A Productive Conversation

Latest Episodes:

Joe Chura talks about being Not Almost There Mar 16, 2022

Show notes

My book, Productiveness, is now available. It's about the difference between doing more and doing what matters, and how we lost the ability to tell them apart. I'll send the release date the day it's set. Visit https://mikevardy.com/productiveness to learn more and get your copy today.

Joe Chura is an entrepreneur, inventor, and investor philanthropist. He founded and bootstrapped two companies, Launch Digital Marketing and Dealer Inspire, that both became two of the fastest growing companies in America, earning the #39 spot on the Inc. 500 and #5 ranking on Crain’s Chicago Fast 50. In 2018, Joe sold both businesses to Cars.com in Chicago’s largest acquisition of the year, and he continues to lead their growth and innovation today as CEO. Joe’s passion is using his leadership and health and fitness experiences to help others achieve their goals, which led him to start his podcast, Not Almost There, in January of 2021.

I find out during our conversation what Almost Not There means and how he got started with it. Then we discuss Joe's unique meditation ritual, what you can learn from people (good and not-so good), the importance of small moments, and a whole lot more.

Show Notes

Connect with Joe: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Joe's Podcast: Subscribe Here
Listen to me on Joe's Podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Ryan Holiday on The Rich Roll Podcast: Watch/Listen Here
Joe talks with Rich Roll: Check it out
The event Joe started: REFUEL
Joe's newest venture: Here it is!
Related Conversation: Episode 407: Rob Walker talks about The Art of Noticing
Related Blog Post: Almost

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

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Mohammad Anwar and Chris Pitre talk about Love as a Business Strategy Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

Sometimes I get so caught up in the conversation that I make a mistake.... But considering the guests I have this time around I couldn't have picked a better time for that to happen.

You see, I mispronounced one guest's last name in the intro.

That said, these two guests – Mohammad Anwar and Chris Pitre – had a hand in writing the book "Love as a Business Strategy: Resilience, Belonging, and Success" so I'm sure Chris will show me the side of love that exudes compassion and forgiveness.

Mohammad started Softway at the age of 20 where he still serves as the President and CEO. Chris is the Vice President of Softway and he has a B.A. in Business Administration from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

We talk about why they wrote the book, how they were able to write the book with two additional authors, what businesses need to read this book, and how love can be measured in business to help quantify it more... if that's even possible.

Show Notes

Connect with Mohammed: LinkedIn
Connect with Chris: LinkedIn
Their Book: Love as a Business Strategy: Resilience, Belonging, and Success
Check out their Podcast: Love as a Business Strategy
Softway's Website: Check it out here
Their new initiative: Culture+
Related Conversation: Episode 401: Dr. Michael Breus talks about Energy Management, Movement and Sleep
Related Blog Post: How to Do More of the Things You Love

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

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You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.

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Brittany Wagner talks about not giving up, taking a chance, and vulnerability Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

When Brittany Wagner reached out to be on the program, I honestly didn't know that she was on a dock-series that I'd added to my Netflix queue called "Last Chance U."

I started to go through some of the episodes and found Brittany to be, indeed, the breakout star of the show.

We spoke about the honest and vulnerability she put into her book, "Next Chance You: Tools, Tips, and Tough Love for Bringing Your A-Game to Life" along with elements that she and those she mentors face time and time again – things like the importance of choice and dealing with overwhelm.

I didn't know quite what to expect going into this conversation. But once I was in it, I really enjoyed it. I trust you will, too.

Show Notes

Connect with Brittany: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Brittany's Book: Next Chance You: Tools, Tips, and Tough Love for Bringing Your A-Game to Life
Watch Last Chance U: Right here on Netflix
Related Conversation: Episode 408: Thomas Anderson talks about Vulnerability
Related Blog Post: The Potential of a Fresh Start

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

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Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

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FROM THE VAULT: Justin Jackson talks about Making and Modifying Feb 23, 2022

Show notes

My guest on this episode is my friend Justin Jackson. I wanted to revisit this conversation from April 2017, so I pulled it from the vault to share it with you once again.

Justin is a ton of things. He's a dad, a husband, an entrepreneur, and a coach. He's the founder of Megamaker, cofounder of Transistor.fm, and cofounder of Meeps. He's also the author of Jolt, the creator of Marketing for Developers and Tiny Marketing Wins, and an overall serial maker.

He aims to help people through the things they create. And he does a great job at that.

On this episode, we discussed the processes of making and/or modifying. We spent time going over his systems and approaches in the different initiatives and creations he is working on.

Relevant Links:

Connect with Justin: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram
Looking for a podcast hosting solution? Check out Transistor.fm
Justin's Email Newsletter: (It's Self-Titled)
Justin is also on Twitch: Right Here
Related Conversation: Episode 290: Creative Menopause with Chase Reeves
Related Blog Post: The Hard Stuff

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.

Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Diettrich-Chastain talks about CHANGES Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

Change is never easy. And it's constant.

It's one of the things that we can rely on... even if we can't rely on what it might hold for us.

That's why you're seeing the phrase "change management" so much more than ever before. You can't really lead change; you can only manage it.

Or can you lead it?

That's what Michael Diettrich-Chastain and I talk about during this episode of A Productive Conversation.

Michael is a bestselling author, leadership coach, facilitator and professional speaker. Michael and his team are passionate about helping organizations, leaders and teams become experts on change management, communication and emotional intelligence. So he knows a thing or to about not just managing change... but leading it to where you get the best outcome possible.

We talked about certainty and uncertainty and how the acronym he uses (CHANGES) can help organizations and their personnel deal with both. There's a lot more that we get into surrounding the concept of change and I believe after listening to this conversation, you might just change your mind about how change can be handled to work for you more often than not.

Show Notes

Connect with Michael: Website | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
Michael's Book: CHANGES
The CHANGES Cards: Get a deck here
Related Conversation: Episode 232 of A Productive Conversation
Related Blog Post: Change for Change's Sake

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.

Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luke Burgis talks about Wanting, Journaling, and Fulfillment Feb 09, 2022

Show notes

As the author of "Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life," Luke has spent plenty of time and energy researching the power of desire. I absolutely loved getting into the book and wanted to spend some time getting into the nuts and bolts with Luke about why "wanting" has so much power... and what to do with that power.

We unpacked a lot during our discussion – from impostor syndrome to needs and wants becoming one and the same (or appearing to be) to attempting to avoid choosing the wrong things to desire. I learned a lot from this conversation, making it incredibly productive.

I trust you'll learn a lot, too.

Show Notes

Connect with Luke: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Luke's Book: Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life
Luke and I both use the Monk Manual: Get 10% off one here with the code TIMECRAFTING
I also use this journaling app: Reflection
Luke chatting with Ryan Holiday: The Daily Stoic Podcast
Related Conversation: Episode 189 of A Productive Conversation
Related Blog Post: The Priority

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.

Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thomas Anderson talks about Being Vulnerable Feb 02, 2022

Show notes

Who is Thomas Anderson?

Better still, who is Thomas Anderson to write a book on vulnerability?

I ask this question during my conversation with him on this episode of the podcast.

Do vulnerability and productivity go hand-in-hand? I think so.

Setting boundaries, sharing limitations, dealing with overwhelm, are all part of them both. I know that once you're done listening to our conversation that you'll see the relationship between productivity and vulnerability.

And you might just be closer to the aim of being productive rather than "doing" productive, too.

Show Notes

Connect with Thomas: Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
Thomas's Book: The Vulnerable Man
Vulnerability + Ted Lasso: The art of vulnerability with Ted Lasso
Another book I loved spawned from journaling: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Related Conversation: Episode 146 of A Productive Conversation
Related Blog Post: Why I Journal (and Why You Should Too)

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.

Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BONUS EPISODE: Charlie Gilkey talks about Momentum Feb 01, 2022

Show notes

On this bonus (and sponsor-free) episode of A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy, Mike is joined by his good friend Charlie Gilkey of Productive Flourishing to talk about Momentum, the productivity app that he and his team are developing.

Mike asks him why in the world we need another productivity app, what Charlie is hoping to see happen with the Kickstarter campaign for Momentum, and much more. This audio is from a livestream that Mike had with Charlie on his YouTube channel so it'll sound different than our regular episodes. (Not bad... just different.)

You can check out the Momentum app Kickstarter campaign here.

Want to watch the recorded livestream? Here you go.

Want to support the podcast? You can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.

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FROM THE VAULT: Rob Walker Jan 26, 2022

Show notes

Over the past 7+ years of hosting this podcast, I noticed something: I've never gone back into previous conversations and revisited them with you. So I decided to make that more of a thing going forward.

The first episode of this podcast that I felt deserved to get pulled out from the vault was the one where noticing was the topic of conversation. Rob Walker knows a thing or two about noticing.

I've gone back to his book a few times since I was first sent a copy to read for our discussion back in May 2019. Considering that I focus on the importance of both intention and attention when it comes to time management and productivity, noticing is a natural thing for me to explore further. Noticing is a habit that I need to nurture. As Rob so aptly put during our conversation:

"It is not about your skill at noticing, more on the habit of noticing that sort of forces you to see differently and to see things that you weren’t looking for.”

I'm getting better at noticing. I trust after you listen to this conversation – and pick up Rob's book – that you will too.

Show Notes

Connect with Rob: Website | Tumblr | Facebook | Twitter
Rob's Book: The Art of Noticing
Rob's Email Newsletter: The Art of Noticing Newsletter
Another Rob Walker Thing I Think You'd Like: Workologist
Related Conversation: Episode 238 of A Productive Conversation
Related Blog Post: What Noticing Does

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.

Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perrine Farque talks about Inclusion Jan 19, 2022

Show notes

Perrine Farque and I had a conversation that revolved largely around her area of expertise: inclusion. That's also the title of her book, which came up quite a bit during our chat... and for good reason. You see, within its pages lies the ultimate secret for an organization's success.

We get into acronyms (we're both fans of them) and Perrine explores one of them with me in greater depth. Other things we get into include a way to think of yourself than can help promote inclusivity, the ever-present problem of "impostor syndrome", and how to break through beliefs that integrating an inclusive culture into the workspace isn't as overwhelming as some make it out to be.

Perrine drove the strategy at companies such as Facebook and is on a mission to make the workplace more inclusive and diverse. After listening to this conversation, I think you'll see that she is well on her way to accomplishing that mission.

Show Notes

Connect with Perrine: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Perrine's Book: Inclusion: The Ultimate Secret for an Organization's Success
Perrine's TEDx Talk: Inclusion is the key to success
Quiz: What's Your Leadership Type?
Related Conversation: Episode 234 of A Productive Conversation
Related Blog Post: There's Nothing Wrong with Being a Night Owl

Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.

Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.

Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices