Good People, Cool Things

Natalie Shay is a singer/songwriter from London who's been on a musical barrage lately. Her latest EP, MILK, came out in the fall of 2022 and she featured on other songs since then. And we're barely a month into 2023 but she's already dropped another single, "The Edge." We're talking all about her songwriting process, what people in creative fields should do to stay motivated, and perhaps the best thing she's done to market her music (which also happens to involve slime). She's also ranking her top Taylor Swift albums, so to all my Swifties out there: Feel free to chime in.

Storytelling can be such an impactful tool for any individual or brand — but only if it's done correctly. Stefan Georgi is the creator of the Copy Accelerator mastermind and the RMBC process for developing effective copy. And he's used his words to generate over $1 billion, so it's safe to say he knows what he's doing. He's sharing a peek inside his success — let's roll.

Marketing has always been an important element of business, but in the digital world, there are just SO MANY options. What are the latest SEO tricks? Do I need to learn the ins and outs of TikTok? Are Facebook ads still even useful? It's enough to make anyone go mad. Amy Singleton spent more than a decade as a nurse assisting with major surgeries. Yet she thought she could do more to serve people, particularly women entrepreneurs. She founded Hite Digital Norman, a digital marketing agency designed to make the whole marketing world less scary while helping businesses grow. We're chatting about her journey from surgery to marketing, how to use data to boost your brand, and things Amy used to be afraid of but now loves to do. This episode is presented by MyLifeInABook.com. They offer a super fun way to get to know your loved ones better, collect timeless memories for future generations, and bring the family together! Use code "GPCT" at checkout or click right here and save $10 off your purchase.

Whether you're just exploring starting a small business or have been working at yours for years, chances are you have a LOT on your plate. And that's a fast-track ticket to Burnout City. And not the fun type of fast-track, like the passes that can get you to the front of an amusement park ride. Veronica Kirin is a serial entrepreneur who found herself burnt out and frustrated. So, she decided to do something about it. By the time she sold her tech company, she had achieved what seems unthinkable: a 10-hour workweek. Now, she's teaching small business owners how to do the same and take back control of their freedom. We're chatting through her three pillars of business scaling, why we need to overcome hustle culture, and her upcoming Empire Retreat in Croatia. This episode is presented by MyLifeInABook.com. They offer a super fun way to get to know your loved ones better, collect timeless memories for future generations, and bring the family together! Use code "GPCT" at checkout or click right here and save $10 off your purchase.

Innovation is a word that gets thrown a lot, but it can be tough to know just what steps to take to actually innovate. How do you know what works and what's more futile than trying to talk to a friend during the encore of a rock concert? Hussain Almossawi has always looked at ways to innovate while blurring the lines between storytelling, visual effects, and design. And it's led to creative opportunities with companies including Nike, Disney, Adidas, and ultimately, his own company, Almossawi Studios. Luckily, Hussain is here to bring us along for the ride thanks to his book The Innovator's Handbook: A Short Guide to Unleashing Your Creative Mindset. We're talking about how to deal with pushback, the time one of his designs almost got hit with a lawsuit, and ways to be more innovative. 

Fans of this podcast know I'm a big fan of creating "spooktacular" episodes around Halloween. We've explored musicians' worst gigs, chatted with ghost hunters, and heard a few horrific tales. This year, it's going to be a little different. I'm reading a chapter of my book Kind, But Kind of Weird: Short Stories on Life's Relationships. This story is the creepiest one in the collection, so it's the perfect spooktacular for Halloween.  And if you want to be spooktacularly supportive, you can order my book here . Or tell someone about this episode, you rock star. Happy Halloween!

Many artists, musicians, and other creative entrepreneurs want to own property. But because of the unique nature of their industries, they may not be paid as regularly as someone who has a 9-to-5. For example, an artist might get three lump sumps throughout the year instead of a steady paycheck. As a result, many artists and creatives struggle to get approved for a mortgage. Alejandro Szita has worked all over the lending and real estate industries and has learned the ins and outs. Just as importantly, he understands the mindset behind banks that deal with these types of individuals. Alejandro works with artists and entrepreneurs to ensure they’re maximizing the likelihood of getting a mortgage — and how they can use it to earn even more money.

After a trip to Italy with a lot of wine drinking and pasta eating, Dave Martin wanted to shed a few pounds. As it turns out, ditching wine and replacing it with tequila had impressive results. And so, The Tequila Diet was born. We're talking all about the new book, Dave's worst gigs as a chef, and what brands should do when hiring outside consultants. Dave was also a contestant on the first season of Top Chef, so you better believe we're chatting about that, too.

Welcome to one of the most exciting times in sports — the baseball postseason is upon us! And that means it’s the perfect time to talk about innovation in baseball and how the sport has evolved, particularly from a breaking-the-rules perspective. Dan Levitt is an award-winning researcher and board member of the Society for American Baseball Researchers. In short, he knows his baseball history. Alongside Mark Armour, he’s the co-author of multiple books and articles. Their recent collaboration, Intentional Balk: Baseball's Thin Line Between Innovation and Cheating, has a ton of cool stories about…well, the thin line between being cunning and being a straight-up cheater.

Education is hard work, y'all. And creating environments where kids can excel takes a whole village. As a child, I listened to Dave Clark Five while doing homework. It worked for me, but another child might find that repulsive. "A band named after the drummer?!" they'd scoff. So, we need to start being more emotionally intelligent with the youths.  Alyssa Blask Campbell created Seed & Sew to give educators and parents an assist with emotional intelligence. She offers tools for regulation and connection so children can thrive and build resilience. Perhaps the most important part, Alyssa is doing all this in an APPROACHABLE way. She's not trying to scare you off with big words — though she does enjoy a good fancy vocab term — she's simply making it easier to connect in a time when that's often a tough ask.  We're chatting about Collaborative Emotion Processing, how to interact with kids without sounding like you're reading from a script, and why having shitty first drafts is important.

Over the past 15 years, David Richman has run more than 50 triathlons, ran four marathons back-to-back, and took a solo 5,000-mile bike ride around the country.  That bike ride is also a key part of his latest book Cycle of Lives, which explores 15 different emotional journeys of people who have experienced cancer. And 100% of the book's proceeds will be donated to nonprofits focusing on cancer research.  We're chatting about those different journeys, how you can set your own goals for personal growth, the most (and least) bike-friendly cities, and some of the best cooking methods out there.

Imagine you're making a video to share with the world. You've found the PERFECT song for it, one that'll get everyone's toes tapping and praising your musical knowledge. Only there's one problem: you didn't get the proper rights to use the song, and now your video has been taken down. Thematic co-founder Audrey Marshall started her company to help creators and artists alike navigate this tricky world of music rights. And she's dropping all kinds of wisdom for you to maximize your creative endeavors, whether you're on the creator or musician side. Want more cool episodes like this one? Check out goodpeoplecoolthings.com. 

Writing noir mysteries and stories about killers is a fine balance. You’ve got to build worlds that stay true to the setting while delivering characters that people still want to root for, even if they’re mired in some shady stuff. Faye Snowden has honed this craft, writing several noir mystery novels, short stories, and poems. Her latest book, A Killing Rain, is the second of a four-part Southern Gothic series. You want even more helpful resources? I GOT 'EM — simply visit goodpeoplecoolthings.com. 

Do you dig speculative fiction, steampunk horror, and kickass fantasy? Then you're going to be a fan of Morgan Quaid. But even if those genres aren't your favorite, this episode has plenty to help you thrive. Morgan is a writer of comics, novels, and graphic novels. On top of that, he's a music composer and producer. He's done plenty of creative work, collaborated with great minds, and has tons of experience with crowdfunding campaigns. If you're in ANY sort of creative field, Morgan shares solid advice throughout the episode. Come along and listen in, won't you?  For more episodes and helpful resources, visit goodpeoplecoolthings.com. 

This may surprise you, but running a business is hard work. In fact, your to-do list probably just grew by about four tasks in the time it took to read this sentence. With so much going on, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Maybe your operations are in need of updates, or you want to grow your business but aren't sure where to start. Jessi Burg felt the same way, and she was discouraged by how little information there was out there to help small business owners. So, she did something about it. Jessi is the founder of Outgrow Your Garage, which offers self-guided courses, tips, and resources for owners looking to grow their business. No matter the type of company, if you offer a service, you'll find plenty of value here. Want to check out other episodes with more helpful content? Visit goodpeoplecoolthings.com. 

As a performer, Elisa di Napoli enjoyed creating and sharing stories through her music. But with severe performance anxiety, it became nearly impossible to actually take the stage. Elisa tried drinking wine, using beta blockers, and taking improv classes, but nothing worked until she learned how to be kind to herself. Today, she’s an artist coach, hypnotherapist, and multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, producing 12 albums under the stage name Elyssa Vulpes. She helps others approach their next journey with the right mindset, allowing them to overcome stage fright or whatever obstacles are in the way.

Psst, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. YOU have a ton of knowledge, and that knowledge is valuable. And I'd guess you probably know even more than you think.  Musician Fabiana Claure realized this amid a period of burnout. But instead of trying to overwork herself, she learned to start being more protective of her time and more efficient with her offerings—and it's paid off big time. Now she's helping other musicians do the same thing.   We're talking all about how musicians can earn more money, how to market your work, and a couple of near-disaster gigs she's played.  Want to support the show? Head on over to the merch shop or buy a copy of my book!  

Writing might seem like a lonely and solitary practice, but it doesn't have to be. In fact, collaborating with others can often lead to better writing. Francis Daulerio has written multiple books of poetry while also finding unique ways to collab. My particular favorite: a split collection of "covers" — he wrote poems based on another writer's short stories, and the other writer wrote stories based on Francis's poems. He's also talking about his most bizarre reading, the top ways to market a book, and why existentialism can help you find meaning and joy.

If you were staring down a legend like Lionel Richie, how do you think you'd respond? Country singer Kate Watson was faced with that very situation. She performed one of Richie's songs during Season 19 of American Idol — and she's kept the good times going since then. She co-writes music with her father Jesse and dropped her latest single "Highway" earlier this year.  In this episode, Kate shares some of her top stories from her American Idol experience, some of the worst experiences in her life, her top tips for building a successful music brand, and why it's important to always give your all in any situation.

For perhaps her whole life, Annalisa Enrile has been an advocate for other people. She’s a social worker, professor at the University of Southern California, community organizer, and activist against human trafficking. So, naturally, Annalisa was a great host for a show like Goodniks, which explores the journey and meaning of doing good in the world. It’s storytelling at its finest. We’re talking about how you (yes, YOU) can change the world on a more day-to-day and less epic scale and why the next generation is bringing us a ton of hope.