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My guest on this episode is Nancy K. Napier, who is Distinguished Professor Emerita at Boise State University. She has published widely on organizational creativity, innovation, and emerging economies over the years, with a special focus on Vietnam. In the last few years, she has received two of Vietnam’s top honors for foreigners, the Medal of Honor, for contributing to the advancement of education in the country, and the Medal of Friendship, for helping to build relationships between the U.S. and Vietnam. She’s now writing novels, and experiencing the joys and challenges of being a beginner again. 

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My guest on this episode is John Gibbs, who’s a retired lecturer in cultural studies and US politics, as well as a podcaster on philosophy and popular culture. He and his fellow members of the Spinoza Triad like to use philosophy to understand contemporary culture. John also created and maintains the Politics Shed site, and hosts a Friday morning slot on Teachers Talk Radio. And to top it all off, he’s performed standup comedy, focusing on surreal storytelling.

Note: view this episode also on the Writing & Editing YouTube channel.

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This episode is a continuation of the conversation I had in the previous episode with Lindsay McMahon. Lindsay is co-host of the wildly popular All Ears English. It’s an English as a Second Language podcast aimed at intermediate to advanced English speakers who are also professionals, university students, or ESL teachers. They teach listeners how to use everyday English vocabulary, and carry on regular conversations on the widest variety of topics. Lindsay and her co-host have been podcasting since 2013, and have made All Ears English into a huge success: 100,000 downloads per episode, four times a week. The podcast has won numerous awards. We had a great conversation, which ended just as she was getting into the details of monetization. And these are details you don’t want to miss. Please listen.

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My guest for this episode is Lindsay McMahon, who is co-host of the wildly popular All Ears English. It’s an English as a Second Language podcast aimed at intermediate to advanced English speakers who are also professionals, university students, or ESL teachers. They teach listeners how to use everyday English vocabulary, and carry on regular conversations on the widest variety of topics. Lindsay and her co-host have been podcasting since 2013, and have made All Ears English into a huge success: 100,000 downloads per episode, four times a week. If you are a podcaster, as I am obviously, you’ll know that this is really exceptional. The podcast has won numerous awards. I had a great conversation with her: she knows what she’s talking about, and I learned a lot even during our chat. You will too: please listen.

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Wayne talks about his participation in the contest, especially as part of a group of friends including Mel and Martin, who also provide thoughts on their history, strategy, and general experience with it as well.

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My guest on this episode is Hillary Webb. She has a background touching on very diverse aspects of life and living. Her bachelor’s degree is in journalism from New York University, her masters is in philosophy from Goddard College, and her doctorate is in existential psychology from Saybrook University. Hillary now teaches at Goddard and is a cultural anthropologist. She also writes books (four so far) and studies, as she puts it, “cross-cultural perspectives on human consciousness.” And so her latest book is called The Friendliest Place in the Universe: Love, Laughter, and Stand-Up Comedy in Berlin: An Anthropological Memoir. I found her really fascinating to talk to. She combines a deep knowledge of her subjects with a very clear, accessible, and personal way of expressing it in both writing and speaking. Please listen.  

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Wayne presents a 10-item admittedly non-comprehensive list.

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My guest on this episode is Miracle Sims. She’s a busy and creative person, but our discussion focused on religion generally, and on her podcast God, Sex, and Love. Miracle has published several books, including her very open memoir about single life as a Christian, The Cultivation Period: A Single Christian Journey. She has an associate’s degree in theatre from Gordon College, and in addition to being a writer, she is also an actor, singer, and songwriter. She was a genuine pleasure to talk to—smart, funny, and open—and we proved that a Christian and an atheist can in fact have a civilized conversation.

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My guest for this episode is Mark W. Travis, a film and video director, and author of the #1 bestselling book Directing Feature Films as well as The Film Director’s Bag of Tricks. People call him the “director’s director,” because he has trained and guided directors, writers, and actors on how to bring their stories and characters to life. His focus is always on storytelling and characters, and he's able to read each artist, re-aligning them with their unconscious creative intentions, and so elevating their stories and performances. I was kind of blown away by my conversation with Mark. He is extremely knowledgeable and insightful about his craft, and my interview itself turned out to be a mini-lesson in film for me. Please have a listen to this outstanding practitioner and teacher.

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My guest for this episode is Donnie Boivin. After serving in the Marine Corps, he he eventually landed his first sales job and has spent over 20 years learning what it takes to be successful in sales, business, and life. He is the Founder and CEO of the Success Champions family of companies, which among other things includes consulting, a podcast, and a magazine. Donnie was an excellent guest, straight-talking, genuine, and funny. What he says in his own profile came to life in my conversation with him: “Get ready to have your fire lit and start chasing your own dreams.”