On this episode of the How This Works show, Skipper Chong Warson talks to Carl Cleanthes, founder of Epic Made, a creative content agency based in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Carl shares his entrepreneurial journey from selling timeshares to establishing an agency that now collaborates with top brands like SyFy, Nickelodeon, USA, TNT, and WWE. He discusses his passion for art and creativity, focusing on his exploration of NFTs as a way to immortalize his late father’s artwork. Throughout the conversation, Carl emphasizes the importance of living authentically, expressing emotions freely, and using his creativity to honor his father’s legacy.

Key details from the episode:

• Carl describes himself as a "lifelong, ADHD, extroverted, creative kind of like counter culture, delightful weirdo," heavily influenced by his father’s art


• Early entrepreneurial ventures included earning money through in-game economics in Everquest


• After struggling with depression and dissatisfaction in traditional employment, Carl quit his IT job in 2007 and started his agency by hiring art school students, expanding into animation, illustration, and graphic design


• He embraces an unconventional lifestyle, incorporating barefoot walks, toe shoes, upcycling, and growing his own food


• The pandemic significantly impacted his business, pushing him to explore NFTs as a new creative outlet and revenue stream


• Carl launched an NFT project using his late father’s artwork, which he sees as both a healing journey and a new business direction


• He continues to honor his father’s creative legacy through live streaming sessions where he creates new art incorporating his father’s work

Special Guest: Carl Cleanthes.

Links:

• Epic Made — Carl Cleanthes' creative studio
• Everquest — A pioneering MMORPG released in 1999 that immerses players in the fantasy world of Norrath, where they can create characters, complete quests, and engage with others in a shared, persistent online environment.
• Old Dominion University
• Epic Made's work includes Nickelodeon, SyFy, USA, network, TNT, and WWE
• Chris Metzen — An American game designer, writer, and voice actor, best known for his influential work at Blizzard where he played a key role in the development of Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo.
• NFTs — Non-fungible token
• Web3 — Web3 is a decentralized version of the internet that uses blockchain technology to give users control over their data, digital assets, and interactions, enabling peer-to-peer transactions and decentralized governance without relying on intermediaries.
• On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin — *On the Origin of Species* is Charles Darwin's seminal 1859 work that introduced the theory of natural selection, explaining how species evolve over time through the survival and reproduction of individuals best adapted to their environment. This groundbreaking book laid the foundation for modern evolutionary biology, challenging traditional views on the creation and diversity of life.
• About Time (2013) — A (romantic) comedy about a young man who discovers he can time travel, using his gift to improve his life, love, and relationships with Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander, and Margot Robbie among others
• Live Streaming Art 8 PM ET EVERY Wed — Carl's weekly live-stream art show
• Pixel Retentive podcast with Carl and Ross Ciuppa
• Colorful Carl — Colorful Carl, one of Carl's nicknames, is an artist, agency founder, and podcast host who combines his passions for digital art, animation, and storytelling.