The Formula Podcast with Trevor Carlson

Latest Episodes:

Life Lessons from Lindy Hop Part 2: Anastasia Feoktistova - #90 Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

As one of the teachers at the Groovy Cats swing dance studio in Prague, Czech Republic, Anastasia Feoktistova always encourages her students to be themselves and to never fear the difficulties they may encounter when starting out as a novice in swing dance. Originally from Russia, Anastasia now travels internationally to teach the art of swing dance to beginner and experienced dancers.

While approaching dance as a fun activity for all who are interested, she continues to focus on and help dancers move past their perceived failures while on the dance floor. She emphasizes that we don’t need an inherent special talent to dance and instills the confidence that is needed for all her trainees go outside their comfort zone.

In this episode we will discuss:

Going outside your comfort zone when learning a new skill
Not quitting when an activity becomes challenging
Understanding that being an instructor is also a way to learn
Seeing dance as a conversation and connecting with your dance partner
Encouraging students in their beginner stages of dancing
Immersing yourself in the social culture of dance

Quotes:

“Swing dancing is all about fun, it’s about expressing yourself. Dancing to music which varies from the 1920s to 1950s. There is a pretty aesthetical feel. You learn a lot about culture about the way people used to have fun in the past years... It is about exchanging emotions while dancing, catching the same rhythm.”

(4:24)

“When I started to dance, I learned a lot of new things about myself. I started to think differently, I started to organize my life differently. I started to learn something new not only about dancing but the way I’m living, the way I’m dressing and the way I’m talking... This is actually something I started to do because I like the aesthetical component.”

(11:47)

“I find my own voice when I am teaching.”

(13:00)

“I didn’t have any special talent. I started to dance when at the age of 20 and I didn’t have any dance experience before. I had lots of failures, it didn’t make me happy but I am happy right now because I didn’t stop. I didn’t surrender. I kept doing what I did.”

(18:07)

“I do encourage people to believe in the fact that they are talented.”

(23:46)

“You will discover a beautiful world if you try!”

(34:00)

Links:

Groovy Cats Swing Dance Club Website:

http://www.groovycats.cz/

Groovy Cats Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groovycats/

Groovy Cats YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/GroovyCatsClub/
Sponsors:
LadyBoss
LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women. To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here: https://www.ladyboss.com/lean?affiliate_id=1260607
LiquidWeb
LiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running! Check out their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount:https://www.liquidweb.com/LiquidWeb Promo Code: Formula33

To listen to more episodes head to theformulapodcast.com
or check out the full video episodes on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@justtrevorcarlson
To follow our travels and read our travel guides head to lostandlore.com
or watch our travel videos on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCavHMv7t-VKqYZrusR4eUUQ

Life Lessons from Lindy Hop pt 1: The Global Culture of Swing Dancing - #89 Aug 05, 2019

Show notes

This swing dance episode special is part one of three-part series detailing Trevor Carlson’s swing dancing experiences and classes across the world. In this episode, Trevor discusses the Lindy

Hop dance, an American dance born in Harlem, New York City around 1928. Lindy Hop was and still is considered a major member of the swing dance community. Due to her improvisational dance style, Lindy’s craft evolved along with the jazz sound and lifestyle throughout the years.

While traveling across the world over the past few years, Trevor has been exposed to the global swing dance culture from countries stemming in Asia all the way to Eastern and Central Europe.

As a self-described beginner, his love of swing dancing and improvement grows with each class and dance.

In this episode we will discuss:

The openness and the kindness in the swing dance community

The humility that comes from learning to swing dance

Remembering to have fun while learning a new skill

Using dance as a global language and breaking down linguistic barriers

Quotes:

“Dancing boosts my mood. There’s almost never a morning where I wake up and I don’t have a smile on my face after an evening of swing dancing. I feel fantastic and it makes my overall mood even better as I go about my day. It carries over into other areas, into work and how I interact with other people. Why wouldn’t you want to feel like that? Who could ask for any better reward from a hobby?” (8:05)

“Practice can be fun. Practicing a skill doesn’t have to be torture, and if you can have fun while doing it, it makes it even better. We seem to glorify the grind... torturing ourselves while practicing our craft. Is that really necessary?” (9:17)

Sponsors:

LadyBoss

LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women. To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here:

https://www.ladyboss.com/lean?affiliate_id=1260607

LiquidWeb

LiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running! Check out their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount:

https://www.liquidweb.com/

LiquidWeb Promo Code: Formula33

What We Can Learn from Saying Goodbye - #88 Jul 26, 2019

Show notes

Struggling with goodbyes – something we can all relate to. Over the past year, Trevor Carlson has met some amazing people while trotting around the globe. Although his experiences were usually limited with these world-traveling friends, he has learned to appreciate that the time spent with these people was precious. He has learned that the paths crossed among travelers encourages a tight bond, albeit at times brief. Their journeys may be different, but their desires of seeing new countries and cultures has taught them about their shared values. As long as the time spent with new friends is cherished, saying “goodbye” can be a beautiful experience.

In this episode we will discuss:

Sharing our values with like-minded people
Learning how to continually say goodbye to loved ones
Appreciating the limited time spent with new friends on the road
Choosing to surround ourselves with people who bring us joy
Remaining aware of our surrounding environment and being in the moment

Quotes:

“It’s really helped me to understand that there are millions, millions of amazing people in the world who have the same values as you. You don’t have to spend your time with people who don’t share those values, don’t bring you some level of joy and don’t really add any value to your life.” (3:00)

“Every minute is really precious when you’re around these loved ones or your really cherished friends. Every minute is valued as you can see them tick away, knowing that they’re going to come to an end. It becomes more important to look the person in the eye across from you and listen to what they’re saying. They become the priority over checking your work email, updating your Facebook or scrolling through Instagram. I’m guilty of this too! ... I’m not perfect but it has definitely made me more aware and I am more likely to notice what I’m doing, put the phone down and be more involved in what I’m doing. ” (4:33)

“Does this relationship bring me joy? Does this relationship bring value...Do they make me want to strive to be the best version of myself or do they make me feel extremely critical of who I am?” (6:23)

Links:

Trevor’s Blog:

https://medium.com/@trevorcarlson

Trevor’s “Goodbyes” Blogpost:

https://medium.com/@trevorcarlson/goodbyes-2a1dda36c058

Sponsors:

LadyBoss

LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women. To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here:

https://www.ladyboss.com/lean?affiliate_id=1260607

LiquidWeb

LiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running! Check out their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount:

https://www.liquidweb.com/

LiquidWeb Promo Code: Formula33

How to go from Intern to President of Volunteer Local with Kaylee Williams - #87 Jul 25, 2019

Show notes

As President of VolunteerLocal, Kaylee Williams’s leads the team to provide a platform for other companies to schedule, coordinate and communicate with volunteers and employees when organizing events.
Although she started as an intern in 2012, her skillset snowballed into an impressive array of accomplishments within the company. Currently, a shareholder in the company and mentor to many beginners in the startup world, Kaylee’s advice and past experience allows others to skip over common mistakes and create a beneficial trajectory for their companies and livelihoods.
In this episode we will discuss:

Creating an effective company through constant communication with team
Working with an international and traveling group of employees
Kaylee’s rise through the ranks in VolunteerLocal
Learning to move forward after mistakes and successes
Being able to have fun while creating new experiences
Finding an appropriate mentor who matches your skills
Outgrow mentors and understanding the mentorship cycle
Learning how to sell your product by approaching it as solving a customer’s problem
Implementing new models and letting go of former processes when they become ineffective
Creating a team of employees that will benefit the company
Doing the research beforehand to ensure your startup is in demand
Prioritizing your personal wellness and realizing its impact on your company
Taking your time, being consistent and investing in steady growth
Utilizing healthy travel habits while on the road

Quotes:
“The support network that you have is the support network that you build for yourself.” (10:41)
“I think the best mentors are the ones that fill critical gaps in your current skillset.” (16:04)
“I try not to take criticism too seriously from someone that I wouldn’t take advice from. When my mentors criticize me, I take that to heart. But if I get criticism, even if it’s constructive from any other party, I take it with a grain of salt.” (17:11)
“One thing that I think is important especially when scaling a business is staying focused. Stay focused on what you know you can sell, the product out of the box today. Don’t get too derailed with different markets or different iterations of your core product.” (25:10)
“Your company is only as strong as the people around you. Their skillset, their passion and really I think the right combination of people and personalities can catapult your growth.” (27:13)
“I think so much of what is challenging and also exhilarating about building a company is that you are making all the rules. You are setting up the jobs and the expectations and the touch points and the structure or the lack thereof of how their performance is measured.” (29:46)
“Charisma and learning to tell your story certainly goes a long way.” (33:19)
Links:
VolunteerLocal website
https://www.volunteerlocal.com/
Kaylee Williams Twitter
https://twitter.com/kayleecat?lang=en
Kaylee Williams’ former band, River Glen
https://www.riverglenmusic.com/
Sponsors:
LadyBoss
LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women. To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here: https://www.ladyboss.com/lean?affiliate_id=1260607
LiquidWeb
LiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running! Check out their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount:
https://www.liquidweb.com/
LiquidWeb Promo Code: Formula33

Why I Got Rid of My Stuff to Live Out of My Bag for the Past 12 Months - #86 Jul 19, 2019

Show notes

Only having lived in Iowa his entire life, Trevor Carlson never left the country until he was 30. Although it may have been a bit extreme to move abroad for his first living experience outside of his home state, he threw himself in head first to take those meaningful risks. After getting rid of all of his possessions and having one foot already out the door, he started his journey in Europe in August 2018 and moved on to Asia from there.

By spending time in other countries and cultures, he has been able to broaden his perspective and truly reflect on what it means to understand different walks of life. Although it may not always be glamorous, the traveling lifestyle allows him to engage in lifelong memories, new friendships, and unexpected adventures.

In this episode we will discuss:

Pursuing our dreams and not waiting for the perfect circumstances to arise
Feeling like time is passing by and carefully addressing this feeling
Being able to feel fulfilled during times when we are alone
Being unable to find happiness from sources that are outside ourselves
Gauging internal levels of self-validation or satisfaction
Embedding ourselves in other cultures to gain insight and appreciation
Breaking down our plans into micro-steps to achieve our goals

Quotes:

“I’ve always been drawn to see the world in order to understand it. I wanted to leave an impact, I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to do all these things but I’d only lived in Iowa my entire life. You cannot make a difference in something you don’t understand... if you want to have a larger impact like I was striving to in that point in time, you have to see the world, you have to experience it, you have to kind of embed yourself in other cultures and spend time with these people and get to understand what it’s like to live a day in their shoes. It’s given me an entirely different perspective. ” (6:01)

“I wanted to write. I wanted to tell stories. I wanted to see what the world was all about. I wanted to go on these adventures that I’d read about. I’ve always dreamed about this and it’s still surreal to me that I took the leap and that I’ve been able to do it. But I’m here.” (12:13)

Sponsors:

LadyBoss

LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women. To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here:

https://www.ladyboss.com/lean?affiliate_id=1260607

LiquidWeb

LiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running! Check out their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount:

https://www.liquidweb.com/

LiquidWeb Promo Code: Formula33

Why Dating Kinda Sucks and How to Navigate Online Dating with Sarah G and Adam Avitable - #85 Jul 16, 2019

Show notes

Dating, relationships and sex. The “Dating Kinda Sucks” Podcast with Sarah G and Adam Avitable covers all aspects of what we may be doing right or what we’re definitely doing wrong when it comes to love and relationships. Since meeting at a blogging conference in 2015, Sarah and Adam collaborated to help answer questions and ponder what a healthy and meaningful relationship truly is. While fielding both intelligent and downright ridiculous questions from listeners, these two hosts go in depth with their own experiences in the relationship world and try to help others blaze their own trail in the wild dating arena.

In this episode we will discuss:

Having confidence within the dating world
Not taking rejection or ghosting personally
Dating in modern times with social media
Tinder and Bumble apps and the bar scene
Being able to explore the dating scene and not settling
Feeling comfortable with being yourself
Letting insecurity and desperation interfere with our goals
Keeping communication open with who we’re dating
Being be comfortable with being alone and on your own
Working through insecurities we have with ourselves
Cleansing ourselves of toxic relationships and friendships
Rock bottom and the momentum needed for moving forward

Quotes:

“The biggest error I see is people letting insecurity get ahold of them... People who aren’t confident that they’re worthwhile and they’re worth someone’s time and they let that insecurity rot away at them... it’s never healthy... you have to understand you probably are good enough... You should treat yourself like you’re a good enough person and not go with people who make you go crazy.” –Adam (17:45)

“I think you have to be comfortable being alone... Really get to know yourself alone and be confident in who you are when you’re just by yourself. That is step number one...I think two, there’s a lot of social media pressure out there of what success is. So people say

“Oh people are having kids and getting married and they look so happy and successful, so that must be the trajectory I need to take to be happy and successful.” And that’s my challenge to that, how about you just be happy and find success by being alone and being comfortable with who you are first?” –Sarah (20:00)

“It’s okay to grow. It’s okay to change.” –Sarah (32:28)

“Education is important too. The less educated somebody is, the less likely they are to break out of that cycle...the more educated you are, the more exposure you have to a lot things you never knew or thought about. The less educated you are, you tend to go to whatever is in your immediate vicinity, that is all that you know and you don’t know anything further so it can be hard... you can’t help somebody get out of this. They have to want to change or be better or improve their life and that’s completely dependent on their own fortitude.” –Adam (32:58)

“Sometimes some really bad thing has to happen for you to have a wakeup call instead of taking the initiative to try something on your own. You have to hit a really deep rock bottom and you’re like I will not accept this anymore, something has to change and that is the momentum you get to move on to something better.” –Sarah (34:01)

“We don’t grow from happy moments in our lives. The only time we grow as a person is how you deal with bad things that happen in your life.” –Adam (34:18)
Links: Dating Kinda Sucks Podcast
Website:https://www.datingkindasucks.com/
Dating Kinda Sucks Podcast: Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/datingkindasuckspodcast
Adam Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/avitableCo-host
Sarah Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/simplysarahg_
Sarah G.’s Blog: http://www.sarahgrat.com/
Sponsors:
LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplemen

The Future of Augmented Reality with entrepreneur, Brad Dwyer - #84 Jul 12, 2019

Show notes

As the founder of the decade-long company Hatchlings Inc., programmer Brad Dwyer was willing to make the adjustments necessary to grow his company. Upon leaving Iowa State University before graduating, his technology startup proved to be a worthy investment of his time. Although Brad’s journey has not been completely without struggle, his computer vision and augmented reality ideas ultimately created a fun and new virtual experience for people across the country.

In this episode we will discuss:

Transitioning from the gaming industry into augmented reality

The creation of Magic Sudoku

The novelty of augmented reality providing contextual information

Our mobile devices being able to understand and recognize our environment

Thinking about the company’s success path 5-10 years in the future

Quotes:

“If rewound 20 years and we told everybody that you were going to have a listening device that was always on in your pocket and everyone was going to have one of these, I think they would have had the same sort of [upset] reaction. But now we all carry around cell phones without even thinking about it. So these dystopian views of the future... it’s easy to see the downside of things but it’s a lot harder to imagine in which our lives are better.” (8:50)

“What we’ve learned is the benefits of [this technology] have been so vast, people have been willing to give up some sense of privacy in exchange for these extra features and abilities in their life... I think there’s a lot of responsibility involved in making sure that those trade-offs aren’t too much and that we’re not purposely moving ourselves into a dystopia.” (9:25)

“You should think about why you want to start a company... Is this something that I really want to do?” (10:25)

Links:

Brad Dwyer Twitter:

https://twitter.com/braddwyer

Hatchlings Inc. Website:

https://about.hatchlings.com/

Sponsors:

LadyBoss

LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women. To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here:

https://www.ladyboss.com/lean?affiliate_id=1260607

LiquidWeb

LiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running! Check out

their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount:

https://www.liquidweb.com/

LiquidWeb Promo Code: Formula33

Growing Up on the Internet with Brad Dwyer - #83 Jul 10, 2019

Show notes

As the founder of the decade-old company Hatchlings Inc., programmer Brad Dwyer was willing to do make the adjustments necessary to grow the company and keep it alive. Upon leaving Iowa State University before graduating, his technology startup proved to be a worthy investment of his time. Although Brad’s journey has not been completely without struggle, his computer vision and augmented reality ideas ultimately created a fun virtual experience for people across the world.
In this episode we discuss:

Brad’s programming beginnings in junior high
Achieving passive income through viral success
The history and process of Hatchlings on Facebook Creating a subscription model for virtual goods
Sponsors and the bumps along the road to success
Scaling up as the company grew to over 15 million users
Diversifying from Facebook to a mobile platform
Making hard decisions when a company’s profits decline

Quotes:
“Think longer term, think bigger.” (8:05)
“What makes Hatchlings special? Why did people play this for ten years? How can we leverage our strengths to expand in a strategic way rather than just throwing a bunch of money into things and seeing randomly if something was going to work?” (17:58)
Links:
Brad Dwyer Twitter:
https://twitter.com/braddwyerHatchlings Inc.
Website:
https://about.hatchlings.com/
Sponsors:
LadyBoss
LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women.
To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here: https://www.ladyboss.com/lean?affiliate_id=1260607
LiquidWeb
LiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running!
Check out their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount: https://www.liquidweb.com/LiquidWeb
Promo Code: Formula33

Brewing Success from Sudden Coffee with Josh Zloof | #82 Jun 28, 2019

Show notes

Coffee fanatic and connoisseur Josh Zloof details his journey from a small coffee start-up to a successful and flourishing company. As the co-founder of Sudden Coffee, Josh ensures his company uses the highest quality beans from single origins in order to create the best sipping experience for his customers. By utilizing different production methods through the years,

Sudden Coffee offers your taste buds the perfect cup of non-traditional instant coffee and a quick brew you won’t forget.

In this episode we will discuss:

Start-up successes and expectations

Marketing through mobile apps and social media

Production difficulties from suppliers

Transitioning from company branding to marketing a product

The difference between instant coffee and Sudden Coffee

Coffee from different regions around the world

Different methods when brewing coffee beans to perfection

How to solve problems through creative means

Facebook ads and acquiring a customer base

How to establish a start-up while maintaining a personal life

Formula Quotes:

“Coffees like this didn’t really exist 10 years ago... the origin of coffee is really just a way to get caffeine... This idea of having these really high quality single origin coffees is such a new thing that I wouldn’t expect most people to know about it. That’s a big part of our mission is to educate more people about it.” (16:45)

“How do you create these random occurrences where you match up with this specific person who happens to know the thing that you need? It’s not through just hammering your head against a wall. It’s through putting your message out there, it’s through telling a story, it’s through trying to talk to as many people as you can.” (27:03)

Links:

Josh Zloof Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/joshuazloof/

Sudden Coffee Website:

https://www.suddencoffee.com/
Sponsors:
LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women. To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here: https://www.ladyboss.com/leanaffiliate_id=1260607
LiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running! Check out their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount:https://www.liquidweb.com/LiquidWeb Promo Code: Formula33

Hypnotism | A Discussion on with Hypnotist Jason Linnet #81 Jun 17, 2019

Show notes

For over eight years, Jason Linett has been a nationally accredited hypnotist. From humble beginnings as a manager in theater, Jason found his calling when he least expected it. After becoming fascinated by hypnosis after attending a stage show, what started as his hobby turned into a full-time job.

Through different methods and techniques, Jason offers hypnosis to a diverse set of clients who struggle with a variety of issues. By helping people make the changes they need in their lives, he teaches his clients and students how to use the tools they already have in order to become the best version of themselves.

In this episode we will discuss:

Fear of failure and fear of success in hypnotism
Customization of the hypnosis process for each individual
Skepticism of hypnosis and its efficacy
Automatic responses in our daily life
Identifying emotional triggers and stress
Imagining our goals as already accomplished
Shifting our expectations with hypnosis
Principles and benefits of the placebo effect
Becoming the best version of ourselves
Discovering what methods and routines fit within our goals
Recognizing the truth within our lives

Quotes:

“We can do hypnosis or we can be hypnotic. What happens when you step into that result as if you’re already there and operate from that position?”

“Work with as many people as you possibly can because it’s all about the customization to the individual. It’s what we call ‘client-centered hypnosis,’ matching the process to the client rather than the client to the process.”

“The amateur changes his act, the professional changes his audience.”

Links:

Jason Linett Hypnosis Website:

https://worksmarthypnosis.com/

Jason Linett Homepage:

https://jasonlinett.com/

Jason Linett Stop Smoking Website:

https://virginiahypnosis.com/

Jason Linett TEDx Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTJNqBTuhx0

Sponsors:

LadyBoss

LadyBoss is a premium nutrition company that provides the best weight loss supplements in the world for women. To sign up for LadyBoss or research their amazing nutrition products, head here:

https://www.ladyboss.com/lean?affiliate_id=1260607

LiquidWebLiquidWeb offers e-commerce solutions to help get your online shop up and running! Check out their website and use the promo code below to obtain your shop’s start-up discount:https://www.liquidweb.com/LiquidWeb Promo Code: Formula33

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