Getting Work To Work

A friend texted me a few weeks ago with a question: “What’s your updated story?” Intrigued by the question, I asked what they meant by updated story. “You’ve made some big choices this year! I was wondering if it has influenced your story?” I have been pondering these questions for a few weeks now, what is my updated story? In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I share the answers to that question as found in the changes I have made and the lessons I learned this summer.

Keith Lay is a designer, educator and business consultant in Portland, OR. In this episode of Getting Work To Work we talk about how creativity and technology has changed throughout his career, the importance of understanding business principles, why differentiation is critical, and what the Portland area will be known for in the future.

A friend reached out this week with a podcast topic: how do I go about finishing my work? As a creative professional, I get an idea, I start pursuing the idea, developing it to a certain point until I eventually put it on the metaphorical shelf, only to forget it in favor of a new idea. For the most part, this is the challenge: the shiny pursuit of the new. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I share 8 barriers that prevent me from finishing my work and ultimately answer my friend's question—how do I go about finishing my work?—with another question: what do I need to do next?

Jala Smith-Huys is a freelance social media strategist and textile designer for Seek & Swoon, designing throws inspired by her experiences traveling the world. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, we talk about overcoming fear to launch new ideas, how travel inspires her creativity, and the importance of communicating your story.

This weekend, I went to Rose City Comic Con in Portland and while filming cosplayers, artists, businesses, and people, I noticed some tactics that people were using to stand out in a crowd. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I share 10 ways that you can stand out in a crowd, either online or in person.

Nathan Clendenin is the founder and CEO of StoryDriven, an Emmy Award winning team of people who make human-centered marketing videos. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, we talk about story, how our brains are wired for story, the importance of serving others, the role of story mentors in his business, and the importance of putting out work you want to do.

One of the books I have been enjoying this summer is Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. It is a scientific exploration of why rest is important, both in the establishing and sustaining of our creative lives. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I talk about recovery, rest, and share eight ways you can refuel your creative life.

Win Charles is an author, podcaster, and motivational speaker who was born with Cerebral Palsy. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, we talk about all of the things she has done in spite of her disability, how she thinks differently about limitations and setbacks, maximizing creativity, and who she wishes she could interview on her podcast, Butterflies of Wisdom.

“People are inspiring me every day and I’m inspiring the disabled every day. I’m also educating the able-bodied about the disabled.” — Win Charles

Listeners of Getting Work To Work will know that this summer has been a tough one for me. But recently, things have begun to shift and I have been thinking more about joy. You heard me right, joy. Merriam-Webster defines joy as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I share 10 areas of finding joy in your work from embracing where you are at with skills and abilities to joy in future possibilities.

Justin Kerr is a designer for both print and web and helps his customers solve problems with design. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, we talk about his journey from starting out in design to where he is at today, the importance of listening and good writing in his design process, how he approaches learning new things, and why he loves yard sales and flea markets. 

“Often times when a client says, ‘well, I want to see your portfolio,’ what they are looking for is the exact solution that they have a problem to.” — Justin Kerr