That’s why Tiago Forte has developed the idea of a second brain, a revolutionary idea that makes it possible to really unleash creative potential in a transformative way. Your second brain is a place outside of your head to store and organize your ideas and plans so you can effectively implement them at a later date. And when we understand the creative process and its natural cycles, we can utilize it in a way that causes us to be more effective with what we’re trying to accomplish.

Tiago uses the acronym CODE (capture, organize, distill, express) to describe the creative process, which he says comes in two phases. Phase one (capture, organize) is the divergent phase and must happen first. This is when we gather all our information and consider all possibilities. We expand and gather. Phase two (distill, express) is convergent, and can only be done when phase one is complete. This is when the whole cloud of ideas and information is organized and given a shape and a plan. 

We also discuss the difference between the infinite and finite areas of life, namely, areas vs projects. How can we tell when something has an end, and when it is ongoing? The key to success is realizing that a full life should have both.

After you’ve listened to this conversation, I encourage you to read Tiago’s book, Building a Second Brain. You will be inspired to capture all the input that life throws your way and turn into something that works for you and your business.

HIGHLIGHTS

[4:51] We tend to think of people as either artistic or analytical, right-brained or left-brained. But realistically, life requires us to be both.

[6:36] Tiago describes how he found his creative medium, which is to find practical solutions to the challenges of life.

[11:10] A second brain is a place to store ideas that you want to revisit and/or implement in the future.

[17:04] Tiago’s acronym for the creative process: CODE: Capture, Organize, Distill and Express.

[26:55] The first half of CODE is divergence, expanding possibilities and increasing scope. The second half, Distill and Express are convergent.

[28:53] PARA: Projects, Areas, Resources and Archives. How do we organize all the notes and information we’ve collected so we can find them again? 

[30:43] Projects end, Areas don’t. Areas are aspects of life that are ongoing. There are different rules for both. 

[36:47] Why it should matter to people to build a second brain.

Although Mako’s art is intrinsically full of beauty and joy, it explores the themes of trauma, brokenness and healing. He and Ty both have the experience of having lived in New York City during 9/11 and its aftermath, and also of building a ground zero teahouse that served as an exhibit gallery for local artist to share their expressions of grief and loss as the city healed from tragedy. 

But how do we translate this into dollars? Where does capitalism fit in when we’re talking about art, meaning, personal expression and communication? This is where the conversation gets interesting! I’m so glad to be able to have Mako and Ty together in the same conversion, because they represent two different manifestations of this idea. Since Ty is in the business of helping people monetize their creativity, and as a creative person himself, he has lots of insight into this area. In fact, while Ty and his father seem to be opposites in many ways, it’s interesting to see how they actually think alike when we’re talking about values and what’s important in life.

I hope this episode inspires you to take another look at what it means to be creative, and maybe to even get a fresh perspective on the world with all its different angles and dimensions.

Links

You can explore the work of Makoto Fujimura here.

Learn more about Ty and his work here and here.

Timeline

[2:31] Mako introduces us to the concept of pulverized minerals in his form of slow art.

[3:49] The mulit-dimensional aspect of Mako’s paintings is best seen in person when you can view them from all angles and take time with them.

[6:25] Mako’s paintings are an homage to American expressionism as well as ancient Japanese artistic traditions. 

[11:06] Mako describes the experience of straddling two different cultures simultaneously, and how living in New York City affected him and his work.

[14:36] Ty shares his experience of growing up in the city and now raising children there. He and Mako talk about their 9/11 teahouse collaborative art project.

[21:04] Mako’s work explores themes of trauma, brokenness, and life and death.

[23:35] Art as therapy and communication

[30:00] There is no need to push yourself to create during trauma. Sometimes it’s okay to do nothing. But you can wait and hope for transcendence and rebirth.

[33:50] Creativity is not trivial just because it doesn’t always translate into business. Your creativity is something that people need.

[40:23] How does creativity fit into the model of capitalism? Mako talks about the ‘gift economy’.

[44:03] Creating a transaction around a work of art shows the value of that work. Decentralizing art only hurts the middle man, not the artist or the consumer.

[47:00] Ty explains why he created Cantilever, and how it functions as an operating system for running a creative business.

[52:20] Technology as an artistic medium

[56:33] Ty and Mako discuss what they have learned from each other, and how the so-called ‘unproductive’ moments in life are what contribute to creativity.

[1:03:45] The assumption of scarcity vs. the assumption of abundance.

When you’ve played for years or spent that time developing your IT skills, you become an expert. While those skills are absolutely necessary for success in your chosen field, you also need an understanding of how your role must adapt. On a team, each person is an expert in their niche, but it’s only by coming together and supporting each other that the team can achieve its goals.

Putting together the various pieces of the success puzzle and creating powerful teams combines creativity, neuroscience, culture, and, of course, a little jazzy improvisation. Finding your way there can help you truly live your life “in the zone.”

If you’d like to learn more about these concepts, Gerald Leonards’ books Workplace Jazz and Culture is the Base cover these topics in more detail. 

Timeline:

[4:08] Gerald details the eclectic road of specialties he’s walked and explored throughout his life.

[6:58] Choosing between pursuing a life on the road and being with his kids allowed him to slow down. But it was all meant to be and came back around later on.

[7:50] Balancing local concerts and starting a career in IT as a consultant showcased his natural talent for project organization and a mastery for adaptation.

[10:50] IT teams were changing and getting smaller. Gerald saw the similarities between playing with a small ensemble and working with concentrated tech teams.

[13:00] Culture and talent, incorporating not only the players on the stage but the audience, are the keys to succeeding at initiative changes.

[15:15] Gerald discusses the framework for his book, Culture is the Base.

[18:12] Leadership and collaboration are all about trust- trusting yourself, the process, and each other. Building that trust and establishing common ground is essential to creating strong teams.

[24:24] Being in the zone and learning to be in that flow state with a group of others. It’s about synchronizing with your team and melding those brainwaves.

[26:53] Gerald elaborates on whole brain integration and how it relates to coming together and finding that synchronistic groove. Outside of music, where it can naturally occur, there is a way to practice whole brain integration.

[30:05] How Gerald’s faith interacts with his daily routine and path toward success.

[33:20] Gerald talks about finding your purpose and direction. Consider what you want your mark to be and how you want your life celebrated in your old age.

Dane and Tim discuss how to balance some of these values that often feel paradoxical. Should we lean towards greater responsibility, or more freedom? The answer can be both. Tim shares his own experience with learning to balance the need for stability within a company with his own inner drive to be constantly changing things. With a both/and mindset, he is able to successfully maintain both these seemingly conflicting values.

Tim has over two decades experience running a for profit business and a homeless shelter, and he has learned a lot about how to manage the complexity of tensions that arise within organizations. Currently he works as a speaker and author, helping others learn the tools for leadership success.  His latest book is Lead With AND: The Secret to Resilience and Results in a Polarized World. 

You can learn more about Tim by visiting Lead With AND

[2:17] Tim tells us his background and what led him to write his book. 

[5:42] How it can be a benefit to shift from either/or to both/and thinking when it comes to solving complex problems.

[8:34] Tim gives a real-world example of an organization finding the balance between freedom and responsibility in order to successfully live out its values.

[12:53] Does this kind of thinking come more naturally to certain personality types or people of a certain age or maturity level?

[15:51] Young children see in terms of black and white, good and bad. The ability to navigate the gray areas is something we learn to grow into. 

[17:45] Most leader personality types tend to do the either/or thing by nature, so they need to learn both/and thinking as a second language.

[20:24] Tim introduces his assessment tool that helps people successfully identify tensions and gives insight as to how to manage them, available at leadwithand.com

[21:59] Ignoring both/and thinking is like insisting to only inhale without ever exhaling. You’ll suffocate.

Amit is, in his own words a “relatively successful entrepreneur”, though we would argue his success is more than relative. Among other various startups, he is the founder of Photojojo, an online photography store which he sold in 2014 after recovering from an aggressive form of leukemia. From there, he began exploring his creative side as a science fiction author, which is what inspired him to develop his most recent project with fellow writer and business partner, James.

Sudowrite is an AI writing tool that Amit and James invented to help writers get real-time feedback and suggestions. His hope is that not only will their program help people overcome writers’ block, it can also help solve some of the issues of isolation that writers experience. 

You can learn more about Amit and Sudowrite here:

sudowrite.com

amitgupta.com

jamesyu.org

[2:57]Amit tells a bit about his history as a tech entrepreneur, from playing around with HTML in college to his first startup and working as an intern with Seth Godin.

[5:08]Amit tells a story about a traumatic event that happened to him with some friends on the train tracks, which Dane says shows not only Amit’s resilience, but also that he hasn’t led a charmed life of the entrepreneur destined for success..

[8:07]In 2011, Amit was unexpectedly diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia, throwing him into a whirlwind of treatment and recovery, and subsequently began a national campaign for stem cell donation awareness.

[12:44]“Suffering is never an inevitability, it’s a universal human experience. But those who suffer and respond to suffering, in a way that somehow transcends the suffering is the kind of person that I want to learn from.”

[14:02] After his recovery, Amit changed the course he had been on and began to write science fiction, to pursue a passion for imagining a world made possible by technology.

[15:39] “The fiction that we're deluged with is so often dystopian. And it really concerns me that if we are just seeing the imaginations of our most creative people being devoted to how terrible the future could be, we're not going to be able to dream other ways that could be wonderful.”

[20:13] Amit shares some of the ways that getting sick changed his perspective and choices in life, and how he struggles to remember what the things are that really matter.

[22:21] The book Replay by Ken Grimwood is a reminder of the universal possibilities that exist for each of us in this life.

[24:10] Amit introduces us to his newest creation, Sudowrite, an AI-based creative writing tool.

[29:00] Dane admits to gushing when it comes to how cool Sudowrite is, and how much it could change the landscape for writers and open up new possibilities.

[32:14] Amet shares his thoughts on where he thinks the future is going.

Jaz’s keystone message is that you need to believe that you belong. It’s a feeling that we can cultivate, what she calls a habit. This habit/feeling has little to do with data or evidence, although those can sometimes intersect with our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. It’s about relying on your internal story, what you know to be true about yourself. 

Jaz’s story of finding and sharing her name is a powerful example to listeners of finding your own truth to stand on, and owning it, transcending identity or external labels. Ultimately, Jaz Ampaw-Farr helps us challenge the idea that says, “People like me don’t do things like that.” 

TIMELINE

[2:04] Jaz shares one of her “Impostor Syndrome” stories. 

[6:22] There are two buckets: evidence and data in one, and thoughts and feelings in the other. 

[7:08] It becomes a habit to think you don’t belong, and from there the thought can become a feeling.

[9:39] Dane shares the story of Dan Allender to illustrate how it’s possible to shift perspective from being a victim to owning your story

[12:21] Jaz recounts an awkward moment that resulted in her being put on the spot to tell the story of the origin of her name. 

[26:23] Jaz continues telling the story of her name, and how she met her husband, Al.

[32:27] Jaz’s story comes full-circle back to the first incident mentioned, while weaving in the meaning of “jazz” as being the music produced by the suffering and hope of enslaved people.

[36:24] Jaz recaps her message, “Your one job is to stand on the truth about yourself when it comes to who you are and where you belong. People want to pull you one way or another, but it’s your story. Your one job is to believe that you belong.”

Taylor founded the company on the principle that working with others and being “held accountable” for your productivity leads to improved work. And it took off. As the company’s popularity rose, Taylor found himself in the same position as his clients. 

Today, we talk about the rise of Focusmate and what it really takes to prioritize properly. 

Check out more at https://www.focusmate.com/ and create a free account to get a taste of enhanced productivity thanks to a “live” co-worker. You can also find him on LinkedIn on Twitter.

TIMELINE:

[1:20] The history of caring about humans and creating better lives for everyone- of “getting out of our own way.”

[6:25] Something to offer in a world with need. Productivity is more than just tools and techniques. It’s filling in the gaps with a human connection and understanding our differences.

[10:15] We want to look at the tools and duplicate them, but life is messier than that.

[11:45] Working in a corporate environment showed Taylor that lacking support meant a lack of performance. It informed his ideals of coming together to be better humans.

[14:47] Focusmate came from perseverance and luck. It connects the focus comradery that the service offers.

[19:27] While the press and interest have certainly gone up, Taylor thinks of it as a welcoming party for those discovering the benefits of Focusmate. Creating a great remote experience is crucial now more than ever.

[22:40] COVID has opened up a window to vulnerability, and it’s stripped away a lot of norms and status quos.

[25:05] Mental health and remote work have an interesting relationship. The challenge of learning these new life skills, especially through a pandemic, is something that we’re all dealing with.

[28:16] Understanding where you work best is crucial. How do you respond to working remotely? It can be a huge struggle for some, and it’s important to know what works for you and ask for it.

[31:20] Now is when employers must make a paradigm shift. We need to shake things up. We’ve never had more permission to do so than now

Kirsten talks about how recognizing different people’s strengths can build a foundation of understanding. By leaning into your strengths and confronting your weaknesses at work, you can create lasting benefits that stretch beyond your office and help you be a better you. 

As a leader, it’s about building the patterns and rhythms to help your team do what they excel at and be unleashed to do their best work.

Check out more at https://cloverleaf.me/ and create a free account to see more about partnering with those around you.

TIMELINE:

[2:14] What do you want from life and business? Finding what you’re good at, what you’re wired for, can help you succeed and work collaboratively with those around you. 

[5:55] Digital coaching nudges can help practically by creating a team dashboard that customizes insights based on who you’re working with and their unique traits.

[9:41] A new workplace superpower that transforms life outside the office. You can change your team for the better without pursuing outside resources or changing the members by understanding your strengths and weaknesses.

[12:41] You can bang yourself against the wall of productivity based on other people’s expectations. Still, you won’t perform or be your best until you stop fighting how you’re wired and learn how to work with it, not against it.

[14:05] When pursuing an entrepreneurial career, fill your team with people who can balance your weaknesses with their strengths. 

[17:30] Teams with psychological safety, where mistakes are something to grow from, are the most successful. It’s the growth mindset.

[19:40] Daily, recognize how you might assume something about others’ thinking.

[21:06] Balancing instruction versus providing wiggle room is crucial to Kirsten’s success as a manager and leader. Taking breaks to journal allows her to take a moment where the pressure is off, and ideas can freely flow.

[26:27] Assuming the person in front of you means the best, wants to learn, and can bring something to the table is putting the best foot forward. Every person has value.

[28:49] The Ocean Accelerator taught Kirsten and her partner to raise institutional capital with intelligent, experienced investors who can improve her company in ways that aren’t just about the money.

[32:24] Her current influential voices include her co-founder, and they’ve worked together to improve where they let go of the reigns a bit and let their people shine.

[36:06] Culture is about more than lunches. It’s the relationships and being proud of the work.

His passion is infectious and you can’t help but be inspired by his message, his story and his constant pursuit of becoming better. His interests and knowledge range from elite fitness coaching, to writing poetry and Greek philosophy.

Jerzy joins the podcast to reflect on how constantly challenging ourselves to find success by making hard choices, leads to a better, easier life.

Timeline

13:15 What really shapes us? Challenges and “hard choices”.

20:15 What is the timeline for excellence? What commitment do we need to make to achieve excellence? There’s no instant fix.

28:00 The importance of aspirational figures to help guide us through the hard choices. Who do we look for when we want to grow?

34:00 Here we discuss how you can show what you are, not just say it. 

35:00 What is measurable goal setting? Make challenges, but challenges that are doable!

43:45 What is being “life flexible” and why it is important? How does an athletic quality apply to life too?

From blogging, Barr found a way to represent himself online, without social media and bosses dictating how and where he should promote his work. So much of the world has changed since the invention of the web. With assets mostly digital, reinventing yourself and creating the right type of audience and brand is easier and quicker than ever. Authentic presentation and a carefully crafted web presence can show an audience who you are and why to offer their support.

Check out more at https://corbettbarr.com or https://fizzle.co/. 

TIMELINE:

[06:10] Barr discusses life vs. career & how you can create a job that works around your life

[09:45] Overcoming the challenges of audience-first entrepreneurship. Communication is key. You’ll know you have a market for your product and can change things before release. Gives you momentum.

[16:08] Finding your voice through media.

[19:38] Barr introduces Fizzle, a training library for entrepreneurs.

[22:00] The reset in 2021- Barr talks about digital baggage and relearning the world of the internet in the modern day by creating some distance from social media.

[26:33] How independent creation and action can work differently and own the relationship with your customer rather than big organizations relying on ads.

https://gregmckeown.com/

The Meaning of Work

Before the time of remote jobs, work was two things: the place you go, and the things you do. When working remote grew in popularity, Sam saw a need for meeting those individuals want for inspiration and community. The issue with this was that what works for some doesn't work for others. For some, a coffee shop environment is the perfect setting, but sometimes, there is a need for something quieter or calmer.

Local Influences

One reason that Deskpass is different from all other coworking companies or environments is that their spaces are run by local members. For instance, in Breckenridge CO, the space may be more Colorado themed whereas in downtown Chicago, a space may be more industry specific such as finance or law.

The differences in the spaces create variety that matches what the member needs in that day or moment. Additionally, this variety creates an environment that is a melting pot of people. It creates a community of people working just as hard as you are, but every person there is different with different ideas and different perspectives. Not many other working environments are as adaptable as coworking spaces are.

Timeline:

[02:09] What is Deskpass? What is coworking?

[04:16] The meaning of the word work.

[05:22] "...and what I see is your relationship to your office and your workplace changing from a place I go every day to an ecosystem."

[05:47] The need for work environments that meet you where you are with what you need.

[6:16] How can humans better gain work-life balance? What role does coworking play in this?

[06:48] People use Deskpass and coworking places as a way to be less lonely.

[08:02] The benefits of variety of workspace with the flexibility that the variety offers.

[09:43] Deskpass coworking environments are run by members of the local community.

[10:18] "You don't have to commit; you can get what you're looking for when you need it."

[10:39] You can go from sitting at home alone to a room full of interesting people who are already connected to you in a way

[12:06] With the Deskpass membership, it is able to match the mood you're in that day.

[12:31] You don't have to interact with somebody, but just being in an environment that inspires them by being surrounded by people who are working just as hard as them.

[13:20] It is not just about avoiding a negative of loneliness, but also moving towards a positive of inspiration.

[17:15] Giving yourself flexibility of work environments and locations when you need it is where most productivity is earned.

[22:16] Having ownership over there you spend your day.

[23:04] Asking if the five-year lease on a building makes sense for you and your business.

[26:55] How to use Deskpass's free membership trial.

Time

Many entrepreneurs always find themselves plugged in with no way to disconnect. For some, they want to look at their business and say I owned this business not work for it. For others, they simply want more freedom within their work at their business. No matter which category you fall into, Trainual can help you make the best use of your time within business.

What does Trainual do?

The step between you doing something yourself and delegating it to someone else to grow your business is being able to document, write down, and provide the instructions of what you do. Trainual is a system that helps you do this with adaptability to your type of business and what your business does.

You may be saying that you don't know how to do this or that you don't have time, but the invested time now will save you time and grow your business long term. Is everything that you're doing now truly the best use of your time? Do you and your employees daily tasks align with your respective job descriptions? Do you find yourself constantly putting out fires without being able to even identify why these problems happen? Investing into your systems can be influential in saving time for yourself and growing your business.

If you are interested in learning more, you can find information at https://trainual.com/ or by searching @ChrisRonzio on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Timeline:

[02:38] "Build your business around your life instead of your life around your business. "

[04:14] "Could I detach and treat the business like a business I own instead of one I work at?"

[04:40]  What does Trainual solve for business owners?

[05:01]  The step between you doing it yourself and delegating it to someone else to grow your business.

[06:16] The business actually operates on rules you've put into place 

[08:35] The traditional objections companies give to investing into their systems.

[10:11] How the idea of working on your business not for your business and how it does/doesn't relate.

[10:56] It is a strategic initiative that can give you the freedom that you crave.

[12:52] What is the best use of your time? How can you bring the most value to your company?

[13:01] For someone constantly in firefighting mode and reactive mode, what can you do to evaluate this issue?

[13:26] You have to identify a starting point to be able to make progress.

[15:14] An easy way to identify and define your responsibilities. 

[17:15] Ask yourself what of these responsibilities do I actually need to be doing? What can be delegated?

[18:38] What an informal outline of responsibilities does.

[23:55] The process and importance of enrolling more than just the leader.

[25:01] Outline reason for analyzing your systems.

[26:31] Start with what will give you the biggest ROI.

[30:02] It is about building a structure around your foundations that already exist.

Mission

When it comes to finding your mission as a business, it is more than just what you're delivering. It involves finding something that is bigger than what you're delivering. Your mission needs to be something that motivates people, makes them feel good about what they're doing, and realize the bigger picture of their role in your business.

For having a mission driven organization, it starts with the executive level commitment that expands to all employees and then further outside of the company itself. Do you and your employees know your mission statement?

The Bottom Line

For Ryan, there are two types of bottom lines. There is the traditional one of  being profitable at the end of the day, and then there is the double bottom line. In the double bottom line, the earnings function beyond increasing net income and roll into accomplishing a worthy cause. Ryan wanted to work in such a way that he was able to do good while also doing well in business. 

When buying businesses, they looked at measuring not just profit but also impact. One obstacle they faced was making it clear to potential sellers that they are not just a private equity firm, but that they are here for the long haul. Cojourn strives to continue the legacy that already exists in the company. Oil Stop is one of their biggest examples of how this process looks for them when it comes to buying and keeping a company. 

The Long Game

Ryan advises playing the long game in all aspects. In business, it can be so easy to make short-term decisions without applying or having a long-term vision. Without that long-term vision, there is no patience to see where the company will go when the mission of your bran is truly bought into by all employees.

Timeline:

[01:25] Investing for the long haul.

[01:35] Ryan and his business partner,  Nick Parisi, shared an interest in improving on companies so that they can exist well beyond the current generation of leaders.

[03:38] "... felt like that was not to the fulfillment of who I was or what I was meant to do."

[04:11] Captivated by the idea of corporate giving and trying to figure out a way you could do good while you do well.

[05:16] The process and experiences of Ryan stepping out for the first time as an entrepreneur at almost 40.

[06:03] The traditional bottom line and the double bottom line.

[06:44] What if we measured not just profit but impact?

[09:55] Searching for both meaning and entrepreneurialism.

[10:55] How can business make the world a better place?

[12:53] When buying a business, a goal is to continue the legacy and what has already been started.

[14:31] When buying or selling a business, how do you build trust?

[15:54] Lead with listening and come in with humility.

[17:03] The process of Cojourn buying Oil Stop.

[19:18] The importance of starting a conversations.

[20:14] Business requires more than a good first impression. It goes into creating a longer view.

[22:27] There will be obstacles along the way.

[22:50] 1. What is a mission driven organization? 2. What is proof of a mission driven organization?

[26:17] Coordinated effort around a particular kind of mission. 

[26:50] Having a mission driven organization starts with an executive level commitment that then expands to the brand as a whole.

[29:44] Do you and your employees know your mission statement?

[33:12] None of it is easy, but every bit of it is critical.

[33:18] Mission of helping create enduring success for people who have sacrificed so much.

[34:40] The importance of the long game in business.

[35:08] 1. Taking care of your people and finding people that are a fit.

[35:23] 2. Find your mission.

[36:07] 3. Talk about your mission continuously.

Tension Between Challenge and Support

Jeremie discusses with us how there is a time when you need challenge, but there is also a time when you need support. As a leader and an individual, it can be hard finding that balance point between the two.  When you find it, you're able to create an intentional transfer of knowledge, wisdom, and skills. In there, you have to find the balance between served and leading to be able to both challenge and support others.

The Five Circles of Influence

The fives circles of influence are ourself, family, team, organization, and community.  To be successful in these areas, you have to start with yourself.  It looks like beginning to audit and evaluate your choices. Something as simple as choosing water over soda can be a step towards creating the you you want to be. Before you can move past yourself to others, you have to examine how others see your interactions with them. Do they know that you're for them, did they see that you're against them, or do they believe that you're for yourself?

Intentional Living

Most of the world lives accidentally. They make choices without evaluating what the outcome is to more than just themselves. Sometimes, you have to look at a situation and do unto someone else what they would want done to themselves. The way Jeremie explains that is through sharing about a coach who talks with his players. Sure, the coach doesn't want or need a hug in that situation, but that doesn't mean that the player doesn't.  Being intentional can look like evaluating the situation in a way that makes others see that you are for them and for their success. As a leader, it looks like leading but serving at the same time through intentional actions.

Feeling Alive

Living and being alive is more than just existing. The two ways to die are not really living or by killing yourself taking too many risks. There is a balance to living in the tension point between order and chaos. When you feel alive, that is when you find freedom.

Freedom is the actual experience of being alive and being untethered by concepts of reality.  The path to freedom is to realize that there is something inside you advocating for freedom. It is your story.

Addiction to Intensity

For years, Jeff created chaos whenever he got too comfortable. For him, the ability to calm the chaos gave him control over his life. He felt an addiction to intensity in going from extreme order to extreme disorder.  The way that Jeff overcame this was by seeking healthy ways to create memorable and meaningful experiences rather than deliberately creating chaos.

Leaving the Familiar

Jeff left the familiar whenever he started his adventure of building a personal brand around himself and his ideas.  He categorizes an adventure as doing something different from normal actions or processes.

When you leave the familiar, you go into the unknown to discover something about yourself. There are many depictions of this in movies, but it occurs within our lives as well. Every time you try something different you are experiencing a moment to learn something new about yourself. 

The Gift of Your Story

The gift is the thing that you learn or acquire as a result of struggle. The thing is, the gift is not for you. It is for those around you. The gift is a way to share and impart knowledge upon your community. Through sharing your story,  you are able to share the transformation that occurred within your life.

Timeline:

[03:42] Jeff spent about 7 years telling other people's stories and ideas until realized he had a story of his own.

[04:46] Finding a means by which you not only tell success stories but also hard stories with struggles.

[05:42] The characteristics of a good story.

[06:17] Jeff's tendency to create chaos.

se e[07:36] The experience of being alive.

[08:00] Seeking healthy ways to create meaningful and memorable experiences because stories are just our recollection of those experiences.

[08:15] Everyday goal of living.

[08:48] When you can walk through life and actually perceive things, you're awake, you're alive, and you're there."

[09:11] When stories do their job, they help us make sense of the story we're living in right now.

[09:51] How do you stay awake and present in the midst of the narrative in which we are living?

[10:02] All humans crave a sense of liveliness.

[10:22] "The experience of feeling alive is freedom."

[13:13] What is the point of life?

[17:17] The two ways to die.

[17:45] Experience all that there is to experience.

[19:25] How do you live in the tension points between order and chaos?

[20:04] Addiction to Intensity and the aftermath of the intensity,

[21:37] Leaving the familiar.

[26:22] When we are isolated from community, what must we ask ourselves?

[27:32] You have to choose to leave comfort. It is a choice.

[27:41] Chaos is newness.

[29:22] "An adventure is just anytime you do something other than what you've normally done."

[29:56] The gift that comes from our experiences.

[30:53] What do we do with the gift?

[35:38] Path to freedom.

[38:26] Find a way to experience life free from all your thoughts around it.

[39:07] "My thoughts about reality are not reality."

The Start of Speaking 

When it comes to speaking, the only thing between you and to chance to share your voice is learning how the industry works. Grant spent a lot of time questioning and following speakers to acquire the knowledge that he then applied to his life. Do not disqualify yourself before even starting the process.  There is a big misconception that to be a speaker, you need an energetic, external, and charismatic personality. Through his years of speaking, Grant has seen that that is not true. There are many succesful speakers, like him, that have more internal personalities. Don’t believe in the misconception of there being a one size fits all description of a successful speaker. 

I found my voice, now what?

As a full-time speaker, Grant often hears the same questions from those standing where he stood a few years ago: 1. How do I find gigs? 2. How much should I charge when I find a gig? 3. How does the speaking world even work? No matter if you want to speak just a bit on the side or if you want to become a full time speaker, those questions are important to answer. In his book, he explains how to demystify what it takes to get someone to not only want you to come speak, but also to pay you for your time. Their book lays out a five step framework to finding and booking gigs. The acronym SPEAK is an easier way to remember their process for this. 

Evaluating Yourself as an Individual

There comes a time when you must decide what kind of speaker you want to become. Grant advises to focus on one thing, and by doing so, you become an expert on that topic. Through that, you get the ability to charge a premium on the thing at which you’re really good. Many speakers try to become all things to all people, but that makes it to where you can become mediocre at all things instead of amazing at one thing. One way that Grant personally pursued this was by acknowledging that he was a great speaker, but that did not make him a great author. Through this notion, he was able to successfully collaborate with Jeff Goins. 

Evaluating Your Speaking 

When it comes to evaluating a speech, there are three important factors to consider: you the speaker, the audience, and the environment. As the speaker, you must ask yourself if you did your part in being prepared or if you went through the motions. Being prepared or not prepared can play a large role in the success of a speech. Ultimately, if the audience is not ready to receive your speech, no amount of preparation can resolve that issue. The environment also plays a huge role in the success of a speech. For instance, the power going out can definitely impact what occurs. 

If you are interested in learning more, take Grant’s free marketing course at grantbaldwin.com . His book,  The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building your Platform, is also available on Amazon. 

Timeline:

[01:29] Do you ever wonder if your voice could be heard?

[02:23] Building a platform where professional speaking is part of what you are able to do. 

[02:31] Grant gives advice on more than just being a professional speaker, but also includes becoming better at pitching ideas. 

[04:22] The timeline of granting learning how to become a speaker. 

[04:47] How Grant evaluated moving past wanting to speak more by questioning how to find gigs, decide what to speak about, and how much to charge. 

[05:32] Once a professional speaker, what Grant heard from listeners. 

[06:23] “Speaking is a great way to build a business, and a great way to make an impact. 

[07:10] Are you wondering how to figure out your voice?

[09:26] The process of Jeff Goins and Grant Baldwin joining together for the purpose of writing a book. 

[11:11] Just because you have one skill set does not mean that you have all other skill sets. 

[12:18] Ask yourself, “How can I collaborate?”

[14:26] The importance of different personality types in speaking. 

[16:32] There is not a one size fits all description of a successful speaker. 

[16:55] A common mistake speakers make. 

[18:23] Becoming a steakhouse over a buffet. 

[20:25] The big challenge for entrepreneurs: making a decision

[21:37] Why making a choice can actually make your life simpler. 

[24:17] Overcoming a “swing and a miss” in speaking. 

[26:31] Unexpected moment of success for Grant in a moment of adversity. 

[27:13] The roles of the speaker, audience, and environment 

[29:06] Accepting that as a speaker, sometimes thing are just out of your control. 

[32:59] "Speaking is about inviting people to have an opportunity to be able to stand and deliver in any given moment. 

[34:01] The audience wants you, the speaker, to succeed. 

[34:32] “Speaking is a shared experience with you and the audience. 

[36:28] Speaking is more than just the finished process, it also entails falling in love with the craft of speaking.

Each of us has a story to share that starts at birth and goes into this very moment. Both consciously and unconsciously, we push parts of our stories aside. We do this because we find them either uncomfortable, painful, or so overwhelming that we cannot deal with them in that moment. Andy’s background in trauma and abuse helps him to help people understand why their trauma is causing this push. People are often afraid of looking back simply because they are scared of what they will find.  Pouring into and being excited about work is a vulnerable process when trauma is present within our lives, and that is something Andy has researched and studied.

Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is when team members feel safe to take risks and to be vulnerable with one another. This doesn’t mean that the workplace needs to be nice, but instead it means being willing to take risks with a sense of curiosity and empathy rather than judgement. Without that feeling of safety, there is less openness in the workplace impeding open development. The workplace is not set up to fully deal with people’s emotional issues, but there are some ways that a business can be more effective in facilitating a community that respects mental health. One way is through developing a culture that recognizes that healthy people produce healthy companies. Businesses need to pour into both the emotional and mental healthy of employees to help employees perform to the best of their abilities. 

Trauma

When trauma presents itself, disconnection from ourselves, others, and our work can occur. Andy touches on why this is important to note and how it can impede our progress in business. When we have unresolved trauma our ability to communicate what we think and feel is greatly limited.  Then, when we do experience emotions we do not want to feel, it can be easy to push them down. The problem with that is it turns to burnout which turns to depression. Unresolved trauma can cause the part of our brain that deals with making choices, balancing emotions, being focused, and communication to deactivate. When this occurs, we cannot perform well in business. 

In the Workplace

Not all business fosters an environment that values mental health, and so one question discussed is "What do you do in a culture that does not support you?". One thing that Andy suggest is acknowledging that you are not an asset to be leveraged and your worth is not in how you perform. Practicing mindfulness is about observing your emotions and observing your depression, anxiety, and when you are critical of yourself. This can be difficult in a toxic work environment. If you are interested in more tips and tricks for guidance on these stations, reach out to Andy Mauer. 

Timeline

[03:32] Background of Andy and how he transitioned his business out of a clinical setting. 
[05:10] Charity Mauer and he experiences in the business field. 
[06:32] The larger the gap between personal brand and mental health, the more people will lose time with themselves. When that time is lost, people start to develop  rates of depression, anxiety, and burnout. 
[06:44] The high need for a polished image in this business. 
[07:00] The fear that drives creatives causes them to be constantly be running towards or away from from something. 
[08:05] 95% of our behavior is subconscious. Why does this matter?
[08:33] Your story is a combination of thoughts, memories, feelings, and relationships from birth to now. 
[10:38] Psychological safety in the workplace. 
[11:20] What is the number one thing that drives success in teams in business?
[12:51] Active disengagement.
[13:18] Why do people find themselves at work and anting to do a good job yet disengaged?
[13:55] External factors vs internal factors in engagement.
[15:11] Why people are afraid to make progress in business. 
[16:14] Trauma is about disconnection from ourselves, others, and our work. 
[16:27] “Trauma is an event or series of events that happen to use that we perceive as emotionally or physically harmful.”
[19:37] The outcome of pushing emotions down. 
[20:32] How does trauma impact our performance or productivity?
[21:26] Unresolved trauma can limit our ability to communicate what we think and feel. 
[22:25] As a business owner, why does my mental health and the mental health of my employees matter?
[25:47] Separating your sense of worth from your productivity. 
[26:58] Practicing mindfulness.
[27:43] Importance of being with a company that supports where you want to be emotionally.

Background 

Josh is a full time researcher and author who started off at a big company analyzing if their online advertising was actually working. His research developed into putting together a strategy of determining what works for the company when it comes to things of the advertising nature. Josh’s job eventually changed to advising entrepreneurs and small businesses primarily during their early stages.

Early Stages of Entrepreneurship

For an entrepreneur, Josh says that the early stages of development are most important in that during this time, you are an explorer and adventurer. This time period entails feeling lost and alone looking for the your path or hydra. All of the information you find during this time can be used to determine your next step. One thing that is needing is also practical wisdom which is learning to act and do things in a way that gets you good results but is also practical, grounded, and impacts your life in a meaningful way. 

Each of us must ask four questions:

What do I want? 2. Why do I want it? 3. How am I going about getting it? 4. Is there a more straightforward and less stressful way to do it? 

Josh analyzes these questions through looking at not just complex ideas but particular purposes or ends. He asks himself, “How are people approaching it?” and “Is that approach constructive or not?” As a researcher, these questions form the basis for what he studies and how he applies the answers through his writings and advising.

How to Fight a Hydra

How To Fight a Hydra is about a protagonist attempting to defeat a monster and also survive the experience. This concept can be parallel into the same demons all entrepreneurs face when it comes to starting a business or chasing an idea. In his book, the protagonist does not just face a single stage victory, but multiple of varying levels of size and impact.

One of the biggest things Josh mentions is how to get from knowing nothing about something you want to do to being good at it to then getting the result the you want. The next thing to look at it is being able to do all of these things quickly and with as little frustration as possible. Each of these concepts are analyzed through the story of the protagonist in his book. 

Timeline

[02:50] Josh’s work experiences and their influences on him today.

[05:02] What is the best, most effective, most useful way to think about a particular area of life?

[06:30] 1. How are people approaching this subject? 2. Is that approach constructive or not?

[09:30] Going from knowing nothing to achieving your goals. 

[10:22] His research and writing is more than complex ideas. 

[10:50] Practical Wisdom 

[11:09] The four questions every entrepreneur must ask. 

[13:18] Influential authors on Josh are those that have written "how to think about ____” books rather than solely entertainment books. 

[16:25] Why is it important to know the “bugs” in our thinking processes?

[16:41] The three kinds of books out there are entertainment, how-to, and worldview. 

[20:30] What is an active barrier we must each individually overcome?

[21:00] You won’t know if something will or will not work until you do it. 

[21:32] Factors that influence the success of something. 

[25:27] Why are Josh’s writing based in behavioral and cognitive psychology?

[27:11] The protagonist in How to Fight a Hydra had multi-level victories. 

[27:27] Experiences can change you. 

[30:04] What is the most important time for an entrepreneur?

[30:54] Why am I feeling lost in this stage of starting a new business or chasing a goal?

[34:55] The importance of the ability to discern what opportunities are good for you. 

[38:04] Differentiating between the different types of entertainments and their influences upon you. 

[39:38] The easiest way to free up time in your life. 

[40:00] “Is this improving my worldview, or is this primarily a diversion?"

Most people who read a business book are actually interested in business, making it a very segmented market. Chris wrote an inspirational business book- but in the fiction genre. Money Tree is a narrative about an individual named Jake; he has a lot of financial pressure even with a good job. Jake is a relatable character as he has a great work ethic and a decent job, but he is struggling under the weight of debt. Do you find yourself relating to Jake? This book isn’t about celebrities or very rich people, but instead it is about ordinary humans. Maybe you don’t find yourself interested in entrepreneurship, but maybe it is something you need to consider. 

The types of ways to make a business 

The first group for starting a business is the kind that entails capital and a lot of risk. Usually, you are unsure if this will pay off until after a long time. The second group involves investors and a lot of risk. Here is where people like Chris come in, the third way of starting a business- entrepreneurship. Most people in the third way group are people trying to earn money apart from their day job; some eventually want to quit, others want to pay off debt, and some just want to build a larger savings. Usually, this looks like small side projects until you can determine if they will work and to what scale.

To do this, you have to start where you are and with what you have. Imagine if someone hadn’t thought, “Wow, there has to be people just like me who really want a lightsaber?” There is in fact a market for Star Wars fans, and there is a market for something which you are passionate. Accidental entrepreneurship still has struggles, and often you find that a project doesn’t work out. When it doesn’t work out, the solution is to then take that knowledge and apply it to your next project. When it comes to going at business this third way, due to the low risk, you are able to keep trying and keep being creative.

Unconventional Business

Chris gave up a lot and changed many of his habits over the past few years, and one habit he picked up is saying, “Congratulations,” in a variety of situations. One example he gave is that when it come to losing a job, he has found sometimes it opens up individuals to share about their issues at the job and what they would rather have been doing. In life, there is so much you cannot control, but Chris encourages you to focus on the 1% that you can control. Another way to go about entrepreneurship is through curiosity, and sometimes that looks like trying to see what your expertise, skills, and passions can offer to the world. Whenever you figure that out, the next step is taking action. You cannot get anywhere without the follow up of action.

Timeline

[02:10] “Some obstacles are more doable than you think with a little bit of curiosity and a little bit of chutzpah."

[04:31] In a world of Covid, what can non-first responders and healthcare do? What do I have to offer, and how can I make myself available?

[06:58] C.S. Lewis mirror books were written to reach a broader market as was Money Tree

[08:32] What are the parameters of the first way to start a business?

[08:58] What makes the second way both different from the first?

[09:12] The large amount of risk in both way one and way two is what can deter so many.

[09:23] The third way of starting a business is the accidental entrepreneurs: ordinary people doing what they care about and have knowledge of simply by starting with a skill or passion that they already have. 

[09:51] How does following the third way reduce a financial risk?

[12:21] The idea of creating business based habits

[13:51] Ask yourself what are the topics that people look to you to provide answers about. 

[15:05] If you really want to accomplish something, you’ll work hard at it even it means writing multiple drafts of the same book.

[16:08] What do you do when something doesn’t pan out quite right?

[17:08] “Challenge is the value.”

[19:07] Stop saying sorry and instead, start saying, “Congratulations.”

[20:22] "If 99% of things are out of your control, what is the 1% in your control? What are you going to do about it?”

[20:56] Look at your skills and ask yourself what you can offer in an entrepreneur sense

[21:38] What are the four things you can do differently?

[22:07] Power of observation

[25:35] There is always room for growth.

Joe Lemay is an entrepreneur who was enamored with the idea of developing an idea and finding a way to get it fully funded by potential consumers who believe he can follow through and provide that new product. Initially, he started out trying to develop and promote an app on this consumer-driven platform. However, he quickly learned that when it comes to Kickstarter and Indiegogo, they are better suited for physical products and gadgets. 

Even though his initial project was not successful long-term, he continued to try to create something. Eventually, he partnered with his friend Jake Epstein to create something called Rocketbook Wave. Rocketbook Wave is a reusable notebook that allows you to update your content into a cloud-based system within their app. Basically overnight, it had 99,000 pre-sales on crowdfunding. They created a clever way to make it reusable- the ink is erased when microwaved. Eventually with lots of mishaps along they way, the Wave became successful and led them to develop the Rocketbook Everlast. Today, they have multiple options of notebooks to choose from, so you can find which best suits your needs.

Building Company Culture Around The Testing Process

When it comes to a running a business, you need more than just a successful product to not only survive, but to thrive as well. A successful company requires investing time and resources into feedback, customer service, and a shared culture. One thing that Joe has always valued is testing, and he has used this as a cornerstone when building his company culture. They constantly test out all aspects of their company from products to emails. In today’s social systems, you can truly engage with customers in a way never done before. Joe utilizes customer insights and seeks them out to continuously improve their business and brand.

One way that they are improving their brand is through a new product called Rocketbook Whiteboard Beacons. With this product, you can do everything you can with one of their notebooks, but with the formatting of white boards. In the days of hybrid businesses and schooling, this product is something that could cut costs and revolutionize virtual meetings. 

In this episode, we do more than just discuss products. We discuss overcoming failure in business, taking steps towards new ventures, cultivating a shared experience, and so much more! We think that Joe and Jake’s business has a lot to offer.

Timeline

02:27 How can you take the lessons that Joe shares and use them to overcome any friction you may be experiencing with a product?

06:47 The concept of crowdfunding and how it influenced Joe.

10:55 The transition from just a few pre-sales to thousands, and how it impacted Joe and Jeff.

13:38 Dane’s discovery of Rocketbook.

14:36 Dane learning how to make the product work for him.

17:04 What does it take to go again as a business owner when it feels daunting and out of your depth for the moment you’re in?

18:34 Learning to accept when something isn’t working.

19:20 The benefits of taking a break.

20:33 When it comes to a successful company, a good founding team and management team is very important. 

21:49 Overcoming difficulties when initially creating Rocketbook Wave. 

22:14 The influences of customer services in the initial stages of a business. 

25:13 Not only is it the product but also the experience people have.

25:31 What kind of leadership and culture is needed to leap from a viable product to a viable company?

28:33 The purpose of customer service is keeping the customer happy and learning from them. 

29:32 "Turn customer connections into customer insights.”

31:13 As a leader, when you don’t always get great news, what do you do?

32:42 What do we do with negative feedback?

33:39 When it comes to a product, not everyone will ever understand. You need to find your segment of customers that do get it in order to be successful.

36:05 The principle that Joe accents in his company. 

39:56 Rocketbook Whiteboard Beacons and their uses. 
 

Do you ever find yourself making fake deadlines only to push your endless to-do list off to the next day? You’re not alone. But, as James Clear explains, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Becoming an Expert

James studied biomechanics as an undergrad and business in grad school. Growing up, he played baseball competitively and even became an Academic/All American his senior year of college. He eventually started studying consumer and behavioral psychology before becoming an entrepreneur. His first book - Atomic Habits - has sold millions of copies in multiple languages around the world.

Before all the accolades though, James experienced a near fatal traumatic injury in his sophomore year of high school when he was hit by a bat in the head.

James was forced to start small with his recovery just to regain basic motor skills. It was his injury and agonizing efforts to get better that revealed the one thing he needed to understand most to succeed in life: There is rarely an epiphany or overnight transformation in life. Most of the time, real substantive transformation comes from thousands of atomic-level decisions.

Going from traumatic injury to recovery is never an easy process. For James, it looked like becoming 1% better each day. Slowly, he created healthy mental habits while trying to also become healthy physically. James knows that none of those habits are really remarkable, but they gave him an aspect of control over his life when so much felt beyond his control.

More Than Results

James holds that if we always measure the success our efforts by the result, we will put off happiness until the next milestone. If you do, you create a situation where you cannot reach happiness without accomplishing your goal. By focusing only on the result, you are also not allowing yourself to enjoy the process. In contrast, by focusing on fundamental habits and their inherent value, you can be happy every single time you work your system.

When you want to make a change, ask yourself, “Who is the kind of person you would like to become?” You have to get yourself to a place where a habit becomes part of your identity. The repetition of experiences is what gives you data-driven proof that your identity is changing.

Thus, success isn’t when you finally lose the metaphorical 30 lbs, but instead by becoming the kind of person who never misses the workout. When that’s true, the pounds take care of themselves.

Whether you are trying to break bad habits or take on good ones at work or in life, I promise you James Clear can help. Gain access to all his great work at his website, JamesClear.com and at AtomicHabits.com.

Timeline

[01:33] James Clear Welcome to Converge

[04:15] How did James become an expert on the subject of habits and behavior change?

[05:20] Often, people pay more attention to the idea of habits than the habit itself. 

[07:55] The cognitive psychology movement in conglomeration with the behavior psychology movement were factors in the research done for his book. 

[08:53] James had an applied reality of habit change that he had to navigate. 

[08:58] A traumatic injury led to a loss of basic motor skills for James. 

[10:20] The process of going from injury to recovery

[12:20] Does success happen overnight and out of the blue? Or is there more to it?

[15:58 ]There is always a before to something happening. It does not happen overnight. You cannot make a leap without first making a running start.

[17:26]  Systems over goals versus process over outcomes. 

[18:00 ]You must increase your surface area for luck or something good happening to you. Richard Hamming’s idea on this is, “That something happens to you is not luck, but what happens to you is luck.”

[18:50] Why should we focus on the inherit value of habits over the instrumental value?

[23:37] True behavior change is identity change. How do I change my identity and how I look at myself?

[25:40] “Every action that you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become.”

[26:56] What happens when we believes something about our identity that has no evidence to it? How do we solve this delusion?

[28:25] How do we create and push change without having an identity crisis? How do we from a flatlined life find a catalytic movement?

[31:14] Reading and education can be used to create a new narrative of yourself. 

[35:20] Why did you learn the beliefs you have about yourself?

[37:39] The benefits of a fresh start. 

[37:59] The two ways to combat a destructive narrative.

[40:05] Culture building in a company environment. 

[41:09] The two different habits of a workplace are habits of energy and habits of focus

Resources:

To learn more about Jaz Ampaw-Farr visit:

https://jazampawfarr.com/

Outline

[2:02] - Jaz, tell us your story.

[6:39] Jaz says that she is often called inspirational, and her response always is, “Great, what have I inspired you to do?

[09:05] Leadership isn’t what you do, but it’s what happens when you aren’t even in the room and this is shown through Jaz’s elementary school teacher Mrs. Cook

[9:33] With people, kids in particular, what you things you do matters. You can do things to people, for people, and with people.

[10:59] Labeled 3 Categories of Adults: 3 - Dangerous - 2 - Benign - 1 - Heroic/Guiding

[12:24] - What is your perspective on shifting from the “small as possible” mindset that people of color are often advised to assume to confronting racial conflict and standing differently?

[14:18] Playing small works as it can provide some protection, but the cost of it is giving up who you are and who you could potentially be. 

[16:27] Wanting change more than wanting to be right is how you start overcoming the fear of saying or doing the wrong thing. It is where you can start addressing unconscious bias. 

"For understandable and good reasons, people are protesting.”

[18:49] Entice people with empathy, engage them in a conversation, and enroll them to your way of thinking. The idea of going straight to enrolling is wrong

[22:16] Knowing what it is to have nothing can influence who you stand with and how you stand with them

[26:11] - How do you manage to cross this chasm; on one side you are surviving and standing up against racial tension, and then on the other side you thrive in a hope for a better future? - what is the next step beyond where we are now?

[27:14] The stages are suffer, survive, thrive, be alive and drive change. We tend to want to jump from a place of suffering to driving change, but the work must be put in to advance from each step. 

[31:49] When you move past suffering, surviving, and thriving, you see existence coinciding with real peace. It’s being alive

[32:49] Driving change: Do, Engage, Be

[33:14] If you are not ready to drive change, it is okay,  but you must own. Don’t blame external locus of controls.

[40:56] - 2 Perspectives on racial discourse: How to navigate semantics respectfully as a white person, and how to resist closure/cancelling someone when they are not as careful as they could be.

[42:18] When we engage, do we engage out of inspiration or out of desperation?

That s what Taylor Holiday and the team at Common Thread Collective are experiencing – and as a result, they ve grown from zero to hero in a ridiculously short period of time (3 years). You’re about to hear a revealing conversation between real friends (as opposed to colleagues, and there is a difference). You re going to hear the process of growth Taylor and his team have gone through – and are still going through – in order to be the kind of team they truly want to be, not what others expect them to be.

I feel confident selling our service because worst-case, our clients break even.

Common Thread Collective is dedicated to helping product sales companies drive revenue through their eCommerce websites. Their clients spend $50K to $1 million per month on marketing and advertising that generates revenue for their brands. They do it by leveraging the new media purchasing economy that operates on daily budgets. That kind of attention enables them to keep close tabs on their client s campaigns because there s always a way to stop a failing effort and do something different.

But they ve added another dimension to what they do – because they care about the start-up stage entrepreneurs, who they were finding more and more difficult to serve as the company scaled. Through their new platform, YourAdMission.co they have created a membership community that equips first-stage entrepreneurs to develop the skills they need at a price they can afford. Listen to learn more.

To build a creative team made up of the best in the world, the mission had to change.

Taylor s company started out with a very different mission than they have today. At first, they were seeking to Be the best in the world at selling products online. But they discovered that they weren t being consistent in carrying out the mission. That realization forced the team to evaluate whether they were willing to do what the mission required – and the answer was No – from everyone on the leadership team.

That began the journey of discovering a new mission that the team was truly behind, to genuinely ask themselves what they wanted for themselves. Once they discovered that mission, it made the behaviors required to attain it much easier – and nobody was left feeling guilty for not hitting a target they felt they should accomplish, but weren t fully invested in.

If I m going to ask you to work for me, I have to be invested in you as well. ~ Taylor Holiday

Early on, Taylor and his partners asked themselves, Why would anyone come work for our little start-up? They were located in Orange County, California so appealing, world-class companies were just outside their door. The team came to the decision that they had to care about their employees more than anyone else was willing to do.

Practically, that means that the trade of salary for time wasn t enough. They had to be invested in the employee at least as much as the employee was invested in the company. They had to ask, What would it mean to help our creative team get where they want to go, personally? As a result – and because of a desire to live consistently with their mission – they spend an inordinate amount of time and budget to empower employees to accomplish their own dreams. Ironically, many of those dreams wind up revolving around Common Thread Collective. Listen to learn how it all happened and how it s playing out day to day, on this episode of Converge.

When you empower your creative team to fulfill their personal dreams, you might create your own competition…

What happens if you work to help a person on your team achieve their personal dreams – and those dreams turn out to be competitive to what you re doing as a company? Taylor says that prospect isn t threatening to him because his goal is to empower entrepreneurs. It doesn t matter to him if it happens because what he sets up in the process is of much greater value than the risk it creates.

Taylor also sees that sort of competition as a good thing for everyone involved. It forces everyone playing the game to improve in their own skills in order to rise to the top – or else they don t stay in the game at all. You ll be encouraged by the abundant, generous attitude Taylor has about equipping his team to be their best selves, and how it s paying off.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Why Taylor s story is great for anyone who wants to learn practical ways to make a difference
• [1:29] The state of real friends in a world of colleagues – and what Common Thread is about
• [4:00] How things have shifted when it comes to using media to promote services and products
• [7:40] Creating an economic model that makes sense for first-stage entrepreneurs
• [12:23] Taylor s empathy for team members and how it impacts his team dynamics
• [20:55] Implementing a mission the team was actually willing to accomplish
• [27:39] The current marketplace and the challenge of finding the best talent
• [31:52] How Taylor has created a company where only one employee has ever chosen to leave
• [34:47] Why Taylor believes entirely that those with dreams can accomplish them

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Gary Vaynerchuk: https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/
• Marissa Meyer: https://www.marissameyer.com/

Taylor Holiday s Resources

• Common Thread Collective: https://commonthreadco.com/
• http://YourAdmission.co
• Taylor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylorholiday
• Taylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-holiday-a169b322/

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK: http://www.podcastfasttrack.com

The post S.4 Ep. 006 – How To Build A Creative Team That Never Wants To Leave, with Taylor Holiday appeared first on Fastermind.co.

David Jay is a guy whose journey from freelancer to business owner was very natural in terms of how he was gifted, but that doesn t mean it was easy. He s experienced many obstacles along the way, the biggest one being himself. Join Dane and David for this revealing conversation. It highlights the valleys of self-discovery we all have to walk in order to become the best version of ourselves, which in turn equips us to bring our best to the world we are meant to serve. You ll enjoy this episode.

When you only have one option, you tend to find a way

One of the situations that David found himself in was centered around the tension he felt while he was trying to finish up his college degree. He knew he wanted to do things outside the realm of the education he was getting, and he felt he should do them right away. He decided to drop out of college and pursue his dream of being a freelance photographer. To him, it was an intentional choice of putting his back against the wall so that he had to make his choice work.

Once he did that, it didn t matter how many people criticized his decision or felt he was heading in a bad direction, the desire to prove his worth in spite of having no degree fueled him. It wasn t the best motivation, but it worked for a while. Today, even David says that at some point you want to get beyond that kind of ego-driven motivation and find something that matters more. You ll hear David s personal journey including how he came to discover his own “something more” if you take the time to listen.

As a freelance photographer David tried to focus on serving people – and he always had plenty of work

Once David made it past the stage of trying to prove himself to his critics, he remembered something his father said to him.

If you focus on serving people, you ll always have enough work.

He made the shift, centered his photography business around doing what was best for his clients, and he found a new satisfaction in what he was doing as a freelancer.

But his entrepreneurial itch wasn t being scratched. He had to do something more, something bigger and aimed at serving more people. So he began creating products that could serve those who were in the same shoes he wore: freelance photographers. You ll hear about some of the amazing products he and partners have created, how those businesses are doing today, and how he discovered that the entrepreneurial road is one of the best paths to discovering who you are, warts and all.

Don t be an idiot and quit your job: Let things play out as they should

We ve all heard the amazing stories of people who gave up everything to pursue their dreams. But we usually only hear about the successful versions of that familiar tale. There are many who don t fare so well. David never recommends that a person with a family that is depending on their 9 to 5 paycheck should drop their job to pursue a dream. Instead, he suggests you work at your dream on the side, in increments, waiting for things to play out as they should. When you do, you ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish through small steps over time.

This should be an encouragement to all of you who find yourselves stuck in a job that isn t fulfilling. It shows that you can create your own fulfillment and grow it into something larger than you can even conceive if you stick to it and put in the work required.

Build your product and business around the gifts you have – happiness will follow

David s journey illustrates how success without fulfillment is a very empty thing. Through his struggles and the things they revealed about his own character, he was able to discover an ongoing, repeatable cycle of growth: learn about himself, make an adjustment, and pivot toward a better direction.

One of the most powerful things he learned is that he didn t have to build his business like everyone else. He didn t have to follow an entrepreneurial model that wasn t aligned with his personality or gifts. Instead, he learned to build his business and his services around the gifts and strengths he had. And guess what – he was more happy doing it.

Don t miss this episode. David s honesty and humility are a refreshing antidote to the formulaic approach to the entrepreneurial path you hear these days. He’ll give you some practical, wise advice to follow.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] The creative life of a freelancer and how it can morph into entrepreneurism
• [1:45] Dane s testimony of how David is the kind of guy you want to model your life after
• [3:09] David s career – college drop-out, photographer, freelancer, entrepreneur
• [7:36] The better motivations you can use to drive yourself forward
• [9:29] Service to others provides you plenty of opportunities to make a living
• [11:32] It took a downward spiral to put David s life into perspective for him
• [13:27] The slow realization that scalable products were a better path
• [17:25] Forcing things into existence before they are ready is a sure way to get burned
• [20:22] A rule of thumb for telling if an idea is ripe: listen
• [26:01] Learning what feedback is helpful and how to kill your baby (product idea)
• [28:57] How to develop the self awareness to understand what you should do
• [34:52] Healthier than ever in the pursuit of things – and the ripple effects that ensue
• [36:21] The best place to start to get your life in order: common language
• [38:48] The future of entrepreneurship – from David s perspective

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• SPONSOR : White House Custom Color : http://whcc.com
• BOOK : Love Is The Killer App : https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400046831
• Pictage : https://www.slrlounge.com/pictage-finally-closes-its-doors/
• SmugMug : https://www.SmugMug.com/
• Facetime : https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204380
• http://Showit.co – a photo gallery run by one of David s former partners
• Giant Worldwide : https://GiantWorldwide.com/ – leadership & coaching company
• Myers Briggs : https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/

David Jay s Resources

• Pass : https://PassGallery.com/ – David s photography gallery tool
• Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FREEdavidjay
• http://Agree.com – one of the services David created
• http://WarmWelcome.com – One of David s services

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK: http://www.podcastfasttrack.com

The post S.4 Ep. 005 – How To Go From Freelance Photographer To Entrepreneur, with David Jay appeared first on Fastermind.co.

This episode of Converge highlights the tension between the desire many of us feel to fuel your wanderlust and maintain stability at the same time. Dane chats with Theresa about why the digital nomad lifestyle is not the only option – and why it shouldn t be, as well as a host of other tangential topics aimed at helping you feed your own desire for adventure no matter where you are in life. Please take the time to listen.

The options today are limitless. How do you choose the best path for yourself?

The connected nature of life these days that technology provides puts an entire world of opportunities and insights at everyone s fingertips. If you want to know something or learn how to do something, it s only a screen away. In such a vast supermarket of ideas, how do you choose the ones that best fit you and actually lead to the kind of life you want?

You might need a guide – and Theresa Christine has proven herself to be one worthy of consideration. In this conversation, you ll hear her story: growing up in the south, moving to the Big Apple, and finding herself drawn to a slower pace of life but still feeling the longing for a life of adventure. She began blogging about her struggle while exploring what it means to adventure, and in doing so has become an experienced fellow traveler who is a bit farther down the road that most of us – which makes her advice spot-on most of the time.

You hear all the time that anyone can travel. Here s why that attitude irritates Theresa

You ll hear it in the first few minutes of almost any travel blog or vlog: Anyone can travel. But Theresa says it simply isn t true. Real life often places real demands on us: we care for an elderly parent or are beset by a debilitating handicap or illness. For those of us in those shoes, it’s frustrating to listen to such sweeping claims.

But even in those situations, there are still ways to experience a life of adventure, you just have to rethink what adventure really is and how it can fit into your everyday experience. This is a truth Theresa has discovered along her own path and she specializes in helping others work it out in their own lives. Listen to this conversation – perhaps you ll find a kindred spirit in Theresa. Maybe you’ll find a guide.

Advice to creators: Produce things so valuable that your audience becomes your ideal client

You only have to read Theresa s blog – Tremendous Times – to discover that she has a talent for providing tremendous value to a very particular audience. Anybody who loves travel but doesn t necessarily have the time or ability to travel themselves will love her recaps and highlights of the periodic trips she takes. Her writing appeals to that particular set of readers because she understands the unique place where a desire to experience the world seems to conflict with the responsibilities of everyday life.

Theresa refers to these people – her target readers – as ideal clients. Her business philosophy is simple: Provide things of such amazing value to your basic reader that they will stand in line to get what you create when there is actually something for sale. It s a slow process to build on that philosophy, but one that has proven to be successful and scalable.

Pursue what you want to pursue, knowing failure will be involved

In a world where almost everybody publishes some form of a Facebook face or Instagram image that only highlights the good things in life, it s easy to think that you re the only one who struggles or experiences setbacks. Theresa wants you to know it s not true. Every path she s pursued has had its share of setbacks and failures. It s that way for everyone. Knowing that helps you muster up the courage to pursue what you want to pursue in spite of the difficulty because if somebody has done it before, you can too. Theresa hopes to serve her readers/ideal clients as an example of someone who’s taking the journey in spite of her failures.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:13] Why it s important to create adventure anyplace you are – Theresa s story
• [3:41] Lessons-learned from her readers as she built her blog following
• [6:31] The search to determine the best priorities in a world of vast opportunities
• [8:50] How Theresa s experience has been the same as her ideal client, yet different
• [13:26] You don t have to go to a big city or travel extensively to be exposed to the world
• [18:47] Why Theresa refers to her readers as ideal clients
• [26:20] The Postcards to Your Future Self project
• [30:10] Theresa s recommended books and tools
• [36:56] The moral of Theresa s story: Pursue what you want to pursue, knowing failure will be involved

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Converge episode with Paco De Leon
• Chris Guillebeau – BOOK: The Happiness of Pursuit: http://a.co/d/hNIiiGL
• BOOK: Your Money or Your Life: http://a.co/d/g1ruWVX
• BOOK: Content Rules: http://a.co/d/j0L7ZrM
• BOOK: Everybody Writes: http://a.co/d/4uXibtk
• BOOK: Shoe Dog: http://a.co/d/a3GM3wL
• BOOK: You ll Grow Out Of It: http://a.co/d/d16UU1D
• BOOK: In Other Words: http://a.co/d/7xxjdEV
• TOOL: Trello: http://trello.com
• APP: Day One: https://dayoneapp.com/

Theresa Christine s Resources

• Blog: Tremendous Times
• Theresa on Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsmetheresac
• Theresa s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/itsmetheresac/
• Theresa on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tremendoustimes/
• The Postcard To My Future Self Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/postcardtomyfutureself/

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK: http://www.podcastfasttrack.com

The post S.4 Ep. 004 – How to Pursue an Adventurous Life in the Midst of Normal with Theresa Christine appeared first on Fastermind.co.

This is a truly intriguing conversation, one that will get you thinking about the good you re doing and how you can be more intentional about it. But hopefully, you’ll also be motivated to amplify it more effectively and multiply it across your own little corner of the internet. You really should listen.

There is a difference between consumerism and commerce – and it matters

Taylor and Eric are definitely in business to make money, but not at the cost of their souls or those of their team members. That may sound overly dramatic but it s the kind of sentiment at the heart of how these two guys do business. They want to do the kind of work that won t keep them awake at night because their conscience is nagging them. More importantly, they deeply want the work they do to give them a sense of accomplishment because they know that their contributions made a difference.

Part of that is making a clear distinction between consumerism and commerce – they want to provide services that better people s lives in real ways. Practically, that means they will reject even the most lucrative work if they believe that the services they will deliver will only fuel the rampant consumerism so common in western culture. What they do has to matter – not just fill people s homes with more stuff to make them more money.

It s not easy to create a TRULY GOOD web presence

That brings us to the actual services Taylor and Eric provide to their customers. They do web development, and so much more. They help companies, speakers, non-profits, and many other creators establish a web presence that is TRULY GOOD. If all you think about when you hear that phrase is logos, appealing colors and fonts, or a good UI, you don t understand what these guys really do.

The team at Whiteboard helps their customers get a clear picture of who THEY are as creators and why they do what they do. It s brand consulting that puts their customers in touch with their own sense of calling. Once that s accomplished, which is no small task, they help their clients wade through the swamp of knowing what their constituents want or need and know how to deliver it effectively. Their goal: create a web presence that truly leverages the internet for good.

The anatomy of a great web presence

Anybody can create a website. The advent of drag and drop web building platforms makes that immediately apparent. But to create a web presence that is about more than functionality or eye-catching images is not easy at all. Taylor and Eric say that the anatomy of a great web presence, one that truly does good, begins with intentionality. The owner/website creator needs a clear vision of who they are, what they need to communicate, and how that information will positively impact their website visitors.

To make that exploration into the minds of their customers more than a guessing game, they encourage their customers to do everything they can to get into the shoes of their website visitors through soliciting feedback. How they are using the website? How it could better serve them? What do they find helpful (or not)? Authentic feedback from end users is the only sure way to know how the efforts you re making with your website are positively impacting those it is intended to serve – And that’s important, because if it’s not impacting them positively, then why are you building it?

A powerful company culture is the hard work that supports good work

The good work that the Whiteboard team does flows out of their company culture. The founders are clearly and purposefully aimed at doing good, starting with doing good to the people on the team. In this conversation, Eric and Taylor speak about how difficult it is to stay in alignment with their deepest values of authenticity and care, and how the two of them are committed to applying it within their own team first.

This stuff matters, because the best businesses are made up of people who truly care for each other, which doesn t happen by accident or through a mysterious magical synergy that happens when you get the right people in the right seats. Anywhere human beings are a part of things, it s going to get messy and it s going to be hard. But it s that hard work to create healthy relationships within the team that enables them to leverage the internet for good on behalf of their many customers. Listen to hear how the Whiteboard team continues striving toward that end.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Why do some websites WORK and others don t?
• [1:43] Doing good through web development: How the Whiteboard team aims at it
• [5:45] A handful of favorite projects the team has worked on
• [10:47] Why it s important to the team to be a Certified B Corp
• [13:28] The anatomy of a great web presence
• [19:25] Dealing with the danger of being unintentionally narcissistic
• [24:03] The power and importance of caring for the team – the heart of culture
• [27:28] Leveraging vulnerability to move doing good forward
• [34:52] Advice to a friend about creating a great life in the modern age
• [43:05] The feedback Taylor and Eric would love to hear from you

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• The Bitcoin Foundation – https://bitcoinfoundation.org/
• Purposity – Social needs platform: https://www.purposity.com/
• Dean Sikes – Teen speaker about the sanctity of life: http://youmatter.us/
• Patagonia – https://www.patagonia.com
• Etsy – https://www.etsy.com/
• Warby Parker – https://www.warbyparker.com/
• Black Mirror Netflix series – https://www.netflix.com/title/70264888
• BOOK: Creating Powerful Brands, Vol 1 – http://a.co/d/9p3gU16
• Chattanooga, Tennessee – http://www.chattanoogafun.com/
• BOOK: Ready Player One – http://a.co/d/8VuIYPQ
• Blackrock – https://www.blackrock.com/
• BOOK: The War of Art – http://a.co/d/6NzbI3P
• Seth Godin s Alt MBA – https://altmba.com/
• BOOK: The Culture Code – http://a.co/d/iiGzYKO

Taylor Jones and Eric Brown s Resources (Whiteboard)

• Whiteboard s website: https://whiteboard.is/
• The Reformation of Internet Manners Project: http://qideas.org/articles/the-reformation-of-internet-manners/
• Hello (at) whiteboard.is – Taylor (at) whiteboard.is – Eric (at) whiteboard.is
• Whiteboard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/whiteboardis
• Whiteboard on Medium: https://blog.whiteboard.is/?gi=e80ff1af24e9

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK: http://www.podcastfasttrack.com

The post S.4 Ep. 003 – Leveraging the Internet for Good with Taylor Jones and Eric Brown appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Before you reach out to the star makers in your niche, do great work

Back in season two of Converge, Dane took a shot in the dark and predicted that Josh s podcast The Pitch would be picked up by a big podcasting company like Gimlet and it was. Dane wanted to hear the story of how that happened, so he invited Josh back for this conversation. The way the story unfolds is not what you might expect. Nobody came knocking on Josh s door. Nobody sent a talent scout to find the next big podcast hit and suddenly discovered him. Josh kept producing his independent podcast to a high standard, found people to help him, and reached out to people in the podcasting space who he wanted to meet. Things happened because he did great work and took action. You can hear Josh explain how it happened – how he facilitated his own opportunity, on this episode.

People are your biggest resource, but they are not a commodity to be used

Even if you are a solopreneur or solo founder, people are the best resource you have. Josh Muccio realized that early on in his podcasting journey, so he started reaching out to influential people in his space WHILE he continued to do great work. He wasn t looking for a handout or to be discovered, he was making his own opportunity. That is exactly how creatives in the digital age have to approach success: Do good work, make your opportunity. Jay shares why he sends cold emails to people he wants to meet every day, how he crafts those emails to be personal and appealing, and why he thinks it s an important discipline that will work for anyone seeking to build good relationships with others in their space.

If you can t create a brain-trust, at least get some smart friends alongside

One of the greatest benefits of becoming a part of the Gimlet media family is that a team of audio and storytelling professionals are available to help Josh make his already-great show even better. He refers to them as a brain-trust: experts who are able to look at his work, give feedback, and refine it to greater effect. Dane asked Josh if he thinks it s possible for the average, independent artist to form their own brain-trust. While he s not sure independents can pull together a team with the same level of expertise he’s blessed with at Gimlet, he s confident that having other trusted, smart individuals look at your work and give honest feedback is always going to make it better.

There is always another opportunity to shoot for. Keep reaching

Near the end of this conversation, Dane asked Josh to share his perspective for those at the beginning of their creative journey now that he s at the top of his industry. His podcast is a staple on the Gimlet media lineup, continues to get great reviews and is growing its listener base monthly. What advice does he have now that he s made it. Interestingly enough, Josh points out that even those he works for at Gimlet don t feel they ve made it. There s always another level to reach for, always another way to grow and become better at what you do. His advice: Your opportunity to become the best is always before you. Be aware that success doesn t change the need to do your best work, no matter what level of success you ve already attained.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Why Dane is featuring a guest for the second time: Josh Muccio
• [5:30] How Josh got connected with the folks at Gimlet media
• [12:20] Why Josh sends cold emails to people he wants to know (and how he does it)
• [17:14] Podcasting? Why would a person choose to do podcasting?
• [21:28] What Josh did to educate himself so he could do what he was doing better
• [24:38] How life is different today that pre-Gimlet partnership
• [30:02] Could the average person put together their own creative brain-trust?
• [35:47] Would Josh do anything differently if he could start over?
• [41:05] The importance of Josh s personal ultimatum
• [43:30] Advice from the top of the industry: There s always another top to shoot for

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Startup episode: Introducing The Pitch
• Original Converge episode with Josh Muccio
• The StartUp Podcast
• Gimlet Media
• Millennial Podcast
• Shark Tank
• This American Life
• Alex Bloomburg s Creative Live course
• BOOK: Out On The Wire
• Transom
• The Moth Podcast
• How Sound Podcast
• Radiolab
• Pixar
• Gwen Stefani

Josh Muccio Resources

• The Pitch Podcast

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.4 Ep. 002 – Do Great Work To Create Your Opportunity, a conversation with Josh Muccio appeared first on Fastermind.co.

In the end, we are all our own worst enemies

As human beings, it s true – we are often our own worst critics. The things we say to ourselves, in our own heads, are enough to discourage anyone regardless of background or upbringing. But Justin has discovered that when we are able to battle those voices of inner criticism and doubt effectively, a powerful force for good is unleashed on the world. That force is us. Find out how Justin has focused his efforts around this belief and the ways it s impacting the world, on this episode.

Beating the comparison game: They have their story and I have mine

It s been said that the tendency to compare another person s success over a long period of time with our own lack of success when just starting out, is one of the biggest mistakes we make as human beings. That idea sparked a question in Dane s mind that he was eager to ask Justin: What tools has Justin found to help him fight the comparison game effectively? Justin s answer was simple and powerful. Any time he s aware that he s beginning to compare himself to someone else, he repeats this phrase over and over as needed, They have their story and I have mine. Find out how this simple truth sets Justin free from the trap of comparison, by listening to this episode.

What will it take for you to believe you are made for these times?

Behind Justin s conviction that every person on the planet can make a powerful positive difference is a foundational truth: nobody was created by accident or without purpose. That means that even the timing of your birth and the place where you live are positionings that have inserted you into the world in such a way that you are able to make your unique impact. You really should hear the way Justin explains it in this conversation. It s well worth the time it will take you to listen.

Ordinary is powerful. Don t listen to the voices that tell you differently

As this conversation came to a close Dane asked Justin what he would say to the person who feels that they are nothing special, that they are just an ordinary person living an ordinary life. His response? Ordinary is powerful. Nobody in history who has made a significant difference started out as an above-average person. They had to fight their way up, through self-doubt and discouragement to become the powerful force they are known to be in history. The same will be true for all of us ordinary people – because we were made for these times.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:21] How Zealots get a bad rap – and how the upset they cause leads to so much good
• [1:25] Why Justin Zoradi should be on your radar
• [4:56] How Justin struggled through personal doubts to find a purpose that matters
• [10:12] Beating the comparison game, even when it comes from well-meaning people
• [13:52] What does it mean to be made for these times?
• [19:13] Justin s encouragement to those who feel quite ordinary

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Fastermind LIVE – find out more
• Andrew Garfield
• Don Mclean song: Vincent
• BOOK: 12 Rules for Life
• Joseph Campbell
• Donald Miller
• The Hero s Journey
• George Gerbner s Mean World Syndrome
• BOOK: Amusing Ourselves To Death

Jason Zoradi s Resources

• Justin s How To Start a Fire Course – it s free! Sign up to be notified when it s ready
• www.TheseNumbers.org
• BOOK: Made For These Times

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.4 Ep. 001 – We Were Made For These Times with Justin Zoradi appeared first on Fastermind.co.

If you confuse, you lose. Entrepreneurs make that mistake all the time ~ Donald Miller

There are many brands that create an image of themselves that is cute and clever. Their slogans are ambiguous and their websites are trendy. But a customer has to jump through too many hoops to even make a purchase – and the brand missed out. According to Donald Miller, cute and clever cost a business lots of money. That’s because they obscure the message rather than clarify it and don’t invite people into a story, which is the one thing their customers cannot resist. Join Donald and Dane as they talk about what it means to be a Storybrand and how you can make use of the concepts Donald has discovered to improve the appeal of your business almost overnight. It’s a big promise, but one that he delivers on every day.

Storybrands effectively ask story questions of their prospects – and they reap incredible benefits

In every great story, there is a sense of intrigue that pulls the reader or viewer along. Questions remain unanswered, tension remains unresolved, and the hero’s destiny is far from certain. Becoming a Storybrand is about making your customer the hero of their own story. The role of your company is that of a guide, the one who comes alongside them to help them on their journey and get them to the place they’re really wanting to go. If your brand is going to be that for your customers you have to know how to effectively ask story questions that pull your customers along, just like the intrigue of a good story. Donald Miller is on the Converge podcast this episode to discuss the concept of Storybranding and to provide some great resources that you can use for free to amplify your message to the very people you’re trying to reach.

How can we use things that people can t stop paying attention to in order to move our businesses forward?

In this conversation, Donald Miller tells a story about himself and his cousin in two different ways. The first way is pretty bland, includes a lot of details about who his cousin is and what he does for a living, and doesn’t provide much appeal to the listener. But the second way introduces elements of excitement, surprise, and intrigue almost immediately. It’s impossible to walk away from the second story indifferent. You want to know what happens. A good story is one of the few things people can’t stop paying attention to and it’s that reality that Donald Miller taps into as he helps brands learn what it means to be a Storybrand that significantly impact its customers in beneficial ways. Don’t miss this episode, Donald delivers some incredible insights that seem to be common sense after you hear them, but that you probably haven’t thought of before.

Stop telling your story and start inviting people into a story of their own

One of the basic principles of marketing and sales is that the customer or prospect is interested in one thing, their own needs, wants, and desires. Since that’s the case, why do so many brands make the mistake of telling their own story instead of inviting their prospects into a story of their own? By asking that question, Donald Miller has come to discover that crafting a brand message around a story that makes the customer the hero is a powerful way to advance the profitability and success of any business. In this conversation, you will hear how Donald has come to understand these things, the benefits he’s been able to provide to brands large and small through applying them, and a little bit of how his principles have empowered us to do a better job at communicating our message here at Fastermind.co.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] The moment of truth for any product or service: when you go to market
• [2:15] The journey from a conservative Christian background to memoirist and business consultant
• [8:23] The most common marketing mistakes and what it costs entrepreneurs
• [12:20] Donald s account of cleverness and cuteness campaigns that actually work
• [18:39] What is the storybrand framework? 7 critical paradigm shifts
• [30:07] The ancillary benefits of becoming clear on your storybrand

This podcast is sponsored by White House Custom Colour.

Guest Name Resources

• Donald s website: www.StoryBrand.com
• BOOK: Building A Storybrand
• Donald s storytelling creation software: www.MyStorybrand.com

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 013 – How a Clear Storybrand Multiplies Impact and Profits with Donald Miller appeared first on Fastermind.co.

When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose

Vincent Pugliese was your typical lazy high school student. By the time graduation came around he had no aspirations for college and had built no opportunities for himself. Having nothing to lose he jumped into photography knowing that he would have to work hard in order to succeed. Somethings all it takes is to ignore the risks and jump into your passions. On this episode of Converge, you will hear how having nothing to lose enabled Vincent to take advantage of rare opportunities.

The power of truly wanting something

Life wasn t easy for Vincent. The Job, wife, and Kids all demanded his time leaving him little room to pursue his dreams. Yet, he knew he wanted to be a photographer and provide through that line of work, so he never gave up. When you truly want something, you find ways to make it happen instead of letting life get in the way. Listen to this episode of Converge to hear how Vincent made time for his passion.

Is humility required when building a business

Life is tough, no one can argue that fact. Building a business can be even tougher. When everything seems to be against you it can help to have some humility. Coming to a place of accepting that you don t have all the answers and may need to ask for help can enable you to break through into success. In this episode of Converge Dane dives into the struggles of building a business and how humility helped Vincent Pugliese succeed.

If you are not where you want to be, it s probably your fault

It is easy to look ahead and long for what is to come. That raise, that vacation, that place of freedom where you can pursue your passions. Often times looking ahead can distract us from what needs to be done now in order to get to that desired place. If you re not where you want to be, it s probably your fault. In this episode of Converge Vincent Pugliese shares his struggle to attain freedom and how he came to grips with the fact that the only one holding him back was himself.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:20] There are so many tools available to us
• [0:50] Dane s guest today is Vincent Pugliese
• [3:00] Vincent s background
• [4:00] Vincent was a slacker through high school
• [4:30] The ingredients that helped Vincent gain traction at the beginning of his business
• [6:20] The power of truly wanting something
• [7:00] When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose
• [8:00] Building his dream from scratch enabled him to be free to take advantage of opportunities
• [9:00] Is humility required to build your own success?
• [11:00] Vincent works the jobs he wants and passes up those he doesn t
• [12:50] Freedom does not equal wealth but wealth can bring freedom
• [14:00] Freedom is not about getting rich quick
• [14:25] It s about living the life you want while doing the thing you want
• [18:45] The 5 stages of Freelance to Freedom
• [20:00] If you re not where you want to be, it s probably your fault
• [23:10] Success is a lifestyle
• [26:00] If Vincent can do it, so can you!

This podcast is sponsored by White House Custom Color

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Get Vincent s Book Freelance to Freedom
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
• www.VincentPugliese.com
• Download Vincent’s “The top 10 tips to build a life of money, time and location freedom“

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 012 – The Power of Mindset in the Pursuit of Freedom – with Vincent Pugliese appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Our world becomes more virtual every day, maybe you should too

In our modern world, it is not uncommon to turn to virtual channels for all of your needs. You might book your hotels online, order your food online, and even pay your landscaper online. With more and more business being born online the virtual world is stronger than ever. Maybe it s time you look into offloading some of that crushing mundane work you have been carrying around. What better place to send it than the virtual world. It s easy and could save you a lot of money. Listen to this episode of Converge to hear how hiring a VA can transform your business.

You are not the only person who can it right

You ve heard the saying, If you want something done right, do it yourself. Is that true? Bryan and Shannon, the guests on this episode of Converge, argue that it is not. They say that hiring a VA and giving them freedom to work in a manner fitting to them will bring you the results you are hoping for and possibly better results than you could get yourself. Make sure you listen to this episode to learn why.

Communication is vital to a good Virtual relationship

Business relationships are hard. Setting the proper expectation all the while giving your employee the freedom to be creative and work in their element can be tough. Communication is essential if you hope to succeed. The relationship with a Virtual Assistant can be even more challenging. Not only do you face the same challenges as with a staff member, you also have the added struggle of not being face to face. How can you work around this? Is it even possible? Bryan and Shannon Miles believe it is and they have proved it. Their VA business has systems in place to help you along the journey to reach optimal communication. You won t have to go it alone. Listen to this episode to find out more.

Your Virtual Assistant is an extension of you

A Virtual Assistant can be a powerful tool for your business. Not only can they help take excess work off of your plate, they can also be an extension of you. You can now have the ability to have your hands in more aspects of your business through your VA. Listen to this episode to learn why this can do beneficial.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Do you feel overwhelmed in your business?
• [1:20] Have you ever considered using a Virtual Assistant?
• [1:51] Intro to Bryan and Shannon Miles
• [4:30] Our world is migrating online
• [6:00] Hiring a Virtual Assistants from the Philippines can offer challenges that the average business owner may not be willing to face
• [7:00] Bryan and Shannon provide VA services based in the USA
• [13:00] You are not the only one who can do the work you do
• [13:20] If you max out your working capacity your business will suffer
• [18:00] Your VA is an extension of you
• [19:00] Communication is the key to a good VA relationship
• [25:30] The future of technology
• [28:00] The personal connection in business will never go away
• [29:00] Bryan and Shannon are coming to GO summit

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• The 4 Hour Work Week

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Check out what Bryan and Shannon can do for you by checking out Belay Solutions
• Click here to get the free “The Culture Cure” eGuide from Belay Solutions

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

This episode is brought to you by White House Custom Colour

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 011 – The Power of a Virtual Assistant With Bryan and Shannon Miles appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Suffering can drive you to succeed

Jaz had a childhood full of suffering. She was raised in an abusive home, brought up in a brothel and exposed to things no child should see. She was made to feel inferior and worthless. One of her daily tasks was to steal food from local stores to feed the family. For many, this would have driven them into depression, drugs, or suicide. But not Jaz. She used her sufferings to empower and motivate her to succeed. In this episode of Converge, Jaz dives deep into the hurt of the past and how it gave her conviction for the future. You don t want to miss this one.

I don t have a choice is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves

It s easy to let life happen to us. To sit by and be the victim complaining that we don t have any other choice and that we are not in control. While this may be the easy road it will not lead to success and fulfillment. On this episode of Converge, Jaz explains how giving in to this way of thinking will handicap us and ruin our potential. She gives a few tips on ways you can keep yourself from falling into the trap of self-pity.

Transparency and Honesty will increase your impact on the world

So many of us have a gift to share with the world. Many of us have perfected ways of doing so and are seeing results. But how transparent and honest are you about your shortcomings? In this episode, Jaz Ampaw-Farr explains how being honest and transparent exponentially increased her impact. Listen up to hear how she did it.

A successful person is simply a failure who keeps getting up

Being successful is the goal of so many. Yet attaining it can seem out of reach. Every situation is different and with each failure, the journey becomes harder. In this episode, Jaz Ampaw-Farr explains what 3 steps you need to take in order to start seeing results and how conviction is the secret weapon of the successful person. Listen all the way to the end of the episode to hear her tips.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:20] Intro to Jaz Ampaw-Farr.
• [2:20] Jaz s story and how she ended up becoming a teacher.
• [3:00] Living in a Brothel.
• [6:00] Faking an accent to get into college.
• [8:00] Teachers have a unique ability to be heroes in the lives of children.
• [12:24] As a teacher you need to be focused on relationships with the students, not their performance.
• [17:00] I don t have a choice is the biggest lie we tell ourselves.
• [18:00] A coach is important in your life to help you see that you do have a choice.
• [20:00] Jaz s suffering brought her to a place of serving.
• [23:00] If you are not completely convicted to making things work then you will be fighting an uphill battle.
• [28:00] Jaz was one of the pioneers in phonics teaching.
• [30:00] When Jaz decided to be honest and transparent her impact on the world grew.
• [40:00] As the entrepreneur, you have the ability to choose your clients.
• [42:27] To succeed you need 3 things. An idea of what a successful you looks like, an understanding of where you are in relationship to that successful you, and an understanding of what to do next.
• [45:20] A success is simply a failure who keeps getting up.
• [46:00] Try to recognize the incremental changes you are making on your journey.
• [47:00] Jaz is coming to GO Summit
• [48:47] What Jaz hopes to accomplish at GO Summit

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Fastermind.co

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Check out what Jaz is up to at her website.

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 010 – Conviction is the key to success, with Jaz Ampaw-Farr appeared first on Fastermind.co.

From Employee to Employer

Both Jeff and Erin held down full-time jobs before they pivoted into their own business. The pivot to managing a team instead of just themselves was a hard transition to make. Along the way, they have learned secrets that make change easier and have prompted their business to flourish. As you listen to this conversation you ll be inspired as Erin shares how allowing herself to be creative enabled huge growth.

Focusing on your vision will keep your joy from fading

It is easy to get discouraged in the day-to-day grind that you face as a business owner. Joy sometimes feels like a luxury you can no longer afford. However, joy is critical in the operation and growth of a business. It gives you the strength and determination to keep going when times get hard. In this episode of Converge, Erin and Jeff Youngren explain how staying focused on your vision can help you hold on to joy.

Community can help you keep your vision and grow your joy

Since vision is so important in the world of business, it stands to reason that anything that helps you keep that vision is equally important. Jeff and Erin Youngren know the importance of keeping their vision and have found that community can help them hold on to it. One thing they have discovered is that community is a powerful tool. Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who have your best interest in mind will help you stay focused on your goals and maintain your vision. Get more insight into this important aspect of growing a successful business – listen to this episode of Converge.

How can you create a community that will help your business grow?

Community building is hard. Especially if you are an introvert like Erin. On today’s episode of Converge Erin and Jeff Youngren explain how to build a community that will support you and your goals. Erin gives advice to fellow introverts who might feel overwhelmed with the prospect of being involved in close relationships and collaborative community. It s not as hard as it seems if you follow Erin s advice. Listen to this episode to hear the simple but powerful tips she s got to share.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Intro to Jeff and Erin Youngren
• [2:56] Jeff and Erin s journey in photography and business
• [5:42] Pivoting to photography full time
• [6:00] Going from employees to employers
• [8:00] Creativity can help your business flourish
• [12:30] Having a vision can help you find joy in the day to day grind
• [13:50] How community can help you keep your vision and grow your joy
• [16:50] Shame can kill your ability to collaborate and grow
• [17:50] How can you find a community that will support you on your journey of growth and vision?
• [19:00] Being curious will enable you to grow your business
• [24:50] With great risk comes great reward
• [27:00] Even extroverts can focus on others and build relationships
• [30:59] What does it take to become clear on your vision and your goals?
• [32:30] Jeff and Erin will be speaking at the next GO summit.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• https://fastermind.co/gosummit/

GUESTS RESOURCES

• https://theyoungrens.com
• www.theyoungrens.com/photographers
• https://www.instagram.com/theyoungrens/

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 009 – How to Build Community as a Business Growth Strategy with Jeff and Erin Youngren appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Thriving is not a state, it s a path

Dr. Ben Houltberg says that none of us will ever reach a point in life where we can legitimately say, Now I m thriving. He says that because he believes thriving in life is a path – the journey itself, not a destination. As he and Dane talked about what it means to thrive and the specific ways we have to orient our thinking in order to increasingly live in that place, it became evident that it s an issue tied closely to worth and it s fueled by the right kind of relationships. If you want to thrive in life, you won t want to miss this conversation.

If you want to thrive in life you need adversity

The word thrive intimates things like peace, joy, and contentment. While those things are often true when a person feels they are thriving we shouldn t misunderstand by thinking there s no hardship or difficulty involved in thriving. Dr. Ben Houltberg says adversity is almost a requirement for thriving. It s what strengthens the thrive-muscle, so to speak, and sets us on the path toward the experience of living fully. Find out how Dr. Houltberg s work at the Thrive Center for Human Development has led him to that conclusion and how you can take steps toward a greater sense of thriving in your own life, on this episode.

Are you driven by your purpose or are you drawn by it?

In his seminal book, Start With Why, Simon Sinek says that leaders and companies able to thrive in the modern climate need to have a clear sense of purpose. It s what motivates those they lead in the right ways and builds a raving fan base for what they do. The idea is even truer when we take it to an individual level. Meaning and purpose are vital to our sense of health and thriving as persons. Dr. Ben Houltberg says that while purpose is important to thriving we also need to be careful that it s drawing us rather than driving us. That distinction alone can make a difference between thriving in what we do and doing it from a deeper, darker place of insecurity. You’ll want to understand that distinction better – and you can by taking the time to listen.

Why it s vital to take stock of what s truly meaningful to you

Toward the end of this conversation, Dane asked Dr. Ben Houltberg to give a word of advice to listeners who want to take steps toward a greater ability to thrive in life. He said it s vital to start by honestly taking stock of what s meaningful to you, what matters in your life. If you take the time to get past the pat answers and quick responses you ll begin to touch on the truly powerful things you want your life to be about, the things that motivate you and spark a sense of passion and purpose. And you ll be on the road toward thriving like never before. Don t miss this conversation.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Getting off the treadmill: my intro of Dr. Ben Houltberg
• [2:04] Why is there a center for human thriving and why should people care?
• [3:51] Human thriving and the connection to relationships
• [11:02] Knowing what drives you informs how you orient your life to thrive
• [15:19] Flow states and flow moments are critical in sustaining us in life
• [18:20] How a sense of purpose serves as a compass, a true north
• [26:10] First steps toward rich relationships and deeper purpose
• [32:07] Healthy habits infused with transcendent meaning enable thriving
• [34:54] A final encouragement: You are worthy. You have something to offer.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• BOOK: Restoration Therapy
• BOOK: 5 Days to a New Self

GUESTS RESOURCES

• The THRIVE Center for Human Development
• Fuller Theological Seminary
• The John Templeton Foundation

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 008 – What It Means to Thrive In Life and How To Do It, with Dr. Ben Houltberg appeared first on Fastermind.co.

What s the worst thing that can happen? Next time you re afraid, ask yourself that question.

If you want to conquer fear you ve got to learn how to get outside the emotion of the situation and look at the facts. The reason that s so important is because fear itself is an emotion, and it s not necessarily based in reality at all. Heather Vickery says one of the classic ways to help yourself look past the fear to examine whether it s valid is to ask yourself, What s the worst thing that can happen? The outcome you discover is not usually as bad as fear would have you believe and in most cases, it s an entirely acceptable risk to take for the sake of conquering your fear. Please take some time to hear what Heather shares on this episode. She shares strategies to address fundamental things that could set you free.

Limiting beliefs are stories you tell yourself that keep you from succeeding.

None of us like to admit it, but we are often our own worst enemy. We tell ourselves stories about our ability, skill, experience, and capacity that keep us from even trying – when what we should do is silence those stories and try anyway. As Dane spoke with his guest Heather Vickery about how she helps her clients discover their limiting beliefs and start to move past them, she told the story of a woman whose life and career was transformed when she realized the lies she d been telling herself for years. You won t want to miss it.

Boundaries are the key that makes everything work together.

Heather Vickery is one of those people who s able to see issues clearly and point out the things that nobody else notices. And what she notices when it comes to feelings of overwhelm, stress, and obligation is that healthy boundaries are often what is missing in the situation. In this conversation, Dane and Heather chat about why boundaries are important, what they enable you to accomplish in your life or work, and how to deal with the unintended impact your new boundaries might have on the people you deal with on a day to day basis. This part of the conversation is practical and powerful, so don’t miss it.

Is it acceptable to you to feel how you re feeling? If not, change something.

The conversation recorded for this episode of Converge is one that comes full circle. Dane and Heather begin by talking about what it takes to conquer fear and wrap things up by addressing the emotional red flags that indicate something is wrong in our lives. Heather says that though we all go through the ups and downs of life, it s not OK to stay in the downs. We have to decide what is acceptable to us in terms of how we feel, and if we re not happy with the impact an emotional state has on our lives, it s our responsibility to change it. It’s conquering fear from a different perspective. The insights Heather shares on this episode are the kind you won t hear every day, which is a sad commentary on our society. But it s also a statement about the value of this conversation. It s worth sharing.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] The human state of perpetual fear – and why we all need help dealing with it.
• [1:42] Why Dan is so happy to have Heather on the show.
• [2:48] The unique way Heather guides conversations where someone has an idea but has not taken action yet.
• [5:34] Heather s definition of limiting beliefs and why it s important to deal with them.
• [9:33] Life-altering shifts Heather has seen in clients.
• [12:56] The healthy role boundaries play and why we need to establish them.
• [16:22] Setting up systems to enable you to stick to your boundaries.
• [19:20] Mitigating the unintended impact of setting your personal boundaries.
• [20:54] How Heather would advise a friend who s questioning their life direction.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Aaron Anastasi
• Boomerang

GUESTS RESOURCES

• www.VickeryandCo.com
• Heather on Facebook
• Heather on Twitter
• Heather on Instagram

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 007 – Conquering Fear and the Limiting Beliefs Behind It with Heather Vickery appeared first on Fastermind.co.

When sales minus expenses does not equal profit.

The basic accounting formula we all intuitively know for business is this: Sales minus expenses equals profit. That s how it s supposed to work but rarely does it actually work that way. Why is that? Mike Michalowicz says it s because the formula doesn t take into account the one thing that is always going to happen but isn t quantifiable when you approach profitability that way. Can you guess what it is? Human nature. In this conversation, Dane and Mike dig into how human behavior is what truly determines whether an owner will run a profitable business or not, and outline the 30-second exercise that turns everything around.

Why profit has to come first and how it forces hard decisions to happen now.

Mike Michalowicz says profit has to come first in every business. Practically, that means predetermining a set percentage that is GOING to be paid to the owner, regardless. What the approach winds up doing is forcing you to look at the money left over for expenses, and make the hard decisions in that realm that will streamline your company and get rid of what Mike calls ego decisions that shouldn t be part of the equation in the first place. It s an ingenious and elegant approach that actually works if you have the guts and patience to work the process to its logical conclusion and do something about what you find. Find out more, on this episode of Converge.

Most businesses can cut 10% of operating costs immediately.

You probably don t realize it and you might even argue that it s not true in your case, but almost every business has expenses on the books that Mike Michalowicz would call ego expenses. They are things you chose to do because of the encouraging effect it has on your ego but that don t really serve the bottom-line necessities of what your business must do in order to serve your customers. Mike s profit first approach helps business owners and creatives build a profitable business by putting them in a position where they have to cut operating costs, by 10% or more in most cases. Learn how you can make your business more profitable on this episode.

What life is like for those who make profit happen first.

As you listen to this episode you ll hear Dane ask his guest, Mike Michalowicz what it looks like when a business owner adopts the profit first approach to business. What Mike describes could sound like a too good to be true result: less stress, more joy about what you do, better income, and greater profitability overall. But it s not too good to be true. Dane says Mike s approach has transformed the way he does business and the way he lives. You can hear Dane s testimony and a step by step breakdown of how Mike s approach works on this episode, so be sure you make the time to listen. It could change everything for you.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Why profit is an important topic when it comes to creatives like us.
• [1:42] Why Dane loves Mike s book and how Mike got to the point he could write it.
• [5:29] The ego explosion and personal crash Mike caused himself.
• [10:20] What changed for Mike beyond the money side of things.
• [12:18] The elegant and profound accounting formula Mike teaches.
• [15:50] The difference profit first makes in dealing with cash and efficiency.
• [20:11] The 30 second test that helps you know if you can run your business effectively.
• [28:13] What happens if you refuse to do what it takes to make profit happen first.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• BOOK: Ego is the Enemy

GUESTS RESOURCES

• http://www.mikemichalowicz.com/
• BOOK: Profit First
• Mike on Facebook
• Mike on Twitter

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 006 – Running a Profitable Business, Stress-Free with Mike Michalowicz appeared first on Fastermind.co.

We are just practicing, we don t have to get it all right.

One thing Kate knows from her experience of grief is that there isn t a right way to do it. It s as different as the person who is experiencing it. So when it comes to grief, we need to be careful that we allow ourselves to grieve and that we do it in a way that is honest to us. Kate says, We are just practicing, we don t have to get it all right. That applies to our times of grief as much as it applies to anything else. The honesty with which Kate shares in this episode is both startling and refreshing. She s comfortable with the darkness and struggle she had to go through to grieve over her dearly loved daughter, and she s comfortable with the fact that the sorrow over her loss will always be present. But she s come out unafraid. She s come out able to laugh again.

The only way to be comfortable with someone s grief is to be uncomfortable along with them.

Grief is one of those things that makes us all uncomfortable. We understand it. We know it has to happen and want others to be able to process it – but not around us. It s too uncomfortable. But it’s also uncomfortable for the one who’s experiencing it. Kate Merrick says that while she was loved very well as she traversed the darkest season of her life after her daughter died, she also grew weary of the discomfort others had about her grief. They didn t say it. But she could see it. And she felt it deep in her own soul, too. Kate has some powerful advice for friends of friends who are suffering through the pangs of grief. Please, listen to this episode to hear what she says. It will serve you and those you love well.

Learning to walk through suffering through the gift of writing.

Kate s family is the epitome of unplugged. They don t own a TV (never have) and only Kate has a smartphone. They simply don t want the constant barrage of communication and media in their lives, and they ve loved the disconnected pace of life that decision has made possible. But after her daughter, Daisy was diagnosed with cancer, being connected became very much a necessity for Kate. She simply didn t want to have to recount every doctor s visit, every diagnosis, every procedure, to every person who asked – so she started a blog. She didn t even know how it worked, she just typed – often while lying in bed, with one hand, on her phone. And she discovered that writing was a creative gift she d not discovered up until that point – and though it served others by keeping them updated on Daisy s progress, it also served Kate by helping her navigate her own thoughts and feelings. If you ll take the time to hear her story, you ll understand why her story is your story, only the characters are different.

After the grief, she laughs without fear of the future. But she couldn t have apart from the grief.

None of us want to experience the deep grief of losing a child, or spouse, or person close to us. But it s likely going to happen at least one time in our lives. The loss of her 8 ½ year old daughter was tragic, yet it brought a newfound radiance to Kate s world that was quite unexpected. She says after coming out of the darkness of bitterness and grief, the beauty of the world is brighter, the colors more vivid, the lines are sharper and more defined. And laughter is richer, more filled with joy than before. If all of that sounds strange to you, it s a sign you should hear Kate s entire story. What she s been through provides the context and contrast that makes sense of such unbelievable statements. This conversation is a treasure. Be sure to listen.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Why Kate is on the show: the issue of creativity in the midst of sorrow.
• [3:20] The story of Kate s daughter Daisy becoming sick and passing away.
• [8:11] The surprising way Kate learned about her writing talent.
• [14:10] What happened in Kate s darkest days and what came from it.
• [18:24] Why Kate chose to make her journey public when she didn t have to.
• [20:48] What it took for Kate to be honest about her grief (going through darkness to light).
• [23:15] Facing her own bitterness through rereading an ancient story.
• [28:55] Kate s description of her sorrow on the other side of the bitterness.
• [31:07] The fear tied to getting past the deepest sorrow.
• [36:09] What Kate advises to the friends of those who are grieving.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Channel Island Surfboards
• Movie: Surf s Up (the Penguin movie)

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Kate Merrick s website: http://kmerrick.com/
• Kates book: And Still She Laughs

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 005 – She Laughs Without Fear of the Future: Through Grief to Creativity with Kate Merrick appeared first on Fastermind.co.

How does a 13-year-old painter get such broad exposure?

You may be tempted to think Evan became known via the power of social media. While he does have a thriving Instagram account, that s not what got him his first shot at fame. A family friend and fellow artist who loved Evan s work suggested he apply to be part of The Artist Project – a high-level art fair in Toronto, Canada. Within a few months, he received an acceptance letter and Evan and his Dad headed off to the fair. That s when the media came to know who Evan was because he was the youngest artist to ever display at the Artist Project. Evan shares his story with Dane and talks about his creative process, so be sure you listen.

Though Evan Sharma is already a widely recognized painter, his dreams have just begun.

At 13 years old, Evan Sharma has already accomplished much more with his art than many professional painters do in their entire careers. He s selling his work quite profitably and donating large amounts to his favorite charities, and even though he loves painting he thinks it is likely to be a hobby in his adult years because he wants to be a Doctor. It s uncommon to see a person as young as Evan with so much ambition, but what s more surprising is the level-headed way he approaches his dreams. His perspective is that you pursue what you want and expect the rest to fall into place as you go along. More of us adults could use a shot of that kind of attitude.

Many things contribute to success in any endeavor.

One of the interesting aspects of Evans success is that many things have contributed to it. Sure, he is a natural-born painter. You don’t have an eye for color, form, and composition like he does at such a young age without having natural talent. But he’s also had a unique combination of experiences and a supportive family to spur him on. The combination has set him up for great opportunities that he is taking full advantage of. But Evan believes everyone has opportunities just as exciting as the ones he has had, they just don’t always see them for what they are. You can hear more refreshing perspectives like this from Evan on this episode of Converge.

How does a successful 13-year-old artist view the business side of the art business?

A tension felt by many artists is the love of their creative expression through their art over against the need to make a living from their art. Dane asks Evan about his experience with that tension and his response was that he doesn’t see a reason for there to be a tension at all. He actually enjoys the business side of things and doesn’t see any reason the two need to be at odds. You can hear how Evan is running his business and the way he’s using the funds to support charities that he believes in by listening to this great conversation.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Dane s introduction of Evan Sharma, a young man ahead of his time.
• [2:40] How Evan became a world-renowned painter by age 13.
• [6:55] The response Evan has gotten to his work.
• [8:56] How Evan views the business part of what he does with his art.
• [12:53] The things Evan sees as contributions to his success.
• [17:33] Should more adults forget about the finances when it comes to their dreams?
• [18:40] Evan s advice to those who are struggling to follow their dreams.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• See University
• Gwen Stefani and No Doubt

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Evan Sharma s website

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders
Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep.4 – Life as a World-Renowned Painter at 13 Years Old, with Evan Sharma appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Don t you love success stories? Especially the kind where the successful person bucks the conventions of the day and does something unexpected and it works? John Fox has that kind of story. He left a tenure track position in academia to develop a business designed to serve others through providing the information and resources they were looking for. It s an encouraging and dare we say it, inspiring story for anyone who wants to pursue their dreams but isn t sure if it s possible. After hearing John s story, you ll know it is.

People make SEO difficult but it s simple. It s giving people what they want.

There are all kinds of acronyms in the digital space, SEO being one of the biggest. It stands for Search Engine Optimization and John Fox says most people make it much more complex than it really needs to be. To him, SEO is equal to unselfish blogging. It s the process of finding out what people are searching for, what they need, and creating incredible content that gives it to them. Google rewards that kind of behavior, that kind of service. As it should. The steps John took to build his blogging business once he left the academic world are simple but powerful. Find out more of his incredible story on this episode of Converge.

If you think you re smart by using free email list software, you re wrong.

As John Fox began to attract a following through his website he realized that something had to be done to engage those people, to keep them coming back for more. That s where his email list came in. He tried social media and advertising but nothing gave him the direct line of communication like email. He also realized that his attempts to be frugal through using the free plan of his email list provider – Mailchimp – wasn t going to cut it. The premium features were exactly what he needed to engage with his followers on a level that mattered to them as individuals. That s why he says that anyone who thinks they are smart because they are using a free email list service is fooling themselves. John has strong opinions about the subject, but he says it in a nice way. Find out why he s so convinced and see if he can win you over.

The main problem for any business is getting new clients. Period.

One of the things Dane likes to do in these conversations is tap into the perspective his guests have developed once they’ve gotten to the other side of success. He wants to know how they view things differently now than they did when they started. When John Fox was asked what advice he d give to someone who is just getting started with their own business he made the point that every business succeeds because of a continual stream of clients or customers. That means you have to serve others well in ways they are looking for and then market to let them know that you do. If you can nail that aspect of the business down, it s just a matter of figuring out how to scale from there. John s insights are practical and helpful. You ll get a lot out of this conversation.

Serving others and helping them fulfill their dreams leads to your own success.

There s nothing mysterious about how business works. When you provide something that others deem to be valuable, they find it easy to pay you for that thing. John Fox says that put the onus on the business owner to make sure they are serving others in ways they really need, that they are helping their customers to fulfill a dream or attain a goal of some kind. When that happens, success naturally follows. You can hear the entire, abbreviated version of John s trek from the academic world to entrepreneurism, on this episode of Converge.

• [0:21] The kind of success story that comes from choosing your own adventure.
• [2:24] John s story: from academia to entrepreneurial life.
• [6:25] The mindset shift that propelled John into a new world.
• [9:41] Getting traction from learning SEO and attending the Go Summit event.
• [18:36] Talking to your audience in ways that are most relevant to them.
• [21:33] The outcome of changing the focus of of his business approach.
• [26:33] John s advice to people who feel stuck in their current situation.
• [30:00] Why serving others and fueling their dreams leads to your own success.
• [32:07] The common theme in John s story: Serve others and success comes.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• www.Fastermind.co/GoSummit – sign up before it fills up
• SEM Rush
• MailChimp
• ConvertKit (service the Fastermind team uses)
• Infusionsoft
• Ryan Holiday
• BOOK: Ego is the Enemy

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 003 – Leaving Academia to Serve Others and Find Entrepreneurial Success, with John Fox appeared first on Fastermind.co.

A non-intuitive approach: Experiencing freedom through commitment.

When you first hear Haley Robison s story, it feels like it was perfectly scripted beforehand to land her where it did, as CEO of Kammok – but of course, that wasn t the case. Like all of us, Haley experienced it step by step, making decisions as she went along, and it all combined to bring about her current success. Haley says that part of what she s learned is that committing herself to something with a mind to get everything out of it that she can, has enabled her to experience a kind of freedom she didn t expect. It s the freedom to grow, to try new things, even to take risks. It s the kind of freedom most of us need to experience, too. You can hear Haley s story by listening to this episode.

Haley Robison tries to walk a careful line as a woman CEO these days.

We are in midst of a transformative time in terms of equality and increased opportunity for women. Haley Robison is acutely aware of that fact since she experiences the benefits and blessings of many of those changes herself on a daily basis. She s very excited about the opportunities that are becoming more and more available for women but realizes at the same time that the men who work on her team should not suffer at the expense of those opportunities. She believes that the world needs BOTH strong men and strong women in leadership and she does her best to walk the careful balance of supporting both in the company she leads. Find out how she attempts to walk that balance, on this episode.

Getting past the mindset games when it comes to learning new skills.

The experience of learning new things presents different challenges for different people. Some of us find it difficult to get past the beliefs that learning is hard, we aren t good students, or we are incapable of picking up new skills or bodies of knowledge. Haley Robison knows that challenge herself and decided that the best way for her to learn was to learn through experience, so she went all-in. She intentionally put herself into structured environments that would teach her in the areas where she felt she needed to learn most. Would it be helpful for YOU to go all-in? Haley’s story might inspire you, so don’t miss listening to it.

Why experiential learning is often the best kind of learning.

There is something powerful that happens in the mind when we learn through experience. Perhaps it s the combination of senses involved in the event – touch, smell, sight, hearing, etc. – or maybe it s that facts ABOUT the subject are being integrated with experiences OF the subject. Either way, it adds up to deeper, richer, more fulfilling learning. Haley Robison is leading a company that encourages life-changing adventure. They believe in living life to the fullest – and a big part of that is enabling people to get into the outdoors, enjoy it, and learn experientially as they do. Haley s words in this conversation will resonate with anyone who s seeking that kind of life, so be sure you listen.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:22] Why Dane is convinced Kammok is one of the coolest upstart companies that fuels adventure.
• [1:48] How Kammok came to be – and how Haley s story led to the birth of an amazing company.
• [11:34] The balance Haley attempts as a woman leader who supports both men and women.
• [17:44] Advice about experiential learning for those who need to grow.
• [21:23] Why this conversation is important for creatives – and how to get a special offer.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Patagonia
• SummerSearch
• NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School)
• John Muir
• REI
• Outdoor Magazine

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Kammok website – Get 25% off your order with the code “converge25”
• Haley on LinkedIn
• Haley on Twitter

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 002 – Why Learning Through Experience Leads to Greater Knowledge with Haley Robison appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Soft skills are not so soft. They are what enable you to make the difference in your world.

The so-called soft skills – compassion, empathy, understanding, people-skills – are not something that should take a back seat to a more hard skill set. Seth Godin says the reason that’s true is that the soft skills are your true skills, the ways you truly touch human lives and make a dent in the world around you. Seth talks about how he s come to that realization in this episode and tells how he s integrated that concept into his new altMBA program, which is drawing all kinds of attention – and deservedly so. You can learn about the program and why it s causing such a buzz, on this episode.

Why Seth Godin hates the idea of gurus and what he proposes instead.

It must be an aspect of human nature to set others on pedestals, to think they have some kind of secret formula or higher understanding that we ordinary mortals don t have. While it s true that education happens in stages and maturity comes through a process of fits and starts, Seth Godin believes that everyone can contribute to the world in massive ways if they only learn to get out of their way. That s it. There s no hidden secret or guru-inspired formula. It s you, ignoring your self-talk, and getting to work. No more excuses. No more justifications. Just you, doing what you were put on the planet to do. That s how you will make the difference your difference.

How does Seth Godin handle his own inner resistance?

Whenever we see someone as prolific and successful as Seth Godin, the tendency is to think he s somehow different, somehow gifted in ways the rest of us are not. But Seth says there s one simple thing that he s learned that makes the difference between him and everyone else – and it’s something anyone can apply to their own situation: He s learned to stop listening to the voices inside that tell him he can t. In fact, he takes it as a personal challenge to prove that he can, and he simply does it. Find out how Seth approaches his own inner battle, on this episode of Converge.

Are you up to the challenge of Seth Godin s new altMBA program?

There are lots of amazing, big-name people who have become alumni of Seth Godin s new altMBA program. Just go to the website to see – you ll be impressed at the list of people and what they have to say about their experience. But it could also be a bit intimidating, a reason for you to think it s not for you. Seth says that is not true in the least and tells why everyday people are finding his program not only helpful, but life-changing. The altMBA program is the most effective, life-changing thing Seth has ever done. Find out why, on this episode.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:59] Dane s introduction to Seth Godin.
• [3:25] Why your soft skills aren t soft at all. They are your real skills.
• [6:38] Seth s Alt MBA program: what it is and why he created it.
• [12:09] What resistance looks like for Seth in his world.
• [18:55] Who the altMBA program is for and how you can get connected with it.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Seth s books
• BOOK: Crazy Love
• Kevin Kelly s article about 1000 true fans

GUESTS RESOURCES

• www.SethGodin.com
• Seth Godin s altMBA (and the  Ideas page Dane mentioned).
• Seth on Twitter
• Seth on Facebook

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders
Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.3 Ep. 001 – Make The Difference You Were Meant To Make, with Seth Godin appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Effective email communication is something of an enigma. All fo us h ave full SPAM filters and still receive plenty of emails we don’t really care to see. But there are those few email sequences we receive, the ones that truly bring value, the ones that are helpful and thoughtful and kind, that we can t wait to see pop up in our inboxes. If you re going to make money from the creative endeavors you re pursuing online you ve got to learn how to craft THAT kind of email so you can establish and maintain the kind of relationships you want and need to grow your business. This episode features Darrell Vesterfelt, a member of the ConvertKit team who is passionate about making email communication not only useful but life-changing. If you ll take the time to hear Darrell s heart and understand what he s saying about the power of email to build genuine relationships, you ll come away a believer – and better equipped to nurture the people in your community.

Communicating effectively via email is not as easy as it sounds.

You may think that the words on the page are all you need to communicate what you need to say to those on your email list. But considering that there is no tone of voice, no inflection, no body language, and no eye movement evident in text-based interactions, you can easily see that effective email communication requires more than simply choosing the right words. And take it a step further – say you want to build authentic relationships with the people on the other end of your email list (and you do, right?). How do you do THAT effectively? Dane s guest today has a great perspective and the right tool to help you do it, so be sure you take the time to listen and get yourself moving in the right direction with your email campaigns.

How do you feel when someone offers exactly what you need? That s how your emails should make your list members feel.

If you received a form letter from a person you met at a party and it was written in a way that made it sound like the relationship had gone on for years, you d be a little put-out, right? Turn the scenario the other way…. What if the letter was written with assumptions about your knowledge or place in life that were incorrect? You d feel perturbed in a different sort of way. Many of the emails we send to our email lists do one of those two things when what we really want and need is the ability to address each person who receives them according to the specifics of their situation. Is that even possible with automated email? It is, and you can find out how on this episode of Converge.

You must segment your email list if you are going to authentically communicate via email.

The same, generic email to everyone on your mailing list has little effect. Why? Because it doesn t touch each recipient where they are – it assumes a lot and broad-brushes the whole group. But segmenting your list according to demonstrated behaviors and simple responses to questions you pose can go a long way toward offering relevant, personalized content that actually makes a difference in the lives of those who see your email pop up in their inboxes. Darrell Vesterfelt and the team at ConvertKit love making those kinds of interactions happen and know how to help you nurture your email relationships in a way that profits both you and the recipients. Find out more on this episode.

How do you get started with effective email communication?

On this episode of Converge, Dane Sanders asked his guest, Darrell Vesterfelt of ConvertKit, what a person should do to begin establishing healthy and truly helpful email list building practices. His answer was priceless. #1 – Make sure you have the proper tool for the job. An email platform that cannot provide segmentation and personalized content is not going to do the job. #2 – Create a resource that is truly helpful to those who are interested in what you do and offer it to them freely. Show yourself to be helpful from the outset of the relationship. As you teach people what they need to know they become trusting of you, which is the first vital step to building lasting business relationships.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:57] Thinking about the most important relationships in life and how it relates to business and business partners.
• [4:21] What is ConvertKit and why are they in the email game at all?
• [9:41] What it means to communicate well with people via email.
• [16:03] Why segmentation of an email list really matters for intimate communication.
• [19:33] How the segmentation functions work in a tool like ConvertKit.
• [23:09] Determining the prerequisites needed for someone to buy from you.
• [26:45] How to start getting your head around the email communication challenge.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Seth Godin
• BOOK: Permission Marketing
• Infusionsoft
• Nathan Barry
• Pat Flynn – Smart Passive Income
• BOOK: Don t Sweat the Small Stuff

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Convert Kit

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 014 – Using Effective Email Communication To Build Relationships and Sales with Darrell Vesterfelt appeared first on Fastermind.co.

The Pitch is an amazing podcast where investors and creatives come together via audio in a Shark Tank type atmosphere to explore possible funding and joint venture opportunities. But it s even better than that. There s a reality to the show that you don t get from its television counterpart and a lot of that happens because of the way the host – and Dane s guest on this episode of Converge, Josh Muccio – handles the show. On this episode of Converge, Dane and Josh chat about ways creatives like you can use the principles of a good pitch to set yourself apart from the crowd and build lasting customer and client relationships to fuel your livelihood and business long term.

The pitch is not about sales, it s about who you are and what you bring to the table.

The idea of a pitch has been misused and mischaracterized for so long that it s hard to think of it without negative connotations. But Dane s guest today says a good pitch is an extension of the person making it. It s a communication of personality, experience, confidence, and uniqueness that causes a product or service to stand out from the crowd, and ultimately leads to the trust that fuels business relationships. On this episode you can hear how Josh Muccio came to be a part of the wildly successful podcast, The Pitch and what he s learning about good pitches, bad pitches, and the role the pitch plays in the life of everyday creatives and inventors like you.

Before you even get to your pitch you ve got to shut up and listen.

If you ve not read the modern literature about the art and craft of salesmanship then you may not know that there s been a shift over the past few years in the understanding of how effective sales are made. There s a lot more emphasis on the listening phase of the sales conversation these days, and rightly so. You don t know what to offer a potential client or customer if you don t know what they truly need. And you won t know if you have what they need unless you ve learned to shut your mouth and listen. Dane s guest today has a great way of emphasizing the benefits that come from listening and how it can help you close more deals and build a broader client base. He s also got some ideas how listening skills can help you maintain and grow your business over time, so be sure you take the time to listen.

Do you have the confidence needed to make an effective pitch? If not, how do you get it?

If you are a creative trying to make a living from your work you know the difficult, uncomfortable feeling of putting yourself out there, making yourself and what you offer the center of a conversation. There s a certain level of confidence that has to be inherent to the conversation in order to give your potential client the confidence in you to seal the deal. If you don t already have the confidence from your past experience or upbringing, how do you get it? Dane s guest today, Josh Muccio says that it comes from repetition and intentional confidence building that you can do yourself. You can hear his explanation and how he applies it practically in his own life, on this episode.

What does it really take to succeed as a creative entrepreneur these days?

The internet has made it simpler to build a thriving business but it s not necessarily easier. The same things it s always required – hard work, hustle, creativity, diligent thinking – are still in high demand. It s the entrepreneurs who are willing to apply themselves to those things who will stand out from the crowd in the end, who will become the leaders in their fields and the ones whose companies last and satisfy customers for years. On this episode, Josh Muccio tells why those qualities are so important and what you can do to make sure you re doing the right kind of work to set yourself up for lasting success, so be sure you listen.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:57] Dane s introduction to this episode with Josh Muccio.
• [3:20] What is The Pitch and how Josh came up with the idea.
• [8:50] The season 2 episodes and what happened in real time on the show.
• [12:36] How can creatives create a better pitch for their services.
• [22:00] The importance of learning to shut up and listen.
• [28:07] The role confidence plays in these conversations.
• [33:05] Dealing with intimidation in a healthy way.
• [35:15] How Josh views the state of entrepreneurship today and the way ahead for creatives like us.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Shark Tank
• 99 Designs

How You Can Connect With Josh Muccio

• The Pitch Podcast

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 013 – Using The Pitch To Stand Out From the Crowd, with Josh Muccio appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Brand differentiation is not something that comes naturally when you re in a crowded space. It requires a lot of thought and literal soul-searching to discover what makes your product or service different from your competition. Jess Levin Conroy and her business, Carats and Cakes are great examples of what that looks like when done right. Jess is a native of Laguna Beach, California and attended the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, she began her career at Burch Creative Capital where she helped manage investments and brand development for a portfolio that includes C. Wonder and Tory Burch, LLC. After earning her MBA at NYU’s Stern School of Business Jess saw an opportunity in the wedding space to help empower the businesses at the top end of the market. That s when she founded Carats & Cake in 2013 from her office in New York City. Her journey to building and refining what made her brand special is the subject of the conversation on this episode of Converge.

In the digital space, everyone can promote their stuff. That s the problem you ve got to overcome.

All it takes to know that you ve got an uphill climb to success in your particular niche is to do a simple google search for companies within your area of expertise. You re going to find that the competition is pretty stiff and everyone is talking about what they do. In order to make a difference and in order to make a profit, you ve got to differentiate yourself from everyone else in a meaningful way. But what does that mean and how can you accomplish it? Jess Levin Conroy chats with Dane on this episode of Converge about how she s been able to reach a point of brand identity that has set her business apart. You re going to get some great insights from this conversation.

Discovering what differentiates your brand is what will set you apart.

But making that discovery is not as easy as you might think. As Jess Levin Conroy explains, every entrepreneur who starts a business doesn t really know what they are doing. They may have the business plan, they may clearly see the need they are aiming to meet, they may even know who their target market is, but they don t know what brand differentiation really means for them in the early stages. It s very much a discovery process, a trial and error path that they have to walk down. But if they will be committed to the process and patient with the time it takes, the payoff will be huge. You can hear how Jess advises both product based and service based business owners to go about figuring out their unique brand identity, on this episode.

Soul-searching is at the heart of brand differentiation. And that takes time.

Jess Levin Conroy admits that when she first started Carats and Cakes she didn t know what she was doing. She was in the wedding space because she loved weddings. She even saw the particular problems that professionals in the industry were experiencing and knew how she could help them. But what she didn t know was how her particular viewpoint and gifts enabled her to help in a way that could make her stand apart from all the other wedding professionals vying for business. But Jess knew that she had to take the time to figure that out because THAT was what would make her business stand out and attract the kind of clients she needed. The rest is a beautiful story of what happens when you differentiate your brand successfully. You owe it to yourself to take the time to listen to this story.

What do you bring to the table that nobody else does? THAT is your magic.

If there is one consistent thing about the brands that differentiate themselves in meaningful ways, it s this: they are authentic. What they do and more importantly, why they do it is true to who they are as the people behind the brand. That s a great place to start when you re trying to discover your own brand differentiation. Who are you? Why are YOU in the space you re in? What do you bring to the solutions you re providing that nobody else does? If you can answer those questions successfully and begin to communicate it effectively, you ve found your magic. And it s that magic that will fuel your success and growth.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:57] Dane s introduction of Jess Levin Conroy, his guest today.
• [2:50] Jess quick description of herself and the work she s doing.
• [4:20] The mindset shift that happens from just starting out to becoming professional.
• [8:58] How service professionals can differentiate in the digital space.
• [12:02] What can you do to expose yourself to ideas about curating your brand well?
• [16:20] The best ways to discover the ways you should distinguish yourself.
• [23:15] How you can connect with Jess.

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Jess Company Website: http://caratsandcake.com/
• Get Jess newsleter: http://caratsandcake.tumblr.com/
• Jess(at)CaratsAndCake.com
• Jess on Instagram
• Jess on LinkedIn
• Jess on Twitter

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 012 – Finding Your Brand Differentiation To Stand Out From The Crowd, with Jess Levin appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Brand Identity is at the core of every business, especially as it resonates with the values of the leader behind the company. Krysta Masciale is the CEO and Brand Strategist of BIG DEAL BRANDING. She is best known for her honesty and practical approach to helping audiences recalibrate and take action steps towards building a compelling brand. Her work has ranged from small creative businesses to multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical companies. She has given talks to NGO and University audiences in Dubai, China, and India while speaking domestically at communities like Pepperdine University, Yellow, Identity Conference, and Think Digital. Her belief is that strategy and design go hand-in-hand. Clarity, team unity, a meaningful brand experience, and a robust bottom line is achievable when the two are fully integrated. Krysta has a Masters in Organizational Leadership. She’s a midwest native living in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

Your brand identity keeps you from prostituting yourself.

Brand Identity is often spoken of in terms of how you want your prospects and ideal clients to perceive of your business or brand. And that s not a bad place to start. But it s becoming more and more apparent that as often happens, businesses are not actually who they portray themselves to be. Krysta Masciale has spent her business career striving to bring her personal values into alignment with her business brand identity because she believes that none of her clients or customers will really want what she has to offer if the two aren t aligned. She s tired of being a poser, tired of foisting an image on unsuspecting clients who think they are getting one thing but are actually getting something different. And she s tired of seeing business owners or CEOs who don t realize that the inconsistency between their values and brand identity even exists

Alignment between values and brand identity is often overlooked.

As a business begins, the founders are often very clear, at least in their own minds, about what their business stands for in terms of values. But as success and the rat race of business take their toll those values can tend to shift into the background, becoming less of the compelling reason than they once were. When this happens the business and its leaders can run on fumes for many years – a raging success in the marketplace perhaps, but with a growing inner tension that takes them close to the breaking point. Krysta Masciale helps leaders assess the consistency of their image as it relates to their core values and bring them into alignment for the benefit of the company, its team members, and the people it serves. You ll enjoy hearing the authentic, straightforward way Krysta addresses these issues, so be sure you listen.

3 steps to assess the values alignment within your life and business.

When personal values and the activities that fill our lives become misaligned it s difficult to notice and even harder to assess and correct. That s why it s helpful to have an outside set of eyes looking in on the issues and speaking the truth about what is discovered. Krysta Masciale and her business, Big Deal Branding serve business leaders in exactly that way, even providing individual coaching for 3-month stints to help bring values and actions into alignment once again – and the results of the recalibration is remarkable to see. You can hear the stories of how the reintegration of values and brand identity make a powerful difference and get Krysta’s 3 step process for addressing your own values-brand inconsistencies, on this episode of Converge.

The benefits of honest life and business can t be underestimated.

Krysta Masciale has discovered that the most important and liberating thing in life is to be true to who you are – which not only means living and working in bold ways according to your bent and values but also ensuring that what you value the most is what you are most involved in promoting and achieving in the world. On this episode of Converge, Dane asks Krysta to unpack the benefits of living in the harmony between values and actions and Krysta reveals many great things that you may not have considered. You ll be encouraged not only to look more carefully at your own life and business but to be a better person for the sake of yourself, your family, and your business team, so don t miss what Krysta has to share.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:56] Dane s introduction to this episode with Krysta Masciale.
• [3:37] The journey that has taken Krysta to Big Deal Branding.
• [7:20] How Krysta has come to see marketing and branding for small and large companies.
• [13:15] The advantages of being a small shop when it comes to alignment.
• [15:50] The critical pieces of making sure everyone in a company is clear on the values.
• [17:40] A story of what happens when brands become consistent with their values.
• [24:00] The reason faking it will never work.
• [27:13] What anyone can do to live more as a truth teller.
• [33:57] The benefits of the honest, open way of being.
• [36:21] How you can get connected to Krysta s work.

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Big Deal Branding
• www.BigDealBranding.com/speaking

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 011 – Why Brand Identity MUST Match Your Values with Krysta Masciale appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Relationship questions plague all of us from time to time. Whether you re married or single looking for your soul mate, this episode is for you. Rockie is the founder and Lead Coach for ClarityCoach.ca who s main focus and mission is to help all fall in love and be happy. His mission is to see all people fall in love, in their relationships, with their dreams, and with life. The sole purpose of ClarityCoach.ca is not to fix problems but instead, it is about helping people who are experiencing struggles with their relationships, resistance with their dreams and confusion in their life, REINVENT and REDESIGN their way of life so they can experience the joy, satisfaction and purpose they have dreamed of. Rockie is also the author of the forthcoming books, THE RIGHT FIT: Finding Real Love for Singles and Tailored Fit: Designing Real Love for Couples and host of the Clarity Coach Podcast on Relationships and Life.

Relationship Questions? You Could Use A Clarity Coach.

Rockie Lee didn t first set out to be a relationship coach. But what he saw in his chosen profession – that of a youth pastor – pointed him in the direction and he was wise enough to start walking. It s an example of the perceptive skills creatives often use to notice the real need behind the needs they see at first, an opportunity that could provide incredible help to many others. As Rockie met more and more kids who were wrecked as a result of the devastation happening at home he realized that he could have a greater impact by stepping into the relationships that are foundational to a healthy family – marriages. In this conversation, I go deep with Rockie to uncover what happens in his clarity coaching sessions and how the relationship questions of singles and couples often resolve themselves when clarity is achieved.

Rockie Lee s story shows how creatives often pivot a passion into a profitable business.

It s one thing to love your craft, to be passionate about creating and expressing your creativity in a particular area. It s quite another to turn that passion into a means to provide a living for yourself and your family. As I spoke with my friend Rockie Lee, I noticed that his deep passion to help young people pointed him in a direction where he wasn t directly working with young people – and THAT is where his passion truly came alive. Intrigued? You should be. It s what can happen when you keep your eyes open and refuse to force your passion into too small a box, and Rockie s story demonstrates how it can work out to great benefit for everyone involved. I hope you ll listen to his story. He s a great guy who is doing incredible things in the world. How could his story inspire yours?

What s the difference between going to a counselor and going to a relationship coach?

It may seem like apples and apples to you but Rockie Lee is convinced that his role as a clarity coach is worlds apart from that of a counselor or therapist. The wonderful work that those professionals do is aimed at uncovering unresolved issues or wounds from the past and moving the client on a path toward healing. Rockie says his work is to help individuals and couples gain clarity about the purpose of the high-level relationships in their lives and begin to live consistent with those goals. You ll gain an incredible amount of insight from this conversation as Rockie unpacks how clarity coaching provides the kind of insight that is changing marriages and establishing healthy new relationships for singles, so be sure you listen.

The natural questions singles have about relationships could use some clarity, don t you think?

As I wrapped up a great conversation with my friend Rockie Lee, he told me one of his favorite real-life stories of how clarity coaching helped a single woman who was looking for love unpack the questions she had about relationships. Rockie s unique approach to uncovering what lies behind the questions helped her realize that a man she d just begun dating was indeed the guy she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. And it happened through the clarity that comes from focusing on the goals of the relationship itself, which Rockie calls the 3rd person in the relationship. It makes perfect sense once you hear Rockie explain it, so take the time to listen.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:57] Dane s introduction to this episode with clarity coach Rockie Lee.
• [2:54] What is a clarity coach?
• [6:36] The difference between going to a counselor or therapist, and going to a coach.
• [16:36] 3 resources Rockie has created to help people with the relationships in their lives.
• [21:49] The implications of trying and giving up on your marriage relationship.
• [25:28] Some hopeful stories from Rockie s experience.

GUESTS RESOURCES

• http://www.claritycoach.ca
• Podcast: http://www.claritycoach.ca/itunes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VancouverClarityCoach/
• Twitter: http://Twitter.com/claritycoachCA

Three upcoming books coming that we talk about on show – CTA: sign up for newsletter for notification:

• 31 Connections – Launch date: Dec. 1st, 2016
• The Right Fit: Finding Real Love for Singles – Launch date: January 1st, 2017
• Tailored Fit: Designing Real Love for Couples – Launch date: February 1st, 2017

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 010 – Relationship Questions Don t Need Answers, They Need Clarity, with Rockie Lee appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Have you ever wondered how you can find your calling? Is there really such a thing for everyone? Today s guest is Dane s friend Paige Chenault. Page started and grew a very successful event planning business that was bringing in revenue on a large scale. But as the passion turned into a job she realized that an idea that had been bouncing around in her head was more along the lines of what she wanted to do deep down – and she took the leap. On this episode of Converge, you ll hear Paige s story, why she moved into the nonprofit space with her new venture The Birthday Party Project, and how it s changing the lives of many underprivileged kids and their families. You ll be inspired and motivated by what Paige has to share.

Can you find your calling by doing something else?

Many people think that the discovery of their life s work will come to them like a lightning bolt from the heavens. But for very few people does it actually happen that way. Paige Chenault is no different. Her story involves hard work and success in another area that led her to her dream. What she discovered was that the skills and abilities that grew when she was doing the first job ideally suited her for the creation and successful promotion of her life calling. It s a story you won t want to miss – because it has to do with giving up a financially lucrative business to begin a deeply fulfilling one. And isn t fulfillment what we wall want?

It s a frustrating thing to know you re built for more, but you can t find it.

Paige Chenault began to feel that the reason she was on the planet was not being realized through her successful event planning business. She wanted to do what she was meant to do, but she couldn t find it. Sound familiar? Then a crazy idea came to her. She wanted to put her skills to work planning birthday parties for kids in homeless shelters, domestic abuse shelters, and other similar places. She took her first tentative steps by organizing her own family to pull off the parties, then she reached out to a local homeless shelter. Within weeks they were putting on parties for kids who had never been celebrated for their birthdays. Within months she was being featured in national news broadcasts. That s when Paige knew she d found her calling. You can hear her story on this episode.

Paige Chenault gave up a lucrative business to start her passion project.

The event planning industry can be very lucrative. Paige Chenault knows. There are people in the world who pay $100K, $200K, even half a million dollars for an extravagant wedding or family event. You may not be able to imagine that kind of world but it s the one where Paige was successfully running an industry leading business. But as she periodically conducted her personal gut checks she discovered something that surprised her. Though she still loved what she did, it wasn t bringing her the fulfillment she thought it would, even though it was highly successful. That s when she talked to her husband about a different idea – a pivot of her skills as an event planner into something more – throwing birthday parties for kids whose families can t afford it. If you want to hear how Paige made the transition and the impact it s having on kids all over the United States, you ve got to hear this episode.

What will it take for you to find your calling?

Chances are you re not going to receive a vision in your sleep that tells you exactly what you re supposed to do in life. That doesn t mean you can t find it – but it will take open eyes and an open heart to notice what is going on. Paige Chenault says that you just need to be moving, taking one step at a time with your eyes wide open to the opportunities and your heart attuned to the possibilities. As you progress on the path you re on now, your calling will show up in the most unsuspected places. It s up to you to notice it and take the steps to go after it. Paige has some great insight that comes directly from her own story, so be sure you take the time to listen to this episode of Converge.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:57] Dane s introduction to Paige Chenault and this episode of Converge.
• [2:15] How Paige started her career and got to where she is today.
• [3:37] The transition from for-profit to nonprofit work.
• [7:18] How you could learn to sell your value more for a non profit cause.
• [11:58] How can you discern which impulses are the right ones to follow?
• [21:21] How the birthday party project took on a life of its own.
• [23:10] How do you know if your project is worth seeing through?
• [27:19] The impact the birthday party project is having.
• [35:07] Practical stories of how kids are being blessed.
• [40:50] How you can get involved putting on parties for kids.
• [41:30] How can you move forward when you don t know what your calling is.

GUESTS RESOURCES

• TheBirthdayPartyProject.org
• On Facebook
• On Twitter

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 009 – How To Find Your Calling By Taking The First Step with Paige Chenault appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Medical education is not something you think of getting through an online course. There s so much detail, so much minutia – you expect that you d HAVE to sit in a classroom or do work in a lab to do it well. But Dr. Sanjay Sharma doesn t think that s necessarily true, especially in light of the methods of learning that work best for the millennial generation that s entering med school these days. On this episode, med school meets creativity as we unpack the truly innovative things Sanjay and his team are doing to educate new students with new technologies. It s all on this episode of Converge.    

Open your eyes to what s going on around you. It could be how you identify the next big thing.

When Sanjay Sharma noticed that the students in his medical lectures were not paying attention, he wasn t surprised. But when he noticed that what they were doing instead was watching Youtube videos or browsing the internet, he began to question things. A conversation with his wife led him to ask whether the modalities used in the med school classroom are as effective as they can be and if not, what can be done to change. On this episode, you’ll hear Dr. Sharma s journey from physician and med school educator to tech entrepreneur and online educator. His journey and in particular his ability to stop and observe what s happening around him are exactly what equipped him to take advantage of an opportunity and meet a tremendous need.  

Medical education through animation and video is not so easy to produce.

Some of the challenges Dr. Sharma s team faces when putting the important medical concepts they teach in digital form have to do with what Dane calls translation issues. Somebody who is creative and knows the technical side of the online educational platform has to be able to understand the medical concepts needing communication, well enough to translate them into simple, memorable phrases that can be communicated visually. It s not an easy leap to make but Sanjay s team has done an incredible job forging a merger between creativity and medical education – and it s catching on. Learn more on this episode.

Advice for those seeking to do what s in them to do.

Listening to this episode of Converge you ll hear two remarkable stories. One of Dr. Sanjay Sharma and how he has built a prestigious medical career AND has built a team to develop an online medical education curriculum. The other is of his son, a young man who is very much a prodigy when it comes to painting. It s easy to hear their stories and their backgrounds and make excuses for yourself. You re not a Doctor after all. You didn t grow up in a well-off home. But Dr. Sharma addresses that issue powerfully on this episode when he says that you ve got the power to decide that what you have to add to the world matters. And you have the power to make it happen as well. You can hear his solid advice by listening.

Meet Dr. Sanjay Sharma, medical professor and entrepreneur

Dr. Sanjay Sharma, MD, MSc, MBA is the founder of www.Medskl.com a new open-access platform developed to redesign medical education. Boasting over 170 award-winning medical faculty from across the world, medskl.com brings a modern approach to teaching medicine, featuring digestible whiteboard animations, short video lectures, and concise summaries designed to appeal to today s digital learners. Medskl.com s content is available for anyone in the world to access for free and students from over 60 Universities have joined medskl.com in the past 6 weeks since launch. Dr. Sharma is a professor of ophthalmology and epidemiology at Queen s University, has authored over 200 research articles and 3 books including the American Medical Association s Evidence-based to Value Based Medicine. His research in macular degeneration, health economics, and medical education has been cited in the scientific literature over 6,000 times. Dr. Sharma completed his medical education at Harvard University.

Outline of this great episode

• [1:00] Dane s introduction to Dr. Sanjay Sharma, today s guest.
• [3:40] The body of work Sanjay has created over the years.
• [7:57] What is Medskl and what does Sanjay hope to accomplish with it?
• [18:29] The challenges of communicating scientific concepts creatively with animation.
• [26:46] The life lessons Sanjay applies from his and his son s stories.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• Robin Sharma
• Evan Sharma
• Khan Academy
• The Story of Stuff

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Webiste: Medskl.com
• Dr. Sharma on Twitter: @sanjaysharmamd
• Google Scholar articles by Dr. Sharma

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: Fastermind.co

Facebook: facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 008 – Creativity Meets Medical Education with Dr. Sanjay Sharma appeared first on Fastermind.co.

The business side of creativity is something many artists struggle with. Of course, there s the philosophical side of whether or not it s about the money or the art. But that s a different discussion. On this episode, we re concerned with how to go about the business side of being a creative without driving yourself crazy or making yourself feel dumb. To address the issue in a common sense, low-pressure way Dane invited Paco de Leon on the show. She s, first of all, an artist – a musician who has also been gifted with a kind of business savvy that enables her to bring the sometimes complicated processes and details of financial management into a verbiage and language that creatives can understand. You will enjoy hearing how Paco addresses these issues, in this episode.
   

As a creative, do you sometimes feel unintelligent when it comes to financial stuff?

If you do, you can breathe easy because you re not alone. In fact, today s guest is a creative herself who helps artists of all kinds get a handle on the financial details of their work – and she says that many creatives feel those same kinds of insecurity. She says that it doesn t mean you are dumb. In fact, most creatives are highly intelligent. All it means is that most of what you hear from financial experts and advisors isn t communicated in terms you are familiar with or get. That s OK – Paco and her team are here to help. You ll find her ability to translate the financial mumbo jumbo into terms you can understand to be an uncommon skill – and one that will make the money side of things much easier for you.

The ridiculous advantage of being an unorthodox creative.

Today s guest, Paco de Leon is what Dane calls an unorthodox creative. She s clearly an artist, a creative – but she s able to bring a host of other talents and skills to her creative work that amplifies and make it more effective. In her case, one of the skills she brings to the table is a solid grasp of business and finance that most creatives find difficult to understand. It s the merging of her creativity with that understanding that makes her such a helpful person to know. She s got the ability to make creativity and business sync up and can help you do the same as it relates to the great work you re trying to put into the world. Take the time to listen to what Paco has to say. You ll be helped and encouraged.

Do you struggle to know if you should make money from your art?

Many creatives do. As a musician, Paco de Leon understands the tension. You love your craft and do it for the pure joy and love of it. Sometimes it seems that any thought of monetary gain from your art could sully it in ways you don t want. But you also wonder, is there a way to do both that doesn t make you feel like you re compromising? Paco has wrestled with that very real tension herself and is eager to help you think through the real issues, mental roadblocks, and limiting beliefs you may have surrounding money as it relates to your art. Are you ready for the challenge? Listen to this episode.

It IS possible to create your art and live a life free of the concern about money.

But it will take some work on your part. Many artists freeze up right about there. The very thought of thinking through their beliefs and approach to money is daunting. And the fact that it has to do with balance sheets and profit and loss statements makes it worse. But it doesn t have to be that way. Today s guest, Paco de Leon has made it her business to understand BOTH the art and the finances of making art. In other words, she gets the business side of creativity. That makes her a tremendous resource for you. You can be assured, she s able to remove the fear from dealing with your finances. Listen to this episode and you ll understand how she can help.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:48] Dane s introduction to today s topic and guest: Paco de Leon.
• [2:29] Why do creatives feel unintelligent when it comes to finances?
• [4:45] How a musician got into finance in the first place.
• [11:40] The ridiculous advantage of the unorthodox creative.
• [13:54] How you can discern if you re ready to get financial help.
• [18:00] How you can make use of Paco s resources.
• [22:10] Paco s #1 piece of advice that can make a difference in your finances.

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Websites: www.TheHellYeahGroup.com

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production & Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 007 – The Business Side of Creativity with Musician and Financial Whiz, Paco de Leon appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Mastery in anything is difficult to achieve.

We all know that intuitively. But there s something in human nature that pushes us to look for the easy way, the shortcut, the exception to that rule. Today s guest is Srini Rao, a man who has discovered his path to mastery somewhat by accident and can attest to the fact that mastery by no means comes easily. In this conversation, you ll get to hear how Srini has reached the levels of success he has – as an author and podcaster – and what he s learned along the way. It s a conversation you won t want to miss.    

If you re at the beginning of your creative journey, where do you start?

The journey toward mastery is daunting from whatever part of your journey you view it. But especially when you re starting out it can seem like an impossibility. If you are just getting started, how do you even know where to begin? On this episode of the podcast, Dane asks Srini that very question and he gets an answer that you might not expect. Be sure you take the time to listen to the wisdom of a man who has learned his lessons well. His creative spirit and enthusiasm for what can be accomplished by everyday people is quite inspiring.

Too often we let the past dictate our future.

It is not uncommon for all of us to think of the future in terms of the past. We think that since things have always gone a certain way, they will continue to go that way. We think that because we never had success in a certain realm or area we will not have success in that realm in the future. But today’s guest insists that we have to break out of that kind of thinking. The future has nothing to do with the past except that it is part of the same journey. The past does not dictate it, we dictate it by our choices and actions. You can hear this great conversation with Srini Rao, on this episode of Converge.

Children know what it s like to live without impossibilities.

When Srini Rao was working with 7th graders he discovered that they don’t think with the limitations that most adults do. One of his students asked him if kangaroos could box simply because he had seen a kangaroo boxing on a cartoon. It caused Srini To realize that children have not yet been taught that certain things are not possible. As a result, they continue to assume that possibilities exist in almost every area of life. He believes that when adults can move back to that place of belief they will be able to set their sights higher and accomplish more than they ever dreamed, simply because they learn to dream again. This is a great conversation that you will want to hear.

On the journey to mastery don t take yourself too seriously.

As we grow and develop, moving ever forward toward mastery, we can get to a place where every decision and every outcome seems like a crucial thing in our minds. We take ourselves too seriously and as a result don’t allow for the mistakes and missteps that are required to actually gain mastery. Srini Rao shares how he learned to relax and not take himself so seriously, on this episode. It’s a refreshing mindset, and in the high-pressure world of creativity and business, we would all do well to adopt it.

Outline of this great episode

• [1:04] Dane s introduction to his guest, Srini Rao.
• [3:33] Srini s story and how he got on the path he s on now.
• [8:08] The right place to start if you re at the beginning of your creative journey.
• [16:36] The role of possibility in our creative endeavors.
• [20:16] The surfing analogy throughout Srini s book and what it means.
• [25:14] The negative things that happen when you take yourself too seriously.
• [27:58] When everything comes together for mastery.
• [34:14] The things Srini finds himself saying over and over to people in the fight.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• PODCAST: Unmistakable Creative
• BOOK: The Art of Being Unmistakable

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes provided by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 006 – The Journey Toward Mastery and the Art of Being Unmistakable, with Srini Rao appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Overcoming fear is a challenge for all of us.

Of course, we don t always recognize what our fears are, or even that we are afraid, but with careful examination most of us discover that we have fears – of a variety of things – that are holding us back in life. Today s guest is Aaron Anastasi, a very accomplished guy who s come from one of the most under resourced backgrounds you can imagine. There s nothing about his upbringing or heritage that indicates he should be a success on the level he is. In fact, Aaron s had to overcome his own fears to get to the place he is. But he s done it and openly shares about the journey and the bold steps he had to do in order to get his mind ready for success. It s a candid and powerful conversation we ve recorded here, so I hope you ll take the time to listen and learn from this humble but powerfully impressive guy.

The inspiration you re waiting for to start is on the other side of starting.

Aaron Anastasi realizes that his experience is common to many people. For a long time he was waiting around for success to happen, expecting that he d get some kind of inspiration that would fuel his forward motion. But when he was helped to see that the inspiration and zeal for a project or cause actually comes once you get the ball rolling, he discovered a new paradigm that has fueled his progress ever since. On this episode Aaron shares how he discovered that truth and the difference it has made for his success and for the success of his clients. You won t want to miss this portion of this episode.

Why it is important to be all in to the things you attempt.

There are a number of things competing for our time and energy. Many creatives feel conflicted, unsure which of the many things they have interest in doing should be the things they actually do. Aaron Anastasi can relate. He s an accomplished singer, online course creator, actor, coach, and much more. Now he s become an author on top of all of that. He teaches his students that they no matter how many interests or projects they have, it s vital that they be all in once they begin. He unpacks the importance of that principle on this episode, so be sure you listen.

You ve got to give up what is good in order to achieve what is great.

When it comes to deciding which of your many creative projects or endeavors you should actually make the focus of your time and attention, Aaron Anastasi says that you have to make that choice based on which of the projects will enable you to do truly great work. Which will bring out the best in you and which will give the best of you to the world? Those questions help you evaluate which opportunity will produce a great result and which will only produce good outcomes. You need to give up the good in order to accomplish what is truly great.

The key to success is not easy, but it s simple: You ve got to choose.

When you get to the end of your fear and have decided that you re going to overcome it, you ve got to make the choice to get started. It s not easy. You have to reshape your way of thinking and learn how to pivot the condemning voices in your head into tools you can use to motivate you toward success. But it is that simple. It comes down to a choice – your choice. Will you stay stuck in your fears (whatever they are) or will you make the choice to move forward in spite of them? Only you can decide. What will it be?

Outline of this great episode

• [0:42] Dane s introduction of Aaron Anastasi and the idea of an unorthodox creative.
• [2:35] How Dane came to know Aaron.
• [5:15] Aaron s journey from growing up to building his creative businesses.
• [8:38] Making the transition from chasing the dream to letting it chase him.
• [11:43] The approach Aaron has learned to attach huge tasks and dreams.
• [16:45] How Aaron s book helps people get their mind into the option of coaching.
• [18:57] The topics covered in Aaron s book.
• [24:12] An example of a person who gave up good to accomplish great.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• BOOK: The Voice of Your Dreams
• COURSE: Superior Singing Method

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Website: www.TheVoiceOfYourDreams.com and http://www.superiorsingingmethod.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AaronAnastasi
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronanastasi  
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaronanastasi
• BOOK: The Voice of Your Dreams

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes provided by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 005 – Overcoming Fear by Getting Started with Aaron Anastasi appeared first on Fastermind.co.

The habits of successful people are something almost everyone is interested in – it doesn t matter if you re a creative, a stay at home mom, or a CEO.

If there were a switch we could throw that would make us more creative most of us would do it. What is it that makes those who are ultra successful stand apart from the rest of the crowd.? Dane s guest today, Sarah Green Carmichael is a person who s taken a deep dive into the subject over the years. What she s observed is not commonplace knowledge – which is exactly what we want to uncover on this podcast, so we truly appreciate Sarah being so generous with her insights. If you take the time to listen to this conversation you ll hear the heart of a woman who cares not just about success, but about achieving it in ways that are healthier for you as an individual.

Sometimes working smarter is not what you think.

As Dane asked Sarah Green Carmichael about what she s learned in the realm of the habits of successful people she was quick to point out that the idea of working smarter rather than harder is not always the issue. We tend to think that the advent of technology is what enables us to make that distinction but in reality, technology often becomes just as much or more of a distraction to quality work as anything we ve struggled with before. Sarah points out that before we ask if we re working smarter we need to understand the way the human brain is wired to work and the limitations that wiring brings. Her suggestion is that we optimize our capacity for what it is rather than push it to be more than is possible and that as a result, smarter work will happen. It s a hard concept to explain in a paragraph so make sure you listen to what Sarah has to share on this episode.

Why the path to gender equality is not so clear cut.

Based on writing Sarah Green Carmichael has done for the Harvard Business Review, Dan asked her about her current thoughts when it comes to gender equality in the workplace and in the business world in general. Her perception is that it s not so much an issue of a glass ceiling anymore, but rather like a glass obstacle course. Women press forward with dedication and professionalism but run into obstacles that pop up along the way – and it s not always easy to know if those barriers are because of sexism or have more to do with people in the process who are simply jerks who are hard to work with. But she s got some great advice for women about how to navigate that obstacle course, so be sure you take some time to listen. Sarah s a generous woman who wants to help you succeed – no matter if you re a man or a woman.

Personal development needs to take more into account besides your speciality.

Did you ever consider that in order to stoke your creative fire you need things that are outside your discipline or area of expertise? Sarah Green Carmichael suggests that we need to fill our personal development plan with those other thing that seem unrelated but that serve to broaden our perspective about life and the world we live in. It gives us a wide angle view of everything when we do – including our particular area of specialization. You can hear more great insights like this on this episode of Converge.

All business and personal development resources are NOT created equal.

As you know, there are lots of tools out there to help you on your road to success. But discerning which are truly worth your time is tricky at best. It s always good when you get a glowing recommendation on a resource from a trusted friend or mentor. We hope that this episode of the podcast serves as that for you. Dane s conversation is with Sarah Green Carmichael, an editor at the Harvard Business Review – an online and offline publication that Dane believes is the cream of the crop when it comes to business resources. You ll hear Dane highlight how the HBR has been beneficial in his own career and why he thinks every creative or entrepreneur should consider a subscription to the publication. His guest Sarah also shares how you can make the most of the HBR free options as well, so there s something for everyone on this episode of Converge.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:42] Dane s introduction of his guest Sarah Green Carmichael.
• [2:31] Why Sarah cares about the more mundane things that have to do with business.
• [5:32] The difference Sarah sees between average people and high performers.
• [8:06] Examples of people who have done this.
• [9:38] Better and worse ways of telling your story.
• [11:44] The importance of telling a brand story in a meaningful way.
• [13:13] Sarah s advice for women wanting to make a difference.
• [17:14] Are there ways women actually have an advantage in the marketplace?
• [20:26] What Sarah has learned about overworking and the advice she gives about it.
• [22:22] Is there such a thing as working smarter, not harder?
• [25:45] How you can create your own professional development plan

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• The Harvard Business Review
• www.750Words.com

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Website: www.HBR.org
• Twitter:https://twitter.com/skgreen
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-green-carmichael-3601501  

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes provided by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 004 – The Habits of Successful People, Gender Equality, and More with Sarah Green Carmichael appeared first on Fastermind.co.

The video phenomena of Kid President has swept the world in the past few years – but it didn t start as a plan to create a viral video series. It started with a simple idea. Let s make something that brings encouragement and hope to the world. The guy who had that idea is the guest on this episode of Converge, Brad Montague. The idea for Kid President was born in the midst of the harsh climate of an election year and the right set of people came together to make it happen. With just a few ideas to start Brad and a small group of friends started putting the videos on Youtube – and the rest is history. You can hear Brad s story of surprise success and adding value to the world, on this episode.

Brad still gets discouraged and wants to quit the Kid President stuff…

But he can t do it. Brad Montague has learned – or perhaps continues to learn – that everyone has a gift and their job is to bring that gift into the world. The Kid President videos are one example of the kind of thing Brad brings into the world. Encouraging, challenging, inspirational messages that bring a dose of much needed perspective into otherwise difficult times. He s received so many emails and comments about the positive impact his videos have had – there s no way he can listen to the voice that tells him to quit. Hear his entire story on this episode.

The place where Kid President led to a new event called Socktober

As the Kid President brand began to pick up steam, Brad Montague realized that he had the clout to take on some more overtly helpful projects. That s when he found ways to partner with local homeless shelters that were woefully unprepared for the upcoming winter months by leading a drive to gather all the socks they could for the homeless clients who would come into the shelters in need. The call went out and people responded – and continue to respond. Socktober is now an annual event that touches communities all over the U.S.

Temptations come to veer away from your values – but you can t do it.

There were a few pivotal moments in Brad Montague s journey where high pressure pitch men came at him, trying to leverage the Kid President videos to greater monetary and social success. But Brad never felt right about taking them up on their offer. That is until Rayne Wilson s organization Soul Pancake sent him an email. The purpose of SP and Brad seemed very much in alignment and he began exploring a partnership – one that s served very well for both of them since that day. Brad is glad he stuck to his values and didn t allow himself to be drawn away by the allure of fame or money. You can hear the story on this episode of Converge.

You have a gift and the world needs to see it.

Brad Montague believes that every person has a gift. It may not be something you necessarily see as a gift right now, but it s there all the same. You ve got become comfortable with who you are and the gifts you bring to the world so that you can extend them to those around you in the appropriate contexts. That s how you will add value to the world in a way that only you can do it, and how the world will benefit from the great things you have to say, do, or create. Don t give up. Don t stop. Only you can bring the things you have to offer.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:46] Dane s introduction of today s guest, Brad Montague.
• [5:20] The incredible run Kid President has had.
• [6:40] The Socktober event.
• [9:45] The temptation to compromise on the values of his campaigns.
• [13:54] The lessons learned from collaborating with Rayne Wilson.
• [17:15] The refreshing experience of open conversations that maintain love.
• [20:30] The hunger people have to listen and Brad s upcoming Skype tours.
• [24:03] Brad s encouragement for creatives who are in the trenches right now.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• http://kidpresident.com/
• www.SoulPancake.com

GUESTS RESOURCES

• Webiste: www.KidPresident.com
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebradmontague
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bradmontague
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/soulpancake

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

Audio Production and Show notes provided by PODCAST FAST TRACK

The post S.2 Ep. 003 – Everyone has a gift – with Kid President Creator Brad Montague appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Providing great value is something lots of people these days talk about, but few people really know what it means – or how to accomplish it. Today s guest is not one of those people. In fact, he s written the book on how to practically provide the kind of value to customers, clients, and prospective customers that motivates them to give you their money to get it from you. Bob Burg is a sought-after speaker at company leadership and sales conferences. He shares stage with everyone from today s business leaders and broadcast personalities to former U.S. Presidents. Bob is the author of a number of books on sales, marketing and influence, with total book sales of well over a million copies. And on this episode of Converge you re going to hear from the master teacher how focusing on the creation of great value for your customers will lead to great profits for you.

When you focus on giving great value, great value comes back to you.

It s not some hocus pocus to think that giving great value brings the same to you in return, it s just common sense. The free enterprise system is designed to make the most of that reality. When you provide something that is of high enough value that another is willing to pay you the amount of money you ask in order to get it, you both win. That s how sales should always work. Bob Burg shares how the Go-giver principles work in business today and how many people are changing the way their services and business profits work by applying them. You re going to get a lot of value from this conversation – and you wouldn t expect anything less from Bob, would you?

You may need to rethink what selling really is.

The concept may people have of sales as pushy or trying to convince you to buy something you don t really want or need, is all wrong. Bob Burg says so. His contention is that sales is supposed to be a win-win scenario for both parties involved. One party gets the thing they want or need and the other is generously compensated for providing it. On this episode Bob helps us hit the reset button on how we think about sales so that we can shift our focus to giving over the top service and experiences to our customers, which in turn cranks up the dial on the profits we are able to receive from them as compensation.

If providing great value brings profit, how do you get more profit?

The answer is simple: provide that same great value to more and more people. It s called scaling – arranging your business so that you re able to make your great product or service available to more people who want the value it provides. It s the intuitive and natural way to build your income on the back of generosity in serving your customers or clients, and it works every time. Bob Burg is an example of generosity as he walks us through the 5 laws contained in his new book, The Go Giver, and you can hear it on this episode of Converge.

Once you know how to provide value, are you ready to receive it in return?

The final law of success that Bob Burg outlines in his book, The Go Giver is the law of RECEPTIVITY. His premise is that if you are willing to provide value to your customers and/or clients, you have to understand that the natural outgrowth of that action is going to be that you receive a great deal of profit in return. Are you ready to jettison some old beliefs surrounding money and profit to receive the blessings that come from being so generous in the first place? It may sound strange to say but on this episode Bob walks through what it takes to learn how to receive as compensation for providing great value. Your life and business may never be the same once you learn to apply this principle. And that s not hype.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:42] Dane s introduction of this episode with Bob Burg.
• [3:00] The things about Bob s book The Go Giver that struck Dane immediately.
• [3:48] Bob s summary of the main concept behind being a go giver.
• [6:03] The law of value.
• [11:20] Why we need to rethink what selling really is.
• [13:48] The law of compensation.
• [16:34] The law of influence.
• [19:30] How to be other minded while still having self interest in the game.
• [21:33] The law of authenticity.
• [26:21] The law of receptivity.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• www.TheGoGiver.com
• The Go Giver Podcast
• BOOK: The Go Giver
• BOOK: The Go Giver Leader
• BOOK: Business Brilliant

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

The post S2: Ep. 002 – Provide Great Value For Huge Profits by Being a Go Giver with Bob Burg appeared first on Fastermind.co.

If you could speak with a person who sees the future clearly, mindful of the ways technological advances we re making today will impact what is to come, what questions would you ask that person?

This conversation with Kevin Kelly is EXACTLY that for Dane, his opportunity to speak with a person who many have called visionary and who has long impacted the way he thinks and works in the new digital economy. Kevin is co-founder of Wired Magazine and many notable organizations and online communities as well as author of several bestselling books. He s also the man Tim Ferriss refers to as possibly the most interesting man in the world.

Kevin sees himself as one of many stewards of a long line of creative and innovative thought.

His humble perspective is refreshing. As Dane and Kevin chat you get the distinct feeling that Kevin doesn t think he s all that important, but rather that it s important that he handles the responsibility of what he s been given, well. What has he been given? He describes it as a long legacy of innovative ideas and perspectives about what s happening in the world and how things work. Combine that with his feeling that he s been at the right place at the right time and you have as an outcome, his very prolific life and body of work.

Are the accomplishments of any productive life luck, or is it destiny?

Kevin Kelly and Dane Sanders take a deep dive into the issue of fortune, luck, and destiny in this interesting conversation as Kevin unpacks his beliefs about the opportunities and situations in our lives that we could not have arranged, yet come to us all the same. His belief is that much of what happens is luck, but that you are responsible to be ready when that lucky moment arrives. Whether you believe in luck or a greater sense of destiny, you re going to be challenged by the way Kevin thinks about the subject.

It was inevitable that Kevin Kelly would write this book…

And with a sense of irony he s titled it Inevitable. It s a compilation of Kevin s thoughts on how we got to this point in human history and where our current technological abilities and experiments are leading us into a future that cannot be avoided. What remains to be seen is how humanity will steward what we create and the opportunities that rise from it. He addresses the challenges technology faces (everything from Artificial Intelligence to mass collaboration) and the types of turning points humanity will face in deciding how to use those technologies. Will we turn the corner toward a greater society or allow ourselves to go the way of immediate profit but eventual destruction?

Make some time to listen to this one. While you may not agree with Kevin s viewpoint, you will undoubtedly be challenged by it. And that is a huge step toward the creation of your inevitable future.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:01] Dane s introduction to this episode with Kevin Kelly.
• [2:06] How Dane and Kevin first met and why Dane invited Kevin on the show.
• [3:47] A primary influence on Kevin in the past.
• [5:40] How Kevin views the role he and Wired Magazine have played in the world.
• [9:28] Developing the skill to be ready when luck arrives.
• [12:49] Building the ability to receive (as well as give).
• [14:16] Kevin s new book, The Inevitable.
• [16:05] Kevin s view of what is inevitably coming.
• [22:41] What creators need to be aware of moving into the future we re creating.
• [28:59] How should we think about the stewardship of our own attention moving forward?

Resources & People mentioned in this episode

• Wired Magazine
• Cool Tools
• The Well
• Gabe Lyons
• Seth Godin
• Fast Track Photographer
• Stewart Brand (Whole Earth Catalogue)
• What Color Is Your Parachute?

Kevin s Resources:

• Webiste: www.KK.org
• Twitter: www.Twitter.com/Kevin2Kelly
• BOOK: New Rules for the New Economy
• BOOK: Out of Control
• BOOK:The Silver Cord
• BOOK: What Technology Wants
• BOOK: The Inevitable

Connect with the Converge team:

Website: www.Fastermind.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders

The post S2 Ep. 001 – Futurist Visions of the Inevitable with Kevin Kelly appeared first on Fastermind.co.

In this final episode of Season 1 of Converge Podcast, Dane Sanders gives an update on what’s been happening the last few months with the podcast and shares what’s coming in Season 2. This behind-the-scenes look will bring you up to speed on all the exciting things happening with Converge, our new home on the web and what’s coming later this year.

Links Mentioned on the Show

The new home of Converge Podcast: Fastermind.co
Our annual event for creative entrepreneurs: GO Summit
Jumpstart your daily writing habit: WeaveWriter
Dane’s first two books: FastTrack Photographer
Business coaching: Fastermind Coaching

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today s show and thanks to our audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

The post Ep. 060 Season 1 Finale appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Dane Sanders is joined by business strategist, Tara Gentile, to explore how to create products that sell. They address questions to consider and common mistakes to avoid when building out your big idea.

Some of the topics covered:

• How to create a product people actually want to buy.
• How to package your product in a way that makes sense to others.
• The best, first step in marketing.
• Common mistakes and assumptions to avoid when creating products.

Tara Gentile

Tara is the creator of Quiet Power Strategy and the founder of
CoCommercial, a company specializing in hands-on business training
for idea-driven entrepreneurs. She s passionate about helping
people with smart ideas make more money, reach new audiences, and
live life with ease. Tara is the author of The Art of Earning,
Quiet Power Strategy, and The Observation Engine.

Tara s work has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes,
Design Sponge, and in the New York Times bestselling book
The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau. She s a regular instructor on CreativeLive and speaks on entrepreneurship, money, and marketing all over the world.

Episode Sponsor:

GO: The Converge Summit is a gathering of creatives who want to sharpen their business skills so they can maximize their market. Come be a part of this year s event in beautiful Newport Beach, CA.

Links Mentioned on the Show

Tara s latest mini ebook: The Observation Engine
Tara s books
Steps for Creating a Product That Resonates
QuietPowerStrategy
Taragentile.com
Follow Tara on Twitter @taragentile
Find her on Facebook

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

The post Ep. 059 How to Create Products That Sell with Tara Gentile appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Dane is joined by Charla Avery, photographer and GoBe Collective community member, to talk about how she quit her day job to pursue photography full-time.

Some of the topics covered:

• How mindset is more important than circumstances.
• The catalyst that led to her making the jump to quit her day job and pursue photography full-time.
• The elements many creatives forget that are required to run a successful business.

Charla Avery

Charla recently left the classroom to pursue full time entrepreneurship as a Wedding & Portrait photographer and the boss lady at Studio CC&D. She is passionate about coffee, making dreams come true and punching fear in the face. When she is not behind the camera or in front of her computer, she can be found traveling the world with her journals and a good book. Got a crazy idea? She ll be the first to tell you it s not crazy and will be by your side cheering you on.

Episode Sponsor:

GO Summit is our annual live training event in beautiful Southern California. Join us this January to get the business training you need for you and your business to thrive in 2016.

Links Mentioned on the Show

Follow Charla:
Instagram: @charlablue
Twitter: @charlablue
Charla Blue Photography
Studio CC&D

GO Summit 2016

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

The post Ep. 058 Quitting Your Day Job with Charla Avery appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Radio legend Jay Allison joins Dane Sanders to talk public radio, new public radio and ways Jay and others are working to bridge the two in new ways.

Some of the topics covered:

• How Jay first entered the world of public radio.
• How radio has evolved from transmitters to internet broadcast and the differences.
• Transom and its role in bridging public radio and the online community.

Jay Allison

Jay Allison is an independent journalist and leader in public broadcasting. He produces The Moth Radio Hour and has created dozens of documentary programs and series. Over the past 35 years, he has been a frequent contributor to NPR news programs and This American Life, and is is a six-time Peabody Award winner. He hosted and produced This I Believe on NPR and co-edited the bestselling companion books. He is founder of the public media websites, Transom.org and the Public Radio Exchange (prx.org), and of WCAI, the public radio station on Cape Cod where Allison lives with his family.

Episode Sponsor:

GoBe Collective brings inspiration, training and accountability to creative entrepreneurs serious about thriving in business.

Links Mentioned on the Show

Radiotopia (part of PRX
The Association of Independents In Radio (AIR)
Transom
Third Coast Festival
How Sound Podcast
Gimlet Media

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

The post Ep. 057 New Public Radio with Jay Allison appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Kohl Crecelius joins Dane Sanders to talk about making social change with your business. Kohl is the CEO and Co-founder of Krochet Kids intl. is a non-profit lifestyle brand employing nearly 300 people globally. They are reimagining the global apparel industry by providing an unrivaled level of transparency to our products each piece is hand-signed by the person who made it.

Some of the topics covered:

• The purpose behind Krochet Kids.
• The importance of starting with a great product.
• Measuring social impact.
• How to start a non-profit or socially conscious business.

Kohl Crecelius

Kohl Crecelius and his team of close friends are on a mission to revolutionize what it means to do business and to do good. As the CEO & Co-founder of the non-profit lifestyle brand Krochet Kids intl., his passions drive him to connect people around the world through great product. Hats, accessories, and apparel are made in developing countries and hand-signed by the person who made them. In this way, supporters of KK intl. can know who and how they are helping by visiting the organization s website. This is empowerment.

Episode Sponsor:

Fastermind Coaching. Affordable coaching for the creative, independent entrepreneur.

Links Mentioned on the Show

Krochet Kids

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

The post Ep. 056 Starting a Socially Conscious Business with Kohl Crecelius appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Dane Sanders is joined by podcaster and storyteller, Steve Pratt. Steve is part of the team that created Slack Variety Pack, the first podcast from a company that s purely audience-focused.

Some of the topics covered:

• Steve s passion for storytelling.
• The exciting 2nd wave resurgence of podcasting.
• Branded entertainment podcasts.
• Launching your art, not just talking about it.
• Learn by doing.

Steve Pratt

Steve Pratt is fascinated by what grabs people’s attention and what keeps people’s attention. He loves experimenting with new ways of telling stories, reaching and engaging people, and creating big audiences.

He spent ten years in TV and ten years running a digital music service at Canada s public broadcaster called CBC Radio 3 (where he helped create one of the world s first legal music podcasts).

Today, he is one of the founders at Pacific Content, a company with a unique specialty: creating shareable, branded entertainment podcasts like the Slack Variety Pack.

Episode Sponsor:

GoBe Collective brings inspiration, training and accountability to creative entrepreneurs serious about thriving in business.

Links Mentioned on the Show

Follow Steve @steveprattca
Pacific Content
Slack
Slack Variety Pack

Serial Podcast

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

The post Ep. 055 Learn By Doing with Steve Pratt appeared first on Fastermind.co.

Designer Sarah Armstrong joins Dane to talk about the process of building her business, the challenges of being an entrepreneur and how to leverage opportunity with talent.

Some of the Topics Covered:

• How to connect an eclectic set of deliverables into a career.
• Building strong client relationships.
• The challenges of standing out in our creative entrepreneur economy.

Sarah Armstrong

Sarah Armstrong is a designer meets organizer who manages to wield the powers of both sides of her brain, usually for the greater good. A Northern-Nevada native, she transplanted to Orange County in 2010 in search of humidity and sunshine. Special skills include: Laughing inordinately loud, convincing non-creatives that they too are creative, and being a guide-human to her blind dog, Träger.

In addition to running A Name Brand Co creative agency, Sarah also started up Batch – a creative co-working space in downtown Santa Ana that is, obviously, awesome.

Smart and witty to the core; only fill this machine with high grade caffeine. For optimal results, avoid applying gluten.

Episode Sponsor:

Fastermind Coaching. Affordable coaching for the creative, independent entrepreneur.

Links Mentioned on the Show:

Follow Sarah on Twitter: @OohSarahcuda
Sarah s Personal Instagram @OohSarahcuda
ANBCO on Instagram @anbco
Batch on Instagram @batch_dtsa
anamebrand.co is the agency site. Happy to point out the awesome poster we re currently selling on there as well.
batchdtsa.com is currently being redone to match the new space, but it s something!

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

The post Ep. 054 Opportunity, Talent and Business with Sarah Armstrong appeared first on Fastermind.co.