The Beginning:

Born in Manhattan NY, I was always into music at a young age.
At around 11 years old,  I stole (borrowed) my sister’s guitar and took free classes at my local grade school….(Mostly because she was getting too much attention around the house playing to our family.)
= ))

As a teen, I was driving my friends crazy in the car, singing backgrounds to other artist's music and pretending I was part of their band!

But at some point, early on….I realized this was the THING I was excelling at and from there… it was all about finding MY PATH to success. 

The Development:

Living in South Florida, I played music all through High School, and was in a few small bands….but mostly played by myself, for my heart and wrote songs about being alone, being in love….it was super intense back then. Eventually, I went to North Texas State University (University of North Texas Today) to study music and mostly not be left at home while all my “book smart” friends went to fine school across the country.

I was NOT a very good student and struggled a lot with learning, as mostly I was just a hyper creative and rarely could settle my mind enough to focus on school work.

I do NOT, however, condone giving an excuse for being a poor student. I think "education", at any level, is an ESSENTIAL building block for success. Knowing you can be disciplined and accomplish basic things like school is paramount. I was EXTREMELY lucky to get my eventual break. But I think, overall, "continuing" education is up to the individual, their families and your OWN personal goals. I think it IS rather good to have a back-up plan....but it's equally important to give your DREAMS....every chance and opportunity you can.
But you need to make money to survive until you do. 

The Studio:

After a brief year of struggling scholastically in college….I decided to come home and “get a job.” I had some AMAZING odd jobs….managing a video store. Yes, VHS, all the way!
I was a producer for a Sports Information company. Most of you don’t know I’m a sports JUNKIE! And eventually I was reaching the age where I knew the next thing I did had to be related to my ultimate dream of being a successful “singer/songwriter". (Which was my ORIGINAL goal.)

So I was making music with a buddy and he was an assistant at the world famous “Criteria Recording Studio” back in the late 80’s. It’s the place Clapton did “Layla" and James Brown did “I feel good” and basically ANYONE who was ANYONE would go to Florida and record. I asked my friend if maybe he could get me an interview to get a job there. So I met with the Studio Manager and they said they didn’t have anything right then. 

Weeks later, they called me and said the only thing available was being a night receptionist. 

I thought about it for a day….and was like: “I need to find a way, to put myself in front of the most talented people that came through South Florida, where I lived at the time.
And I was also able to hone my craft, record in my down time and ultimately, it was the best decision I ever made!
Even though it took EIGHT very long and tedious years of being nearly 30 years old and STILL being the highest paid receptionist in Criteria HISTORY, I had more life lessons THERE, than most of my life strung together. 

I'll never forget, week before my big break....The ONLY time, in my life, I had ANY self-doubt, 8 years after starting at the studio, I was 30 years old and thought I was having a nervous breakdown not being "well-off" in music yet and still answering phones....and I'll never forget my Mom, on the phone, saying: "Adam, you don't want to give up on your dreams "today", and turn 50 years old and wonder why you didn't try a little longer."
All these years later....I'm so grateful to her.
She was very right. 
Because a few months later the singer of Collective Soul asked to hear my Demo "cassette"….then the Producer of the band heard it and wanted to know if I wanted to meet a few guys that he was putting together in Orlando to form a new band…..those people were Rob Thomas, Paul Doucette and Brian Yale, eventually my new bandmates…and after we discovered Kyle Cook in Atlanta, we all, together, became Matchbox 20.
(That’s the super short version….but the idea was…sometimes you have to be “humble” and accept something you may not think EXACTLY fits you….putting yourself at the right place at the right time is SO important. You just have to find a way to get INTO the building. If your talented...people will recognize you. 

I paid my dues...made it fun...and eventually it all paid off, by having me realize my very first dream!!!!

The Band:

Look, this is the place I could talk for hours. But basically, what it’s like to be in a band is…it’s like having 4 brothers….you love each other, sometimes you hate each other, but mostly you care about a common cause. For us, it was music….and of course each band member has their own perspective on their time in the band. Mine was both wonderful and sometimes not so, but at the end of the day, I’m beyond proud of what we achieved as a group.
I ultimately, got to live my very first dream. And I worked very hard to make it happen and adjusted along the way. 

Here’s the stats sheet I usually include in my bio to sum up some  of the accomplishments during my days in Matchbox Twenty.
“According to Billboard Magazine, for almost 10 years, Matchbox20 was one of the top 3 bands on radio. From 1996 to 2004, Matchbox 20 sold in excess of 25 million records, and played thousands of shows to millions of fans around the globe. The band also received three GRAMMY nominations, two American Music Award Nods, Earned a People’s Choice Award and was named Rolling Stone Magazine’s Band of Year in 1998.”

Not bad for a guy that was answering phones until he was almost 30 years old!

= ))

Creationville:

After making 3 records, for almost a decade in the band, my time there was done and I was so proud of reaching my first “true intention”. But I had a lot of other dreams I wanted to accomplish so I started messing around with photo-shop, making weird and lovable “creatures and characters", started with ONE illustrator and eventually, in 2008, I incorporated “Creationville, Inc.”

Which started as a Multi-Media Content creative studio that shot some Reality Sizzles, Animation Shorts and even manufactured some Plush Toys, like Edgar Pingleton.

So while I was building the company, I had always been “advising” friends. Helping other colleagues focus their business plans and construct a “Do-able” mission statement to reach THEIR own dreams.
And after years and years of doing this, I thought….”There HAS to be a better way to be able to inspire and teach more people at the same time...present small lessons and tricks that “I” used to be successful….to the masses.

And just last year, we started to film: “Creationville:"
The Video Podcast Series.

(Vodcast, as I like to call it)

The Present And
The Future:

So right now we’re focusing on the “Vodcast Series” show and hoping it inspires OTHER people to better their lives, learn something, smile and WORK towards their goals and own personal creative success stories.

 
I'm grateful and proud of what we’ve built here at Creationville….from all the Content, Animation and now, serving our audience….I’m truly excited and blessed to be on this ride….with all of you!

Let’s do this!
“Together”

-Adam