Origin Story: Soren & Eriksen Dickens Reflect on Growing up in Oakdale
Journey of Scaling Creator – Building a Successful Video Agency
Welcome to the Scaling Creator Podcast, where Eriksen Dickens and the speaker take you on a journey through the evolution of their video agency, Platinum Peek Productions, Inc. It all started when they were students at Cal Poly, transforming their generic video production company into a global powerhouse, one client at a time.
But the road to success was far from easy. It took perseverance, hard work, and a deep understanding of their roots to get to where they are today.
In this podcast, they explore the importance of knowing your backstory as a creator and how it shapes who you are.
Through their own experiences, they inspire and empower creators to reach their full potential. Join them on a creative ride through the ups and downs of building a successful video agency, with insights into how your past can shape your creative future.
[2:50] Where are we from?
We are from Oakdale, California, a great city capital that is the cowboy capital of the world and the greatest city in America.
There are other places in the world, but California is the most desirable place to live. The cost of living is affordable, and there is a great community and an excellent educational system. It’s a community that truly cares for one another.
[11:08] Where do you think we got our creative streak from?
Looking back, we were raised in a very religious household. We grew up around religious texts, and I do see that as a catalyst for our creativity as a youngster.
So here is the thing: Your creativity is derived from the narratives that you feel as a youngster.
Growing up in a Christian community and going to school is like being spoonfed with narratives that you can also find on Netflix, and as you get older, you start to reflect on where you came from and the narratives you were exposed to as a kid, which are almost identical to the ones that are shown to you today.
Now that I think about it, religion will shape you in some way, but in terms of impacting creativity, that is something I’ve never thought about until now.
[13:37] How did that affect you in terms of your creativity? How do you also deal with comparison?
One of the unique things about being raised in a religious household is that it puts you in a box. If you are told that something is black and white, then it is.
You don’t get to question why; you just accept it. But if you are from the early 2000s, then you have access to the internet.
You get the opportunity to ask questions from your parents and teachers, which you just won’t stop doing.
Creativity is derived from asking a lot of questions, and that cultivates your inclination to keep asking more questions.
[18:54] How did we become creatives?
Thinking about it, I think I have two main points. The first is that we had the privilege to travel around with other kids.
We were able to see other different cultures and different experiences and also analyze what we learned, and I think that played a huge role in making us have a broader view of life.
The other thing that kind of contradicts what I just said is that growing up in Oakdale is at a slower pace. We had more time to think as kids, build forts, play Army Man, and make little videos.
We had more time to explore our inner creativity. As cliche as it sounds, there is something special about being away from the hustle and bustle of modern-day society that allows you to tap into your creativity.
[22:30] Do you think the hustle and bustle of modern-day society affect the way we implement our ideas?
Living in a city has its benefits, but so does growing up in a rural area. In today’s world, our emotional intelligence is affected by our environment.
It is crucial to understand oneself. When we understand ourselves, we can better understand others’ emotions. While driving around the city and seeing billboards everywhere, one may wonder why they are vying for our attention.
Growing up in a place like Oakdale, one realizes that family and friends are the only people who genuinely care about us. Even though there may be a little bubble in that city, there is an interpersonal feeling with others that is only found in a small town.
Also, being raised in a small town is like starting from the bottom; you have to fight your way up so that you can look back and be proud of where you are coming from.
[43:20] What would you say is the biggest difference between people who were raised in metropolitan areas compared to small towns?
One thing I would say about being raised in a metropolitan area and rural community like mine is that you have the opportunity to be raised around people you share the same mindset with.
One of our instincts is to survive. We will fight longer, work longer, and last longer every single time. There are seasons of feast, and seasons of famine, but one of the things that I remind myself of is that I will fight and conquer regardless.
I was put in a position that made me experience these moments, and that has given me the confidence to know that I can do great things.
[45:28] How are kids from the valley different from kids from anywhere else?
Kids from the valley will always work harder, and that is something that affects me as a creative. I work every single night until 1 a.m. the next morning, which most people wouldn’t do. People don’t want to work nonstop.
You can combine a working blue-collar upbringing with modern life; it will help your finances and creativity. You’ve got something dangerous, and that is why I think that everything we’re doing here, like proposing opportunities for creators, is something dangerous too.
[59:20] What do we do when our friends don’t understand what we do as creatives?
My point is the fact that a lot of the people from Oakdale don’t even really understand what we do, what goes into it, the travel involved, the variables, but they’re still there to support you no matter what. They still want you to succeed and that just makes me appreciate Oakdale.
[60:03] How do you feel when you go home after a very long time?
I feel whole. It’s the feeling of your being. I feel like I am home, and everything that I’ve done for the past seven years has been for my community, and that’s why we’re constantly putting out projects for Oakdale.
It’s why we’re constantly coming back. It’s because I feel whole when I’m in Oakdale, I don’t feel whole when I’m in New York. I don’t feel that way when I’m In Miami. I don’t even feel whole in San Luis Obispo and the reason I feel so full when I’m in Oakdale is that who would you relate to? You’d relate to the people that you grew up with, you’d relate to the people who came up from your community.
How to connect with us
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