Books Collide Podcast

This is part two of my conversation with Andrew Schwab of Project 86.

In part one we discussed the literary inspirations behind one of my favourite albums, Truthless Heroes.

In this episode we got back together to discuss the three most recent Project 86 albums: Wait for the Siren, Knives to the Future, and Sheep Among Wolves.

We get into the themes of Andrew's lyrics, as well as some of the books that inspired them.

Andrew also explains what it has been like to write music without the original band members.

Listen to my interview on Andrew's Pioneers Podcast here:
Pioneers on Apple
Pioneers on Spotify

Listen to Project 86 on Spotify:
Project 86 on Spotify

Follow Andrew on Instagram here:
Andrew Schwab on Instagram

My Instagram:
@kail.letkemann

Andrew Schwab of Project 86 talks books, Truthless Heroes and more.

Project 86 has been my favourite band for nearly 20 years. I can trace much of my love of music, writing, and even reading back to the day I first heard their music. So I'm honoured now to have singer Andrew Schwab on the Books Collide Podcast.

In this episode (part one) we discuss the origins of Andrews love of fiction, the books that inspired him during the writing of Truthless Heroes, as well as the production of that controversial album and the public persona of Andrew during that era of the band.

Books discussed during this episode:

Dracula by Bram Stoker
Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien
It by Stephen King
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Bear v. Shark by Chris Bachelder
The Medium is the Massage by Marshall McLuhan
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
Dispatches from the Tenth Circle: The Best of The Onion
Get in the Van by Henry Rollins
Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital by Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

Listen to my interview on Andrew's Pioneers Podcast here:
Pioneers on Apple
Pioneers on Spotify

Listen to Project 86 on Spotify (check out Truthless Heroes, then check out the newer albums because they will be discussed in part two):
Project 86 on Spotify

Follow Andrew on Instagram here:
Andrew Schwab on Instagram

Stay tuned for part two!

My Instagram:
@kail.letkemann

In this episode I'm counting down my Top 10 favourite reads of 2020.

SPOILER ALERT - Here they are with each episode that the book was featured in:

10: The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Episode 13 (Collision)

9: Good to Great by Jim Collins - Episode 6

8: Atomic Habits by James Clear - Episode 1

7: Onward by Howard Schultz - Episode 3

6: The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb - Episode 7

5: Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull - Episode 8

4: The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau - Episode 4

3: Brand New Name by Jeremy Miller - Episode 16 (Interview)

2: Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell - Episode 2

1: Cyrus the Great by Xenophon/Larry Hedrick - Episode 13

Thanks for listening and Happy New Year!

Mental health expert Dr. Bill Howatt explains how to go from living in fear to flourishing.

This is the full interview with  Bill where we talk about the concepts behind his book Stop Hiding and Start Living.

Visit Bill's website here:
Bill Howatt

Stop Hiding and Start Living was provided by Page Two Books. See more of the great books they're releasing here:
Page Two

Find me on Instagram here:
Instagram

If you feel trapped in fear, there is a way out!

In this episode, we're exploring Stop Hiding and Start Living by Dr. Bill Howatt.

Sometimes we experience so much stress, anxiety and fear, that we get caught in what Bill calls the Fear Trap.

Bill created the FIT model that he uses to help people get their mental health back in shape. The FIT model covers five Fs that we explore in this episode:

• Fear
• Failure
• Focus
• Finishing
• Flourishing

The Collision book for this episode is When All You Have Is Hope by Frank O'Dea.

The full interview with Bill will be available very soon.

Visit Dr. Bill Howatt's website here:
Bill Howatt

Find me on Instagram here:
Kail Letkemann

Let me know your thoughts on this episode!

If you want to be an influencer, you need a healthy mindset.

In this episode, we're exploring From Individual to Empire by Laura Bull.

This is a book about building a brand.  The part that I cover in the episode is called The 5 P's of Successful Influencers:

• Passion
• Perseverance
• Purpose
• Positivity
• Power

The collision book for this episode is The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor, which might be familiar from episode 9!

You can find Laura Bull on Instagram here:
@thelaurabull

Find me here:
@kail.letkemann

Let me know what you took away from this episode!

Do you want to turn your passion into a business?

In this episode we're exploring Crush It and Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuk!

I have to admit that Gary Vee has been influential to me for a number of years now.  His content has helped me make sense of my path in life.  So it's been great to catch up on his books.

Gary's strategy for "living your passion" comes down to creating content, building an audience, and monetizing the attention on your brand.

In this episode, I cover three key aspects that one must keep in mind when building a personal brand:

• DNA
• Hustle
• Patience

DM me on Instagram and let me know what you took away from this episode!
@kail.letkemann

If nature became music, what would it sound like?

In this episode, I took a story from Jeff Beyl's A Conversation with the Earth, and brought it to life with sounds and music.  Try to listen to this one on headphones for the full effect!

Click here to check out A Conversation with the Earth by Jeff Beyl:
A Conversation with the Earth

Find me on Instagram for more reviews and takeaways from this book and many others:
Instagram

Hope you enjoy!

Jeremy Miller, president of Sticky Branding, helps me shape the brand of my new production company, and guides me through the process of picking a brand new name.

In this epic episode, Jeremy and I discuss his two books - Sticky Branding and Brand New Name.  The best part is that he coaches me through the process of developing my brand and coming up with a new name for my next company.  This is like listening in on a personal coaching session, with a ton of valuable information.

The interview is split into three sections.  First, we talk about Sticky Branding.  Next, we talk about Brand New Name, and Jeremy gets me ready to go on a "naming sprint."  In the last section, we reconvene, and I reveal the name of my new company.

*Note: My mic wasn't working properly in the first part of our interview.  Please bear with the sound - Jeremy's part is more important anyway!

Visit Jeremy here:
Sticky Branding
Crisis Marketing E-Book
Instagram

Let me know what you took away from this episode!
Instagram
Email

Enjoy!

Can you get customers excited to buy from your brand?  This episode covers Sticky Branding by Jeremy Miller.

I was fortunate to have Jeremy from Sticky Branding join me for a fantastic interview - that episode will be coming up next.  You'll hear snippets from Jeremy throughout this episode.

In his book, Jeremy explains 12.5 principles for creating a sticky brand that stands out and attracts customers.  This episode covers my favourite points.

Zaltman's Deep Metaphors

The Collision book for this episode is Be Obsessed or Be Average by Grant Cardone.

Let me know your thoughts!
@kail.letkemann