This week I was privileged to be joined by Anita Stubenrauch. Anita is a former Apple Computers Executive and graduate of The Art Institute of Chicago. As a creative sojourner Anita is paving her own path towards both creative and professional success by thinking outside the bounds of typical corporate boxes. In this conversation Anita and I discuss the challenges that face creatives in today's workforce and how remote work is presenting both limitations and opportunities for creatively minded individuals. Anita Stubenrauch is a former Apple Executive who was able to pivot her success and experience into creating her own creative business. As the founder of Cause:Effect Creative and the developer of the soon to be Land of Make+Believe, Anita is leading small business owners and entrepreneurs to an enlightened way of thinking and making decisions. Anita currently lives in Murphys, California, where she's building a beautiful retreat space, The Land of Make+Believe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was excited to welcome Dr. Jennifer Heisz to the show to discuss her new book, Move the Body, Heal the Mind: Overcome Anxiety, Depression, and Dementia and Improve Focus, Creativity, and Sleep. This was a really motivating conversation about the incredible benefits of exercise and movement on not only our body's fitness but our brain’s functions. Dr. Heisz unpacks a host of benefits that exercise has on cognitive functions, memory, creativity, and of course productivity. In addition to discussing the many benefits that movement and exercise can have on creativity and focus in our work lives, Dr. Heisz also discusses the litany of ways that exercise can reward the pleasure centers of our brain helping to both prevent and assist various behaviors associated with addiction. Jennifer also addresses the relationship between exercise and depression and how important it is to be aware of the rhythms of our movement and how they can change throughout the seasons. Dr. Jennifer Heisz is a leading expert on the neuroscience of exercise and is the Director of the NeuroFit Lab at McMaster University, which boasts one of the top kinesiology departments in the world. Structured around Dr. Heisz’s personal journey from sedentary scholar to triathlete, the book combines anecdotes, research, and case studies to explain how exercise and the brain are intertwined. And, each chapter includes specialized workout regimens to help readers get started on their own fitness journey, whether they’re looking to reduce stress/depression or improve their sleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan McRae has had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder all of his life, but he wasn’t going to let ADHD run him down. He has worked to figure out how to take all the benefits and cancel out all the drawbacks. In this episode, Ryan and Erik discuss overcoming the productivity challenges of College and University Students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was excited to welcome Todd Henry back to the show for the sixth time to discuss his latest book, Daily Creative: A Practical Guide for Staying - Prolific, Brilliant, and Healthy. Todd is a prolific author and speaker who focuses on the creatives and dispelling myths about who is and who is not “creative” within corporate or professional workforces. For over a decade Todd has helped readers unlock their creative potential and find new ways to apply their talents. In this new book Todd explores the benefits of reflecting on creative practices on a daily basis by creating a daily guide which succinctly and contemplatively welcomes readers to reflect upon both their creative potential and the ways that creativity can be applied in the most unlikely of work and life circumstances. Todd Henry is the founder of Accidental Creative, a company that helps creative people and teams be prolific, brilliant and healthy. He regularly speaks and consults with companies about how to develop practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of six books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code, Daily Creative). which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work. With more than twelve million downloads, his podcast The Accidental Creative offers weekly tips for how to stay prolific, brilliant, and healthy. Learn more at AccidentalCreative.com. The Daily Creative is a daily reader for busy professionals, creative and otherwise, designed to help you gain focus for your day and advance toward your goals. Each daily reading is: * Quick: Takes less than 5 minutes to complete * Focused: Centers around a specific theme * Inspiring: Includes a quote from great thinkers and creatives throughout history * Actionable: Wraps with a daily action to help you achieve results Even if you don't think of yourself as creative, you'd probably be surprised by how many creative tools you use every day. You solve problems, design, write, invent, or in other words―create. But the pressure we feel to continually create value with our minds can cause tremendous stress and eventually neutralize our ability to be effective in our roles long term. Todd’s previous appearances on the show: * Todd Henry on Motivation and Discovering the Hidden Forces That Drive Your Best Work * Todd Henry on Challenge, Stability and Leading Creatives * Todd Henry on Honing Your Voice, Practice and Creative Work * Todd Henry on Creativity, Productivity and Passion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was so happy to welcome Jon Acuff back to the show to discuss his newest book, Your New Playlist: The Student Guide to Tapping into the Superpower of Mindset. This powerful new book which Jon co-authored with his two teenage daughters is a must read for parents, educators, and mentors seeking to empower young people with the mindset and tools that allow them to not only reshape their thoughts, but change the trajectory of negative voices that often plague young people’s everyday life. When Jon’s previous book, Soundtracks, came out, one reaction surprised him. Parents across the country all said the same thing: "Do you have a version for teenagers? If I knew how to change my mindset when I was that age, my entire life would have been different." Why did they say that? Because truth grows like compound interest. Saving money when you're young has a bigger impact than it does when you save in your 40s. A single new soundtrack--Acuff's phrase for a repetitive thought--believed when you're 14 or 18 can change your whole life in the same way. In response, Acuff tagged his two daughters to help him create an honest, actionable guide to mindset for teenagers. Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including Soundtracks, The Surprising Solution To Overthinking. Jon’s books have been published in more than twenty languages and his work is both critically acclaimed and adored by readers around the world. When he’s not writing, Acuff can be found on a stage, as one of INC’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He’s spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges and companies around the world including FedEx, Nissan, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Chick-fil-A, Nokia and Comedy Central. Known for his insights wrapped in humor, Acuff shared the stage with an American Icon when he opened up for Dolly Parton at the Ryman Auditorium. For over 20 years he’s also helped some of the biggest brands tell their story, including The Home Depot, Bose, and Staples. His fresh perspective on life has given him the opportunity to write for Reader’s Digest, Fast Company, The Harvard Business Review and Time Magazine. 45 Day Extended Trial of Canva Pro - canva.me/beyond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I had a great conversation with Kim Rittberg about her new project the ‘Mom’s Exit Interview Podcast'. Kim and I discuss her checkered career and some of the reasons she chose to leave the corporate world and strike out on her own, producing and consulting on a range of content and media projects. Kim has a wealth of insights and tips for not just Moms, but anyone considering transitioning into a new career or entrepreneurial endeavor. We discuss the importance of establishing your priorities before you make any major career changes and what she has been learning from her guests on the new podcast. Kim Rittberg is a Video Marketing Strategy & Podcaster, former media executive, corporate quitter, and mom. She is an award-winning Video & Content Strategist, On-Camera Coach previously at Netflix, PopSugar, and Us Weekly. Kim is the host of ‘Mom’s Exit Interview Podcast’ where she interviews inspirational moms who are taking control of their lives while achieving (gasp!) true work-life balance: entrepreneurs, stay-at-home moms with side hustles, consultants, part-time workers and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was thrilled to speak with Tiago Forte about his groundbreaking new book, Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential. In this conversation, I discovered just what a second brain is and how productivity-minded people like me, (and likely you) can benefit from the methodologies laid out in this book to more powerfully, creatively, and effectively capture life experiences, journal entries, and and musings in order to free our brains of needless clutter and begin to more effectively create and organize our thoughts. This is an exceptional book and has rocketed into my top 10 productivity books of all time and after you listen you will see why. Tiago Forte is one of the world’s foremost experts on productivity and has taught thousands of people around the world how timeless principles and the latest technology can revolutionize their productivity, creativity, and personal effectiveness. He has worked with organizations such as Genentech, Toyota Motor Corporation, and the Inter-American Development Bank, and appeared in a variety of publications, such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Harvard Business Review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was excited to welcome Kate Tellers to the show to help us understand the power, purpose, and practicality of effective storytelling. Kate is the Director of Mothworks at the Moth, a live storytelling podcast that features everyday people sharing powerful, humorous, and insightful stories about their lives and experiences. In this conversation Kate shares her experiences with both helping to craft stories and why effective and well conceived storytelling is so important in both our professional and personal lives. We discuss how storytelling is not only a key element of empathetic, and impactful communication but also how it can be a key productivity tool for laying out your ideas, visions, and concepts in a way that is both authentic and relatable. Kate Tellers is the Director of MothWorks at The Moth, a host of their live storytelling series and Webby award-winning podcast, storyteller and director. Since then she’s developed stories with her heroes from her Pittsburgh childhood to the present day, designed storytelling programs with non-profits including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation and Ashoka, as well as Facebook, Nike, Google and the U.S. State Department. Her writing has appeared on McSweeney’s and The New Yorker. Kate’s new book that she co-wrote alongside other storytelling experts is entitled How to Tell A Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Story Telling from The Moth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was excited to welcome Omar Zenhom to the show. Omar is the host of the award-winning podcast The $100 MBA Show and the creator of the popular software tool Webinar Ninja. In this conversation, we cover a range of business and entrepreneurial topics including preparing to make the leap from a nine to five job to an entrepreneurial lifestyle and the challenges involved in that process. We also discuss Omar’s personal journey toward becoming a successful podcast host and content creator as he reflects upon how his early setbacks were actually preparing and teaching him the skills he would need when the right opportunity came along. We conclude by reflecting on both of our journeys and the importance that mentorship, friendships, and support had in shaping our careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phil Simon is a frequent keynote speaker, recognized collaboration and technology authority, and college professor for hire. He is the award-winning author of a dozen books, most recently Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace. He helps organizations communicate, collaborate, and use technology better. In this conversation Phil talks with Erik about the problem of getting things done in the new world of work. When it comes to project management, the issues breaks down into: Communication, Collaboration, Coordination, and Expectation. We talk about where we are, how we got here, and offer some solutions for moving forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I had a wonderful conversation with Jason Harris about his new book The Soulful Art of Persuasion: The 11 Habits That Will Make Anyone a Master Influencer. In this chat, Jason dispels some of the toxic chatter about influencers in the internet age and reminds listeners that the art of influence and persuasion is more about compassion, empathy, and finding common ground than Instagram fame or soulless clickbait. We cover his four principles of persuasion: original, generous, soulful, and empathetic by breaking down how each principle is applied and how their application can transform organizations and workplaces from spaces of dysfunctional conversations into communities of healthy and sincere communication. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I had a great conversation with John Brandon focused on his new book, The 7-Minute Productivity Solution: How to Manage Your Schedule, Overcome Distractions, and Achieve the Results You Want. This was an excellent discussion on the power of taking just seven minutes out of key moments of your day in order to more effectively plan for your day, achieve moments of self-reflection, and remove oneself from digital distractions and ubiquitous media and technology that is robbing us of achieving our goals and living a more productive and fulfilling lifestyle. John Brandon has written over 15,000 articles for major publications like Inc. Magazine and Forbes, Wired, Popular Mechanics, Entrepreneur, TechRadar, Popular Science. For the last 10 years before starting at Forbes, he wrote a daily column for Inc.com. His new book is The 7-Minute Productivity Solution: How to Manage Your Schedule, Overcome Distraction, and Achieve the Results You Want Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week a had a wonderful discussion with Kendra Adachi both about her new book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen as well as her podcast The Lazy Genius, and her previous book The Lazy Genius Way. In this conversation, we discuss how vital it is to give yourself permission to be lazy about things that are not priorities while learning to manage and prioritize the things that matter most. This is truly a productivity lover's dream discussion that offers so many practical principles that can be applied to many aspects of your modern and busy lifestyle. Kendra Adachi is one part systems expert, and one part permission giver. As The Lazy Genius, she aims to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. She is the host of The Lazy Genius Podcast, author of The Lazy Genius Way, and her new book is The Lazy Genius Kitchen: Have What You Need, Use What You Have, and Enjoy It Like Never Before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week it was truly my privilege to speak with Dr. Ken Blanchard and Randy Conley about their new book, Simple Truths of Leadership: 52 Ways to Be a Servant Leader and Build Trust. Ken Blanchard needs no introduction to many listeners as he has been a leading voice in business and leadership for decades. In this conversation, Ken and Randy share an abundance of wisdom regarding leadership principles of service, trust, and truth. Dr. Ken Blanchard is the cofounder and Chief Spiritual Officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies, an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Margie Blanchard, began in 1979 in San Diego, California. In addition to being a renowned speaker and consultant, Ken also spends time as a visiting lecturer at his alma mater, Cornell University, where he is a trustee emeritus of the Board of Trustees. Ken is a prominent, sought-after author, speaker, and business consultant, Dr. Blanchard is universally characterized by his friends, colleagues, and clients as one of the most insightful, powerful, and compassionate individuals in business today. Ken is one of the most influential leadership experts in the world and is respected for his years of groundbreaking work in the fields of leadership and management. Randy Conley is the Vice President of Professional Services & Trust Practice Leader for The Ken Blanchard Companies. Their new book is Simple Truths of Leadership: 52 Ways to Be a Servant Leader and Build Trust. In the book they present a carefully curated collection of fifty-two essential leadership principles that are easy to implement and practice. The book is a fun, easy read that will make a positive difference in leadership and organizational success, Simple Truths of Leadership will show readers how to incorporate simple but essential practices into their leadership style, build trust through servant leadership, and enhance their own lives and the lives of everyone around them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I had an inspirational conversation with Julie Solomon about her new book, Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstopable. Julie was refreshingly candid about her "origin story" and her struggles to break through into a lifestyle of more healthy habits and proper boundaries. This conversation covers a lot of ground as we unpack some of the myths regarding influence and the incredible benefits that can come from hitting rock bottom only to build yourself up stronger. For more than fifteen years, Julie Solomon has been empowering lives—including her own for more than 15 years. In her weekly chart-topping podcast, The Influencer Podcast, she offers up real-time coaching, straight talk, and conversations about business growth and personal development to her millions of listeners worldwide. From her start as a publicist representing some of the top music acts and thought leaders of our generation, Julie has grown to teach tens of thousands of students worldwide. Her new book is Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable. Filled with actionable steps and easy exercises, the book offers a no-nonsense, eye-opening path that enables you to leverage your power and influence to: * Understand and overcome the origin stories that hinder your success * Discover your true purpose and create a new vision * Set (and stick to!) newfound boundaries * Gain the confidence to pitch, negotiate and get anything you want Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices