Unmistakable Creative - Candid Conversations with Creative Entrepreneurs and Insanely Interesting People

A few months ago, I was reading the Harvard Business Review blog and came across a writer named Dorie Clark. Her article on personal narratives really stood out amongst the rest of the writers, so I reached out to her to see if she'd come and discuss creating our personal narratives. Here are some of the highlights from our chat: * Dorie's Early Career as a Campaign Spokesperson (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Dorie_Headshot_small-150x100.jpg) * Lessons from Presidential Campaigns for Your Brand * Why All Marketers Must Become Journalists * Finding the Arc and Narrative in Your Personal Stories * Identifying the War Stories That You Tell Other People * What Dating Profiles Can Teach You about Personal Brand * The Ladder Strategy to Get Mainstream Media Attention * Storytelling Lessons from Making a Documentary Film * Creating Evergreen Content That Helps People  * A Look at Reinventing Your Personal Brand * The Importance of Having a Specific Goal with Your Efforts * An Interesting Discussion about Higher Education * What it Takes to Position a Book in a Crowded Market  Tweetable Insights Include: * You want to write something so specific that only the right person comes to you Dorie Clark is an HBR and Forbes contributor, marketing strategist, speaker, Duke Fuqua School of Business professor, and author of Reinventing You. You can follow her on twitter @dorieclark (https://twitter.com/dorieclark). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/80oNM) to post it to Twitter. 

In this week's episode of BlogcastFM Backstage, Greg gets in a bar fight, we take a look back at our interview with Ramsay Taplin (http://blogcastfm.com/blogcastfm/ramsay-taplin-discusses-starting-growing-and-selling-successful-blogs/), and talk about reinvesting in the growth of your business. Here are some of the highlights: * A Quick Story about the Founder of LegalZoom (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/BlogcastFM-Backstage-300x300.jpg) * Greg's Barfight with a Biker in Wyoming * Why You Must Be Distinctive in a World of Noise * The Importance of Consistency and Tactics * How Creativity Rises to the Top  * Why Too Many People Look for the Map Instead of the Compass * Making Your Story and Brand More Relatable to People  * Why You Need to Stop Acting Like an Employee in Your Business * How Implementing Systems and Processes Make You Respect Your Business * Why You Need to Build a Strong Foundation for Your Business * How Building Stability into Your Life Makes a Difference * The Importance of Outcome Based Tactics  If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/92wmf) to post it to Twitter. 

Nathalie Lussier was a former BlogcastFM in the early days of our show. See Nathalie Lussier on Creating Content That Your Audience Loves, Effective Monetization Strategies and Keys to Getting a Speaker Proposal Accepted at Blogworld (http://blogcastfm.com/blogcastfm/nathalie-lussier/). Like most of our guests who return for a second time, she's been up to quite a bit since she was last on the show. Here are some highlights from our conversation: * Why Natalie Turned Down An Offer to Work on Wall Street (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/nath-smile.png) * How to Deal with the Reactions of Naysayers * Building a Business That You Actually LIKE to Run * The Power of Defining Your Ideal Day * Why the Growth of Your Business Is an Evolution * How Nathalie's Experience in Startups Influences Her Business * A Blueprint for Growing a Popular Blog from the Ground Up * Launching a Product with an Email List of 50-100 People * Taking a Free Content Piece and Turning It into a Paid Product * The Power of Doing 1-on-1 Work for Market Research * A Step-by-Step Walkthrough of Creating a Compelling Opt-In * Diagnosing the Moment When It's Time for a Pivot in Your Business * Making the Transition to Higher Price Point Programs * Looking at the Assets You Have to Create a Business Model * Taking Your Business Off the Charts and Reinventing Your Business * A Look at Putting Together High-End Mastermind Group Nathalie Lussier (http://nathalielussier.com/)is an online business triple threat and creator of the Website Checkup Tool (http://GetTechyNow.com%20). She holds a Taekwondo Black Belt, enjoys hot yoga, and drinks green juice. You can follow her on twitter @NathLussier (https://twitter.com/NathLussier). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/Ge0vn) to post it to Twitter. 

Linda Sivertsen is the "book midwife" for many best-selling authors  like Danielle LaPorte. She's also written TONS of her own books and is a total rockstar. Here are just a few of the highlights from our conversation: * How Linda's Business as a Pet Sitter for Celebrities Started Her Career (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/twee-300x300.jpg) * The Power of Making Your Own Rules for Your Career * Why In-Person Retreats Have Transformed Linda's Business * The Destiny that Every Single Book Has Behind It * Why You Must Trust Your Ache to Write Something  * The Importance of Being Yourself Online * Key Insights and Ideas About Developing a Voice * How the Practice of Daily Writing Will Reveal Bigger Projects to You * Why Half-Baked Ideas Are More Useful Than You Think * Personal Branding Lessons from the Lives of Celebrities   * The Role Consistency Plays in Your Growth Online * Essential Elements of How to Successfully Launch a Book * A Detailed Look at What Goes into Creating a Retreat Tweetable Insights Include: I inherently believe there's always a way  (Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/adQvJ)) Everyone I know making six figures works their ass off (Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/ae0a2)) A small army is better than no army(Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/98f87)) Linda Silvertsen is an author, book mama, launcher of New York Times bestsellers, co-author of Your Big Beautiful Book Plan. She believes you should plan for amazing. You can follow her on twitter @LindaSivertsen (https://twitter.com/LindaSivertsen). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/Y7fyR) to post it to Twitter. 

In this week's episode of BlogcastFM Backstage, Greg and I breakdown our recent interview with Erik Wahl. Here are some highlights: * Greg's Stories of Working It Out in Unusual Locations (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/BlogcastFM-Backstage-300x300.jpg) * Why You Should Never Open a Briefcase in Front of a Federal Building * Marketing Lessons from Journey Gym That Apply to Your Business * The Importance of Putting yourself in Uncomfortable Positions * Dealing with Moments of Crisis in a Positive Way * The 3 Phases of Dealing with Any Change in Your Life * Determining What You Need to Let Go of to Create Something New  * Why Knowing What You Don't Want to Can Provide Clarity * The Wisdom of Tupac That Applies to Your Business  * Why You Can't Just Base Things on Historical Perspective * Becoming a Student of Great Entertainment  * The Power of Redefining What it Means to be Successful * How Watching Movies Can Help you to Create Epic Audience Experiences * Putting Yourself In Idea Generation Spaces  If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/0Lg8R) to post it to Twitter. 

Tim Nybo and Nick Ramil didn't like their job prospects in the United States. So they packed up their bags and headed to China.  I think you'll find this interview to be informative and entertaining. Here are some highlights from our chat: * Some Key Insights into Finding the Right Business Partners (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/TEL.jpg) * The Role of Having a Support System for Your Life and Business * A Hilarious Conversation About a Day in China * How to Do Market Research for an Energy Drink That Cures Hangovers * What Would Happen If I Sent Nick and Tim Two Kids to Take Care of * An In-Depth Discussion About How to Build Physical Products * Designing Your Business Before You Start  * How to Identify an Intrinsic Market Advantage * Why You Must Take Feedback - And Use It to Your Advantage * A Step-By-Step Walk-Through of Manufacturing a Product * The Abundance of Opportunities Online in China * How Your Network Expands More Rapidly in a  Foreign Country * What Goes into Starting a Capital Intensive Business Tim Nybo and Nick Ramil are the guys behind The ELEVATOR LIFE (http://www.theelevatorlife.com/) and are two American entrepreneurs/hustlers based in China. They believe this globalized world allows you to grow way beyond the ladder. You can follow them on twitter @TheElevatorLife (https://twitter.com/TheElevatorLife). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/p27em) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

Ramsay Taplin remained anonymous for several years under the name Blog Tyrant. He's built and solid multiple blogs in many different niches.  If you haven't checked out his site, I'd highly recommend it. It's always packed with actionable insights. Here are some highlights from our chat: * A Funny Story About Accepting Payment in the Early Days (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/1009a828b381efad5827de39666f2ee8.jpeg) * The Evolution of the Social Web in the Last Few Years * Why it's Easier To GRow a Blog Today Than Ever * The Downside to Relying too Much on Google * A Look Selling a Blog and What Goes Into It * Strategic Actions for Reinvesting Money into Your Business * A Really Smart Way to Buy Advertising for Your  Blog * The Keys to Finding Places that Are Relevant, But not Directly Linked * How  to Find the Branches on a Trees of Various Topics * Figuring Out Which Projects Are the Most Meaningful to You * Understanding Whether You are Extrinsically or Intrinsically Motivated * How to Develop an Intrinsic Value Approach to Your Work * Why Ramsay Remained anonymous for Several Years * Building a Vibrant Community of Tyrant Troops * Why Ramsay Writes 6000 Word Blog Posts  * The Stumbling Blocks That Keep People from Making Progress * The Power of Building Something for The Audience You Already Have Tweetable Insights Include: * Traffic is completely useless unless it's target to an outcome (Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/2PM25)) Ramsay Taplin (AKA the Blog Tyrant (http://www.blogtyrant.com/)) has sold several blogs for handy sums and uses blogging to make a living from the couch. He keeps Blog Tyrant all about helping people do the same and has built an amazing community there called the Tyrant Troops. You can follow him on twitter @BlogTyrant (https://twitter.com/blogtyrant). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/46tgc) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

Hopefully you guys are enjoying BlogcastFM Backstage. We're trying to  provide you guys with as many actionable ideas as possible in these conversations.  In this week's episode, we get into a discussion about the language of your business. Here are some highlights: * Why Greg Doesn't Follow ANY Best Practices in His Work (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/BlogcastFM-Backstage-300x300.jpg) * Knowing When to Incorporate Feedback - And When to Avoid It * A Quick Recap of Where We're at with The Instigator Experience (http://www.theinstigatorexperience.com) * A Simple URL Hack for Your Personal Brand * The Gmail Update That Could Be Hurting Your Email Marketing * Speaking to Your Customers in Their Own Language * Why You Must Eliminate Jargon and Inside Baseball from Your Copy * The Importance of Doing a Thorough Audit of Your Own Material * Tapping into the Reptilian Brain and How Customers Feel * Building Credibility Through Vulnerability  If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/8e0un) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

A few weeks ago, a book publicist offered to send me a book called Unthink: How to Unleash Your Creative Genius (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0770434002). I was immediately intrigued so I asked her to send the book. When it showed up, I tore through it in two days and absolutely loved it. Then I came across Erik's speaking trailer which blew my mind. I knew Erik would be an incredibly inspirational guest and I think you'll absolutely love this chat. Here are some highlights: * A Look at What It Takes to Create Breakthrough Results (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/97413edc4eee264ef0c0c582addc9062.jpeg) * How Erik's World Was Impacted By the Dot-Com Bust * Some Keys to Dealing with Loss So You Can Benefit * Why Erik Abandoned Security and Money as Life Goals * How Changing Your Definition of Success Changes Your Life * Why the System is Set Up to Cause Resistance and Rationality * The Reasons Erik Explores Art Forms Outside His Interests * Cultivating Fanaticism within a Tribe or Audience * Why Erik Has Never Hired a Speaking Coach  * The Power of Exploring Different Art Forms for R&D * How Your Extracurricular Activities Impact Your Business Abilities * Why Breakthrough Thinking Requires a Blank Canvas * The Keys to Leaving Your Heart on Stage with Every Speech You Give Tweetable Insights Include: I had to lose everything to gain my life back (Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/Q0a7b)) It's in unlocking our mind that we're able to break outside of the lockstep of conformity(Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/73b46)) Living is getting out there where things aren't that comfortable(Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/k2qb2)) Everything that I do is centered towards creating epic audience experiences(Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/fbwKR)) If you're pushed into something you weren't expecting you might find something new(Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/3Ox0Y)) To me, art is verb, it's not a noun(Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/gdam5)) Unthinking is more important than thinking(Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/lmu92)) The marketplace on mediocre has been cornered(Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/94k6Q))   Erik Wahl (http://theartofvision.com/) is an artist, author, and performer. You can follow him on twitter @ErikWahl (https://twitter.com/ErikWahl). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/dvsJ6) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

Tim Grahl is the mastermind behind the book launches of some very successful authors like Pamela Slim, Dan Pink, and the Heath Brothers. Needless to say he knows a thing or two about how to sell books. Here are some of the highlights from our chat: * Why Tim Made a 100% Shift in His Business After Several Years (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/n700154664_1219975_1901.jpg) * A Look at the Social Web 10 Years Ago and Building a Presence * The Role That Email Marketing Plays in the Success of Authors * The Three Key Pieces of Building a Platform * Why Being Relentlessly Helpful to Your Audience is So Important * The Reason You Should Not Worry When People Unsubscribe * The Vocal Minority Who Complain About the Things You Sell * Narrowing Down Your Focus and Eliminating the Work You Hate * Developing a Process for Taking Risks in Your Business * One of the Most Critical Areas to Reinvest in Your Business * The Killer Blueprint for Taking Advantage of Your Time at a Conference * Why You Should Not Pitch People the Minute You Meet Them Tweetable Insights Include:  * If it's not illegal and immoral, I'll give it a try Tim Grahl (http://outthinkgroup.com/) works with authors to build their online platform to engage with their fans, build their community, and sell more books. You can follow him on twitter @timgrahl (https://twitter.com/timgrahl). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/dvsJ6) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

In this episode of BlogcastFM Backstage, we revisit our interview with Victor Saad. Greg and I  also get into a great conversation about finding mentors. Here are some highlights from our chat: * Dispelling Digital Nomad Myths and The Things We Take for Granted (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/BlogcastFM-Backstage-300x300.jpg) * An Early Look at Greg's Journey  and Surviving on 3 Dollars a Day * Taking your Brand and Expanding it into the Offline World * The Real Social Networks in the Physical World * The Role that High Touch Plays in a High Tech World * Why Conferences/In Person Meetings Make a World of Difference * Some of the Initial Groundwork of the Instigator Experience * An Amazing Story About the Start of Victor Saad's Journey * The Criteria for Finding an Ideal Mentor for Your Efforts * Why Taking Consistent Action is Absolutely Critical  to Your Success * How to Develop Habits for Making Progress with Projects * The Difference between teachers, coaches and mentors * Tactics You Can Apply Immediately to Find Your First Mentor * Why Character Development is Really Important to Success  Resources Mentioned Include: * I Learned to Dance in a Year * How to Become  a Designer Without Going to Design School * The Academy on The Go Course on Securing Meaningful Work If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/2Qc5R) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

I came across Michael Fishman by way of my friend Clay Hebert. When Clay refers a guest to the show, I take him very seriously because every single person he's sent me to share with you guys has been absolutely stellar. Michael was no exception. In this interview we get into a deep discussion about language, behavioral change, and much more. Here are some highlights from our chat: * An Early Look at Michael's Work with Health and Wellness Brands (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/my1hec128yhxxcmjsj88-300x199.jpeg) * Why Human Nature is the Driving Force Behind Marketing * Looking for Qualitative Insights in Quantitative Information  * Translating Data and Insights into Messaging, Content, and Branding * The Power of Offering Access to an Outcome for Your Readers * How Language Shifts What's Actually Possible in Your Work * Exploring the Real Definition of Integrity and Self-Reliance * A Look into Michael's Framework for How He Does Client Work * Why Jargon is Killing the Marketing for Your Business * How Michael Increased an Opt-In Rate by Over 400% * Getting Past Your Lack of Credentials to Build a Strong Brand * Creating Positive Feedback Loops within Your Ecosystem * Key Insights into Angel Investing and Making the Right Ones * A Look into the Planning of BehaviorCon * The Private Dinners that Have Resulted in Organic Magic Tweetable Insights Include: * I don't say I can't because if I can't I'm a victim of some external circumstance (Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/T4yhq))  * Integrity is doing what you say you'll do even when nobody is looking (Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/G57e8)) * You want to lead with generosity everywhere you go (Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/93aa8)) Michael Fishman is an advisor to health and wellness brands and personalities, a Consumer Health Summit founder, co-founder of BehaviorCon (http://behaviorcon.com/), speaker, and angel investor. You can follow him on twitter @MichaelFishman (https://twitter.com/michaelfishman). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/8D67Z) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

A few months ago, when I was speaking at the Misfit Conference, I connected with fellow speaker Victor Saad. When I saw what he was working on, I knew that I wanted him to come and share the story with our listeners here on BlogcastFM. Victor's work will have a profound impact on higher education. Here are some of the highlights from our chat" * The Power of Education in Shaping Who We Become (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/victor0032bw-2-213x300.jpg) * An Amazing Story of Divorce and Remarriage * The Importance of Taking Time and Looking Back * Paying Attention to the Things That Make You Come Alive * The Role That Mentors Have Played in Victor's Journey * Why You Should Make Your Mentor's Investment Worthwhile * Some Key Insights into Finding Your Ideal Mentor * Why the Desire for an MBA Was the Start of Something Much Bigger * Lessons from Building Offline Communities That Apply Online * How to Develop a Structure for Self-Directed Learning  * Raising Over $30K for a Kickstarter Campaign to Fund a Book * The Process of Putting Together the Leap Year Project * The Launch of the Experience Institute * The Role That Accountability Plays in Execution  Resources Mentioned Include: * The Leap Year Project (http://www.leapyearproject.org/) * The Leap Year Project Book (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0989223027/ref=cm_sw_su_dp) * The Experience Institute (http://expinstitute.com/) Victor Saad created his own MBA in 2012 through 12 experiences in 12 months. It sparked the Leap Year Project, both a community and a book, and a school, the Experience Institute. You can follow him on twitter @victorsaad (https://twitter.com/victorsaad). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/EOfbu) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

We're back again with BlogcastFM backstage, our weekly break from interviews. This week, Greg and I get into some fundamental aspects of the mindset required for you to succeed in both life and business - and all your creative endeavors. Here are some highlights from this episode: * Why We're Living in a World of Diminishing Permanence (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/BlogcastFM-Backstage-300x300.jpg) * The Importance of Developing a Practice of Non-Attachment * Cultivating a Spiritual Practice and Disconnecting from Things * An Incredible Lesson in Training for Situations Where You're Under Pressure * Daily Practices For Dealing with High-Pressure Situations * The Role of Creative Dabbling on a Regular Basis * The Power of Creating Something Every Single Day * Open Spaces and Not Filling Them with Panic and Anxiety  * Why High-Touch Matters So Much in a High-Tech World * The Power of One-on-One Chats When You're at a Big Conference * Why Accelerated Learning Can't Be About the Results When You Start * How to Develop a Framework for Experimentation and Take Risks * Why You Can't Just Be Better, But Have to Be Different * A Piece of Content that Every Entrepreneur Should Create for Their Business * Why the Things That Piss You Off Are Fantastic Gems for Business * Getting Too Invested to Quit and How That Dramatically Changes Your Life People and Things We Talked About Include: * Academy On The Go (http://www.academyonthego.com) * The World Domination Summit (http://worlddominationsummit.com/) * The Instigator Experience (http://www.theinstigatorexperience.com) * Meg Worden (http://www.megworden.com) * Ilana Burk (http://www.makeness.com) If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/5nUF_) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)

Matt Wilson was a guest here on BlogcastFM in the early days of our show. See How Under30CEO ended up on the front page of Businessweek.com (http://blogcastfm.com/blogcastfm/how-under30ceo-ended-up-on-the-front-page-of-businessweek-com/). Since his first appearance, he's done some incredible things with the Under30CEO brand. Here are some highlights from our most recent chat: * How Matt Grew a Collegiate Entrepreneurship Club to 150 Members (http://blogcastfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/ZWPBBxqKQB6yBq94zIYW_Matt-Wilson-Inc-e1334111643273.jpg) * Solving Your Own Problems to Create Business Opportunities * The Keys to Growing an Incredibly Small Organization  * Why You Should Ask as Many Questions as Possible * Growing Your Network  When You Have Zero Contacts * How Matt Tapped into a Network of Young Bloggers * The Keys to Launching with 20 Existing Pieces of Content  * Creating a Brand and Mission that is Larger Than Yourself * Dissecting the Business Model of Under30CEO * Why Matt Started to Dig Ditches to Make Money * The Amazing Twitter Outreach Efforts That Resulted in Revenue * Making the Pivot from a Service Business to a Media Startup * The Seeds for the Under30Experience Division * The "I'll Figure Out a Way" Attitude Necessary for Big Projects Matt Wilson is looking to help every young entrepreneur on the planet! He is the Adventurer in Residence at Under30Experiences (http://under30ceo.com/). You can follow him on twitter @mattwilsontv (https://twitter.com/MattWilsontv) or @Under30CEO (https://twitter.com/Under30CEO). If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here (http://clicktotweet.com/1oIld) to post it to Twitter. Oh, and we’d be really grateful if you write us a review in iTunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blogcastfm-the-bloggers-podcast/id352721366)