A raw, uncensored interview with the uncompromising Brooklyn artist and rising social media star



NOTE: My interview with Goldmund was the 1st interview I did in what's become an ongoing series with successful online entrepreneurs and personalities. This interview was originally available to email subscribers only. ​.

DD:

My Twitter network is very focused on making money online, whether it’s a small side hustle or building an online empire.



Popular topics range from e-commerce to niche sites to freelancing and building the skills necessary to create a sustainable business.



One of the reasons I wanted you to be the first interview in this series is because you’ve come at it from a completely different angle.



I think it’s fair to say that at your core, you’re an artist.



You write. You sculpt. You photograph.



But you’ve been able to build your business around your passions, which I always tell people NOT to do for various reasons.



So I want to understand what makes you different.



Why do you think you’ve been able to monetize your passions as an artist while so many others have failed?



GOLDMUND:

Let me make one thing clear first….



I did NOT get started in this expecting to make a dime. The first $0.27 I made from my first Amazon affiliate sale (coincidentally, the book Narcissus and Goldmund), blew me away and inspired me to keep writing more and see what would evolve.



For years I wrote about 2-4 blog articles per week, not even realizing I was building the giant rabbit hole it is today.



I have to write, I’m a writer goddamnit, and expressing the way I see the world is necessary or else I’ll cease to be.



It was a pure passion project—I spent much more time on it than my full-time job during the building process, and it shows from the energy behind every sentence.



An artist’s role is to be different. To have a unique angle on life, make that vision accessible to others, and be skilled in executing it. It’s also what makes a business or marketing technique effective.



I know no one can say what I say the way I say it.



Plus, I’m insanely talented. Ha



Probably not what your readers wanted to hear, but it’s the truth.

DD:

It’s only over the past year that you’ve become really active on Twitter and Instagram.



And now you have 14,000 Twitter followers, almost 7,000 Instagram followers and a growing email list.



So what changed? What made you decide to get more active on the platforms?



How did you see social media a couple years ago vs. how you see it now?



And why do you think your following has grown so much?



GOLDMUND:

When I started the blog, that’s all I cared about and was fortunate because it got a ton of traffic since its beginning due to other people sharing it.



I had already built a decent group of readers from my writing on online forums, so eyes were on me from the very start.



I honestly had no idea how powerful Twitter was until about a year ago when I started utilizing it properly.



Having the blog in place by that time, plus having made real life connections with other trustworthy writers like Ed Latimore, Rollo, AJA Cortes, Jack Murphy, CMQ, etc…really helped with my clout.



It really made a difference when Twitter changed to 280 characters so I could treat it more of a mini blogging platform and flesh out my ideas properly.



I still think Instagram is a joke and is not my ideal audience, but it’s fun to play around on.



In the coming years, I see original voices playing more and more of a role--TV is dead, movies suck, and smart people are craving content from creative individuals.



--



DD:

As far as I know, you don’t have a business or marketing background. So what have you found to be the hardest part about making a sustainable online income?



And what’s worked for you?



GOLDMUND:

Non, nada, never studied any kind of marketing, always hated the idea of it, but understand its importance.



The one big ‘marketing technique’ I employ is that I design any sales or clicks with the thought, “would this make me interested in buying/clicking?”



If the answer is yes, I go with it--this technique usually involves fire-breathing writing and fascinating photographs followed by ‘hey, I’ve got more over here, check it out...’



My friend Christian McQueen told me that a bulk of my income was going to come from a small percentage of my readers.



You aren’t going to do very well only selling 5 & 10 dollar books like I do, even if they sell a ton, the wave dies down, (I don’t have any high priced digital products yet), so I decided to offer an expensive service.



My clients spend around $2000 each for my nightlife coaching or photography services and that’s what really keeps me going.

DD:

You’re no stranger to controversy.



The hysteria over your “Camera Game” book would make for a good case study in how to turn hate mobs to your advantage (and sales).



(For readers who don’t know, Goldmund’s book became a bestseller thanks to protests from wild-eyed feminists and SJWs).



So I’m curious:



What was going through your mind when you saw haters posting negative (and even false) comments about you and your book, especially coming from the photography community?



And what do you think other artists and content creators can learn from your experience?



GOLDMUND:

The Camera Game controversy became the best thing that has ever happened to me because of the way I reacted.



Fuck the photography community. They are mostly made up of pretentious pricks who think they are so special and untouchable. I have always had derision for them so I didn’t care one bit about what they were saying.



I was worried at first that Amazon was going to take my book down like the mob was demanding, but then when I saw it climb to #1 status, I realized it was the best kind of publicity:



-hundreds of over-the-top fake 1 star reviews

-pure emotion driven hate being spewed

-cries that if you bought the book, you would go to jail

-people saying they were ordering the paperback in case it got banned

-I should be prosecuted for writing it

-Model Mayhem, the biggest portfolio website in the world, ‘warning’ people about the book



This is all stuff you could never pay for, and oh my god it was so much fun to watch from the sidelines—from that point on I planned the revenge I was going to take once I returned back online--and watched the sales continue to climb.



It was glorious.



I didn’t respond to anything in the beginning, even when I saw that one of the biggest photography sites in the world wrote a hit piece on my book.



I exercised immense self-control and let that snowball effect turn into an avalanche when no one could find out who this mysterious author ‘Goldmund’ was.



Most people would have tried to clear up the matter right away, whereas I sat back patiently to observe.



Keep in mind, during that time I had my blog and Twitter locked because I was doing some important personal evolution and experimentation, so the world went crazy over the book because they couldn’t find me to explain what it was about.



Then I returned and blasted every liar who didn’t read ‘Camera Game’ but left a fake review or wrote an article about it.



My audience went crazy over the way I handled it because they had never seen anything like it before, they loved the show I was putting on making fun of the situation, and sales increased even more.



I’m still having fun with it sometimes, god knows there is more than enough content about Camera Game hate online for me to mock for the rest of my life.



I really hit the lottery with that ordeal.



--



DD:

Building off the last question, I know that a lot of men - young guys especially - are timid about going after what they want in life and building strong, unapologetic identities.



They’re afraid to draw a line in the sand and say,



“This is who I am. This is what I stand for.



This is what I believe in and this is what I DON’T believe in.”



What do you think these young men can do to act more boldly and make their dreams a reality, especially with the current social climate that encourages men to conform?



GOLDMUND:

Want me to punch it in the gut first?



Make peace with your Father, then set yourself free.



After that, do everything you can to understand the opposite sex. Read The Rational Male, learn game from me, and get that out of the way so you don’t find yourself compromising unnecessarily to females.



Then you’ll be able to develop a vision and be determined to accomplish it without distraction.



Have an attitude, which will be dependent on your personality--every successful person I’ve known has an attitude.



I think of myself as a mirror that amplifies. If someone is a dick to me, I’ll be 10x a dick back to them. If someone treats me with respect, I’ll show them even more respect back.



Keep your swagger and confidence about you, but stay humble--that bit is easy to say, but might take 3 decades of hard living to really understand.

DD:

It’s interesting that you mention making peace with your father.



I think a lot of us have this resentment towards our fathers or our parents for not being more successful, empathetic, supportive, etc.



And we use them as an excuse to hold us back and even justify our failures.



Eventually I came to realize that my Dad did (and still does) the best he can even though we don’t see eye-to-eye on certain things.



But ultimately, the onus is on us to succeed despite the flaws of our parents.



Let’s move on…



I want to talk about creative struggles.



I know you’re a fan of Steven Pressfield. His books “The War of Art,” “Turning Pro” and even “The Warrior Ethos” have been a good kick in the ass for creatives who struggle to… create.



You seem to be one of those people who effortlessly creates content, whether through your writing or photography.



Is that true?



Is it easy for you?



Or do you tend to find the creative process difficult? If so, how do you overcome that inertia and “The Resistance” that plagues so many creatives?



GOLDMUND:

There will always be resistance, it’s your job to fight against it and realize the amount of self-doubt you have is equivalent to how much you need to create something.



I’ve had tons of jobs before, important ones, and I’ve never put as much effort into anything as I have with my writing and photographs.



It’s extremely difficult to expose your soul to the world, flaws and all, and have people judge you on it.



Fuck it though, I love a good challenge.



--



DD:

We all have fears. Fear is the great dream-killer. And it’s prevented many people from going out and doing great things.



What are you scared of at this point in your life? Why?



GOLDMUND:

I’m worried that the world is losing its creative spark due to the homogenous thoughts the internet promotes.



I saw what Facebook did to my generation—it turned them into spineless frauds who put on a virtue signaling act in order to be accepted by their sheeplike group.



The world needs creative minds, people who are willing to bend the rules so we can progress, artists to seek the truth again, no matter how much it hurts, and art meant to inspire others to go out and explore the real world as it is.



I’m going to do the best I can to set an example of a creative life well lived.



This helps alleviate the fear.

DD:

I think it was Milo or maybe Paul Joseph Watson who said “conservative is the new punk rock.”



It sure seems that way.



The Far Left has become obsessed with censorship and thoughtcrime, a la 1984. And this narrow stance on what is and isn’t acceptable has extended to the creative community and media (which is dominated by the Far Left).



So who inspires you right now?



Is there anyone you think is really pushing the envelope creatively (authors, filmmakers, musicians, street artists, etc).?



GOLDMUND:

Mother Nature.



I’ve studied the greatest artists who have ever lived, taught their techniques at University, and derived all the inspiration I needed from humans through them.



Right now I don’t see anyone doing what I want to see done, so I’m going to do it myself.

DD:

You posted an interesting tweet about New York City recently (above). Can you talk about that a little more?



How is the city changing (for better and for worse)?



Is is still the #1 city for visionaries and misfits to make their mark on the world?



And where will you go next?



GOLDMUND:

Yeah, NYC is not even close to what it was during the heyday’s of the early 2000’s.



Smartphones, Tinder, and hipsters changed the social climate of the city and she’s been on a sharp decline since 2008.



The population is unrecognizable now and the once thriving art-scene filled with visionaries has been replaced with basic bitches, fascists of the left, and triggerlicious snowflakes.



I’ve literally been banned from certain venues/social circles in Brooklyn because they can’t tolerate my refusal to conform (ironic, huh?).



I really want to see what happens when the L train gets shut down because North Brooklyn shaped me and I’m very interested to see how it reacts to such a major change.



It's going to be very, very bad--to be honest, I’m kind of looking forward to the chaos because of what its become.



Where to next? I see myself hitting the road for a while to get a better sense of how the world is changing in different areas.

DD:

Let’s switch gears and talk about photography. What do you think are the biggest mistakes beginners make when picking up the camera?



GOLDMUND:

People have this weird fear when they first hold a Camera, like it’s a powerfully complicated instrument they could never understand.



You have to go out and shoot, shoot, shoot in the beginning, then using it will become as natural as breathing when you find an interesting moment.



Also, with street photography, you have to be fearless--stop caring what other people think of you and exercise your rights to document what's going on in public.



Speaking to people interested in marketing or personal branding--having skill in photography is a superpower in this field, it can be incorporated into everything.



--



DD:

I think that’s a great point.



People fixate on the technological aspects, but the important part is to go out there and just create the content you want the world to see.



And sometimes, the raw and unfiltered look is even better.



Everything from my website to my logo and email opt-in could look better visually, but I know that’s secondary to the content I create every day.



One of the things that stands out to me as a photographer is your emphasis on street photography.



Why do you think you’re so drawn to that particular style?



GOLDMUND:

Street Photography is raw, rebellious, dangerous, and requires extreme amounts of confidence so it fits very well with my personality.



I love it because you go out there with your vision of the world and bring it to life. There is always something interesting to capture and you have to exercise and employ extreme creative powers in order to spot what would make a good image.



Plus, you can meet a ton of people as a street photographer and they open up around you in ways they normally wouldn’t. It’s how I’ve met my favorite girls this past year.



*Did I mention I wrote an entire book on the psychology & techniques behind it--its called Camera Game.

DD:

Speaking of style, I know you went through a transformation in the way you dress and you’re even become known for a certain kind of iconic look, from your hat to your beard and jewelry.



I also think you’re a perfect example of the “Rake” archetype with a rough around the edges, devil-may-care attitude.



What do you think men can do to build their own style without looking like copy cats or life-like mannequins?



It seems that a lot of men have trouble when it comes to cultivating a unique, attractive style.



GOLDMUND:

Style is something unique to you and you have to be able to be honest with yourself, look in the mirror, and decide what works or not.



Easy for me because I’m also a visual artist and know when things are aesthetically pleasing.



One thing above all else though--fit is king in the style game--you’ll look 10x better in a v-neck t-shirt that fits rather than a baggy suit.



When the fit and type is dialed in, then you can start adding accessories.



Hell, accessories work so well for me (every girl who is interested in me makes a comment on my pendants), I started a little side-project where I sell pieces: masculineaccessories.com.



One note on having a business that sells physical goods--it's definitely a pain in the ass to do the shipping yourself--if you are making the pieces yourself like I do, and get them out there, it's another interesting way to make your mark on the world.



A few weeks ago someone approached me in Manhattan to show me that they were wearing one of my pendants--that's very cool to me.



--



DD:

One of the popular Twitter topics of late is personal branding and authenticity. What do they mean to you?



And what do you think is the key to coming across as authentic online (and in life)?



Can you talk a little more about this tweet?

GOLDMUND:

I’ve ALWAYS gotten in trouble for speaking my mind, ever since I was a kid, and online I was able to express myself freely without the fear of social ostracism.



I love truth, my B.A. is in philosophy and my worldview is based on universal truths of human nature—the world has changed so dramatically in the past 10 years that these truths are foreign concepts to most people now.



Applying those truths to the modern world is my M.O.



I really do want to help people and inspire them to act. You can sense it through the words I use, how they are put together, and if you pay attention, you’ll see the themes in all I do are connected.



Authenticity instills a feeling, you know it when you come across it, and I can point out the fakes in an instant because of my extreme sensitivity.

DD:

You’ve talked about personal struggles:



A strict religious upbringing, building healthy relationships with women and living life as a introvert.



I’d argue you’ve even taken these challenges and turned them into strengths.



As a marketer, one of the things I like to talk about is how you’re taking a customer or client from Point A to Point B.



At Point A, you’re dealing with a problem/challenge/obstacle/pain.



At Point B, you’ve achieved a solution/benefit/result/pleasure.



But to go from Point A to Point B, you need to undergo a transformation.



I know from your writing and one-on-one conversations that you’ve undergone a transformation of your own.



How did you do it? What made dramatic change possible for you?



GOLDMUND:

Going to absolute war with myself through ayahuasca ceremonies.



The hardest battles of my life, but they made me realize my immense strength and determination.



With the religious upbringing (in a strict cult), I’m grateful for the self-development they taught from a young age, but they also suppressed my gifts.



Ayahuasca brought those gifts to the surface and she made me promise to share them.



And now here I am.



--



DD:

Let’s talk a little more about ayahuasca since it’s growing in popularity and I’m sure people have questions (I know I do).



I’ve never done it and I have a hard time wrapping my mind around its effects even though I’ve heard you talk about it a couple times.



I think most young Westerners have smoked weed and perhaps experimented with some other substances, but what makes ayahuasca so different?



What’s so special about ayahuasca that you CAN’T experience with other drugs?



If I were to head down to the Amazon with you and to get the full ayahuasca experience, what could I expect both during and after?



Also, how exactly has your life changed for the better after going down the ayahuascan rabbit hole?



GOLDMUND:

Phoof. I have an unpublished book on the subject waiting to see the light of day once I’m ready to share it, but I’ll make it simple here… I call aya the ‘Grandfather’ of psychedelics because it trumps them all in terms of how far it can take you.



It is highly, highly personal, and you must be ready to face the darkest parts of your personality, biggest weaknesses, and worst fears.



This is why it is so common for people to ‘purge’ during a ceremony--purging is violently throwing up and shitting for psychological reasons--you encounter this stuff that is buried inside you and your body reacts so strongly to the mental shock so you expel it out in a physical manifestation of cleansing.



Purging is one part of the ceremony you’ll most likely go through, but a lot of it can be encountering the most beautiful visions you will ever see, navigating the spirit-world, and unleashing certain gifts which have been suppressed.



*The first time I did ayahuasca, I was laid out on an alter and spirits cut my chest open with a blade and released my inner Universe--then they made me promise to share--its why I started writing + using a camera again and why people know my name.



Let’s go to the Amazon together, Dennis, I know the best medicine/shamans down there and I’m sure you would come out of the experience having formed the greatest ideas of your life and with renewed vision.



I know what it's like deep in the zeitgeist, and its not pretty--people are screaming out in spiritual pain looking for answers and trying so hard to figure out how to be happy.



Ayahuasca sent me to war in another realm and I came back bearing gifts to share with others.

DD:

I truly believe that to get what we want out of life we need to think ahead to the future to make sure that what we do in the present is congruent with our longer term vision.



So what’s coming up in the future for Goldmund?



What can your fans expect to see from you over the next few months?



And what’s your longer term goal?



What would you like your life to look like, say, 10 years from now?



GOLDMUND:

I’ve got so much more to share and am bursting at the seams to get it out.



I’m going to be starting up a Patreon and subscription based online magazine soon and am very excited.



I’d be doing myself a disservice for not charging for the content which will be released, and I’d be doing my audience a disservice for letting them have it for free + not appreciating the value.



It’s going to be huge and nothing like anyone has ever seen before.



I couldn’t stop writing if I tried so I’ll be doing it until I’m dead.



The idea of retirement is so ridiculous to me, I’d much rather be creating long into old age than sitting back like a mooch doing nothing.



In 10 years I’ll be in my forties and known as one of the worlds greatest living writers.

DD:

OK so we’ve been teasing a special announcement for your fans and it’s time for the “big reveal.”



You’ve put together a Patreon page with exclusive content and it sounds awesome.



And I believe this is excellent timing...



One after another, we’ve seen conservatives like Faith Goldy, Milo and Alex Jones get de-platformed by YouTube, Paypal, MailChimp, etc.



So there’s a major move towards censorship being led by Silicon Valley and my hypothesis is that it’s going to force anyone with anything controversial or interesting to say to go “underground” on the internet.



Building on that observation, I just finished reading “Becoming a Barbarian” by Jack Donovan.



I know you respect Jack as an author and a person so I’m also interested to hear your take on building tribes, which is one of the major themes in his books.



Despite the connectivity of social media, from Facebook to Tinder, it seems like the masses are making a lot of superficial connections that have left them feeling more separated than ever.



So I’d love to get your perspective, as an artist, on building tribes with a shared vision, values, rituals, etc.



Or do you see yourself as a lone wolf in the wild?



It seems like your new Patreon page is a way to build your own tribe of like-minded people.



GOLDMUND:

Interesting questions and I’m not sure how to answer them.



I always thought it funny that people associate me and Jack Donovan together since we are so different--but I can see where our spirits align.



As for building a ‘tribe’. I honestly don’t think it’s possible to do online and see it as a catchy word marketers like to use to draw in lonely people.



Look at what Jack is doing right now--he’s in the middle of the forest, disconnected, building a self-sustainable colony with his closest companions ready to defend until the death--that’s what a tribe really is, it’s not an online following.



What attracting like-minded people online did for me was life-changing though.



My entire life I’ve been a lone-wolf, an outsider, and deeply misunderstood by most people I was around.



Then I started expressing myself honestly online and found people who connected to my message. Finally.



**What’s funny, and this ties back to your question about authenticity, is that the majority of people who come online/social media do it in order to project a falsely polished image of themselves--then there are those who come to express who they really are--you can tell who’s who pretty quick.



The expression has been going strong for five years now and I’m taking it in a new direction with a members only online magazine (which Patreons will have first access to).



I’m at my best when exploring the uncomfortable truths of human nature, and having a members only section is going to give me the freedom to delve deeper than ever.



It’s crazy, I’ve never desired fame at all, but almost every time I’m out in Manhattan, someone recognizes me--this happens in most major U.S. cities as well.



The notoriety has also gotten me banished from certain venues in NYC, shunned from social circles, and cut me off from sources of income.



So I’m taking my best work underground where it will be appreciated by like-minded people who aren’t afraid of truth.



The Patreon is kicking it off early, I’ll have the technical aspects of the members only magazine finished by August 20th, and fresh content up on the 21st.



It’s exciting, I’ve felt like I’ve held back too much recently, and I’m going to go all out and really unleash myself with this project.



Want more Goldmund? Click here to visit his website