Episodes

  • Off On Tangents (GWTW783)

    Off On Tangents (GWTW783)
    Jun 5 2024
    One of the things I often hear while interviewing people is, "Oh, I'm sorry, I went off on a tangent." My common response is, "That's okay, tangents are interesting." Not only are tangents interesting, they are instructive and important. They teach us about how we learn, our curiosities, what motivates us to keep moving forward, and the very things that matter most to us. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I'm going to explore a few tangents in my own life from the first car I ever bought, to my latest creative curiosities and experiments.
    Show More Show Less
    7 mins
  • “Let There Be Art…and Rock!” with Luke Preece (GWTW782)

    “Let There Be Art…and Rock!” with Luke Preece (GWTW782)
    May 30 2024
    When I first saw Luke Preece's work on Instagram for Metallica's 30th anniversary of …And Justice For All, my mind was blown. Since then, I've followed his work seeing him continually produce stunning art for bands, video games, and movie studios. His bio says it best: "Luke Preece is a UK-based award winning Illustrator and Art Director. His work combines the visceral power of Heavy Metal iconography and the intricacy of 70s/80s science fiction, presented with a clear, compositionally-led design aesthetic." In our conversation, we talk about his drive and need to create, how nostalgia fuels his work, and his creative journey from art college to working with iconic bands. We also talk about how imposter syndrome is a good thing, the reality that success takes time, how he works from rough thumbnail to finished product, and finding inspiration from his clients.
    Show More Show Less
    Less than 1 minute
  • Don’t Fear Emptiness (GWTW781)

    Don’t Fear Emptiness (GWTW781)
    May 22 2024
    Ever since I started my creative journey, I feared being empty. Empty of ideas, thoughts, stories, projects, connections, business, ambition. What would become of me if no one wanted to work with me? Who would I be if I ran out of creative ideas? I associated emptiness with negative feelings: imposter syndrome, comparison, lack of self-worth, and low self-esteem. I didn't want to invite those feelings into my life, so I built processes, systems, goals, fail-safe methods, and a good old-fashioned work ethic to fight the onslaught of emptiness. I wanted nothing to do with it. Every time I felt its pull, I pushed harder, until I couldn't fight it any longer.
    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
  • “Films of Life & Legacy” with Eriksen Dickens (GWTW780)

    “Films of Life & Legacy” with Eriksen Dickens (GWTW780)
    May 15 2024
    If you were to produce a film about your life, what would it say about the choices you made, the people you surrounded yourself with, and the impact you had on the world? Eriksen Dickens is today's guest on the show, sharing his passion for storytelling and filmmaking in the form of legacy documentaries. Our conversation begins with his endless curiosity about big existential questions and how his schooling in philosophy and psychology translates to filmmaking. He talks about turning a childhood passion into a business, what it's like collaborating with his brother, the seven storytelling pillars, keeping creative juices flowing on long-term projects, leadership, and balancing a long-term vision with the needs of today. Regardless of where you find yourself in the creative world, Eriksen brings a depth of introspection and drive that you can learn from and bring into your life and work.
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • Code Words & Canaries (GWTW779)

    Code Words & Canaries (GWTW779)
    May 9 2024
    Some monologues I have a pretty solid idea from start to finish, but others need time and reflection to make sure I'm not just ranting and railing against some invisible force. Today's episode started with a few early morning rants that I captured in my notes app. As I went through the day, I realized I wanted to shape it into something else, but didn't know what. So, I just wrote. I fought the urge to apologize for expressing my feelings, ate dinner, then deleted the apology. I'm not sorry, so why pretend? Because I got comfortable using code words to let people know what I was feeling without really saying what was going on. But, it's time to let the code words go. I'll still change the names to protect the guilty, but that's just smart.
    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • “The Future is the Past” with Lee McColgan (GWTW778)

    “The Future is the Past” with Lee McColgan (GWTW778)
    May 5 2024
    What's the point of preserving old homes? Why do old homes matter? Two driving questions for today's interview with Lee McColgan, woodworker, restorer of old homes, and author of A House Restored: The Tragedies and Triumphs of Saving a New England Colonial. Lee shares his philosophy, how he thinks about old things, and many stories about his journey from finance to woodworking and home restoration. We talk about his fascination with how things are made by hand, the breadcrumbs of our work present throughout our lives, the creative drive and purpose of his work, the impermanence of all things, the eccentric personalities of people he's met over the years, why generalization is dangerous, and interesting things he's found hidden in the walls.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Prepared to Be Unprepared (GWTW777)

    Prepared to Be Unprepared (GWTW777)
    May 1 2024
    The simplest quotes are often the deepest and inspire endless reflection. In my conversation last week with Gregg Brown—entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author—he dropped a short sentence that stopped me in my tracks: "We have to be prepared to be unprepared." My mind filled up with questions. How does one prepare to be unprepared? Why can't we prepare for all possibilities before they happen? How does preparing for how we will respond to the unknown becoming known impact all areas of our lives and work? In this episode, I'm diving into this quote and my questions in greater detail and hopefully discover a healthier mindset when faced with change.
    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • “Change is the Future” with Gregg Brown (GWTW776)

    “Change is the Future” with Gregg Brown (GWTW776)
    Apr 26 2024
    How prepared are you for the future of your work? Maybe you are coasting on continual success, not worried about what's on the horizon. Perhaps you find yourself in a season of loss, feeling threatened by the rise of AI tools and frustrated with disruptive change. Regardless of where you are at in your professional journey, today's guest is on the show to teach us how to be change ready. Gregg Brown is an entrepreneur, speaker, and author of Spark Action: How to Lead Change That Matters. He helps "leaders and teams get ready for the future so they can tackle change head-on and get things done." In our conversation, he shares what getting future-ready in a rapidly changing world means. We also discuss the need for critical thinking and decision-making in the age of AI, how to bring our personality and brand of magic to our work, why it's crucial to shed our corporate skin, what change looks like in the middle of your career, and the importance of taking action and being explorers in everything we do.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min