PODCAST ARCHIVES!

What Goes Into An Hour? (GWTW532)

If there is a common thread of questioning that weaves all creative professionals and entrepreneurs together, it’s pricing our work and offerings. At various stages of your entrepreneurial journey, you’ve probably asked all of these questions: How much should I charge? How should I price my work? How often should I change my prices? Essentially, what we really want to know is what is the right way to do it, so that we make money, avoid the plight of feast or famine, and be able to keep doing what we want to be doing. But did you ever stop to think about what actually goes into an hour of your time? I was surprised when I revealed a hidden habit of how I decided to charge for my hour.

Read More »
"Harness Your Creative Energy" with Dylan Menges (GWTW531)

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.

Read More »
Business Tunnel Vision (GWTW530)

When it comes to your business, do you have tunnel vision? Tunnel vision keeps you focused on the work directly in front of you, passively waiting for people to choose you. It tells you to share content consistently with the hope that what you have to say will resonate with someone, anyone. Most importantly, it keeps you trapped alone in the dark, surrounded by imaginary monsters. Inspired by something I read recently in Solo: How to Work Alone (and Not Lose Your Mind) by Rebecca Seal, I’m going to talk about business tunnel vision and share seven ways to escape it.

Read More »
Shoulds, Needs, and Wants (GWTW529)

You never know how much you have grown until you are in a situation where you see clearly who you once were and who you have become. For years, I wanted people to tell me who I should be. Then somewhere along my journey, I shifted to doing anything I could do to get what I needed. But to my recent surprise, I discovered that I have been focusing on what I actually want, and in the process, found clarity, peace, and an opportunity to help more people. Where are you on your creative journey? Are you living in the land of shoulds, needs, or wants?

Read More »
Learn Your Own Way (GWTW528)

Comparison, jealousy, envy, impostor syndrome, fear of missing out, feeling like I don’t measure up—nothing triggers these feelings more than learning. From online courses to in-person experiences, along with multiple mediums of engagement, there are unlimited opportunities to learn daily. It always seems like everyone else is learning all the things, and I’m learning hardly anything. But I realized that the more important reality is not how much you are learning but how you best learn and tailor your experiences accordingly. In simpler terms: quality, not quantity.

Read More »
Crutches For Your Creativity (GWTW527)

I love those moments when you hear something so straightforward that it reveals something hidden in your brain. I recently shared feedback with a friend, and her response was swift: “Yep, I know that about myself, it’s a crutch.” I couldn’t get that phrase out of my head. I know what crutches are used for when we hurt our bodies, but what are they used for when it comes to our creativity? Are they good, bad, or even odd? These are the questions that I’m exploring, yes, in today’s monologue, but honestly, in my life. Because once you start revealing crutches in your life and work, you won’t stop seeing them. Then it becomes a question of, “What do you do with them?”

Read More »
Curating Your Body of Work (GWTW526)

One of the constant forces of living a creative life is balancing the tension between creation and curation. Often, people explain those two acts of creativity as separate tasks: creators create and curators curate. Occasionally, they overlap, but they are usually separated. I don’t deny these two worlds. I think as creators we are in a constant state of both functions. We consume and curate the inspirational work that fuels our work. We create in the hopes that others will curate what we have done. But what happens as we amass a body of work throughout our lifetimes? How do we unearth the gold from the past so that people can benefit from it today? The answer is through the power of curation.

Read More »
"Exploring the Great Unknown" with Alicja Colon (GWTW525)

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.

Read More »
The Lies of Professional Jealousy (GWTW524)

The past few weeks, I’ve been feeling stuck, left out, on the bench, not playing the game at my usual level of proficiency. The feelings were so intense, complex, and thick that I didn’t know where to start unpacking them. As I shared them with my business coach, she said a phrase that reverberated deep within me: “This sounds a lot like professional jealousy. I can so relate to this.” In this episode, I will tell a few stories of how professional jealousy has shaped my career. I’m going to talk about comparing yourself to others and how comparison is the root of professional jealousy. I’ll also share five ways to recognize and work through any jealousy you might be experiencing.

Read More »
"Creatives Ignite" with Diane Gibbs (GWTW523)

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.

Read More »
Your Older Creative Life (GWTW522)

I was surprised when a theme popped up over the past few days. It’s centered around this question: What do you want your creative life to look like on your next milestone birthday? For me, that’s 50. It boggles my mind that I am closer to 50 than 30, let alone 20, but that’s just life. On the difficulty scale of questions to ask, this one is off the charts. I live life drifting between the present and some moment in the past. While I want to blame this behavior on the Internet, algorithms, and a culture that worships the youth and everything new, I don’t want to deal with reality. But I have to, just like we all do. And it starts with preparing for my creative future.

Read More »
"Polka Dot Downtown" with Bill Will & Theresa Vetsch-Sandoval (GWTW521)

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.

Read More »
When is an Idea Ready? (GWTW520)

Lately, I’ve been asking myself and others this question, “When is an idea ready?” I’m curious about what it takes for others to act because ready is a commitment. It’s a decision to go from an abstract thought that plays out only in your head to something becoming realized through planning, acting, creating, editing, refining, publishing, shipping, and sharing. For myself, I’m not entirely sure when an idea is ready to go. I think it’s a mix of “can’t stop thinking about it” and “if I don’t do something now, I won’t do anything at all.” In other words, I amplify an internal sense of creative tension that I must resolve. For others, it’s a deadline, a belief, a desire, an obligation, even a calling.

Read More »
"Born To Do It" with Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith (GWTW519)

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.

Read More »
What I'm Learning About Business (GWTW518)

I’m fifteen years into my business journey, and there is so much I still do not know. It seems like every day there is something new to learn. Not only about my business and the people I serve, but about myself. How I am wired; the future I want to create. The past I can’t seem to shake. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to dive into a few lessons that I’m learning about business. It’s all about solidifying and creating a future that not only works for me but inspires other business owners to dig deep and go further than they thought possible. Business isn’t easy, so why make it harder on yourself than it already is?

Read More »
"A Little Piece of Your Soul" with Lian Dolan (GWTW517)

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.

Read More »
Trusting Yourself (GWTW516)

What does it mean to trust yourself? Inspired by a quote from Seth Godin’s book, The Practice: Shipping Creative Work, I’m exploring what it means to trust yourself and how trust connects to your passion. For most of my business, I found it easier to trust someone else’s interpretation of me rather than trust my thoughts, desires, and feelings. But as I consider what it means to trust myself and do the work connected to that trust, I see an interesting new path forward. To outsiders, it looks a lot like where I’ve been before. But to me, it feels so much different.

Read More »
"The Possibilities in Strengths" with Micah Lorenc (GWTW515)

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.

Read More »
Lost in Hypothetical Scenarios (GWTW514)

How much time do you spend thinking about hypothetical scenarios, and how will you respond to them? If you’re anything like me, more time than you’d like to admit. After all, you’re proactive and responsible, but there is a fine line between planning and procrastinating. I recently realized that the more time I spend planning for problems that may or may not exist, the less time I spend producing work, improving my craft, and connecting with others. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to explore several theoretical problems, why they are distractions, and how to keep moving forward.

Read More »
"Kindness, Dreams & Magic" with Holly Hatam (GWTW513)

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.

Read More »
Does the World Need Your Voice? (GWTW512)

If I were to summarize a common phrase I read, it would go something like this: “You are unique; the world needs your voice.” Every time I take that in, I nod along in agreement, but then another part of me starts questioning it. “Yes, I believe in the state of uniqueness, but with over 7.9 billion people in the world, not everyone needs my voice.” These feelings compound as I consider the way society takes the complexity of personalities and uniqueness and simplify them according to categorization, you know, putting people in boxes. Some groups are deemed worthy of speaking and being heard; others are silenced and shoved aside. Before I know it, a phrase meant to empower becomes something that overwhelms and quiets my soul. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to explore what it means to share your unique voice for yourself and those around you.

Read More »
"Making 'Why Not?' Happen" with Matt Wood (GWTW511)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw511.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 59:18 — 85.2MB)Being someone who obsessively listens for and seeks out intriguing questions, it’s fascinating when a simple question presents itself: why

Read More »
"Bread, Butter, and a Book Club" with gough (GWTW510)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw510.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:00:35 — 86.9MB)To what lengths will you go to make sure you get the laugh? How much money will you spend on

Read More »
"Leader-Follower Relationships" with Sherri Malouf (GWTW509)

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.

Read More »
More Than You Need (GWTW508)

A trap I’ve fallen into is only producing the exact amount of creative stuff required of me. No wasted effort. Efficient. I hold tight to it all, pretending every morsel of my creativity is precious. But today, my thoughts are different as I combine inspiration from Jeff Tweedy’s book, How to Write One Song: Loving the Things We Create and How They Love Us Back, with a fertile imagination in the initial stage of a new project. With all this energy and drive, what if I capture every idea possible without worrying about whether it’s correct or not? I’m going to explore this idea and ways to store your unused, rejected, and surplus ideas for future use.

Read More »
"Pursuing Joy With Fun & Play" with Jeff Harry (GWTW507)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw507.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 59:11 — 84.9MB)When was the last time you played? Where you lost all track of time and had so much fun you

Read More »
The Story & The Storyteller (GWTW506)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw506.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 7:19 — 11.1MB)Are you focused on telling a better story or becoming a more impactful storyteller? I think a lot about stories.

Read More »
"Few Things Are That Shallow" with Christopher Butler (GWTW505)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw505.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:01:54 — 88.5MB)From search engines, algorithms, design, and technology to what it means to be uniquely human, today’s guest weekly inspires me

Read More »
In the Land of Indecision (GWTW504)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw504.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 11:52 — 17.3MB)How do people make decisions? Not better decisions, the right ones, or even the wrong ones, but any decision from

Read More »
"Live. Learn. Love. Grow." with Lerae Gidyk (GWTW503)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw503.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 43:19 — 63.0MB)I’m always amazed at how impactful people show up in my life at the right moments. I met today’s guest

Read More »
Algorithmic-Fueled Curiosity (GWTW502)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw502.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 7:16 — 11.0MB)There’s something to be said about having a productive, creative habit: doing your work, transforming ideas into art, and sharing

Read More »
"The Urban Acre Homestead" with Genevieve Flanagan (GWTW501)

https://media.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/content.blubrry.com/gettingworktowork/gwtw501.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 54:20 — 78.9MB)I always love hearing unique stories of people living a life drastically different from my own. Genevieve Flanagan is the

Read More »