

A Productive Conversation
Mike Vardy
Hosted by productivity strategist Mike Vardy, A Productive Conversation offers insightful discussions on how to craft a life that aligns with your intentions. Each episode dives into the art of time devotion, productiveness, and refining your approach to daily living. Mike invites guests who are thinkers, doers, and creators to share their strategies for working smarter and living more intentionally. From practical tips to deep dives on mindset shifts, this podcast will help you reframe your relationship with time and find balance in a busy world.
Subscribe and join the conversation—because a productive life is more than just getting things done.
Subscribe and join the conversation—because a productive life is more than just getting things done.
Episodes
Mentioned books

10 snips
Jan 20, 2021 • 55min
How To Decide with Annie Duke
Annie Duke, former poker pro, discusses decision-making in her book. Topics include 'resulting', biases, and practical tools for better choices. She talks about chunking, mental models, and the impact of information warfare. The conversation also touches on reflecting biases, real-life examples, and beautiful plays in sports history.

Jan 13, 2021 • 39min
Thinking Time with Natalie Sisson
Four years since I last spoke with entrepreneur Natalie Sisson, a lot has changed. Join me as we explore her growth journey.
Natalie is a New Zealand entrepreneur, author, speaker, lover of handstands and triathlete. It’s taken a lot of incremental micro-steps for Natalie to pivot from her Suitcase Entrepreneur identity to the Natalie Sisson she is today. Since late 2018 she has been focused on helping everyday people in jobs, freelance careers and with their own business to monetize their sweet spot and get paid to be them.
Join today’s conversation as we talk about vision planning, audiobooks, and when it’s time to unlearn systems, tools and habits that aren’t serving you anymore. I was fascinated by Natalie’s investment in her personal growth and how she embraces the beginner’s mindset.
Talking Points
Natalie’s process of changing her business identity
How to get unstuck from the fear of growth
What Natalie has let go
The creative challenge from her latest writing project
What productivity means to Natalie today
Advice to entrepreneurs to do more of what they love
Quote
“Unlearning and relearning leads to growth.”
Helpful Links
FinCon
Episode 91: The More of Less with Joshua Becker
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People | Amazon
Masterclass: Gardening
The Suitcase Entrepreneur | Amazon
The Freedom Plan | Amazon
The $10k Club
Untapped Podcast
NatalieSisson.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Jan 6, 2021 • 38min
A Catalyst For Hope with Thane Marcus Ringler
Thane Marcus Ringler takes the professional athlete’s mindset to everyday people in everyday life.
Today’s guest is Thane Marcus Ringler, the former professional golfer turned speaker, writer, development coach and podcast host of The Up & Comers Show. It’s his mission to help people get unstuck and overcome the self-limiting beliefs we all tend to carry.
In this episode, we explore the four perspective shifts from his book Catalysts For Hope: Unlocking Energy, Optimism, And Your Full Potential. Thane’s idealism is infectious, and this will help frame your mind as we begin 2021. Join this conversation as we discuss the art of leaning in, the process of writing his book, critical thinking – and dragonflies.
Talking Points
The 4 Catalysts that will shift your perspective
Focus on the process, no the destination
Identifying your baby steps
A hope-filled life is more practical than you think
Why we regularly overlook our purpose
A case for Idealism
The power of pause
Quote
“Purpose is active. We don’t default our way into it.”
Helpful Links
Catalysts For Hope | Amazon
The Practice | Amazon
Episode 343: Consistency Over Authenticity with Seth Godin
Episode 238: How to Keep Going with Austin Kleon
21 Lessons for the 21st Century | Amazon
ThaneMarcus.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

10 snips
Dec 30, 2020 • 34min
Eating Frogs with Brian Tracy
Keynote speaker Brian Tracy discusses the importance of time management for students, handwritten vs digital notes, and timeless problem-solving strategies. Learn about setting goals in the present tense, the role of self-esteem, and the magic wand exercise for success in life.

Dec 23, 2020 • 37min
Being Nice with Dave Delaney
As a specialist in delivering presentations and workshops to empower leaders, I’m excited to share with you today’s guest Dave Delaney – an expert on being nice.
Today Dave Delaney joins the show, creator of the NICE Method™. He’s a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and the author of the acclaimed book, New Business Networking. He’s worked with the likes of Google, LinkedIn and UPS.
I’m excited to speak with the fellow Canadian and comedy fan, to learn more about his approach to simply being… well, nice. We know the world could do with more of that! Tune in as we discuss practising empathy, the “Yes, and…” mindset, being open-minded – and my love for Ted Lasso on Apple TV.
Talking Points
Leaning into ‘niceness’
Dealing with jerks
The link between happiness and niceness
How to not treat it as a throwaway word
Being authentically nice
The skill in considering other people’s opinions and beliefs
The NICE Method™ framework
The impact of music
Quote
“First and foremost, be nice to yourself.”
Helpful Links
Ted Lasso
Brené with Jason Sudeikis & Brendan Hunt on Ted Lasso
How to Fend Off a Jerk
The Master Communicator’s Secret Weapon
Episode 274: Humor That Works with Andrew Tarvin
Nice Maker Newsletter
DaveDelaney.me
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Dec 16, 2020 • 41min
Virtual Event Conversions with Liam Austin
Since hosting his first virtual event in 2015, Liam Austin knows the formula to making a success of it.
I learnt heaps from today’s interview with virtual events expert Liam Austin. As the world has gone radically digital for so many businesses this year, find out in today’s episode why a virtual event is a great way to grow your business and community.
Liam is the co-founder of Entrepreneurs HQ and Virtual Summit Academy, which organizes many virtual summits and publishes marketing tactics of top entrepreneurs. When he had over 15,000 people register to attend his first virtual event in 2015 – Liam knew he had to share what he did to the wider business community.
In this interview we explore producing live versus pre-recorded events, building tight funnels, how to stand out from other events, and how to make sure you attendees get the most out of the session.
Talking Points
What you can leverage from hosting virtual events
How to stand out amongst the virtual noise
The rough timeline needed when creating an event
How can attendees get the most out of online events
Optimizing what to do post-event
Quote
“Reverse engineer from your end goal.”
Helpful Links
Episode 308: Talking Slack with Phil Simon
Zoom For Dummies | Amazon
EntrepreneursHQ.com
Virtual Summit Academy
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Dec 9, 2020 • 36min
Questions To Ask Yourself with Tripp Lanier
With over 15 years of coaching busy, high-achievers, Tripp Lanier shows how to stay present and be guided by your internal direction.
Tripp Lanier is a professional coach, author of This Book Will Make You Dangerous: The Irreverent Guide for Men Who Refuse to Settle, and host of The New Man Podcast. I loved interviewing Tripp as he’s an honest guy who asks thought-provoking questions.
Since 2005, Tripp has spent thousands of hours coaching people all around the world to get out of the rat race, become an authority in their field, and make a great living doing the work they were put on this earth to do.
As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to get trapped in the hustle cycle. This episode will help release you from this trap and focus on what really matters to give you that ‘aliveness’. Tune in as we discuss issues with saying ‘no’, setting dangerous missions, unfulfilling vision boards, and reading old journal entries.
Talking Points
The correlation between being dangerous and being productive
Managing uncertainty
The comparison game
How to identify what really matters to you
Dealing with resistance
The relationship between finality and productivity
Creating missions as experiments
Four questions to ask yourself at the beginning of your day
Quote
“A high-performing sheep is still a sheep.”
Helpful Links
This Book Will Make You Dangerous | Amazon
Conscience | Amazon
Gary Vaynerchuck
The War of Art | Amazon
My Shot – Hamilton
Episode 227: Why You Need Atomic Habits with James Clear
Atomic Habits | Amazon
Clear Habit Journal
The New Man Podcast
TrippLanier.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Dec 2, 2020 • 39min
The Transparency Wave with Paul Pagnato
After analyzing companies for almost 30 years, Paul Pagnato, shows how we’re in an exponential era. Find out how transparency is the key to growth.
We can feel pretty vulnerable when being transparent. But real change happens when we start to be more honest with ourselves and those around us. This is why I’m so excited to have Paul Pagnato on the show today to deep dive into how we can adopt the transparency mindset.
Paul has spent much of his career managing capital as a wealth advisor. From studying so many companies, he came to the realization that society has grown through massive waves of transformation over the last 500 years. And we’re going through one now – The Transparency Wave.
His latest book Transparency Wave: Exponential Changes That Will Transform Our World is an impactful read that dissects how an increasingly connected and technologically-advanced world presents exponential opportunities. Join us as we discuss his 6Ts of Exponential Transparency™, embracing fear, genomics – and yogis.
Talking Points
What the Transparency Wave is
The exponential element of transparency
The 6Ts of Exponential Transparency™
The challenges when adopting a transparency mindset
How we can apply this mindset to our personal lives
The challenges with accountability
The role of longevity
How we can embrace failure
Quote
“Transparency changes everything.”
Helpful Links
Transparency Wave | Amazon
The Compound Effect | Amazon
Atomic Habits | Amazon
Growing Young | Amazon
Episode 318: Growing Young with Marta Zaraska
TransparencyWave.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Nov 25, 2020 • 57min
Fostering Clarity with Doug Fraser
As host of NPR’s What We Do, Doug Fraser is not afraid to dive deep and follow his curiosity. Today we learn about the craft of clarity.
My guest this time round is Doug Fraser, a creator, producer, and host of NPR’s What We Do. He’s a true expert when it comes to storytelling… be it the history of rats to kitchens. He’s not afraid to ask questions, which makes him a very exciting guest to have on the show.
After years in the ad agency world, Doug now follows his own path to provide a valuable one-on-one marketing experience for businesses of all sizes. From pizza joints to multi-billion-dollar car dealerships, he’s helped brands achieve copywriting, social marketing, and videography success.
Doug and I spend time talking about being present and seeking clarity through simplicity. Join us as we explore taking on new hobbies, capturing ideas, and knowing when it’s the right time to quit.
Talking Points
The impact curiosity has across all aspects of Doug’s life
Energy from learning new things
Balancing the time between learning and working
Everyday tactics to help stay present
His 4-step process for success
Overcoming the sunk cost fallacy
What simplicity shows us
Process to note new ideas during a podcast interview
Doug’s most invaluable tools
Journaling and useful frameworks
Quote
“Everything that we’re learning is adding up in us.”
Helpful Links
What We Do Podcast
What We Do: The College Curiosity Crisis
What We Do: Becoming the Voice of Porky Pig
What We Do: Creating National Geographic’s Photo Ark
Photo Ark
Ron Finley Teaches Gardening
Headspace
Brené Brown
Episode 238: How to Keep Going with Austin Kleon
The Dip | Amazon
Episode 343: Consistency Over Authenticity with Seth Godin
Episode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen
Getting Things Done | Amazon
Baron Fig
Deep Work | Amazon
Episode 229: Exploring Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport
The Five Minute Journal
Day One
DougFraserDigital.com
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Nov 18, 2020 • 50min
Frame Your Week with Racheal Cook
Today’s guest works 25 hours per week since she had kids 10 years ago. Tune in to find out about her impactful approach to productivity.
Racheal Cook is a business strategist and business development consultant. Through her signature online mastermind The CEO Collective, Racheal helps women entrepreneurs start and scale businesses without the hustle or burnout. Being a mother herself, I was fascinated by her approach to being a productive CEO.
As a sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, marketing, and productivity, Racheal’s work has been featured on US Chamber of Commerce, Entrepreneur on Fire, Female Entrepreneur Association, Inc, Fast Company, Forbes, and more. She’s the author of Fired Up & Focused and Your Business Sweet Spot.
Tune in as we discuss ways to structure the week, results-based outcomes, making personal and family time a priority – and what we can learn from meal planning.
Talking Points
Motherhood forcing clarity on productivity
The Model Calendar Approach
Being a morning person
Setting aside “buffer” time
The evolutionary nature of the Model Calendar
Identifying your high-value tasks
Niching down and serving women
The CEO Date
Quote
“Productivity is about protecting myself from myself.“
Helpful Links
The CEO Collective
The CEO Planner
Episode 334: Endless Curiosity with Derek Sivers
Fired Up & Focused | Amazon
Your Business Sweet Spot | Amazon
The 4-Hour Work Week | Amazon
‘Most Likely to Succeed’ Documentary
RachealCook.com/TheProductivityist
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.