Creativity Evangelist, Video & AI Marketing Expert

Jon Leland, media pioneer, creative director

I founded the Creativity Sandbox Community to help people not die with their creative sparks still stuck inside. The proven-to-be-successful Creativity Sandbox Framework combines the creative chutzpah of pure play, the accountability & support that comes from participation in our community, and the power of putting in the reps by practicing a practice. I am also a passionate advocate for showing your face through using video in all forms and in leveraging the astounding power of AI as a creativity enhancer, always with the Human in the Loop.

🧠 Brains Before Bots: What Real Creativity Looks Like Now 🎨

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time Hey Reader, AI is making everything easier. But that’s not what's important.What's important is: What are you doing with that ease? This week, I’m spotlighting two different kinds of innovators who are using AI not as a crutch, but as a creative amplifier. In the fast-moving world of content and marketing, the pros who stand out lead with the vision, taste, and creative skills—the "human in the loop" abilities necessary to tell...

about 6 hours ago • 1 min read

🎯 I Made This in 60 Seconds. Imagine What You Could Do. 🚀

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time Hey Reader, Not Playing with AI Yet? That’s a Choice — and It’s Risky. I know it doesn’t look like me exactly… but I made this image in 60 seconds. Seriously. I simply uploaded my profile avatar image and gave ChatGPT a one-line prompt: “Put this image on a mug that's on a home video studio creator's desk. Warm, positive colors and lighting.” Boom. This fun, vibrant, creative image showed up. And, I was impressed (again) by the...

7 days ago • 1 min read

🌊 Catch the unstoppable AI creativity wave 📄 Don’t miss this free PDF

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time Hey Reader, Image conjured with the impressive new Canva AI. 📄 Don't Miss My Latest Free PDF:Empowering AI Trends for Social Media MarketersIt’s a quick, insight-packed guide—the slide deck from a recent webinar—that outlines the creative shifts reshaping how we digital creatives work to wow audiences. (If you recently subscribed to this list and already got this download, welcome to Creativity Chronicles!) When Play Becomes...

14 days ago • 1 min read

🚀 Creative AI shifts you can’t ignore 🎨

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time I’ve seen this before—and the ending is a media revolution Dear Reader, You can’t ignore what’s happening in creative AI right now. Trust me—I’ve seen this movie before. Back in the '80s, when digital video landed, the world cracked open for a new generation of innovative storytellers. Suddenly, you didn’t need a studio to make something meaningful—you just needed a camera and the guts to hit record. Image conjured with...

22 days ago • 2 min read

🚀 How playing with AI can spark real breakthroughs ✨

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time See how play sparked a real breakthrough—then try it for yourself Dear Reader, ✨ How can AI spark your next creative breakthrough? Start by playing. In a spontaneous moment of AI dream analysis (yes, that's a thing), I let ChatGPT take the lead—and it surprised me. Together, we turned my dream into a Notion productivity template and a fresh mindset, all through creative experimentation and play. No plan. No script. Just flow. 🎥...

28 days ago • 1 min read

🚀 Missed the Magic? Watch the AI + Marketing Replay! 🎯🎬

Hey, Reader, Last week's webinar, in which I shared my favorite apps for marketing, personal productivity, video production, and AI creativity, is now live on YouTube. In case you missed the live event or want to review anything, here's the recording: In case you'd like to click some of the links I discussed, here's the free PDF of my presentation: AI-Marketing-Power-Tools-Webinar (1).pdf If you feel like supporting me in providing this kind of free, hopefully useful information, I have one...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read

📝 Tools Change ✨ The Creator Vibe Remains... 🚀 Join Me Thursday!

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time "Tools will come, tools will go. Only the vibe coder remains." — Rick Rubin This insight perfectly captures the essence of what I call "vibe creating"—the unique, essential human touch that stays constant amid rapid technological evolution. (It's also my spin on an AI trend called "vibe coding.") Rick Rubin quoted in a YouTube by Bilawal Sidhu, vibe coder extraordinaire. In marketing, your personal vibe—the genuine human...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read

AI + Marketing Tools to Grow Faster 🚀 (Free Workshop!)

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time Discover the exact tools I use daily—save time, grow your business, and spark creativity. Hey, Reader, Join me Thursday, March 13th at 11am PT / 2pm ET for a live workshop where I’ll share the exact AI + marketing tools I use daily to grow my business, serve clients, and spark creativity. I’ve spent countless hours curating these tools, and now I’m breaking them down for you—what I use, why I chose them, and how they help. What...

about 2 months ago • 1 min read

🚀 AI & Social Media Marketing: Free Webinar, Last Call! 😱

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time This is going to be FUN,informative, & maybe evengame-changing. Hey, Reader, I'm pumped about the presentation that I'm about to deliver live for the National Institute for Social Media and you're invited! Charles Darwin emphasized that those who adapt are the ones who thrive: In today's world, to me at least, improvising means being willing to experiment with AI and learn about its game-changing powers. That's why I'm...

about 2 months ago • 1 min read

🚀 Stop Grinding & Start Creating – A Mindset Power Move! 🧠

Creativity ChroniclesUnlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time Did you know productivity can be a trap? Hey, Reader, Something as simple as asking “What should I DO now?” can keep you stuck, unfulfilled, and creatively stagnant. This email is about what to do instead. I heard about this from the author, Martha Beck, in her podcast convo with Mel Robbins and it blew my mind. Instead of asking “What should I do?” Beck suggests we ask: “What should I MAKE?” 🎨 The Power of a Shift in Mindset As...

2 months ago • 1 min read