Breaking Work

#498: We're about to dive into the remarkable journey of a man who's no stranger to carving his own unique path in the world of technology, entrepreneurship, and creativity.

But before we get started, I'd like to extend a warm 'thank you' to all our listeners for tuning in. Your support and enthusiasm mean the world to us, and it's what keeps 'The Break' going strong.

Now, let's talk about our guest today. His name is Tim Noetzel, and he's not your average entrepreneur. Tim's story is a testament to the power of following your passions, embracing creativity, and never shying away from change and self-discovery.

In our conversation today, we'll take a deep dive into Tim's fascinating journey. From his humble beginnings scooping ice cream at Baskin Robbins to founding and eventually selling a marketing company in the beer industry, Tim's story is one of resilience, determination, and a relentless pursuit of his passions.

We'll explore his early influences, including struggles with reading and writing that ultimately led him to discover his love for both coding and literature. It's a story of how seemingly unrelated interests can converge to shape a one-of-a-kind career.

But that's not all. Tim's journey also highlights the importance of taking a portfolio approach to your career. Whether it's exploring various industries in consulting or taking the plunge into entrepreneurship, Tim's willingness to adapt, learn, and grow has been instrumental in his success.

So, without further ado, let's jump into this engaging discussion with Tim Noetzel. Get ready to be inspired and gain valuable insights into freelancing, entrepreneurship, and much more. Stay with us as we embark on another exciting episode of The Break Podcast.

#497: Every single day I hear from people trapped in their current version of work-life. They WANT to make a change, but their overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem and don't know where to start "figuring it out."

So here are the 5 layers of making a work-life transformation, that nobody explains. #1 is where 90% of people need to start.

#496: A portfolio approach to your career is all about thriving in the uncertain future.

The truth is:

We don't know.

We don't know what's going to change in the outside world.

We don't know how we are going to change in our inside world.

A portfolio career is the antidote to uncertainty

#495: We've got an incredible guest in the house – a friend from the past who's has broken himself on purpose, and undergone an extraordinary journey of reinvention. But before we dive into this conversation, don't forget to hit that subscribe button and share our podcast with your friends and family. We've got a lot of inspiration coming your way.

Let me set the stage for you. Sean Sweeney and I go way back. We attended high school together, shared memories, and then life took us on separate paths. For over 25 years, we didn't cross paths, until one day, Sean's intriguing Twitter feed caught my eye. He'd reinvented himself multiple times, and that got me thinking. What led him down this transformative road?

Today, many know Sean as a successful real estate developer and Twitter influencer. More on that later. But we're not delving into real estate. No, today, we're talking about how he went from a 23-year-old actor to receptionist at 27 to becoming a big real estate developer with over $200M portfolio. I'll give you a hint as to how he did it – he overcame the same mental roadblocks and hurdles that can hold you back from realizing what your true purpose is.

You can check out more of what Sean is all about by following him on Twitter (@SeanDsweeney) and checking out his substack called The Bright Build. A weekly design-driven and community-focused newsletter mapping the moves and mindset that are crucial for both the seasoned and aspiring real estate developer.

I hope you enjoy this episode with Sean Sweeney.

#494: In this episode, I am sharing the tactics I implored to not only gain some separation, but carve out autonomous time to design my way out of corporate altogether.

If you want to change the trajectory of your career, you need to get some space first.

This is Pillar 1 in my ​Advantage Mapping Foundations​ course - Detach from work.

#493: How does a working mother of 4 go from climbing the ladder to EVP in the most competitive real estate market in the world, to saying, whoa I need a break, to then founding a corporate wellness company?

By tapping into a burning problem that she finally realized she had unique advantage to create.

Patrice Meagher, founded MilkMate a unique workplace service that solves the problem young mothers face when needing to breast pump at work.

She's a mother of four who deeply felt this problem and was uniquely positioned to solve it. She just needed to figure out how. Ultimately instead of accepting the status quo, she decided to be a catalyst for change, and thank God she did.

Because she was entrenched in a 15+ year career in the corporate world, she could have packed it in and lived the good life. But she forged ahead driven by the purpose of empowering working mothers in the workplace.

Patrice's journey is one of resilience, innovation, and unwavering dedication to the well-being of working mothers everywhere. Her creation, MilkMate, is a testament to her commitment to positive change in the workplace.

So, stay tuned, folks! In our conversation with Patrice, we'll delve deeper into her journey, the incredible work of MilkMate, and the impact it's making on the lives of working mothers and their employers. You won't want to miss this inspiring discussion.

492: Imposter syndrome. We all know it. I know it too well. In a nutshell, it's the (irrational) feeling that sets our own limits.

It tells us we don't belong. We're not worthy. Why start? There's someone else out there ahead of us. What's the use?

And we retreat to our nice little comfortable box. We stop trying to do heroic things. In this episode, we chat about how I broke 25 years of Imposter Syndrome.

#491: Dakota Robertson (@WrongstoWrite on Twitter) bet it all on himself and went from Dominos delivery driver to the internet's pre-eminent ghostwriter in under a year. He has an incredible story of transformation and resilience to share.

If you remember Dakota's name, it's probably because a previous guest, Taylin Simmonds, credits Dakota with single-handedly changing his life.

So now it's time to get the master's story.

He hails from Kelowna, Canada, a place that seems to have an uncanny knack for nurturing remarkable creators and innovators, as you'll soon discover.

Dakota grew up with drug addicted parents, and lost his mother to the addiction at a pivotal age. Despite his childhood, or maybe because of it, Dakota knew he was destined for greatness, but hadn't a clue where it would come from. Sound familiar?

One of Dakota's BREAK moments came on September 24th, 2020, a date that he's not only marked in his journal but has also proudly displayed on his Twitter banner. It was a pivotal moment in his life when he made a life-altering decision which we get into.

In just three short months, Dakota transitioned from a college student with a part-time job at Domino's Pizza to someone fully immersed in the world of entrepreneurship. He made a bold choice to leave college, quit his job, and start fresh on Twitter. This decision was fueled by a burning desire for something more, a fear of living an average life, and the realization that life was too short for regrets.

Dakota's journey is a testament to the power of resilience, self-belief, and the incredible transformations one can achieve when they are driven by purpose and a deep desire for change. In our conversation today, we'll explore his upbringing, the challenges he faced, and the pivotal moments that led him to where he is today.

We'll delve into the power of belief and how small wins can set the stage for significant life transformations. We'll also discuss the importance of self-awareness and the role that community and mentorship played in Dakota's journey.

So, without further ado, let's jump into this incredible conversation with my new friend with an old soul, Dakota Robertson.

#490: Kelli Thompson is a women's leadership coach and speaker who helps women advance to the rooms where decisions are made. She has coached and trained hundreds of women to trust themselves, lead with more confidence, and create a career they love. She is the founder of the Clarity & Confidence Women's Leadership Program, and a Stevie Award winner for Women in Business—Coach of the Year. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book, Closing The Confidence Gap: Boost Your Peace, Your Potential & Your Paycheck.

#489: When the richest man in the world tells you something, generally you should listen.

Warren Buffett is famous for talking about finding your own "Circle of Competence". I listened. Heck, my entire Advantage Mapping philosophy is based off this concept.

But, I realized after talking to many people struggling to find success, that CoC is incomplete, and that's where Warren and I have issues.