GoalChat

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling discusses graphic novels with Ben Berkowitz, co-writer of The Writer, along with his brother, Max, and actor Josh Gad, and cartoonist Chari Pere of the "Unspoken" Cartoonmentary series, among others. According to them, a graphic novel is a book-length work, where you explore themes and stories (Ben) through images and imagery (Chari). It's a quick clean, detailed way to tell a story.

Ben and Chari talk about the process of creating a graphic novel, what and who inspires them, their dream projects, and more.

Getting Started

- Ben: Find the spark that makes you want to run with it

- Chari: Be ready to run with it. Some projects are "not yet

- Chari: You have an idea, look at other books in that genre, make a summary, turn it into beats, sketch thumbnails, get more and more detailed

- Ben: If you are not doing the art, you need to build the team. (The Writer is illustrated by Marvel and DC Comics legend Ariel Olivetti, whom the Berkowitz Brothers pitched via Instagram DM.)

Goals

- Chari: If you are struggling with an idea, take a noun and an action, and tell a story with that

- Ben: Finish something

Final Thoughts

- Ben: Lean into the spark

- Chari: Give yourself permission to do what you want to do to get your ideas out there

Learn More About

Ben Berkowitz: NotaBillionaire.com

Char Pere: ChariPere.com

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Marcia Macomber, Kandas Rodarte, and Chris Stone about having fun with tech. Marcia Macomber is a radio host and website/graphic designer, Cornucopia Creations; Kandas Rodarte is an accountability coach and host of the Gratitude Geek Podcast; and Chris Stone, who co-hosts Dealcasters Live with Jim Fuhs, and is chief content entrepreneur, Cast Ahead.

The panel talks about their love of tech, along with tools and tips for graphics programs, podcasting, AI, and more. Like any good system, techology works best when you explore different apps and tools, see which ones fit your needs/work for you, and implement them to the best of your ability.

Why They Love Tech

- Chris: It solves problems for me and the people I work with

- Marcia: It connects us remotely and makes us more productive

- Kandas: You can be adventurous without leaving the house

Goals

- Marcia: Try a new program, app, or service; search online for the solution you need, and see what's out there to test out

- Kandas: There are 122,000 podcasts that do interviews; everyone is an expert at something. Make it a goal to be a guest on someone's show

- Chris: Realize that AI content is just a starting point; when you use it, find ways to make it your own, and be sure it is in your voice and is accurate

Learn More About

Marcia Macomber: CornucopiaCreations.com

Kandas Rodarte: KandasRodarte.com

Chris Stone: CastAhead.net

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling talks about Social Media with grandfluencer Kristen Coffield, Active Grandparenting; octogenarian TikTok star Annie Korzen, author of The Book of Annie; and the anti-caterer/author Chef Rossi, The Raging Skillet. Kristen,

Annie, and Rossi have all used the power of social media to share their voice and uplift/help others. They talk about authenticity, the value of social media, and more.

How to Make Social Media Social

Annie: Share simple pleasures, like enjoying food

Kristen: Confidently step into your messaging, relatability

Rossi: Set boundaries for self-care: stop using social media a few hours before bedtime, so you sleep better and are at your best

Goals

Kristen: Be consistent with your messaging and posting

Annie: Wear bright colors, keep it short, "have you ever had this happen to you?"

Rossi: Make people feel better via social media

Learn More About

Kristen Coffield: ActiveGrandparenting.com

Annie Korzen: AnnieKorzen.com

Chef Rossi: TheRagingSkillet.com

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling talks about Sustainability with eco-conscious founders Noah Bleich, The TeaBook (he calls it "Sustainabili-tea"), chocolate educator Ruth Kennison of The Chocolate Project and Rick Nahmias, Food Forward Inc., which recovers surplus produce and distributes it to agencies who feed the hungry. While the panel agrees sustainability can refer to many things, as it is Earth Month, the focus refers to environmental concerns.

What is Sustainability?

- Rick: A mindset that leads to an action, it's how we lead our lives in relation to resources (Deb: "Sounds like entitlement is the opposite of sustainability"

- Noah: Look at the word: sustain is a timeframe; ability refers to whether we can do it

- Ruth: A question for others: what do you say it means?

How to Be More Conscious Regarding Food Waste

- Rick: Prevent food waste; clear your plate, give away excess food, take home leftovers

- Noah: Remember, the "best by" date is a suggestion, formula is the only thing that has an expiration date

- Ruth: For chocolate, get to know the makers and educate yourself

Goals

- Rick: Share a food you love with somebody

- Ruth: Create themed dinners. Host a meal where everyone brings something they never tried before

- Noah: Enjoy your food!

Read the full recap and get the links discussed: https://thedebmethod.com/sustainability-noah-bleich-ruth-kennison-rick-nahmias

Learn More About:

Noah Bleich: TheTeaBook.com

Ruth Kennison: Chocolate-project.org

Rick Nahmias: FoodForward.org

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling celebrates the quarter year with Stacia Crawford of Stay Ready Media and community builder Keith Spiro. Stacia and Keith are both featured in Deb's latest book, "52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting."

The panel shared some of their wins so far for 2025, along with upcoming goals. Stacia spent some time talking about achiving media goals, while Keith, who was one of my guests for the March Mixer, gave his take on that topic: creative outlets.

Mid-Year Goals 

- Keith: Complete new website - KeithSpiro.com - and watch the old sites that house his work fade out

- Stacia: Systematize framework and documenting her process; hire a new assistant

Gifted Goals

- Keith: Take 2 minutes to write out 3 or more key tasks to work toward your big goals

- Keith: For the next 2 minutes, make a list of people to reach out to/touch base with

- Stacia: Take inventory of the story ideas you can pitch to a media outlet - make a running list

- Stacia: Also keep a running list of the nice things people say about you

- Deb: Make a joy list. Create calendar appointments to make it easy to track wins, pitch ideas, and those nice things

Read the full recap and get the links discussed: https://thedebmethod.com/quarter-year-2025-stacia-crawford-keith-spiro

Learn More About:

Stacia Crawford: StayReadyMedia.com

Keith Spiro: KeithSpiro.com

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling talks about Branding with Ivonne Ribeiro, iBrandStrategist; Stan Robinson, Jr., Social Sales Link; and Troy Sandidge, Strategy Hackers®. The panelists share their takes on what branding is - Ivonne: Your reputation; Troy: proximity, positioning, power; Stan: What people say about you when you are not in the room - and what their brands are. They also give recommendations for starting or refreshing your brand, branding goals, and more.

Goals 

- Ivonne: Speak to your ideal clients, ask them what they think of you and your brand

- Stan: Block time to think about your why - and who are you going to help

- Troy: Disqualify to quantify. Take a social media detox from posting. Ask yourself what success would look like. Then, research. Consume and observe. Embody it. Reverse engineer it back to yourself

Final Thoughts

- Stan: Make a decision and follow through

- Ivonne: Bridge the gap between strategy and creative

- Troy: Don't get lost in the details, figure out the experience

Learn More About

Ivonne Ribeiro: iBrandStrategist.com

Stan Robinson, Jr.: askssl.ai

Troy SandidgeL FindTroy.com

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling talks about empowerment in honor of Women's History Month. Her guests: Karen Wang Diggs, author of "The Book of Awesome Asian Women," among others: Joanna Dutra, Motivator-in-Chief, The Creative Confidant; and Dayna Steele, author, entrepreneur, activist, and so many other things.

A huge part of empowerment is knowing who you are and what you want, and being able to articulate it! The panel shared their definitions of empowerment, along with ways to empower yourself and others. They also talked about the words that they believe define them.

Define Empowerment

- Dayna: Owning your story and your projects; taking control of your destiny and your vision

- Joanna: It's wrapped up with confidence; betting on yourself

- Karen: The confidence and self-awareness for activism on behalf of community and future generations, and that address current situations

Goals 

- Karen: Spend more time in silence - a minute at a time - and go slow

- Joanna: Find a piece of music that is your theme song. See what ideas come from listening to that; you can also attach songs to your past

- Dayna: Be able to articulate your dream job: job, company, location, and why

Final Thoughts

- Karen: Never fear how powerful, beautiful and creative you can be

- Joanna: Be what you want, when you want, wherever you are

- Dayna: There is no such thing as failure, only things that didn't work

Learn More About:

Karen Wang Diggs: HerStoryinHistory.com

Joanna Dutra: TheCreativeConfidant.com

Dayna Steele: DaynaSteele.com

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling discusses podcasting with Erik Fisher and Jürgen Strauss. Erik hosts Beyond the To Do List and Jürgen hosts the InovaBuzz podcast; Debra hosts Tastes Buds with Deb, as well as GoalChat. Podcasting is a gateway to conversations, relationship development, and information.

The three talk about the value and benefits of podcasting, ways to make podcasting easier, tools and apps, and more.

Goals

- Erik: Listeners, leave a review of a podcast and send a note thanking them for their show

- Jürgen: After you've been on or hosted a show, ask for feedback from your guest/host

- Deb: Make a list: If you want to host, what's stopping you? If you do host, what's one thing you can do to enhance what you are already doing?

- Bonus Goal: Pitch yourself as a podcast guest

Final Thoughts

- Jürgen: If you are interested in podcasting, give it a go. Remember to focus on sharing value

- Erik: If you enjoyed this, check out my conversation with Deb on Beyond the ToDo List

Learn more about:

Erik Fisher: BeyondtheToDoList.com 

Jürgen Strauss: Innovabiz.com.au

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling talks about community with Mike Brennan, Creative Chats; Jessie-Sierra Ross, Straight to the Hips, Baby; and David Shriner-Cahn, Smashing the Plateau. You can't reach your goals on your own; you need like-minds, supporters, and resources. Mike, Jessie-Sierra, and David share their experiences creating - as well as finding - communities, advice for making the most out of those experiences, and more.

What is Community?

- David: Being in a place with like minded people where you feel like you belong

- Mike: There is a reciprocal quality; everyone rooting for each other

- Jessie-Sierra: It's something you opt into, rather than something you are born into

Goals

- Jessie-Sierra: Find a volunteer opportunity

- David: Visit a community where you think you can make an impact

- Mike: Start small

Final Thoughts

- David: Remember, when you share your gifts, the world prospers

- Mike: Clarity comes through action

- Jessie-Sierra: Ask yourself why not?

Learn More About

Mike Brennan: MikeBrennan.me

Jessie-Sierra Ross: StraighttotheHipsBaby.com

David Shriner-Cahn: SmashingthePlateau.com

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling discusses well-being with artist and synesthete Heather Eck; speaker, advocate, and founder of The Miracle Project Elaine Hall; and author, astrologer, and expert in dreams Dr. Michael Lennox. The panel, who also share advice and experience in Debra's 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting, talk about self-care, creativity, colors, cooking, and so much more.

Define Well-Being

- Michael: It's a state of being; it's triggerable

- Elaine: Listening to - and living from - the soul

- Heather: Finding the sense of peace in your life

Goals

- Michael: Set the alarm for an hour before sunrise and see how that time of day feels to you

- Heather: Look at the clothes you wore last week - what are the two most common colors - and think about how you felt wearing them; look up the colors online or email Heather and ask what they mean

- Elaine: Remind yourself how precious, unique, and extraordinary you are

- Bonus Goal: Prepare a meal

Final Thoughts

- Elaine: Honor your essential self and surround yourself with people who get and support for who you are and where you want to be in your life

- Heather: We are beautiful, radiant spirits. So when life feels hard, and you get stuck in that monkey mind, remember that you're here for a beautiful, wonderful purpose

- Michael: We are resilient!

Learn More About

Heather Eck: HeatherEck.com

Elaine Hall: Elaine-Hall.com

Michael Lennox: MichaelLennox.com

Debra Eckerling: TheDEBMethod.com/blog

52SecretsBook.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.