Getting Work To Work

Have you ever felt the desire to write a book, started writing, only to give up for some reason? Chances are, you are like most people. Fortunately, there is a way to get a book out of your head and into the world. Chandler Bolt of Self-Publishing School is today's guest on Getting Work To Work and he is here to share a few of the methods he uses to write books and create business revenue with them. In this conversation, he introduces the MORE Writing Method, why writing is a short-term sacrifice to develop a long-term asset, and why you don't need to worry about imposter syndrome. He also explains how he prioritizes his work to get a lot done.

As creatives, there is always something new to learn, and occasionally learning opportunities can be found in unexpected places. Michael e. Stern is a commercial photographer, educator, and fine art photographer who is here to share a recent experience engaging with an email scammer. There is so much to learn about clear communication, negotiation strategy, and paying attention to the fine details from this exchange between Michael and the scammer. We also talk about his transition from commercial photography to fine art photography, including websites, identity, and mindset.

Today's guest on Getting Work To Work is Tim Tortora, an ex-movie-producer and outsource CFO for producers in Hollywood who has poured his wisdom of a 30-year career into a book, How To Make It In Hollywood: What Writers, Directors, Actors, Producers, and Crew Need To Do To Break In. In this conversation, Tim explains what goes into the production process and how it's like catching lightning in a bottle. He also shares how to make a career in Hollywood, avoiding "The Hollywood Con Men," and how technology is changing the industry. Whether you want to land your dream job in Hollywood or run a thriving creative business closer to home, you need to hear what Tim says.

Do you have a life-first business, or do you let your business rule your life? Ashley Gartland is a business coach obsessed with time freedom and space for the things that matter most—for herself and her clients. In this conversation, we explore her subtractive, life-first approach to business, how to do less but better, and the role of experimentation in making changes. We dive deep into permission, beliefs, assumptions, and the stories we tell ourselves. If you are a business owner struggling with burnout or needing to find a better way to run your business, Ashley's wisdom can help you find a path forward toward success and enough.

Back on the show to talk about his latest production with BeernutsProductions.com is a long-time friend of the show, gough, from Australia. In this conversation, gough shares stories about all the vignettes, insights, and stereotypes that went into making The Education System. In typical gough fashion, he provides numerous lessons in marketing, brand naming conventions, and handling criticism. Not to mention how to pay better attention during interviews. For filmmakers, he also illuminates deeper insights into his writing style and how he manages his film productions.

I love routines. I used to get up early, read for several hours, write and gather my thoughts for years. Then two weeks ago, my established and well-worn routine crumbled to pieces as my wife and I welcomed a new member into our family: Cosmo, The Wonder Pug. He doesn’t care about my need to read and write. He wants to eat, poop, play, and sleep. Quickly we learned that puppies need structure. As we planned his days, I realized just how much my routine required a reset. It had become a disgusting pile of day-old poutine leftovers.

Last week, several friends got together to talk about success and career development. I was invited to participate but couldn't attend due to an appointment, but I've been thinking about the question, "What is success to me?" since then. I didn't feel I had much to offer at the moment. Perhaps it's because I don't have traditional notions of success anymore. Maybe it's just that I don't feel successful or even deserve success. But I think it's more that I have outdated definitions of success. In today's monologue episode of Getting Work To Work, I'm going to share a few thoughts, stories, and ideas about what success is to me today versus 25 years ago when I was starting my career.

What does leadership mean to you? Today's guest on Getting Work To Work answers that question by focusing our attention on the intensely personal journey of leadership instead of gimmicks, tricks, and mimicking our heroes. Edward Tyson is the CEO of PerSynergy Consulting and author of From Expert to Executive: Mastering the SOPs of Leading. In this conversation, Ed shares the story behind the LeadershipSOPs: the "Standard Operating Procedures for Structuring, Operating, and Perfecting your Communities of Effort." He also talks about his love of patterns and people puzzles, where insights for leadership come from, and what it means to run people-centered businesses.

Not a day goes by lately where I'm not thinking about reinventing myself and the work I do. I find myself working more with my hands, which lead me to reach out to Gary Rogowski and invite him back on the show for another conversation about craft, failure, practice, process, and constant improvement. Gary is a furniture maker, writer, and teacher. In this conversation, he shares how he reinvented his work over the past year, along with his curiosity for geometry, storytelling, and bird watching. He also has a lot to say about problem-solving, the secret to focusing, finding success with the small things, and how teaching truly impacts a craftsperson.

What comes to mind when you hear the word happiness? Would you be surprised to learn that there are 31 types of happiness? Pamela Gail Johnson is today's guest on Getting Work To Work and shares her passion for all things happiness. From her early days of wondering where all the happy people were and forming the Society of Happy People to the four principles she writes about in Practical Happiness, Pamela's work will hopefully broaden your understanding of what being happy means to you. She also describes what happiness zappers are, the impact of happiness in the workplace, and the three happiness holidays recognized worldwide.