In The Trenches with Tom Morkes provides behind-the-scenes look into the life and work of entrepreneurs, writers, artists, warriors, and leaders.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Today’s broadcast is part 1 in a 2 part series. The original interview ran over an hour because the conversation was so great and I couldn’t stop asking questions…so I broke it up to make each broadcast about 30 minutes. I think that makes the content more digestible and actionable (and there is some very actionable content here if you’re an artist, writer or entrepreneur trying to increase your reach, impact and sales). So enjoy today’s broadcast and stay tuned for part 2 next week.[/infopane]
It Started because of a Pair of Pants...
In 2009, Tommy Walker’s life changed forever. For several years Tommy struggled to find his way as an entrepreneur. From 2005 to 2009, Tommy built his online business on the side while he worked a full-time, unsatisfying job. After a ridiculous series of events in late 2008, Tommy’s employer fired him over a pair of pants. True story. Turns out, getting fired was the kick in the pants (pun intended) Tommy needed to take his business to the next level. Since 2009, Tommy’s built a fast growing and powerful marketing platform, and continues to grow his audience, reach and impact. What’s truly remarkable about Tommy’s story, though, is his tenacity and refusal to quit on his dream – to do meaningful work on his own terms without acquiescing to the conventional powers that be. Tommy struggled and fought and worked harder than most people I’ve ever met. He’s met his fair share of setbacks and failure. It was never easy; success was never handed to him. But he kept going. And the success he’s finding now is a direct result of that grit and persistence. Read more about Tommy Walker’s story here – and definitely listen to the interview to hear some more great stories from Tommy's entrepreneurial journey.
About Tommy Walker
Tommy Walker is an online marketing strategist, creator of the marketing video series “Inside The Mind” and the producer of the online video roundtable interview series “The Mindfire Chats.” Tommy started his journey in the online marketing world in 2005. Since 2009, Tommy’s been consulting full time for small businesses. Tommy has done a number of remarkable things in the online world, from reinventing the way people learn about marketing (via his “Inside The Mind” educational video series), to producing the free, popular and fast growing “The Mindfire Chats” where experts and industry professionals come together to discuss everything and anything marketing related. Fun fact: Inside The Mind takes 95 ( ! ) man hours to produce every episode. Oh, and it’s completely, 100% free. Talk about a steal. Tommy is really nailing the video side of online marketing right now. Even if you're not building or growing a business, you'll find Tommy's online video series engaging and enlightening.
Cool Quotes:
“If I’m going to do video, I’m going to do it in a way that only I’m capable of doing.”
What we Talk About in Broadcast 9:
- How Tommy came from a background in acting – and how finally embracing his background in film and acting dramatically improved his marketing business results
- How “The Flinch” inspired Tommy and the work he does today – and how “flinching forward” helped him finally create “Inside The Mind”
- What goes into creating a successful crowd funding campaign on Kickstarter or Indiegogo
- What missteps to avoid while crowd funding so you don’t wind up failing to reach your funding goal
- The 46% of crowd funding campaigns fail – Tommy explains how to be part of the 54% that succeed
- The power (and necessity) of lining up key players to support and promote your work before you launch
- How to consolidate your marketing efforts on multiple fronts (guest posting, interviews, etc.) in order to maximize the impact of your launch
- Why you need to tell the right story – or nobody will listen (or pay/buy/contribute)
Additional Show Notes
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Getting Paid to Be You
The majority of people go to work begrudgingly - grinding away to make ends meet. What if it didn't have to be that way? What if, instead of sucking it up, putting your head down and getting to work, you could wake up brilliantly excited every day to do work you love? This isn't a fairy tale - it's possible - and Jonathan Mead proves it. And now he helps others do the same.
About Jonathan Mead
Jonathan is a lifelong learner, troublemaker and entrepreneur. Doesn’t seem like your conventional mix of attributes and it isn't - but it makes Jonathan (and the businesses he’s created) stand out from the pack. Jonathan got his start online with a simple blog. After several years, Jonathan grew that simple blog into a 6 figure business through coaching and digital products designed to help people live and work on their own terms. It’s called Paid to Exist and the name fits. One of Paid to Exist's premiere products, Trailblazer, actually helped me get my blog off the ground. Without Trailblazer, I may never have put this website together, written The Art of Instigating or 2 Days With Seth Godin, created my podcast 'In the Trenches' or developed the other products and content I've created here on Tommorkes.com.
Jonathan's Excellent Trailblazer Program:
The point is this: Jonathan is good at what he does. You can learn a lot from all the products and content Jonathan creates at Paid to Exist, and if you're curious how he does it, today's broadcast is a must listen.
What We Talk About in Today’s Broadcast:
- How he started his online empire and how you can do the same
- How Jonathan’s blog and website evolved over time (aka: the power of not being sure but starting anyway)
- The power of planting and cultivating a seed (hint: it creates EMPIRES)
- How Jonathan transitioned from a full time job to full time online entrepreneurship (aspiring entrepreneurs – take notes!)
- Tips and techniques to living and working on your own terms
- What fuels Jonathan’s creative juices and how he creates remarkable products
- The most difficult sticking points to deal with after years of growth and how to overcome them
- Why you can’t lose your adventurous mindset (or your hustle) if you want to succeed
- Why every entrepreneur needs to be honest with himself
- How to develop your no end path, create a business that feeds your lifestyle, and live the life that only you can live
Quotes to Live By:
It has to start with: can I pour my whole self into this whether or not it succeeds. |tweet| Whenever I have uncertainty or fear, my immediate response is to hustle like a madman. |tweet|
Show Notes:
Trailblazer Paid to Exist Job Escape Kit
Connect with Jonathan:
Leave a Comment!
Thanks for listening. Would love to know what you thought of the interview - leave me a comment below and tell me what you liked best, or what you wished I'd asked Jonathan. Any questions asked here I'll pass along his way and hopefully get you a response. I would also love it if you'd take a few minutes to leave a review on iTunes. Reviews and 5 star ratings boost visibility - so if you like what I'm creating, help spread the word! Thanks - and, as always, keep creating.
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Vagabonding 101:
Have you ever wanted to pick up your backpack, head out the door and leave your world behind? In a very real way, that’s exactly what Benjamin Jenks did. Most people only dream of backpacking across the country – Benjamin took action. But Benjamin didn’t set out onto the open road to run away from anything – he set out to overcome his shyness. What followed was over 23,000 miles of hitchhiking across the United States while couch surfing for over 400 days. In the process, Benjamin met and interacted with dozens of people, had some crazy adventures and overcame his shyness once and for all. Talk about a crash course in fear conquering. In today’s broadcast, Benjamin and I talk about what it’s like to face fear head on, hitchhike across the United States, create viral videos and how he managed to afford his lifestyle through online business. Don’t think it’s possible to live whatever type of lifestyle you’d like to live? Maybe you need to listen to this interview to see just how possible any lifestyle is if you put your heart and energy into it. If you’re interested in traveling for cheap, building a business while travelling, or fear conquering, definitely check out this interview.
Words to live by:
When in doubt: “Trust your gut. |tweet this|
Stuff we talk about:
- SXSW – why you should go (and why you don’t necessarily need a ticket)
- How to overcome shyness (it’s not for the faint of heart)
- How hitchhiking can change your life
- How to create viral videos
- Why it’s so important to create something tangibly beneficial for your audience
- Why creating a sustainable online businesses might be harder than people make it out to be
- Why the 4 hour workweek doesn't work (but how lifestyle design can work)
- How to create a profitable product online
- Why acting even if you’re not sure it will work sometimes makes the most sense.
- How to work on Elance and Craigslist to make money while you travel
- Why attitude is more important than any gadget or gear for your world travels
Resources:
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
You Can Change Your Life
Or at least that's what Clay Hebert did. In 2008, Clay was at a crossroads. Should he continue to work for Accenture, where he had a guaranteed salary and could easily move up the ladder? Or should he branch off on his own path, a path completely uncertain and paved with obstacles and possible failure points. It turns out serendipity was on his side: it just so happened that as Clay began soul-searching, he noticed a blog post by Seth Godin titled 'If You Could Change Your Life'... Would you? And for Clay, the answer was yes.
Starting From Scratch
After the 6 month intensive MBA program, Clay went straight into bootstrapping his first business: Tribes Win. At Tribes Win, Clay worked with a plethora of clientele, from entrepreneurs to authors, and helped them build their Tribes. After the success with Tribes Win, Clay moved onto bootstrapping two more companies: Workhacks.com and Spindows.com Both businesses have the chance to redefine their genres (and yes, you should check them out).
Things we talk about:
- The fear of walking away from a guarantee into the unknown
- How to overcome fear
- The difference between Freelancer and Entrepreneur (and why it's crucial you know the difference)
- "Product Market Fit" - and why you need to use it, whether you're a writer or an entrepreneur
- The power of the lean startup versus conventional business development
- Why you should TEST and VALIDATE your business before you jump into your next venture
- How to multi-task like a ninja...but also why it's not recommended for most people!
Quotes to Live by From the Interview:
Don't start by building, start by validating. (tweeeeet!) Get out of the building and talk to actual customers. (tweet it!)
Socialize:
Additional Show Notes:
Crush It Hugh Mcleod Spindows Purple Cow Tribes Win Work Hacks The Lean Startup Launch Rock Skillshare
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
When Something is Broken...
What do you do about it? When you see a problem, what's the first thing you do? Most of us probably Google a solution and if we don’t find something in a few minutes we learn to deal with the problem and move on. But not Nate Kutsko. When Nate sees a problem that no one has solved, he solves it himself.
The Art of Inventing
Nate spent most of his life inventing solutions to common (and sometimes not so common) problems. A couple years ago, Nate noticed that a power tool he owned had no proper belt holding solution on the market. Most of us would be forced to deal with this problem or try to rig a regular belt to make it fit. Not Nate: he invented a holding clip solution for the product. Nate is also a golf enthusiast. One day, he was wondering why there wasn't a way to properly teach yourself to golf rather than pay for expensive coaches. Most of us would simply spend more time on the driving range or play more rounds of golf. That wasn't good enough for Nate. Instead, he invented a real time camera recording system that allows the golfer to view himself while he golfs using advanced eye-wear and recording technology. More recently, Nate recognized a major shortcoming in the design of all cutting boards on the market. Instead of dealing with these shortcomings, he designed an elegant solution and created a business out of it. For Nate Kutsko, solving problems isn't a thing to be avoided; it's what creating your life's work is all about.
About Nate Kutsko
Nate is an inventor, designer, artisan craftsman and serial entrepreneur.
Nate is the founder and CEO of Kutsko Kitchen, a company that not only invents incredible products for your home and kitchen, but also teaches aspiring chefs and kitchen artists how master their craft. Nate has a civil engineering degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point and is an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran. He started making cutting boards in 2011 to fix some of the problems he experienced while making meals at home. His practical solution developed into a series of beautiful, boutique boards and other kitchen tools.
Things we talk about:
- Why developing creativity from a young age is a big advantage as an entrepreneur
- Why solving your own problems is the best way to solve other people's problems
- Why ‘there’s gotta be a better way’ is always true
- The benefit of an engineering background to create truly versatile and useful products
- The power of false starts on improving and honing our skills
- Why creating a catalog of EXPERIENCE is essential to long term success
- Why it helps to have a nest egg before you transition to full time entrepreneurship
- The power of having side income while design, growing and expanding your business
- Why the best avenue for a successful start-up is to be married (true story!)
- The difficulty of inventing and selling physical products (and why it’s worth it)
- How to come up with great ideas (a simple, powerful two step formula you shouldn't miss)
- Why fear is ever-present when you’re an entrepreneur and how to deal with it
- How everyone is faking it and why this should be a reassuring thought
- The most effective way to market (hint: it has to do with trust)
- The power of grit and never quitting
- Finding inspiration through Kickstarter campaigns
Great Quotes From the Interview:
It’s easy to look at a book and learn from it, but until you’ve done it, you don’t really understand the fears and insecurities – all the things that go into taking action. I developed a knack for connecting experiences in my life...I’m always looking outside of the box – into other industries, other unrelated fields that may have an idea that I can connect with the problem I’m trying to solve. The idea of getting a job would be great for many reasons, but at the end of the day, I don’t think I’d be satisfied as a person. I’ve got this itch I have to scratch. Everyone has a breaking point, but if I reached it, I forgot and kept going. (definitely tweet this) Everyone is out there kind of faking it – even the big corporations...we're all winging it. Do stuff. If you’re a cook then cook...never quit on the first try...you've just got to do it, over and over again until you get the results you want. (tweet this) You should create for yourself, first and foremost. (tweeeeet)
Socialize:
Twitter Facebook Pinterest LinkedIn
Additional Show Notes:
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
Tuesday Dec 02, 2014
What do you want to do with your life?
It’s not a rhetorical question. What do you want to do with your life? That's the difficult question a good friend of Jeff Goins asked him a few years ago; before Jeff had created Goinswriter.com, before Jeff landed a deal with a publisher, and before he truly started living his passion. 
The questions we ask ourselves (and get asked) matter. The hard ones usually matter the most.
Stop Hiding
Jeff thought earnestly about the question and answered: "I want to be a writer." His friends response: “You don’t have to want to be a writer, you are a writer. You just need to write.” The realization hit Jeff like a ton of bricks. His friend was right. All he had to do was start writing. So, with a clear purpose and direction, Jeff created his blog: Goinswriter.com. In his first year, he wrote over 300 blog posts (300!) for his website and another 100 (100!) guest blog posts for various other websites. In less than two years, Jeff built his blog to a monthly readership of 100,000 people. So what happened that sparked his incredible success? In Jeff's own words: "I stopped hiding."
About Jeff Goins
Jeff is a blogger, speaker, published author, and, at his core, Jeff is a writer. His blog, Goinswriter.com is all about writing, putting your work out there, and telling better stories. Jeff's blog focuses on some essential questions Like:
- How do successful writers make a living?
- What does it really take to get published?
Jeff's blog is an incredible resource for aspiring artists and writers alike. Jeff has been featured in Copyblogger, Problogger, and Zen Habits, among many other publications. You can find his most recent book Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into your Comfortable Life online and in bookstores everywhere.
Awesome Quotes From the Interview:
You don’t have to want to be a writer, you are a writer. You just need to write. When I started creating my very best work, people started paying attention. Blogging literally is publishing. (tweet) Consistency is important, frequency is important, getting your name out there is important, but for me, it all comes down to creating your very best work. It’s really important to not assume my readers attention but to earn it. (tweet some more) Building [online] relationships is not the hard part. The hard part is having something to say and saying it in a way that is going to earn people’s attention. (tweet) People don’t find their purpose until they learn to give their lives away. (tweet this) We follow writers and authors and communicators not for their subject, not for what they say, but for how they say it. I had believed this popular paradigm online which is that you pick one subject and you just write about it and become an expert about it. I had started down that road but there was something about that that didn’t resonate with me. And I think the reason was that all the writers and authors that I read and appreciated didn’t stick to one particular subject or even genre. Maybe they started this way, but once they proved themselves they branched off into new areas. Great writers can write about any subject. (tweet tweet) Stop hiding. (definitely tweet this) The only, ONLY way that you get good, that you get REALLY good, is by creating something and sharing it with the world.
In this conversation, Jeff Goins and I talk about:
- Why calling yourself a writer is essential to your success as an author/writer/artist
- Why trust and permission are ESSENTIAL for the success of anyone (yes, that includes you)
- What it takes to become a great writer
- The truth about publishing (it’s not easy)
- How to grow a blog to over 100,000 readers a month in one year
- Why you don’t have to compromise your art to make money
- The ridiculous amount of commitment and grit necessary to create a successful blog
- Why most people waste time trying to create a successful blog instead of doing this one simple (but tough) thing.
- Why you need to create your best work
- How blogging requires more than just the ability to write (you need to be able to do it all: create, edit, publish, etc.)
- Why trying to hold onto a certain quality of life will make you lose out on your best possible life
- What Taylor Swift can teach us about pacing our content and art
- Why you need to stop hiding and starting shipping!
- The power of soul searching and questioning yourself to find your passion
- Why you need to hustle if you want to make it
Socialize:
Reach out to Jeff and say hi! Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
Additional Show Notes:
Some of the stuff not linked or mentioned above: Changethis.com Adventures in Missions Taylor Swift A Manifesto for Misfits (the thing that instigated the full length Wrecked novel)
Friday Nov 28, 2014
Friday Nov 28, 2014
Meetings are Broken
Be honest, you know they are. How many meetings do you have a week? How many in a single day? If you're like me, you spend about 30-50% of your time preparing for or attending meetings throughout the workweek. And for the good of whichever organization you're a part of, this has to stop. That's where Al Pittampalli comes in...
Shaking up the Status Quo
Al began his conventional career with Ernst & Young LLP as an IT adviser. There, he worked on-site with numerous Fortune 1000 companies and found a disturbing trend... These companies held a lot of purposeless meetings. But he also noticed the rare exceptions: the companies with a culture of meaningful activity and purpose; companies that held quick, powerful, and, most importantly, rare meetings. These companies performed better across the board and avoided pointless meetings at all costs. Al figured out the formula, and now he's bringing it to the rest of the world...or at least those willing to shake up the status quo and enter into the top percent of companies that focus on action rather than meetings.
About Al Pittampalli
Al is the founder of The Modern Meeting Company and a meeting culture warrior. He's on a mission to change the way organizations hold meetings, make decisions, and coordinate action. Al is a published author. His book Read This Before Our Next Meeting was published by Seth Godin’s Domino Project, and during the week of its release it was the most popular Kindle book in the world. For those unfamiliar with publishing and kindle rankings, this is incredibly difficult to do, but Al most definitely deserves it because the book is incredible. Al has been featured in (yes, it's a big list...):
- Forbes.com
- American Express Open Forum
- The Telegraph
- Huffington Post
- Amazon.com’s Omnivoracious
- London’s City A.M.
- Revista Dinero (Colombia)
- Montreal Gazette
- CBS MoneyWatch
- CKNW Radio
- Ideamensch.com
- MichaelHyatt.com
- Duct Tape Marketing
- Six Pixels of Separation – The Podcast
Al writes a great blog at www.modernmeetingstandard.com, and is a sought after speaker, writer and trainer.
Outstanding Wisdom from the Man Himself (Quotes from the Interview):
On recognizing things you can improve:
There are so many things that are broken in the world, but a lot of times we don’t see them as broken because we are so used to them.
On solving problems from the Outside (versus the inside):
I didn’t want to be consumed by the same matrix I was trying to solve. There are some real advantages to being an outsider. (tweet this)
On becoming a published author and its effect on his company:
Books are a business and they’re a great marketing tool for your ideas. (tweet it)
On the power of books and spreading ideas:
The great thing about a book is it spreads an idea better than anything I can think of. There is nothing more powerful. (tweet tweet)
On Seth Godin’s Domino Project:
The value of what Seth [Godin] did was, he had this vehicle, he had this great asset, he had this TRIBE he was able to share this book with.
On the pain of writing a book:
It was incredibly scary. It was a very frustrating process because you start to question whether this is something you can do or not…
Here’s how he overcame this difficulty of writing:
I used [Jerry McGuire] as inspiration; I started waking up at 3:00am in the morning – really early – and I would imagine myself as Jerry McGuire at the typewriter and I would just write.
On the difficulty of entrepreneurship:“People say ‘fake it till you make it’ - I think there’s some truth to that.” (tweet away)
The key [to entrepreneurship] is being so invested in something that it’s worth it. (share on the twitter)
On writing…
The most important thing you have to do is write. (tweet some more)
On being prepared (to get published by already having written a book):
Decide. Make a decision as to what direction you want to go in because as soon as you do and commit to it, the entire world will organize in a way that will help you. It doesn’t guarantee success, but it makes it a lot more reachable. The universe just doesn’t reward wish-washy-ness. (definitely tweet)
Awesome Things We Discuss in this Interview
- Why you should never accept the status quo
- Why sometimes you need to move outside to have an effect on the inside (of an organization)
- On the tipping point of being a published author
- The power of the tribe
- The profound influence of Jerry Maguire
- Why you NEED a voice for your writing (and how to get one)
- Starting anything is scary
- The 2 types of entrepreneurs – and why you need to know which one you are before you start (or you will likely fail)
- The singular most important key to writing and becoming a published author
- How persistence creates luck
Socialize w/ Al Pittamaplli:
More Show Notes:
Al's Blog Al's Book A Short, Powerful Key Note Address on How Meetings Ought to be Run:
If You Enjoyed This Broadcast...
Share it! Tweet it! Email This Link! *if the above 'Email' link doesn't pop up your email client, just copy and paste this link into a new email: http://bit.ly/Vr6g2x I hope this interview inspires you to do great things. Whatever you do, don’t stop creating... - Tom Morkes
Friday Nov 28, 2014
Friday Nov 28, 2014
Relent Not One Inch
If starting something from scratch is tough... And choosing a course of action, a direction, and a speed is scary... Then giving up a lucrative job in New York to bootstrap a business, create a paradigm-shifting, book publishing venture, and travel across the world in a van in 1080 days must be madness. But that's exactly what AJ Leon decided to do. Why? In AJ's own words (click to tweet):
I don’t want to relent not one f@#%ing inch. [AJ Leon]
Choosing a Course
From an outside perspective, AJ had everything going for him; a financially stable job in New York, an amazing and supportive soon to be wife, and a lucrative promotion just days away. Except on the inside, everything wasn't so great. AJ had a painful epiphany the day before a big promotion; he realized if he takes this promotion, he's stuck in this lifestyle forever (a lifestyle that, while socially respectable, drained him of energy and passion). The next day, AJ quit his job and chose his own course; no plan, no preparation, no waiting around for someone to tell him what to do. If you want to understand what it means to draw your own map, talk to AJ.
About AJ Leon
AJ Leon is a writer, designer, entrepreneur, humanitarian and nomad. He is the founder of Misfit Inc, where he helps brands take over the world. You can find out more about his business at misfit-inc.com, and read about his travels at his personal branded website: aj-leon.com. AJ and his wife, Melissa, are currently on a mission to travel across the world in 1,080 days. You can follow along at pursuitofeverything.com. AJ also produces Misfit Quarterly – a creative arts journal dedicated to showcasing the work of artistic carriers of the misfit flame. The digital edition is free – but AJ also does a limited release run of the print version; something I’m a proud subscriber of. If you’re interested, checkout misfit-inc.com/quarterly.
Amazing Quotes from this Equally Amazing Interview
I don’t want to relent not one f@#%ing inch.” (click to tweet) This is what I want and I’m going to live my life deliberately based on the choices I make. If it crumbles in my hand, then at least it’s on me. (click to tweet) True greatness is only a reflection of the failure that is probable in the pursuit of it. (click to tweet) There has to be a possibility that whatever you’re doing may end in cataclysmic failure or it’s probably not worth doing. (click to tweet) Don’t listen to anybody. (click to tweet) More than ever before there is an absurd amount of propaganda out there in the world and there are people that …in a very well intentioned way guide you toward safety, and security, and compliance, and complacency…you should question all of that. Take 3 or 6 months to write down what you want your one and only life to represent on this planet – what you want to accomplish – what you want to be different because you were here…write it all down and use that as a signpost moving forward…but don’t take your cues from society…it will lead you to despondence. Keep on doing it…you’re going to f@#% up…keep on putting one foot in front of the other in defiance of a conventional and conformitive life. (click to tweet)
What AJ Leon and I Discuss in this Interview
- Quitting a successful career for uncertainty and possible failure
- The power of bold, audacious moves
- Creative entrepreneurship: what it takes to become a creative entrepreneur and why it’s so essential you become one
- The absurd awesomeness of taking a 1080 day trip around the world (via a trailer named Pegassus)
- Overcoming the fear of embarking on an uncertain journey
- What true absence of fear is (hint: it’s not courage)
- “No one ever did anything spectacular without taking great risk”
- Why pressing deeper into uncertainty is the only way to deal with fear
- How you harness creative energy to create tangible products
- The power of writing in the morning
- The power of solitude
- Waking up at 430 in the morning for exercise and creative development
- The importance of design in every project you ever create (looks matter!)
- How aesthetics can set you, your business, or your art apart from everyone else
- Artisan and Handcrafted work matters more now than ever
- The mystical power of scarcity in building your brand
- Adding value to your business through selective craftsmanship
- The importance of combining art + business + creativity + personality
- How AJ balances traveling across the world in a bus (The Pegasus), runs his business, creates his art, manages his social network, and still has time to get interviewed by Tom Morkes!
- Making the leap to doing what you love without a safety net – advice AJ would never give to anyone else, but it was the only way for him to take control of his life (and the world is thankful)
- Why you should not listen to anybody (the irony isn’t lost on us)
Connect with AJ Leon:
More Show Notes:
Pursuit of Everything Manifesto by AJ Leon: Read AJ's amazing eBook here (he'll be kickstarting the physical edition very soon!). Escape From Cubicle Nation: A great resource for people who want to quit their job and pursue their passion. Good Life Project interview with AJ and Melissa Leon: Great interview. Watch it. Misfit Quarterly: Get the free digital edition here. Or join me and be awesome and support an awesome initiative by grabbing the limited edition softcover.
Thursday Nov 27, 2014
Thursday Nov 27, 2014
If you've been following this blog for any period of time, you know I've recorded several interviews with game-changers, status-quo challengers, and creative insurgents on topics like creativity, writing, publishing, bootstrapping, and entrepreneurship. All of those interviews I hosted via dropbox - which meant you could download the episode to your computer, but it came with a bunch of limitations. After a conversation with Jeff Goins (www.goinswriter.com), he suggested I make this series into a legitimate podcast series - one you can find on iTunes, Zune, etc... So, I did it. Now you can:
- Stream the file from this website
- Get the file on your iPhone, Mp3 player, Zune, etc...
- Find this in iTunes (may take a few days to populate the first episodes), Zune, and other podcast websites
- Download the file to your computer (because they're so good you'll want to listen to them ALL the time)
I have definitely upped the quality. Let me know what you think! But for those new to my website and content...
What's the In the Trenches Podcast all About?
In the Trenches is a bi-weekly podcast series meant to inspire and motivate you to do creative, important work. Every broadcast, I sit down and have authentic conversations with game-changers, status-quo challengers, and creative insurgents; individuals who write, draw, produce, publish, create, break, build, invent and lead. All of the people I interview are actually on the ground making things happen – they’re in thick of the creative fight, working to produce something epic, bold, and unconventional, day in and day out. Each day, they go to work, doing the tough, painful and scary work of creating something new; each day, they struggle to create for the rest of us something that impacts our lives deeply and meaningfully; each day, they add to their vast, growing resume and portfolio of incredible content...but they don’t do the work to build a portfolio nor to create a resume.
They do the work because it matters.
These artists, writers, entrepreneurs, warriors and leaders struggle and strive, day in and day out, doing the hard, creative work, not because it’s pretty or glamorous (it’s usually not), but because it’s a part of who they are. They truly are IN THE TRENCHES, and the world is better for it. None of these conversations are pre-scripted or edited. These are all rough takes – gritty and authentic conversations with real people doing real work.
How Can In the Trenches Help You?
The goal with each conversation and with every broadcast, is to give you a deep, meaningful and authentic look into the lives of the people who impact our lives with their work. That’s why I don’t read from a script, nor edit the dialogue – I want each conversation to feel like you’re right there with us in the coffee shop, listening in on some seriously incredible stories and thoughts. It helps, too, that every interviewee is someone I highly respect, and often, a good friend. There’s something very real about a personal conversation – something that gives you true insight and real emotion that gets lost on cookie-cutter talk shows, or pre-rehearsed interview series. So I say all of that to say this: this podcast is designed to inspire you to make something worthwhile; to get you to instigate and create something meaningful; and, finally, to get you to lead – truly lead – and make an impact – one that’s even greater than the stories you’ll hear in these conversations. Which means, if you listen to these broadcasts, you have an end of the bargain to uphold – and that’s to do something awesome, and to let me know about it.
So Why Am I Doing This?
Well, first, it’s selfish. I love creativity, and art, and business, and philosophy, and leadership; and I love talking about these things. Getting to know all these wonderful people and hear their incredible stories really motivates me to keep doing the hard, creative work. Even if I wasn’t recording these conversations, I would still have them on a consistent basis, because, deep down, I NEED to hear these stories and know others are there with me, fighting the creative war, in the trenches right beside me. So, first and foremost, it is selfish. But the second reason is entirely unselfish. The second reason is because I want to share these stories and this knowledge with you. Period. I’m doing this podcast series because I want to share these incredible insights and stories with likeminded individuals…people like myself who love this stuff and like nothing better than to really get inside the brain of creative, successful people. I think of it as my contribution to the creative fight; that I can, somehow, through these podcasts, help you with YOUR creative struggles; that I can keep you from going off the metaphorical ledge into the pit of ‘I never did anything with my life’ and instead, inspire you to create something incredible. Real quick: something incredible doesn’t have to be conventional art…it doesn’t mean painting, writing, designing, etc…though it CAN mean this, it doesn’t HAVE to be this. It can be anything you want, that you believe in, that's worthwhile to you, but it requires one thing:
- Individual Choice: You made the conscious choice to pursue it. Someone else isn't forcing your hand. Nobody told you to do it. You decided to go and you went.
No, doing something incredible doesn't have to fit in a box. And that's the point.
What's in this Broadcast?
In this episode, I'll share with you:
- What In the Trenches Podcast is all about
- What you can expect
- How it will help you to start, finish, and ship your great project
- How it will get you to create your life's work
- Why I'm creating this podcast
- A little about me (Tom Morkes)
Thanks so much for reading and listening!
Check back next week for the beginning of a life changing series. I really hope this series inspires you to create your life’s work. Whatever you do, don’t stop creating... - Tom Morkes