FROM THE VAULT: Aaron Mahnke Talks About Crafting 'Lore', Mastering Productivity, and Navigating a Podcasting Caree

🚨 The Forge Your Future Challenge is back – August 7–9, 2025!

Join yours truly, Mike Vardy, for this free 3-day experience to reconnect with what matters, regain control of your time, and set your future in motion. Just two hours a day for three days—no fluff, just focus. Save your spot now: https://mikevardy.com/forgeyourfuture

Originally aired in March 2016, this episode features the incredibly talented Aaron Mahnke, creator of the renowned podcast, Lore, and the mastermind behind Grim & Mild Entertainment.

Aaron candidly shares his freelancing journey, highlighting the transition phases, learning curves, and the importance of setting definitive boundaries. We delve deeper into his development and adaptation of productivity habits and tools that were instrumental in his success. The conversation also illuminates the challenges encountered in podcasting and the strategic approaches adopted by Aaron to continually prioritize and manage myriad tasks and projects effectively. This episode offers a plethora of learnings and actionable insights for our listeners, especially those maneuvering through freelancing careers, podcasting, or juggling diverse projects and commitments.

Be sure to listen all the way through as Aaron shares not only the challenges he has faced but also the pivotal moments that have defined his success in the podcasting realm.

Key Discussion Points

1. Entrepreneurial Journey and Lore’s Creation: Aaron shares the inception and journey of Lore, from its humble beginnings to being an overnight success after years of hard work, illustrating his commitment and the meticulous process behind each episode.
2. Freelancing & Setting Boundaries: With nearly a decade in freelancing, Aaron delves into the evolution of his career, highlighting the growth and changes in his income sources and the necessity of setting boundaries to balance work and life effectively.
3. Development of Productivity Habits: Aaron reflects on his unconventional route to success and the development of productivity habits and tools essential in keeping up with client demands and contributing significantly to his endeavors, including his renowned podcast Lore.
4. Adapting Systems for Productivity: We discuss the importance of laying foundational knowledge before tweaking systems for optimal productivity. Learning and mastering the basics of any tool or system is essential before customizing it to fit individual needs and styles.
5. Podcasting Challenges & Success: Aaron offers insight into the challenging aspects of creating and maintaining a successful podcast, including decision-making processes that contribute to the podcast's ongoing success and popularity.
6. Prioritizing Amidst Demands: We talk about the challenges of managing various tasks and responsibilities, with Aaron sharing his strategies for effectively prioritizing projects and tasks amidst a multitude of demands, providing valuable insights for listeners juggling multiple commitments.

Reflect on Aaron’s journey and the strategies and tools he shared in managing his successful career and various projects. Consider how you might implement some of these insights into your work and life, and think about the boundaries you've set for yourself. Take this opportunity to reevaluate and possibly readjust them to better serve your personal and professional growth.

Links Worth Exploring

• Connect with Aaron: Website | Threads | Instagram
• Subscribe to Lore: Website
• Subscribe To Aaron's Newsletter: Get Campfire Here
• Related Conversation: Episode 317: The Analog Way with Jeff Sheldon
• Related Blog Post: The Fight

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

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

📘 Grab My New Book: The Productivity Diet: A Practical Guide to Nurturing your Productive Potential

If you’re looking to build a sustainable, personalized productivity practice that actually sticks, my latest book is for you. It’s available now—wherever books are sold. Learn more at mikevardy.com/lit or request it at your favorite local bookstore.