“Abundant Creativity & Freedom” with Neal Morse (GWTW690)
Neal Morse is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and creative cross-pollinator who not only makes epic progressive rock concept albums about the lives of Martin Luther, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus but also brings his creativity to multiple projects including NMB, Transatlantic, Flying Colors, and D’Virgilio, Morse, and Jennings. In this conversation, Neal and I explore song lyrics he’s written over the years centered around creativity, spirituality, business, and the future. He also shares how he creates with a focus on limitless possibilities and abundant creativity, the challenges of writing for different projects, how faith plays a crucial role in his creative process, and his approach to business over the years. Most importantly, we talk about the spiritual power of music and how it can connect with us at a soul level.
“Go Create Something” with Mike Brennan (GWTW688)
What are you searching for with your creativity? Perhaps you want to find a way to make a living. Or maybe you want to engage in the most profound pursuits of humanity. Today on Getting Work To Work, Mike Brennan and I dive into the deep end of the pool and examine creativity from the perspectives of meaning, happiness, and play. Mike is an illustrator, public speaker, and podcaster passionate about helping creatives build daily creative habits. In this conversation, we discuss what holds us back from doing our work, the business side of creativity, and how to work through the moments we are stuck.
“The Future of Content” with Matt Gerchow (GWTW683)
Imagine it’s 2019, and your mentor tells you that artificial intelligence will disrupt your business and you need to diversify. What do you do? Today’s guest on Getting Work To Work answered that question by pivoting from being a content provider to building a marketplace for agencies to get the services they need. Matt Gerchow is a serial entrepreneur, having built multiple businesses, including SteadyContent and the most recent, AgencyHub. In this conversation, Matt shares his thoughts about the future of content and society in general. We begin with his curiosities about optimal routines and travel, his entrepreneurial journey, and finish with what brings him hope.
“Surfing on Life & Love” with Peleg Top (GWTW681)
What force drives your creative spirit? Is it fear or love? Can you imagine how different your life and creativity would become if you loved yourself? Today on Getting Work To Work, I dive deep into these questions with mentor and artist Peleg Top. The conversation begins with focusing on rest and how Peleg is emptying his curiosity tank to prepare for what’s next. From there, we talk about identity, the nurturing and evolving nature of our creative free spirit, the difference between fear- and love-driven energy, and the power of self-acknowledgment. If you’re seeking something deeper and more fulfilling for your life and work, I hope you’ll consider this conversation the first step on what Peleg describes on his site as “your journey of self-unfolding.”
“The Three Cords Approach” with Rocco Carriero (GWTW679)
How do you define success for your life and work? What does truth wealth mean to you? Rocco Carriero is today’s guest on Getting Work To Work and he answers these questions based upon his experience as a wealth management advisor and author. Central to our conversation is his book, Three Cords Approach: To Life and Wealth Management for Business Owners, and the core strands: your business, important relationships, and your own well-being. Rocco shares his journey of learning to listen and help people, what he learned from his father who was a tailor, how to build trust, and why pre-scheduling is crucial for making sure the three cords work together. If you are a business owner and struggling with balance, then this episode is for you.
“Why You Should Be Yourself” with Kris Bryant (GWTW677)
What keeps you from showing up on social media? The amount of work it takes? The fear of people not liking you? Kris Bryant is a social media and brand strategist who shares her passion for being yourself and connecting with your audience. In this conversation, Kris shares her entrepreneurial journey and how she learned to show up for herself online. We also talk about marketing lessons and tools, tailoring your message for a specific audience while being yourself, the value of audience research, and how people go from followers to buyers. Kris also gives a few tips on reaping the positive rewards of social media while keeping your distance, especially useful for people like myself who struggle with the negative aspects of social media.
“Take a Deep Breath, Humanity” with Christopher Butler (GWTW667)
How would you describe your intention when you think about the most significant issues we are facing as a society? Do you give yourself the space and silence to be curious, or are you rushing to an answer so that you can be first and right? In today’s conversation with Christopher Butler, we explore not only the topics of artificial intelligence, ethics, and technology but how we can better set the stage for our lives in a world constantly plugged into the Internet. I found this conversation with Chris insightful in numerous ways, from having a deeper understanding of breathing and silence to the role curiosity can play as I think about my position in the bigger picture.
“Metal, Horror & Film” with Mike Schiff (GWTW666)
Some of my favorite people to talk with on Getting Work To Work have transformed an obsession with a subject or idea into a creative project. Today’s guest, Mike Schiff, took his fascination with filmmaking, horror, and heavy metal and created a documentary film, The History of Metal and Horror. In this conversation, he tells stories of getting hooked on horror listening to film scores and soundtracks, watching Universal monster movies, and learning how to create practical effects. From there, Mike shares how he got into filmmaking, when the idea for a documentary on metal and horror came to him, how he kept the project alive year after year, and the art of interviewing celebrities.
“For the Love of the Craft” with Pat Cheung (GWTW665)
When you are curious, how do you chase new ideas? In today’s conversation, Pat Cheung shares how he uses the concept of side quests to bring cohesiveness to his pursuits as a tinkerer, designer, startup founder, author, and podcaster. It’s important to note that Pat really loves podcasts. Not only is his own podcast about podcasts—Podcast Growth Hacks—but his company, PodInbox, serves the needs of podcasters. In our conversation, we dive into many topics in and around the world of podcasts, including why he started listening to them, what led him to create his own, the psychology of fans supporting creative projects, and PodConf, the upcoming podcasting conference in Portland, OR.
“Entering a New World of Art” with Heather Crank (GWTW663)
How do you respond to new technology? Are you open, curious, and neutral, or hesitant, fearful, and convinced that life as we know it is over? Heather Crank is a motion designer and visual artist exploring the world of AI-generated art with daily morning meditations created in Midjourney. In our conversation, she shares her positive take on the potential for AI tools in creative work and the broader world. Heather also explores a few areas of concern, from ethics and copyrights to the responsibility to ensure AI truly reflects all of humanity. We also touch on how she overcame imposter syndrome, her love for Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey, and the importance of being gentle with yourself.
