Category: Interviews

Have you ever thought about what your core values sound like and how they fit into the sound universe? Today’s guests on Getting Work To Work have by taking their drive, passion, and hunger for music and sound and translating it into audio branding. Gabo Agüero, Dalmiro Lacaze, and Mauro González are the creative forces behind Drop Music Branding out of Argentina. In this conversation, they share their entrepreneurial journey to make a living through music and sonic branding. They touch on topics that impact us all, including the importance of partnerships, how there are no excuses to create, ways to keep the game fresh, and a new way to look at staying in your lane.

Kelley Baker, affectionately known as the Angry Filmmaker, is one of my favorite people. Not only is he a filmmaker, sound designer, and editor, but he is also an author, having penned several collections of short stories and non-fiction books. In this conversation, Kelley and I travel the shores of comfortable and uncomfortable topics: from the joys of eavesdropping and the curse of remembering too much to influences and the origin of ideas. We talk about his latest book of short stories, Dennis Barton is a Bastard and Other Stories, telling the truth in art, and how to continue growing and evolving as an artist. Most importantly, Kelley preaches the gospel of independents and how every one of us can support independent artists with our time, money, and attention.

How are you using experiments to grow through barriers such as perfectionism, inertia, and the status quo? That is a question I explore with today’s guest, Kay Coughlin, an entrepreneur, podcaster, and life coach for caregivers. She also happens to be my business coach, and I’m her podcast producer. In this conversation, we explore experiments and the primary role of noticing emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and data without judgment in the experimentation process. She shares about how to overcome confirmation bias, the value of failure, being okay with discomfort, building successful collaborative partnerships, and all things boundaries.

Where does your curiosity lead you? For today’s guest, Paul Nylander, his curious nature has taken him from the world of high-energy physics to book design as he searches to understand how everything works. Paul is a book designer, engaging storyteller, and owner of Illustrada, a studio that collaborates with small presses and independent authors to get their ideas into the world. In our conversation, he shares his curious journey from physics to design. He also explores where his love for books comes from, the art and science of change, the nature of generalists and specialists, and the role of questions and trust in his design process.

What is the DNA of who you are and what you do? For today’s guest, the answer is in the notes and chords that make up the foundation of his music. Randy George is a bass player and multi-instrumentalist, most known for his work with Neal Morse. In this conversation, he shares the importance of trial and error, and the role influences play in discovering new sounds. He talks about the value of listening and hearing where the music wants to go, being flexible in the collaborative process, and how risk, doubt, and learning from failure are critical no matter where you are in your career. We also dive into his fascination with film and TV production.

How will you respond to the next crisis you will face? Dr. Rob Fazio is a Leadership Psychologist and Crisis Consultant who shares several ways to respond to the current crisis we are facing and the one just around the corner with growth leadership. In this conversation, Rob talks about his curiosity around how people change their minds, applying sport psychology in the world of business, and understanding what drives our motivations. He also gives several ways to work through burnout beyond self-care, why we need simple strategies for success, and how conversations are the most critical tool in business.

What is making your heart smile? What desires are you listening to deep within yourself? How are you aligning who you need to become with what you want to bring to life? These are three questions inspired by today’s conversation with Michelle Boulé, a professional dancer and life coach. In our time together, Michelle shares her journey of growth and helping others see the possibilities within and around themselves. She talks about how injury allowed her to find new directions for her life, the role of alignment and energy in growth, and why she loves to explore the edge of creativity. If you are struggling to discover a way forward or lacking the belief that you too can grow, I hope you find encouragement and empowerment to change in Michelle’s words.

What instantly enters your mind when you hear the phrase “slacking off”? How about “slacking off for fun and profit”? If you’re anything like myself and many others, guilt, shame, laziness are right there, not to mention bonbons. Michael Arnold, the author of Slacking Off: A Successful Way to Work From Home, is today’s guest on Getting Work To Work and he wants you to know that slacking off is a good thing for us. Not only does it boost our creativity, but it also increases our productivity. In this conversation, we talk about his entrepreneurial journey and relationship with working and slacking off, the importance of learning from failures, not just successes, why self-love matters, and the best gift he gives his readers: more time.

How do you show up in your work? Do you create work that is true to who you are and what matters to you? These are two questions I’ve been reflecting on since talking with Ashwin Chacko, a seriously playful illustrator and storyteller based in Dublin, Ireland. Our conversation begins with Ashwin’s curiosity about the social interactions that drive culture and the role artists play in our world. He then shares stories of his early years as a child of missionaries, learning critical adaptability skills and gaining new friends wherever he goes. We talk a lot about making sense of chaos, overcoming fear by telling it no, finding his purpose and calling, and why it’s essential to separate yourself from your work. He also teaches us the 4Ds of unlocking any creative blocks you might be facing.

What good can you do in the world? A powerful question guiding the life and work of today’s guests, De & John Ingles, the husband-wife team behind Smiley Graphix Studio and Wild Routed. Our conversation begins with the early days of playing outside and spending all day in adventure. From there, we join their entrepreneurial journey starting Smiley Graphix in 1997, losing a job of 31 years in 2019, going on a five-week road trip, and then creating a retail side project. Story after story, they talk about the memories and the people who have made a difference in their lives. By being open to what life has for them and sharing it with others, De & John have created a life worth living. Enjoy the conversation.

My curiosity for today’s guest began when I saw his simple M-shaped lightning bolt logo. From there, I read his story, engaged with his work, and quickly knew that I needed to talk with him. Dylan Menges of Menges Design is all about idea-driven, handcrafted design. With a passion and extensive experience in lettering, Dylan brings to his client work a desire for boldness and the courage to be seen and heard. Our conversation begins at the deep end of life, discussing eternity and the long-term impact of our work. But we don’t stop there, as we talk a lot about setting and managing expectations, the need for experimentation and taking risks, and moving forward into the unknown future.

What do you do when you feel lost on your creative journey? You do what today’s guest does: continue exploring the great unknown. Alicja Colon is a paper illustrator, tactile artist, and entrepreneur. She is the first person who comes to mind when I think of an artist constantly reinventing who they are and sharing the struggles and successes along the way. In this conversation, Alicja uses her brave voice of transparency and authenticity to talk about the sustainability of art and business. She talks candidly about burnout and how the freelance life affects not just herself but those around her. We then soar into the silver clouds of exploration, talking about visual analogies, curiosity, passion, and the power of personal declarations.

Who are the people in your life who have made a noticeable impact on you? Near the top of my list is today’s guest on Getting Work To Work, Diane Gibbs, a designer, graphic design educator, Host of The Design Recharge Show, and visionary behind Creatives Ignite, an online summer camp for creative entrepreneurs. If that’s not enough, she is also a dealer of hope. Her mission is to connect creatives, so no one ever feels alone. In this conversation, she shares her entrepreneurial journey from selling bookmarks at a young age to starting an online summer camp in 2020. We talk a lot about serving others, giving feedback as a way to show you care, the impact of accountability, and the value of being accessible. Oh, and she provides all the details about Creatives Ignite.

How do you use a public art installation during a pandemic to promote safe gatherings in a public space? To answer that question are two people behind Polka Dot Downtown, a performance art installation in and around Portland, Oregon, including Pioneer Courthouse Square. Bill Will is a conceptual sculptor and installation artist. Theresa Vetsch-Sandoval is the Director of Marketing for Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland’s Living Room. In this conversation, they share how this unique project came to life, what it takes to design art for massive spaces, and the impact Polka Dot Downtown has had on the community. Sprinkled throughout, Bill and Theresa talk a lot about public art and how artists can develop their reputations and share their creativity with others.

What were you born to do? A powerful question that can be overwhelming to consider, let alone answer. Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith, the founder of The Film Festival Doctor, is here to discuss her soul purpose: to help filmmakers get their films seen in the right festivals and win awards. In this conversation, we also talk about her book, Born To Do It: Becoming the Leader of a Business Niche Using Powerful Spiritual Techniques and several concepts from the book, including branding and energy, positioning, identifying business opportunities, and networking. Throughout the conversation, Rebekah reflects the importance of being open to the unexpected and to others.

There is something special about moments in life where the worlds of fiction and reality align. Earlier this year, a good friend recommended “The Sweeney Sisters” by Lian Dolan. It’s a book about families and the impact of secrets, and as you’ll learn in this conversation, something I’ve been working through the past year. Not only is Lian a writer and speaker, but along with her four sisters, she co-hosts a top-rated podcast for women called Satellite Sisters. In this conversation, we begin with her early days of coming to the dinner table with a story to tell her nine family members and end by discussing the healing nature of fiction and how writing mirrors her reality. Throughout, Lian shares stories and wisdom for any creative to apply to their life, work, and craft.

Do you know what your strengths are? More importantly, do you know why that even matters? Today, I’m talking with Micah Lorenc, a Gallup-Certified Clifton Strengths Coach, about all-things strengths. From his curiosity about people and a fascination with understanding what makes us unique, Micah shares his journey to understand not just what we do but who we are. Throughout this conversation, we explore our strengths and connect them to our work. Micah talks about the common misconceptions between strengths and weaknesses as well as fixed and growth mindset. In addition, he also shares how both teams and relationships would benefit from understanding the dynamics between one another’s strengths.

If you could cast any spell, what would it do? For today’s guest on Getting Work To Work, her spell would spread kindness. Holly Hatam is a New York Times Bestselling illustrator, kid-lit author fascinated with animation, imagination, nature, and magic. In this conversation, we talk about her obsession with unicorns and art, how she approaches her work, and how sensitivity is her superpower. She also shares the struggles she encounters when sharing work on social media. Most importantly, she explains how weird is a side effect of awesome.

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/p/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw511.mp3Podca...

As a leader, how would you describe your relationships with your followers? As a follower, what about your relationship with your boss? Today’s guest is exploring relationships between leaders and followers from a scientific standpoint and intentional relationship building. Sherri Malouf is here to share what she has learned in pursuit of a Ph.D. as well as in writing a book called Science and the Leader-Follower Relationship: The Implicit Social Elements® Explained. She talks about how our brain operates in relationships and the systems and models used to understand ourselves better and find common ground with others.

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/p/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw507.mp3Podca...

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/p/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw505.mp3Podca...

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/p/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw503.mp3Podca...

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/p/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw501.mp3Podca...