Was It Chance? cover art

Was It Chance?

Was It Chance?

By: Alan Seales Heather Vickery & Broadway Podcast Network
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 People talk about manifestation as a thing that you can just think into existence. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. When it comes to making your creative dreams come true, what really matters is putting yourself in a position to thoughtfully and intelligently take advantage of the opportunities presented to you. And sometimes these opportunities show up in very unexpected ways. We’re Heather Vickery and Alan Seales, two perfect strangers who met by chance and embraced opportunity! Listen in as we chat with other successful people about the risks they took, and continue taking, to put themselves on a path to creative success. WAS IT CHANCE? The podcast about embracing opportunity and taking intentional risks for your creative life.Alan Seales, Heather Vickery & Broadway Podcast Network Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • #106 - Troy Horne: Why Midlife Is the Best Time to Chase the Dream

    #106 - Troy Horne: Why Midlife Is the Best Time to Chase the Dream
    Feb 10 2026
    Heather Vickery and Alan Seales sit down with Troy Horne, a multi-hyphenate creative whose career spans music, Broadway, television, entrepreneurship, and authorship. The conversation explores what it really means to take intentional risks—especially in midlife—and how clarity, courage, and self-trust compound over time. Troy shares how his creative journey began with a childhood performance in church that revealed both his talent and his appetite for risk. From there, he followed a path shaped by persistence rather than certainty, navigating choir, talent shows, and eventually national television on Star Search. That experience became an early lesson in how the entertainment industry actually works—where talent matters, but timing, narrative, and business needs often matter just as much. The discussion traces Troy’s decision to move to Los Angeles with limited resources, highlighting the importance of “networking sideways” rather than chasing gatekeepers. Troy recounts his time working alongside peers who would later become industry leaders, including Octavia Spencer, and how those early peer relationships proved more valuable than traditional ladder-climbing. A pivotal moment in the episode is Troy’s Broadway story. While auditioning for Rent, he turned down a touring role because it conflicted with his personal values and family priorities. That clarity led to an unexpected outcome: a Broadway role as Tom Collins. This moment anchors a central theme of the episode—knowing what you want, and being willing to say no, often creates space for the right yes. The episode culminates in a discussion of Troy’s latest book, Middle Management: How to Find Meaning, Clarity, and Success in the Second Half of Life. Troy outlines the mindset shifts required for midlife reinvention, including the necessity of quieting external noise, reconnecting with one’s internal voice, and recognizing that experience—not youth—is the true advantage of the second half of life. Throughout the episode, Troy reinforces the idea that reinvention is not about starting over, but about reapplying everything you already know with greater intention. Midlife, he argues, is not a closing chapter—it is often the moment when the best tools, clearest values, and boldest opportunities finally converge. Connect With Us: 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Follow Was It Chance? on your favorite podcast platform 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and more⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Visit Heather's Bookshop⁠⁠ Visit ⁠⁠The Reading Well⁠ EPISODE TAKEAWAYS Midlife is not a limitation but an advantage, because experience, resources, and clarity make it the best time to pursue meaningful dreams Intentional risk means saying no to opportunities that don’t align with your values, even when they look impressive from the outside Knowing what you want your life to feel like is more important than chasing titles, validation, or conventional success paths The entertainment industry, and life more broadly, rewards timing, fit, and narrative as much as raw talent Networking sideways with peers on a similar journey often leads to deeper, longer-lasting opportunities than chasing gatekeepers Building community before selling anything creates trust, momentum, and sustainable success Reinvention is not about starting over but about reusing what you already know with greater intention and confidence Clarity comes from turning down external noise long enough to hear your own internal voice. Fear never fully disappears, even for highly successful people, but it does not have to dictate your choices The greatest regret is not failure, but never giving yourself permission to live the life you truly wanted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • #105 - Paul Pape: Santa for Nerds, Making the Things That Don’t Exist Yet

    #105 - Paul Pape: Santa for Nerds, Making the Things That Don’t Exist Yet
    Jan 20 2026
    What if saying “yes” before you know how is the real creative superpower? In this episode of Was It Chance, Heather Vickery and Alan Seales sit down with Paul Pape—creative problem navigator, TEDx speaker, author, and the man affectionately known as “Santa for Nerds.” From a studio in Nebraska, Paul has built custom props, collectibles, and prototypes for Disney, Universal, Nickelodeon, Broadway, and The Tonight Show, becoming the go-to person when clients need something that doesn’t exist yet. Paul shares how a theater background, relentless curiosity, and a bend-don’t-break mindset led him from being told he’d never act again to designing iconic objects for film, television, and live entertainment. Along the way, he breaks down how creatives can build sustainable businesses without sacrificing their artistic soul—by charging for labor, reframing pricing, and even gamifying business strategy. This conversation is a masterclass in intentional risk, creative problem solving, and why the “starving artist” narrative deserves to be retired for good. Connect With Us: 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Follow Was It Chance? on your favorite podcast platform 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and more⁠⁠ ⁠Visit Heather's Bookshop⁠ Visit ⁠The Reading Well EPISODE TAKEAWAYS: Creative success often comes from saying yes before you know how, then trusting yourself to figure it out along the way. Efficiency and experience increase your value, not decrease it, and your pricing should reflect that growth over time. Charging too little attracts the wrong clients and limits sustainability, while pricing appropriately creates commitment and respect. Failure is not a stopping point but a critical step that teaches faster and deeper than success ever can. A background in one creative discipline can unlock opportunities in entirely different industries if you stay curious and adaptable. Gamifying business concepts can make strategy, pricing, and structure more accessible for creative thinkers. Creative work has real labor value and must include compensation for time, skill, and years of experience. Building a sustainable creative business requires surrounding yourself with people who complement your weaknesses, not mirror your strengths. The myth of the starving artist persists only when creatives undervalue their work and avoid business fundamentals ntentional risk, combined with passion and problem solving, can turn unconventional paths into long-term creative careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    58 mins
  • #104 - 2025 End of Year Reflection

    #104 - 2025 End of Year Reflection
    Dec 31 2025
    In this special year-end wrap-up episode, hosts Heather Vickery and Alan Seales kick 2025 out the door the only way they know how: with candid reflection, sharp banter, and a deep appreciation for creative risk. From standout guests and unforgettable conversations to personal highs, hard-won lessons, and the realities of building meaningful work in the middle of busy, complicated lives, Heather and Alan look back on what made this year weird, wonderful, and unexpectedly transformative. They revisit favorite moments from the show, reflect on growth both on and off the mic, unpack what it means to stay curious in a fast-moving creative landscape, and share what they’re carrying forward into 2026. It’s less a recap and more an honest conversation about momentum, friendship, resilience, and why saying yes to opportunity still matters—especially when you’re tired, unsure, or figuring it out in real time. Consider this an inside look at the conversations behind the podcast, the lessons that stuck, and the intentions shaping what comes next. Connect With Us: 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Follow Was It Chance? on your favorite podcast platform 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and more⁠⁠ Visit Heather's Bookshop Visit The Reading Well Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 mins
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