Imperfect Creatives

In this episode I chat with Vinamrata Singal about her decision to take a sabbatical after seven years in the tech industry. We delve into the motivations and fears people have when thinking of taking a sabbatical, as well as the impact a sabbatical can have on your life and your career. As always we dive into the deep stuff - we explore what it means to relinquish your professional identity and deal with the battle of the ego and status that comes with that. We also talk about the challenges of publishing work online and the struggles of marketing yourself. Vinamrata also shares a bunch of great resources for online creatives and for anyone thinking of taking a sabbatical. I’m a big fan of Vinamrata’s writing so it was an absolute pleasure to have her on the show - hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! - Mike.CHAPTERS (00:00) Introduction(01:15) The decision to take a Sabbatical(05:06) What even is a sabbatical?(07:45) Planning a sabbatical(11:30) The journey to quitting(13:18) Scarcity mindset & financial anxiety(14:22) Struggling with losing your identity(15:10) The “what do you do?” question & investing in yourself(16:00) Is taking a sabbatical “brave”?(18:20) The pebble in your shoe(19:40) Advice for people considering a sabbatical(22:45) The door is more open than you think(25:40) It’s easier to feel the downsides(27:05) Struggling with professional labels(30:10) Pride and ego(35:40) Pursuing a Blended Career(37:05) Is success as a full-time creative in your control?(42:30) What is failure for creative work?(44:00) Does having an audience matter?(47:20) Self-promotion vs doing the work(50:10) Starting a coaching side-hustle(55:00) Growing intentionally & the Sh**ty Marketing Ratio(58:12) Book Recommendations(61:55) Key Takeaways MORE FROM VINAMRATA SINGALThe Next Chapter (Vinamrata’s Blog) Get Coaching with Vinamrata Vinamrata on LinkedInMORE FROM IMPERFECT CREATIVESSign-up to the Imperfect NewsletterMike on LinkedInRESOURCES MENTIONEDhttps://moretothat.com/take-the-leap/ The Pathless Path - Paul MillerdVINAMRATA’S BOOK PICKSThe Bhagavad GitaThe Catcher in the Rye - J. D. SalingerIn Other Words - Jhumpa LahiriThe Stranger - Albert CamusTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zavin

In this episode, I chat with Phil Bennett (Director of Engineering, speaker, and author) about his new book “Punk Leadership”. Taking inspiration from the spikey-haired, loud-mouthed Punks of the 70s, Phil calls on all of us to take a boot to the status quo and fix broken corporations from the inside-out. We dive into the juicy details on what this means and how to do this - figuring out your personal values by building a “personal manifesto”, using Phil’s core pillars (“people, cash, planet”) to build a positively impactful career, and challenging dodgy decisions in the workplace. We also dive into how tech has influenced the creator economy, as well as some practical tips on how Phil tackles writing with Dyslexia. I hope you enjoy the show! - Mike.Chapters(00:00) Introduction(01:09) What is Punk Leadership?(08:20) The influence of punk on creative culture(09:28) The impact of disruption in tech(12:14) Conscious decision making when choosing a job(21:46) How to create a Personal Manifesto(24:57) Challenging decisions in the workplace(33:23) Reassessing your manifesto over time(49:43) Exploring entrepreneurship and indie hacking(52:32) The reality of content creation and the creator economy(56:00) How tech platforms impact the creator economy(01:00:00) YouTube niches and how hard it actually is to be a YouTuber(01:05:19) Tech isolation(01:09:58) Does online privacy matter?(01:16:40) The Prog-Rock phase of the tech industry(01:21:10) The challenges of writing a book with Dyslexia(01:26:53) Balancing a full-time job with creative side projects(01:30:41) Key takeawaysMore from Phil Bennett Buy the Punk Leadership Book here Phil on LinkedinSoftware is Easy, People are Hard - NewsletterMore from Imperfect CreativesSign-up to the Imperfect NewsletterMike on LinkedInAbout the showThis podcast isn't perfect, and neither are you. And that's okay! This show is for imperfect creatives and entrepreneurs who want to embrace shipping their work without the trappings of perfection. Leadership and career coach Michael Carruthers chats with creatives of all kinds - be it engineers, product managers, YouTubers, authors, or solopreneurs - to understand how they grapple with the challenges that come with building a fulfilling creative career, along with all of the glorious imperfection that comes with it.