Hosted by Mike Schmitz and David Sparks.
David Sparks and Mike Schmitz are not nearly as productive as they’d like to be. Join these fellow travelers (and a bunch of special guests) as they share the best ways to get focused, and talk though their successes and failures along the way.
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Latest Episodes
#49: Panting to the Finish Line
June 12th, 2018 · 48 minutes
Family members with employment issues remind Jason about just how far he's come; David grapples with letting go of control and working with an assistant; and Jason hands in his resignation and participates in an "exit interview" with David.
#48: Lousy With the Stink of Freedom, with Merlin Mann
May 29th, 2018 · 55 minutes
Podcaster Merlin Mann joins us to discuss his long journey as an independent worker, during which he's pivoted from tech guy to productivity expert to a specializer in cult hits.
#47: Personal Floating Holiday
May 15th, 2018 · 47 minutes
David needs to deal with some clients who aren't paying him. Jason thinks about "taking a personal day" and how that's different from going on vacation or taking a few hours off. David ponders creating a mission statement for himself. And Jason questions whether he's unable to give himself credit for doing certain kinds of work.
#46: Being Comfortable Is Not an Option, with Jaimee Newberry
May 1st, 2018 · 48 minutes
Longtime web developer, tech executive, startup co-founder, inspirational speaker, and coach Jaimee Newberry joins David and Jason to discuss her own journey, when to go out on your own, when to walk way from projects, and how to deal with unexpected success.
#45: Like Going Back to High School
April 17th, 2018 · 41 minutes
David's home workspace gets invaded by teenagers, Jason reprises his old commute and learns to appreciate the ability to work from anyplace, and a listener reminds us of a classic technique: making promises that your future self has to keep.
#44: Maybe You'll Get a Real Job, with David Wain
April 3rd, 2018 · 54 minutes
You might not realize it, but creative professionals in the entertainment industry are also free agents. In this episode we talk to writer/actor/director David Wain of "Wet Hot American Summer" and "The State" about his life as a free agent, from hitting MTV right out of college to the lean times that followed. Turns out that juggling a busy sched…
#43: Don’t Ask Us Permission
March 20th, 2018 · 48 minutes
David attended a conference and was asked for advice (or was it permission?) from many potential free agents. When he got home, his professional life was in disarray. What are the lessons to take from that? Jason ponders putting more effort into video. David continues down the path of hyperscheduling.
#42: Learning Your Creative Rhythms, with Shawn Blanc
March 6th, 2018 · 58 minutes
David and Jason go through the Free Agents Mailbag with observations about the legend of the man who outsourced his own job, taking a hobby to the next level, and the menace of Imposter Syndrome. Then we welcome our guest, Shawn Blanc, creator of The Sweet Setup and shawnblanc.net, to discuss building an independent business with collaborators, so…
#41: A Walk on the Beach
February 21st, 2018 · 47 minutes
David has a big birthday and joins Jason in discovering the value of embracing a lull; David's wife gets a new job, leading to changes in working at home; and Team Sparky expands as David gets some help with his business.
#40: Like Being in a Boat, with Kourosh Dini
February 6th, 2018 · 53 minutes
Psychiatrist, writer and musician Kourosh Dini joins us to discuss his long journey to being an independent worker, mixing his various jobs, dealing with the stress of being on your own, and much more.