The Artist at Work: Recent Episodes
Angie & Emily
Being a creative person in the corporate world can be tough. Each Tuesday, join longtime friends and collaborators Angie Trigilio and Emily Sandberg as they talk about how to strike a healthy balance between nurturing your artistic side and hustling at your full-time gig - with humor, candor and real-world advice.If you work in a creative career, have a creative soul or are just looking to feel understood in a workplace that you don’t feel gets you creatively, this podcast is for you.
Coming at you a day late this week, we're here to chat about podcasting, now that we're basically old pros (we aren't). Cliffs Notes: Our origin story (again); the awkwardness of the earliest days; tools and processes on a tiny budget; the social component; setting aside weekly time, even if we're not always "on"; our personal gateway podcasts; what we've learned about ourselves; the content actually being relevant; and our own recs (see below!).
Showmance
Uhh Yeah Dude
You're Welcome
Business Wars
Modern Love
Pop Culture Happy Hour
Strategy Hour
Working It Out
This week we're thrilled to share our conversation with Catherine Saunders from All the Best. We cover confidence, growing up with (and into) creativity, the weirdness of social media, the blissfulness of staying in your own lane, zig-zagging paths, vulnerability, flexing your creative muscles, finding your niche and so, so, so much more. It was such a treat to get to chat with her - this is a good one!
Follow Catherine on Instagram at @catsaunders.
Cliffs Notes: Continuing our redefinition tour; how to communicate what you do, and how that's different from the other people who do it; how your value prop evolves along with you and your career; audience, audience, audience; selling your value to your existing organization vs. selling your value as your own organization; turning a page-long cover letter into a sentence or two; the gift of realizing you don't have to be a pro at everything; poor fits (as a candidate and a hirer) - but also being fine with a not-perfect job because you want to, you know, pay your rent; learning more about ourselves and our paths, even in our terribly advanced years; a live exercise. (And, there's a worksheet to help you go through it on your own. Fill it out and let us know what you think!)
Cliffs Notes: Reframing the bad feelings around being "bored"; untangling boredom and guilt from one another; allowing yourself space to protect yourself when big things do come along; rethinking how to use down time; misidentifying boredom/silence/anxiety/distraction; being OK with our discomfort in silence; an emotional guidance scale we can all use; one of us being totally unable to access the word "fulcrum" for a very uncomfortable several seconds; the inherent luxury of boredom; permission to play, the past year doing a number on us and craving more slowness than ever.
PLUS: A lil' call to action at the end. Maybe we host a little happy hour or Zoom event or Clubhouse thing or whatever where we convene the small community of our listeners to talk, together, in real time (gasp) about being bored. What do you think? Let us know on Instagram: https://instagram.com/artistatworkpod
Cliffs Notes: The elitism and exclusivity of our concept of "professionalism" and how it's (maybe?) evolving; emotional sweatsuits and Northwestern ones; getting in trouble for whatever being "too authentic" is; the necessity of silliness and how it helps to build culture; the truths and untruths behind "workplace experience"; being able to have fun while producing; making your process accessible vs. keeping it a secret; slipping into bad corporate habits; setting examples as teams and individuals to create inclusive spaces; the work being more important than how we talk about it.
Extras: The slide in question.
Join us for a conversation with Kristen Becker, Angie's college pal and a career creative based just outside of Cincinnati. Kristen takes us through her career as an artist - from corporate to freelance - and shares tons of advice about what to do throughout all phases of your creative journey while still paying the bills. Learn about figuring out if, when and how to leave a corporate career for a freelance one; managing a complicated schedule with multiple stakeholders; zeroing in on your niche; building networks as a solo practitioner; finding the tools that work for you; continuing to explore new opportunities as a lifelong creative; and much, much more.
You can find Kristen at kristen-becker.com.
Cliffs Notes: What would you be doing if you weren't doing whatever this is? Creativity always finding you, and vice versa; situational praise; high school accomplishments not being the best indicator of how you'll grow up (imagine that!); wishing for a class on dental insurance; being attracted to the idea of a career rather than that career itself; hitting a professional peak at 18; the influence of good Neighbors; a lesson from Professor Neeson; discrediting the skills that we don't get paid for; The Ballad of the Lifelong Learner.
Cliffs Notes: Reframing a gross narrative about craving "power" and "strength" at the expense of others' comfort and safety; "weakness" not being inherently bad; moving past fairytales; the beauty of embracing the gray; ~~stop the tape to write down three of your own strengths and weaknesses~~; turning our own "strengths" and "weaknesses" on their heads, and encouraging our listeners to do the same.
Cliffs Notes: Missing (or not missing) "traditional" teamwork as we've gone remote or gone solo; mistaking fear of collaboration with pride; making sure everyone has enough of their own lane to work in; our collaborative gifts; working together vs. working against each other, even when you have the same goal; the danger of corporate land grabs; delighting yourself as much as you do your audiences; and seven critical questions to help you be a more thoughtful collaborator.
SEVEN QUESTIONS FOR BETTER COLLABORATION:
1. Could I repeat back what this person is saying to me?
2. Am I waiting to speak because I want to talk about myself, or because I want to thoughtfully respond to what my conversation partner is saying?
3. Am I taking notes? Who's the subject in those notes - me, the other person or the project?
4. What can my doodles tell me?
5. What is the problem we are all trying to solve?
6. What will I accomplish by saying "no"?
7. Am I being respectful of others' time and resources?
Cliffs Notes: The worst career advice we've gotten, "one size fits all" doesn't fit anyone, corporate Band-Aids, situational vs. strategic advice, returning the gift to the feedback store, bad advice we have given on this very podcast, thoughtful consumption, curiosity and asking good questions, platitudes not being advice, the smell of the school book fair, good advice from unexpected sources, owning mistakes, how to sniff out trusted sources.
This week we're chatting with Adam Sonnett, President of Openfield and Angie's college bud. We'll cover what edtech even is,the different directions your degree can take you, bumps along your career path (and forks in the road), writing your own job description, the power of failure, designing for your audiences, really understanding what your clients need, advice for the folks at home.
Find Adam on LinkedIn and learn more about Openfield on their site.
Cliffs Notes: Nine types of motivators, being motivated by guilt and fear, external vs. internal motivation, being left alone, trusting adults to act like adults, the best form of collaboration there is, setting team members up for success, recognizing others’ motivators that feel weird to us, audience awareness, demotivators, personal vs. professional motivators, thinkers and doers.
Cliffs Notes: A quick chat about specific resources – not Instagram accounts or Facebook groups or LinkedIn connections – that we've found pretty useful both recently and over our careers. What we consume that helps us to create; specific podcasts, classes, writers and podcasters; a public callout of Emily for still not having started her Substack; chronicling our Weeks in Consumption from here on out (join us!).
Cliffs Notes: Looking at our history with social media use, starting with reflections on SXSW; being deliberate about channel use; slideshow parties from another era; social media for business and networking; celebrating a birthday on LinkedIn; high sensitivity & social media do not always mix; social media and its relationship to your creativity; a brief detour to talk about sausage; showing up, regardless of audience size.
An action-packed, advice-filled convo with Angie and Emily's former boss and current friend, Maureen Boyle. Learn how she built an impressive career in marketing after a serendipitous parental mandate, how she leads teams, what makes a good brainstorm, what to do to remain interested and inspired, what the future of experiential marketing might look like - and a whole lot more.
You can connect with and learn more about Maureen on LinkedIn and at maureenmktg.com.
Micro Machines voice We've got a shorty for you this week, so listen at half speed if you want to savor it. (We also talk pretty fast to get it all in.) We're talking about the tips and tricks we use when we're in creative ruts or having trouble solving problems. We share a few helpful hints, talk about our recent revelations and practices regarding journaling... and do it all in a clean 12 minutes.
We'd love to hear from you about how you pull yourself out of a funk, creative or otherwise. Let us know on Insta!
Cliffs Notes: It's our second-ever guest, writer Anne Wynter. Get insights on The Artist's Way, Anne's journey as a forever learner and content creator for a wide cut of audiences, working in the theater scene, the actual processes behind writing children's books, blocking out chunks of time for creativity, bringing characters to life, finding writing classes wherever you go, going to other spaces to get your work done.
Preorder Anne's book, "Everybody in the Red Brick Building," which arrives in stores in October 2021.
Anne's website
Anne's insta
Let’s support Austin!Central Texas Food Bank (Emily's donation page)
Good Work Austin
Austin Disaster Relief
This solo episode is Angie only.
This week we are taking a break from our regularly scheduled content and focusing on Career Coaching. I’m realizing there is a bit of mystic, mystery or just plain ol’ confusion around what a few things…
- What does a career coach do?
- What it’s like working with one?
- And why or who might even consider working with one?
We break down those questions super simply to provide clarity. Simply put, you’re ready for a coach if this sounds like you…
- I feel stuck in my current role.
- I know I'm ready for the next thing, but not sure what it is.
- I keep getting passed over for promotions. What am I doing wrong?
- I want to change industries but I’m feeling scared of taking that leap.
- I was recently laid off and I'm rethinking my career path or what I should do next.
- My workplace doesn't offer professional development and I'm looking to grow.
Angie's Contact Info:
Instagram
Email: angie@checkpluscoaching.com
Check out Angie’s first online course, Emerging Leaders that just launched yesterday!
It’s for those looking to develop their leadership and management skills.
Use promo code TAAW10 to save 10%.
This course is for you if you’re…
🌟 A high-achieving junior to mid-level professional looking to do some self development work to prep you for the next step
🌟 Someone who was thrown into leadership due to downsizing, restructuring, COVID (or any other strange 2020 thing) and needs help calming the chaos and overwhelm
🌟 A current manager who feels in over her head and wants some direction, guidance and support
🌟 A corporate employee who is looking to make an upward pivot and take on more responsibility and people
Learn more here!
And remember, use promo code TAAW10 to get 10% off!
Cliffs Notes: Quick recommendations of 12 tools we love to help us work more efficiently and effectively - especially in a weird time. (We're not gonna give them away in the show notes.) Bonus: What we've learned doesn't work for us. What are your tool recs? Let us know on insta!
Cliffs Notes: Celebrating our friendships for Valentine's Day, a nod to Marilu Henner, our origin story, giving new acquaintances the straight story, starting a job and going all in, work friends as sports teammates, the tools we use to keep our people close, mourning transactional connections, how our friendships have changed as we've gotten older, activity-based interactions, missing the huge Diet Cokes at the movies, a little bit of advice.
Cliffs Notes: Welcome our first guest: animator, illustrator and all-around Good Guy, Jake Williams. We cover his career path from corporate to sole proprietor, what an explainer video is, the joy of a good client reaction, what the motion graphics industry looks like these days, Jake’s creative process, cool tools, the power of meetups, finding inspiration, evolving one’s relationship with social media and creative friendships that have stretched over nearly a decade.
You can find Jake here:
jakewilliams.tv
Cliffs Notes: Talking about how we spend, protect and even waste our time. Tricks to be better at using it, meeting-free days, routines, being better at saying no, quarantine affecting how we use our time, being direct as a polite timesaver, setting realistic goals, startup and shutdown routines, watching Countdown is one unit, “wasting” time being valuable to the creative process, waiting until the last minute vs. being a planner, squeezing in a nap, getting stuff down on paper, prioritizing our personal hours, The Bangles do Simon & Garfunkel.
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Freebie Download from CheckPlus Coaching
Cliffs Notes: Being a Carrie vs. being a Samantha, being the first people who’ve ever discovered the Enneagram, a brief rundown of types, understanding what yours is (and that it might be wrong at first), being embarrassed by truth, Emily’s Book Nostalgia, tattoo ideas, sharing your type with colleagues, a study in contrast (and how it makes collaboration great!), a word from our sponsors, Wings (minus Steven Weber), a book (published after 1994) recommendation.
LINKS:
- Enneagram Institute test
- Truity test
- MBTI/Enneagram correlations, if you’re curious
- Check Plus Coaching: Path to Promotion freebie
Cliffs Notes: Building networks, getting by with a little help from your contacts, the awkward exercise of self reviewing, what (and who) to post on LinkedIn, the weirdness of establishing social media boundaries, injectable influencers, experimenting with Reels, the beauty of a roadshow, casual self-promotion, opting in > opting out, THE RETURN OF HOMEWORK. And that homework is: Promote yourself!
Cliffs Notes: The power of community for everyone, a nice note from a good pal, creating community as a party of one, connecting with strangers via social media, an unpaid plug for Creative Mornings, choosing your level of participation, also an unpaid plug for our favorite paper store, unexpected sources of community, A THIRD UNPAID PLUG FOR JACKBOX GAMES, learning about support from the side gig crowd, a definitely paid plug for a 30-year-old children’s textbook, cultivating our communities in 2021 and beyond.
Creative Mornings
The Paper + Craft Pantry
Drawful
Cliffs Notes: Creative resolutions, using your hands more/cool new tools, trending toward the dramatic, a public outlet in the new year, the beauty of a prompt, knocking out the book stack, crimes against Franklin Covey, recordkeeping by hand, TAAW 2021, “defining” creativity for the zillionth time, starting the new year whenever you want to, rewarding small wins. Happy New Year, y’all!
Cliffs Notes: The art of the pivot, the helpfulness of “job hopping,” telling companies what you want and writing your own ticket, straddling corporate generations, knowing when it’s time to go, managing team members up and out, your colleagues are not your family, transparency about ambitions, growth existing within the C suite, trusting your gut about when it’s time to move.
Cliffs Notes: Creative traditions, 11 o’clock = the magic hour, getting into scheduling grooves (bad ones included), jamming out to ambient sounds, work creeping into your personal space, taking charge of your inbox, creative collaboration in a new normal, virtual hangout fatigue, collaboration + self-education as a sole proprietor. Homework: Send us an email!
Emily’s concentration track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzjWIxXBs_s
Angie’s concentration track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ5FD9_Orbg
Our combined nightmare concentration track that might work for you: https://coffitivity.com/
Cliffs Notes: Sinbad’s early influence on Emily’s creative career, on-brand/off-center, starting over in a new city, Big Feelings about Big Birthdays, turning inward for inspiration, accidentally calling a book by its wrong name (with apologies to André Leon Talley), peak hydration, what to miss (and not miss) during WFH, Emily the Wellness Influencer, farting on the train. Homework: The next time you recommend a book you loved, get the title correct when you talk about it on your podcast.
Cliffs Notes: A deep dive on Angie, being a maker from an early age, starting out in Chicago, staying creatively inspired in a weird year, goals for a big, entrepreneurial 2021, being in charge of your own career, pop cultural recommendations, a piece of advice for other creatives. Homework: Interview a pal of yours to see what you learn about them!
Cliffs Notes: Making the final few weeks of the year count creatively, rest as a “project,” filling your creative cup, resources we’re thankful for, the power of incremental change, giving fewer shits, The Digest, learning the entrepreneurial ropes, knowing you made the right career move, savoring the slowdown, getting all weird about the end of the year when we still have a solid month to go, a free ad for Lexus. Homework: Find a lil’ end of the year project!
Cliffs Notes: Knowing when to share your work, "done is better than perfect," (dis)gracefully accepting feedback, whose opinions actually matter, the importance of a good roadshow, subjective work still requiring expertise, long-term drafts = frying oil, Dorothy Boyd’s Lament, missing informal collaboration sessions, telling Track Changes to kick rocks. Homework: Share something before you’re ready to share it!
Cliffs Notes: Work dances we never want to do again, puppying ourselves, being (or not being) a joiner, jobs as friendship factories, communicating like a person, a misguided Tess McGill reference, finding a cultural fit for your level of casual, the wild, wild world of work clothes and a bad case of the giggles, The Pants Story, a word of thanks. Homework: Identify a weird work behavior you don't like - and stop doing it!
Cliffs Notes:
Identifying (or not) with the word "artist," being a career corporate job-haver is cool, getting your employer to pay for your lobster rolls, unlocking the courage to ask, the kindness of the creative community, the importance of vulnerability and candor.
Homework: Network!
Meet Angie and Emily, your cohosts of The Artist at Work. Here's a quickie introductory episode - who we are, what to expect and why you should keep coming back for more. Thanks for listening!
Follow us on social:
Angie
Emily
Cliffs Notes: Tom Selleck lied to us, carving out your own creative path, the importance of being curious, a pod origin story, building company culture on your own, pushing the envelope and putting in your time, finding valuable creative partnerships, filling up your creative tank.
Homework: Watch Three Men and a Little Lady.
Follow along on social!
Insta
Twitter