6. How to create an engaged online community you love: Jade Hassouné (Actor & Musician)

Jade Hassouné: you're like, okay, I'm ready to launch and then was not ready to launch and then COVID hit and you're like, should I launch it's COVID will my audience respond the same way?

[00:00:11] Is this a bad time to reach out to them and say, I want to build community.

[00:00:14]Okay. 

[00:00:15]Jade Hassouné: You don't really know sometimes where to go, like how to step forward when there's so many steps that you could take.

[00:00:22]Anyway, so I met you. You wrote back to me right away and you somehow understood my vision right away from the get-go and reflected it back at me and. It was super cool to have someone like believe in my vision. and you sustained it.

[00:00:38]Jette Stubbs: You're listening to the happy career formula 

[00:00:40] with Jette Stubbs 

[00:00:41] where we talk about how to find what you love to do and turn it into ways to make money, whether that's a job, freelance service or a business, so you can live life on your own terms. 

[00:00:53] So welcome Jade.  we started working together last year January. You already had an established audience. You're creative entrepreneur, and I'm really excited to talk to you because you already had a large following and now you were looking for a way to branch out and do your own thing.

[00:01:12] So I'm excited to walk through what you've been able to accomplish over the last year or two since we started working together. And it seems like a lot.  we haven't spoken in a while, so I don't even have the most recent updates. So can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about yourself?

[00:01:31]Jade Hassouné: Thank you for having me. I'm so glad to be here and it's such a cool, evolution of everything we've done together. So I'm Jade Hassoune. I am an artist. mainly I'm an actor. that's how I launched my career, but I've always been doing music and I was trained as a dancer as well.  during my theater training, so I could have chosen many paths.

[00:01:53] I also draw and I make cartoons and stuff . But for some reason, acting was the one that really felt the most, I don't know how to say it. Like that path made sense to me, how to achieve it and in a practical way, it was also like my calling when I was young, that was like, that's what I want to do, which led me to all the other things I'm doing.

[00:02:14]then I realized the why, I was so attracted to becoming an actor and everything. So it unlocked a lot of opportunities for me, for the other arts that I do. Although I could have chosen to be a dancer as well, and gone that route. Dance with the artists and stuff.

[00:02:30] But I wanted to do the artists myself, like at the end of my visions. So I had to go to the acting route and, it went really well instead of working really early, even before out of school. I had my first contract, like a month before I graduated and then,  things went really well. I really, I was very, stubborn about, wanting to create that life for myself.

[00:02:51] And so I understood really young, the mentality it takes to manifest their career. and because I kept having response to the way I was thinking. in successes with my career, so I realized, Oh, when I'm this way. And when I approach things from this mental state and emotional state and heart state, then it happens in the way that I want, I need to happen.

[00:03:17]I knew I had to get to a certain level. In terms of, I'm not really sure in terms of what, but I guess every actor dreams of having a worldwide audience and getting jobs that link to other jobs and other jobs. Yeah, I was very fortunate. I got into the right projects, things blasted off pretty early for me. And. I still did a lot of training and through the training, got other opportunities . So fast forward to few years ago, I got on this TV show, Netflix Disney show that was based on a book series called the mortal instruments, which are really internationally loved like really deeply loved as a huge fandom. And, it's very Epic fantasy.  it was all my teenage dreams wrapped into one to be part of that show and to play an elf and to be part of a fandom and all that stuff. So everything launched. And my audience really boosted because you became international and it really went up in the hundreds of thousands.

[00:04:18]and I was just a little character in the show. the bigger characters were, who are  my co-stars, my friends they're in the millions. So I really saw this thing that most artists were seeking for, which was followers, et cetera, all that fame stuff, happened.

[00:04:37]but I kinda got like a, like a. I wasn't directly affected. I was like sub I was like, I'm still in it, but got to observe, which I've always sort of been in my life it allowed me to not be tied, and change the contracts. And I could do really all of my other art and my other projects, my other stuff, while being part of that show.

[00:04:59] So I was free to explore. And  finally, when, The show was about to end.  Already, we had been doing like tours around the world, meeting the fans and stuff.  I was  getting, back from that, thinking about my life, what am I doing? What am I going to do next? do I want to like, keep chasing this acting thing, even though it's happened?

[00:05:18] Like I know what it's what it is like, is it just going to be more of the same, which kinda is.

[00:05:23]Jette Stubbs:  You already know what it feels like. 

[00:05:25] Jade Hassouné: Yeah. And I really wanted to do music. So I was like, there's my chance. Like every cell in my body was like, this is what you need to do. So a lot of people, I feel are having these days, like they would just want to do their own thing because they really stemmed from I want to be independent.

[00:05:39] I want to be my own boss and create my own money. And decide for myself, what I create. And I was like, music seems like the best thing. And then I sat out on a journey to change my whole like self perception and perception that others have of me in the industry and in the media and stuff and morph msyelf into a pop artist out of nowhere.

[00:06:02] When, yes, I have an audience, but it's very specific one too, for fantasy and TV.   I also didn't really know about the music industry that much, because even though I was around it, I wasn't in it. And so all of a sudden I'm like jumping over and I'm fully independent and, I have to bring over a bunch of fans, but that's why I was in a very good position that, I learned about the music industry and how to do it yourself and all that stuff for a full year.

[00:06:32] And, that's when I met you, I was going to apply for a grant and I, it was, I had two weeks or something crazy like that. And then I'm looking online at like independent  grant writers and Just writers in general. And I found you on this, like on this website and that sends you a message, which then you told me, it's crazy I was going to delete myself off that website. 

[00:06:56] Jette Stubbs: Yeah. 

[00:06:59] Jade Hassouné: And then you got back to me right away. And I would remember,  and we'll talk about that. I think during this podcast is you feel sometimes like you're alone. Like you don't have, you're doing everything yourself. It could be many things, but ultimately it's really empowering, I find, but you don't really know sometimes where to go, like how to step forward when there's so many steps that you could take.

[00:07:23] I really didn't know much about grant writing and all that stuff and realized, Oh my God. Okay. So I'm, I'm competing against the labels. Like here I'm super independent competing against. Labels that have teams direct grants who are applying for the same grants as you're trying to get. So it's very interesting.

[00:07:39] Anyway, so I met you wrote back to me right away and you somehow understood my vision right away from the get-go and reflected it back at me and. It was super cool to have someone like believe in my vision. and you sustained it. So amazingly through the years, which has been like a pillar for me to continue going forward and look back.

[00:08:02] And many times you were like side by side, but often like you gave me enough things to go and believe it. And, and then like a couple years later. Well, so anyway, we created this whole plan to get other about gives you went beyond just the grant. Like you were like, Hey, what we're doing here is exciting and why don't we continue?

[00:08:24] Like, why don't we apply the plan that we came up with? Because I remember you were telling me ideas that I had for the last five years of my life. Like, how can I do these things where my fans are part of my life, but I'm also creating for them and also making money out of it and stuff. and you would tell me ideas that I had.

[00:08:44] And I was like, Oh my God, this is exciting. What I'm thinking. So anyway, the grant came and went, you did a great job. They, they didn't really feel the vision because they didn't really know the vision, but then. We ended up doing everything that wasn't on that plane anyway. So they really need them in the end.

[00:09:05] But, yeah. And then you coached me for the creation of this one system of income that you talk about and which was the Patreon. and we worked together and it took a little bit of time cause I was doing my other, I think stuff and music stuff and stuff. And then, when you're later about when you're later, when I started, when we started maybe a couple of years later, I'm not sure.

[00:09:30] Sure. So we let 

[00:09:31] last year, January. So it's been like you launched about a year afterwards, cause you went on tour for a while and you sorta went Mia cause you were busy. And then when you came back, you're like, okay, I'm ready to launch and then was not ready to launch and then COVID hit and you're like, should I launch it's COVID will my audience respond the same way?

[00:09:57] Is this a bad time to reach out to them and say, I want to build community . 

[00:10:01] I'm so glad. I'm so glad I did. I'm so glad you said do it. and it's really saved my life, honestly, for the last six months. It's really, and now my other work is picking up again and stuff, but I've been able to survive throughout because of it, and discovery. Okay. Now it's in place like now, and I want to talk to you about this too. It's just exciting. It's like, where do I go from here in a way, tried out a bunch of this stuff. A lot of it works. I've found that people are willing. So if people have money, some don't, but there's so many.

[00:10:36] Anyway, I just want to talk about everything at once. but yeah. So anyway, now I'm also selling my merch. So I have a other stream of income coming in. 

[00:10:45] Jette Stubbs: One of the things that we had planned out. Right? So we, your Patreon, your merchandise, your music, if this is all like new streams of income for a year that you didn't have before. So that's really exciting and it's all growing right. 

[00:11:01] Jade Hassouné: Yeah, it's growing. it's changing within the growth as well. You know what I mean? I'm realizing like, it evolves, but it keeps, yeah, it keeps coming in and it grows in ways that I don't expect sometimes. And from places I don't expect sometimes to, 

[00:11:17] Jette Stubbs: can you give an example?

[00:11:18]what would you, what would be unexpected? 

[00:11:20] Jade Hassouné: Like someone goes and finds my Patreon without having seen me say, Hey, go to my Patreon. Because they found me, on, let's say RuPaul's drag race, which I was just on a couple months ago or last month, or like a few weeks ago past in weird. But yeah, it was like maybe a month ago.

[00:11:41]and that was a fan that wasn't one of my fans before who like, There was a new person full on new coming in. Boom, signing up to the Patreon that's already in place. And now that school is that I have content on there and I'm thinking about the new one and I'm seeing how much I can handle in terms of producing content and running the business at the same time.

[00:12:02] Yeah. But I do have an assistant who is starting to work with me more where I'll be able to expand that and. And we did a little exp I'm doing a little experiments is what I'm finding. I'm doing little trials of different things to see how it works. And, the fans are very forgiving, if I say have 20 million ideas and I only ended up doing 10 or, they'll, it's fine.

[00:12:25] It's just my own pressure  to achieve this stuff and be consistent. But that's like phase two, that's once everything's in place now, how can I improve it? Boost it, does. I find that every time I put action and intent into something it's going to activate and grow. Yes.

[00:12:42] I hold back from it. It will naturally phase away, a feel, especially because I work with Instagram too. So it's very. In the moment it'll boost up and then go away. And if you don't mention it'll just never really continue. It'll just, yeah. Anyway, so yeah, I spoke a lot. I spoke a lot.

[00:13:01] Jette Stubbs: Oh, that's good. okay. So I have a few things I'd want to talk to you about, one is like the values around what you do. That's one of the reasons I was really excited to work with you because you had this large fan base, but you wanted to find a way to work with your fans and actually co-create with your fans.

[00:13:18] And that was your dream. So can you talk a bit more about what that vision is? And there's a lot of positivity,  inclusion,  diversity, wellness and encouraging like mental health awareness. so can you talk a bit about that? 

[00:13:32] Yeah. I've found that, a fandom is full of humans who are themselves.

[00:13:39] Each human is a whole galaxy and a lot of them are super talented and they've given me fan art over the years. Look at, I'm going to show you like this. Like I started putting it on the wall here and like making a backdrop. 

[00:13:52] Beautiful. Those are some really good pieces, 

[00:13:55] Jade Hassouné: really good. Like just super talented.

[00:13:57] So they've inspired me and I realized, wow, there's so much talent in this group of people.  And I'm an artist too, so I wanted to create together and I've had some of them create like clothes for me and, objects and tons of stuff. Merch basically Merch before I could even do it. I wanted it to be like, well, cause I don't know.

[00:14:18] I felt like just being someone that they meet.  I had conventions and comic cons. It's they come, they take a picture with you and they say, Oh, I love you. And you're like, great, me too. and then they give you so many gifts and stuff and I wanted it to be an exchange back and forth, which is why also I created my.

[00:14:37] My EP was like a love letter to them to say, thank you for allowing my dream to come true. And here's some music like let's continue this thing, that we have. And because some of them make made clothes for me and things, I was like, okay, well maybe I can collaborate with them and create like a big mural across the world or something, and do these conventions.

[00:14:57] And. yeah, so that's how it began. And, my Patreon is funny cause it's designed really, like, I want to collaborate with you and let's create together. But I found interestingly that they just want to watch me do stuff, it's, I've told them many times I was like, share your stuff.

[00:15:14] Like you put it as posted, tell me, and, yeah, it's, they're happy just like watching content that I create or me seeing or stuff like that. But I do want to create projects now, where I set it up, okay, I'm going to choose 20 artists. We're going to do this, like structure it more so that it's there.

[00:15:33]call to action to participate. 

[00:15:37] Jette Stubbs: Cause one of the things that you're doing now, where you are participating with them is you're holding  weekly meet and greets where you're picking somebody random. 

[00:15:44] Jade Hassouné: Right. Yeah. I'm thinking three. I did it all summer long. Picked three names out of a hat, no matter what subscription level they're at.

[00:15:52] They'll one 15 minutes chat on zoom, video like this . yeah, it's been interesting. It's been a project. I've seen, oh wow, I have got to constantly work and it's a lot of organizing and stuff, but it's really rewarding.  it's funny cause I'm also doing these conventions now online a lot because of, because of COVID stuff.

[00:16:11]instead of going to the countries, like we've done those conventions on zoom. So I'm spending all my time talking to them on zoom and stuff, which is really cool, but that's what they value, and chilling with me and conversations.  I'm offering it for free, which in those contexts, they would have to pay for a three three-minute meet and greet or one minute, and I'm getting a few minutes free and yeah, and I'm building these relationships with them - the ones that I won.  It's been really cool. It's been really cool. It's still going on, but it's almost over.  then it's gonna maybe be like, a few times a year, a couple of times a year. And, yeah, but I'm also questioning do I want to change the way my Patreons set up and change the focus of it?

[00:16:48] I don't know. We'll see. We'll see how it evolves, but it's working well. 

[00:16:52] Jette Stubbs: Part of it is like testing, right? Like you said, like you're testing,  different things and seeing what's working and what's not.  in the beginning there was an initial plan and a vision that you shared with your fans, but that would change once they get in there. Then they can talk to you and tell you what they want and like your learning, like what you thought they would have wanted. you thought maybe even more of the creatives would have joined and wanted to collaborate, which may happen over time.

[00:17:17]but. I think it's going to be changing. It's also as you change, right? Cause you may shift from wanting to focus on music to maybe doing your own like independent films or doing different projects. 

[00:17:28] Jade Hassouné: Exactly. Yes, exactly. And it's really cool because, but you know what, without the Patreon, in place, I wouldn't have been able to get my Merch out, even  create my Merch because I had subscribers that were, giving me enough that I got to create my Merch and sell it on the Patreon. Like my first batch of t-shirts got sold out on the first batch, even before I was able to put it out to the public on Instagram. So I had to redo t-shirts before I posted it again. Cause I realized I've made a launch and I was like, Oh my God, I don't have any more Tees.

[00:18:05] So I fell anything the Cabo is and all that stuff because. Because there's no more I had to redo, but, yeah, even, but even that is learning. and I know I have so many things going on at the same time and that's another thing that's interesting is it must be confusing being on the other side too.

[00:18:24] It's you're subscribed to my Patreonic virtue. I like doing this and then things about music and watching the show and watch this movie. I did, Yeah, 

[00:18:31] Jette Stubbs: you do have a lot going on. So how are you finding like the time management? Cause there were two things I find when we first started working together, the biggest thing was like imposter syndrome and will people actually want this will my fans like, and that's, I think something that was really surprising  for people who were probably like listening because they think once you hit a certain number of followers or you've achieved a certain level of success or you're on like television shows that you would just be confident in your abilities. And I don't think that's the way that happens.

[00:19:03] Talk a bit about that and how you felt, because I know there was a lot of imposter syndrome there. 

[00:19:06] Jade Hassouné: Absolutely. And there still is, there still is. yeah, I don't know. It's maybe it's just the way I am like. I, I'm just me, I've been me my whole life. So I'm still doing the same thing that I've been doing since I was a kid.

[00:19:20] So I'm still learning about myself and the challenges that I have whenever, like a new opportunity comes, like what makes me like scared or feel not confident or all that stuff. Also comparing myself a lot to other people.  Let's say we take the recent scenario.

[00:19:38] Like I'm a new artist in pop releasing music independently. yes, I have followers and stuff, but I don't have the publicity that had label is going to have a, for new artists who just dropped out of nowhere. Right now, everything's about streams and things like that. yes, I did get really good streams. I do whenever I push it and promote it and everything, but that's something I want to say is I changed my focus a little bit because, during the lockdown and stuff, it was like survival mode for me. It was  survival mode for me. It was at all  this movie, the series lined up. 

[00:20:18] all these contracts all summer long, going to these countries, meeting the fans, getting, getting all my money for the year, basically. And it all stopped. And, I was just like, okay, I have the manifest this money. Cause I have to pay all my stuff and I have all these dreams. So I got to have money to create stuff.

[00:20:40]So my focus, it changed because I was really focused on streams and things like that this year, obviously, because you want to like, look good as a new artist.

[00:20:47] You want people to find you, so it needs to be algorithmically up there and all that stuff. But I was just like, I need money right now. And how am I going to do that? I'm not going to do that by spending my money, creating ads to get more streams right now. I'm going to find a way to like you said, the value of what I'm offering like worth.

[00:21:11] So I realized where my value is that fans that I have already there. they're my focus. That's why I created a Patreon on too. I like reverse engineer, the whole concept of we got to create a fan base because I already had it. But then I had to bring them into, To become like a fan club community.

[00:21:35]like they're like investors in my journey. 

[00:21:39] Jette Stubbs: Yes. Yeah. They're like your collaborators, your fans become your collaborators. 

[00:21:46] Jade Hassouné: Right? Absolutely. That's it. And then I realized, Oh my God, if I will, I as a fan of anything, I wouldn't want to give the artists directly and support the artists directly.

[00:21:56] That would feel great to me instead of giving it to a label and all these corporations that take all the money basically. And the artist has almost nothing left in the end. So I'm like, So I changed my focus. I'm not going to chase the stream. So I had to let that go and turn towards appreciating what I do have and like the subscriptions and selling my Merch and stuff like that.

[00:22:22] It's creating way more return than me fighting giant algorithmic machines that I have no control over with other artists. So I let go of, this is how I bring it all back together. I let go of Oh my God, sorry. I'm like  but I realized I, yeah, I let go of that comparing myself to other artists.

[00:22:47]And I realized yeah, I'm living off my art. That's what I keep telling myself. Like I'm leaving out of, off of my art. I'm living off my art. I'm literally making money on my own art and this stuff that I create. that's pretty cool. That's pretty cool that I'm in this position now.

[00:23:05] Like I really I'm really, I'm grateful about that. And I'm starting to really open my heart to that because I realized that's the way it's going to grow in some more. It's a more, because I'll be inspired to the right stuff. What am I going to create now? Where's it going? And that'll grow, cause I know it's possible, even if it's two people, I know that two people are willing to spend, to receive my art. So it could be a million people too. 

[00:23:33] Jette Stubbs: Right. And how did that feel? Because before you had put it out there, like you were really working before it, like you said, on, I wouldn't say just streams, but like getting engagement from your friends and you were doing a lot of like chatting and relationship building.

[00:23:47] And you'd mentioned that sometimes your friends were like, why are you spending all of this time? Like building, like trying to build these relationships and you felt very passionate about it. So how did it feel when you actually launched something because you weren't sure how they would respond to you saying. Well, because you were doing everything for free and engaging with them for free.

[00:24:07] So you weren't sure how they would respond. How did it feel to get the response that you did? 

[00:24:12] It was, it's so great because I get, really great messages that it inspires them. It lifts up their days. seeing, sharing my journey, inspires them for theirs and gives them courage, encouragement to keep going.

[00:24:26]It was a really interesting time to launch it too, and yeah. And my friends who didn't really understand, so that's out of the equation now. Like I don't really listen to what people think about my ideas. I just, but yeah, they're willing. it's quite amazing. I'm still in the early stages of it, so I'm still wow, I can't believe that these people are paying for.

[00:24:48]to be closer to me like, so that's why I want it to be in a way where it comes out or rewarding where I share my journey and create content behind the scenes of my life and things that I go through. And that's what I'm this week realizing maybe that's what it is really. it's how I'm going through my own opportunities that arise in my life. How I become, who I am more and more that makes them be who they are. And I think that's what I'm selling. It's like this inspiration to be who you are by doing it in my way, and then sharing it with them because I asked myself, cause I have to produce.

[00:25:33] A podcast and these behind the scenes episodes. And sometimes I'm a very like closed person where I need to be alone to find out who I am and what am I doing here? And, so now I'm in a place where I have to be sharing that. And, but it's I'm starting to juggle everything and find the surfing point of like you said, the time management and stuff, because I do have the content.

[00:25:55] I have a lot of that footage. I have all this stuff and I found, okay, how do I deal with having to bring something to people who are expecting, because they're paying monthly in my state of mind. Because I feel like I need to be in a good sentence state of mind when I'm creating and what I'm sharing with others, so it's like this inner, outer, inner outer thing and being a monthly thing is a constant thing, but I have to find a way to just eMerch it more like organically, I think with my life.

[00:26:28]instead of thinking of it as a separate thing that I have to constantly feed or... 

[00:26:33] But that's the thing is that it feeds me like when I have the meet and greets with them, I get inspired back because these people are incredible. they're really cool, very amazing different people from all over the world.

[00:26:45] And they're very inspiring. and they encourage me and they say, keep doing what you're doing. and they believe in what I'm doing. so yeah, so I let go of this imposter thing, but it comes back, sometimes, but, It's good to have it, But I really feel like now I know enough that, I do succeed in my life that I can brush it off easier.

[00:27:08] Now this little thing was like, we have a, you're not cool as other people or yeah. But you know, why would they care about you in a way. and sure. I'm not asking everybody to care. but it's interesting to see the proportion of people that actually want to be active and participate. they're very loyal when it comes to that point because that small group of people who are investing, doing on giving me support in that way, they keep coming back.

[00:27:39] So they exist, but some small percentage, but I don't know. Yeah. I'm at the early stage of this, like I have this business and it's going well and it's helping, but I guess I'm just like finding my footing because it's been very like, Okay. I need to take this money and invest it right away so I can survive again this next round and this next round.

[00:28:02] But I feel like I'm about to be stabilized a little bits where I can look around and be like, okay, now I want to do this. 

[00:28:09] Okay. And then you can diversify the projects that you're working on and how you're approaching it. And you'll also have more flexibility because we'll be moving out of COVID.

[00:28:17] So your other projects will be picking back up again.  okay. So how was it with, what were some of the biggest lessons that you've learned? As you started to shift your mindset from like seeking out contracts, like acting contracts, to becoming an entrepreneur and deciding how you're making money.

[00:28:39]what are the biggest mindset shifts? What would you recommend to somebody who is just starting out and trying to do that? 

[00:28:46]Jade Hassouné: it's switching  from waiting for an opportunity to appear, to getting an idea and going for it and setting a time and doing the little steps and you see the results, like it's funny.

[00:29:02]cause I took the lockdown period too to really like. Get it going, create my merchant date, that stuff done, and I did, and now I'm benefiting from those steps that I did and then just chose a window of time in my life. And I just said, okay, now I'm going to focus on this little project, the end of it.

[00:29:19] It's going to be that.  Do all the steps towards that. Now, I'm like sustained by my past, but I say let's, you've taught me like the systems.   I'll wake up and they're like, Oh, I have a sale. So I literally made money while I was sleeping, based on things that I set for myself before. 

[00:29:39] Yeah. so that was one thing  I didn't have that mentality of you can set up ways for you to have a return based on things you can do now. And the actions you can take right now. It doesn't take much time really. And that's another thing too, is my Patreon.

[00:29:55] Yeah. I took that much time for me to put it together. Let's say a year, but I had a six months period where I didn't really do anything for it to come together. Right. It's like how much I decide to put in, then it's going to activate into something. so that was another thing. Is that anything could be a business.

[00:30:15] You just have to, you have to believe in that's something you really taught me. It's you have to believe like it's going to work like it does. It works. People sell anything out there always. 

[00:30:27] Jette Stubbs: Yeah, I think what's, you're trying to help somebody. And once you're like putting out something that's like positive and you're not just trying to make money for the sake of making money, like there's an audience out there, you just have to cultivate it.

[00:30:38] Right. You just have to build it and it can take time. And I think you had benefited because you had already put in so much work in building this active and engaged audience who was already like very supportive of you. And now it was just this, like figuring out what they wanted. one of the things that we did was we didn't just build we had ideas for your Patreon before we launched it.

[00:31:01] We'd actually reached out to your fans because you had an email list. And we said what do you want to see? And it just so happened that everything that they were saying was exactly what you wanted to do for your Patreon, which gave you a lot more confidence when it came time to put it out there.

[00:31:15] Cause you were still a bit worried how they'd respond because once you establish an audience of any size, like they're going to be people who are, who love you. And they're going to be people who like say negative things for no reason and or just are maybe going through a negative time in their life.

[00:31:31] And they're putting that out there. So how do you manage that? Because anybody who has an audience, it's not just you, anybody who has an audience will have people like trolls or people who are going, having a bad day and coming at you. You're very positive. So what do you do?

[00:31:47] Jade Hassouné: Oh, I just don't look at it. I just don't look at it. And sometimes I do and they want explanations or whatever about why I didn't participate in like certain things or whatever. And I explained it. Often they're just like, Oh, thank you so much for explaining, they just want to engage I guess.

[00:32:06] But,  yeah, I, I've found that let's say doing, something like I created the Patreon and creating like an exclusivity about what I share and what I bring close.  It really helps. I don't, I've really created a, like a different persona that exists separate from me. That is that image that's out there where, you know, people that have that sort of spark that matches my frequency, I would say about, wellbeing and being a positive person. But with intentionally doing that, that's what it is. It's like really choosing to do that. Then they get closer a little bit. that's what I do. I think I. I don't take it that seriously when the one in the public, the Instagram one, but then I'll have a conversation sometimes and people will see what I'm talking about.

[00:33:07] then they'll resonate with that. And it's just makes everything else balance off of it. So I stay on my resonance, and what matches comes in. And a lot of it bounces off. that's the way I do it. That's the way I do it. Because as soon as you engage in the negative stuff, which often they're just like seeking to interact, it'll just be endless.

[00:33:31] It just goes nowhere. so I just don't, I just don't do it. And I dip in and dip in dip out. Now that's something also I realized not a lot of people realize that even in my own friends, that I ditched self identity with my Instagram a long time ago, because it's not a healthy, especially for me when it's that big of a response constantly and stuff.

[00:33:59] It's like I've had to, live my life in the moment, present moment around me and made that a whole other separate thing that I kind of craft and create outside. And then I opened up a little bit, opened up a little bit. Cause there's always the glimmers of what I'm talking about. That's maybe how I realized to do it.

[00:34:21] It's like through my art, I'm more subliminal about it than very, I am about love and I am about empowerment. I just want to inspire, I just want to make art and the people who can hear the message that they end up hearing it.

[00:34:36]These are the people that get close to me. These are the people that sign up to my stuff. These are the people that buy my Merch and want to receive my art. so I realized, okay, there it is. and it's exciting. Cause I think about what's it going to be in the future? is it going to be art all the time or is it going to be, talking about these subjects and I dunno, we'll see what it becomes.

[00:34:58] That's exciting too. 

[00:35:00] Jette Stubbs: Yeah. Cause there's so much potential. Like you could really go anywhere, you and your fans want to go. 

[00:35:06] Jade Hassouné: Right. 

[00:35:06]Jette Stubbs: so that makes it really interesting. so what has made you focus on like music so far? Like your main focus has been music and you have a cartoon background, you ha you've.

[00:35:19] So you are a cartoonist. You dance, you do music. You sing, you play the guitar and the piano, and you act, so you've got a lot of different interests. Like how do you decide what to focus on when you're putting something out? 

[00:35:35]Jade Hassouné: yeah. Interesting. Right. I have so many ideas, I have ideas almost every day of Oh my God, I could do this cartoon series that I created every week.

[00:35:42] And, but it honestly, it ends up being like, Sharing my journey. I think it ends up being that because, creating video content. And when I do podcasts, I sometimes it's just me. And sometimes I have a guest, but I'll just talk about something that I'm experiencing or learning that moment.

[00:36:03] And I share that. no, what was the question again? Sorry. 

[00:36:06] Jette Stubbs: How do you choose what you focus on? Because you have so many interests and your background is so diverse. 

[00:36:11]Jade Hassouné: it was, something. I asked myself a long time throughout my years, because I was always like, what do I choose? What I want you to, because back then I thought, like I have to choose a path, but then I realized, no, they're all interwoven. And they come in waves and sometimes one will be in the forefront and sometimes the other one will be in the forefront. And I go with that inspiration. So I've really changed my, my approach. Two two from the inside out a lot more. I let it guide me a lot more because I used to put more pressure on myself.

[00:36:47] Like I have to create more, I have to be structured. And, but then I realize no, the art comes out when it's supposed to in the right form. I take the opportunity to like, make it into something I can share with others. because some of my content is. My notebook that I wrote all my lyrics in and all the images that, led to the final image.

[00:37:10] So all of these, all of those things along the way, like ended up becoming like, Hey, here's the behind the scenes, look at this song's journey, like kind of stuff like that. I realized, Oh, it's feeding itself as I go. and it's the same for the art. it'll manifest. As I go, cause there's periods where I draw a lot disappear.

[00:37:29] I create songs constantly and they'll clips and things. So I'm sharing those as I go to, these periods where I have like more of a goal, the EPA is going to come out at that date. And, these, the digital CD booklet that comes with it and they'll projects that are very, more concrete like that.

[00:37:50]yeah, and oftentimes like projects end up having music in them or dancing in them and they blend. They end up blending altogether. So I'm letting them. Letting them. 

[00:38:04] Jette Stubbs: Yeah. Okay. And so one of the examples of the projects that blended for your music, right? You combined your own art into that.

[00:38:14] Like you have for your Patreon, you use your own art as your covers. You've used fan art. like how are some of the ways that you combine things cause you'd combine film, like you'd do your own little short videos for your fans. everything is happening in the Patreons. So can you walk through some of the things that you 

[00:38:32] ffer in there?

[00:38:33] Jade Hassouné: Yeah. Yeah. So it's interesting because things always end up changing, which is what art is really. So I'll, let's say I collaborated with a fan to create an image that originally was going to be the image of my IEP. but then I realized. Because the image of the EP became something else because of  the branding. The image that she created is now the image of my cast.

[00:39:01] Jette Stubbs: Oh, 

[00:39:02] Jade Hassouné: I like I add to it every week. Well, every, every episode of the podcast, for each episode I created a new image.   That's the thing is that  they morph and  transform in a different way. Well, there was a fan in Korea that was, she's a designer. She's really amazing. She's created a few things from me. She made a coat that has my artist's name on it. That's in the music video.

[00:39:25] Actually, I took a bunch of fan art, so that's one of the things, the fan gifts they sent me. they were all featured in my music video, one of the latest ones, which was really amazing to get to share with them because they get to see And they look real cool. You know what I mean? Like really cool stuff like those, this microphone with my artist's name on it, that lit up and everything's beautiful jacket, all these different figurines and stuff.

[00:39:49] And they had, they all featured in the music    using it. That's the kind of stuff I want to do more and more of.

[00:39:55] but another example that, which isn't part of the Patreon.  It's just in my life is I just finished this film. I, this feature film last week for a few weeks and I was the lead singer of a punk band in it.

[00:40:09] And I got to perform in the film. And I actually recorded four tracks in the studio, like punk tracks and really crazy ones and perform them in this venue that I wanted to perform as a, as an artist myself. But I performed in that, on that stage, but in the movie crazy, right? So I'm like, okay, so I'm doing my music and it's about acting and it's blended together, but I didn't orchestrate that necessarily.

[00:40:37]I do, I remember coming up with the idea with you about  doing  a comic graphic novel that goes hand in hand with my EP, with my album, which is still an idea. I ended up doing something else. That's the only thing I like the idea.  Then actually, when it comes down to releasing stuff, the time, It's another thing.

[00:41:00] I always think there's more time to create stuff than there are than there is, but I always do create something. What we do have is I have a CD booklet fully made dedicated to the fans that they got to receive on the Patreon. Which was pictured of all the different singles. Pictures they'd never seen before, all the collages, all the lyrics.

[00:41:23] And I worked on that with my friend. Who's creating content for me, and a whole message dedicated to them. And that's the kind of stuff they're getting access to, right? Like free, well, they're subscribed, but they're downloadable content, which is what we talked about. So it would be like that. 

[00:41:41] it's funny because this is the reason why I didn't do that comment because that time. It's something else you taught me is time. My time, for example, is value is valued at, let's say whatever number you choose and you always think higher than I do for the value, which is really interesting too, but it's absolutely true and right.

[00:42:05]people who have no problem  exchanging that for the thing they value. in this case it's art inspiration. But, as an artist, it's interesting. Cause I'm speaking like,  I do feel like a boss. I know I'm coming to this place where I'll really be  the entrepreneur, like artists that I feel I am inside and just looking around in my life, be like chief creative.

[00:42:27] But but I'm still in the early stages of that.

[00:42:29] Yeah, I had to take a contract too, as a cartoonist for a book. This is another thing that happens during this whole time while my EP was coming out while I was putting all my work in the feature on all those things, then all of a sudden I'm creating 19 full illustrations for a book.

[00:42:48] Jette Stubbs: Wow. 

[00:42:49] Jade Hassouné: from this woman, who's a psychic, who's writing a book that's really cool. It turned out really awesome. It challenged me.  I love the art that I made, but my time was spent on that project and was taken away from my project, which you told me about. You're like, you're going to start getting contracts that are not part of your Patreon.

[00:43:08] You're going to have to like juggle. and so I did. so again, I learned, okay. I put my time into this thing, which was a great opportunity and it was an immediate, okay, I need to take this contract for my survival. And that's another thing it's like time management, but also creative energy management.

[00:43:23] It's like how much creative energy in my flowing out into that stream, the stream saying yes or no . Am I choosing my self-employed I'm going to create my career move right now. Or am I going to take this contract? It's going to take all my creative energy and time that could have put in my own business

[00:43:42]So I, 100% understand, like how did you go about making those decisions or how do you. Go about choosing where your creative energy should be placed. Cause you, you get to you'll have more flexibility moving forward with contracts that you choose with opportunities that come up. Now that we're are  moving out of COVID.

[00:44:01] So how do you choose? 

[00:44:04] Well, I'm never letting go of my own music business, my own picture on business. I'll do it on the side. I just learned to manage it. I did work it for example, acting, I get these contracts because I spent the money,  10, 12 years and more mid 20 years, man, since I was 10.

[00:44:25] So I was a kid going forward. Putting all these hours in so that now I get these good chunk contracts. You know what I mean? That come in. So I take those because they allow me to just really sustain myself, but the potential to do the same with this feature on and with the business I created is so vast.

[00:44:49]I'm just happy it's in place. You know what? I'm just happy it's in place and I can just grow it from here.  So for me, it's going to be about like, yeah. Again, managing setting it up and I'm really learning that every week. I see, I set up a goal for myself. Okay. This week I'm creating this episode when I'll be editing this episode.

[00:45:07]and then I see how my week goes with all those unexpected things I have to do. Am I, have I created the content, And then I realize, okay. So if I sit down one day and I create five episodes, In that one day, then I really opened up my, I'm able to manage it a lot better because I have like content created in advance, which I had in the beginning of the Patreon.

[00:45:32] So now I'm trying to catch myself to it, but it's really, I think it's really that it's like setting up time to create something that is like exponentially beneficial. So one day to make four episodes that you stretch out over time. So you have more time, right. 

[00:45:50] Instead of trying to do like an episode a day or something like that, and then trying to split your time, like just focus on one kind of activity for each day.

[00:45:58] Jette Stubbs: I think that's a huge. Thank you for like time savings, like not trying to juggle like that. so yeah, that's definitely huge. 

[00:46:06] okay. What about some of the successes that you've had? So you were able to survive off of your launch during COVID you also ended up on RuPaul's drag race.

[00:46:14] Like how has like 2020 has been rough year, but it hasn't been worse year in terms of some of the able to achieve. So how has that felt ?

[00:46:24] Jade Hassouné: So I'm so appreciative of my past self who has spent all this time setting up this business. for the last couple of years of putting in the time and the belief in creating something.  I didn't, I'm just glad I did it. I'm so glad I did it because now I'm the boss like of my music and everything. But yeah, I'm getting amazing opportunities of also previous Jade success that is culminating right now. 

[00:46:50] And so yeah, it all comes, it floods in like you do stuff or you don't see it, but the success comes back and it tells you it's doing well. yeah, I released my first, my debut, EPS and artists that had really good response to it. I was a guest host on Canada's drag race, which was my dream for years and years.

[00:47:10]that was like a huge Hug from the universe, because it was like a look at this that you only dreamed about. This is a dream. You simply dreams. You didn't try to make this dream happen. You dreamed it. And that's it. And I focused on my other stuff really make this happen about music and Patreon on and all that stuff.

[00:47:31] But didn't touch that other dream, which was very concrete, very specific on my list of bucket list of career moves. And that one dropped in while I was focusing on my other stuff. So it really made me relax and see that it just grows and grows, and, to be open and to believe about that you can, that you can succeed in the way you wanted.

[00:47:57]You just do and then I had this role I was telling you about, this feature film. That's one of my favorite roles I've ever played, which wasn't happening.

[00:48:07] that's maybe another thing that might help people is ideas. Even the idea that you and I worked on applying and creating the Patreon. I drafted five years ago, too. I was thinking about it for years and years and all these ideas. There's moments where Oh, this is the time and this is how I can do them. there's a movie audition for five years.

[00:48:29] I got a role like five years ago. It was this role that I just finished and it wasn't happening. It wasn't happening. It almost happened, never happened. And I just now this was laughing it off at the end. It was like, yeah, this is never going to happen. And. It did just now out of coming out of, of the quarantine.

[00:48:45]so like one of the first productions to come back on was this film and it turned out to be amazing and a huge production and so cool. so that was really cool. what else? so much has happened. This just came off a really big series. I'm still traveling the world while having the last few months, but.

[00:49:01] Still getting contracts all over the world to meet the fandom of this show. I'm talking about my music on Sirius XM, on ITI Canada, big stuff, like really cool big stuff, but I'm still like, Is this going to work, the imposter or whatever syndrome, but it's, I don't know.

[00:49:26]I believe in myself more. Maybe it's like me choosing, how will I feel. I don't know, maybe it's because I know, I see people succeed everywhere. I see people have ideas, start businesses and do super well. Well, and, I guess I'm just learning to how to sustain it.

[00:49:43] Maybe that's something I want to ask you is how to, it's one thing like creating it's there as a manifest, it's running, you're sending packages, you're sending your you'll have clients and all that, but how do you. How do you sustain it? 

[00:50:00] Jette Stubbs: Well, okay. I think. There's a few things like the way you were talking about managing your creative energy and your time is key, but it's easy to get caught up on one side of your business where you're just like creating content for your fans.

[00:50:14] In your case, like in working behind the scenes or your Patreon. It's important to remember that you still need to put it out there and find new ways to launch and get it out to new people. Not just wait for things to trickle in. 

[00:50:27] I think that's one part of it. Because you have so many different pieces going on, I think it is important to give your fans like one clear message or one place where they can go to learn about all the different ways that they can engage with you because you don't want them to feel lost with all of the different things that you're offering. 

[00:50:44] that was one thing that we worked on in the beginning, we worked on like having a clear message about who you are and what you offer and  what you want to put out into the world, which was about breaking away from like the fantasy world to say, I am an artist, I'm a musician, I'm a cartoonist. I have all these things that I want to share with you. And I think it's about putting that message out there, because one of the things that I've seen from your friends is that they love the positivity that you bring and like how you encourage wellbeing and loving yourself.

[00:51:14] And that's. That's the part that really seems to resonate with them and it's like this wellness and like just leaves them feeling good about themselves. so I think like making note of why people are connecting with you, which I think you started doing. Cause we talked about that before. And adding more of that into like outside of your community so people could see why they should be inside the community.

[00:51:39] And we talked about doing things like having your friends do videos. So you can do like a video call AAJ with testimonials about what it's like to be inside of the community. Cause it is a really cool opportunity that you're offering. it's really this little hidden secret because you are like building your own profile, but at the same time, like you could be chosen like.

[00:52:00] W to be one of three people that are gonna meet with you, like 150 people over the course of a year are going to get the opportunity to do one-on-ones with you. And some of them may have only paid like $12 for the year. that's not something that you typically get. And it's partly because you just love interacting with your friends.

[00:52:18] Cause it gives you energy. Right? So it's about, I think finding that balance and some of the things that you're doing are like, absolutely right. Like you need to spend a day focusing on just doing one thing and not try and hop from one activity to the next, make one day a week. You're like content day and you'll have your content and you'll stay ahead.

[00:52:37] If you spend eight hours, like one week each, eat eight hours each week. Like just focusing on content. You'll always stay ahead of your content because you're not doing anything. That's Like crazy. Like you're basically talking to your fans and then you're bringing in your friends and doing interviews with them and doing engaging content in that way.

[00:52:55] And maybe the art may take you a while. Cause I know it can take you a while to draw some things like that will be maybe a more time-consuming activity, but you can plan that out. But the key is not to just focus on the, behind the scenes it's to focus on like the part that can give you, That make your like inner critics sorta come up where you have to put yourself out there and say, Hey, like my larger friend, I'm like people who are just getting to know me, like these are the things that are, that I'm doing.

[00:53:21] This is my dream. Can you like collaborate with me so that we can create this dream together? And it's really cool. Cause when you say collaborate, you're not just saying it. To sound good. You actually really do mean it. Like you use your fan art, it's incorporated into your music videos. And that was a whole other thing.

[00:53:38]I know you are an actor and you've been in film, but now you've been like doing your own music videos, which is a whole nother like level, because now you're, there's a nother level of like creativity involved with that. Right. So it's balanced everything out. And then on the financial side, it's planning out that cashflow.

[00:53:56] So yeah. You'll need to know, like a lot of mistakes that new entrepreneurs make, is they mix their professional or their business income with their personal income. And you really do need to separate that out and say, this money is the money. That's going back into my business, which you talked about earlier.

[00:54:12] We've talked about it in the past. And then this is going to contribute towards my personal income and in the beginning, as much as possible, which you've been doing is you, if possible, you want to put as much money back into your business and back into your growth, which is how you were able to buy those like clothes and your merchant, make all of that happen and make it a reality.

[00:54:31] So I think you're on the right track and it's been like a growth. Process for you, but you've you've been doing it so well and you like reach out and you check in whenever you need help. So I 

[00:54:42] Jade Hassouné: think you're on the right track to, and it's cool because. I kept, I keep being reminded that I am on the right track and that those little bumps and that mean things that arise are supposed to because how else am I going to know?

[00:54:56]if I say, if I do, if I announced this thing before, I know that it's going to work, for sure what's going to happen, type thing, and then live it and then learn from it. And you're like, all right, guys, it didn't work this time, so I'm going to try it. but yeah, you're absolutely right. you're super right.

[00:55:12]Jette Stubbs: I think it's great that you've become comfortable with that testing process. Cause that's the part where most entrepreneurs like new entrepreneurs feel really uncomfortable. It's like they see it as either you're succeeding or you're failing and that's not true. Like you're actually just testing to see what works.

[00:55:28] And if you're finding something doesn't work, that means you like, you just change a part of it or you changed direction and you. Pivot. And I think that's what you've been really good at. Like you listen to your fans and that's one of the things that we really focused on in the beginning. It's not about you just creating something and putting it out there and like throwing spaghetti at a wall and feeling it, figuring out if it'll work, it's about asking your fans what they want and then designing that.

[00:55:52] But making sure that you're not just becoming. you're not just creating what they want. It's a match between what you want to create and what they want to see. And that's the sweet spot for what you should create with what you do. And then it's about making sure you're balancing that out so that you have new fans coming in and you're building that audience and you're also.

[00:56:12] Maintaining the creativity side because every, creative needs to have that balance because it needs to be like 50% marketing and putting your stuff out there. And but marketing can seem so daunting to a new creative, like you really want to. It's more about building relationships with your friends, and you're great at that.

[00:56:32] And it's now like transferring it over, so that you're creating your little fond on which I think you're doing it's happening. It's all happening. 

[00:56:41] Jade Hassouné: It's happening. It's definitely happening. Yeah. And I'm finding my, the ways that work for me or. Staying in a good state of being, meditation practice is really helpful for me to just clear my mind because I could wake up sometimes with a million things to do on my list and being paralyzed all day, thinking about the list.

[00:57:03] But if I start and then just create a blank slate and just the way I feel in my mind, and then open my book, I actually have a Panda planner, which is a really nice, A way to plan my life. it like helps to get things done, but in a positive mindset and, that's helping me a lot. yeah, no.

[00:57:21] I am on the right track. Yeah. I love talking to you because I get to feel that.

[00:57:25]Jette Stubbs: Okay. well, unless you have anything else, well, where can people find you? If they want to learn more about what you do, they want to find your Patreon I'll include the links, but is there any particular place you'd like me to send people? 

[00:57:38]Jade Hassouné: I'm very, find-able on Instagram. It's at Jade has SUNY it's my full name.

[00:57:45] Okay. 

[00:57:45] Jette Stubbs: In the comments. 

[00:57:49] Jade Hassouné: And my artist's name is J four D E all capitals. yeah, that's how people can find me. I'm usually very like, vocal about what I'm up to in that moment. Thank you for being here. I hope it was like, I know I'm like hard to follow sometimes, because of the way I speak and I go off into like distant, mystical places.

[00:58:14] But, but usually when I speak like that, I listen back sometimes and I find nuggets of inspiration in there. That'll help me. Hopefully it'll help others. As well. I love what you do. I think it's super cool that, you're getting all of us together to talk about what we're up to. That's what I'm excited about listening to the other podcasts that the other people you worked with.

[00:58:37] Think it's going to be helpful for me. And I hope that was helpful for them too. 

[00:58:41] Jette Stubbs: I think so for sure. 

[00:58:42] Jade Hassouné: Yeah. That's something you've helped me learn as, the value of having another person in your team or just as a guide or as a coach. To bounce off of. And, that's really cool as like an anchor through a journey I think is really nice to have.

[00:59:01]yeah. So thank you for that. I'm excited to see where I go.  The concepts and the exercises and the methods you've taught me.  I'm still integrating and applying in my life, but they've been super helpful for me. thank you anyway. let's do this again.

[00:59:23] Jette Stubbs: Yeah, for sure. I definitely want to do another one where we catch up and see where you're at. Cause it's yeah. Honestly, like when you reached out to me the first time I was like, this is going to be such a fun project to work on. And it has been like every, it has been so much fun helping you build it out and seeing you launch it and become more confident in what you can offer.

[00:59:42] So I'm so excited to see you keep growing. 

[00:59:44] Jade Hassouné: Yeah. Thanks for having me. Thanks for talking to me.

[00:59:51]Jette Stubbs: You're listening to the happy career formula 

[00:59:53] with Jette Stubbs 

[00:59:55] where we talk about how to find what you love to do and turn it into ways to make money, whether that's a job, freelance service or a business, so you can live life on your own terms.