Behind the Brilliance

This week's episode is a solo talk on the 11 things we should all stop doing in 2017. A lot of "to do" lists come out near the top of the year, but I decided there were more things we should probably quit than start. 1. Being busy for the sake of being busy (instead of productive) 2. Being lazy / cutting corners 3. Avoiding hard conversations 4. Using outdated definitions of success 5. Catering to the ego 6. Waiting on perfect timing 7. Allowing feelings to be an excuse for bad behavior 8. Flaking on people and things 9. Denying the truth of who we are 10. Hoping goals will just happen 11. Procrastinating unproductively Drop a line and let me know what you thought of this episode and if it was helpful. @LisaNicolebell

This show should be titled Hustle and Heart because those are the two things Tina Lifford has in spades. This conversation tells the story of Tina turning her wishful dream into a thriving career, recovering from major life setbacks, and developing the grit and clarity necessary to courageously live life the way she wants. From getting fired to buying property to choosing projects, this conversation is an inside look at the mindset and attitude of a dynamic artist. We covered a LOT including: -How Tina went from wanting to be an actress to being a sought after, working actress -The story of how Tina took a generous offer from a colleague and turned it into a personal wealth tool -Why getting fired can be a gift if you have the right perspective -How Tina chooses her projects -How Tina coped with losing her brother, dog, and father within 6 months of each other -Tina's advice to creatives who want to be wealthy without being controlled by the pursuit of money -and much, much more! Say hi to Tina and tell her what you thought of this episode: @tinalifford Show Notes: http://bit.ly/btb115

This week's Q+A episode deals with the topic of creating an "ideal life" and escaping a 9-5. I put ideal life in quotations because I don't believe in absolutes when it comes to figuring your life out. It's heavy lifting, it's hard, and it takes time (and I sure as heck am not a guru). Still, I do have a lot (I mean, a LOT, no seriously look at how insanely long this episode is...yeah, a lot) of thoughts, observations, and experiences related to the topic so I answered. Leissan asked: "In your opinion, what is the most graceful way to make that transition? From a 9-5 desk job to doing things that are completely nontraditional. I know everyone has their own path, but hearing your transition and how you took the steps to make your ideal life possible would help me construct mine. I'm at the point would require taking some risks and running into trouble with that as well. How do you gracefully take the risk to make your goals happen?" My answer covers many topics including managing time, managing money, rethinking priorities, mindset matters, assessing risk, and a lot more. Take a listen and tell me what you think -- I'm @LisaNicoleBell on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. All of the books mentioned in this episode are in the show notes. Link (case sensitive) below. Show Notes: http://bit.ly/btb114

What does it look like when your perfect career finds you instead of you stressing out about finding it? My conversation in this episode answers that question. Alyse Killeen is a venture capitalist, founder of City Fellows and Women in Venture, and a smart (and let's be honest, woke) woman who roots for outsiders and underdogs. In this conversation, Alyse opens up about her path from academia to grad school to venture capital. We discuss her philosophies on investing, inclusion, bro culture, and much more. My favorite part is near the end when she shares the best advice she's ever received. Lean in when you hear that come up. Say hi to Alyse and tell her what you thought of this episode: @alysekilleen Show Notes: bit.ly/BTB113

To close out the year, Lisa shares the six things she learned and recaps her year. If you're feeling anxiety about 2017, this episode will be a reminder of the good to come. If you're excited about 2017, this will sprinkle more hype on your optimism. Have a safe and happy New Year!

This week's episode delivers a hearty buffet of topics. From selling to sensory deprivation tanks to setting boundaries, we covered a lot. Tamara Floyd is the founder of Natural Hair Rules, a blog that has become a mainstay among natural hair enthusiasts. In this conversation, we chat about: -Tamara's journey from passion project to passionate 6 figure business -What Tamara learned about the importance of confidence -How Tamra thinks about hiring and leadership -Tamara's approach to lifestyle design -How Tamara discovered she was depressed and what she decided to do about it -Tamara's first experience in a sensory deprivation tank -and much more Say hi Tamara on Instagram and Twitter: @NaturalHairRule Tell me what you thought about this episode: @LisaNicoleBell Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB111

This is a solo Q+A episode featuring 2 questions from listeners. This episode is long but meaty. I lay out my process for getting out of a funk, how I keep my mental state elevated on a daily basis, and more. Question 1: As I was on the train this morning and listening to the Kirk Moore episode, I reflected on a meetup I had last night with an established entrepreneur/digital nomad. I rarely vent, especially about things I'd categorize as negative, but I did mention to her that every now and then I feel discouraged. I try not to, but it's sometimes inevitable to compare yourself to someone else. I don't think it's always a bad thing and I usually label it as something to aspire to be/do rather than be jealous. That word makes me cringe. It was crazy that as soon as I figured I'd inquire about that, Kirk began to speak on this topic. Usually I'll get myself together and remind myself why I'm doing what I'm doing, why my journey is unique, and why I can still succeed. I live by the saying "what's for me is for me." Last night my new friend is the one who got me together and gave me all types of encouragement and inspiration. Do you ever become discouraged? If not anymore, when this did happen to you, how did you usually get back on track? Affirmations? Journaling? Question 2: Do you ever go through funks? If yes, do you have a plan or some type of routine/process you do to help you get out of it? How long did it take you to formulate that process and make it something habitual, rather than just knowing about what you should do, but taking the actual action to do it? Take a listen and let me know what you thought of this episode! Twitter, Facbeook, Instagram: @LisaNicoleBell Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTBep110

Have you ever felt like you were too old (or too something) to go after a dream? This week's guest is the talented, smart, and gorgeous Jamila Daniel. After a career in entertainment journalism and a stint working for the Rachel Maddow show, Jamila decided to start all over as an intern (yes, really) to get the job of her dreams: staff writer on a television show. In this episode, Jamila lets me in on her path to pursuing her passion. We talk about the hard times she had moving to LA (she didn't even know how to drive when she got to the city) and how she had to humble herself to get experience, even when it meant working under people much younger than her. We also cover a lot of other great topics including dealing with setbacks and dark days, dating in LA, Jamila's approach to her craft, and much more. It's never too late to pursue your biggest, most passion-inducing dream. Jamila is living proof. Say hi to Jamila on Twitter and tell her what you thought of this episode: @jamiladaniel Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB109 Lisa Likes: Moonlight LNB on Twitter: @LisaNicoleBell

Season 6 is here! We've got a lot of catching up to do. If you want to skip all the hugs, kisses, and housekeeping, jump ahead to about the 20 minute mark to begin this amazing conversation. What would you do if you came into millions of dollars as a result of something you made or built? My guest in this episode, Eric Bahn, tells me the story of starting and growing his scrappy startup (including amazing advice on getting things popping when you have no money) and went on to sell it. He and his wife decided to travel the world, but things got dicey after that. You might wonder how somebody who's deemed "rich" could have any issues with work, but Eric opens up about how he ended up taking a job that turned him into a grumpy guy. There's a lot of other great advice tucked away in this conversation. We cover: -the important lessons Eric learned during and after the time he sold his company -"finding time" to work on passion projects AND be with family and friends -why Eric quit his job at Facebook to work on a startup -what Eric looks for in founders and startups he invests in (the answer will surprise you) This episode is among my top 10 because my guest was open and offered tons of excellent advice. Say hi to Eric on Twitter and tell him what you thought of this episode: @ericbahn This episode's hashtag is #BTB108 Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB108 LNB on Twitter: @LisaNicoleBell

I'm closing out this amazing season with my recap of the season's highlight, the three things you should check out during the show's hiatus, and what I'm currently working on. Recapped episodes: 83 - Colin Wright 88 - The Strangest Secret 93 - Bea Arthur 94 - Christina Jones 96 - Gunnar Lovelace 102 - Kirk Moore 100 - Joyful Ambition Q+A episodes: 91, 97, 103 || Birthday Episode: 87 As always, thanks for listening. Season 6 drops December 1! In the meantime, subscribe to the show on iTunes and/or sign up for my monthly mashup of funny and inspiring musings at LisaNicoleBell.com.