How to Turn Play into Your Creative Superpower with Adam Tanaka

Amplify with Jess Ekstrom

Have you ever felt like you're not what meets the eye, with a deep, complex backstory hidden behind a seemingly successful exterior? What if the most difficult parts of your past, the ones you tried to escape, are actually the secret ingredients to your greatest triumphs and your most powerful message?

This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with Adam Tanaka, a founder and speaker who has built and sold companies and now teaches others how to unlock their most creative selves through the power of play. Adam's journey is far from linear and his seemingly picture-perfect success story is built on a childhood filled with trauma and chaos, where a game of hide and seek was an act of survival.

He opens up about his "normal," which included a mother struggling with addiction, his heroic act of saving her from a house fire at age 15, and how that trauma unknowingly followed him into adulthood. Adam shares how his success led to one of his darkest moments, what truly saved his life, and the powerful framework he created to ensure he and others always have a community to fall back on.

Tune in for:

• The childhood trauma that led Adam to seek control and stability by building his own businesses.
• How Adam learned to stop waiting for permission to play and why he believes play is a crucial tool for both creativity and healing.
• The moment a sheep farmer in Iceland changed Adam's perspective on overcomplicating life and rigid goals.
• The importance of building your community before you need it.
• The "Community Tag" framework, a powerful and simple system for checking in on those around you that Adam created after a near-fatal moment.
• Why Adam's mission as a speaker is to help people bring play into the workplace and life.

About Adam Tanaka:
Adam Tanaka is a founder, speaker, and advocate for the power of play. With a background in building and selling companies, Adam's mission is to help people move from rigid, "hustle culture" to a more creative and connected way of working and living. He is the founder of a kids' brand, cavehousesupply.com, and an author.

Resources & Links:

• Cave House Supply: https://cavehousesupply.com
• Adam Tanaka's Website: https://adamtanaka.com
• Follow Adam Tanaka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-tanaka-7b43a85b/
• Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.