What’s the worst that could happen?

That’s the question I asked myself a few years ago. My business was steady. I had great clients. I was proud of the work. But something felt off. I was… stuck.

I wasn’t working with the luminaries—the people I admired, the studios and individuals whose ideas had shaped everything I loved about creativity. Why? Because I wasn’t putting myself in their world.

They didn't even know I existed.
I was playing small. Waiting.

Then, one day, I asked myself the harder question: What happens if I stay invisible? Three years from now? Ten? I realized the answer: nothing changes. I’d still be stuck, safe but miserable, hiding behind my own fear of being seen.And that terrified me far more than the risk of failure ever could.

Creativity demands courage

I knew what I had to do: stop waiting, stop strategizing, stop overthinking and tinkering with excuses. I needed to make it happen, to take the leap.

So I decided to aim for the top. Not start small, but where I wanted to be seen.

I wanted to speak at OFFF, the iconic creative festival Héctor Ayuso has built. But I didn’t have a perfect pitch or a glitzy speech to dazzle anyone. I just had an idea—and a deep belief that I had something important to contribute.

Hitting send on that email to Héctor, was terrifying. Why would he say yes? Why would I deserve to stand on that stage? But I reminded myself: the worst thing he could do was say no, and I would need to find another way.

Two months later, I wasn’t just at OFFF. I was hosting a panel alongside some of the most brilliant minds in the industry—people like BUCK, Vallee Duhamel and Josh Davis.

That moment didn’t just change my career. It changed my perspective on what’s possible when you stop waiting and start showing up. And that one email? It’s the reason Héctor and I became not only business partners but friends, launching Paradiso, a retreat designed to rewrite the rules of creative connection.

The myth of the perfect moment

Here’s the truth: most creatives don’t stay stuck because they lack talent. They stay stuck because they’re waiting.

Waiting for the perfect time, the perfect project, the perfect circumstances. But perfection is a myth. And waiting is the slowest way to kill your creativity.

‍You won't mysteriously be discovered one day.

‍Big opportunities don’t arrive neatly packaged with a bow. They don’t tap you on the shoulder and whisper, It’s your turn. You have to go after them, boldly, even when it feels uncomfortable—even when it feels impossible.

Creativity isn’t about playing small

The most transformative work of your career won’t come from playing it safe. It will come from stepping into the unknown, into spaces where you feel unprepared and out of your depth. Because that’s where growth happens.

When I took that leap with Héctor, I didn’t just find new opportunities. I found a whole new circle of people—brilliant, inspiring, challenging. People who changed how I think about creativity.

The real risk isn’t failing. The real risk is staying where you are.

How I stepped into a world of big opportunities

1. Reframe the fear: Fear is normal. But ask yourself this: What’s the real cost of staying where I am? For me, the cost of not being seen was far greater than the fear of stepping into the spotlight for a brief moment.

2. Start before you’re ready: There’s no such thing as perfect timing. What matters is action. My email sucked, but I sent it anyway. Send the email, make the call, ask for the opportunity. The smallest step can set extraordinary things in motion.

3. Invest in Yourself: Risks aren’t gambles—they’re investments. That email to Héctor wasn’t just a momentary leap. It was a seed that grew into Paradiso. Opportunities compound when you bet on yourself.

It’s time to stop waiting.

At NOT on sale, we help creatives and studios like you stop playing small, and showing up in unique, authentic ways, that not only stick but drive business.

The first step? Deciding you’re done waiting for the perfect moment.

Click below, send me that email, telling me what your big goal is.

Marko

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