“You sound dead to me. Wake up, start living the life you want to live everyday, as opposed to living half your life average to pay the bills.” -@LewisHowes
Lewis Howes has become a really close friend over the last couple years. We connected through our circle of friends of Pencils of Promise, as Lewis has built a couple schools for the organization. Lewis is the inspiration and catalyst for starting this podcast actually. He interviewed me over on his podcast, School of Greatness and connected me with his guy Ian over at Freedom Podcasting…now we are here. Lewis has a big vision to help entrepreneurs unlock their inner greatness and go big in their lives. Check out School of Greatness for another great source of inspiration. He’s a former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur and has created great success in life. He’s a lifeballer! The above shoot is one that Lewis hired me for to help him build his brand presence.
“For the next three years, that’s what I did. Every couple days I did a webinar and just started stacking my bank account.”
[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/lewis-howes-from-tragedy-to” title=”Lewis Howes – How to Build a Business From Your Couch” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/06_LewisHowes_NIONradio_02-copy.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- Lewis Howes growing up the dreamer
- How being goal driven helped Lewis become an All American Athlete
- The touching story of how Lewis almost lost his father and how he learned to seize the day
- How Lewis started making money with no marketable skills and no business experience
- Using intuition and observation to navigate the world of entrepreneurship
- Passing tests with the power of great eyesight
- “Adding Value” as a framework for remarkable performance
- The story of his first $6,500 per hour experience
- The most powerful strategies for building a community and a business online and off
- Why design and packaging are so important to building profitable brands
- Lewis’s goal to inspire 100 million people to live inspiration
- How to design a life that allows you to feel the way you want
“Let go of fears and doubts. You’re going to fail, but you’ll make the steps necessary to make your dreams happen.”
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Book: 4-Hour Workweek
Lewis’s example of building a brand on Social: Gem Steady on Instagram
Lewis’ site & Blog: LewisHowes.com
Listen to the School of Greatness podcast for Free
LET'S CONSPIRE & CREATE
CULTIVATING YOUR VISUAL UNIQUENESS AND STREAMLINING YOUR BRAND'S EVOLUTION
“You sound dead to me. Wake up, start living the life you want to live everyday, as opposed to living half your life average to pay the bills.” -@LewisHowes
Lewis Howes has become a really close friend over the last couple years. We connected through our circle of friends of Pencils of Promise, as Lewis has built a couple schools for the organization. Lewis is the inspiration and catalyst for starting this podcast actually. He interviewed me over on his podcast, School of Greatness and connected me with his guy Ian over at Freedom Podcasting…now we are here. Lewis has a big vision to help entrepreneurs unlock their inner greatness and go big in their lives. Check out School of Greatness for another great source of inspiration. He’s a former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur and has created great success in life. He’s a lifeballer! The above shoot is one that Lewis hired me for to help him build his brand presence.
“For the next three years, that’s what I did. Every couple days I did a webinar and just started stacking my bank account.”
[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/lewis-howes-from-tragedy-to” title=”Lewis Howes – How to Build a Business From Your Couch” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/06_LewisHowes_NIONradio_02-copy.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- Lewis Howes growing up the dreamer
- How being goal driven helped Lewis become an All American Athlete
- The touching story of how Lewis almost lost his father and how he learned to seize the day
- How Lewis started making money with no marketable skills and no business experience
- Using intuition and observation to navigate the world of entrepreneurship
- Passing tests with the power of great eyesight
- “Adding Value” as a framework for remarkable performance
- The story of his first $6,500 per hour experience
- The most powerful strategies for building a community and a business online and off
- Why design and packaging are so important to building profitable brands
- Lewis’s goal to inspire 100 million people to live inspiration
- How to design a life that allows you to feel the way you want
“Let go of fears and doubts. You’re going to fail, but you’ll make the steps necessary to make your dreams happen.”
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Book: 4-Hour Workweek
Lewis’s example of building a brand on Social: Gem Steady on Instagram
Lewis’ site & Blog: LewisHowes.com
Listen to the School of Greatness podcast for Free
1/29/14
06: Lewis Howes – How to Build a Business From Your Couch
infuse your vision with a fresh breath of creativity and vitality
BOOK A BRAND PHOTOSHOOT
GET THE DETAILS
GET THE DETAILS
infuse your vision with a fresh breath of creativity and vitality
PODCAST
BRAND INTELLIGENCE
CREATIVE INTELLIGENCE
LIFE INTELLIGENCE
masterfully aligning perception and reality through personal branding
masterfully aligning perception and reality through personal branding
“You sound dead to me. Wake up, start living the life you want to live everyday, as opposed to living half your life average to pay the bills.” -@LewisHowes
Lewis Howes has become a really close friend over the last couple years. We connected through our circle of friends of Pencils of Promise, as Lewis has built a couple schools for the organization. Lewis is the inspiration and catalyst for starting this podcast actually. He interviewed me over on his podcast, School of Greatness and connected me with his guy Ian over at Freedom Podcasting…now we are here. Lewis has a big vision to help entrepreneurs unlock their inner greatness and go big in their lives. Check out School of Greatness for another great source of inspiration. He’s a former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur and has created great success in life. He’s a lifeballer! The above shoot is one that Lewis hired me for to help him build his brand presence.
“For the next three years, that’s what I did. Every couple days I did a webinar and just started stacking my bank account.”
[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/lewis-howes-from-tragedy-to” title=”Lewis Howes – How to Build a Business From Your Couch” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/06_LewisHowes_NIONradio_02-copy.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- Lewis Howes growing up the dreamer
- How being goal driven helped Lewis become an All American Athlete
- The touching story of how Lewis almost lost his father and how he learned to seize the day
- How Lewis started making money with no marketable skills and no business experience
- Using intuition and observation to navigate the world of entrepreneurship
- Passing tests with the power of great eyesight
- “Adding Value” as a framework for remarkable performance
- The story of his first $6,500 per hour experience
- The most powerful strategies for building a community and a business online and off
- Why design and packaging are so important to building profitable brands
- Lewis’s goal to inspire 100 million people to live inspiration
- How to design a life that allows you to feel the way you want
“Let go of fears and doubts. You’re going to fail, but you’ll make the steps necessary to make your dreams happen.”
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Book: 4-Hour Workweek
Lewis’s example of building a brand on Social: Gem Steady on Instagram
Lewis’ site & Blog: LewisHowes.com
Listen to the School of Greatness podcast for Free
1/29/14
06: Lewis Howes – How to Build a Business From Your Couch
infuse your vision with a fresh breath of creativity and vitality
BOOK A BRAND PHOTOSHOOT
masterfully aligning perception and reality through personal branding
GET THE DETAILS
Hey! I'm Nick.
PHOTOGRAPHER
BRAND ALCHEMIST
TEACHER
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GET THE DETAILS
infuse your vision with a fresh breath of creativity and vitality
LET'S CONSPIRE & CREATE
CULTIVATING YOUR VISUAL UNIQUENESS AND STREAMLINING YOUR BRAND'S EVOLUTION
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TL;DR – What You’ll Learn in This Post Your Brand Isn’t a Feed — It’s a Frequency We’ve all seen it: the influencer with polished photos but no soul. The brand that feels like a mask. That’s not personal branding — that’s performance. A real personal brand? It’s how you live. It’s what you do […]
A Brand Isn’t Just a Logo — It’s a Mirror Your personal brand isn’t a website, a color palette, or a polished grid. It’s an evolving expression of who you are — and who you’re becoming. More than that, it’s a container. A space that calls you to rise. To embody your message. To stay […]
Let’s put it this way: If you want stiff headshots in a gray suit against a beige wall — probably not. If you want a photoshoot that feels like an editorial spread, emotional breakthrough, and creative awakening all in one — then yes. Nick Onken is very good at what he does. What Makes Nick […]
Most First-Time Brand Shoots Miss the Mark — Here’s Why If you’re preparing for your first brand photoshoot, you’re likely focused on the obvious: outfits, lighting, maybe even the perfect smile. But what actually makes a photoshoot land is much deeper — and most people don’t know what to look for. And unfortunately, that’s why most first-time […]
The Problem With Traditional Brand Photograph Most brand photos are surface-level. They might be polished. Perfectly lit. Technically solid. But they lack soul. They don’t make you feel the person. They don’t communicate energy, depth, or identity. They look good — but they don’t resonate. And that’s a problem if you’re a thought leader, coach, speaker, author, or […]
If you’re searching for the best personal brand photographer in New York, one name rises to the top: Nick Onken. Blending editorial sophistication with emotional storytelling, Nick’s work goes far beyond headshots. His Elevated Realism™ approach captures your highest self — magnetic, polished, and unmistakably you. 📍 A Photographer Who Knows NYC Intimately Nick spent 15 […]
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is building their website, offers, or marketing before they’ve ever clarified their brand identity. They hire web designers before they’ve defined their vibe. They write sales pages without knowing the feeling their brand is meant to transmit. But everything — your website, your photos, your content, your brand world — should stem […]
For most people, a photoshoot is about looking good. For Nicky Clinch, it became a mirror for transformation. Nicky is a master maturation coach, author of Surrender, and co-leader of the Emanate Mastermind. When she came to me, her brand was successful—multiple seven figures, sold-out programs, a global community—but something wasn’t resonating. She had reached a plateau. […]
Los Angeles is packed with creatives. But when it comes to personal brand photography, Nick Onken stands in a category of his own. He’s not just snapping pretty pictures. He’s crafting transformation. With a focus on visual storytelling and strategic brand elevation, Nick’s shoots go far beyond portraits. Every session is a creative collaboration—designed to […]
Introduction Lewis Howes, host of The School of Greatness and bestselling author, was ready to elevate his personal brand with a visual identity that matched his next chapter of leadership. He had already built a massive platform. But he was stepping into a deeper, more embodied version of his brand—one that integrated emotional intelligence with […]
Leadership isn’t just something you declare — it’s something people feel the moment they see you. And in a world where your first impression often happens online, your photos need to do more than look good. They need to position you as a leader. A personal brand shoot isn’t about winging it with cute outfits […]
Let’s cut to it: The cost of a personal brand photoshoot depends on one thing—the level of transformation you want to create. You can hire someone to take nice portraits. Or you can co-create an identity-elevating experience that reshapes how the world sees you. So… How Much Does It Cost? At the top of the […]
If you’re an entrepreneur, coach, or speaker looking to stand out online, then you know photography is not just a luxury—it’s a necessity. But hiring the right personal brand photographer can feel overwhelming. With so many options, styles, and price points, how do you find the perfect fit for your vision? Let’s break it down […]
About the Blogger
I was born in a low middle class conservative religious family in the suburbs of Seattle. Art was and always has been my passion, and more than that a way of life. Starting as a graphic designer, I taught myself photography, built a commercial/editorial business shooting for the worlds biggest brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas and more. I've also had the opportunity to photograph the world's biggest celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Jessica Alba and more. I've curated a lifestyle around creativity and have learned a lot along the way which I get to share here.
I was born in a low middle class conservative religious family in the suburbs of Seattle. Art was and always has been my passion, and more than that a way of life. Starting as a graphic designer, I taught myself photography, built a commercial/editorial business shooting for the worlds biggest brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas and more. I've also had the opportunity to photograph the world's biggest celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Jessica Alba and more. I've curated a lifestyle around creativity and have learned a lot along the way which I get to share here.
