Leah O'Connell

Episode 63: One Step at a Time – Curiosity, Generosity, and the Creative Life with Dave Herring of VeryGood CO.

Dave Herring is a photographer, educator, founder of Very Good Co, and a longtime friend. He’s also what you might call a creative nomad—someone who has consistently followed curiosity, values, and people rather than forcing himself into a predefined box.

In this episode of Photo Fuel, Dave and I chat about how curiosity led him to an entirely new career as a photographer and educator. From leaving the East Coast and relocating his family to California with no concrete plan, to working with brands like Leica and Hasselblad, Dave shares how paying attention to what felt meaningful—and staying generous along the way—shaped both his career and a life that supports his ultimate measure of success: being in charge of his time.

This conversation explores what it looks like to build a creative and sustainable business honestly and purposefully, one step at a time.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

How curiosity—not necessarily strategy—became the driving force behind Dave’s business moves
Boldness in entrepreneurship
Blending past experience into creative work
Why and how generosity and free content became foundational to Dave’s business model
The surprising ways giving freely can shape community, trust, and opportunity
Rethinking success beyond metrics, numbers, and visibility

Even though Dave primarily works in landscape photography, this episode offers perspective that transcends niche. It’s a reminder that values, curiosity, and integrity are transferable and that there’s more than one way to build a meaningful creative life on your terms.