

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

13 snips
Nov 4, 2020 • 38min
Consistency Over Authenticity with Seth Godin
Seth Godin is a consistent player in the entrepreneurial space, influencing millions to embrace their inner-creative and best serve their audience. In today’s episode, we uncover how you can make that impact.
Seth Godin has had a huge influence over my career, so I’m excited to bring him on (again) to hear about his latest projects and new book ‘The Practice: Shipping Creative Work’. As my first guest on the podcast I did as a productivity parodist, there’s lots to catch up on.
This interview is full of countless gems, but what really stands out is being consistent with whatever it is that you want to achieve. In his own words, the toughest part is that “you have to show up, even if you don’t feel like it”.
Seth blogs daily. He’s been doing it for years now. He’s built a huge following with over a million readers, and is the author of over 19 books, including Purple Cow, Linchpin, and This Is Marketing. He’s also the founder of the altMBA and The Akimbo Workshops, which runs online seminars that have transformed the work of thousands of people.
Join our conversation as we explore indispensable tools, inbox zero, working with intent – and his 16ft cedar strip canoe.
Talking Points
Applying assertion to our work
Why Imposter Syndrome doesn’t go away
You don’t even need to meet your mentors
Seth’s daily boundaries
Impact of 2020 on his blogging
Seth’s attitude towards uncertainty
Defining good taste
What we actually mean by ‘hacking’
Seth’s relationship with ‘trap’ emails
The trap people fall into when chasing authenticity
Quote
“Know what your audience wants ten minutes before they do.”
Helpful Links
The Practice: Shipping Creative Work | Amazon
Episode 334: Endless Curiosity with Derek Sivers
Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction | Amazon
The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy | Amazon
‘How To Get Your Ideas To Spread’ TED Talk
Necessary Endings| Amazon
Ron Finley Teaches Gardening Masterclass
Freewrite
Inbox Zero: How to Stop Checking Email and Start Finishing It | Amazon
Glowforge
The Authentic Swing | Amazon
TrustYourself.com
Seths.blog
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.

Oct 29, 2020 • 42min
Master Delegation with Barbara Turley
Delegation is overwhelming. But it’s an essential part to any business, so expert Barbara Turley joins the show to explain where to begin.
How often do you get caught up with small business overwhelm? Today’s guest Barbara Turley, CEO of the Virtual Hub, is a true expert when it comes to hiring and onboarding staff for small businesses. Barbara is an investor and entrepreneur with a keen interest in scalable business models, systems, processes and automation, content marketing and the power of inspired and empowered teams.
The mission of the Virtual Hub is to eradicate small business overwhelm by simplifying the offshore outsourcing process and facilitating cost-effective business scalability. Hiring support is not easy, so I’m excited to hear what Barbara has learnt from hiring some of the best VAs.
Join our conversation as we explore setting expectations, the “huddle” concept, and learning from the mistakes we’ve made. It’s time to get out of the loop of being stuck in the busy work trenches, and start thinking about the bigger picture.
Talking Points
The simple steps to overcoming overwhelm
The story behind The Virtual Hub
A long-term thinking mindset
Busting the common myths behind ‘I can’t delegate’
Procrastinating behind busywork
The most effective way to recruit and onboard a VA
Providing structures through tools
The first step of delegation
Quote
“Delegation percolates and evolves.”
Helpful Links
The 4-Hour Workweek | Amazon
The E-Myth Revisited | Amazon
Scaling Up | Amazon
Asana
TheVirtualHub.com/Productivityist
The Virtual Success Show
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.

Oct 22, 2020 • 37min
Undaunted Doers with Kara Goldin
We face many hurdles as entrepreneurs which is why today’s guest, Kara Goldin, has a mission to help people get unstuck in order to move forward.
As Founder & CEO, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, author and mother, today’s guest Kara Goldin wears many hats. Kara founded the flavored water brand Hint in 2005, and has seen it grow exponentially over the years. She’s also worked at Time Inc., AOL and CNN. With her insatiable drive, how does she do it all? As we find out, it’s curiosity.
In light of her new book ‘Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters’, Kara has learnt a lot along her entrepreneurial journey. Join our conversation as we explore hockey stick growths, natural curiosity, losing 24 pounds in 2.5 weeks – and Wild Cherry Pepsi addictions.
Talking Points
How Kara handles her priorities
Advice on staying true to your values amidst the noise
The power of asking questions
The memorable moment of the first Hint sale
Practicing patience
Quote
“The people that call things an overnight success don’t know the true definition.”
Helpful Links
Undaunted | Amazon
DrinkHint.com
KaraGoldin.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.
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.

Oct 15, 2020 • 42min
Your Motivation Code with Todd Henry
What is it that ultimately drives you? It’s key to know this across all areas of your life, so I’m excited to speak with Todd Henry again on the show as we uncover the Motivation Code.
Today’s guest Todd Henry has helped identify the unique ways that we are motivated. It’s fascinating: there are 27 potential ways and it’s different for all of us. Todd is a self-proclaimed “arms dealer for the creative revolution”, who is a writer, speaker, and helps facilitate people and teams generate brilliant ideas. He’s written four books and has recently released his fifth book, The Motivation Code: Discover The Hidden Forces That Drive Your Best Work, co-authored with Rod Penner, Todd Hall and Joshua Miller.
It’s not about waiting for work to motivate us; once we identify our true motivations, we’re in flow. In this conversation, we explore MCODE™ assessment, experiencing flow, how knowing our motivation benefits both our work and personal lives.
Talking Points
Compiling the new books after decades of research
How the opportunity came up to write the book
The six values of themes
Results from the assessment and what they mean
Why we need to dig deep with assessment results
Trigger, process and outcome motivation
Experiencing flow when their motivation code is activated
How and when our motivation shifts over time
Long-term benefits of knowing your motivational traits
Quote
“We create enemies when we don’t need to.”
Helpful Links
Episode 54: Voice Lessons with Todd Henry
The Motivation Code | Amazon
MCODE™ Assessment
Herding Tigers | Amazon
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.

Oct 8, 2020 • 51min
Focused Writing with Adam Leeb
Distraction-free writing: a process that all writers seek. Find out how today’s guest, Adam Leeb, has made it that much easier for you.
As a writer myself, getting into the ‘flow state’ isn’t always attainable. But when I came across the distraction-free writing tool Freewrite Traveler, I had to bring on Adam Leeb, the co-founder, to the podcast. Freewrite is a portable tool with no copy/paste or other advanced editing functionality to promote maximum writing productivity. Pure magic.
Adam is an award-winning product designer and mechanical engineer who is obsessed with product design especially in relation to user experience and user interaction. Join us as we explore mechanical keyboards, removing distractions, failed crowdfunding campaigns, and 3D printing over quarantine.
Talking Points
What attracted Adam to design and Astrohaus
Developing a tool to help writers stay focused with the creative writing process
Their design philosophy
Specialized vs multi-use products
Adam’s desire to design products
Taking more risks
Being ahead of the curve
Running crowdfunding campaigns
Why crowdfund if you have the clout or finances?
A reversal approach to productivity
Quote
“It takes energy to resist.”
Helpful Links
Freewrite Traveler
Astrohaus
Punisher Yo-Yo
Video Confessional Booth
Wayne Gretzky
Kara Goldin
Baron Fig
Episode 317: The Analog Way with Jeff Sheldon
BestSelf
Creality
Clapboss
Sprinter
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.

Oct 1, 2020 • 34min
Escape From Boring with Joe Barnes
After reading a comment on YouTube about how to earn a good income without a boring job, today’s guest Joe Barnes made it his mission to find a framework that enables this. Hint: there are three ways.
When I left my full-time job at Costco, it felt like a giant leap. So I was excited to have Joe Barnes on the show to hear more about his Three Paths to pursuing your dream job. He set up Escape The System – a resource for entrepreneurs, dreamers, and world-changers. He’s also the author of Do The Work You Love. By freeing your mind from society’s conditioning and finding a passion, you’re on track to living the life you want.
Tune in as we learn how to escape boring jobs, how he strategically became an author – his dream job – and what he learnt from two ridiculous tennis matches.
Talking Points
The boring job Joe did
What do we actually mean by “choosing your passion”?
The Three Paths
Advice to the adventurous who go ‘all-in’ with a change
How to stop your passions from fizzling away
Dealing with fear when making the career change
Advice to people who think it’s ‘past their time’
Lessons learnt from being a tennis coach
Joe’s relationship with time
Quote
“There’s something inside of you that needs expression.”
Helpful Links
Do The Work You Love | Amazon
Episode 229: Exploring Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport
Episode 73: Deep Work with Cal Newport
So Good They Can’t Ignore You | Amazon
‘Follow Your Passion’ Is Bad Advice
Beau Carnes’ blog post
Episode 251: Being a Late Bloomer with Rich Karlgaard
Episode 234: Bolder with Carl Honoré
What 2 Ridiculous Tennis Matches Taught Me About Mental Toughness And Life
The Inner Game of Tennis | Amazon
The Score Takes Care of Itself | Amazon
EscapeTheSystemNow.com
Screw The System YouTube Channel
Joe’s Instagram
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.

Sep 24, 2020 • 42min
Working Deeply with Cristina Roman
Deep work can easily feel overwhelming, so we put it off. In this episode we dissect how you can make it meaningful to you, and apply it to any area of your life.
We’re only human – we can’t achieve everything on one single day. Instead, it takes steady increments that lead us to the desired results. Today’s guest Cristina Roman has taught her clients this very philosophy. She’s a Certified Life Coach, deep work extraordinaire, and coaches clients on overcoming procrastination.
By small actions, and focusing on results, we get deep into the good stuff, and less of the procrastinating tasks. Tune in as we unpick her favourite books, second order thinking, and why ‘prudence’ is my word.
Talking Points
Getting into a deep work state within 15 minutes
Stand out learning from Cal Newport’s book ‘Deep Work’
Overcome deep work overwhelm
Apply deep work to your personal life
Deep work for group tasks
Using evidence to beat procrastination
How our language impacts our beliefs and behaviours
How much procrastination can you “afford”?
The fear of making the “right or wrong” decision
Actionable steps to move away from procrastination
Quote
“Slow down to speed up.”
Helpful Links
PiqueCoaching.co/DeepWork
Deep Work | Amazon
The Life Coach School
Atomic Habits | Amazon
Episode 227: Why You Need Atomic Habits with James Clear
Episode 266: Becoming Indistractable with Nir Eyal
Second-Order Thinking: What Smart People Use to Outperform
Ziva Meditation
Muse Meditation
Stress Less, Accomplish More | Amazon
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.

Sep 17, 2020 • 40min
Visibility Bias with John Meese
We’ve all experienced social media overwhelm – what would it be like if you removed it from your marketing strategy? John Meese joins the show to share what he’s learnt from having no social media.
Today’s guest John Meese has found something liberating: removing social media from his marketing equation. When done well, social media works, but it’s easy to get distracted by vanity metrics. After a social media detox, John discovered the best places to serve his audience online.
I’m a huge fan of John’s entrepreneurship, so I was excited to learn more about his work with Michael Hyatt. He is the Dean of Platform University, cofounder of Notable Themes and CEO of Cowork Columbia. He is also the author of Survive and Thrive: How to Build a Profitable Business in Any Economy (Including This One) which will be available this fall.
Join us as we discuss the power of email, visibility bias, how to focus on the ‘who’ – and what his priest taught him about productivity.
Talking Points
Why John doesn’t use social media
Should you claim your brand name across all social media channels?
What kind of platform is YouTube?
How to start weaning off from social media?
Why email has stood the test of time
His work at Platform University
John’s relationship with time and productivity
Quote
“Macro-dream and micro-execute”
Helpful Links
Digital Minimalism | Amazon
Productivityist’s TikTok
Episode 239: Free to Focus with Michael Hyatt
Episode 289: The Vision Driven Leader with Michael Hyatt
Platform University
Platform | Amazon
Cowork Columbia
The Roosevelt Rule
PlatformUniversity.com/Productivityist
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.

Sep 10, 2020 • 47min
Mind Map Your Writing with Daphne Gray-Grant
We all need to write more crappy first drafts – that’s the way to truly get unstuck from writing. In this episode I learn from Daphne Gray-Grant about her inspiring writing process.
From my experience of writing a book, I know the process can easily get overwhelming. Which is why I was refreshed to hear about the need to write “crappy first drafts” from today’s guest, Daphne Gray-Grant. Aside from being a prolific writer, Daphne is also a coach to many writers who want to learn to write faster, better. She started her career in the newspaper business and quickly learnt that 80% of your writing is the process you have set up – 20% is the actual writing.
Tune in as we explore the lessons she’s taught to hundreds of her clients. We discuss mind mapping techniques, the joy of paper, and her love for treadmill desks.
Talking Points
On treadmill desks and Daphne’s love of walking
The draw to editing
Daphne’s writing mindset and routine
Is there a good timeline for writing a book?
Ways to beat mind map overwhelm
The impact of writing by keyboard vs by hand
Who can benefit from dictations?
The most common mistakes people make when mind mapping
Quote
“A mind map is not an outline nor an organizational tool – it’s an inspirational tool”
Helpful Links
Episode 288: How to Be Awesome at Your Job with Pete Mockaitis
Daphne Gray-Grant’s interview on ‘How To Be Awesome At Your Job’
Gabriele Rico’s Clustering
Writing the Natural Way | Amazon
Episode 238: How to Keep Going with Austin Kleon
GoodNotes
iThoughts
Scapple
Scrivener
Drafts
PublicationCoach.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.
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.

Sep 3, 2020 • 54min
Endless Curiosity with Derek Sivers
Derek Sivers, a multifaceted writer, musician, and founder of CD Baby, explores the essence of living a good life based on years of curiosity and his nomadic experiences. He discusses the inspiration behind his upcoming book, 'How To Live,' emphasizing that there's no singular way to be happy. Sivers believes that creativity thrives under constraints and highlights how our perception of time is deeply personal. He also shares thought-provoking insights on life phases, joy in productivity, and his relationship with email—peppered with humorous Star Wars references.