Jenny Blake
363: 🌈 Taking a Quiet Sabbatical and ...

As I round the corner into this ninth year of podcasting, after over 700 episodes today, I’m announcing a pause for both shows.

Listen in to hear what factors helped me reach this decision across time, money, energy, depressing industry articles, the pace of both shows’ growth, and mix of additional business factors that make this an important moment to pause and regroup. You might also appreciate the even deeper dive with my longtime friend (and first coach) Adrian Klaphaak in Pivot episode 360: 📦 Unpacking a Big Business Decision and Dissolving Related Doubts.

Jenny Blake
362: Setting Creative Intentions Instead of ...

“Expectations are the enemy to the creative process. Sometimes you have to let go of the known to see the unknown.”

Today I’m speaking with James McCrae, an author, poet, and meme artist based in Austin, Texas. He is the founder of 🌻 Sunflower Club, a global school and community dedicated to conscious creativity.

Jenny Blake
361: On Decision Engineering and Evaluating ...

Good decision-making is not about omniscience or clairvoyance—it's more about resilience, according to today’s guest, decision engineer Michelle Florendo. “Decision-making is harder than ever before, and it's not your fault,” Michelle says. “People feel like they ‘should just know’ how to decide.”

Today we’re talking about a framework more helpful than pro-con lists, tuning into your head, heart and gut; why the quality of your decision is not equal to the outcome—did good or bad things happen; keeping a decision journal to evaluate the quality of your decisions regardless of the outcome; and how to drop the guilt of “bad” past outcomes.

Jenny Blake
360: 📦 Unpacking a Big Business Decision ...

What happens when you make a big decision but still have lingering doubt, fear, and even despair? How do you know when a “download” from the universe is worth following, and what does test-driving a decision look like? What happens on the other side or when a pivot is taking far longer than planned?

We’re unpacking all these topics in today’s twelfth and final (for now) conversation for the Pivot x Career Pathfinder series with Adrian Klaphaak.

Jenny Blake
359: “You can’t give what you don’t have” — ...

“You can’t give what you don’t have.” That’s just one of the powerful lessons that Nataly Kogan learned the hard way seven years ago, after suffering a debilitating phase of burnout. As a former refugee from the former Soviet Union, she began her American journey in the projects and on welfare, then going on to build an impressive career as a finance and tech executive and serial entrepreneur over the next 25 years. Until she crashed at thirty-eight years old and needed to find a new way of moving forward.

As part of her healing process, Nataly began to paint when she was 40 by signing up for a painting retreat in Tuscony (that turned out to be for semi-professional watercolorists), and now her paintings are on the cover of her books—front and center as part of her bold self-expression.

Business

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260: Everyday Rituals and the 'Sparkling of the Sacred' with Casper ter Kuile

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260: Everyday Rituals and the 'Sparkling of the Sacred' with Casper ter Kuile

Casper ter Kuile is helping to build a world of joyful belonging. He is the author of The Power of Ritual and the co-host of the award-winning podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. Casper is a Ministry Innovation Fellow at Harvard Divinity School and the co-founder of startup Sacred Design Lab - a research and design consultancy working to create a culture of belonging and becoming. He also co-authored “How We Gather” and collaborated with Holstee on his new Ritual Life Planner.

❤️ Enjoying the show? The best way to say thank you is leaving a rating or review. Free Time is listener supported—consider donating to become a podcast Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call:

💸 Enroll in the complimentary Free-up Founder Time mini-course before the price goes up

❤️ Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call with Jenny

💌 Get my curated weekly(ish) PivotList newsletter

💬 I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey

🗣 Submit a question or comment for future episodes

🎧 Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to ‘casts

📝 Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned

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259: Introducing Free Time with Jenny Blake!

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259: Introducing Free Time with Jenny Blake!

Hi Friends! As I mentioned in the last solo episode, my team and I have been hard at work creating a brand new podcast that will run in parallel to Pivot! I'm thrilled to welcome you to Free Time — your home for Heart-Based Business.

I'm sharing the inaugural episode here with you on Pivot, but be sure you go subscribe to that one too, if the subject matter interests you! Search for "Free Time with Jenny Blake" or visit http://pod.link/freetime to subscribe in your favorite podcasts app.

In this preview episode, I share what inspired me to start the show, how I’m handling the Imposter Monster sitting right next to me, and what’s next for Jenny Blake Enterprises. A pivot for Pivot, if you will :)

❤️ Enjoying the show? The best way to say thank you is leaving a rating or review. Free Time is listener supported—consider donating to become a podcast Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call:

📘 Books Mentioned: Pivot, Essentialism, Finite and Infinite Games

🔗 Links Mentioned: Gimlet Media’s StartUp, Pivot podcast episodes 228 (how I run my business without social media) and 251 (Imposter Monsters)

💌 Subscribe to the Time Well Spent newsletter: http://itsfreetime.com/join

💸 Enroll in the Mini-Course: Free-up Founder Time

💬 I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Free Time listener survey

🗣 Submit a voice question or comment for future episodes: http://itsfreetime.com/ask

🎧 Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to ‘casts:

📝 Check out full show notes and links from this episode and share it with a friend! http://itsfreetime.com/episodes/001

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258: Big Things Brewing + the Power of Tiny Sprints

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258: Big Things Brewing + the Power of Tiny Sprints

Hi Friends! I’m back with another “staycation” solo episode on what I’ve been up to. It’s a quick take on systems to support seasons of retreat for creativity and rest, my favorite books of the year so far, and a peek into my forthcoming projects.

Key questions:

📘 Books Mentioned: Pivot, Wintering, Who Not How, Clockwork, The Power of Full Engagement

💸 Enroll in the complimentary Free-up Founder Time mini-course before the price goes up

❤️ Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call with Jenny

💌 Get my curated weekly(ish) PivotList newsletter

💬 I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey

🗣 Submit a question or comment for future episodes

🎧 Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to ‘casts

📝 Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned

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257: Gentle Business Revolution with Sarah Santacroce

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257: Gentle Business Revolution with Sarah Santacroce

I’m thrilled to be back from holiday hiatus (and a deep work creation cave on my new book and podcast - more on that soon!) with an episode from someone who inspires me greatly in heart-based business: Sarah Santacroce.

Sarah’s new book is called The Gentle Marketing Revolution: A Radical Business Approach to Get New Clients with Integrity and Kindness. I was honored to co-write the foreword with Penney Pierce in a fun, delightful, in the moment, flowing way. You'll hear more about that and how to launch with serendipity and ease in this episode! Be sure to also check out Sarah’s Gentle Business Revolution Manifesto, and our most recent conversation on her podcast, Kindness in Business.

❤️ Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call: http://pivotmethod.com/insider

💌 Subscribe to the PivotList newsletter, a curated weekly(ish) round-up of my favorite finds ‘round the web: http://pivotmethod.com/pivotlist

💬 I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey

🗣 Submit a question or comment for future episodes at http://pivotmethod.com/ask

🎧 Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to ‘casts: https://pod.link/1054817076

📝 Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/257

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255: Dr. MJC on Vaccine Trial Updates and Post-Election Pivots

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255: Dr. MJC on Vaccine Trial Updates and Post-Election Pivots

Pandemic-response expert Dr. MJC is back for our Sweet 16th (!) installment in the Pivoting Around a Pandemic series. We discuss updates on the Pfizer vaccine trial he’s participating in, fantasies about “when there’s a vaccine,” challenges to global rollout, our reaction to the election results, and the need for deep rest after all that we’ve collectively been through this year, and particularly this season.

📝 Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/255, and our related (previous) conversation: 🦠248: Horseshoe Theories and Ongoing Pandemic Pivots with Dr. MJC.

💌 Get my curated weekly(ish) PivotList newsletter at http://pivotmethod.com/pivotlist

💬 I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey

🗣 Submit a question or comment for future episodes at http://pivotmethod.com/ask

🎧 Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to ‘casts: https://pod.link/1054817076

❤️ Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call with Jenny: http://pivotmethod.com/insider

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254: The Practice—On Generosity, Peculiarity, and Showing Up with Seth Godin

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254: The Practice—On Generosity, Peculiarity, and Showing Up with Seth Godin

"The marketing-industrial complex has been on a tear for a hundred years to make almost everyone feel inadequate, because it's the single best way to sell you something. If that game isn't giving you joy, don't play that game.”

My next guest needs no introduction — though he deserves one nonetheless! Seth Godin is an inventor, thought-leader, contrarian, mentor, mensch, and an ongoing inspiration to so many of us. He is the author of 19 bestselling books, and this week we are celebrating his latest! The Practice: Shipping Creative Work, one that inspired me to get back on the mic after a two-month hiatus, to record this interview in early September.

Listen in as we celebrate our (almost) ten-year friendiversary and discuss a range of topics for those in the business of playing with ideas: shipping creative work even when tired, generosity and building with word-of-mouth in mind, choosing which information “rooms” to hang out in online, Tik Tok and social media tourism, and speaking to (and selecting for) the yearning of the people you seek to serve.

Although I’m at my awkward finest when interviewing my biggest heroes, Seth chief among them, I hope you enjoy this conversation on all things leadership and creativity :)

Links Mentioned:

❤️ Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call: http://pivotmethod.com/insider

💌 Get my curated weekly(ish) PivotList newsletter at http://pivotmethod.com/pivotlist

💬 I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey

🗣 Submit a question or comment for future episodes at http://pivotmethod.com/ask

🎧 Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to ‘casts: https://pod.link/1054817076

📝 Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/254

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🦠248: Horseshoe Theories and Ongoing Pandemic Pivots with Dr. MJC

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🦠248: Horseshoe Theories and Ongoing Pandemic Pivots with Dr. MJC

Pandemic-response expert Dr. MJC is back for our 15th (!) installment in the Pivoting Around a Pandemic series. In this “pandepic” two-hour round, we riff on: what we’ve been up to this summer, the five gnarly viruses we’re experiencing (COVID being only one), the horseshoe theory of political ideologies, discourse and censorship, tyranny and the fall of empires, vaccine trials, vitamin D, second-hand social media, and more.

📝 Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/248

❤️ Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call with Jenny: http://pivotmethod.com/insider

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[Best Of] Penney & Jenny 7: On Spirituality and Small Business (July 2018)

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[Best Of] Penney & Jenny 7: On Spirituality and Small Business (July 2018)

Happy summer, friends! I’m taking a short break to pause and design what’s next for the podcast content-wise. Please enjoy this series with Penney Peirce, released M/W/Fri in keeping with my latest experiment.

Penney is consistently named as a listener favorite when I get feedback notes, and after our first interview together we jokingly started naming these follow-up conversations “The Penney & Jenny Show.” Until now, these interviews were spread out over the last four years — now they’ll be bingeable as a consecutive series :)

🗣 Want to help shape what’s next? Take the listener survey if you haven’t already! http://pivotmethod.com/survey »

📝 View full show notes from this episode at http://pivotmethod.com/podcast/penney7 »

***

Original air date: July 15, 2018

I'm delighted to bring you the seventh (!) episode in a side series of this podcast we affectionately call the Penney & Jenny show :) It's a growing set of conversations with one of my dear friends and mentors (friendtors), Penney Peirce. We had so much fun during our first interview together that we added a second . . . which became a third . . . and so on, until it was a regular feature on the Pivot Podcast!

This week we're riffing on the intersection of spirituality and small business—how we apply intuition, transparency, non-physical realms, and personal practices toward business-building, attracting clients, and earning a living in a way that feels easeful and joyful. You can check out all of our interviews here, and for easier listening, tune in on our SoundCloud playlist.

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243: Crowdfunding Venture Capital And Accessible Angel Investing with Chuck Petid

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243: Crowdfunding Venture Capital And Accessible Angel Investing with Chuck Petid

As the Republic website states, “Talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not.” That’s why they are democratizing angel investing by creating a platform where diverse founders and mission-driven start-ups can get the capital they need—and even those of us without millions in the bank can invest in emerging companies we believe in, for as little as $10.

This conversation with Chuck Petid was recorded pre-pandemic (back in 2019), but is relevant more than ever with so many companies looking for assistance during these trying economic times.

📝 Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/243

🎧 Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call: http://pivotmethod.com/insider

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241: Get Off Autopilot & Be Your Own Benefactor with Antonio Neves

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241: Get Off Autopilot & Be Your Own Benefactor with Antonio Neves

What happens when you find yourself on autopilot, even with a perfect-on-paper role or business? It can be hard to admit—even to oneself—not being 100% #grateful, #blessed, and #fulfilled.

Longtime friendtor Antonio Neves and I talk about how to find the courage to boldly go your own way—to be your own benefactor—even when your next direction isn’t a proven Pivot yet. You’ll hear about Tony’s aha moment that helped him kick a secret coping habit, and starting taking authentic steps in a new direction into a new phase of life and work where he’s betting on himself.

📝 Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/241

🎧 Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call: http://pivotmethod.com/insider

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239: Resilience and Compassion Fatigue with Colleen Pelar

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239: Resilience and Compassion Fatigue with Colleen Pelar

“Self care is the best business plan.” That’s Colleen Pelar’s philosophy that she shares with pet care professionals in her private community and on her Unleashed podcast.

By nature of being heart-centered givers and animal-lovers, those who care for our furry friends are often at risk for compassion fatigue. On top of that, the last few months have challenged all of us to develop greater resilience — and find much-needed pockets of rest amidst ongoing unrest.

Big thanks to Momentum member Regina for the introduction—I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did about how to take care of ourselves, and secret superpowers animal whisperers can bring into their businesses.

View show notes and resources mentioned from this episode at http://pivotmethod.com/239 »

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🦠235: Co-Journeying and Re-Opening—Roundtable with Dr. Anthony Harris and Dr. MJC

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🦠235: Co-Journeying and Re-Opening—Roundtable with Dr. Anthony Harris and Dr. MJC

I’m delighted to be hosting a roundtable as the most recent installment in the Pivoting Around a Pandemic series with Dr. MJC (who you know well from 13 episodes together!) and Dr. Anthony Harris, Chief Innovation Officer for WeCare who is helping implement 1,000,000 tests every day to help businesses re-open.

We talk about Dr. Harris’ background at the intersection of faith, medicine, and entrepreneurship; processing the unrest of these last two weeks, his take on co-journeying through the Black Lives Matter movement, inequities in society as it relates to business and healthcare, and what drives and orients him as he prepares to welcome a son into the world.

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions for a future conversation at http://pivotmethod.com/ask

Check out show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/235

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🦠233: Riffing on Rogan (Part 2) & Podcasts as Mirror with Dr. MJC

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🦠233: Riffing on Rogan (Part 2) & Podcasts as Mirror with Dr. MJC

Dr. MJC is back for part one of this week’s recent installment in the Pivoting Around a Pandemic series (listen to episode 232 first). In this session we riff more on the Rogan-Spotify deal, Amazon/Audible jumping on to the podcast acquisition bandwagon, and the podcasting superpowers of transparency and authenticity.

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions for a future conversation at http://pivotmethod.com/ask

Check out show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/233

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231: Vulnerability As a One-Way Ticket to Trust with Billy Anderson

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231: Vulnerability As a One-Way Ticket to Trust with Billy Anderson

“Vulnerability is a one-way ticket to trust,” says today’s guest Billy Anderson, founder of The Courage Crusade and mutual friend of longtime friendtor Michael Bungay Stanier (two-time guest of the Pivot Podcast).

Billy is the author of Your Comfort Zone is Killing You: Finding the Courage to Be You. In this conversation we cover finding the courage to move past others’ expectations toward greater authenticity, transparency, vulnerability, and self-expression.

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/231

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229: Create What You Need

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229: Create What You Need

What do you wish you had that doesn’t exist? Whether it’s a podcast episode, an article, or a physical product — innovation requires pausing the “infinite stream” of passive content we consume in receiver mode, and intentionally pausing to ask the question: how can you create what you need?

Your magnet means something . . . pause and pay attention to it.

This episode ties into topics covered in 142: Creative Economy Lessons from “The Great Race to Rule Streaming TV” and episode 219: Swimming Upstream—A tale of two platforms.

Get my curated weekly(ish) PivotList newsletter at http://pivotmethod.com/pivotlist »
I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey
Submit a question or comment for future episodes at http://pivotmethod.com/ask

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at

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228: How I Run My Business Without Social Media

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228: How I Run My Business Without Social Media

If social media drains you, yet continues to dangle itself as a “sexy should,” this episode is for you. I share my own process—mindset shifts and business focuses—that allow me to keep moving, even without platform-building or posting on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Tik Tok.

From a business perspective, social media is a means to two primary ends: social connections and media (consuming and contributing). I share how I work toward both of those in ways that energize me, even without directing my attention toward the platforms above.

This episode ties in to topics covered in 142: Creative Economy Lessons from “The Great Race to Rule Streaming TV” and episode 219: Swimming Upstream—A tale of two platforms.

Subscribe to my weekly(ish) curated PivotList newsletter at http://pivotmethod.com/pivotlist »
I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey
Submit a question or comment for future episodes at http://pivotmethod.com/ask

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/228

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227: "Super Extrovert" Pivot Strategies with Photographer Phillip Van Nostrand

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227: "Super Extrovert" Pivot Strategies with Photographer Phillip Van Nostrand

When Michael and I were throwing together our very agile wedding at City Hall in New York City back in November 2018, with just a few weeks notice I asked two friends for a photographer recommendation. Both separately replied with the same person, today’s guest, which was all the serendipity I needed to say yes!

That photographer is Phillip Van Nostrand, an instant friend and exactly the kind of guy you’d want on board for big events. When Phil told me how he was networking during the pandemic, and earning more revenue than ever despite so many events cancelled, I knew I needed to have him on the show. A self-described super extrovert, he’s provides a much-needed balance to my introverted curmudgeon :)

We’ll also dive into his recent Medium article, How to Live an Epic Freelance Life (in the time of Covid-19), where he describes what he’s been up to for the past five weeks to help my (photo) business and how he put over $15,000 into his bank account during this time.

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/227

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219: Swimming Upstream—A Tale of Two Platform Pivots

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219: Swimming Upstream—A Tale of Two Platform Pivots

“Everything is the pandemic’s fault,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of nascent streaming platform Quibi last week. Is it? I share my thoughts in this week’s riff on how streaming companies are responding and piloting during this time.

Building on episode 142: Creative Economy Lessons from “The Great Race to Rule Streaming TV”, I share a tale of two platforms — and encourage you to examine where you might still be stuck in unhelpful thinking.

I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/213

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216: Pivoting Stand-up (NY) with Dani Zoldan

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216: Pivoting Stand-up (NY) with Dani Zoldan

Dani Zoldan is a lifelong entrepreneur. In 2008, he purchased Stand Up NY, the famous comedy club on the Upper West Side of Manhattan that made its name in the 80’s and 90’s with many of the world’s best comics including Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Louis CK and Jon Stewart.

Today, (at least pre-pandemic when we could still gather in person!) the club has been home to many current A-listers including Amy Schumer, Michael Che, Pete Davidson and Judah Friedlander.

I met Dani through James Altucher, who bought into club ownership in 2016, and was honored to participate in their inaugural Podcast Row. When I saw Dani quoted in the New York Times March 18: Open Your Laptops, the Comedy Show Is About to Begin, as businesses started shutting down, I knew he’d have an interesting Pivot perspective to share!

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/216

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214: Nerding Out w/Mitch Joel—On Ideas, Systems, Credibility, and Connections

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214: Nerding Out w/Mitch Joel—On Ideas, Systems, Credibility, and Connections

Seth Godin recently described Mitch Joel (in celebration of his 700th episode) as “in the pantheon, one of the greats.” I couldn’t agree more.

Mitch is a well-respected friend and colleague to so many of us in the business, writing, and speaking communities. He sees trends and platforms coming long before they hit mainstream, and his output, ideas, and incisive interviewing style consistently leaves me with inspiration and new information.

He was gracious to have me on his Six Pixels of Separation Podcast when Pivot launched, and the conversation (among dozens and dozens) left such a mark on me that I quoted him in the afterword for the paperback edition of Pivot in 2017 the following year. Here’s an excerpt:

"My guiding principle now is faith in flow, a reminder that helps me trust the natural cycles of tension and release, hustle and flow, grit and grace. I listen for what’s next, but try not to rush the answer.

If the Plant stage involves putting a pin in one’s desired destination a year from now, entering my post-pivot rest mode was like hitting the “current location” button in a maps app—it spun me back and helped me zoom in on where I was right now, not someplace off in the future where I should be.

In the words of my friend and fellow author Mitch Joel, instead of only focusing on what’s next, we’d do well to reflect on the equally important question: what’s now?"

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/214