Bring the Avalanche: How to Turn Rejection Into Motivation — with Maurice Proffitt
Description
Ep #96: Bring the Avalanche: How to Turn Rejection Into Motivation — with Maurice Proffitt
“Trust yourself. This world will try to tell you otherwise every single day.”- Maurice Proffitt
This conversation was recorded live at Lumpen Radio on Saturday November 22, 2025
Summary of the episode
In this episode, we sit down with Chicago creative and producer Maurice Proffitt to talk about creative rejection, the fear of success, and what it really takes to build a career without waiting for permission. Maurice shares the moments that shaped him: the childhood spark that made him a storyteller, the brutal rejection that changed his entire trajectory, and how he learned to turn setbacks into motivation.
If you’ve ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or right on the edge of something big—but scared to leap—this conversation will give you fuel.
What we talk about
- A friendly deep-dive into what it really means to grow as an artist.
- Turning rejection into motivation
- Overcoming the fear of success and leveling up
- Growing up Black in Schaumburg and finding your “B-side” identity
- Why you should stop asking for permission and create anyway
- Building B-Side Productions and Dreamscape
- Friendship, community, and the people who hold you up
- Maurices first web series “Broke AF,” filmmaking, and learning to edit
- The moment he said: “Enough is enough — I’m building my own lane.”
Things We Mentioned
Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection by Jia Jiang (affiliate link)
Batman Begins — “Why do we fall?” reference
Chapters:
00:23 - Introduction to Self-Expression
01:51 - The Fear of Success
12:24 - Navigating the Creative Landscape
19:33 - The Heartbreak of Rejection
24:33 - The Concept of B-Side Productions
31:51 - Identity and Growing Up in Schaumburg
36:15 - The Journey of Friendship and Creativity
44:11 - Transition to Filmmaking and Editing
51:01 - Resilience in the Face of Adversity
54:43 - The Journey of a Show: From Preparation to Performance
All about... Maurice Proffitt
You're gonna love Maurice Proffitt—he’s a filmmaker, theatre producer, community-builder, and creative force whose work centers the stories and voices usually overlooked. From theater to film to building his own production companies, Maurice is all about creating space for the hidden gems, the B-sides, and the people who don’t fit the mold.
Sponsor Shoutout 💖
This episode is brought to you by Artist Admin Hour.
Admin is the flex—and your practice deserves it. Join us Wednesdays, 7–9pm CT for structured co-working that helps you get things off your list and out of your head.
Learn more: artistadminhour.com
Connect with Maurice Proffit
Instagram: @mrproffit
Website: https://www.dreamscapetheatre.com/
More ways to connect:
Email: stephanie@missgraham.com
Follow on Instagram @stephaniegraham
Support & Feedback
Rate & Review on your podcast platform
Episode Credits
Produced, Hosted, and Edited by me, Stephanie (teaching myself audio editing!)
Lyrics: Queen Lex
Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam
Artist Admin Hour instrumental by Soundroll
United States
