Good clients make for good work. If you are a content creator and you don’t love your work you are doing a disservice to yourself and your clients.
. Don’t tell my client 😉, but I felt lucky to head to Riverside Farm - Weddings & Events this morning in the snow to snap these. . It should go without saying that great content creators deserve great compensation, but if you’re doing it just for the money you’re doing it wrong. At the 2019 Podcast Movement conference in Orlando, FL I joined 10 other presenters in a program called IGNITE. Each talk was 5 minutes long with 20 slides each playing for exactly :15 seconds. I spoke about lessons in resilience I have learned producing over 400 episodes of the Spartan Up Podcast. Some have to do with the unrelenting nature of producing a weekly show for 5 years, others have to do with the incredible people we've met. The slides each include quotes from the show, lessons from Amanda Sullivan, Patrick Sweeney, Travis Roy {correction - I said NFL when I meant NHL,) Nate Carr, Eric Byrnes, Bruce Babashan, Mara Schiavocampo, Karim Jaude, Meb Keflezighi, Aaron Hinde, Pete Cohen, Dean Karnazes, Kelly Starett, and Zach Even Esh. Thank you to all or our Spartan Up guests for inspiring me, to Spartan and Joe De Sena for the opportunity to create the podcasts, to my hosts Sefra the Seedhuntress, Col Time Nye, "Dr" Johnny Waite, Zach Even-Esh, Dr. Lara Pence, Dr. Nada, Brian "Tosh" Chontosh, and the many guest hosts.
Also thanks Eric Rosenberg for organizing IGNITE, and to the Podcast Movement conference. There's no question that Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential conversational interviewers ever (read about the 5 Interview Lessons interview types here,) her talk show "The Oprah Winfrey Show" was the highest rated TV show of its kind in history. Today she hosts the successful "Supersoul Conversations," a TV show and a podcast. What can we learn from her? Here are four things she does in every interview. #1 The most important question The most important question comes BEFORE the interview. Oprah says "I approach every interview by asking, "What is my intention? What do I really want to accomplish?'" It's something podcasting trailblazer Pat Flynn puts another way, he says the most important thing to determine in your interview prep isn't what or how but WHY. A clear understanding of the goal will guide your questions and your reactions, that's what will set your interview apart. #2 Connection A conversational interview is about rapport and compassion. Oprah creates connection from behind the mic with empathy. "You can't accomplish anything if you're judging," says the Supersoul Conversations host. It's an intentional technique - "I'm nonjudgmental in an interview. Out of an interview, there's a whole other side of me!" Her goal is to disarm the guest, make them comfortable, so they speak freely. As an interviewer you are on a search for meaning. "my secret to interviewing: How do I find the common denominator that allows a person to know that I hear them, and that what they say means something to me?" #3 Detailed preparation I listened to Oprah's interview with Steven Pressfield (if you haven't read his book "War of Art" I highly recommend it!.) Her detailed preparation for the interview was clear. I could hear that she had been working to understand Pressfield's take on the concepts he discussed arriving ready with questions that would allow her to dig deeper into the ideas. The level of detail was evident in the frequent references to quotes and page numbers. A perfect combination of big-picture thinking and detailed groundwork. #4 Translation The "why," the empathy, and the detailed prep all come together in the conversation. Oprah acts as a translator, helping her audience process the ideas her guest presents through her own lens. Oprah is not afraid to be an active participant in the conversation sharing stories, and ideas of her own to help deepen her audience's understanding and give them additional routes to access the information her guest presents. This is the art of the conversation interviewer: bringing her own stories and comments to the conversation to lead her audience to a better connection with the guest. Read more about interviewing for podcasts, documentaries, testimonials and oral histories at Interview Lessons. Everyone's talking about podcasting, but with the battle for attention heating up how do you decide if starting a podcast makes sense for you? Tizra asked me to speak on the topic at their Tizra UNITY19 conference. I don't talk about what microphone to buy, or how to get on "new and Noteworthy," but I do explain how podcasting can be a unique avenue to reach your busy audience and give a realistic picture of potential audience size. I also explain some of the holistic style and marketing questions you should be asking yourself. Watch the complete presentation HERE. It was an honor to join the other speakers Soren Ryherd from working planet, Alec Beckett from Nail Communications, and Ann-Marie Harrington from Embolden! 6 days on Vermont's Long Trail, the "log" is just a list of distances and mishaps, but here's what it meant to me:
It was hard, but there were only a few moments where hard escalated to frustrating. I loved the feeling of climbing, drenched in sweat, heavy pack on my back, pushing up the mountain and covering ground. Hard yes, but gloriously so. I loved living outdoors. Being outdoors 24 hours a day. Cooking, eating, working, resting, sleeping outdoors. I loved the mornings, waking up to the sun and coffee with the view the sound and the smell of the mountains. I loved most of all the undistracted time with my sons. God, I'm proud of them! I loved the fits of uncontrolled giggling at slug handholds, and "toilet issues," and our lack of musical ability. I loved our call and response versions of "Winnie the Pooh," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "If I Had a Hammer" along with the "Rocky" theme. We were desperate enough to sing "My Country Tis of Thee" but drew the line at "the Alphabet Song" and "Happy Birthday." We studied the way of the slug (slimy but sticky) and harnessed our inner "Warrior Bear Spirit - Winnie the Pooh." They told me a lot about things they are more interested in than I am (Warhammer, D&D, remote control planes) but I had time to listen and I loved it! I loved the pride we felt each time we reached a peak, and each time one of them took the lead when one or the other would have a surge of energy and propel us forward. Even the very hard night when we were only "pretty sure" we'd make it to the shelter before dark, when we were all exhausted and the trail markings seemed sparse in the swampy dark section of the woods, when their spirits and energy were at their lowest I loved watching them keep moving, keep making good decisions, looking for blazes, measuring time and distance, weighing options and finally arriving. I love the reminder that hard times will happen, but they can be overcome and they do pass. I loved the beauty and variety of terrain. The stunning views, mossy emerald walkways, dense forest, rocky climbs, dirt paths, swampy dark woods, ladders, and twisted trees. So many times we stopped to admire, observe and photograph. I loved the bird songs cutting through the woods or sparking on the rays of sunshine. I loved the fresh green smells. I'm home now, I slept better in my own bed and with the rain falling outside I'm grateful for the roof over my head. But a part of me misses that feeling. Misses living outside. Misses the simplicity. I am SO grateful for the time with my sons without distraction I hope they feel a sense of strength, power, self-reliance, and pride. MORE BLOG POSTS The "parade" is small. This year no band, just a small color guard, kids in red white and blue on their bikes, and a good turnout of neighbors. Every year the historical society makes sure that the grave of each veteran is decorated with a flag and a poppy. Monday morning the town gathers on the green and walks the circle to lay a wreath on the monument. Next the neighbors fall in behind the color guard and bikes and file into the cemetery. Tributes are read, taps played, and that's it. A perfect thoughtful tribute. Simple. Straightforward. Today we honor those who sacrificed for us. Today we remember the importance of freedom and democracy and gratitude.
After recording an interview with Dan Crowley, Bataan Death March survivor, we were inspired to take on the Bataan Death March Memorial at White Sands. It's a marathon distance "ruck" carrying a 30lb pack. Our Spartan Up podcast team consisted of Joe De Sena, Sefra the Seedhuntress, retired Col Tim Nye and his brother Joe, retired Command Sgt Major Frank Grippe, and Ewalk (Erica Walker)... and me with the camera gear and mics. Here's what I packed for the adventure. No marketing agenda, no client, no strategy. I shot these photos as a way to enjoy the beauty of the river, to watch closely, to participate, and to reignite the creative spark.
These 6 photos were shot in one morning and capture the unselfconsciousness of a dog exploring his environment, and imitate it with a visual exploration of the constantly changing landscape of the river in winter. Interview lessons is a new project I've begun, to share what I've learned over 30 years of coaching, conducting, shooting and directing interviews for podcasts, marketing testimonials, oral histories and documentaries. I'm researching and sharing what it takes to be a great interviewer and sharing it with you. So far there are articles about top podcaster Tim Ferriss' interview strategies, the philosophy of documentary filmmaker Errol Morris toward interviewing, how to drop filler words like "ummm" and Like" from your interviews and a few others. As the library grows I will be inviting experienced interviewers to contribute directly, taking requests from readers, and adding audio and video media.
I'm excited about this new project. It's just a few months in the making so far but has helped me to become better at the art of interviewing, and at coaching others. Part crazy, part inspiring,always thought-provoking - this year a Guinness World Record was set. Sometimes confusing, sometimes surprising, always enlightening - the Death Race is back. What I love about photographing this event is that pretty quickly all pretense is gone. Self consciousness in gone. The athletes are focused on their challenges, their internal battles, and each other... and all that can be read on their faces. Extreme joy, exhaustion, pain, love and triumph. This is one of the quick turn around social videos I cut for the Spartan during the race. Sometimes attending an event is about taking photographs, capturing it, sometimes attending an event is about the event. This was about the event. The photos, I hope, tell the story in spite of that. A small town, remembering lives lost and honoring the greater principles that give those sacrifices meaning.
There really is nothing better than a sunny spring day on the trails photographing Ultra Runners! Especially when I get to bring my son as an assistant. here are a few of my favorites. There's a collection of about 200 on Peak's Facebook page. Two great takeaways for me personally in this week’s Spartan Up Podcast with Yanik Silver . The first is a simple but brilliant way to understand what it is you truly love to do - ask yourself “what would I do even if I knew it would fail?” The second is to experiment with your life. Try something for 33 days. See how it feels, if it feels good then keep it. With that in mind, I am on day two of a morning journal. Thanks, Yanik. www.Spartan.com/194
I'm fortunate that my gig producing the Spartan Up Podcast with Joe De Sena includes meeting our amazing guests then pouring over the interviews in post. It gives me a weekly shot of motivation and insight. Here are a few recent examples: Mindy Hamilton has a high power job, SVP of partnerships at Marvel, but you might be surprised by her simple advice: Don't live in shame, move on! It applies to the big and the small mistakes we make in our personal and our work lives. She also talks about her unique career path, one that could have appeared directionless to an observer, but in fact was like a foraging expedition in which she collected all the skills and experience she would need in her current role. Full interview on apple podcasts at https://apple.co/2GSmZL6 or search YouTube, Google Play, or Spotify. How do you think about those around you whose skills are not the same as yours? A chain may only be as strong as its weakest link, but according to adventure racing success Ian Adamson a good team is FASTER than its slowest member. In fact a good team is faster than its fastest member. How do you work to bring up the level of the entire team? I love these photos because they show utterly normal people fully engaged. Trying their best to understand the issues and make decisions. Call me an optimist, but democracy might still be alive and well. In our small town (just over 300 registered voters) about 70 of them showed up to spend the morning together. It wasn't because they like each other's company - some do, some don't. It's because they believe it's important to show up at Town Meeting. It's a roomful of neighbors taking time to go through the issues facing their town. This year the most contentious was the the fire truck. Do we replace the pumper truck - a 1960 truck with a ‘68 milk tank on the back. It would mean a cost of $200,000. That may not seem like much until you realize the cost will be divided between such a small tax base. It's an important decision, and right or wrong it's discussed and decided by a vote. Democracy. How do you tell a story of struggle and triumph? How do you show how truly and astonishingly difficult an endeavor is ... and how do you do that in a way that expresses the power and triumph experienced in overcoming that challenge? We used to depend on the narrative arc of a movie or a book, but we no longer tell or consume stories in a linear fashion. Today each image needs to stand on its own, and at the same time be part of a narrative expressed via multiple channels, sometimes simultaneously. This weekend I photographed a 60 hour endurance event called the Spartan Agoge. Here are some of my favorite photos from the weekend. Ones that I hope show the strength, joy, suffering and transcendent determination the participants experienced. A little over 3 years ago Spartan Race approached me about creating a podcast. They wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the elements of success and share them as away to further Spartan brand credibility and brand depth, and to build engagement with a broader audience. The show also served as a content and story feeder for the growing portfolio of Spartan media platforms. We’ve now published over 170 weekly episodes as podcasts and on our YouTube channel, we’re in the top 5% of all podcasts (based on per episode downloads) and have had over 9 million video and downloads. “Spartan Up!” Is a weekly audio podcast and YouTube show that focuses on the Spartan mindset and how we define and achieve success in all walks of life. Themes include grit, resilience, hard work, frame of reference, motivation, and general fitness. Guests are high achievers and thought leaders in business, sports, adventure, academia and the arts. To celebrate the three year milestone, and kick of the new year, here’s out special end of year wrap up episode from the Spartan Iceland Ultra World Championship. The Peak Mountain Bike race has taken a variety of forms since its inception. From the 666 to the "Gnarly Adventure." In 2017 the race became a Leadville Qualifier, and with that it was time to revamp it's image. For 2017 we came up with a new name "Peak Woodsplitter." That inspired names for the rest of the Peak series which now contains the Peak Woodsplitter, Peak Snowdevil Winter Ultra/ Snowshoe Race, and the ultimate race the Peak Bloodroot Ultra. Along with the new names we designed a series of "stamp" based logo treatments, social and email campaigns. The idea was to keep a reference to the Peak history with the classic peak mountain element, while embracing a gritty homegrown feel that the races have as compared to their big brother Spartan Races. One of the best ways to get attention, engagement, and show off the Green Mountain Trails where the race is held is with a series of videos distributed via social media and email. With a few friends we've started the EGG Movement, Energizing Gratitude Globally. The idea is simple: appreciate what's around you, small and large. Take that feeling, the tiny endorphin rush you get when something small goes right, and feed it. Cultivate the art of appreciation. Encourage it in yourself and others. Learn more at the EGG Movement website, better yet join the challenge.
In 1992 I moved to a town of about 500 people, nestled in the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains. In the preceding few years I had moved a lot — Boston, New York City, Chicago, Aspen, Rockport, Maine — I thought I’d only be here for a a season. I was always up for the next challenge and that year I decided staying in the same place would be my challenge. 25 years later I’m still here. I’ve seen a lot of people come and go. Some thrive, most can’t hack it. The economy is tough, there aren’t enough people to support most businesses, everything’s closed by 8, it’s a 30 minute drive to the grocery store; and yet I stay. Life in a small town teaches you surprising lessons: tolerance, humility, self reliance, and to be yourself. Tolerance. This comes as a surprise to most people. Small towns look pretty homogeneous from the outside. And in many ways they are. But when I lived in big culturally diverse cities like New York and Boston, I chose who I surrounded myself with. I spent almost all of my time with people that shared my interests and thought like me. When I first moved here I used to joke “I only have 7 friends, and I don’t even like any of them.” What did I mean? I meant that in the outside world I wouldn’t have chosen any of those people to hang out with. In a small town you become friends with the people around you, even if they’re different from you. That opens your eyes. And then there are the people you don’t like. You may not like them, but you nod good morning when they hold the door for you, and you thank them the first time they pull your car out of a ditch, or find your runaway dog, and you come to see their humanity. Humility. You may feel superior, but you’re not. A small town will teach you that. Self Reliance. I remember the time we called the police and they told us there had been a big crash on the highway and the State Troopers wouldn’t be able to come for a few hours. That was a wake up call. But it’s more than that. It’s a culture of doing for yourself and your neighbors, not waiting for the proper authorities. I’ve written a lot about our town’s experience in Hurricane Irene (www.floodbound.com,) during that storm 10 homes in a town of 500 people were destroyed and the town was completely cut off from the outside world. The height of the storm found neighbors cutting and clearing downed trees to try to save the bridge, and others cooking and setting up hot food to support them. It wasn’t anyone’s job, it was just something that needed to be done. The town had no school, police or hospital but had acting sheriffs, a school on the green, and a medical center in our one room library staffed by doctors, nurses, PAs and even ski patrollers. The power company said it would be weeks before they reached us, what they didn’t know was that we would reach them. Our residents stepped up and started fixing roads. It’s a simple concept. If you see something that needs to be done, and you have the ability, you do it. Be yourself. In bigger towns I had my work self, my home self, my school self, and probably some others. Remember the Seinfeld episode where “worlds collide?” In a small town there is only room for one version of you. There’s no use pretending. It’s freeing. If they like you, they like you. You as you are. They’ve already seen your mistakes. Will I stay here another 25 years? I don’t know, it might be time for another change. But whatever I decide, this place has made and indelible imprint on me for the better. **originally published in Medium** Abigail Sera is a true Spartan. A friend talked her into trying her first Spartan Race in Killington, she signed up in the open category but ended up with a better time than most of the pros. That didn't change anything for her, she went back to work patrolling Vermont by snowmobile in winter and by boat in summer. Last winter I traveled to her family farm in Vermont to meet and interview her. Now you'll see her in this season's NBC coverage of the Spartan Race series and Spartan's latest lifestyle commercials. Next time you see me ask me to tell you the rabbit story...
The Spartan Up podcast has been an amazing journey, both professionally and personally. I've had the opportunity to work with great partners to build an interview series from the ground up, as Dean Graziosi said "make it up, then make it happen." In the process I've been able to learn lessons from every one of our guests, and quite a few from our hosts as well. Here's our latst trailer:
You can find all 137 episodes on our YouTube channel, iTunes, or wherever you catch podcasts by searching for Spartan Up.
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This blog is a place I share some of the things I think about, the photos I take, and the videos I make. They are about life, family, work, content strategy, content creation and podcasting.
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