Throwing Yourself Into The Creative Fire with Michael Yankoski | Episode 027

Converge Podcast is now located at GoBe Collective.
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Converge Podcast Episode 027

MichaelYankoski

Most creatives would agree that giving yourself to the creative process is vital to your success as a creative. It is vital to creating authentic work worth sharing with the world. And we all have our own version of that creative process.

Michael Yankoski’s creative process is unique in that it is highly experiential.

It could be said it is like throwing yourself into the creative fire. What has emerged for author and speaker, Michael Yankoski is thoughtful, authentic, moving work. The kind of work that shatters previously held presuppositions about the world.

Michael choose to spend five months living on the street in an effort to better understand what it is like to be homeless. The result of that experience was his book Under The Overpass.

His most recent experiential, creative endeavor resulted in his new book The Sacred Year that releases today (September 16, 2014). This book is the culmination of a year spent exploring ancient and modern spiritual practices in an effort to not just talk about a life of faith but actually experience it.

As Michael joins Dane in this episode of Converge they talk about his various life experiences and how his creativity is shaped by the power of those experiences. They also discuss the challenges of creating in the context of the creative community. In Michael’s case it was publishing a book and navigating the tension between working with a publisher and staying true to his creative vision as an artist.

If you enjoy this episode of Converge be sure to check out Michael’s work and even consider grabbing a copy of The Sacred Year. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter @michaelyankoski.

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today’s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

Everybody Writes With Ann Handley | Episode 026

Converge Podcast is now located at GoBe Collective.
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Converge Podcast Episode 026

AnnHandley

You are a writer.

Sure, you may not be a writer in the traditional sense as it relates to publishing books or articles for publication. Maybe you don’t even have a blog or website where you publish content. Maybe you do. Either way, writing is a core human technology. It’s something we all do on some level. It’s a necessity.

Ann Handley, author, speaker, curator, marketer, taste maker and generally awesome person, joins Dane in this episode of Converge. They talk about Ann’s journey from college, to publishing her latest book and many things in between.

They also get into ideas around writing and content marketing. Ann shares her thoughts about the myth that writing is only for the chosen few. They also talk about Ann’s new book Everybody Writes and it’s applications for both marketers in large companies and soloprenuers trying to reach their audiences.

If you want to find more of Ann’s work you can find her at annhandley.com, Marketing Profs and on Twitter @annhandley or @marketingprofs. Also, if you’re in Boston in October, I’ll be speaking at her B2B Marketing Forum. Come say hi!

Last thing: If you catch this episode before her book launch on September 15, 2014, you may still be able to get the free prize pack she is sending out to those that pre-order. Her swag is killer! Find out more at everybodywrites.com.

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today’s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

The Power of Enthusiasm With Grant Spanier | Episode 025

Converge Podcast is now located at GoBe Collective.
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Converge Podcast Episode 025

GrantSpanierDo you know where you are right now? How about where you want to go with your creativity and your business?

Do you have what it takes to assert yourself in such a way to make that happen?

If hard work and sheer enthusiasm can get you where you want to go Grant is certainly a walking example. Writer, designer and entrepreneur, Grant Spanier, has accomplished at 23 what people twice his age aspire to.

In this episode Dane and Grant explore the power of enthusiasm as it relates to creative work. They talk about failure, knowing what you want and how to stay agile in your decision making. Grant even shares about his experience working with Seth Godin for two weeks. It involves tears, a cucumber and wise words from Seth.

If you enjoy this episode with Grant Spanier, be sure to check out his podcast 10,000 Hours Podcast. You can also find his writing on Medium (here’s the Living For Monday Article mentioned on the show), his design agency over at http://theless.co/ as well as follow him on Twitter.

A Beautiful Anarchy with David duChemin | Episode 024

Converge Podcast is now located at GoBe Collective.
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Converge Podcast Episode 024

David-duChemin

Life is hard.

How we envision our life going isn’t always how it turns out. Events and circumstances aren’t always what we prefer. They change our desires and passions. Sometimes they put a damper on our dreams – or even crush them.

Of course you don’t need me to tell you that. This is the human condition. This is the part of reality that none of us are exempt from.

Even still, many of us dare to dream anyway. We have things we long to express and create.

But the question remains: How do we manage to keep going when life – even the creative life – can become so messy?

Photographer, author and teacher, David duChemin is no stranger to life changing events and circumstances. Nor is he a stranger to the painful parts of humanity, taking him along sometimes unwelcome paths.

As background, it’s helpful to know that David is as comfortable in the academy as he is on stage as a comedian entertaining auditoriums full of people. He’s also acted as an advocate of those in need by documenting their lives through his camera lens. All these varied experiences set him up quite nicely to share what he’s learned in the form of writing and speaking.

David has lived an undeniably colorful and creative life.

But, his expressions of experience took a different tone after falling from a 30 foot wall putting him in the hospital for 40 days.

Join Dane and David as they talk about the creative life and the creative process. And how what we do effects who we are and who we are effects what we do.

If you enjoy this interview be sure to check out David’s new book A Beautiful Anarchy. You can also see more of David’s work and connect with him at his personal site and on Facebook or Twitter.

As mentioned on the show, here is the link to Dane’s article The Elephant In The Room.

As always thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today’s show. And, of course, thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative and to you for tuning in.

Becoming An Artist With Lisa Congdon | Episode 023

Converge Podcast is now located at GoBe Collective.
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Converge Podcast Episode 023

LisaCongdon

When starting out, as artists, it’s not uncommon to find ourselves hesitant to share our work with others for fear of criticism. Maybe you’re waiting until you get better at your craft. Or maybe you fear revealing something so close to you – that is your art.

Artist, author and illustrator Lisa Congdon started her journey as an artist in her early thirties. To many, that’s late in life to begin an art career. Listen as Dane talks with Lisa about how she became an artist at her kitchen table and how it has grown to what it is today. They cover the struggles Lisa faced early in her journey as well as the new struggles she began to face as her success grew.

Lisa has just published a new book, Art, Inc.. It’s definitely worth checking out! You can find more about Lisa and her work over at lisacongdon.com.

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today’s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

Happiness & Habits with Gretchen Rubin | Episode 022

Converge Podcast is now located at GoBe Collective.
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Converge Podcast Episode 022

GretchenRubin

“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These are familiar words here in the United States. It seems fitting that this Converge episode about exploring happiness, is releasing only a few days before we celebrate Independence Day and the signing of our Declaration that secured us those rights.

What does the pursuit of happiness actually look like?

Well-known author and speaker, Gretchen Rubin, joins Dane to talk about happiness, habits and what it looks like to pursue those things. And not only just pursue them but do it in a way that reflects what’s important to you. Not what someone else thinks should be important to you.

They explore ideas around embracing what you already love and letting go of the fantasy of what you think you should or wish you did love. Gretchen talks about habit formation and how to look at your past for cues on how best set yourself up for success in the future.

If you find yourself exhausted at the idea of infinite potential this episode may offer a freedom you have never considered before.

Follow @GretchenRubin on Twitter or Facebook. Check out her books The Happiness Project, Happier at Home and Better Than Before (coming soon).

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today’s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.

Testing Your Good Idea with Charles Lee | Episode 021

Converge Podcast is now located at GoBe Collective.
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Converge Podcast Episode 021

CharlesLee

When is the last time you woke up in the middle of the night with a great idea?

Or maybe your good ideas come in the shower. What is it with the shower and good ideas anyway?

No matter when your brilliance strikes, it remains only an idea until you do something about it. So what should you do about it? Join Dane along with author and speaker, Charles Lee, as they talk about what to do with your good idea to take it from living in your head to seeing it come to fruition.

They talk about the process to go through to test your ideas, how to deal with the disappointment of realizing someone else had your good idea already and did something about it as well as when to share your ideas and invite collaboration.

If you want to see more of Charles’s work or connect with him:
charlestlee.com
On Twitter @charlestlee
On Facebook
His Book: Good Idea, Now What?
theideation.com

Thanks to Triple Scoop Music for providing the music for today’s show and thanks to our wonderful audio producer Anna Queza of AQreative.