A Productive Conversation

By Mike VardyBusiness Careers Management

A Productive Conversation episodes

May 12, 2021 Scale Your Services with Shawn Dill and Lacey Book
The business side of things can get messy if you’re a service professional. You need help along the way to truly scale so you can do more of what you love. Shawn Dill and Lacey Book unpack where to start.
With a background in chiropractic steeped in neurology, Shawn Dill and Lacey Book help support service professionals grow their business. Through their principles of success in marketing, sales and mindset, I had to bring them on to the show to learn more about how they help small businesses run productively.
Join our conversation as we explore neuroplasticity, midday routines, our shared love for simplicity, practical insights from their book ‘None of Your Business: A Winning Approach to Turn Service Providers into Entrepreneurs’ – and what it’s like working with your partner.
Talking Points
Mastering a midday routine
How to not lose track from your routines
Finding the harmony between work and home life when you work with your partner
The impact of investing in great people
Why we need to step back in order to move forward
Quote
“Implement infrastructure before growth.”
Helpful Links
‘None of Your Business’ by Shawn Dill and Lacey Book
Episode 121: Beyond the E-Myth with Michael E. Gerber
ShawnAndLacey.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 min
May 10, 2021 The Patreon Process with Steve Dotto
Steve Dotto is an expert in helping people master tech to live the life they want. For over 20 years, as host and executive producer of Dotto Tech, a nationally syndicated TV show, Steve has entertained and educated millions of Canadians on all aspects of technology.
A big revenue stream to his business is from his supporters on Patreon. He currently generates over $6,000 per month from his Patreon fans, and he’s generated over $400,000 in revenue to date. I had to have my good friend Steve back on the show to learn more about his success, and his Patreon Boot Camp that I’ve signed up to. Join us as we discuss the 80/20 rule with email subscribers, why relationships are so unique on Patreon, the lessons learnt from my first Patreon launch – and exit strategies.
Talking Points
Patreon’s origin story serving the musician community
How to build a dialogue with your podcast community
Steve’s success on Patreon
Leverage your email subscribers
What kind of perks to offer to your Patreons
What you’ll get from Patreon Boot Camp
A special assignment to do after this episode
Quote
“Customers aren’t vested in your success – they’re vested in purchasing the value it gives them.”
Helpful Links
Steve’s Patreon Boot Camp
Steve’s Patreon page
Episode 115: Protechtivity with Steve Dotto
Saidthewhale
1000 True Fans
Episode 238: How to Keep Going with Austin Kleon
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
33 min
May 05, 2021 Big Picture Planning with Janet Murray
Beat content marketing overwhelm by simply planning on a piece of A4 paper. Tune in as Janet Murray shares her framework that you can work on today.
Through a fascinating career journey in teaching and journalism, Janet Murray made the big switch to run her own business that helps business owners build and engage their online audience. Janet and I go way back, and we’ve met through various places around the world, so I’m excited to finally have her on the show to learn more about how content planning plays such an important role to business success.
Tune in as we explore embracing bigger picture thinking. We discuss daily emails, visual planning, writing with ‘the hook’, learning from journalists, and how Janet time crafts.
Talking Points
How to plan the bigger picture
How our personality types and planning work together
Setting structures so you can be flexible
Creativity that comes from consistency
Finding patterns for your content
Quote
“The wider your view, the more patterns you see.”
Helpful Links
2021 Social Media Diary & Planner
‘Your Press Release Is Breaking My Heart’ by Janet Murray
The Janet Murray Show
Sorted Event
The Daily Driver
Systems Saved Me podcast
Episode 354: How To Decide with Annie Duke
Episode 343: Consistency Over Authenticity with Seth Godin
The Next Web
The BIG Ready
Jordan Gill on The Janet Murray Show
Jordan Gill on Life Skills That Matter
The BIG Ready Week: Stephen Warley
JanetMurray.co.uk
Janet’s Instagram
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
48 min
April 28, 2021 Being Time Rich with Steve Glaveski
So many organizations are trapped in a culture of meetings, task-switching and analysis paralysis. Steve shares how you can break this cycle and finally take control of your time.
Steve Glaveski joins the show again to talk about his latest findings from his book ‘Time Rich: Do your best work, live your best life’. Steve is the CEO of Collective Campus, an innovation accelerator based in Melbourne and Singapore, that works with large organizations around the globe. As an entrepreneur, author and podcast host, his mission is to unlock the latent potential of people so that they can create more impact for humanity and lead more fulfilling lives.
Where “just working” is a socially validated activity, it’s time to switch things up. In this thoughtful conversation we explore time lessons from stoicism, delegating tasks, and how to experiment with shorter workdays.
Talking Points
Companies that run like C.R.A.P
Defining ‘Time Rich’
Automating versus outsourcing
The shorter workday experiment
Setting metrics for shorter workdays
Quote
“We are predisposed to follow the path of least effort.”
Helpful Links
Episode 225: Going from Employee to Entrepreneur with Steve Glaveski
‘Time Rich’ by Steve Glaveski
The Case for the 6-Hour Workday – Harvard Business Review
‘Deep Work’ by Cal Newport
‘On The Shortness of Life’ by Seneca
‘Top Five Regrets of the Dying’ by Bronnie Ware
Woven
No Filter
TimeRichBook.com
SteveGlaveski.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
48 min
April 21, 2021 Peak Performing Flow with Steven Kotler
If you want results, you need to play the long game. Flow expert Steven Kotler shares what peak performers do to achieve their goals – and what you can do.
Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist and the founder and executive director of the Flow Research Collective. He is the author of thirteen books, including The Art of Impossible and The Future is Faster Than You Think. His work has been nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes, translated into over 40 languages, and has appeared in over 100 publications, including the New York Times Magazine, Wired, Wall Street Journal, TIME and the Harvard Business Review.
In this conversation, we explore his latest book, The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer. We talk about outcome versus process goals, what is the flow state and why it’s trainable, running towards yourself – and Steven being an old-school punk rocker.
Talking Points
Why you need to be more specific with your goals
Stepping away from ‘hacks’
The habit of ferocity
Work schedules and autonomy
Gmail frustrations
Embrace your creativity in all situations
What is a flow state and its primary activities?
Quote
“People can’t make work for you before you do your work first.”
Helpful Links
‘The Art of Impossible’ by Steven Kotler
‘Flow in Sports’ by Susan Jackson and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself (2020)
Andrew D. Huberman
Front
‘The Rise of Superman’ by Steven Kotler
FlowResearchCollective.com
StevenKotler.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 3 min
April 14, 2021 Be Productive with Uncertainty with David Neagle
It’s been a whirlwind of uncertainty lately. David Neagle shares his practical insights to help you step out of the blame game and embrace uncertainty.
David Neagle is the best selling author of The Millions Within, and is one of the architects of the coaching and personal growth industry, having worked alongside well-known mentors like Bob Proctor, Marianne Morrisey and Tony Robbins for decades. I brought David on to learn how we can all thrive alongside uncertainty.
We explore understanding people’s agendas, the power of stepping away, morning reflections and verbal journaling. Tune in so you can step back and review your thoughts and beliefs that help (or hinder) you as you navigate through uncertainty.
Talking Points
How to avoid being caught up by uncertainty
Why we seek certainty
How to leverage your mornings to best set yourself up for the day
End-of-day reflection exercises
The uncertainties David deals with
How to accept more responsibility
Quote
“How certain we feel inside ourselves determines our productivity.”
Helpful Links
‘The Millions Within’ by David Neagle
The Successful Mind Podcast
DavidNeagle.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
36 min
April 07, 2021 Purposeful Play with Gary Ware
Play around more when you work to boost productivity. Founder of Breakthrough Play, Gary Ware, shares what you can do today.
I’ve known Gary Ware for over 10 years now. He’s a true expert when it comes to play – it’s not just associated with kids. In this conversation, I pick his brains to find out how play can help boost productivity. Day-to-day, Gary helps professionals level-up their confidence, creativity, and happiness using play. He is the Founder of Breakthrough Play, a corporate facilitator and keynote speaker with a decade of experience as a performer in improv theatre.
In this interview, we explore how so many of us have been conditioned to play after we work, purposeful play activities, cliffhangers, and the hustle culture.
Talking Points
The productive power of play
The different forms of play
Some distracting play ‘traps’
The infinite versus the finite mindset
Practical applications of play you can do today
Quote
“Play is an advantage.”
Helpful Links
Episode 90: Productivity & Play with Dr. Kirsten Milliken
‘Playdhd’ by Dr. Kirsten Milliken
‘Finite and Infinite Games’ by James Carse
‘The Infinite Game’ by Simon Sinek
‘Unmistakable’ by Sriniva Rao
‘SuperBetter’ by Jane McGonigal
The BIG Ready
World Domination Summit
BreakthroughPlay.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
37 min
March 31, 2021 Collaborating with Nature with Darren Virassammy
Podcast host and entrepreneur Darren Virassammy shares how connecting with nature will cultivate your excellence.
Collaborating with nature has been a catalyst for the success of Darren Virassammy. He’s the Co-Founder of 34 Strong, an organization which provides expert team development resources and leadership coaching. He’s also the host of the Nature Advantage Podcast, where he interviews living legends to explore how they collaborate with nature to cultivate excellence in their work, life and organizations.
It’s undeniable that pausing and being in nature helps boost our productivity, creativity and ability to problem solve better. Darren is a real opportunist and I loved hearing how nature has really impacted his life. We deep dive into the impact of walking meetings, simple exercises to be more present with nature, some insights from his podcast – and how to pronounce his last name.
Talking Points
The essence of his new podcast The Nature Advantage
Being in ‘attunement’ with nature
How to start your collaboration with nature today
What a maple tree can teach us
Journaling with your eyes closed
Quote
“What can you do with what you have?”
Helpful Links
Leading Strong Podcast
The Nature Advantage Podcast
‘How to Live a Good Life’ by Jonathan Fields
‘The Art of Noticing’ by Rob Walker
Episode 243: The Art of Noticing with Rob Walker
‘Fix This Next’ by Mike Michalowicz
‘The Pumpkin Plan’ by Mike Michalowicz
Episode 166: Standing Up with Rob Jacobs
Minimum Time Dose in Nature to Positively Impact the Mental Health of College-Aged Students, and How to Measure It: A Scoping Review
DarrenVirassammy.com
34strong.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 min
March 24, 2021 Meaningful Online Connections with Misha Glouberman
Misha Glouberman, communication expert, teaches you how to build meaningful online connections without the Zoom fatigue.
Misha Glouberman helps people communicate better. He teaches communication skills, runs meetings and conferences for organizations, hosts live events, and speaks at conferences. He is the author, with Sheila Heti, of the book ‘The Chairs Are Where the People Go’ – which the New Yorker named as one of its top nonfiction books of 2011. He relays everything he knows about communication, conferences, relationships, making friends, monogamy, playing charades and more.
10 years on from writing the book, I catch up with Misha to find out what has been going on in his life. In this episode, we discuss what 99% of conferences aren’t doing, how to make meaningful online connections and the social and technological design considerations for good online networking.
Talking Points
Misha’s focus on building connections during the pandemic
Dissecting the problem with remote events
Why so many conferences fail to deliver a true experience
Lessons from improv
Innovation from uncertainty
The power of vulnerability and reconsidering your social networks
Quote
“There are things that are really important to us as humans, so why do we make them hard to say?”
Helpful Links
‘The Chairs Are Where the People Go’ by Misha Glouberman
Steven Pressfield
World Domination Summit
Episode 227: Why You Need Atomic Habits with James Clear
The BIG Ready
MishaGlouberman.com
Misha’s Twitter
Misha’s LinkedIn
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
43 min
March 17, 2021 Writing at Middle School with Kristina Naydonova
I catch up with the very thoughtful 13-year-old novelist Kristina Naydonova to learn how to carve out our own paths.
Kristina Naydonova is hands down the youngest guest I’ve had on the show. Aged 13, she’s already published a novel, The Black Sisterhood Files, and writes for Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global. She’s also a Sunday Times bestselling mystery author, regular podcast speaker, and occasional contributor for Buzzfeed-Books – all while she’s at middle school.
I’ve always had a passion for reading and writing from a young age, so it was great to connect with this kindred spirit and fellow night owl. Join our conversation as we explore bullet journaling, handling peer pressure, and how she’s achieved so much success from such a young age.
Talking Points
Setting time aside to write whilst still being a kid
Handling peer pressure
Simple ways to practice mindfulness
Navigating social media and leveraging its strengths
Mastering TikTok
Kristina’s daily routines that balance her education and writing
Kristina’s long-term to-do lists
Her favorite book genres
Seeking inspiration from the likes of Stephen King and Greta Thunberg
Quote
“Take time to experiment and figure out what you really want in life.”
Helpful Links
Thrive Global
‘The Black Sisterhood Files’ by Kristina Naydonova
5 Easy Ways to Implement Mindfulness Into Your Daily Life
Kristina’s Twitter
Kristina’s Instagram
#bookstagram
Episode 213: The Bullet Journal Method with Ryder Carroll
Kristina.co
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
36 min

About A Productive Conversation

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by productivity strategist Mike Vardy, A Productive Conversation offers insightful discussions on how to craft a life that aligns with your intentions. Each episode dives into the art of time devotion, productiveness, and refining your approach to daily living. Mike invites guests who are thinkers, doers, and creators to share their strategies for working smarter and living more intentionally. From practical tips to deep dives on mindset shifts, this podcast will help you reframe your relationship with time and find balance in a busy world.