriented mindset.

Strategies Discussed:

• Avoiding a Victim Mentality: Choosing not to dwell on negative stories about rejections.
• Learning from Rejections: Viewing each rejection as a learning opportunity.
• Shortening Processing Time: Developing quicker methods to move past negative emotions associated with rejection.

Notable Quote:

“[28:04] Liz Mosey: ... I made a decision that I am not going to let my brain go down that path telling myself a negative story. And instead I'm going to be like, okay, this didn't feel good, but there's something that I can learn something from this and then turn it into a positive.”

Storytelling and Personal Branding

Liz emphasizes the critical role of storytelling in personal branding. She explains how sharing her experiences, including challenges and rejections, makes her brand relatable and authentic. This approach fosters a deeper connection with her audience and demystifies the creative process.

Key Points:

• Relatability: Making the design industry feel more accessible by sharing genuine experiences.
• Storytelling Formula: Utilizing a simple structure—character, conflict, and conclusion—to craft impactful stories.
• Connection Through Vulnerability: Showing imperfections and struggles to build trust and engagement.

Notable Quote:

“[43:19] Radim Malinj: ... Martin McHugh, and he, in my opinion, is a true storyteller. And he literally spelled out the formula of storytelling in three words. And I'm like, why did I not know that? And he said, it's a character conflict, conclusion sorted.”

Strategy and Decision-Making in Branding

The conversation shifts to strategic decision-making in branding and business. Liz outlines her framework based on Purpose, Goals, and Values (PGV), which guides her in evaluating opportunities and making informed decisions that align with her brand's mission.

Framework Discussed:

• Purpose: Helping small businesses with branding and marketing.
• Goals: Personal aspirations and business milestones.
• Values: Core principles that determine which projects to accept or decline.

Key Insights:

• Alignment: Ensuring every opportunity aligns with PGV to maintain authenticity.
• Learning from Mistakes: Reflecting on past decisions to refine future choices.
• Avoiding Distractions: Focusing on personal objectives rather than external expectations.

Notable Quote:

“[45:05] Liz Mosey: ... my purpose with my business is to help small businesses with their branding and marketing. So does it. Is it going to help someone? And sometimes it's like, it’ll be create. It’ll be more niche down than that. But does it help those people?”

Overcoming Fear of Rejection

Radim and Liz explore the deeper emotional layers of rejection, including shame, vulnerability, and insecurity. They discuss therapeutic approaches and personal practices that aid in processing and overcoming these fears.

Key Points:

• Therapeutic Insights: Utilizing therapy and reflective practices to address internal struggles.
• Embracing Discomfort: Learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable as a pathway to growth.
• Confidence Building: How facing rejection bravely can enhance self-assurance and attract positive opportunities.

Notable Quote:

“[36:52] Liz Mosey: ... I've done therapy and there's still a lot to unpack. And I think that it is messy, isn't it? It really is messy.”

Practical Advice for Creatives

Throughout the episode, Liz offers actionable advice for creatives dealing with rejection:

• Be Proactive: Actively seeking opportunities instead of waiting for them to appear.
• Humanize Your Pitch: Making authentic connections through storytelling and expressing genuine value.
• Maintain Clarity: Staying true to your PGV framework to streamline decision-making and branding efforts.

Notable Quote:

“[40:32] Liz Mosey: ... we see other people online and we see a part of the story and we fill in the gaps and we often fill in the gaps incorrectly.”

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Radim commending Liz for her authentic and strategic approach to creativity and rejection. He highlights how Liz's methods provide a blueprint for creatives to navigate the complexities of personal branding and community building effectively.

Final Thoughts:

• Singular Approach: Celebrating Liz’s unique strategy as a model for others.
• Encouragement: Urging listeners to adopt proactive and authentic practices in their creative pursuits.

Notable Quote:

“[52:54] Liz Mosey: ... Thank you for listening to this episode of Daring Creativity Podcast. I'd love to know your thoughts, questions and suggestions, so please get in touch via the email in the show notes or social channels.”

Key Takeaways

1. Embrace Rejection: Viewing rejection as a learning tool rather than a setback.
2. Authentic Storytelling: Sharing genuine experiences fosters deeper connections and strengthens personal branding.
3. Strategic Decision-Making: Aligning opportunities with core Purpose, Goals, and Values ensures consistency and authenticity.
4. Overcoming Fear: Developing strategies to process and move past the negative emotions associated with rejection.
5. Proactive Engagement: Actively seeking and creating opportunities rather than waiting for them to manifest.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Liz Mosey on Avoiding Negative Narratives: “[00:36] Liz Mosey: ... I made a decision that I am not going to let my brain go down that path telling myself a negative story.”

• Liz on Early Creativity: “[04:39] Liz Mosey: ... I was the person who was bringing it all together at the end. And so I think that's why I fell in love with it as a discipline.”

• Radim on Storytelling Formula: “[43:19] Radim Malinj: ... character conflict, conclusion sorted.”

• Liz on Purpose and Values: “[45:05] Liz Mosey: ... my purpose with my business is to help small businesses with their branding and marketing.”

• Liz on Embracing Messiness: “[36:52] Liz Mosey: ... I've done therapy and there's still a lot to unpack. And I think that it is messy, isn't it?”

This episode of Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. offers invaluable insights for creatives seeking to navigate the tumultuous waters of rejection and personal branding. Liz Mosey's candid discussions and strategic approaches provide listeners with practical tools to transform setbacks into stepping stones for success.