Meet Steven Boyd Wallace | Artist & Podcaster

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steven Boyd Wallace and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steven, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
This is a really interesting and important question for me at this time in my life. When I started Hardly Tomorrow at the end of 2020 I wasn’t a dad, and now I am. Walt was born 12/3/21 and completely changed our life. Work/life balance was always something weird to my partner and I because we’ve been self-employed artists for years. For us, that can look like a quick day date to Century City to shop around, haha. We’re pretty good at taking a break here or there because there really aren’t weekdays and weekends in what we do, there’s just 7 days a week to work, rest and play. And now, we’re trying to find a work rhythm with a baby in the mix. It’s wild how much attention they require, lol?! Balance right now is so weird and off and different but I’m trying to embrace it. Some days it looks like only 2-3 hours of real work and 6-9 hours of baby duty. Every single day and week have been different because kids chance so much so quick. I have no idea what life will look like even this Summer. All I know is as I’ve gotten older, I’ve changed my mindset on the whole work/life idea – I try to think of everything as both work AND life. I can “work” on being a better dad or partner every day just like I can work on being a better podcaster and artist. It’s all just life, and I’m trying to be present and love it all.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Podcasting is fun and weird and hard and important. Trying to be open and vulnerable and real in a genuine was is not easy. Trying to do all that in an entertaining way is not easy. Trying to do all that authentically and not stress about the growth/money-side of the business is super challenging. We’re living in a unique time where the things we say and how we say them matter more than ever. This art-form is wild because my opinion and thoughts change basically every month as I am continually trying to “get it right”, not “be right” as Brene Brown famously coined. That means I already think differently about something I said a year ago in Episode 2. But for my listeners and fans, I’ve grown to just accept that and embrace the imperfections of a podcast. It’s almost like watching a Disney child star grow up to become an adult movie star and see them change before your eyes or something. Myself, my audience, hopefully get to take this whole journey together, growing, learning, unlearning, becoming better humans.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Mercado, Wurstkutche and Sidecar Donuts are foodie musts! Laurel Tavern has become a go-to bar/burger happy hour spot. Honestly, the food scene here is so beautifully overwhelming I find myself going back to the same places, haha. We love a good hike or beach walk in Malibu.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh it’s Ally (my wife & partner) by a mile. She’s been with me since the beginning of both this creative and personal journey. I genuinely wouldn’t be here without her (and unfortunately, I mean that literally). I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for pretty much my whole life. However, nothing can prepare you, or the person you’re closest with, when suicidal thoughts and ideations come into the picture. Once I was finally honest with her about where I was at, we both realized we had a lot of work to do. It took years of therapy and medication trials and so much more to get to a better place. Every day is still a battle. Every. Single. Day. My love for her has grown deep as she’s loved me wholly unconditionally through all my ups and downs and struggles. It’s honestly hard to put into words how much she means to me. I try to, at least a little bit, in Episode 1 of Hardly Tomorrow. PS. She’s an incredible fine artist who inspires me every day.

Website: hardlytomorrow.com

Instagram: hardlytomorrow

Twitter: stevenbwallace