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PODCAST

Focused

David Sparks and Mike Schmitz are not nearly as productive as they’d like to be. Join these fellow travelers (and a bunch of special guests) as they share the best ways to get focused, and talk through their successes and failures along the way. Hosted by David Sparks and Mike Schmitz.

business careers

All Episodes

41:42

45: Like Going Back to High School

Focused ·

2018/04/17

David's home workspace gets invaded by teenagers, Jason reprises his old commute and learns to appreciate the ability to work from anyplace, and a listener reminds us of a classic technique: making promises that your future self has to keep.

en-US

54:40

44: Maybe You'll Get a Real Job, with David Wain

Focused ·

2018/04/03

You might not realize it, but creative professionals in the entertainment industry are also free agents. In this episode we talk to writer/actor/director David Wain of "Wet Hot American Summer" and "The State" about his life as a free agent, from hitting MTV right out of college to the lean times that followed. Turns out that juggling a busy schedule, learning to say no, and not being able to plan vacations far in advance are all features of his line of work.

en-US

48:40

43: Don’t Ask Us Permission

Focused ·

2018/03/20

David attended a conference and was asked for advice (or was it permission?) from many potential free agents. When he got home, his professional life was in disarray. What are the lessons to take from that? Jason ponders putting more effort into video. David continues down the path of hyperscheduling.

en-US

58:23

42: Learning Your Creative Rhythms, with Shawn Blanc

Focused ·

2018/03/06

David and Jason go through the Free Agents Mailbag with observations about the legend of the man who outsourced his own job, taking a hobby to the next level, and the menace of Imposter Syndrome. Then we welcome our guest, Shawn Blanc, creator of The Sweet Setup and shawnblanc.net, to discuss building an independent business with collaborators, solid project planning, and sensible work hours.

en-US

47:29

41: A Walk on the Beach

Focused ·

2018/02/21

David has a big birthday and joins Jason in discovering the value of embracing a lull; David's wife gets a new job, leading to changes in working at home; and Team Sparky expands as David gets some help with his business.

en-US

53:16

40: Like Being in a Boat, with Kourosh Dini

Focused ·

2018/02/06

Psychiatrist, writer and musician Kourosh Dini joins us to discuss his long journey to being an independent worker, mixing his various jobs, dealing with the stress of being on your own, and much more.

en-US

61:34

39: Quality Time with a Sledgehammer

Focused ·

2018/01/23

David tries to not work too hard on his European vacation, while Jason tries to do the same in his own house; David's experiments with hyper-scheduling and the Twelve Week Year; Jason performs some drastic office remodeling.

en-US

63:47

38: Knit Your Parachute on the Way Down, with Thom...

Focused ·

2018/01/09

David and Jason talk to artist and writer Thom Zahler, an independent creator for 15 years in indie comics (Love and Capes, Warning Label), licensed comics (My Little Pony), and animated television (Spider Man: Web Warriors, Knights of the Zodiac), about his journey from art school student to freelancer to full-on free agent, and how his business has grown and changed over the years.

en-US

54:14

37: The Twelve-Week Year

Focused ·

2017/12/26

We wrap up the year with a discussion of navigating holidays and vacations, David's thoughts about getting projects to completion in the new year, Jason's update to his Not-To-Do List, setting the bar high for taking on new clients, end-of-year appreciation gifts for clients, and holiday seasonality.

en-US

40:28

36: My App Story, with John Voorhees

Focused ·

2017/12/12

John Voorhees of MacStories is a brand-new free agent, a lawyer who left his job in Chicago to set out on his own as a writer and app developer. He tells us how he decided to leave the legal profession and go full time as an independent worker.

en-US

59:02

35: I Guess I'm Felix Unger

Focused ·

2017/11/28

David and Jason discuss the importance of prep time, resetting your balance, gauging the value of your work, time tracking, managing ongoing commitments, getting sick and keeping clients happy, and the value of uncluttered office space.

en-US

50:30

34: I Think I Just Got Fired, with Marco Arment

Focused ·

2017/11/14

App developer, podcaster, analyst, and secret entrepreneur Marco Arment joins us to discuss his journey from college to Tumblr, building Instapaper, getting quit-fired, setting out on his own, and working in bursts of productivity.

en-US

54:24

33: When You Say Yes to Everything

Focused ·

2017/10/31

On Halloween, David and Jason revamp the podcast with a new format. David struggles with how he's spending his time. Jason tries to figure out when to say no and gets a better perspective about how well his business is doing, prompted by a job inquiry from a former co-worker.

en-US

47:29

32: It's Scary, Dude! with Kathy Campbell

Focused ·

2017/10/17

Unicorn Sidekick Kathy Campbell joins us to discuss how she ended up becoming a Free Agent while behind a desk at her "real job," when having her new career discovered her.

en-US

37:54

31: Being Selective About Clients, with Aleen Simms

Focused ·

2017/10/03

Relay FM Host and App Launch Map founder Aleen Simms joins us to talk about her accidental fall into freelance work and setting high standards for her clients.

en-US

46:57

30: Tito Needs to Pay the Rent

Focused ·

2017/09/19

So you're working in a house full of kids. Or a partner who is there all the time. It can make working from home difficult to say the least. We discuss the good and bad of working around kids (and others) who are in your house with you.

en-US

40:16

29: The Spreadsheet

Focused ·

2017/09/05

So you're thinking about going out on your own. It's time to build The Spreadsheet, a tool to let you gauge your potential income and expenses and give you a realistic view of what it will take to succeed.

en-US

47:08

28: David's Origin Story

Focused ·

2017/08/22

Jason asks David to explain where he came from, the background of his career, and what the circumstances were that led him to become an independent worker, and then asks him to reflect on his two-plus years no longer being employed by a law firm.

en-US

43:39

27: Bird in the Bush

Focused ·

2017/08/08

Passion projects can be an enjoyable outlet. But how do you balance the work that pays the bills with the work that feeds the soul?

en-US

58:50

26: A Batphone to My Heart

Focused ·

2017/07/25

Telephones and text messaging seem like necessary evils at best, but for many small businesses they're required. You just need to figure out how to use them effectively--and set rules so that they aren't abused. While Jason leaves the phone off the hook, David describes his trial of Google Voice and ultimate decision to use a live receptionist service.

en-US

205 results

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